Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-01-28
MISSIONS ARE THE
GREAT THEME
Continued From First Page.)

of the diocese was expended for mis-
sion purposes. His own parish, he
felt sure, used % per cent of its in
come in that way He insisted that
such appointments should be COM
pulsory and not purely voluntary.
Bishop Reese then took the floor
and made clean-cut, incisive and
forceful argument. The bishop favor
ed impressing on the people of the do
oese the full spirit and effects of the
mission work. The spirit Of sacri-
flee should be stressed, he held. If
the people of every parish were
awakened the offerings, he held
would be larger 1t was not SO much !
an indisposition to support the work
as an indifference growing out of COM
parative lack of acquaintance with ic.
If the great need Of the missions were
illuminated the response would be i'm
mediate and generous. Once the far
reaching possibilities of mission work
in the diocese were brought home to
the church the laymen would be found
giving not only of their means but of
their personal service.
The bishop favored a greater part
Of the handling Of missions being en-
trusted to the laity. Frequently the
attitude of the people toward the cler-
gy in presenting the claims of mfs-
sions was that this was merely the
carrying out of part of the profession
al duty Of the clergyman. Some clergy
men, too, finding somewhat Of a spirit
of opposition, or RELUCTANCE, in the
peWs were inclined to tfmidity.
The Popular Saint of Today.
, When laymen of recognized ability
and of undoubted commercial or pro-
fessional success stand up TO talk of
missions and appeal for funds they
command attention from the man in
the street. Today, said the bishop, the
popular saint is the man with the
! halo of professional or commercial
= success about his head. His are the
, words that carry weight in matters
involving the raising and expenditure
of money. The bishop cited instances.
showing how such men of business
standing and influence can secure con
tributions for religious work where
. the clergy would accomplish nothing
Known as practical, level-headed, far
seeing men, when they declare that
it is profitable to expend money on
. missionary work the way to the purse
is opened. The bishop urged that the
leading laymen of the diocese should
give the clergy their support, should
speak for MISSIONS from the chan
cells, should commit themselves unre-
. servedly to the work and urge its i'm
portance upon others. At the same
time he called upon the clergy to dis
play more spunk in calling upon the
laymen for such service.
e Called on Laymen TO Speak.
! Rev. George S. Whitney, of Angus
4 ia, argued in favor of prominent lay
l. men going from one parish to another
o and placing the Importance of mis-
sions before the people. He held that
j. this would accomplish much good He
WOULD welcome such men and then
\ and there invited Mr.. Henry C. Gun
q bingham, of Savannah, to visit Angus
ia and speak on missions at his
church
+ In replying Mr.. Cunningham
4 aroused a laugh by stating that ne
would feel as much in place deliv-
ering sermon in Westminster Alb
: hey as in speaking from the chancel
+ Of ST. Paul's. He insisted that the
tendency seemed to be to put it all
o upon the laity. Il stand here to saw
declared Mr.. Cunningham, that it is
v the duty of the priests to put it up
to their individual parishes. When
+ they do this the men will respond.
o They must not shift the responsible
ity or the burdens on others. The
8 laymen are called on for a mission
airy crusade said he, but the priests
J should be the leaders. The CLERGY
7 should go back to their parishes and
a corral those who don't believe in mis-
n sions, make them go down in their
r pockets, and generally insist on the
performance of such obligations
Mr.. Cunningham didn't believe in
the promiscuous going around of lay
men. A laymen, he thought, had more
influence in his own parish than any
! where else.
Mr.. Edward S. Elliott, Of Savannah.
i stated that the plan suggested by Mr..
Whitney, of Augusta has been tried
in way, and found successful. Rev.
: A. NJ n. Rich, of Hawkinsville, held
s that failure to meet mission obliga-
e tions was mainly the fault of the rec
a tors. If the rectors put the facts be-
) fore their members the necessities Of
, the church would be met. He be-
e lieved in every parish the rector
should have two or three Iaymen WHO
/ would study the question and assist
him in presenting it to the members,
individually and collectively.
Jacksonville Meeting
Rev Francis Alan Brown, Of Savan-
nah, stated that at the recent lay
mems missionary gathering at Macon
/ h,1r