Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-05
sion convention,

sion convention.
and capital. the dissertation of the Sab
bath, the needs Of the fliterate white
and the vitiating influence of the slums
OF our great cities.
A large congregation, which filled all
the lower floor of the church. was pres
ent at this, the second session OF the
great mission campaign which is beins
held here and is indicative of the wide
interest that is being aroused with refer
ence to the question of missions. Rev.
Reese F. Alsop. DID, canon OF the Cathe-
dral. Long Island, delivered the second
address OF the evening. which was well
received.
Outstanding Problems of Home Mis-
sions' was the interesting topic discuss
ed by Rev. B. d. Gray, OF Atlanta, while
DR.. John r. Nelson, OF Nashville, Tenn,
delivered an address on 1.-The Unity Of the
Church In Its Mission to America" The
closing address OF the afternoon was de-
livered by Edmund D. sOper. of New
York. whose subject was the Importance
Of Education in Home Missions"
The two sessions on Thursday, which
will bring the campaign to a close. will
be held at 2:30 in the Afternoon and at
7:45 in the evening. +. L. Seely will pre-
side over the afternoon and Asa G. Cand-
Ter over the evening sessions.
Thursdays Program
The exercises for Thursday will include
many distinguished speakers. and the
following program has been arranged:
'"The Backward People" DIR. John z.
White, pastor of the Second Baptist
church.
"Our Expanding Frontiers" Rev. Ward
Platt, of Philadelphia. assistant secretary
nf fha hOrna yr,fSafOTn hoard NJ the Meth
Odist Episcopal church.
''America-God's Laboratory for the
World" Rev. Josiah Strong, Of New
York city.
When introduced as governor Of North
Carolina, Ex-Governor Glenn stated by
way of explanation that he was no longer
governor of the old North State,' as
his term of Office had expired two weeks
ago. He took as the text OF HIS dis
course Go We into oil the world and
preach the gospel unto every creature"
which. he said, was the mission of
America.
Taking Africa as a representative field
for foreign missions. the speaker stressed
| the fact that Africa was three times as
large as all Europe, and that the United
States. with its eighty-six millions OF
people, might be put into Africa, and
there would still be room on every side.
While each missionary has a congrega-
ton OF from $500 to $500 souls, the ex-
actions OF the tropical climate limits the
life Of the missionary to eight or ten
years. which must be spent among people
debased. ignorant and cannibalistic al
most beyond belief, more than 100000 900
Of whom have never heard of Christ.
Still more deplorable were the condi-
lions here in Christian America, with its
Sc. 900. 900 people, 100000 OF whom make
no pretense Of being Christians. while
%. 00o. 600 half-heartedly follow Christ He
deplored the fact that many people boast
ed that America was safe as long as the
stars and stripes foated above, starting
from which point be proceeded to discuss
the menaces OF our modern civilization.
Menaces of Civilization
It is the opinion OF Ex-Governor Glenn
that there are forces at work in Amer
ica, which, unless their progress is
checked, VIII dissipate our strength and
bring wreck and ruin to this country,
such as was brought upon Greece and
Rome in earlier days. The first dis
cord that was mentioned as marrIng our
national harmony is the struggle OF Cap
| ital with labor. world-old yet ever new,
| with its murder Of children in our facto-
ries and manufacturing plants. condi-
| tons which could not exist II we love
The appalling dissertation Of the SaU-
bath in this country should bring the
American people TO consider the terrible
results Of the French revolution. where
I there is no Sabbath. there is no reIig-
/ ion; where there is no religion. there
/ Is no God: where there is no God, there
I is no conscience: where there is no con-
/ science, there is no respect for the rights
Of our fellow man; where there Is no
respect for the rights Of our fellow man,
! there is mob law and anarchy. No people
! can be blessed until they come back to
God"
The perils Of immigration loom large
on the political and social horizon OF
America, said the speaker. as more than
| 100000 foreigners come to our shores
annually, 1S5.OO0 of whom can neither
read nor write while $4,000 are so poor
as to possess not more tnan s25 or $50
| apiece.
| The present examination Ot immigrants.
he said. was a farce, and he recommend
ed a stricter one, which would exclude
| criminals.
IIliteracy in South
The speaker pleaded earnestly for mis-
sion work in the mountainous sections OF
the southern states, where the illiteracy
OF the poor whites was most deplorable.
This hiiterate belt extends for GOO miles
in length and 200 miles in width through
portions of Virginia. Georgia, Alabama
/ and Tennessee. the population of which,
numbering 100000 or 100000 people, is
entirely away from the railroads. Though
pure-blooded Anglo-Saxons. they are so
initerate as to be unable to read or write