Newspaper Page Text
August 11, 1915]
oi l IOIAIj missionary institute.
David H. Scanlon.
Our Executive Committee of For.11
Missions reeentlv inmiciirnfoH n
n,.\v movement which augurs large
things for the great cause of missions,
.mil promises rich blessings to many of
. , ur churches.
This advance step is the sending out
from the headquarters at Nashville a
dele ition of our choicest men to
make a tour of the leading cities of
;i given section of the country to present
the great cause of foreign missions
from various viewpoints.
It was the good fortune of this city
to be tl?e second visited 011 the first
illicial visitation made under this new
regime.
Dr. James I. Vance, chairman of
the Assembly Executive Committee, In
two magnificent addresses presented,
first, the business methods and plans
in vogue at Nashville; and secondly,
the subject of "Our World Obligation."
Both of these subjects, of
course, were dealt with in that masterful
way in which Dr. Vance alone
can present them.
Dr. H. F. Williams, our efficient
field secretary, spoke on the "World
Summons," and his second address
was on the "Survey of Our World
Field," the latter being illustrated by
views taken by himself in the Orient.
We also had the pleasure of two
splendid addresses from Rev. R. D.
lieilinger, of our Congo Mission Station.
The first one was "Lights and
Shadows of Mission Life," and the
second, which was an illustrated lecture,
was upon "In the Heart of the
Dark Continent."
Large audiences were present at
every service, and a profound impression
was made upon the religious
forces of our city by the visitation of
those brethren. The call was distinct,
and the note optimistic and compelling.
No city can be visited by such
men with such messages without stimulating
the missionary interest and
disseminating valuable missionary information.
It in in rPnlitv a mlnlotnpn
laymen's convention brought to every
city, without losing its force from lack
of numbers, but rather accentuated by
the personal touch with those from
tin* field abroad and from headquarters
at home.
The immediate results consist in
bringing a broader vision, stimulating
enthusiasm, removing objections lurking
in the minds of many regarding
the mission work and the principles
of missions, and causing the people
to realize the common brotherhood of
nian and the transforming power of
the gospel of Christ on the individual
heathen, as well as upon heathen
lands at large, and hence an enlargement
of the substantial Interest in the
?ork at home and abroad. It is to
l)e hoped that our Executive Committee
win arrange for many such itineraries,
as the results obtained will amply
justify making this new movement
a permanent part of our missionary
education.
Meridian, Miss.
THE BRITISH WEEKLY'S VIEW.
Things are looking better. We
know that our readers, and indeed
>e whole nation, are now determined
to face the situation as it exists. The
lr,ith is often harsh and bitter, but
Ulf,.v prefer it to fiction. Sometimes
is reassuring, and then especially
't ought to be told. So long as we are
im * - - - - - -
1? luvaDiy aeierminea to win this war,
a,"l know that we have the power
to win it, we shall not allow our hearts
ln sink, even when dark days are passes.
All the same, th.o streaks of
'lawn are thrice welcome to those who
watch for the morning.
Military operations have, on the
______
THE PRESBYTERL
might go further, but we wiBh to coutine
ourselves strictly to facts. It is
not possible to discuss the situation in
detail, but certain remarks mav be
made.
1. The moral and material value of
General Botha's great victory, won in
a fashion so masterly and complete,
cannot well be overrated. It has been
said that the victory will not hasten
the end of the war. When the men
who have fought with General Botha
come to fight in Europe it will be seen
that they count, and that their presence
implies the shortening of hostilities.
If their noble leader accompanies
them, so much the better. Apart
from this. General Botha's victory is a
testimony which we may humbly accept,
and an achievement of which we
may be proud. We may be sure that
its significance is not missed either by
Germany or by the world.
2. The resistance of Russia has not
crumbled away, as many feared that it
would. The experts of Petrograd, always
wise and self-restrained, warn
us against attaching too much importance
to their recent successes. Our
people are fully alive to this. They
know that the situation is by no means
finally determined. Russia may find
it necessary to make further retreats,
but Russia and the Russian Army
remain. They are tremendous facts,
and the day is not far off when their
might will break through all hindrances
and leave them masters of the
field. We will not speculate on the
aids which Russia is receiving and may
receive.
3. What can be said in further
praise of the spirit and demeanor of
France? They are beyond all eulogy.
Their army is magnificent. The leaders
are worthy. The nation is patiently
and bravely putting its heart and all
into the strife with the firmest purpose
and continuance till the end is
reached. Any misconceptions of British
action are being cleared away. We
nrn rlnJlv aiwJncr on/1 nl%oll
v%. w b1 * **??>? UMU ounii cuiuiiiuc hj
give, to France new proofs of our
fidelity and resource. Unless all signs
are false, France is steadily becoming
more formidable as her organization
becomes more complete, and she is
prepared to bear the brunt of any
further attack, however fierce it may
be.
4. We may claim that our own gallant
and magnificent troops have beer
found worthy comrades of the Allies.
Their number, as we write, is being
steadily increased. New soldiers ol
the highest type are taking the place
of those whose lives have been sc
grandly given away, and reinforcing
the men In the field. What we owe
to our Dominions?to Australia, tc
Canada, and to India?cannot be told
The nation has watched, with unutterable
pride and gratitude, the heroic
achievements of the empire's soldiers
Thfiv AY AAA/1 nlronrlv oil tV?af wo Arm
hoped, and they are being increased
day by day. We shall have a stead)
flow of recruits, not inferior to those
who have done their part, who wil
never turn back till victory is secured
In spite of the many tributes paid t(
the men of our Dominions, we doub
whether enough has been said; we
doubt whether the actual value of the
work they have done has been pui
at its true rate.
5. Our enterprise in the Dardanelles
is one of almost unique difllculty, bui
the position there is more hopeful thar
I lion I*** ? 1
Ji linn aypctti cu iu uc iui Illclliy wuuk8
and it is the opinion of those win
know best that the object will b(
reached without exorbitant delay. I
is satisfactory to the nation that Mr
Balfour, as Secretary to the Admiralty
is giving his days and nights to th<
carrying through of an enterprise witl
which he has from the first strongl;
and closely identified himself.
\N OF THE SOUTH.
6. It becomes clearer and clearer
that Italy is thoroughly prepared, and
Is carrying out a well-considered plan.
ANTI-ALCOHOL. DAYBREAK IN
EUROPE.
The nresent nnnnniiiolo<i
political supremacy, among a dozen
nations of the so-called "civilized
world," has prevented the American
public from realizing the great changes
in the alcoholic sentiments of the old
world, recently inaugurated. Strange
to say, that within two or three years
previous to the beginning of this terrible
conflict there, a revolutionary
movement of wide extent has been
taking place on the continent against
the drinking customs of the nations;
which have had an age-long continuance
of great extent. That a movement
of such great significance should
come up so quickly despite tradition
and prejudice is amazing to American
minds. It would seem from the history
of that three years' agitation, that
v.. ? - ? - -
nuuiu u?cu lurge aiieau 01 mo
United States in the prohibition of
the manufacture and sale of alcoholic
beverages. This revolution of sentiment
commenced about thirty years
ago in Scandanavia, and about the beginning
of this country extended into
Germany, and even Russia. It is remarkable
that this reform should have
ueen inaugurated and vigorously espoused
by the universities and edu,
cated men of Europe. Many conferences
and discussions led up to
the final general opinion of the people,
that Europe was really "alcohol
, sick," anu would eventually die of
alcoholism unless antidotes in the
shape of total abstinence principles
and laws were early instituted. The
"International Alcoholic Congresses,"
that were instituted first at Antwerp
in 1885, have been one of the great
means of spreading among the
thoughtful minds of the various
nations of Europe, the great dangers
concealed in the consumption of ardent
liquors as beverages. By a series
of wonderful experiments among
drinkers, these Congresses, which have
met annually in various capitals of
i Europe for the last thirty years, finally
decided unanimously that alcohol was
r not only a poison and narcotic, but
also a parnlyzcr. They have made
thousands of tests among drinkers of
all grades and classes, and have sclen1
tiflcally proved, that even one small
drink of alcoholic liquor, from beer
; and wine, to distilled spirits, is an inevitable
cause of injury to the brain
1 of man and the whole human system.
' What is called the "germ theory" has
' been brought into view to show this
* fact beyond any doubt. Hence, France,
' Germany and the Scandanavian countries,
as well as in Great Britain, governments
themselves, have been
5 aroused to teach the people, by lectures,
anti-alcoholic exhibitions, and
legal enactments, the dangers of the
1 drinking customs of society. Even
r *. . .
ngni wines ana Deer, as well as
stronger drinks, have been shown as
1 the enemies of nations and races of
people, calculated to destroy rapidly
' the increase in the birth rate, and
L causing the degeneration of all im5
bibers of these poisonous drinks.
i Hence, we in America, although now
^ earnestly engaged in fighting the
saloon evil, and the manufacture of
' alcoholic drinks, are in danger of being
t excelled in this important warfare, by
? the aroused sentiment of Europe. Wo
. need, therefore, not only flying squad)
rons' anti-saloon leagues and prohibi*
tion conferences, but a renewal of
i. temperance societies ana pledges,
. among the children and educational
, Instruction In our schools to more
5 fully instruct the people the terrible
i evils connected with drinking customs;/
which in their results far exceed the
destruction of life and property in
(553) 15
curred, even in this fearful war now
being enacted. Even this bewilder
ing sanguinary conflict has had already
some beneficial results, notwithstanding
all its horrors. It lias been teaching
all the nations engaged that alcoholic
beverages are not only destructive
to national life in times of peace,
but in time of war destructive to all
military operations carried on by
armies that still imbibe alcoholic
drinks PntlcnniinnH.r " ?
VvM?vHu?uva/t CICI J IltlllUU
lias been seeking, not only to instruct
civilians in habits of temperance,
but also to interdict the drinking
of liquor among the soldiery. As
we all know, Russia particularly, by
edict, has prohibited the manufacture
nnd sale of "vodka," that national
alcoholic drink which has heretofore
enslaved its people. Thirty years ago
a wonderful temperance reformer
among the people, started a crusade
in a small way against drinking. Like
the best temperance advocates of any
country he persisted for years in his
advocacy of the suppression of the governmental
laws for the sale of this
deadly drink. He was unable until
the breaking out of this war last year
to pursuade the Czar and his advisers
to totally stop this governmental
method of raising taxes, which has at
the same time injured the productive
power of the Russian people. This
wonderful reform, put immediately
into effect, has, as we all have learned
from the papers, produced magical
changes in the habits of the people for
the better. Russia, with its population
of over 150 millions of people, pays
Its taxes far more easily., and in spite
of the war now going on is growing in
productive wealth among its large agricultural
population. Germany, France
and even Great Rritnin nr?
realizing that military operations cannot
be carried on successfully while
their soldiery drink wines, beer and
distilled liquors. Hence, as God makes
"the wrath of man praise Him," we
may hope that the termination of this
war, whenever that desired event may
occur, will show a people regenerated
from the centuries-long drinking customs
of all these countries. All lovers
of humanity and social and moral progress,
despite the sorrows of this warlike
period, have good reasons to rejoice
in a great future of higher life
for mankind by this marvelous temperance
reform in Europe.
Henry M. Hall.
Jesus chose humble fishermen to be
his first followers, and God, through
all the ages, is calling ordinary men
to be His witness-bearers and to tell
to others the story of His love and
grace.?Exchange.
HK MADE A HIT.
A commercial traveler had been
talking his hardest, his most eloquent,
his most persuasive for nearly an hour
to a shrewd old Yorkshire business
man. The old fellow seemed convinced
and pleased, and the traveler thought
he had his fish landed. But the Yorkshire
man said:
"There's ma lad, Jo^k. Ah'd laike
him to hear what ye have to say. 'Will
ye coom this afternoon and go over
your talk again?"
"Certainly, sir, with pleasure," replied
the traveler heartily, and at the
hour appointed presented himself
again for the interview with father
and son. Again he went over the
puuiLB ui me article ne naa 10 sell?
forcibly, eloquently, persuasively.
Never had he acquitted himself of a
finer "selling talk."
When he had finished the old Yorkshire
man turned to his son and said
enthusiastically: "Do you hear that,
I want ye to sell our goods on the
road."?Kansas City Star.