The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-10-12
PRESBYTERIANS IN STATE
Denomination Shows Gain in All De.
partments.

partments.
Columbia, Oct. 1.-THE Synod OF
South Carolina, representing 32,-
GIL Presbyterians in South Carolina,
meets in session at the First Pres
byterian church of GreenNlle Tues
day evening ats o'clock. ..
The last year showed fine gains
in all department of the church. The
total gifts of benevolences were
! $45e,7s or s13.S7 per member,
which is above the average for the
entire Southern Presbyterian
church. The total gifts to all causes
were s1,04s,1s3, or $a1.s4 per CAPT
ia. Membership showed a gain of l.
499, which is the largest gain re-
ported in several years. The Sunday
school also shows a good gain, the
present membership being 1856,
which is a gain Of 2,075 over the pre-
vious year. There are eighty enroll
ed in the Sunday schools of the
Synod to every 100 church members.
which is much below the average Of
the entire church, and many men,
bers feel that he Synod is not CIV
ing the attention to the Sunday
school work has been urged for
some years, but nothing has yet been
done. Last year there were 1859
received on profession of faith,
which is the largest number ever re-
ceived.
The General Assembly has urged
the synods Ito employ, a full time
synodical manager to be responsible
for putting on the annual Every
Member Canvass for benevolent
funds. This campaign has been
managed for several years by DR.. E.
E. Gillespie, pastor Of the Presby-
terian church of York, and this synod
has been one of the leading synods
in benefcent work, DR.. Gillespie
having done most efficient work
while at the same time carrying on
his pastoral work. It is thought by
some that the business depression is
going to affect the beneicent sub
scriptions and that this owrk should
be followed up through the entire
year in order TO secure the best re-
suits, and this will take a mans en-
tire time. The first indication that
the church seems to be facing de-
cline in benevolent receipts was the
report of the foreign mission re-
ceipts for August, the reports show
ing falling off Of $4,000 in the
August reeeipss and $4,000 in the
September receipts, over the pre-
Mous year. The assembly's home mis-
sion committee of $4,000 for Au-
gust and September.
Church leaders are giving much
concern to the shortage of ministers.
There are 293 Presbyterian churches
in the synod of South Carolina, sc
of which are without pastors. Many
pastors have two, three and four
churches, so there are many churches
that have no services and many
more that have only one or two SER
vices a month. Some feel that a
! larger use should be made Of the
laymen Of the church, though there
seems to be some opposition and
much indifference to the develop
ment of laymen for this work. There
and several laymen's organizations in
the South that are doing effective
evangelistic work, and the move
ment seems to be growing. There are
some that hold that one reason for
! the small membership Of the Presby-
terrain church in comparison with
other churches is due to the fact
that he best use Is not being made
of the laymen.
The average pastors salary in the
synod is $1,e84. This is a decided
Improvement, and it Is expected that
there will be further increase of SAL
aries paid to pastors, as it is felt
that they are still too low to enable
a pastor to keep an automobile,
which is a necessity to country pas
tor and adds effectiveness to the