The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-13


s as the flock of one shepherd. It is sweett
still to think of them as members of the san
= family-a family united, not for social, civ
or political purpose, but by spiritual afin
d ties. They are all one in Christ Jesus
This bond unites them in indissoluble unior
They have common Father. 1t is our E
der Brother that has taught US to say "Ou
Father"-has taught US to be perfect as ou
Father in heaven il perfect And we hav
all one Saviour. hen God looks upon u
He beholds us as il Christ. We are all on
in Christ Jesus. W are bound thus by thes
precious ties; and those brethren scattered
far and wide, trying to do the work of God
it is them, with limited means and endow
ments, that we are seeking to interest you il
tonight. Let usfemember the words of th'
Lord Jesus, " Inasmuch as ye have done j
unto one of the least of these my brethren
ye have done it unto me-"
DR.. Palmer followed in an able and ear
nest argument, to show that in giving to the
work of Christ in 'Fhe world we are taking
our share in the suferings Of Christ. He
pointed out the progress, trump band ultL
mate overthrow bin, and that the -
tian is privilegessy lis gifts to- ass'ssg sut.
ting an end to this terrific evil.
DR.. Marshall said that it ha .bzeen our
privilege to listen to the principles on which
this great subject was based. He now pro-
posed to show where the field was, or rather
one branch of the feld-the one with which
he was connected. 1t was impossible to de-
scribe the condition of things. Itwas neceS-
sary to see it to understand. The special
field he was interested in was Texas. Texas
had $4,000 square miles. 1t was larger
than Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina,
North Carolina and Mississippi all put TO-
gether. The territory was large one, but
almost every foot could be cultivated. Emil
grafton was pouring into Texas. The Gov
ernor of Texas recently informed him that,
from documentary evidence, he knew that a
quarter of a million had poured into Texas
in the last year. Now, what is being done
for this field? We complain against this
Sustentation Committee, because they don't
give us enough money. We must have it,
whether they have got it or not. 1t is 80 in
Texas as in the rest of the world-that the
love of money is the root of all evil. He
showed the progress of the work. He organ
lied church, year ago, with seven men,
bers. Started subscription, got $3.50 from
the committee, and now they have a good
church building, and pay the minister sal
ary of 5000 year, and have membership
of one hundred He gave other instances of
the same character.
Texas, he said, was healthy country, as
a general thing.
He was sometimes asked if there was q field
for young ministers in Texas? Yes, it is all
field There was need Of cultivation there,
as in all other fields. There was room to
organize churches almost everywhere. What
was needed was men to aOors.
DR.. Marshalls address was racy and point
ed, and elicited considerable interest in the
audience. He conclgled by saying that
what was,needed was money and men. Had
it not been for the sScstentation Committee,
this happy showing could not have been made
of the progress Of the,wok in Texas that he
was able to lay before the audience tonight.
DR.. McIhUaine said that the facts that DR..
Marshall had given belonged principally to
his own Presbytery. In other PresbyterieS
in Texas there were equally encouraging
facts. He instanced the work in Austin
that in FIVE years the little church Of fifteen
had increased, until, by aid given by the
committee to the amount of $500, the church
had been so encouraged that they had erect
ed church ediGce valued at Sl5, 900, with
an earnest pastor and between one and two
hundred members. Less than four years ago
We had no interest in San Antonio; our
church was alienated altogether We helped
them for one year, and now their large church
has been completed, their building was filed
with congregation, and their church had
become working, active church. DR.. Nc
Ilwaine showed that the same advance had
been made in other parts of the country. In
Knoxville Presbytery, for instance-where,
not long ago, they had only two ministers
now is an active, working Presbytery, and
every church is supplied he thought the
Synod of Mississippi, as whole, is in more
need of help than even Texas. In Tombeck-
bee Presbytery, majority of their churches
were not regularly supplied. The Presby-
teries of South Alabama and East Alabama
were in special need of aid. In Arkansas
there is an immense work to be done. Last
year 164 ministers, representing five hundred
churches, were aided by the committee
There are at least 1873 additional ministers
that ought to receive aid from the Sustenta-
tion Committee. And there are the 400 va.
cant churches. $4,000 are needed. There
is nothing to keep this little Church of ours
from becoming mighty power, if she rallies
to the work.
The subject was made the second order OF
the day for tomorrow.