The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-10
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 1904.
Random Talk About How to Kill the Bible
Societp.

Random Talk About How to Kill the Bible
Societp.
After expressing profound respect for those
of our fellow-citizens who recently took part
in the IN terminable and ever recurring dis
cussion of the time and place OF meeting OF
the Abbeville District Society, we hope to be
thanked for adding nothing to that tiresome
discussion, and we trust to be pardoned for
whatever we may now say.
II we are not In error, the attendance on
these annual meetings has been very much
reduced Of late years, and especially so since
the organization OF the local auxiliary socie-
ties, which send delegates to represent them.
Pious and jealous delegates, or members,
while manifesting the greatest interest in the
welfare and prosperity Of the society seem to
be totally oblivious of the fact that they are
sapping the life of the Institution by their
never ending discussion OF the time and place
of meeting. Some Of the propositions, If II
were not q serious subject, are ludicrous
enough to make a horse laugh.
While some OF the gentlemen are urging
the adoption Of a regulation to have the Alb
beville District Bible Society meet at Lown-
desville, or Troy, or Due West, or Mount Car
mel, nobody has once suggested that the
Lowndesville, or the Troy, or the Due West,
or the Mount Carmel societies meet at Able
VILE.
And nobody has suggested that the Able.
vile District Bible Society should ride the
Circuit and meet alternately at Anderson,
Greenviile. Lsurens, Newberry, and Green.
wood. There Is just as much sense and just
as much reason in having the Abbeville Dis.
trict Bible Society meet at the county cites
named as there is in the proposition to have
the society meet at Confederate Cross Roads
or at Jericho.
Another thing. II the friends OF the Able
Vile District Bible Society would perpetuate
the society. they should put a good sized muz-
zle on those delegates who seem determined
to talk the society to death.
It may be true that the delegates should be
allowed to talk, but the time has passed when
further talk of changing the time and place
OF meeting should be allowed
Abbeville needs no lectures on the subject
of doing her duty in any commendable enter
prise. Our people give of their money as
cheerfully and as literally as any people on
earth. The records prove this. But We are a
people who believe the days Of martrydom
are mum bered.
To expect people to 20 TO a meeting and sub
NIT to SIN intolerable bore is unreasonable.
They are not going to do II.
II, therefore, the we'll wishers OF the society
would try to make tho meetings interesting,
our people would be there in great numbers.
They love to be entertained, and can stand a
lot of 1t; but when 1t comes to booring them
to death, they will not submit.
Rather than be forced to leave before ad-
journment or to have the appearance of mat
tention or to show a lack Of interest in a long
religious service which is followed by an in
terminable discussion Of nothing better than
a repetition OF timea and place OF meeting, our
people prefer to show their respect by staying
away
We believe 1t was Mr.. Lincoln's Secretary
Of War who said that an editor could com.
mand a fleet or perform the most difficult
surgical operation. If an editor could do any
or all Of these things he might very well at.
tempt to regulate that old and onored insti-
tuition, the Abbeville District Bible Society.
So here goes:
l. Omit the singing.
2. Reduce the reading of the Scriptures TO
the text from which the sermon is to be de-
livered.
3. Let the prayer be. so 10 speak, merely q
telegraphic dispatch, In behalf of the Bible
Cause-in time, not exceeding one minute.
4. Limit the sermon or address to six or
eight minutes, which sermon or address
should be pertinent to the matter before the
society. Theological dlscourses should be
barred.
s. Hire policemen whose duty shall be TO
knock on the head any man VITO shall here.
after propose TO interfere with the time and
place OF meeting.
6. Give the citizens of Abbeville some
chance to speak with the delegates who come
from abroad, and not force US to forego
this pleasure or require us to wait three
hours for the privilege.
Z. The matter Of contributing is q duty
which has almost become a principle with
our people, but they are not idiotic martyrs.
They are not going to be bored to death.
Ihelr liberal contributions and their non-
attendance upon these meetings Ia proof Of
the correctness Of this assertion. II the meet
1ngs are made interesting, they will not only
give OF their money, but they will be glad 10
be there in person.
8. The meeting Of the Bible Society is more
social affair than a devotional aggregation.
There ID no use OF putting on hypocritical airs
and pretending that our people are hungering
and thirsting for devotional exercises. Our
people are not craving religious exercises.
This is proven in the fact Of their absence
from divine worship on Sunday morning.
Their fidelity to the Bible Cause is best attest
ed bv the Qmnrnf ~ pnnoa- ,rl;ol ,ho, ut,o
to every church enterprise.
.. Because Of the extreme length of the re-
cent meeting OF the Bible Society, the greater
portion Of our people, as a rule, were denied
the privilege OF meeting the delegates. Our
people love to meet the gentlemen who usual
~ come, but as great as that pleasure is, our
people are not ready for martyrdom.
we are not welded TO any particular scheme
or program. We are only talking in the hope
thai something may be done to interest our
people. Their gifts Of money show that they
are interested In the Bible Cause. II they
were better entertained our people would be
more interested in the anniversary meeting
Of the society.
our people turn out In great numbers every
year TO see the circus street parade, and many
OF them, after taking in the free exhibition,
pay TO see the tent performance. The nnual
school exhibition is we'll attended. When
we have operas. or theatrical entertainments
in the Court House our people are there. II
our Bible Society meetings had some interest
injected into them our people would be there,
too.
Speaking for this editor personally, we were
sorry that we did not have the pleasure OF ex-
changing a word with our friends who had