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Many good and strong things were said in be
half of
MISSIONS
During the Session of the
Southern Baptist Convention.
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FROM OUR NORTH CHINA MISSION.
The principle business of the first
year of one’s life as a foreign mis
sionary is, of necessity, the study of
the language current where he is.
Occasional trips into the country
in company with older missionaries
are of course profitable in various
ways and so are indulged in. It is
always delightful to get out amoug
the people and put to a test what
you think you know of the lan
guage. A truer feeling for the na
ture of the people is thus acquired,
as well as are new expressions pick
ed up. Situated as I am in the
home of Dr. Crawford, I find it
pleasant to accompany him of an af
ternoon as he goes out “Street
preaching” here in the city. Yield
ing to his years he does not feel
. equal to the trials of a country trip,
but confines himself to preaching on
the streets here and to meeting and
i talking with the many who drop in
to his study which opens upon the
street.,
The ease with which a crowd is
attracted is something remarkable.
It is largely due to unrestricted cu
riosity. We will go out together
walking carelessly down the street
until a good place is found where a
crowd will not interfere with the
business, or business with the crowd.
Here we stop and begin conversing
together. It is not many minutes
before some one, passing by, will
come up, and, putting his head be
tween our’s, will try to make out
what we are saying. Dr. Crawford
will engage him in conversation, and
then one, two, three, four, more will
come up to hear what the foreigner
says. The larger the crowd grows
the faster it grows, so that, almost
before you know it, there is a great
crowd of men and boys about. The
Doctor almost always keeps up a
conversation with the man with
whom he began, but raises his voice
as the crowd increases, and controls
the drift of thought to suit his pur
pose. The reason for this is that
these people will always listen bet
ter to what is said to some one else,
than to what is addressed directly to
them. Others often join in, both by
asking questions and by taking is
sue with him.
I am much impressed with the
similarity in character of such a
crowd here, to what some would ex
pect to meet in such a crowd at
home. Frequently they are atten
tive, listen respectfully, and ask
questions which seems to show in
terest. Again they will be in a
light mood so that, rather than lis
ten to serious talk they will ask all
manner of questions about what wo
wear in America, or whether we
have any lice, flees and mosquitoes.
That is a hard crowd to deal with
and there is little chance of teach
ing them any sober truths. Then
there will be the crowd in a jocular
mood, and woe unto the missionary
when once the crowd gets the laugh
on him. If he cannot turn it quick
ly, ho had better move on and try
again with others. But Dr. Craw
ford is fortunate in being good at
repartee. More than once have I
seen some insolent fellow post him
self in front of him and make some
jeenng remark which set the crowd
into roars of laughter, and then have
I seen him go slinking off like a
whipped cur after Doctor’s reply
and the crowd’s laughter at him.
One such victory will win the ears
of all as long as you please to claim
them.
But what about the value of such
preaching as a means of bringing
salvation to these people ? Every
She <I) list inn Jnta.
day, when the weather will permit,
finds Dr. Crawford out on these
streets talking to these people and
preaching eternal truths. The
“Great Street” he calls his long pul
pit ; and there is hardly a spot on
any principle street in the city
but which has many times been one
of his preaching places. Men from
all the country round about, visiting
the city for business or other purpo
ses, hear him preach and some of
them many times. But with what
results ? I have asked Dr. Craw
ford if he knew of any person who
was led to accept Christ through
this preaching. He did not know of
a single one. I then asked him if
any were ever enough interested to
follow him home, or call at other
times, and ask for more information.
He only knew of a few, though
there might have been more.
Looking no deeper, one is tempt
ed to estimate these days and years
of labor as spent almost in vain.
But this is not all. Only fragments
of the truths can be told at one
time : and those who listen most in
tently frequently get only an imper
perfect idea of that much ; but all
hear something, and often enough
to awaken thought. They do not
come to the foreigner with these
thoughts, but they entertain them
and talk about them in their homes
and with their friends. Even the
little that I know of the language,
and the few times that I have been
out iu the country, has enabled me
to see and understand something of
how “the honorable seer, who teach
es like Confucius” has introduced a
leaven into all this country which is
working. Men have imperfect and
often erroneous ideas of what Dr.
Crawford has tried to teach them.
They have not gotten hold of enough
to awaken active interest in seeking
more truth ; but they have gotten
hold of enough to set many of them
to thinking and to make them ready
to hear more. Not only are the
members of our mission able to per
ceive this, but our Presbyterian
friends frequently speak of the al
tered attitude of many minds to
ward Christianity which has been
largely brought about by this means.
Our ladies visiting the interior of
homes frequently find the way pre
pared for their teaching by the words
heard on the street.
The need now is for men who can
take advantage of this altered atti
tude of the people, who can be con
stantly on the go visiting the villages
round about and teaching them no
tions of salvation as it is in Jesus
Christ; and who, when ho cannot
do that, can keep up this same street
preaching. Men are needed to go
about cultivating the seeds which
are sown and to sow other seed-
Brethren this field is ready for act
ive, earnest work. But we need
men. The few who are here are so
few and so far apart that their ef
forts can avail but little. The cry is
for men—for inen to sow the seed of
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord-
Wir. D. King.
Tung Chow, China, (P. O. Cnee
foo) Sept. 1, 1892.
NORTHWEST GEORGIA.
The construction of rail roads iu
Walker County and the opening
of coal and iron ore mines and the
establishing of other industries along
the lines of railroad have multiplied
much more rapidly, than our means
of reaching this new population with
the Gospel. The Bronco-iron mines
employ 200 men, making a popula
tion of several hundred souls, who
rarely hear the glad tidings of the
Gospel. At the Dug Gap and West
burg mines, there are many others
in the same condition. At the Flin
Store Tannery, there is a largo vil
lage of five or six hundred people
to whom the Gospel is rarely preach
ed. The Mimosa TerraCotta works
employ a large number of people
who are in the same deplorable con
dition. I think it is safe to say that
the most effectual way to reach these
people is, to give them a good, labori
ous preacher, who w?ll devote his
time to them. They must have their
own minister, and places of meeting,
and the preacher must spend a large
portion of his time with them. Our
Dade County Mission is in more
prosperous condition than it has
been since the war. I think it proba
ble that the work in that section will
hereafter be self-sustaining. Bro.
S. F. Sikes’ labors arc abundantly
blessed. J. Y.
Sugar Valley.
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. OCTOBER 13, 1892
WHAT THE BAPTISTS OF NORTH
GEORGIA NEED AND HOW
TO SUPPLY THEM.
By North Georgia reference in
this article, is made to that section of
county contiguous to the line of rail
road, running between Marietta!
Georgia and Knoxville, Tennes
see.
In this section there is a great
host of Baptists and not a few Bap
tist preachers. I have not the stat
istics at hand, yet I question if there
is so great a number of Baptists and
Baptist preachers to be found any
where on the same area of territory.
Churches dot this section from one
end of it to the other and from one
side of it to the other. Still it is
doubtful if there is any portion of
the state that needs the assistance of
our Mission Boards more than this,
or one that would yield greater and
more gratifying results, judiciously
worked. Here is a large, undiscip
lined army, ineffective because un
disciplined. And just as in the ear
ly days of the gospel, the apostles
followed up pioneer preachers, “who
went everywhere preaching the
word,” gathering up the results of
individual labor, confirming and es
tablishing, and directing them to en
larged and well-ordered usefulness,
so our Mission Boards, compact or
ganizations, the servants of the great
Baptist Brotherhood of this state
ought to enter this field to assist in
training and directing this mighty
host to that degree of usefulness
and efficiency hitherto unknown to
them.
I
THE NEED OF OUR PASTORS AND
PREACHERS.
These are men for the most part
of exceedingly limited education.
Many of them are unable to read in
telligibly, and who are yet to a great
extent, under the influence of an old
and wide-spread prejudice against an
educated ministry. A large propor
tion of them read no religious paper
or book except the Bible ; and from
much of their exposition of Its teach
ing, it is quite evident that they read
that book none too carefully or
prayerfully.
Some of the more influential of
them are taking decidedly more in
terest in politics, and have been, for
a number of years, than they mani
fest in the cause of Christ. Indeed)
several of them are now, for the sec
ond, third or fourth time, candidate
for political offices, stumping county
and district, and by long continued
practice have become champions on
the hustings of considerable notorie
ty. Yet many of them, although il
literate are deeply pious, consecrated
men. These are the men from
whom we may expect most and who
mostly need help. We thank God
for these men and their work. And
for this very reason, we are actuated
to help to put them whore they can
give themselves to reading to exhor
tation, to doctrine, where they may
not neglect the gift that is them,
where they meditate upon the digni
ty, duties, and fearful responsibility
of their calling, where they may give
themselves wholly to it, that their
profiting shall be apparent to
all.
II
THE NEED OF THE CHURCHES.
Since pastors are the recognized
leaders of the people, a result natural
and inevitable is, that our churches
in this up-country are not in sympa
thy with the great bulk of their
Baptist brethren and their work,
knowing, as they do, nothing of them
or of it.
They contribute well-nigh nothing
for the spread of the gospel. In
fact, not few of them are opposed to
mission work, claiming at the same
time to be Missionary Baptists from
the fact that they believe in preach
ing repentence and faith to the un
converted, who attend their meetings.
Baptists in their view, are divided
into two classes: Missionaries and
Antinomians, Antinomians being
those who hold the doctrines of pre
destination and election. And so
when a brother professes to boa
missionary, he means, in many in
stances, that ho does not hold these
doctrines.
Again that accursed thing, called
whiskey, is making sad havoc of
some of our churches. Alas! alas!!
too many. When preachers and
deacons of suflicient prominenco to
be put forward for legislative honors,
are allowed to manufacture, retail.
and persistently to drink, and occa
sionally to drunkenness, this accursed
stuff, and still be held iu the fellow
ship of the churches, one of two
things is true: Either the morals
of such churches aro at a lamentably
low ebb, or else the saints left in the
churches have become so dispirited
as to have no moral backbone. Some
of the churches have retained in
their fellowship men who were guil
ty of manufacturing liquor without a
license from the government, and
who were thus criminals in the eyes
of the law.
In most of our churches, no such
thig as a Sunday-schaol is known.
The truth is, some of our preachers
and churches oppose Sunday-schools
out-right, as being not only unscrip
tural, but anti-scriptural. From the
foregoing remarks, which in my
opinion, are true to facts, it is very
easy to sec what the Baptists of
North Georgia need. How to supply
that need is not so potent.
* 111
HOW TO SUPPLY THE NEED OF THE
PREACHERS.
That we need a better informed
and more consecrated ministry, none
will doubt, who are acquainted with
the situation. Shall we try to in
duce these brethren to seek at least
a rudimentary knowledge of books
in the schools? That is impractica
ble, if not impossible. For the most
part they are poor men, and hence
unable to make up their literary de
ficiencies in the schools. Many of
them too, are men of large families,
and even if they had the means fur
nished them to pay board and tui
tion, their cares and responsibilities
at home would prevent an absence
long enough for them to be benefit
ed. How then shall we reach them
to do them good in this respect? A
lack of school training can he very
largely supplied by Minister’s Insti
tutes held in this section, similar to
that conducted by Bro. McConnell in
Gainesville.
In these institutes jc\an or>
more each day ,be black-
board exercises in thu ktudy Jff fcie
mentary English grammar. Let the
Bible and some such book as I’endle
ton’s Christian doctrines be well aud
thoroughly studied.
To conduct these Institutes let
able and pious men bo selected, men
who are dignified, yet approachable,
stern before error, yet patient with
the weak, men who will inspire our
brethren to magnify their office as
did Paul, men who will thus do much
toward winning them away from
the love of political preferment. To
conduct these institutes let our best>
wisest and most thoroughly conse
crated preachers be selected. Os
course 4 jhis much needed work can
not be done without with
out cost; and these preachers. are
not able, and ought not to be ex
pected to defray their own expenses
or to do the work gratis. There are
Baptists all over Georgia with means
and grace enough to take such a
work in hand, and make the most
that can be made of it.
Doubtless, it might be some little
time, yet not long, before our breth
ren in this up-country would take
much interest in these institutes.
And when once they come in close
contact with such brethren as have
peen referred to, they would lose
that prejudice against an educated
ministry, and would find thettiselves
growing in the knowledge and love
of the scriptures, and increasing in
zeal and efficiency. Apt and eager
as many of thorn are to learn, won
derful progress would soon be wit
nessed. These institutes ought to
be held semi-annually, if possi
ble.
IV
HOW TO SUPPLY THE NEED OF THE
CHURCHES.
Successful work done in these In
stitutes, would do much towards
banishing from the churches that
monster evil that grows out of the
use of whisky. Such an impetus of
moral force would go out from these
institutes as would be felt throughout
the length and breadth of this sec
tion. Did all our pastors present
a solid aud uncompromising front
against this foe, ho would not be
long in making a hasty retreat. Al
ready there are consecrated preach
ers and men and women in not a
few of the churches, who are fighting
with relentless opposition this enemy
of home, of life and of liberty.
As supplying the need iu the way
of Sunday-schools, let the State
Board instruct the State Sunday
school Evangelist, Rev. T. C. Boykin
to spend a larger proportion of his
time in this section. Jf that be im
practicable, let a live, active warm
hearted, competent man be put in
this field to aid pastors and churches
in organizing and maintaining Sun
day-schools. Such a man will soon
win his way to the hearts and homes
of the people.
V
THE NEED OF THE FUUURE GENERA
TIONS.
It is not expected that this section
will long need the assistance of our
Mission Boards, that these institutes
shall be help adinfinitum.
Already the Mountaintown, Jasper,
Hightower and Noonday associations
have under advisement the estab
lishment of a literary High School to
be located somewhere in this section.
If this school shall be built, as we
confidently hope that it will bo
a great and growing demand of our
children and young ministers will be
provided for. But this enterprise
needs help; and will not brethren
everywhere who shall read this quar
terly, forward at once their contribu
tion to the board for this purpose?
But the necessity that is now
upon us, is to help our preachers
who are already on the field to a
better understanding of the scrip
tures, and a more efficient work in
the ministry. Let us, therefore, give
time, and prayerful thought and a
part of the Lord’s money to the Min
isters Institutes.
At the request of an honored
brother, a brother whose praise is in
all the churches I have written this
article. And having written it in
the interest of the Master’s cause, I
have not allowed the thought of of
fending any sensitive brother or
church, to prevent my writing what
I believe to be the truth. For the
brethren and the churches I cherish
only good wilt “And this I pray
that their love may abound yet more
and more, la kuotf h/Jg*. ami ail dis-'
cernment; in ordeif that th;st they
may approve the things that are ex
cellent, that they may bo pure and
without offense to the day of Christ;
being filled with the fruit of right
eousness, which is through Jesus
Christ, to the glory aud praise of
God.”
A. B. Vaughan, Jr.
SUNDAY SUHOOL WORK.
During this Centennial year when
so much has been said and will be
said about that grand and noble Bap
tist, William Carey, to stir and thrill
our hearts, it is well for us to call to
mind the work of another Baptist?
less known and less honored, but
whose name should be held in grate
ful remembrance. While the mind
and heart of William Carey were
filled with anxious desires to send
the Gospel to the heathen, the soul
of William Fox was stirred with an
earnest desire to give the knowledge
of God’s word to the poor ignorant
children in his midst. “At the Bap
tist monthly meeting held at the
King’s Head Tavern in the Ponetry,
in May 1785, he introduced the sub
ject, and submitted for their consid
eration, the question whether there
might be some plan adopted by
which all the children of the poor
might receive a Scriptural education
by being taught to read the Bible.”
Upon introducing the subject he
made such an earnest and forcible
address that, “The Church adopted
Mr. Fox’s preposition, and proceed
ed immediately to arrange for the
holding of a public meeting, at the
same place, King’s Head Tavern in
the Ponetry, on the 16th of the fol
lowing August, in order to perfec
the plan proposed by him.”
In the meantime Mr. Fox had
seen some account of Mr. Raike’s
work in organizing and conducting
Sunday Schools in Gloucester, and
had some correspondence with him,
the result of which was the organiza
tion of the, “First Sunday School So.
ciety in the world,” September 7th
1785. It was called “The Society
for promoting Sunday Schools
throughout the British Dominions.”
It should also bo remembered to
the credit of Baptists, that Rev. Jo
seph Hughes, a Baptist minister, was
the organizer and projector of the
the first Bible Society in the world,
“The British and Foreign Bible So
ciety,” organized in 1804.
It may bo mentioned, in this con
nection., that a Baptist, B, F, Jacobo.
of Chicago, inaugurated the Inter
national Series of Sunday School les
sons now in use all over the world.
It will thus be seen that God has
highly honored the Baptists in mak
ing them the orignators and leaders,
in the organization of the grand
work of propagating his gospel and
of teaching his truth. We certainly
should highly appreciate the honor
conferred and gladly assume the ob
ligations imposed upon us.
THE GROWTH OF SUNDAY SCHOOL
WORK.
In 1784 and 1785 it assumed its
organized form at the hands of
Raikee and Fox. Then it was like
a grain of mustard seed, the least of
all seed : now it has grown into a
great tree that has spread its
branches over all Christendom. Re
cent statistics show that there are in
the world, 235,516 Sunday Schools,
with 2,755,965 officers and teachers 5
24,722,318 pupils, making a grand
total of 27,478,283 engaged in the
work. At first, it was regarded
merely as a work of philanthropy or
benevolence in the interest of poor
and ignorant children. Now, it is
recognized as a grand religious and
denominational work, aiming to
reach all classes and conditions of
society, having for its object the con
version of the unconverted, and the
consecration of the converted. Ex
perience has demonstrated that it is
a denominational necessity, the
church's best auxilliary, the pastor’s
best helper, and the parent’s best
coadjutor. It is now conceded that,
next to the preaching of the gospel
which is the highest and holiest of all
work, it is the most valuable agency
employed by the churches in the
evangelization of the world. So ful
ly is this recognized that all the lead
ing and influential denominations
have their Sunday School depart
ments, publish their own literature,
and otherwise promote the work
along their own lines. Never could
the Sunday School have reached its
present state of usefulness and effi
ciency, unless it had k been recognized
as church wqflfj And it
ing to know that this recognition is
becoming almost universal, especial
ly is this true of the Baptists of
Georgia. When I entered upon my
work as Sunday School evangelist)
there were but few churches in the
State, so far as I know, that recog
nized their true relation to their Sun
day Schools, now there are but few
that do not. Our whole denomina
tion, as a rule, has grasped the idea
and act accordingly. Our State Con
vention, State Board, and Associa
tions, aa well as our Southern Bap
tist Convention act in conformity
with this idea. And if Sunday
School work is denominational and
church work, there should be no so
called Union Sunday Schools in
Baptist Churches, whatever may be
done in those neighborhoods where
there are no churches. There are
now in Georgia forty-three Associa
tional Sunday School Conventions,
organized by the authority of the
Associations and working in harmo
ny with them. Less than twenty
years ago, hardly one third of our
churches had Sunday Schools, now
at least two thirds have them. Then
J
comparatively few Sunday Schools
continued all the year, now, a ma
jority of them do. Every year
shows an increase in members, in in
terest and in efficiency.
WHAT WE NEED.
1. Moro enthusiasm and energy
in the work, and more prayer for the
work. Our hearts should bo all
aglow with love for God’s Word
and for the souls of men, women aud
children. We should meditate up
on the nature and importance of the
work until we have a consuming de
sire to engage in it, and a holy am
bition to make a success of it. We
should put our consciences, as well
as our hands and onr heads hi the
Work. Wo should feel that it is not
only a duty, but a privilege aud a
pleasure. Wo should pray for it
regularly and earnestly, knowing
that whore our prayers go, our la
bors will follow.
2. Improvements in our plans
and methods. We should not be
satisfied “to go in the same old way,”
if there is a better way, we should
find it and follow it. Not long ago,
a brother said to me, “Our Superin
tendent is a good man, but there is
such a sameness in his manner of
conducting the school that the mo
notony is becoming painful." That
Superintendent is a counterpart
Brother Minister,
Working Layman,
Zealons Sister,
We are striving to make
TClie Index
the best of its kind. Help us by securing a
new subscriber.
VOL. 69—NO. 41.
many others. He makes no im
provement and consequently no
progress, and his school is suffering
from his neglect. The probability
is that he does not “Study to show
himself approved unto God, a work
man that needeth not to be asham
ed.” He ought to be ashamed if he
does not use all practicable efforts
to improve his school. He ought'
not to be satisfied unless he sees con
stant signs of improvement aud
progress. He ought to imform him
self about the work done by the best
Superintendents in the best schools,
and imitate their methods. Very|like
ly he does not take any Supday
School periodical, and knows noth
ing of the improvements made in
other schools. He should have a
Sunday School Institute as sOon as
possible, and learn something, , about
how to conduct his school, and how
to teach his teachers. It is almost
certain that he does not hold
ly teachers’ meeting, when the les
son can be studied, and new plans
and methods can be considered.
He ought eithor to change his meth
ods or resign.
3. More sympathy and coopera
tion on the part of all concerned. We
beg pastors to help us by their' pres
ence and prayers and words of en
couragement, especially in our con
ventions. They can greatly aid us
in seeing to it that their churches
are represented in these meetings,
and by attending these whenever
practicable. We beg parents to
come to the Sunday School with
their children when possible, and if
they cannot do this, to aid them in
the preparation of their lessons, and
encourage their regular and prompt
attendance. We beg all our breth
ren and sisters to consider prayer
fully the claims of the Sunday
School upon them, and by words and
acts do all they can to promote its
usefulness and increase its efficiency.
4. More Bibles in our Sunday
Schools. If there is any one thing
that I have tried harder to accom
plish and have had less success in do
.ing.it, tluuvwy other, it td in
<Tu ce Teach er sand pupils To bring
their Bibles to the Sunday School.
I am glad to report some improve
ment, in this matter, but my advice
remains unheeded in many schools.
How long will it remain so ? Let
parents, pastors, Superintendents
and teachers answer.
5. More missionary spirit and
work in our Sunday Schools. If
ever our Baptist host becomes thor
oughly missionary in spirit and
in practice, it will be when they
have been properly taught and
trained in childhood. It is true, that
parents should begin this work at
home, but it must be continued in
the Sunday School, and it will then
be completed in the church. Every
school should take up regular mis.
sionary collections. lam pleased to
say that several of our eighty-five
Conventions have adopted resolu
tions recommending this plan- Will
not all our Superintedents try it ?
I hope that many of our schools will
have Centennial exercises on the 2nd
of October. The Sunday Schools of
Georgia ought to contribute not less
than 8 5000,00 to our missionary
fund. How much does your school
contribute ?
6. We need, above all else, more
spirituality in our Sunday Schools.
We need to keep in mind the grand
aims of all our work, the conversion
of unbelievers, and the spiritual
growth of believers. The motto of
any teacher ahould be, “All my
class for Jesus.” For this every
teacher should most earnestly pray,
and most faithfully labor.
tendonts and teachers should
ly consider the solemn
ilies resting upon them,
;i!!„W ,i sessi m 'he s
UlH'i'l;\e; l -i e e tn <
tn the < nne'od ' i>e <'
cotlseei ..ted. < •■ir- IS a
e,
' ' '
tin i-.h, pertcrim d. let
the »"ik our prayers u ; 1 ' WrjjrUVU
lire, mir labors without
nur means without stint. M|||||||
imi, rest satisfied until there is ■MH
prosperous Sunday School in BMI
church and in every iieighb<«%%g|
in Georgia, so that, all
the Lord,‘'from the least oImHkB
unto the greatest of them. B|||||||
1 am trying very hard to ■