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VOL. LXXXVII. RICHM
The Synod
This church was organized by the Rev. Messrs.
Daniel Baker and J. M. Becton, missionaries of
the Assembly's Board of Domestic Missions, on
the 3d of November, 1819.
The following named persons constituted the
charter members: William B. Files, Fenby Files.
David C. Hunter, Achsa Hunter, Henry H. Link,
Martha A. Walton, Julia A. McCray (Mrs. E. J.
DeBard), Lucy Curchain, F. J. Curcliain, John F.
W alton, Ahnena Walton, E. J. DeBard, Thomas
J. C. Wortham, Eliza J. Wortham, Julia A. Hunter
(M rs. D. A. Calhoun), George W. Tuggle,
Paulina C. Jowers and E. M. Roberts,
in all eighteen.
William B. Files, George*W. Tuggle
and David C. Hunter were elected
ruling elders.
Down to the time of the present
pastorate twelve ministers have se|^d^
mis cnurcn: Tlio Ifev. Messrs. Alfidflr? ICS"
Beeton, If. H. Byers, W. H. Sit ' ?
.Moseley, A. P. Silliman, H. MefWiP* jflYNVA,
aid, C. M. Sliepperson, W. H. Yii^pi^
II. S. Yerger, S. M. Luckett, AjOkNg n&l/CE
McElwee and If. H. Crozier. *??J!
At present the officers are as follows:
Pastor, J. C. Oehler; ruling
elders, F. C. Eason, E. W. Link, W.
Ik Tfogers, J. IT. Grant, E. E. Barker,
Gray Boulware and E. J. Ezell; deacons,
.T. II. Sillimanj IV. II. Dick, P.
B. Greenwood, G. P. Barnes, J. C. rJKfemsif
Sillinmn, Jas. F. Brook, C. F. McWhorter,
J. G. Barry, M. McMahan
and Budolph Miller.
'I'lie history of this church has been
marked by prosperity and harmony, B- '
and while the growth has not been i
phenomenal, it has been steady and |.'T**^KJ|
substantial, the membership now ffl
numbering four hundred and thirty- B
Synod first met in Palestine on I
November the 3d, 1857, with Rev. I
Hugh Wilson moderator; the second
time on November the 7th, 1872,
with Rev. R. H. Bunting moderator ; I
the third time, October the 5th, 181)5,
with Rev. J. M. Cochran moderator.
The Palestine church is looking
forward with great pleasure to the
honor of entertaining Synod for the FIRS']
fourth time, on November the 12th of
this year, and hopes to welcome a full representation
from the churches throughout the Synod.
Perhaps no Synod on the American continent,
or on any continent, has before it such vast possibilities
of growth, such immense resources of material
develoDment, ?nrl omaV. ? *?
- J J ? WMWAVAVIV OUtll a 11U1U lur
the expenditure of time, means and effort in the
evangelization of the people, whose numbers in the
future are now beyond all estimate, as has the
Synod of Texas. In his recent illuminating survey
of the home mission field of the Southern
[OND, NEW ORLEANS a \NTA, NOVEMB
J*#**
No\
oi 1 exas Pre,
Presbyterian Church, Dr. Morris says of the physical
territory which marks the extent of the Synod's
work:
"Texas is an empire within itself, of 205,780
square miles, and could accommodate within its
hounds, easily, Great Britain, European Turkey,
Switzerland, Denmark, Portugal and Palestine."
"Texas is capable of supporting the present population
of the United States. If it were as densely
populated as 1thode Island, Texas would contain
105,200,000, and if the entire population of the
globe should emigrate to Texas it would arive to
? - > - 41
Vu" i , i
' .-. .-* ~ -?~.j
1 PEESB YTE RIA N CHURCH, PALESTINE, T
every family a half acre of land. The time is
coming when the South will perhaps contajn_
500,000,000 people, considering the fact that the
larger part of the Mississippi valley belongs to the
South."
What a future awaits the consecrated service of
this Synod! What a call for men and the means
for their support There are regions as yet uninhabited;
there are others unsupplied by evangelical
ministers; there is a foreign element needing
men to preach in their own language; there are
?al Presbyter/an a
tmf&aj &?f*z&xrrjriat * +s
. .. w tr r W f O
ER 12, 1913. ' No. 45^ 4- ^
12th, 1913, In The First
ibyterian Church of Palestine
great cities in which missions to the neglected
classes are to be founded and sustained; there are
skeptics and deformed religions of many ikiuds
that must be exposed by the clear light of gospel
truth; there are great multitudes of young men
uuu ^uung women who must be won to Christ or
saved to the influences of Christian homes. Let
us believe that He who in His providence has
opened up this signal opportunity for service will
thrust forth laborers into the harvest.
A correspondent of the Home Mission Herald
of the Northern Presbyterian Church has this to
^ say of the immigrant within the
bounds of the empire btate of the
1 South"
"It is estimated that in Texas alone
there are 20,000 Italians, 30,000 Poles,
00,000 Scandinavians, 75,000 Bohe^
m inns, over 200,000 Germans, and
' about 300,000 Mexicans." And these
numbers are constantly being swelled
31 by additions. Galveston now holds
* 1 .i
j nit :11 tn place as a port of entry for
immigrants coining into our country,
New York, Boston, Baltimore and
Philadelphia only exceeding it. New
- ' . Orleans comes next.
"The Mexicans are mostly in Southwest
Texas, but they are rapidly,
spreading over other parts of the
i \ -d State. As a class the Mexican is shift*
less, untrustworthy and undesirable,
7 but many noble examples prove that
1-1 : be is capable of becoming a faithful
- O ? ?
j Christian and valuable citizen.
The most promising outlook for
rid work among foreigners is among the
' . ^ 75,()00 Bohemians. They are a thrifty
and prolific people, and their limnBS&I
bers are being increased by ever enM
larging tides of immigration.
"Two per cent, of the Bohemian
H population of the world is Protestant,
but it is estimated that 25 per cent.
of the Bohemians of Texas are Trotestant.
This means that about
vo.iiini arc not under the dominion <>f
l'oman Catholicism. The manv
53ESS5 mixed marriages also give Protestants
acce8S to many who arc avowedly Roman
Catholic. Only a small percent.
F \ \S are inti<3els. But even among those
who acknowledge themselves Christians
and Protestants, the ignorance of the Gospel
is appalling. One missionary writes of some Protestant
families: 'They have maintained their ho
lief in God. But that is all. As far as knowledge
about God is concerned, they are practically in
utter ignorance.'
"Several independent ministers are at work
among the Bohemians of Texas. One of them in
particular, now an old man, has under his influence
about 5,000 of his people, and his influence
is against the ideals of American Christianity."