Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-01-22
THE MANIA FOR MEETINGS
AND MOVEMENTS

airy obligations reminds one of the
amount OF water which has to be
poured into a dry wooden pump before
any can be gotten out of 1t.
A reasonable number of missionary
meetings for the purpose of becoming
informed concerning the needs OF spe-
cal fields and the general progress OF
the work is necessary, but constant
comprising of sea and land to Keep
ones interest alive in missions seems
something worse than useless. 1t MAY
become a sort of dissipation.
Another hurtful result of multiply
ings meetings arise from the pro-
grams and speakers. Men and women
are appointed to read papers or make
addresses on a great variety or themes
and most appointees for such service
strive to say something original ana
striking. The quality most in request
is what is called snap" This brings
temptation to care less for what is
true than for what is new. But once
a man has said a thing, he gets ready
to contend for it; what at first he was
trifle uncertain about, he begins TO
believe as strongly as if it were Holy
Writ. Out of multitude meetings,
therefore, have sprung great swarms OF
faddists, hobby-riders and Teformers.
Our land is covered with them as Egypt
was infested with the plague of To-
Gusts. They would devour all the best
things of the past in order to make
room for all the untried things which
imagination can conceive under the
stimulation of the desire to be fresh
and sparkling in an address before a
convention.
Excessive meetings are the breeding
grounds of rickety reformers, who
would, if they could, set the world ahre
in order to be known as the most brill
liant incendiaries of the age.
Close akin to this evil result is an
other. 1t is this: A man who speaks
for a cause may easily fall into the de-
fusion that he has by his speech dis
charged fully his obligation with refer
ence to it. His moral energy is so ex-
hausted by speaking that he Shas moth
ing left for action.
1t is an old jibe to talk OF temper
ance reformers who spoke for temper
ance often under the stimulant OF
drink OF course, it was uRkind and
unfair but nevertheless it is true that
the temperance sentiments of some men
have been for speaking use only.
And there are some men who have
no more than a speaking acquaintance
with the cause of missions. Their con-
sciences are satisfied by their speeches.
be expected of them.
Pulpit orators have been known to
plead the cause of the neglected classes
of the slums, who would never have
accepted willingly pastorate to
church located in a slum district.
Guthrie refused any other sort of pas
torate, because his neart was really
with the poor and distressed people OF
great Scotch city; out he was not
IL. Al, DC IF n
ventions and delivering addresses on
social service He served while others
talked.
Our Master has warned us of the
dangers of prophesying in his name
without really knowing Him and or
saying, Lord, Lord" very solemnly
without doing what He commands. The
habit of speech-making at conventions
brings this peril very near to many
men. In that market-place speech is IN
great request, and the demand creates
the supply.
Nav not a deal of vanity and pride
enter into the over-fondness of some
people for conventions? In the conven-
lions there are offices to be filled and
titles to be conferred. The zeal or SUCH
people vanishes like mist when they
are not elected to office by the conven-
tfon. They like uppermost seats in the
conventional eynagogues. How other-
wise could they ever be known? The
rolls of officers for certain conventions
are crowded with the names of very
inferior men who have been lifted into
notice by election to positions, who
without such election would never have
been heard of beyond the limits of the
militia districts in which they reside.
They dearly love publicity" and "the
publicity bureau of the convention.
During the sessions of their conventions