The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-12-11

sions of the Baptist State Convention,
I should find it hard to adequately
describe all the feelings that were at
times stirred within me by those who
so ably presented all the varied, COM
plex and magnificent endeavors in
which this great denomination is
now engaged.
But it is not hard to convey the
idea that was most deeply impressed
the idea which seemed to underlle
the work of the cOnvention-by lis
tening to the deliberations of this
earnest, able and consecrated body Of
Christian men. =
Service to humanity appeared to be
the keystone of the triumphal arch
which the Baptists of South Carolina
are laboring so assiduously and so ef-
fectively to erect upon the firm foun-
dation of Christian character coupled
with Christian enlightenment.
Education - education industrial,
sociological, political, religious was
the dominant, all-pervading theme
the thread which was woven through
the wool and warp of the almost gi-
gantic work which the recent conven-
ton undertook and accomplished
within 80 brief a space.
How well the Baptists demonstrate
ed the power of Christian education
over the hearts and lives of men
could be better felt than imagined
when men who proudly proclaimed
their descent from humble origin,
telling of their early struggles. to ac-
quire knowledge and the aid which
the church rendered them in those
struggles), electrified the convention
with their eloquence, their profound
knowledge of the problems which
are confronting humanity today and
gave utterance to such fervent ap-
peals for q continuance and expan-
sion of the work already 81 well be-
gun.
I have in mind a particular in
stance: At the session of Thursday
afternoon there appeared before the
audience a young preacher from the
Dark Corner of Greenville County,
on the border line between North and
South Carolina. Big IF body, big OF
brain, big of heart, with Il voice full
of pathos resounding into every nook
and corner Of the spacious building
and with a heart overf1owing with
tenderness towards the weaknesses OF
humanity, this son of the mountains
held his audience spellbound by the
magnetism of his presence, the elo-
quence of his words and the fervor of
his appeal for "a Neglected People,"
Just the night before, the work of the
Baptists in educating the mountain
people had been shown in stereop-
tican views. Listening to this big
limbed and b%ig-brained mountain
eer on the following day one could
not resist the thought that the pro-
duction of even one such man, with
all his power for good, more than
justified every, dollar which had been
expended upon that school. Stand
ing before the convention, in all his
towering, masterful strength he told
of his former occupation as a moon
sinner, reciting some of the dreadful
consequences which had met his own
observation as a result OF intemper-
ance, while paying a glowing tribute
to the loyalty which characterizes the
attachment Of the mountain people
to any cause they might espouse, end
ing with a strong appeal to his de-
nomination to enlist under their BAN
ner these yirile, sympathetic but
neglected people. There may be a
great future for this young man, and
the influenees.whieh first awoke him
and afterwards recognized and util-
lied his talents have done a greater
work than the taking of many cities.
"Evangeiize, baptize, and educate'
was the topic of the convention SER
mon, which laid great stress upon the
third command, but, after listening
to the convention proceedings, one
could hardly find it possible to believe
that the great Baptist denomination
had been as remiss in obeying the
third command ofthe ''great commits
sion" as the sermon would indicate.
If the reports submitted to the con-
vention by the institutions under the
care Of the Baptist convention
70 opnranioto tho 70 xyoroc IF thoca