Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1890-03-20
THE PREsBYTERIANs.
Convention for Enlarging Evan.
geiistic Work of the South :
ern Presbyterian Church
of Missouri.

The convention held Thursday
at the Presbyterian Church was
composed Of the following minis.
ters and elders: Rev. G. L. Ley
burn, chairman, Fl. B. Bouele, r.
8. Campbell, s. NJ. Neel, r. G..
Brank, ]. F. Cannon, f. c. Cor
don, L. P. Bowen, S. ]. Ruffner,
W. Beale, F. Mitchell, J. w. WAL
lace, A. A. Wallace, ]. R. Ritner,
r. P. Farris, H. P. s. Willis, d.
F. Richmond and T. C. Smith.
Elders: w. NJ. johnson, w. K.
James, G.. A. Campbell, J. T.
Buckner, J. c. Briggs, J. F. Bolts,
Jas. Thomas, C. L. Thompson and
James Pasqueth.
The convention was called for
the purpose of devising the way
and means of enlarging the Evan
gelistic or Home Mission work OF
the Southern Presbyterian Church
in this State. The debates took
too wide a range to be reported in
detail. Mesers. Leyburn, Bouele,
Campbell, Neel, Brank, Cannon,
Farris, Bowen, Ruffner, Mitch.
ell, James and Briggs participated
in them. Before commencing to
report the substance of what was
dene, it may be well to premise
that neither this convention nor
the church it represents, has the
least idea of antagonizing or in any
way coming into contact with the
work of any other denomination.
The spirit that underlies this
movement is this: The ministers
and elders of the Southern Presby-
terian Church are thoroughly con.
yinced that their theological views
and church polity, if widely dissem-
mated and universally adopted,
will bring peace and salvation to
the world, and hence their anxiety
to manifest their faith in them by
an effort for their extensive diffu.
sion. Such an effort, they think,
would be commendable at any
time, but at present, when objection
is being made to their doctrines and
systematic attempt is on foot to
alter their confession of faith, they
regard it as all the more important
to manifest determination to defend
and extend their principles.
From the debates We gather that
the Southern Presbyterian Church
in this State is not as extensive al
some of the other denominations
It was stated by the chairman oi
the convention that it embraced
only lao churches with q member.
ship Of 8, 200; that in many of the
counties of this State they had few
churches, and in some none at all.
Among the meaaures suggested for
increasing the societies and influ-
ence of this body Of Christians,
were the following: The employ.
ment of Evangellsts by both Syn.
cd and Presbyteries; education oil
church members as to the church e
existing necessities and their duty
in regard to them; greater exertion
in behalf of home missions; more
extensive exercise of their
evangelisic gifts by pastors and
more cooperation of elders, ,deacons
and the laity with the ministry in
raising the money necessary for the
prosecution of this great work.
Last night in summing up, Rev.
DR.. Campbell urged, with fine eff.
feet, enthusiasm and feeling the
individual and collective duty oi
the church to carry the gospel oi
Christ into the destitute portions
of the State, and DR.. Gordon pre-.
sented the view that if the object oil
this church was attained, its theol.
ogy would furnish, in the impend-
ing contest between religion and
infdelity, wall behind which all
evangelical churches could rally.
At a late hour the convention ad.
iourned to meet at the call Of its
chairman, previously to the gath.
ering of the next Synod.