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4 (542) T H E
bersliip, strength, gifts and influence we have
increased four-fold.
Facts such as these seem to demand, if we
may borrow an athletic phrase "a tightening
np on tlie line-up." Common sense demands
that a Church holding our doctrines concerning
Cod, sin, redemption, the Spirit of God,
and the covenantal relation, have an educated,
assured ministry and a devout, thoroughly indoctrinated
laity. Of old, the Presbyterian
home assured this in a great measure. Then
the "church in thy house" worshipped daily
and used the Sabbath literally for Cod, the
sermon was food to the man behind the desk
or between the plough handles, from Sabbath
to Sabbath; sermons were of a character meet
for such use; in short, we knew what we believed
and why. Where the home fails the
Church must supplement.
To-day, more than ever before, is the ministry's
opportunity. The call of God to His
apostles is not, as one authority so aptly puts
it, "to be the machinist and oiler of a wellorganized
machine." We arc called "to keep
that committed to our trust"?"all scripture
given by the inspiration of God, profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness." It is in doctrineed
and weakness is to-day. Though to the
Sunday school has been delegated, for the
iiul instruction that the Church's greatest
most part, catechetical instruction, and yet
what time can be given it there or how many
teachers are capable of really teaching it?
"In teaching" we seem to tind the pastor's
opportunity and the church's hope. Catechetical
instruction should be in the hands of
the pastor. In a sister Church some congregations
maintain as many as seven week-day
classes, taught by pastor or elder. Such classes
are not impracticable in our Church. Out
of two classes, numbering 25 children, differ
ing in age and in advancement, conducted
once a week for nine months, only three standings
were below 90 for the entire time. This
year, under different conditions and in a different
church, the purpose is to conduct a
summer school in Catechism and Bible, meeting
twice a week, and even better results are
looked for. In pulpit teaching, however, the
modern pastor's greatest opportunity affords
itself. In the "real English," whether we
dare believe it or not, people are "pretty well
fed-up" on some of the diet considered popular?souls
are hungry. A modicum of cour
age, a measure of faith, a vast amount of work
?these will prepare and arrange a year's series
of catechetical sermons, which, while leaving
room for practical, local, special messages,
cannot but result in strengthened souls, more
mature lives, and a firmer grounded Church,
and these two opportunities mentioned are
simple samples of the host that will immediately
suggest themselves to every pastor's
mind. Prayer meeting series, communicant
classes, church papers and Presbyterian
higher education are some of the additional
means that have and can be utilized.
As has been intimated the hope of the
Church lies in this, in its ministry. Two
things are demanded of us. assurance and con
secration. Consecration to Christ will eliminate
fear of men, love of superficial success.
But in this juncture assurance is needed, assurance
in our faith, an unshaken horror of
sin that is sin, a joy in redemption that is redemption,
a faith in a God who is indeed a
God. Cor.
CONDITION OF OUR WORK IN MEXICO.
By Rev. II. L. Ross.
Six weeks ago Prof. It. C. Morrow and X,
PRESBYTERIAN OF THE S
accompanied by Dona Eugenia, matron of the
Matamoros Girls' School, set out on a visit
to our mission field for the purpose of taking
ten of the school girls home for vacation, and
to see the native brethren in the work, and
carry relief to the needy. We were given
passes on the train, and exemption from duty
and free transportation for the several hundred
pounds of goods we took.
It is with satisfaction and genuine thanksgiving
that we can report the work as getling
along remarkably well in spite of the
many hardships caused by the revolution. We
have not lost a single native worker. All the
day schools have been kept open most all the
year, aim me uiree examinations mat 1 attended
showed that faithful work lias been
done. In different congregations it was my
privilege to receive members into tlie church.
One young man of quite marked ability as a
teacher who united with the Linares church
is a great gain for Protestantism. Our young
pastor at C'. Victoria told of 25 candidates for
membership who are waiting at Santa Maria,
three days journey up into the Sierra Madres.
We could not make the trip because of
lack of time, as we had been very much delayed
on account of the trains being in bad
condition and the engines used to move soldiers.
But military trains and freights and
175 miles overland, with now and then a passenger,
took us to our most important points.
At Montcmorelos ten of the native teachers
and three young preachers met us in confer
* iiw . ? v; mm tin nii(iicssivt; morning waicn
])ra,ver meeting and a happy social gathering
in the evening. Along with the food stuff and
clothing for free distribution we took a good
deal to the native workers on account of their
salaries, and it proved a great hoon to them
in these hard times.
The school girls that we left at home are
very anxious to return in the fall, and several
new applications are in. It will be a great
joy to the missionaries, and the Church at
home will only be doing her duty, when our
i i: i - t i -? *
mmmiug scuoois nave adequate enougn support
so we will not have to limit the number
of students to just a little handful, but can
take in a great company of the new generation
that is so eager to learn.
From all quarters comes the inquiry, when
arc we going to finish the building at the
Graybill Memorial School and open the institution
again?
Under the new regime education will receive
a great impulse. As a very intelligent
Mexican and good friend of Protestantism
told me the other day, it is the great opportunity
for our mission schools. lie said the government
is not going to be able to adequately
support the public schools for some time, and
that if we can carry on good mission schools
we will be able, in large measure, to mold
the new citizenship. All the civil and military
authorities are very cordial in their commendation
of our efforts along educational lines.
The town authorities, where we are to hold an
examination, appoint a committee of three or
four men who sit all day through the examination
and grade the students. We must certainly
go forward with our educational work!
Our week overland was the most strenuous.
I left Linares on Tuesday with Sr. David
Palomino v Sanchez and Sr. Ernesto B.
Aguilar, who had driven the day before from
Montemorelos. We drove thirtv-tliree milea
1o Potierillos. Wednesday we were in the
seliool examination all day, preaching at night
and a social serviee after preaehing. It was
2 o'eloek when we went to bed, and were up
at 4 getting ready for the drive of fifty miles
O U T H. [August 11, 1915
to Los Angeles. We had an addition to our
party of two young ladies, cousins of the
teacher at Los Angeles. Night came on be
lore we reacnea our uestinution. The tongue
broke out of the wagon. We had to go on in
the eart and afoot. As we were crossing the
foot-log over the river two of our party fell
in. It was one when we got to bed that night.
The next day was an all-day examination and
preaching at night. Arrangements with the
teacher kept us up till midnight again, and at
4 we were up to start on the drive to La Cruz
Munuii, mure man twenty nines away. "Xo
train for Victoria" was the report, so Ernesto
returned and I spent Sunday and Monday
with La Cruz congregation, and was most royally
entertained by Mr. ltobert Millar. We
had venison and fish and home grown watermelons
and bananas and vegetables. Mr. Millar
tells me that lie is making money on the
"hacienda," in spite of the war, and will have
about 25 car-loads of corn to ship from the
first crop that is now being harvested, lie
takes great interest in our school work and
treats the Mexican laborer kindly. As a result
he has all the workmen he can use. We
hope more Americans like that will come to
Mexico.
The depreciation of Mexican currency and
the scarcity of food when the railroads were
cut have caused great Buttering. Conee soid
as high as $4.00 per pound, and rice $2.00
ana corn $1.20 a quart, aiul otiier tilings in
proportion. The thin, gaunt forms of the
women and children show the marks of hunger,
and many of them are almost in rags.
The hardest time in our field was in April
and May, when the corn gave out and, as
several of them told me, they "had to cat with
a spoon." They meant they had no bread;
for the Mexican when he has it breaks oil' a
piece of the corn cake (tartilla) and uses that
as his spoon. The new corn crop, though
short on account of drought, has relieved the
situation for the immediate future. It is selling
from 25 to 50 cents per quart, which is
from five to ten times the normal price this
time of the year. The soldiers and their
horses must have a good proportion. Another
crop will be harvested in the fall, but under
4-1,? J:*: 4i...x 1-- i J e? 'i??
niu ucst uunuiuuiis tiiilt call uu nupca aui iiicic
will be great suffering in the winter, and we
want to be getting ready to relieve them.
The Red Cross, through its representative,
Consul-General Ilanna, in Monterey, is sending
in help and supplying about 4,000 families
in Monterery. We received a small quantity
of beans through him, but we cannot hope
to receive nearly enough to supply our field.
A short appeal last March brought in several
handsome gifts?one man sent $100. We
wish the good friends who sent those gifts
could have seen the joy in the faces of the
nonr nnAnln no nnnrvlif oirrVif of fltn riPl*.
l/v/v* 1*0 mvj vuugiib Oigitb yjj- I/"V 7
coffee, flour, sugar, soap, lard and clothes that
your offerings bought. Though we had to
deal out with small cups to make the food
hold out we sent many a poor mother away
happy. And I wish you could have heard
the pleadings of those who came too late to
secure food for a sick baby or mother or
sister or husband. Can you not help them
now?
The second-hand clothes also were gratefully
received. We will need large quantities
as fall and winter come 011. We can use all
kinds of summer and winter clothes for men,
women and children. Shoes are also very
1. -1 - J nr. 13 1 4~e.il f<?
111 urn ueeueu. we wouia ue very gratcm
receive outing flannel and blankets.
Please sends gifts to us at Brownsville or
to Miss K. V. Lee, 1301 Iturbide street, Laredo,
Texas.
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