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February 12, 1913)
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February 1
Are you going to Memphis? This is
the qucetlou that is being asked now
by Southern Presbyterians from Maryland
to Texas. If you were in Memphis
and could see the preparations being
made for the Laymen's Convention by
iu? i i usuj ifi iau? ui LUUL enterprising
city you would think every other man
in the Church was expected.
*Mea.iphis is alive and the local committees
under the direction of the efficient
chairman, 'Mr. K. B. Clinton, of
the Clinton Lumber Co., are leaving
nothing undone to insure all the delegates
a royal welcome. Extra seatings
are being placed in the auditorium;
the platform is being enlarged; the
large and spacious Sunday school room
is being fitted up with writing material,
post-office, 'phone, etc.
Not only so, but Memphis Is sending
out delegations to the surrounding
towns to let all Presbyterians know
that they are wanted and will ibe given
a cordial reception. These delegations
are im-uressintr unon dplnufitos pvprv
where the importance of registering
promptly. The auditorium will seat
ccix-fortably lf.OO, and every one planning
to attend should write at once to
Mr. R. B. Ollnton, (Memphis, sending
SI.00 registration fee, and have their
seats reserved.
'It is expected that the entire seating
capacity will be needed for delegates.
To accommodate the Presbyterians and
other friends of Memphis proper auxiliary
meetings have been arranged for
every evening during the Convention
In the Second 'Methodist church, ju?t
across the street. Here each night
some of the strongest leaders on the
program will speak. It is expected that
these meetings will be largely attended.
Outstanding Features.
Seldom has a convention heen arranged
with so many attractive features
or with a view of making it contribute
to the many special needs and
Interest of all our Home Missions.
There for instance are the special
conferences. The one on "Work for
the Negro" should be largely attended.
This is the first time that those doing
definite work for the negro all over
the South will have an opportunity to
compare notes, and help one another.
The man who lies reached the conclusion
that it is time something ought
to be done in his community for the
negro should certainly bo on hand so as
to learn how to do this important and
greatly needed work. The testimonies
and experiences of the men who are
actually doing things will be worth the
trip to Memphis.
The special conference for Seminary
and College students -will afford a
splendid opportunity for these men to
faco the problems of the home field. It
Is hoped every Institution will be well
represented. Some of our mountain
schools are arranging to have an exhibit
of the woik being done by their
students. These exhibitions will be very
enlightening. It Is time our laymen
knew 'more about the splendid work our
nchool3 are doing In the mountains.
The Women's Conference will deal
with a vital question, "How to interest
our country and village churches In
Missions." An endeavor is "being made
to secure women to speak out of their
experience. This will unquestionably
help many a discouraged worker and
cheer and encourage many a leader.
Last, but most Important of all the
conferences, comes the Post Convention
Conference on Evangelism. This Is arranged
for the entire morning following
he Convention, Friday, February 21st.
All delegates are Invited to remain over
and participate. Surely this conference
will lead to more united effort in ami
THE PEESBYTEBI.
lion Convention
Stb-SOth.
winning all over the church.
But the special conferences are not
the only note-worthy features. The program
is bristling with interest at every
session. Among other things may be
mentioned:
The Union Seminary Quartet, composed
of Messrs. P. S. Crane, C. B. Craig,
W. T. Mann, R. V. Lancaster, will lead
lite singing at the Memphis Convention.
Those who have attended former conventions
will recall how greatly this
quartet has contributed to the singing.
They will render special music at every
session, and also at the Special Conference
for Students on Thursday morning,
February 20th.
Her. Thornton Whaling, D, D., President
or Columbia Seminary, will speak
on a most vital question, "Home Missions?A
Life Work." The address will
be given before the Special Conference
for Seminary and College Students.
However, all are invited to hear this
address which is to bring this question
before our students as an appeal to consecrate
their lives to Home Missions as
the volunteer does lor the Foreign
Field.
Dr. Stewart JL Roberts, of Atlanta,
Ga? will speak on the social evil in our
great cities. A recent medical authority
says: "Tuberculosis, alcoholism, syph
nils have been well described as the
three great plagues of modern society,
but while we have crusade3 against
tuberculosis and alcoholism, the greatest
of these plagues, syphlllls, is neglected
and tabooed." Dr. Roberts will
not avoid this subject, but will face It
with the manly frankness which It deserves.
Rev. Wm. R. Dobyns, D. D? of St.
Joseph, aio., will present in a series of
addresses the vital question of "Individual
Work for Individuals." This is
what is needed today. The figures show
that over 1,600 churches in our denomiliQtinn
hod nn o oooeolnn K nFnfooaIavi
iiuvivu nuu it v/ avwooiuu ujr iiiuicoDiuu
last year. This must be changed. These
addresses will be searching, yet practical.
We will 'be disappointed if many
are not led to imiake Soul Winning the
business of their lives. Wlhy not?
Rev. Reuben L. Breed, of New York
City, will deliver a very unique address
on "How the Immigrants Arrive at
Ellis Island." Eight persons will dress
in costumes of as many nationalities
and will appear before Mr. Breed, who
impersonates a U. S. Inspector. Some
will be admitted, others deported. In
addition (Mr. Breed brings a splendid
exhibit to illustrate work being done by
the various churches for the lrrwnl
grants.
Mr. E. C. Branson, of the Georgia
State Normal School, will speak on
"The Country Church." Prof. Branson
has the honor of occupying the first
chair of Rural Economics established in
an American institution. He will bring
facts and figures, the results of years o(
study. He has reached the conviction
lhat any permanent betterment of rural
conditions must be centered around the
spiritual life and its development
WEST VIRGINIA.
Marlintont The congregation of Mar
Itnton church was called to meet Sunday,
January 12th, to consider the neeri
of repairs on the churoh building.
Instead of repairing, they decider
upon building a brick church, to cosi
somewhere from $7,000 to $10,000, a?
soon as the money Is In sight to piK
the work upon a safe basis.
E. D. King, Z. S. 8m1th and Mrs. O. A
Howard were^appolnted a committee t<
i present plans, and C. W. Price, J. A
Sydenstrlcker. IB. "FT Wade. Tt H. Slaver
AN or THE 80UTH
and E. F. McLaughlin a committee u>
take up subscription!.
Committees will report progress uexi
month, and we hope to be at work Bome
time in the near future.
The present church lot is 100 x 12u,
u'jcm tuo vciucr ut iuwu, uuu win uiiuru
room to build a new manse next the
church.
As soon as the church Is built the
present manse will be Bold, and a new
manse built, and the sale of the oil
manse will provide sufficient funds for
the building of the new one.
We will then have a complete and
up-to-date plant.
A. S. Rachal, Pastor.
The Conference of Tygort's Valley
l'resbjtery la the interest of Evangelism
was held in Elkins, W. Va., January
23 and 24. This Presbytery was
organied last November 21. Of the 26
churches in our bounds 15 were represented
by 26 delegates, Including men,
women, and pastors. Forty-two per
cent of the churches of the Presbytery
were pledged for tho Evangelistic Program;
end 50 per cent for the Every
Member Canvass. The addresses of Dr.
E. W. McCorkle and Dr. D. Clay Lilly
were interesting, instructive, and impelling.
So, also, were the addresses
of our leader. Prof. Jas. Lewis Howe.
Of the churches that held special services
during the year ending March 31,
1912, the ratio of profession to membership
in two of them is 1?2; in four,
1?3; in one, 1?4. The ratio of professions
during that year to the membership
in our whole Presbytery is 1?6.
We ara very hopeful that great things
for God "will bo the result ot this conference
In our new Prsbytery. We have
S whole counties, and the larger part of
six counties in our bounds, 26 churches;
and only three pastors. Will you
come over and help us? We greatly
need a Presbyterlal Evangelist right
away. Dr. F. H. Barron, of Elkins, W.
Va., Is chairman of Presbyterlal Home
Missions. Write him.
W. P. Robertson,
Secretary of Conference.
PERSONAL.
The address of Rev. J. C. Walt is
/ihgnA.H frrm. **?
VUVM>0VU ti vuii i Mvaguiua, .U lOD., IU
Moss Point, MIsb., where he entered
upon his labors as pastor of the Moss
Point church January 1st.
CHANGE OF ADD BESSES.
Rev. Chalmers Fraser from Gainesville
to 43 Atlanta Ave., Decatur, Ga.
Rev. J. L. Rrownlee from Albany to
Madison, Ga.
Rev. Win. Tliorburn from Brandon to
McAllen, Tex.
Rev. J. S. Kennlson from Green Bank,
W. Va., to Stovall, N. C.
Rev. J. T. Rothrork from Somervlllo
to 1451 "McLemore Street, Memphis,
Tenn.
Rct. William Thorbnrn from Brandon
to McAllen, Texas.
' THE EVERY MEMBER CAXVAS3 A>T>
TIIE BIBLE CAUSE.
In the Million and a Half Campaign
' inaugurated by our last Assembly,
wihlch embraces an every member canvass
In nil our churches for the benevolent
objects of the Assembly's
scheme, as the chairman of the Permanent
Committee on thfe Bible Cause. I de
sire to put in a word for this object It
! is to be hoped that all our churches,
large and small, city and country, will
' during March maie this every member
f ranvasa, which has been proved to be so
' practicable to all, and so successful
1 wherever duly worked. And in Its execution,
let me urge that the Bible Cause
he not neglected, the reasons are plain
> and solid.
1. This cause is distinctly embraced
i In the.(Assembly'# aoheane for which the
(18ft) ^Ift **
lakes Homo Baking Easy
ROM
dHiis
POWDER
Absolutely Pure
HAS HO SUBSTITUTE
A Cream of Tartar Powdor,
free from alum or phosphatlo
acid
ct-nvass is ordered. See the action of
the Assemblies year after year from
1910 up to the present time. The
scheme expressly takes in the five great
c.b/ccts: Foreign .Missions, Home Missions,
Christian Education and Ministerial
Relief, Publication and Sabbath
School Work, and the Bible Cause. For
each of the apportionments have been
made, and months assigned as an educational
means. And I have -written assurance
of those leading this great
campalmi that there is no purpose to
overslaugh in any manner the Bible
Cause, which the Assembly has placed
in its scheme of beneficence.
2. It needs every cent that can "be
raised in our churches for it Although
the American Bible Society has come
Into the possession of some large gifts
in recent years, the opportunities and
demands of the work of supplying God's
saving word to ihe needy have Increased
more rapidly than the income of the
Society. The needs of our own country
were never so great, and the opportunities
of the foreign field are utterly
Inestimable. According to its last report,
the American Blhle Society had
distiibuted for the preceding year about
one million copies of the Scriptures In
China; but now through the changes
nuran jiu?c eiuce lanen piace in mat
country, with every door open and the
people eager for light, we might well
circulate five million copies the coming
year. And the claims of others are
also very great and increasing constantly.
3. Our Church' has taken a forward
position with regard to this cause which
we ought not to relinquish. In advance
of many other large branches of the
Protestant Church, we have for many
years embraced this object In our
scheme of beneficence, have taken up
regular collections for it, and have kept
a column In our statistical tables for reporting
them. And further, -we have
Permanent and Standing Committees in
our various church courts to keep this
cause before them. Thus, while we
have never done anything to boast of in
the way of contributions, we have yet
taken a position with regard to It which
promises better results, and we have
been held up as an example in our plans
and efforts to other churches. It would
not become us then to recede in any
manner from t h la hnnnr?hlo ans* ?v?
UW..WI MU*U (Mm rrui ui;
position.
For these and other reasons I earnestly
ask all our congregations to giv>
the Ilible Cause its due place In their
every member canvass, and to render It
such aid as it deserves, certainly not
less than the little one per cent, of
their beneficence wihlch the Assembly
asks for It.
Thos. H. Law,
'"balrman Permanent Committee