The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-09-09
Mission Work..

DR.. ". A. Hunter, Elder in the, Bethia con
gregatlon, was a delegate to the South Caro-
lima Presbytery which met at Smyrna
Church in Newberry last Tuesday Sept, 1st.
DR.. Hunter reports that the proposition to
divide the Pres bytery did not prevail, or that
action on that matter was postponed.
DR.. Hunter says that there is an effort to
enter actively on the work Of Home Missions
1t Is contemplated that the Presbytery will
publish a paper In the interest OF mill people
especially and OF all others who may avail
themselves OF Its beneficial influence.
The committee will employ a female worker
to 60 into the field to teach, to nurse. and To
otherwise exercise kindly offices for such per
Sons as may need her services, and over
who m she may exercise a wholesome relig
lous influence. Her work ia to be purely one
of Chri stian philanthropy.
The members of that Committee are: Rev.
w. II. Fraser OF the First Church OF Ander-
son; Rev. Lander and Elder Anderson of the
Central Church OF Andersop; Elder w. A.
Hunter Of Bethia Church In Abbeville Coup.
ty.
DR.. Hunter Ia an enthusiastic church work
or, and being a practical mar himself, he pro-
poses that practical methods shall govern in
the good work upon which It is now pro-
posed to enter.
DR.. Hunter took q Bible course In the
Mount Hebron Moody School, in New York
last summer, and Is we'll prepared to aid In
the proposed work In which the South Caro-
lima Presbytery c~ontemplates engaging.
The reader will o forget that laymen
have often been the most ful workers
They work without pay and their zeal is
more effective than when the work Is done
perfunctorily for pay and without zeal.
The Christian Churches generally need the
services OF q greater number OF jealous lay
workers.
1t seems that regular cold blooded Chris
tians too often excuse themselves for lack OF
warmth and energy in working for home
missions, by saying; "Oh, these people at
home can come to church. / fthey want to do
30. We are sending to foreign fields to men
who haven't heard Of our Saviour"
We have heard expressions similar TO the
above 80 often that We expect nothing but
the ~.stereotyped excuse for lack OF work
among our own people who are 80 near to as
that they are in easy reach Of the life line.
. W spcGht lucy PlClC2 W Wy " thlOH i Y w
those in mid ocean and beyond their reach.
In the city OF Abbeville there are perhaps
$500 white people. or this number 1t is fair
TO estimate that not over 600 attend religious
service at Dull churches Sunday morning.
And this is O city OF churches. Besides one
Catholic Church, there are 1--WE Protestant
Churches.
With all these Protestant Churches open
every Sunday morning there must be be.
tween 1900 andr2,00 absentees from morning
service. For this unnatural condition there
must be q cause. This is alChristian commu-
nifty and little or no effort is made to bring
and the prayers are there and we act ss II, 1t
was no fault Of ours, II our neighbors stay
away. We are not our brothers keeper, al
though our Saviour commanded his disciples
to 60 into the highways and compel the PEG
pie to come.
In the first place. the church Is more or less
a social organization, and as far as 1t is neces.
sary church people should welcome those
who may be timld about coming. There are
many boys, girls. men and women too who
seldom 60 TO assemblies or gatherings. But
they would be glad to 60 II they received
proper greeting and If the men and the wom-
en- OF the church would feel and express pleas
ure at their coming.
Ifthey were made welcome and II the prea.
cher had sufficient grace In his heart to re-
member them In his prayers and II be would
ask a blessing for them, more OF our people
would attend services. If there is q poor
boy or a poor girl In the town who lacks
clothes which are good enough, the watchful
church man should learn the fact, when the
money could be raised.
Let not half hearted Christians sneer at the
OF bridging poor people-poor men and
poor woman-poor boys and poor %glrls-lnto
the church. 1t will be only q few years until
some OF these same unnoticsd poor boys Will
become a power in the city and their fellow
ship would be at least a part of the strength
Of the church.
The inexcusabie neglect which Is ex-
In neglecting the people at our own
doors while pretending to be SO anxious
about the souls of people in foreign lands In
90 apparent to need explanation. ALI who
have eyes can see 1t, and nom need deny the
in evadlng duty to home people.
One tenth OF the labor, talk, and money
hat is now expended on foreign missions
make this indeed a Christian commu-
1lty.