Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-21
EVENING SESSION.

The opening songs were: "All Hail the
Power of Jesus Name" and Labor On"
Prayers were offered by Professor Stokes
of Arkansas, Rev. j. H. Sharp of Mis-
souri, and Rev. r. d. Wear local pastor.
The PASTORS Relation to Missions.
Rev. p. M. Fitzgerald of Knoxville,
Tenn, delivered a very able address on
"The Pastors Relation to Missions" He
said: Il am the pastors friend. How
ever, some of us have stood in the way;
yet believe the pastors have done their
duty better than any other class in the
church. If the elders and deacons of the
church would do as well as the preach
ers we would have men and means a
plenty" tl74 rf
The speaker called for show of hands,
In which he made a comparison between
elder and the pastor. We can never
teach the great mass of the people until
the pastors heart is touched, and we can
never realize our duty until we under
stand what 1t means to be lamb of
God. We can never stir the hearts of
the church until we appreciate our duty.
Until we are aroused to the personal re-
sponsibility that devo1ves upon us as
pastors and resolve at all hazards to do
the Masters command we cannot accom-
plish the best results. We depend too
much on prizing, propping and begging.
God must be made the chief of
the session before we can become la
borer with Him. The successful pastor
is one who recognizes God as his master.
Any man can say his prayers, but the
successful Christian is the one who has
his mind fixed as to his duty and convic-
tion of purposes. Great Is prayer, but
prayer does not take the place of infor-
nation. You may talk to people and
make them weep, but you will have to
get down to facts TO touch the springs
of their pocketbooks and make them d.
vide their wealth with God. Sentiment
10. hot Ind xuif n q
and information, and their money will go
out for God.
One of the best educators is to estab-
lish library and secure good line of
books and urge the reading OF them and
the preacher should read these books
himself to know how to recommend them.
A well written article on missions occa-
sionally would accomplish much. 1 have
conceived the idea of getting up tracts
for distribution and SOW them broadcast
among our churches. We cannot gather
where we have not sown.
We may preach and we may pray, but
the pastor to stir the hearts of the people
must have his own heart stirred.
have actually seen reports sent in by
ministers of their total mission receipts
that l would be ashamed not to have
given that much myself. ! had rather
die a pauper with treasures laid up in
heaven than to cluster around me all the
wealth of the world.
"Misslon of Heroes.''
Rev. j. r. Henry of Pittsburg, Pa,
delivered most eloquent and able adj
dress On the Mission of Heroes" This
day, he said, has been feast of good
things You ask what the church is do
ing in the mission fields? Noble mis-
sionary heroes, men and women, are
going into the fields, working and dying
for the Savior. Nearly all the mission
fields of prominence have been taken
possession of and are sown with mis-
sionary heroes. David Livingston claims
Africa by dying in that land. The graves
of the heroes are the profits of our pos
session, and the lands dotted by these
graves mean a golden harvest for the
Word of God. The preparation and
sowing must come before the harvest.
The first Presbyterian missionary to
the South Sea islands was eaten by the
natives His brother said he would go to
er would preach Jesus Christ to those
people. He, too, was cruelty treated and
killed. Others followed, until now that
island resounds with songs and praises
to God. The deaths of these men were
the seed of the church planted there.
Mr.. Wolf 1abored In China for eleven
years without success, and his church
wanted to remove him. Mr. Wolf said
he would not give up the fight, and 100,-
900 adherents to the Christian religion
have been the result. The black flag was
raised against the missionary on the
island of Madagascar, and the people OF
that island today are better Christians
than those in America, and the Sabbath
is better observed there. The highest
gift of Christ was His life. In this gift
of self all others are bound. 1t was Nor
rison himself who was the Chinese Bible
instead of the Bible Itself. 1t is easy
enough to teach and preach, but it is the
life that counts.
John Stuart Mills friends said when
he died that he had been extinguished
Such cannot be said of our missionary
heroes. They are never extinguished. &C
to the abbey today, and no monument
commands more respect than that of Da-
vid Livingston, the explorer of Africa
Such men as Henry Martin, Bishop Han
nington, Livingston and Williams can
never die, ether In this world or the
world to come.
lC.-P. PARAGRAPHS.
Universal regret was yesterday ex.
pressed because of the absence Of w. J.
Ha rhv n n or EvausvfIle IND evf1o 4