The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-20
MISSIONARY COLLECTIONS.
A Time When The Impssunious Con-
tributor Need Not be
Embarrassed. -.
(Contributed,)

Before the pastor began his sermon last
Sunday morning in the Methodist church
the preacher announced that the fourth
Sunday would be Laymans Missionary day.
Contributors cards would be handed next
Sunday morning to all men as they enter
ed the door. The recipients OF the cards
could pledge themselves individually for s
much or Is little Is they might think
proper to give.
These gifts were to he free will offerings
Ind no man need feel embarrassa I'd il for
anv reason, he die not give.
The statement being so much a. variance
with what | had been accust ,med t. hear
IN the subject of missions that it took my
breath. My thoughts went of at q tan:
gent and the preacher had half-finished
his sermon before I could begin to follow
MIN.
The preacher knocked me, as some men
would say "clear out Of the boz. It was
not reasonable to expectame to hear q
| sermon after talking about not being en-
barrassed II I were not compelled to give
something to missions. l have heard 30
long of assessments" and implied threats
that I was wholly unprekared for any such
statement as the preacher made last Sun
day morning in the Methodist church,
As we'll as I can now recall the preacher
| took for his text some words as recorded
in the book Of Exodus. The willy old King
OF Egypt had vainly attempted to gain
concessions from the great prophet and
when Moses was wearied with the Kings
| .rUs NJ diplomacy, and Disguised with the
| Kings persuasive speech and realizing the
Importance OF the occasion. Moses rose
to his full stature and said defantly to the
| King; "Our cattle also shall go with US;
there shall not be an hoof left behind"
II my added brain could understand the
moral of these words, the preacher
meant to enforce,the necessity OF fidelity to
vice to the great Head Of the church.
In our heart service we should be I'M
faltering, and with our worthy goods we
should give according to the necessities OF
the occasion, and In keeping with q
ability, until there should not an hoof be-
left.
denominated as "Borderland Christians.
"Borderland Christians. left their purses
Ioutside of the church." They Ike other
borderland people, occupied dangerous
"Christians" we're those who brought
themselves, their families and all that
they had into the church until there" was
not an hoof left behind"
According to our understanding OF what
the preacher said, he thought only the
ideal Christian was always found IN the
| sanctuary.
1T could not help from thinking how good
and how beautiful it is for the preacher TO
give us unreserved credit for all that ts
Igood, and I felt II men in the pews were
lendowed with great stacks Of worldly
goods 80 that they need not scuff1e for 9
| dollar that the church itself would ahord
that sweetness, that freedom from care
and that heartfelt satisfaction which couid
only be equalled in the contemplation OF
the good things which await US In the &c.
forget that we are Of the earth earthly
We must 90 into the highways and the
icities for the maintenance OF ourselves n
Iour families. We work among our fellows
and ills hard to keep them from saying
or thinking evil Of those Of us whom they
meet six days in the week, where men
may rob or be robbed. The successful
lrobber will be sensured by men whom
they meet in the busy marts. six days In
tile week, no matter how high he may stt
up In the sanctuary or how much money
he brings In his hand to the treasuary OF
the church on Sunday.
In the church all Is love and harmony.
In the busy marts, jealousy and danger
are ever present, 10
whether the same man Is q christian or
la hypocrite depends upon bis critics or
the view points. If he brings his money
into the church, and preserves the decorlm
one day In the week he Is an ideal Chris
tian, while the outside critic sees the other
side Of the "ideal Christian" and may
characterize him as a first class politician
or an artful hypocrite:
And so it Is, according to the good or
the evil that Is In our hearts, we regard
our fellowman, according to our Interest,
or our gratitude, VIZ praise. According to
our knowledge Of our neighbors faults or
by our i'll will, we Judge sometimes hasti-
ly. No man Is wholly good. No man Is
wholly bad. ~
Everybody in Abbeville Is much pleased
to have Mr.. Stokes with us, all nope
that he may be permitted to stay with us
to the limit.