The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-12-11

vcntion elected Rev. Livingston John
ston. of Greensboro. 20 succeed Rev.
John r. White. as corresponding sec
rotary Of the Mission Board.
Another important matter was the
adoption, at the morning session of
the convention. OF a resolution asking
the neNt Legislature TO establish n re
~formatory or industrial school for
youthful criminals.
Two other resolutions were adopt
cd. one expressive OF the conventions
appreciation Of the services of is re-
firing mission secretary. Rev. John +.
White. and the other c~ondemning
seven-day newspapers.
FACTORY MISSIONS.
The report on Factory Missions was
read BY Mr.. W. \. Smith. OF West Dur
ham.
IN the course OF this report attention
was called to the rapid growth OF factory
iowEs and often the hardness Of the Bap-
lists in establishing there a church or
gaEization.
Their are now in North Carolina $50
cotton mills, either in actual operation
or in course of construction; the number
in actual operation being 242. Besides
his there are many other factories Of
various kinds
The population of factory towns is. as
: rule, tic report went on 10 say. COM
posed OF people from the rIral districts.
They are poor and too frequently unedu-
Gated, but they are capable OF develop
mcnt and anxious for church facilities.
They are often a nouadi people.
moving from place 10 place as work offers
or whim dictates. They are poor and
CftoO scam indifferent to tho hiphpr rp-
la;icrs of life. but the poor must have the
gospel and sinners must be called to re-
~pentance."
Mr.. Smith spoke on his report. and his
speech was an exceedingly strong and
practical presentation of the factory
problem as it presents itself TO the church
today. Having worked for five years in
West Durham. among the factory peo-
pie. ne was eminently qualified 70 address
the convention on this subject. He told
Of the work as he has seen it. He said
it was too frequently the case that the
Baptists were behind other denominations
in starting organized work in mill
towns, and often we neglect it until
those already BaptistS have gone into
other churches. We are too slow to take
hold in these rapidly growing towns and
villages
Il oItofNCi Ihth u { hlo
to the. difficulties in factory mission
work, and paid a high compliment to the
mill hagen of Mr.. w. A. Erwin in
West Durham. But even he has not the
| ability t. change conditions.
He spoke especially of the long hours
factory operatives have to labor, and de-
clared that it was the duty Of the State
TO establish an eight-hour system.
'Often l hear those looms banging ar
hour before day, and then again long af-
ter night has settled down. AS l hear
this, I sometimes feel that human fesl
and blood is being ground into paste t.
make greenbacks."
Mr.. Smith told of the work that had
been accomplished by his little church
in West Durham, and added that there
was but one man in it not directly de
pendent on the factory for a living, anC
he's a school teacher out of a job.
4 tell you we can accomplish grea
good if only we are willing to go dowl
on. the old factory hill and do it. Some
times I'm asked why ] do not go GU
into a larger field. What larger fiel'
can a follower of Christ ask than thes'
thousands of men, women and children
who stand by the loom and spindle?
tell you it's a great work. and there
as great spirits, as noble souls. anon
those operatives as you can lind any
where. There can be good accomplishe
among these folk and | would to God thi
convention could see it and would civ
$50. 900 to this work
Mr.. Smiths speech was a splendid one
and it was listened to with the mos
intent interest.
Mr.. y. B. Broughton followed him wit
a short speech declaring that the fac
IL ;pr I'll r
this State.
They say last year one factory wa
built every twenty days Now they sa
they are building a factory every te
days. The other day l stood in the shad
ow of a factory that will cost a milliO
dollars.
Il tell you this factory question is til
problem of the State and OF the demon
nation. These people must have
chance to hear the gospel.
mot only this. but there's another II
sponsibility resting on US. These Peep
must be protected by the law of II
land
Mr.. B%roughton referred to The lor
hours of labor, and to children Workl1
in factories. He added:
81 read an article the other day
which a man said: I'm in favor of n
Allowing CnlluItu uudSA lIh SSdi5 VI q
to work in the factory; I'm opposed
: longer than twelve hours Of labor a da!
: Under ten years. Poor cradll1
things, Not mere than twelve hours
toll a day. The very limit of enduran
in human flesh and bone. These peop
must be protected, and these infan
, must be saved from such wTecklng al
! the bodies and souls of these over-Work'
| women and men saved by Christian G
fort.
J I'VE owe a responsibility to mankll
as we'll as to the church. We must go
: these mill owners and say: Take 70
hand off the blood of these people. That
what it amounts to.
L say to you as members OF q gre
denomination. | declare to you as CT
zens of a great State, if you don't 81
heed to this problem and address you
? selves to a settlement Of II. you IL O
dav wake up to find the factory a cur
instead Of a blessing to the State.
= MI. BroughtOn's speech was like
: alarm bell sounded and il created a gre
sensation in the convention. He was fe
lowed by Rev. B. L. Hoge, Of Concol
) who discussed the factory problem vi
--oar1 roFo-opoo# 10 Eic 0rIn town viii