Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-02-15

There has not been in our day. or per-
haps in any other day. a more Significant
and far-reaching movement than that
which is called 1.-The Laymen's Mission
airy Movement"
II is as wide as the extent of the Eng
disappearing nations, and IT is more ex-
ltensive and energetic in our own land
than in any other country. 1t is both de-
nominational and INSTRUMENTATION
that is to say, that the men engaged IN
| IL have their UNCONVENTIONAL organizations
which are represented in and cooperate
with the national and international move
ment which is Observation-Disclosures.
In its interdenominational character it
has undertaken a national campaign In
the form of great meetings in more than
fifty of the principal cities of the coun-
TRY, from Portland, Maine, and Boston,
Massachusetts in the East, TO Portland
tOregon. and San Francisco. California, IN
the West, and from st. Paul, Minnesota
and Chicago, Illinois, in the North TO
Tampa, Florida, and New Orleans, Lou
iisiaua. in the South. This great cam
paign. which was begun in October, 1903.
and will continue to May. 1910, proposes 10
increase the offerings of the evangelical
churches in the United States from $40.
10000 to S30.O00,OO0 during the present
year. In the meetings, already held, an
Increase of more than a million dollars
has been secured. The ultimate aim of
the movement is to arouse sufhcient IN
terest in the cause of foreign missions to
accomplish the evangelization of the world
/ in this generation.
"a nN
movement must command the serious at
ltention of thoughtful people every
where. 1t proposes something greater and
better than the object at which the Cru
saders aimed The rescue of the empty
sepulchre of our Lord. from the profana-
ton of the infidel foes of Christianity, is
as nothing when compared with move
ment which proposes to give the gospel
in this generation to the living myriads
of heathendom who languish and perish
In the region and shadow of death where
paganism rests as a pail. A new knight
errantry has sprung up In these unherolc
times which is nobler than any that was
ever known I'm medieval ages.
] The men back of the movement are
| not sentimentalists, who have. gone on
/ "a fools errand." in a burst of enthu-
siasm that will quickly expend itself
and leave no mark behind 1t. Among the
{ leaders are such thoughtful men as John
! r. Mott and Robert E. Speer, and with
them are engaged some of the weightiest
| financiers and wisest publicists to be
1 found i'm our land. Every day others OF
| like mind and quality enlist in the cause.
This movement was foreshadowed in
the Worlds Missionary Conference whic'
assembled i'm New York city I'm the
spring of 1900, the presiding officer OF
! which was ex-President Benjamin H
Harrison, probably the best furnished
! man who ever occupied the president
| chair at Washington. That Conference
was welcomed to New York by the Gov
| ernor Of the State, Hon. Theodore Roose-
welt, and President Mckinley spoke
| words of greeting ON behalf of the ma
ton. 1t meets again next June i'm Edin-
burgh, Scotland, and among its members
will be not a few of the greatest states
men on the planet.
A movement proceeding from such
sources and forwarded by such persons
can not be esteemed lightly. Stupid in
deed is the mind which is unable to APP
| preciate It, and dead is the heart which
is not warmed by it's benevolence.
While Ii is properly called THE Lay
mems Missionary Movement" 1t is not
| to be understood as something different
from that missionary cause which the
| evangelical preachers, the women of the
churches, and some laymen have beer
| advocating during all these years. 1t Is
| the same cause grown greater by the
enlistment in IL of larger number OF
strong men than ever before supported
| IT, II is the natural outcome of the ap-
peals which good men and women have
been making time out of mind. At last
they see the fruit of their efforts. They
| have been sneered at; they have beer
discouraged: they have been ready to
faint in the midst of their tolls for the
redemption OF world; but now they see
| the travail OF their souls. and rejoice
The good cause of Christ for which they
| have stood is advancing at a rate oil
which they dreamed not fifteen years
ago.
This movement will not be under
stood correctly If it is not seen as tn,
result OF work which has been in pro
gress for years past. Movements OF
this sort DO not spring out OF thu
ground without cause or conviction
back OF them Some have enormously
I supposed that the motives in which thi.
movement has taken its rise are form