The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-01

1T is a well-knoWn fact" the report
stated. "that the bulk of the money for
/ missions comes from the churches OF the
! villages towns and cities" The amount
4 of contributions by country churches is
not in proportion to their membership. Il
| is well known, the report states, that the
| country people are not less spiritual than
those of the towns ard cities. and the
fact that their contributions are so much
| less was attributed 10 the fact that the
| educated ministers of the denomination
are found chiefly in the towns and cities,
| that the UNCONVENTIONAL papers are more
generally read by the members OF the
city churches. and, consequently, that
they are educated up 10 a higher standard
on the question of giving.
While it is true that the wealth of the
country members is not in proportion to
that of those in the towns and cities the
disproporton between the Contributions Of
the rural and the urban members is great
er than the difference in means
The destitute conditions religiousiy of
South Georgia was discussed in the report
1t would open the eyes of Georgia Bap-
lists" says the report, ito travel over the
territory included between the Central
Railroad from Macon 10 Savannah, and the
Southern Railway from Macon to Bruins
wick. 1t would be too tedious to mention
the destitution in the territory included be-
tween the Southern Railroad and the
Georgia Southern. Towns and villages have
sprung up as if by magic. and numbers of
them; from 800 to 600 people, have no
church of any kind.
DR.. Gibson, secretary of the Home Mis-
sion board, said that ii was time to quit
the little clap trap methods of raising
money and get down to plain business.
Quit talking about the 'perishing Millions
and call upon the people TO give for the
love of the work Then conduct in a BUSH
ness-like and systematic manner. DR.. Glib
son commented upon the haphazard meth
DDS of taking contributions and supplying
| funds for the mission work, and urged that
each church should begin at the beginning
| of each year and conduct this work in a
| systematic manner Collections for these
| purposes should be taken at least once a
month. he said.
| Rev. A. NJ. Bennett made an earnest and
| touching appeal in behalf Of the INDECENT
| ministers. 1t was a sad state of affairs,
| he said, that a man who had given mis- life
| to his Masters work and found himself
no longer able to continue this work,
should be pensioned off with 81 to $12 per
| month Mr.. Bennett inveighed fervently
! against any such injustice to the grand old
men OF the denomination. The convention
| was very much enthused by Mr.. Benefits
| remarks and at the conclusion of his ad-
! dress the entire congregation rose and
sang How Firm Foundation, Ye Saints
of the Lord"
| Mr. Graham said he did not blame the
| country people for not giving more than
| they do. On the contrary he extended 10
| them his heartfelt sympathy. He was
| raised a Hardshell Methodist, he said, and
| thought it a great thing to give 90 cents
year to missions. He attributed our
great trouble to the ignorance of the peo-
| pie of the rural districts. There are those
| who even question The honesty and in
| tegrity of the officers Of the mission board,
| he said. he tod of a well-to-do man lv
ing not over forty miles from Savannah,
| who told him that until he was "a years
old he knew of nothing else but hard
| shellsm. The great necessity, he said. is
| for the diffusion of information among
! our country people. 1t is not that they are
| not willing TO give, but they need to be en-
| hghtened upon the objects for which the
| money is sought and the manner in which
| 1t is expended The needs of South Geor-
gia have not been exaggerated, he said
| New railroads are being constructed
| saW-mills built and the people are coming
together in hundreds a. places where there
| is no church or religious instruction OF
| any kind The ministers In South Geor-
gia are sadly in need of help, and are
conscious of it, The needs and the claims
| of the Work III COutll NTtOI ga WCiC Stl
| " presented by the speaker.
Rev. Howard Carpenter was afraid that
! the report might have a bad effect, as
| the country people were already sensitive
upon this subject, and they might become
offended at its language. He suggested
| that the report be submitted to COM
mittee for revision.
Rev DR. Broaddus had said, he remarked:
| when YOU go to a city church to preach
| h11t 90 10
| preach to a country church, take your best
| sermon" That's the reason we all
| dressed up when we came to Savannah, -
remarked Mr.. Carpenter. Mr.. Carpenter
| commended that the conditions were pretty
! much the same all over Georgia, and that
| South Georgia is as good as any of the
rest of the state. IT'S our country people
| that keep coming into the city churches
| that keep them going" he said. The
| preachers can live very cheaply in South
| Georgia he said, and do not need any
more than they are getting. They are de-
veloping their churches. One pastor Sc
cured more money from one of his
CHURCHES for missions than he received
from it in salary"
Mr.. Carpenter proved to be highly or
iginal, and his talk was greatly enjoyed.
Mr.. Graham disclaimed any intention of
rejecting upon the South Georgia people.
Some of the noblest and grandest people
he had ever known were in Wiregrass
Georgia, he said.
The report of the treasurer was received
and ordered spread upon The minutes
Some of the brethren were eager to pro-
coed to provide for the deficit at once.
but it was decided to appoint committee
to suggest a plan to the convention for
raising the funds needed to make up the
deficit. Further discussion of the mission
question was cut short by the arrival Of
the closing hour.
\ Numerous convention and committee an
| nouncements were made, and most of the
committees were called to meet after ad-
journment The majority will submit re-
ports to-day. The following We're appoint
ed a committee to name trustees for Mer-
Ger University: f. B. Headden, l. ]. Van
Ness John NJ Greene, McKinne Law.
John F. Edn, j. M. Waller. R. e. L. Har-
ris. c. p. Steed and w. H. Scruggs
The benediction was pronounced by Rev.
j. L. fitzpatrick
xEnNTEN AMI THE NFVsSUONS