The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-04-20
THE MILL PROBLEM.
By. Rev, W. J. Snyder in Southern
Christian Advocate.

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Fitting School was situated nearly a
mile from its present site. 1t was a
pleasure to work out the values Of
x, y, z, but when I came to that part
called "problems'' I was in dire dis
tress. IF I could get the problem
started I could work it out all right,
but many time I had to get help
from the kindly disposed professor.
I found also that, in order to correct
ly state any problem, I had to under
stand the principles of the cases that
I had gone over. If I sighted the
work that led up to the problems, it
was zero on my marks and extra
work in order to catch up.
In solving the cotton mill problem
I fear the brethren have skipped a
good deal Of the primary work and
tried to get the answer when they
did not know the true realizations Of
X, y and z.
Let US state the mill problem alge-
braically. Let K equal the confer
ence, Y the preacher, and the mill
y people. The answer to be the glory
~ of God in terms Of souls saved and
the church edited. In getting at the
solution most Of. the writer's have
tied to work out the answer with z
} and given very little if any considera-
tion to and y. The problem will
never be solved till the right values
are given to the three parts Of the
problem, viz; the conference, the
ministry and the people.
In order to see how We have failed
to get the answer required above, let
US examine into some Of the facts
that confront US and recognize fully
how far we have failed TO solve the
problem Of centering our attention al
most exclusively OH.
First, there are over one hundred
and twenty-five thousand white peo-
pie living today at the mills in our
state, or at least fifth Of the white
population Of the state. We have in
our church in the state eighty-slx
thousand members. Then we ought
to have at the mills one-ffth Of that
membership, or seventeen and half
thousand members. Considering the
fact that there are practically only
two churches doing work at the mills,>
viz: the Methodist and Baptist, the
proportion should be more. The facts,
however, that stare us IN the
face are, that among the Presby-
terians, Lutherans, Episcopalians and
others, we have eighty thousand mem
bers, while at the mills with the field
practically confined to the Methodlsts
and Baptists We have less than SIX
thousand. Six thousand when we
ought to have seventeen. The ans
wer missed BY eleven thousand! In
school failure like that would mean
a zero for mark and the demand
that I do better or fail to advance.
What kind Of record is being made
against our great church when year
after year we come up with such an
answer to the problem God gave US
to solve. Does He say'"Well DONE
or is "Failed" written on our re-
port?
In solving this problem. let US first
take up the relation that X bears to
its solution. As a conference the
BODY should first recognize that the
greatest missionary field it has is at
her doors. That there are hundred
thousand people in the state not at
fliated with any church where they
live. That these people are within
easy reach and are naturally OF
religious temperament. That they
will respond to kindness and right
treatment as quickly and cheerfuIly
as any people on the globe. That
they are hard working people and
hence not susceptible to the vices
that are found among the idle. That
they have been more sinned against
than SHINING. That they have been
Judged as class by their most III
worthy representatives. That they
have been ostracised by people who
are not as good as they are. That
they appreciate good preaching and
will attend church when there IS
enough in the sermon to interest them
and this in spite Of the fact that they
have worked strenuously for sixty
hours during the preceding week. II
the conference would recognize these
fats. that are patent to those who
bsvo heen among the mill people long