Newspaper Page Text
The Presbyterian
Vol. 96. No. 25. RICHMOND, VA.
June 21, 1922.
SECRETARY OF STATE IIUGIIES lms
announced that the Government of this
country is ready to take part in nn investigation
of the atrocities still being inflicted by the
Turks upon the Armenians and other Chris
tian people in their country. One of the
strangest things connected with the whole world
war has been the way in which the nations of
the world have allowed Turkey to continue its
diabolical efforts to annihilate the Christians
who are unfortunate enough to live in the land
over which the crescent floats. President Wil
son was anxious to do something for their re
lief, but Congress would not permit him to do
anything. It is devoutly to be hoped that some
thing radical will be done to show the Turks
that they can no longer carry on their murder
ous campaign against the helpless people whose
only offense is that they are Christians. It
should not be forgotten that these people fought
on the side of the Allies until they were over
come by the Turks. Gratitude for what they
did and sympathy for them in their helplessness
ought to arouse the nations to go to their help.
America has sent millions of dollars for Iheir
relief, but what will it all amount to in the end,
if the Turks are allowed to kill them all ?
TITE Congo Mission News, in reporting re
cent arrivals in the mission field, men
tions "Bishop Egbert Smith." We recognize
the fact that all teaching and ruling elders are
bishops. But we notice that the News docs
not honor any one else with that title, save a
Methodist who has been set apart by the Church
in this country to the special office to which
it gives the title bishop. We wonder upon
what ground the News confers this special
honor upon our worthy Secretary of Foreign
Missions? Is it because he represents a great
Church? Is it because he superintends one
of the great departments of the Church's work ?
Is it because of his great scholarship? Is it
Wause of his genial manner and high social
characteristics ? Is it because of his greatness
of soul and devotion to the Master's work ? Ia
is because of his love for God and his fellow
man? We leave those to answer who know him.
BOOTLEGGING on a largo scale is charged
against the United States, while the Gov
ernment is fighting hard to pnt a stop to this
practice on the part of some of its citizens. The
Shipping Board is running a large number of
the ships acquired by the Government during
the war. Many of these are engaged in pas
senger carrying business. In this business tli^
Shipping Board represents the Government.
In their advertisements they guarantee pros
J>ective travelers that the bars on the .hips will
l?e wide open as soon as the ships have crossed
the three-mile line off shore and that every cue
fian get all the liqnor he wants to pay for. The
claim is made by the head of the Shipping Board
?bat it is necessary to sell liqnor in order to
secure enough passengers to enable these rhips
to compete with other transatlantic ship*. This
naturally raises some questions. Ts it ever
right to do wrong that good may come ? If the
Government, representing the people can en
page in the liquor business anywhere, what
right has it to say to the people that they cannot
individuals do what they are doing collec
tively through their representatives ? How do
those ships get their supplies of liquors? Do
they buy them from lx>otloggerg? There is no
one in this country from whom they can legiti
mately buy them. Do they buy them1 in for
eign countries and bring them over to have them
ready for the outgoing journey ? If so, why
are not these ships searched, the liquors con
fiscated and the officers arrested in our harbors,
ns would l>c the oase with other ships ? Which
is better to l>e consistently right or to run a few
ships on the ill-gotten profits of the liquor busi
ness, which this country has so heartily con
demned? If the Shipping Hoard does not im
mediately stop this business, Congress ought to
comj>el it to do so by whatever legislation is
necessary. It would be very well for the law
abiding people all over this country to express
themselves very plainly and very promptly to
l>oth the Shipping Board and to members of
Congress.
ONSOLIDATION made great changes in
the work of the Northern Presbyterian
Church. That Church 1ms had thirteen boards
doing its work, but at the last meeting the
General Assembly consolidated them all into
four. The plan adopted is almost identical
with that under which our Church has l?cen
working for some years. It was felt that too
many men were employed in managing the
work, while a smaller number could do it just
as well. It is also reported that there was a
growing feeling that the large number of of
ficials of these boards, now become so numerous,
were gaining too much control of the work of
the Assembly and of the Church. It is hard
to deoide just how many men ought to l>c em
ployed in such work and how much authority
and influence they ought to have.
GOD relies upon men to ilo much of IT ia
work for men. Are we listening to the
calls that God is making to us for service, and
for advancing His honor and glory? A relief
worker in the Near East tells of a destitute
boy who was taunted by the vilagers for still
keeping his faith in God. "What do you mean
by saying God loves you?" they said in scorn.
"Would a God who cares for you leave you un
aided and friendless?" "lie does love me, and
wants to help me," the l>oy still insisted, "but
the man whom lie is asking to help me will not
listen."
MONTREAT program for this summer, as
usual, presents a number of most attrac
tive features. Every department, of the
Church's work will l>c represented. Able men
and women will take part in presenting the
work in its various phases, and will give much
information and inspiration to those who at
tend. If one is especially interested in any
department of work, it would bo well to l>c at
Montreat when it has the right of way. But if
one cannot at the time he prefers, he will make
no mistake to go at any time. Conferences,
lectures and services are by no means all of the
attractions at Montreat. For many of those
who go there find the pleasantest and most pro
fitable experience is meeting socially the choice
souls that gather there from all over the Church.
We doubt very much whether any gathering
place in the world shows a larger proportion of
peoplo of the highest social, intellectual and
spiritual standing. And nowhere can a finer
spirit of fraternity and good will l>e found.
Those who have l>oen to Montreat need no one
to urge them to go again. Jf any of our readers
have never l?een, they ought to write at once for
the program and select the time they want to
l>e there and then write for reservations as
soon as possible. Kev. 11. C. Anderson, Mon
treat, N. C., will give all needed information.
CONFUSION was characteristic of many
of the sessions of our General Assembly,
and we find that the same thing is reported as to
the Northern Assembly, and afc to other Church
courts. In our Assembly confusion in conned
tion with discussion of important matters has
grown from year to year. It has not. l>een many
years since almost all the proceedings of the As
sembly were conducted with staid decorum and
dignity. During the late session ofthat body it
was a common oeeurrence for a half dozen or
more men to be clamoring at the same time for
the permission of the moderator to speak. This
was due, no doubt, largely to the feeling of the
members, that, if they did not get their speeches
in early they would not get them delivered at
all. There was constantly a feverish haste to
get through with the consideration of any mat
ter that was under discussion. This resulted
often times in cutting otf debate before a mat
ter had been carefully considered. Many times
the question was called when only a few of
those who desired to speak had been heard. Due
to a ]>eeuliar parliamentary tangle and a call
for the questioy one of the most important mat
ters presented to the Assembly was voted on
and adopted l?efore it had l>oen discussed at all,
and when the action had l>cen taken a large
number of the members did not know what they
had voted for. It seems strange that such a
thing should happen, but those who were pres
ent could see how easily it could eome out of
the confusion that prevailed. What the As
sembly greatly needs is to have its members
attend with the feeling that they are going to
give everything connected with the Lord's
work careful consideration, "no matter how much
time it takes. Opportunity should lx? given
every man to speak under proper restrictions
on any subject that comes l>eforo the body. No
man has a right to decide that only a certain
number of members may speak on any sub
ject. The strong men are often slow to speak,
and Wause of the haste of others, they some
times are not given the opportunity of speak
ing, when the Assembly greatly needs their
wisdom.
IS( OTTNT and Viscountess Astor made a
visit to Richmond recently, and were
pi von a royal reception. Lady Astor was born
in Virginia and reared in Richmond. She is
now a Peeress of the British Realm' and is the
first woman ever elected to the British Parlia
ment. She has taken a very high stand for
righteousness, and is exerting a great influence
for good in her adopted country. Her husband,
Lord Astor, in speaking of what she had accom
plished, said : "I think she has done all these
things, because always, without ostentation, she
lias tried to make God her strength." If this
could be said of all those who hold public office
in all lands, this old world of ours would be so
changed that its old acquaintances would
scarcely recognize it.