The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1913-03-13
redE. WIS DATA ON FOREIGN MIS-
It EON WORK is TAKEN FROM
CHE MISSIONARY ORGANS.
iNRE THEY "STUPEND-
GUS DECEIyERS?"

Hon. Thos. e. Watson-Dear Sir:
l had thought it about time that you
were being given another fhinning
here in our diggings. Yesterday
(Feb. 13) was the day. 1t was in
the form of the Laymen's Missionary
Locust Grove charge. Griffin district.
rally held at Philadelphia church.
Bro. Williams Of Jackson, Bro Sand
ers Of McDOnough, were present, in
addition to the local pastor and the
presiding elder, Fletcher Walton, who
took charge Of the meeting. The
preachers did all the talking, as it is
in most cases Of this sort, and why
it be called ''Laymen's rally I don't
understand, without of course We did
the feeding and incidentally the pay
ing when the collection is taken. Ev-
erything went on nicely until the af-
ternoon when the presiding elder took
the floor and kept it for about two
hours, and that was when the raking
came in. After severity raking the
audience for not taking the proper
interest in foreign missions and show
ing them what the contributions to
the foreign field from the M. e.
Church, South, were for the last ten
years, he came to the part in which
you play in the game. He said: ''I
have been reading some very degrad-
ing articles concerning missions in
the last few years from a very bril-
liant-ignorant man. He would have
you believe that every defect that
comes in a heather tooth, that there
is dental man there ready to plug
it; that for every ailment of any form
there is doctor hand to administer
to their wants. AS matter of fact,
there is not one doctor there, cover
ing an area as large as Texas"
He said further: HE is making a
big bugaboo about missionaries sal
aries; it is true single missionary
gets $500 and more, according to
size of family, but amt they worth it
and more? This man tells you that
provisions are cheaper there (China)
than they are here. 1t is not so.
Ham sells for $3.50 a pound: flour
never sells for less than $500 a
barrel"
Then with outstretched arms he
made his last sweep. He said: ''I
am driven to the conclusion that he is
stupendous deceiVer, or else he is
colossally ignorant" Not one time
did he plead for home missions,
neither did he explain about the col
leges and hospitals in foreign lands.
He missed that part on his map, I
myself gathered some figures. Here
they are: Salary, single missionary,
$500; outfit and travel, $4OO salary,
married man, $1,000 and up (never
said how much further up); outfit
and travel, $500; native workers,
800 to $3.50; rent of chapel, $25 and
up. Shares in schools and colleges
(here is where it takes my breath),
$50 and up. Scholarships, $25 to
$50. Shares in medical work, $50
and up; shares in Cuba special, $40;
Sunday School shares, 81. Colleges,
1877; dispensaries, g. hospitals, s.
Patients treated, 59,O25.
Now, Mr. Watson, l must confess
my ignorance in this share business.
What is the capital stock, what is it
made of and the dividends it is likely
to pay? 1t is strange to me why
it is at almost every missionary meet
ing these preachers can't give us facts
instead of abuse. Facts are at least
most convincing and show more
manliness on the part of the speaker.
Yours truly, e. B. DANIEL.