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CHARLESTON PRESBYTERIAL.
The third Institute of Charleston
Presbyterial was held at Denmark, S.
C., September 27th, the president,
Miss Allan, presiding. Devotionals
were conducted on the prayer life of
Nehemiah. Messages were given by
cause secretaries. Mrs. Wertz, Secre
tary of Christian Education and Min
isterial Relief, declared the greatest
need of the work was prayer, and
next, the securing of our boys and
girls for life work. Mrs. Wyman, Sec
retary of Literature, called attention
to Church Paper Week, which is the
special work of local secretaries. Mrs.
Bramlett spoke on the Standard of
Excellence, giving splendid help in her
clear and comprehensive presentation
of the aims and plan of the Woman's
Auxiliary. Her sketch of the study
of Mexico will make all want to join
the study classes In February. The
president told of the work of the Or
phanage Committee and of work
among the negroes. Mrs. Bramlett
ably answered questions from the
Question Box. The value and use of
literature was pointed out by Mrs.
Lunz, Synodical Secretary of Litera
ture. A discussion of the benefits to
be derived from a vacation at Mon
treat was engaged in. The special
music was a very enjoyable featuro
of the program. The free-will offer
ing went toward defraying expenses
of the Institute. The total number
present was thirty-seven, eight auxil
iaries being represented.
Tho fourth Institute of this Pres
byterial, October 10th, Mount Pleas
ant, was opened by Miss Allan, presi
dent, who conducted a reading and
study of the Scriptures. MrB. Sprunt
presented the points of the Standard
of Excellence. Mrs. Lunz spoke ap
propriately from time to time on lit
erature, relating to different depart
ments, and messages from the absent
department secretaries were read. The
treasurer, Mrs. Bissell, spoke on
finances. After the recess the after
noon session opened with devotionals
led by Mrs. Bissell; Psalm 1 was re
peated in concert, followed by a se
ries of short prayers. Mrs. Glover
spoke on the work of the Standing
Committees for Thornwell Orphanage
and Island Work. A talk, "Making
History," was given by the historian,
Mrs. Stoney. Miss Folsom gave a
heartening address on "The Work
That Is Going to Stand the Test," a
Christian's duty to be a missionary
in fields of opportunity at our very
doors. Mrs. Dugan spoke in a stir
ring manner on "Work of the Star
Gospel Mission in Charleston," and
appealed for more volunteers for Bible
teaching. Before adjournment per
sonal experiences and impressions of
summer conferences were given. Mrs.
Stoney told something of her impres<
sion and feeling of ignorance at the
Inter-Racial Conference she attended.
Mrs. Dugan spoke of the overwhelm
ing feeling of Ignorance, and the ben
efit of the fellowship at large gather
ings at Northfield. Mrs. Hamlin and
Mrs. Sprunt spoke of the attractions
of Montreat and the privilege of at
tending these conferences.
Marion S. Connor,
Secretary.
HARMONY PRESBYTERIALu
The annual fall conference of Har
mony Presbyterial Auxiliary will be
held Wednesday, November 1, 1922,
with the Woman's Auxiliary of Tir
zah church, Dalzell, S. C. A full at
tendance is urged, as many as possi
ble from each Auxiliary. There will
be two sessions, morning and after
noon, with lunch served on the
grounds at 1:30 P. M.
Miss Bettie Aycook,
ft Recording Secretary.
ALABAMA SYNODICAJL.
The fifteenth annual meeting will
be held in Montgomery, Ala., Novem
ber 7th-8th. From plans made last
year at the meeting in Auburn, it was
decided to hold a Workers' Confer
ence in some central place where there
could be free discussion and helpful
suggestions. There will be no in
spirational addresses or large gather
ings, but it is our hope that every
member of the Synodical and Presby
terial Auxiliaries can be present and
all have some vital suggestion that
will prove an inspiration to those pres
ent.
The meetngs will be held in the Y.
W. C. A. rooms, beginning at 2 P. M.
Tuesday, the 7th. There will be open
meetings, and it is hoped that others
beside officers will be present and
take part in the discussions. We es
pecially urge that the Presbyterian
women of Montgomery attend in large
numbers.
Mrs. J. G. Snedecor,
President.
MISSOURI SYNOIHCAL.
The twelfth annual meeting of the
Synodical Auxiliary of the Synod of
Missouri was held in Columbia Octo
ber 4th-6th inclusive.
The meeting opened on Wednesday
night, with Rev. W. P. Shewmaker,
pastor of the Columbia church, pre
siding. After the usual greetings and
a solo by Professor Mlckesell, Mrs.
Hazen Smith, of the Louisville office,
addressed the Synodical on "Life En
listment." The evening service was
concluded by the observance of the
Lord's Supper.
The Synodical was opened with
prayer Thursday morning, after which
it stood constituted for business, with
all officers, except two secretaries of
causes, present and an enrollment of
seventy-two. Reports of cause secre
taries were encouraging, showing ad
vance along all lines of educational
work, with a slight decrease in gifts,
due to incomplete reports rud the fact
that a larger number of local aux
iliaries contributed through the regu
lar church channels. The display of
literature, prepared by our very effi
cient secretary, Mrs. Robert Ramsay,
was complete and effective. Report of
the secretary dhows a membership of
13,859 and 86 auxiliaries. Eight new
societies were organized during the
year. The Presbyterial presidents
gave Interesting reports, each one
speaking of the outstanding features
of the year's work, differing In nature
as local needs demanded. Twelve
group conferences were held in va
rious parts of the State.
The speakers were unusually strong.
Each session was enriched with a Mis
sion Study lecture on "Unfinished
Tasks," by Mrs. William P. Borland,
of Kansas City; a Parliamentary Drill
by Mrs. C. S. Shawhan, of Mobile,
Ala., and a Bible Hour taught by Mrs.
Margaret Russell, also of Mobile, on
the theme, "The Work of the Holj
Spirit."
On Thursday evening there "were
two splendid addresses by Miss Potts,
Dean of Synodical College, who
brought a most encouraging report of
the school, giving us In detail the
improvements already made in the
building and the proposed plan for
beautifying the campus-; and Miss Sa
die Buckland, who In her sweet, sim
ple manner told of her work in Ko
rea.
These women of national reputation
gave to the Synodical their best ser
vice along these different lines of
Christian work.
The social features of the meeting,
consisting of the delightful fellowship
around the luncheon tables in tlie
(Continued on page 13)
Laymen and Their Work
SCOUTING AND THE NATION'S
NEEDS.
George J. Fisher, M. D., Deputy Chief
Scout Executive.
Not long ago Dr. Frank Crane wrotJ
an editorial on babies, and amon?
other things he said, "Every new baby
is a new hope for civilization, a new
opportunity to realize our democracy."
We have made a mess of the world.
Perhaps the new generation will do
better.
George W. Hinckley, founder of the
Good Will Farm for boys in Maine,
now growing older, lives off away
from the farm, in a little cottage
which he calls "Applehurst." He
makes it a practice here to have boys
visit him and occasionally dine with
him. One late afternoon there was -i
knock at the door, and as he opened
it he saw standing before him a splen
did youth, ruddy, clear-eyed and man
ly, with the look of innocence and
holy aspiration upon his countenance.
He seemed to represent in his appear
ance all that was true and wholesome
in youth. As Mr. Hinckley turned to
the hearth, and stirred the embers of
the lire, he said to himself, "As long
as America cau turn out youths like
this, her destiny is safe."
This is the function of Scouting.
To raise up boys who will have great
er courage, greater daring, finer ideals
than those of us who have preceded
them, and who will therefore, to n
marked degree, bring into being thos-j
fine ideals of democracy, which rep
resent the real America.
One of the fine things about the
Scout Movement is that it is a move
ment primarily dependent upon vol
unteer service. Over a hundred thous
and of the finest men of America are
making Scouting possible. It is in
deed expressing in action those fine
lines of Kipling:
?
And no one shall work for money,
And no one shall work for fame.
But each for the love of working.
It is a fine contribution to the life
of America, for if the social service
work of the world is to be done at
all, it must be done by volunteers.
It cannot be done by professionals.
It would require too many. It would
be too costly. Scouting is giving a
fine demonstration of the possibilities
of volunteer service in a worth-while
task.
Why in particular shall we promote
the Scost Program? Let me know a
few of the outstanding needs of the
nation at this particular time, and in
dicate what Scouting has to offer to
meet those needs.
First. This is a cynical age. Some
of us had hoped that the nation might
continue upon that high and noble
stratum of experience which we hail
reached during the war. What a
splendid spirit of unselfishness and
utter giving of ourselves characterized
us in those remarkable days. It was
too much to hope that we would con
tinue on this plane of exalted living,
for once again we have slipped back
to lower levels of thinking and expe
rience. What cynicism seems to pre
vail. Men are cynical against govern
ment, cynical about the possibilities
of international relationships. Thej*
are more suspicious of each other.
Over against this spirit of cynicism,
I place the Boy Scout Movement, which
teaches boys to think of government
In terms of service; which teacher
boys to believe In their government,
to believe in their fellows, to believe
in themselves.
Second. This is a restless and un
disciplined age. Recently the National
Guard troops of New York State were
doing service on the Mexican border.
Because of the intense heat, an order
was given that horses should not be
driven faster than a walk. In one
division alone over 2,000 arrests were
made for the violation of this order.
The young men, and many of them
from our best homes ? they represent
ed a cross section of American life ?
seemingly could not carry out the or
der without modifying it according to
their own point of view. The averag9
American young man does not appar
ently know the first meaning of dis
cipline.
Over against this, I would propose,
not military discipline, not a super
imposed discipline, but Scouting with
its self-imposed discipline, for the boy
on his own initiative takes upon him
self the discipline of the Scout Oath
and Law, and it is the kind of dis
cipline that we will stand for in Amer
ica.
Scouting, therefore, for a restless
and undisciplined age!
Third. This is an age of physical
deterioration. Is it not true ? in the
light of the fact that one-third of
the young men of America, of mili
tary age, supposedly in the prime of
life, were not able to pass the very
low test provided by the army for en
listment ? that civilization is working
havoc in the physical vitality of the
nation? Or based upon Great Brit*
ain's experience, where in an exam
ination of two million of her young
men of military age, they were only
able to put about 36 per cent, in the
column of those who were adjudged
"perfectly fit"? All the rest were men
with defects. In varying degrees they
had physical conditions which prevent
ed them from being recruited among
those who were perfect. This Is an
age of apparent physical deterioration.
With all of our college sports ? and
we must have more rather than less ?
with all of our physical education in
the schools ? and it must be advanced
rather than reduced ? with all of our
gymnasia and recreation, apparently
we have not found anything sufficient
to go beyond forty-five, for the death
rate after forty-five is still increasing.
Our recreative program seems to fail
at a time when it is needed most.
As one of the means, along with
those other beneficlent agencies, for
bringing into existence a recreative
program that will meet our nation's
needs, I would propose the Scout Pro
gram. Scouting is the program of
the out-of-doors. It is the program
of the forest and the field. It teaches
boys to throw signals from mountain
tops, to span bridges across streams,
to hike, to swim, to live in the open,
to blink at the stars, to know the
trees, to spot the birds. Once give
an individual a real love for the woods
and a knowledge of how to hand'e
himself in the forest, and the lure of
it and the appeal of it remains with
him for life. It is a program that he
can keep up until he Is eighty. If
several millions of boys in the next
generation will have the benefits of
good leadership in Scouting, I proph
esy that it will have an appreciable
effect upon the death rate, for it pro
vides a program without stress of
strain that one can keep up beyond
mature life.
Scouting, therefore, as a program
to offset apparent national physical
deterioration. ?
(Continued on Page 14.)