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March 5, 17131 T H B 1
Editorial 1
If "Livingstone Day," March 19th, witnesses
the clearing away of our Church's debt on its
Foreign Missions, it will indeed be an emancipation
day for the Church. It is not far off. It is
near enough to startle the inactive into some
ining practical, to nave a part in tne great
work. At the same time it is far enough away
to< give those who have not fallen in with the
great body of the Church to have a good part
in the happy results. Fall in, brethren!
Wherever we go and from whatever direction
we hear, we learn that mighty effort is going on
all over the Church towards the lifting of the
Foreign Missions debt. Congregations that do
not like one method are not satisfying themselves
with criticism, but are up and doing by some
other. There is good prospect that the outcome
will be great. It is not too late for the minority
who are not yet in line to fall in. The procession
is moving, friends. Fall in!
Once more! The week of March 16 to 23 will
he observed as a season of prayer and self-denial
for our Foreign Mission work. Let our people,
nearly 300,000 in number, and our friends and
adherents numbering as many more, become
conscientiously and prayerfully enlisted in this
one week of special and united endeavor. Its
spiritual value will exceed even our most sanguine
financial expectations; the debt will be
naid. with a handsome surplus remaining, and
the life of the Church will be stimulated immeasurably.
Our pastors will remember that
they are the under-shepherds of the flock. They
must lead.
Southern Presbyterians will bo gratified to
learn that Dr. Robert II. Fleming, of Baltimore,
one of our most able and highly esteemed ministers,
is now president of the Western Section
of the Alliance of Presbyterian and Reformed
Churches Throughout the World. At a meeting
of the executive uommittee ot me western section
in Montreal, Canada, February 19, Dr.
Fleming 'was elected to the honors and responsibilities
of the high office. Tho Committee is to
be congratulated on the selection of a man for
president who will hold that honorable body
strictly within constitutional bounds in ease
there should be any disposition to transgress
prescribed limitations.
Pfimmpntinor nn eritieisms that, have been
made of the religions complexion of the Federal
Council, especially of the views of Dr. Matthews,
its president, The Thnnnvcll Messenger, representing
the Thomwell Orphanage, says; "Nowhere
in the Scriptures are we told that we must
believe that certain hooks were written at certain
times and by certain persons; nowhere, even,
are we told that we must believe in inerrant
writings; but, 'there is none other name under
heaven given among men whereby we must be
saved'." This statement of the Messenger has
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of inspiration it can consistently endorse the
Council. It is far more consistent than larger
pnblication8 'which while professing loyalty to
plenary inspiration, are zealous for fellowship
and federation with those who repudiate much
of the contents of the Scriptures as being false
in doctrine and false in historical statement.
Meanwhile those who contribute to the support
of the orphanage and those who commit children
to its care may desire further information
on opinions, existing at the orphanage, concerning
the authority of the Scriptures.
'RE8BYTERIAN OF THE SO
Votes and
The Committee to prepare a "Brief Popular
Statement of Our Church's Doctrine" met lately
in Memphis. It will assemble again in Atlanta,
on the Tuesday r>receding the Assembly. Noth
ing whatever has been given out concerning its
Memphis meeting, and no one knows whether the
Atlanta meeting is to dress up what has already
been done, to complete an unfinished task, or to
adjust divergencies as to the statement as a whole
or in any of its parts. The matter becomes more
and more interesting as the months go by. It
is somewhat stirring up even our friends across
the Atlantic.
Personal and written reports from the Laymen's
Missionary Convention at Memphis indicate
that not only were the meetings attended
by a large and enthusiastic representation assembled
from every section of the Church, but
that those in attendance were inspired with intensified
interest in the great cause of home
evangelization in all its departments. Moreover,
it is gratifying to be assured that the Convention
received spiritual refreshment and uplift that
should be the means of permanent blessing to
the entire Church. "We assign liberal space to
the report of the Convention, prepared by Tlev.
T. "Walter Cobb, to whose kindness wc arc indebted
for this generous service. "We hope our
people, from reading this ample and accurate
report, will be imbued to some extent with the
spirit of consecration which pervaded the Memphis
Convention.
At the annual meeting of the Board of Man
agers of the Presbyterian TTospital of New Orleans
"there was mnch satisfaction in the board
over the splendid progress the hospital is making
and the prosperity which it at present enjoys."
Letters received from friends and patrons
of the hospital indicate enthusiastic devotion
to its welfare and admiration for the career
of prosperity and nsefnlness which the hospital
has enjoyed. Such an institution in a great and
growing citv like New Orleans must be a source
of incalculable hlessincr to thousands of individual*
and families who each year receive its
skillful physical treatment and its Christian
ministrations. The hoard of directors have indicated
their appreciation of the progress and
usefulness of the institution under the presidency
of "Dr. J. C. Barr. hv electing him to that
responsible office for another term of four years.
Those who admire the achievements of either
the livincr or the dead are justified in freely expressing
their admiration, but extravacrnnt laudation
is an injurv, by reason of contrast, rather
than a tribute. Each year the pnsres of a number
nf onr exehanpres contain snch extravagance. on
the recurrence of the birthday of Ex-President
Lincoln. ITere is a sample: "ITow prlad all the
world was when Mr. Lincoln was welcomed in
the city of Pichmond at the pinnacle of his
srlory. It was like Christ's trinmphal entry into
Jerusalem." It is very nsnal on this anniversary
to associate these two names, apparently
on terms of perfect eqnalitv, bnt to the praise
and priory of the former. Peal merit needs no
buttress of hyperbole, much less does it need
profanation of the character and redemptive
ministry of opt Lord, to sustain its claims.
For seven weeks Dr. Wm. A. Snnday, former
baseball professional and now noted evangelist,
condneted meeting in Columbus, Ohio. These
meetings closed the third Sabbath of Febmary.
Onr religious exchanges report that during these
I U T H (201) 9
Comment
seven weeks nineteen thousand people professed
conversion at the meetings. The services were
held in a tabernacle accomodating twelve thousand
persons. It is estimated that on the last
day he spoke to at least forty thousand persons,
preaching five times in different buildings. It
is said that he preaches as pure a gospel as did
Dr. John Ilall or Charles Spurgeon. The free
will offerings paid to Mr. Sunday amounted to
over twenty thousand dollars. A sirhilar sum
was required to defray the expenses of the meeting
and was paid by voluntary contributions.
It is denied by those who know the man and
his work that his evangelism is a money-making
enterprise.
NOTES IN PASSING.
BY BEST.
When Abram departed from his
Limitations, native country to go to Canaan at
the command of God, wc arc told
"Lot went with him.'* Then again on his return
from Egypt after the famine lie had "Lot
with him." "And Abram -was very rich in cattle,
in silver, and in gold." . . . "And Lot
also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and
nerds, and tents. It is characteristic of some
men that they always go with some one. They
have nothing of initiative, nothing of adventure,
nothing of the spirit of the pioneer. They would
not dare go out of sight of land upon uncharted
seas, nor of their own accord pass out of sight
behind the veil of an unexplored wilderness.
And yet they often make good followers, bearing
with patience the toils of the campaign, and
faithfully and efficiently carrying out instructions.
We must have such men. There could he no
leaders if there were no followers. The trouble
comes when men like this presume to start out
upon their own responsibility, ignoring their own
limitations. So long as Lot was with Abram he
prospered, and no doubt a good deal of Abram's
prosperity must be attributed to the early loyalty
of Lot. But when he left Abram and pitch
ort his tent toward Sodom, it was the beginning
of the end for him.
As Christians, the lesson is for us. Our welfare
in every particular depends upon our communion
and companionship with Christ. lie is
enriched and we are enriched so long as we stay
together, both must suffer from separation. At
the beginning of his ministry he chose disciples
who should be with him; he is still doing so. A
heart like his must have friendships. What a
marvellous honor that he should have chosen us.
rm _ . ...
xne magnanimity of Abram in
Magnanimity, giving the choice of directions to
the younger man has long been
celebrated. "If thou wilt take the left hand,
then I will go to the right; or if thou take the
right hand, then I will go to the left." It was
a great thing to do, an impossible thing for a
selfish spirit; but a very easy thing for one who
knew that God was always with him, as much
with him on the left as on the right hand. Abram
lived in God, he made his choice in God, and so
one place was just as good as another, for "the
earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof."
"Magnanimity" means "great-mindedness,"
and a great mind is a God-directed, God-filled,
God-honoring mind. To such a mind as that
there is good grazing in any wilderness, and
abundant companionship in every solitude.
A self-made man is not to be compared to a
Ood-mado one. ]