Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-02
WORK FOR MISSIONS.
Interesting Meeting Of Western Penn
Sylvania Baptist Churches
ENGAGED IN A LAUDABLE WORK.
Views of the Best Ways and Means Thor
Oughly Exchanged.
iAGED IN A LAUDABLE WORK.
THE FULL ORGANIZATION EFFECTED

uaV. Nearly all 10e leading CnuTcneS ii
his part of the State were represented
The meeting was opened with devotional
exercises at $50 o'clock Rev. T. H. Chap
man was appointed Temporary Chairman t.
effect an organization and Rev. 7. r. De
lanev was appointed r'crk The election O.
moderator being al order, Hon. Charlie:
Miller, President of the State Missionary
Society, was chosen. The convention then
proceeded with the reading of reports from
the various associations as to the needs OF
their respective fields 1t was found that 8
good share of the different associations were
represented BY ministers and laymen dele.
gates. The cry of each association seemed
10 be that to carry on the Christian work
successfully in Western Pennsylvania there
was an urgent need of men and money.
In response to an invitation for an adj
dress on this subject, DIR. w. II. Conard, of
Philadelphia, State Secretary of the Mis-
Sionary Board, took the platform. During
the course of his remarks he said that the
old things and the old WAYS are not always
10 he despised, and that new things are not
always wise. He advocated that it wonld
be 4 good thing 10 have evangelists to hold
extra meetings, but the convention had bet
ter be very cautious in its procedure on the
question Of putting district missionaries in
the field and increasing the responsibilities
of the Missionary Association.
FOR THE FATHERLESS CHURCHES.
These extra meetings. he said, should be
FOR the benefit of fatherless churches. An
other mission would be to aid pastors in
special meetings. He also stated emphati-
Cally that there were very few local associa-
tOns that could support a missionary for
more than a year at Il time, and that a mis-
sionary should be employed by the State
Missionary Society and all associations help
to support the missionary thus employed.
II. ". Shaw, an attorney-atlaw, then arose
and delivered an interesting discourse, set
ting forth the Importance of the laymen's
duties in the work. At the close of Mr.
Shaw's address the noon hour had arrived.
and motion to adjourn was then made and
carried.
The afternoon session of the convention
opened at o'clock with devotional exer-
cises led by Rev. II. Madetes of New Castle.
The question, How Can Il Closer Alliance
Between Our Local Association Be Brought
AhOut?' WIS then brought up for discussion.
Key. Mr.. King WIS the first speaker on this
subject. lie opened the discussion by stat
ing that more meetings of the nature of the
one they now attended would be helpful in
that direction. He said: "There is great
lack of militant spirit. We must
roncentrate our minds and our hearts
on the thing TO be achieved be
fore we can expect to get it,
We must unite our forces well together and
n It be continually at variance with each
her. We must get together in this way oc
iSiOnally that may ascertain the needs
4 the different churches. There is posi-
lively no way of getting hold OF these weak
churches and sustaining them, except by
missionaries"
several other ministers and lavmen took a
hand in the discussion that followed Mr..
Kings remarks, among them bein.. Rev CA
HlTp " w R9trpll DIR Nv i
". Bristol and A. J. Ferman.
The next speaker was Rev W. s. Wood, D.
D. lie opened the topic, "Can Western
Pennsylvania Have Two District Mission
artcS?' The speakers were requested to
confne themselves closely as only ten
minutes would be allowed for each address. |
Mr. Wood said: --.. |
Is it expedient to have two district 1
missionaries? Let us see. The need of a |
district missionary in this part of the State |
depends on two things. First. a general |
need. and second, need that is special to |
Western Pennsylvania. From one-third to |
rWO-thlrdS OF the churches are paStorleSS.
The special needs arise from facts like this. |
The western part of PENNSYLVANIA has had a |
wonderful growth. Its natural resources
are almost unparalleled, and its rapid de-
velopmcnt has increased its wealth to start. |
ling proportions and made it a recognized
territory in every channel of business.
THE ESPECIAL NEED OF WORK.
A wonderful spirit of enterprise has been
shown in bringing about this great develop
meut, and let me say right here, that here is
where the special need lies. We ought to
carry this great spirit of enterprise and ac- |
tivity into other channels. We must bring |
these people into sense oftheir great need |
OF spirituality as well as supplying of their /
temporal wants. We must get them aroused. |
We must make these needs to |
them outweigh their esteem for the al |
mighty dollar. ] tell YOU we want better |
1aifh my brethren, we want the faith that |
laws hold OF Christ in carrying on the work /
can the men for district missionaries be |
f0und2 This seems to be an algebraic ques-
ton depending altogether on the unknown
quantities. There's a vast difference be- |
tween preaching and teaching. All preach
ers are teachers. but all teachers are not |
preachers. We want competent men. We |
must have them, and there is no reason that
should not be able to find them.
We don't want missionaries that /
preach for money, neither do we
want men who are continually duaning
people for money for religious enterprises |
as they soon become decidedly obnoxious to |
any congregation, and it at once becomes
patent to the congregation that that man
only wants to talk to reach their pocket
books. / tell you. friends, we want to reach
the heaItS OF people. We must have the
spirit of God before we can succeed You |
must have gospel root before you can have
% gospel growth
sald: Il think the State should be divided |
into four districts. Two missionaries for |
the eastern part and two Tor the western |
part OF the State. We could easily support |
one here in PittSDurg, and think the north
western part of the State could do so also. |
VIC need these men and should have them.
But we don't men who 90 about burdening
the people with the collection basket every
place they chance to speak. Such men wouId |
soon cause discomfort and finally an aver |
sion that would shut them ont altogether |
Let the pastors look after the collections |
l. Is their duty. There is plenty OF money |
in the State to support this cause and be
licvc We could raise double the money re
CURED"
Following Rev. Chapman's address several
delegates made short speeches saying that
four times the amount of money necessary |
could be raised and that the people should
aim 10 work up an enthusiasm on the sub
jcct They must reach every heart and |
every mind with convincing power and then |
the work will be carried on successfully.
TALK ENTIRELY TOO CHEAP
The Moderator then made few remarks.
"Talk is very cheap he said. "One great
trouble in conventions of this kind is
that the people interested are al
WAYS present, but those We want
to interest are invariably absent. Do We
need two missionaries in Western Pennsyl-
vauia2 les: need ten. But can We pay
them? We cannot paw them. 1 say en-
lhHtcalE that the churches cannot pay
them. Can We not find business men that
will join together and support missionary?
There are plenty OF wealthy men in this
city. The PittshUrI association might
adopt that plan. We should appeal to the
business mcn to help us financially in this
matter"
These remarks brought Rev. Apple
garth out to the platform Mr. Miller
and myself are friends" said he,
but disagree with him. His remarks re-
mind me OF the story of the boy in London
who picked up gold sovereign in the street