The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-08-16
For the Central Presbyterian.
Home Missions
Spe cial Objects Needing Immediate
Helm

BY RICHARD M'ILwAINE, D. D., SECRETARY.
1t is important that while our Christian
people keep before them the magnitude of the
whole work of Home Missions as an incentive
to devise liberal things in its behalf, their at.
tenton shall also be directed from time to time
to the urgent wants of particular fields. A
number of these were brought before the last
General Assembly and referred to the Executive
Committee for prompt and effective help Among
these none is more imposing than that present
ed to the Church year ago by
The Presbytery of Western Texas.
This field is immense in extent, extremely
destitute and rapidly growing in population.
Several railroads which last year were under
construction are now completed, and large num-
bers of immigrants are aocking in. Two evan
gelsts have been sent into this field, one of
whom Rev. F. P Ramsay, has settled at
Laredo; has organized church has been in
strumental In securing house of worship, and
is now preaching regularly, not only to the
English speaking population, but also to the
Mexicans in the Spanish language. The other,
Rev. ]. R. Bridges has been laboring in very
wide field at Brackettsville, Del Rio Nueces
Canon, Bsndera and other points has organized
two churches, and is gaining large influence
for good. Three other evangelists are needed at
once. The Presbytery, in its overture to the
last General Assembly, says that " the needs.
deStitutions and Importance of the work" are as
apparent as ever, and urges that more laborers
be sent out at once Some six or seven thou
sand dollars are needed to put this field in efec-
N,v,c Al IL Al
Dallas Presbytery.
This Presbytery covers seventy five thousand
nine hundred square miles, and is larger in ex-
tent than the entire Synod of Virginia, which
embraces the three States of Virginia, West
Virginia and Maryland. 1t was organized in
1878 and now contains eighteen ministers,
twenty FIVE churches, and thirteen hundred and
sixty-two communicates in territory which
only twelve years ago was almost entirely des.
titute In 1870, there were but seventeen or
ganized counties in this vast area with popula.
ton OF 81, 1921 souls. In $780, there were thir-
ty three fully organized counties and 6fty.th
others laid off, and population Of 313 ,29O souls.
Railroads are now running and being construct
ed throughout this entire region, and capital and
laOOT are moving IN. Inc leXaS ana racine
railroad passes directly through it from east to
west, and its branches are being built in every
direction, which are bringing in and scattering
large numbers Of immigrants from the East and
North and West and from Europe
The Presbytery finds itself entirely unable to
supply the destitutons clamoring for assistance.
It's ministers are fslly engaged in the work, but
cannot reach half the uoints which ought TO be
ministered to at once But one out of every
two hundred and thirty nine Of the population
is in connection with our churches, and multi
tudes are seldom reached by the services Of an
evangelical ministry. In these circumstances,
the Presbytery appeals through the General
Assembly to the whole Church for help, and
bases its plea upon the following consid era