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the equally important active Bide, and
that we ahould not rest content with
having in the Presbyerian Church the
finest organization for work, and then
leaving the pastor to run it alone.
in the informal discussion which followed
Dr. Smith showed great skill, as
well as humor ,in replying to the many
questions which were fixed at him.
The lunch under the trees interrupted
the conference for awhile, and every one
enjoyed the 'bountiful repast provided
by the ladies. At 2 o'clock the conference
re-assembled, the scene shifting to
the other end of the lawn, under the
magnificent old oak, beneath whose
ako/l/vwa J ? J ? ' * *
"""uv r. o nci e syuiLCU uwaues ago tue
words that plighted the troth of many
a couple present.
After preliminary devotional exercdses
Dr. Jas. Lewis Howe, of Washington
and Lee University, was introduced to
speak on the topic, "How cajo. the Assembly
Plan best utilise the deacon to
promote the Spirituality of the Church?''
Attention was called to the counmon
error that the deacon's office has to do
merely with finances; It is a spiritual
office, and the Biblical qualifications for
the deacon are practically the same as
those for the elder. He is as truly a
spiritual officer as the elder, and his
true office needs magnification. Hemaiie
It very plain that from, a financial standpoint
we are all very remise in putting
up our equivalent, and he made a good
suggestion that we should change our
phraseology, speaking of "making an
offering" in place of "taking up a collection."
After Dr. Howe had concluded his
most admirable address, the various
deacons representing the many churches
present were called on for their varied
experiences. Some tho.ught that possibly
the impression was created that
the diaconate was the most important
branch of the church, and that in comparison
the pastor, elders and members
were not "in it," but there might be
some justification, since one pastor
present expressed the opinion that the
deacon ought to be represented in the
Presbytery, Synod and Assembly.
One of the many Impressions of the
conference was the manner with which
Dr. Ehnmett McCorkle presided over the
deliberations of the meeting. The tact
he displayed in getting out the best each
speaker had in him, and) the number and
pertinence of the questions he asked
made one realise that he had spent
many weeks in preparing for the occasion.
The answers were prompt and
to the point, and seemed to generally
give satisfaction to the audience.
The devotional exercises were admirably
led 'by Robert Morrison and special
mention must t>e made of the music
under the direction of the musical veteran,
Frank Snyder. In brief, it was a
most enjoyable occasion, calling forth
from all the desire that it might 'be repeated
next year on a larger scale. The
number present was estimated at 250,
of whom about fifty were elders and
deacons, and ten pastors. In all twelve
churches were represented. Notning but
good can emanate from such a conference
and interchange of opinion between
so many earnest Christians; certainly
all went away with the determination
try to nve closer to tae line or
Christian duty In the future. Mc.
WEST VIRGINIA.
Welchs Rev. George H. Gilmer, D. D.,
Superintendent of Home Mlesions of
Abington Presbytery, recently conducted
a week's meeting In the church at this
place. The congregations were encouraging.
The meeting resulted in a
visible quickening of the church life.
Since the close of the services the attendance
at regular Sabbath services has
increased.
The church building is being painted
THE PRESBYTERI
aud the interior will also be redecorated.
Four members have recently been added
to the membership of the church.
The paBtor has charge of the entire
county of McDowell and is the only
Presbyterian minister In the whole
county. This county is one of the richest
coal mining sections of the country.
There is a population of fifty thousand
people and ninety-eight per cent, are
yet to be reached by the gospel. In
many of the muring camps there is no
religious work of any denomination being
conducted. The pastor hopes to
place several students at various strate
gic points throughout the county next
summer.
.North Fork: Services are held at
North Fork twice each monh in the
Methodist church. There are twelve
hundred people in the town and only
about fifty church members. Two members
were recently added to the Presbyterian
church. We are looking forward
to the coming of Rev. R. ID. Carson, of
Abmgdon, who will oonduct a meeting
for us.
A Ladles' Aid Society was recently
organized bv thft nasfinrr and ia Hnino
good work. A Charity Committee of this
society looks after the sick and needy or
the town.
The pastor and his wife received from
the ladies of this society a generous sum
of money and a bountiful supply of
groceries. This token of love is greatly
appreciated.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS.
Ityev. Paul S. Rhodes from Washington,
Ky? to Magnolia. Ark.
llev. II. . Hammond, pastor at St.
C harles, S. C., should ibe addressed during
the month of September at Clayton,
Ga., R. F. D.
PERSONAL.
Hui. Dr. J. T. Pluukjet, of the South
Highlands church, Birmingham, is off
on his vacation, which be will spend
at Atlantic - City and other eastern
points.
liev. J. B. Carpenter's city address
in Oklahoma City, Okla., is changed
from 407 Concord Building to P. O. Box
1176.
Dr. Robert E. Vinson, of Austin Theological
Seminary, and Airs. Vinson are
sojourning amidst the altitudes of Colo
rado. They will not return to Austin
until the middle of September.
Rev. C. T. Caldwell, of Waco, Texas,
with wife and little son are spending
some time in Colorado their address
being The Albany, Denver, Col,
Rev. It, 11. Eggleston, of Richmond,
has been called to the Central (Presbyterian
church, Jackson, Miss. The congregation
made the call on Sunday,
August 4th. It is not thought here that
he will accept.
Rev. E. H. Gregory, of Garyvllle, Dais
spending a month's vacation at 2156
Madison Avenue, Memphis, Tenn.
Rev. Geo. L. Bitzer,*D. D., of Valdosta,
Ga., is spending his vacation in Washington,
D. C.? where he is supplying the
pulpit of the Fourth church.
LOST.
The Session Book of the Jamestown
church. If any brother in West Hanover
Presbytery has taken these records
home from Presbytery, by mistake,
please communicate the fact at once to
Mr. Henry Madison, Rice, Va., R. F. D.
A WORD ABOUT HOME MISSION
WEEK.
It seems that a word of explanation is
necessary concerning the connection of
our Church with the advertising campaign
for Home Mieison week, November
17-24.
For several years the Home Mission
Council, composed of th)t Home Mission
agencies of the twenty-seven Protestant
AN OF THE SOUTH
denominations doing mission work in
the United States, has been conducting
investigations concerning the religious
needs of our country, with a view to a
better co-operation among the various
churches. There was a unanimous feeling
among the representatives of this
Council that there should be a united
effort to get the facts of these investigations
before the people in a very definite
way.
The expense of this campaign of education
is being met by private contribution.
The Executive Committee of
Home Missions has no active part in
perfecting the plans for this advertising
campaign, and has made no contribution
to It other than the regular dues as a
member of the Council. We hope, however,
as a denomination to take advantage
of whatever help we can get
from this campaign of Home Mission
education and to observe Home Mission
week in our own way. We earnestly request
all our pastors, sessions and
churches to study and use the literature
that is received and plan -to observe
Home Mission week, November 17-24, as
approved and endorsed by the General
Assembly.
Homer McMillan, Secretary.
WASTED?A MISSIONARY FOB THE
AFRICANS.
Recent events prove that if the above
call for a missionary for work in the
United States was changed so as to
apply to the Africans in. the Congo Free
State, there would be numerous self
sacrificing volunteers. Twelve splendid
young Southerners have recently embarked
for Luebo, and no one rejoices
more 'heartily than the writer oveT this
noble acknowledgement of the needs
of the black people and our responsibility
therefor.
But when did the good Father abolish
the claims and forget the needs of
the black people living in the South?
How many of my readers have cleared
their consciences and discharged all
religious obligations for these backward
people?
Certainly no one becomes entitled to
suoh discharge by declaring that "the
Afro-American is hopelessly ignorant,
vicious, lazy, no-acoount and growing
worse." Because the more true the
statement, the more unlikely the good
Father Is planning to quit his missionary
work and discharge his helpers.
There is now needed at Stillman Institute
in Tuscaloosa an able-bodied
man to fill a vacancy in the faculty.
We trust that this call, coupled with
a kind Providence, will bring to this
work an active and efficient man; one
not afraid of manual labor and who
knows how to teach. He will need the
patience of Job, and the consecration
of Dan Liltble, who is retiring on account
of ill health.
J. G. Snedecor.
Tuscaloosa, August 10, 1912.
FOREIGN MISSION TREASURER'S
REPORT.
Receipts July 1912.
Specials.
Children's Day, 1,606.26
Other Specials, .. 3,703.97 % 5,310.22
Regular.
Debt Fund, $ 1,989.99
Current Fund?v .. 31,366.26 33,356.25
Total Receipts for
July, 1912, $ 36,666.47
Bank Balances.
Special Account Credit in
Bank $ 9,361.96
Regular Account Overdraft, 1,903.49
. Liabilities.
Due Missions, ...$ 43,329.80
Bills Paya/ble?
Borrowed
Money, 73,062.00
Bills Payable?
[ August 21, 1912
Accepted drafts
of Mission
Treasurers, ... 15,411.23
Funds on
Deposit, 2,400.00
Overdraft in
Bank 1,903.49 136,096.52
l^ess Advance
Payments to
Missions, 47.10
New Liabilities
August 1, 1912, 1136,049.42
Total Receipts from Children's
Day to August 1st, $ 1,403.96
I feel quite sure that the gratifying
increase in our receipts as shown by
the above report is largely due to the
response made by many of the treasurers
of our churches and societies to
the letter addressed Co them by the
Committee on Home .Development and
Administration, requesting that prompt
remittances be made to our treasury
during the summer months.
Out of the special funds contributed
for that purpose, we bave paid the
outfit and traveling expenses of the
party ox outgoing missionaries to airica,
which sailed from Philadelphia on
the steamship Merlon on July 27th, and
also of the Korean party which sails
from San Francisco on August 23rd,
on the steamship Manchuria.
According to the instructions of the
General Assembly, the outfit. Cravelung
expenses, and $1,000 per annum for
support for each of these missionaries
was secured from Individuals or churches,
with the distinct understanding that
funds contributed for that purpose were
to be over and above their regular
gifts.
Respectfully submitted,
W. H. Raymond, Treasurer.
THE MEN IN CONFERENCE AT MONTREAT.
The Million and a Half Campaign.
'More than two months of careful
thought and planning by the Assembly's
Campaign Committee was focussed on
the Conference at Montreat August 1213.
Sixty of the ablest leaders of the
Church were present, including pastors,
home and foreign, secretaries of the Executive
Committees, a number of in
UUCUliai ICLJUAl^LL UUU VlUtJr llICOl CDICU
visitors. Rev. G. E. Raltt, Secretary of
the Brotherhood of the United Presbyterian
Ohurch; Rev. R. M. Russell,
President of "Westminster College, New
Wilmington. Pa., and Rev. W. E. Hampe,
Secretary of the Laymen's Missionary
Movement of the Reformed Church in
the U. S., threw light on many points
under discussion from the experience
of similar campaigns in their own
churches.
Mr. J. P. MoCallie, Chairman and Secretary
of the Campaign Committee presided
over the Conference. Brief, clearcut
statements were made by members
of the coaamdttee responsible for various
phases of the campaign outlining the
work to be done. Full discussion of
these plans for the campaign followed.
Representatives of the Campaign Committee
are to visit the tall meetings of
Presbyteries and there arrange for a
Campaign Conference to be held at a
later date at the most central point in
the Presbytery.
These conferences will aim to put
clearly before the leaders of each
church in the Presbytery the aims and
plane of the campaign. Two night ae*aions
are to be given to inepirational addresses,
and the day sessions to practical
conference and discusedon of plane.
The main stress both at Montreat and
as planned for these Preebyterial Campaign
Conferences is laid upon personal
evangelistic effort and the "EJvery Member
Camvass." Very interesting tea#"