The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-01-30
Meeting PROVED SUCCESS
GOOD RESULTS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW FOR CAM
PAeN ON EVANGELISM AND STEWARDSHIP -iNTEREsr.
EXERCISES WEDNESDAY AND NIGHT SESSIONS

any previous session and with a num-
Der of features giving variety of ex-
preston on the several subjects treat
ed by the conference, proved interest
ing throughout.
Mr.. G. G. Alexander Of Meridian de-
livered an address on "Consecrated
Possessions" in which the value of
systematic giving was emphasized and
the duty of every Christian to remem-
Der that as all blessings come from
God, all possessions should be regard
ed as sacred trusts, was taught.
The closing address of the confer
ence was by Hon. R. e. Wilborn of
Meridian, who is recognized as one
of the foremost leaders in the lay
mems movement in the Presbyterian
church of this state.
Mr.. Wilborn's subject was life and
leadership" He said, in part, that
a moral being cannot exist of and by
iself. While mans moral nature is
an inward or personal possession, its
expression relates to his Creator and
his fellows. The greatest truth to con-
slider in meeting such as this is how
to impress full sense of responsible
ity. The question, What are we going
to do?" arises out of the conditions ex-
listing, and the fact that there is much
to be done. There are many who
charge that the church is not meas
uring up to the purposes of its exist
ence, said he, and added, this much is
true: the poor have not the gospel
preached to them. This fact does not
involve the charge that the church is
not preaching a pure gospel or that
the great body of the church is on a
low moral plane, but it does grow out
of the ever expanding and constantly
increasing intermixture of races and
industrial and social conditions. It
is not possible for the church any
longer to hope for success which con-
fines it's activities to the four walls
of church house. The masses can
not be reached unless consecrated
church members go out and reach
them. There is an ever-growing num-
Der of those who never hear a SER
mon, or learn a moral truth unless
that sermon or that truth is seen in
the lives of Christian laymen. If the
great work is accomplished, 1t must
be largely through laymen who attend
Gods house on Sunday, preaching by
their lives among men, six days in
the week. Every Christian man must
be an evangel II the work of universal
evangelism is accomplished. The rule
should be a Christian life, everywhere,
every day.
His next thought was there is no
such thing as leadership without life.
This is true in politics. It is true in
the business world, 1t is likewise true
In the church. No one expects any
thing from a dead politician. The
business man without energy and life
is soon buried among the wrecks of
commerce. A dead church is never
a leader in a community, no more is
a dead man leader in a church.
The source of life is Christ, who
said: 81 am come that they might
have life, and that they might have It
more abundantly."
Mr.. Wilborn said his closing thought
was the need Of horsepower that
shall help to realize in the individual
the highest spiritual life-that shall
help men to use all they have learned
of life and principle from Jesus Christ.
Resolutions of thanks for hospital
ity of Hattiesburg and to DR.. McCallie
and DR.. Chisholm for their able lead
ership were offered by Rev. Mr.. Pow
er of Meridian, and adopted by a ris-
ing vote.
In the closing moments It was
brought out that the Presbyterian
church in Mississippi has seventh