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HEN the beloved and inimitable Sam
Jones was speaking at the educational
rally at the Grand some years ago, in
behalf of bringing the big Presbyterian
University to Atlanta, he playfully said:
“My only objection to the Presbyterians
is that there are so few of them. They
are such fine folks, there ought to be
more of them in the world.”
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If that dear old apostle of sunshine and gen
erosity had been in the mammoth Auditorium-Armory
in Atlanta last Sunday he would have decided that
Presbyterians had seemed to “rise from the earth
and fall from the skies,” as was said of the French
soldiers when Napoleon called to arms.
It was the semi-centennial celebration of Presby
terian progress in the South, and the people came
from far and near, all Presbyterian churches in At
lanta and surrounding towns calling in their Sunday
morning services and gathering at the Auditorium at
A SPIRITUAL DYNANO IN WASHINGTON
(Continued from Page 1.)
studies his head off and loves and works his heart
out. He simply makes room for both. The fact that
great crowds throng his ministry in Washington,
where, humanly speaking, he “measures arms” with
stalwarts on every side, shows that he goes from his
study and his knees to a throne of popular pulpit
power. <
People, people, people! let me “ring the changes”
on tins two-fold declaration whose truth was put
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Meador Memorial Church.
into italics by my experience and observation during
this last notable meeting—the pastor who wins in a
big city, or ANYWHERE, must “give his body a liv
ing sacrifice” on the altar of his success; yes, and this
other vital, incontestable truth —that the only power
that can and does lift men out of the ditch up to God
“The Farther Lights.”
I can not begin to mention the different working
societies of this great church, but in the name of one of
this societies, “The Farther Lights’’, under the con
secrated leadership of Mrs. Waple, is found a reflec
tion Os the Spirit Os the church—“ The light that
shines farthest shines brightest at homg”, For, while
John E. Briggs and his people are working to evan
gelize ten thousand unsaved people in Southwest
Washington in the immediate territory of the Fifth
Baptist Church, Rev. Geo. Green is representing the
church in Africa, Rev. R. E. Chambers and Rev. We
Yik Shan in China, Rev. Kasha Joseph in Persia, Rev.
Axtel Wester in the West, with headquarters at Kan
sas City, and Miss Gertrude Joerg, missionary in
Tampa.
What an array of workers—what a stirring of the
THE PRESB JTERJAN JUBILEE
Great Enthusiastic Gathering Last Sunday at Atlanta Auditorium-Armory.
The Golden Age for December 15, 1910.
10:30. The G. M. A. cadets came in a body from
College Park, the Agnes Scott girls in all their
“fringe of beauty” came in from Decatur; fraternal
delegations from other Christian denominations were
there to enter into the fellowship of worship and
congratulation, and, all told, the enthusiasm of the
occasion looked more like a Methodist camp meet
ing or a summer Baptist revival than it did like a
function being enacted by “staid Presbyterians.”
The truth is we half believe the leaders planned that
sacred “gala day” for the express purpose of mak
ing Presbyterians more enthusiastic. And they suc
ceeded.
The organ recital which proceeded the sermon
was brilliant and uplifting. Prof. Starnes excelled
himself in the selection of appropriate music, as well
as in the superb rendition.
Prof. C. N. Anderson, and his chorus choir, de
lighted the great audience. “Nearer My God to
Thee,” sung by a male quartette, crowned the musi-
home heart to think of these distant comrades keep
ing step with the workers at home!
The Meador “Foundation”.
There are foundations and foundations. There is
the “Carnegie Foundation”, the “Rockefeller Founda
tion” and the “Sage Foundation”, and they are good
in their places, but at Fifth Baptist Church, in Wash
ington, they rejoice far more in the Meador Founda
tion. For nearly half a century grand old Dr. Meador
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Fifth Baptist Church, Washington, D. C.
laid out his life in building the foundStion of the
present conquering church. In him the “power of an
endless life” won the love of Jews and Catholics, as
well as all Protestants, and when he started to build
the present beautiful temple of worship, they tell me
that the Catholic priest of St. Dominick’s Church,
across the street, gave him $lO and said: “I must
help a man as true as you. Go it, and we will fight
it out together side by side.” How fitting that the
church in China, with its native pastor, should be
called the “Meador Memorial”!
Footprints of Bruner.
It is delightful and encouraging to walk in the
footprints of a great and good man —a man who, as
pastor, builds a temple for God out of human hearts
and lives.
When old age compelled Dr. Meador to lay down
his work, the winsome, gifted Weston Bruner, now
Dean of Evangelism for the Home Board, was “called
to the throne”, and Bruner wrought in such wisdom
and love while preaching to great crowds that I
found the flowers blooming wherever he stepped.
cal program with exquisite taste, and hushed the
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throbbing concourse into worshipful silence.
Dr. James I. Vance Delivered Memorable
Discourse.
The theme of the morning discourse, “Our Herit
age,” was handled in a marvelously graphic manner,
by Dr. James I. Vance, pastor of the First Pres
byterian Church, Nashville, Tenn. His message
was brief, consuming only twenty minutes of time,
but it was full to overflowing with “the sincere milk
of the Word.”
Dr. Sydnor Present.
Dr. G. G. Sydnor, moderator of the Synod of Geor
gia, who was appointed by tnat body to represent
the Presbyterians of Georgia at the mass meeting,
arrived Friday from Rome. Dr. Sydnor is well
known in Atlanta, having made many friends on his
frequent visits and his coming to uonor the occa
sion was appreciated by the Presbyterians of Atlanta
as a graceful courtesy on the part of tne Synod.
The Fifth Baptist Church in Washington supports
three forceful lawyers, or rather they help support
the church. Hon. J. J. Darlington, who is regarded
as one of the greatest lawyers in America, is Vice-
President of the Southern Baptist Convention and
teacher of the Baraca Class on which the President,
dear old Deacon Bennett, smiles his benediction as
if they were all his own children. Col. R. A. Ford, as
Superintendent of the Sunday-school, pours his life
“every day and Sunday, too,” into studying and exe-
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Chapel, 4J/2 St., S. W., Washington, D. C.
cuting plans for the conversion of the boys and girls
in his two Sunday-schools—the big school at the
home church and at the afternoon school at the
chapel on Forty-second street; and Col. Clinton C.
James (without apology to anybody), the handsomest
man I saw in all Washington, lives two miles from
the church; but he is there for the earliest confer
ence of teachers and the latest after meeting for
winning the lost.
I found the whole church up in arms against Pas
tor Falls, of Fulton Avenue Church, Baltimore, for
recently kidnaping their beloved church missionary,
Miss G. A. Parker, but he declared that he was hot
so fortunate as Briggs, and he was “just er bleeged”
to have a permanent “associate pastor”.
Don’t blame him. For what would this busy, bur
dened editor do without his “associate editor”?
Selah.
Paper out. Time out. Next time I’ll tell you more
about Washington schools and people who were gen
erous enough to pile a farewell lecture crowd to the
galleries on a snowy, but glorious night.
WILLIAM D. UPSHAW.
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