The farmer and mechanic., 1915-05-04
WHY BARACA-PHILATHEA?
Address Delivered Friday Night, April 23 to 'ne
Baraca-Philathea Convention by Hon.
R N Smms, of Raleigh

+o so thorouehlv organize the indl-
vidual class that every member shaii
have something to do. OF course In
large classes this is hard to- accom-
nlish. but nevertheless it is the aim
toward which We strive. A motlo oI
the class is We do things 1t is
therefore organization for purpose.
That purpose is the accomplishment
of good. And that purpose IS TO oe
fully wrought out within the toid OF
the Sunday School; AculHty IS q;
vital principle Of Baraca, but 1t IS
activity within the bounds Of Sun
dav School class. Every class is en- |
couraged to have a part as a class IN
every good work undertaken py It's
church. 1t is urged to help the poor
and the distressed, to care Tor the
sick. to help the orphans, and to ac-
tivolv co-operate in the work of mis-
sions. AS to whether or not 1t does
these things ask those who know
about any real BaraCa class.
Why Resent Criticisms
But the work has been criticised.
| That is not a cause of wonderment:
| Every good thing has its critics, ana
they do it good. If it is good enough
to deserve, to survive, it always sur
wives, and is better for the criticism
| Let us therefore not resent the cr1tl-
cism If it be kindly spoken it will
do us good, and if it be otherwise 1t
can do us no harm. If Indeed there
be those who would destroy the good
the movement has done, their efforts
will perish. He fights all in vain VINO
fights against God. The movement
las meant it's acts for good, and If 1T be
called to task for doing these things
it will receive the vindication ever
vouchasafed of Heaven to those who
are prosecuted for righteousness sake.
But continue thou to do good and let
Rpmpmber
counsel of Gamaliel: IF this work be
Of men, it will come to nOugEt: but If
it be Of God, ye cannot overthrow it;
lest haply ye be found even to fight
against God"
Strenth in Independence.
AS / recall the criticisms, there has
been only one of them directed against
the work Of the individual Baraca
class. And that is to say that there
is only one Of them which is directed
toward Baraca, for Baraca is the plan
: of the individual class, and it is not
the national organization. This criti-
ciSm is that the classes have a ten
! dency toward independence of their
\ local Sunday Schools or churches
This tendency is inherent in any plan
= that organizes grown men for work
= and sets them at it. 1t inheres in the
2 heart of man. God found it there II
the first man he made. Man wanted
8 " AIcCI A14AlScll. AUuO1USs I1OL
8 wrought ruin. It ever will. It is a sigI
of strength. Strength uncontrolled
spells destruction, but strength under
S control works salvation. God gloriet
e in it in man and bade him subdue thu
y earth. John said: 81 write unto yo.
n young men because We are strong
: and he gloried in it. Solomon said
n strength" Our fore-fathers Tough
S for political independence, and achiev
It ed it. They likewise fought fer religi
e Gus independence and achieved that
d Shall it be wondered that their great
1t grandsons have some tendency to in
}: dependence? The denomination t
'r which I belong believes that ever
e, Baptist church is an independent self
;" governing body. We claim to be tn
SIS most Independent people on eartf
re Every Protestant church has strue
1t gled and won it's life by struggling fo
~ Shall it be wondered if young me,
ts grown men, in these various churche
r have some tendency toward indepeI
40 dence in their religious activities?
T. This does not at all depend upo
u, the name of the class. You can ca
ne it anything you will and you mu
TO meet this problem. I can prove tn
IN assertion by the life history Of ar
m mems class that has grown to /
rs strong and lived very long.
nt What should be done to cure tn
~ trouble? Change the class name
-. That were the remedy Of a Simp
q Simon. Emasculate the strength
nj That were the performance Of a Gov
Nv ard. Run the young men out Of tt
RI. Sunday School That were treasC
- unto God.
is What will you do with an indepe1
is dent colt? Why, change his name
" and ride him! Will you? Before ye
av do that way you had better get reat
. to take the old negro's advice, al
,v when you sees he's gwine to fiji
n you, git off," What will you do wi
,n, :ou inv1n yee IS Aelollou IL IL
to him. Dead colts disturb no one. Tt
he method will solve the problem al
ras give us peace from the pestifero
he tendency to independence. No, y,
nd say, let's don't do that. Let's on