The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-09-26
CONGREGATIONAL Meeting.

Z The Associate Reformed Presbyterans OF
: this .city held q congregational meeting last
snnday morning, which meeting was pleas
ant and harmonious. The business OF the
,ehurch was discussed along all the lines oil
! the last years work.
The pastor, the Rev. E. B. Kennedy, has the
endorsement and earnest support OF every
member. Love and good fellowship pre-
vail.
All debts have been either paid or the
money Is in the hands OF the treasurer lof
their payment, and still there Will be sur
plus in the treasury.
On the subject Of ''foreign Missions or
more correctly speaking, the waste OF money
and energy In Mexico, Is the only matter
upon which there is q difference OF opinion
On account of this difference OF opinion this
editor was not at the meeting on Sunday
7 m ornipg. But we can iay that some mem
y bers of the congregation are In favor OF the
expenditure, others are Indifferent, with
4 mental reservation that their payments for
{ this useless or Improbable purpose would
! not be increased.
With all the information which this editor
could get out Of the Minutes OF Synod, ana
after reading statements Of correspondents OF
the church paper, there remains not the
shadow of doubt that the church has not
= been getting results from the money which
$shas been collected from impoverished honest
conscientious Christians. who have been mis-.
led into giving OF scant means for totally Wis
3 ionary schemes.
In general way the sum, slS.OOo seems
trifie when divided among the twelve tnous-
and communicants. But to take even the
pro rata share from people who can III AFFORD
TO spare 1t, 10 q serious matter. 1t 10 even
2 greater wrong when Synod places upon op-
e ponents OF the investment the necessity OF
paying, say, one-tenth OF the assessment
levied upon the congregation.
suThe Lord loveth q cheerful giver," but we
are not told what He thinks OF the unwilling
= gtver. Speaking for this editor personally
and individually, we do not think parallel
3 case Of waste OF money and energy could be
found anywhere since the foundation Of the
: Christian religion.
4! In this connection 1t might not be amiss to
!, refer to Q little book which this editor had
{ prepared on the subject Of Mexican Missions,
4 but which. in difference to the request OF
good woman was not printed.
Since then we have heard that the letter Of
z Mr.. J. 9. A. Hunter, as published in the Asso-
oiate Presbyterian, had 30 completely con.
WINGED us that we had abandoned the print
4 ing. and that We had possibly been converted
2 to the wisdom Of an enterprise to whose
management We are opposed.
I'm fact, Mr.. Hunters letter has had no
other effect upon us than to furnish cumula-
! tive evidence as to the correctness OF our
& convictions that the Mexican Mission 10 a
5I waste Of our money.
II this editor could get the ear OF Synod, or
{ consideration from the Board oc Foreign
Missions, we would suggest instead OF forced
9 contributions for this doubtful purpose, that
they ask for free-will offerings. II is right
and proper for those who have money, TO give
II for any purpose that may appeal to their
reason or that may excite their generous i'm.
s pulses, but 1t is not right to force others to
give contrary to their own judgment and IN
spite OF the con viotions Of those who are as
able and as we'll informed as those who uss
! their official or churchly of1ce to collect un-
Z willing money from loyal subjects.
- The church should be very certain OF It's
!, position before using the sacred temple for
gathering from children their nickels and
dimes. The taking from the confiding poor
the money which they need for their own
families is serious matter. And we believe
3 It is q sin before high heaven to take such
money from poor end misguided women and
children.
Ifthere is any good In the Mexican Mission.
+ why not tell IT? Ifthere is nothing wrong In
s the Mexican business, why not show 1t In
either the minutes OF Synod or in the col.
umns Of the church paper?