The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-29
Educational Advancement
 McGiH's Topic Yesterday
Field Secretary of Christian Educational Campaign of Presbyterian Synod of Alabama Points Out Crit
 ical Situation Described Inevitable aM
 Should Plans Fail to Carry #MN

At South Highlands Presbyterian service was devoted to the cause of Christian education. Rev. $, w. Me- Gill, assemblys field secretary of Christian education. occupied the pul- pit. The theme of the sermon was "Alabama,a Educational Advance Rev. McGill stated that the campaign for s2.000, ,006 for the Southern Pres byterian church in Alabama, MissIs- sippi, Louisiana and Tennessee is practically completed, with more than Sl,S0o, 900 now subscribed.
 All of this Is conditional on secur- ing the remaining s2o0,oo0 and this must he secured in Birmingham, Selma. Bessemer and Montgomery. It was reported that Montgomery and Selma had completed their campaigns successfully and the remainder must come from Bessemer and Blr- mingham. Birmlnghams quota was reported as s126,0O0, of which ss2,00l has been subscribed payable in four years.
 The text used hy Rev. McGill was Psalm l:5, Gather my saints to- gether unto me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice The speaker stated that most of the giving has been superficial and not sacrificial.
 Giving Surplus "Presbyterians are giving out of their surplus for the most part and not with a spirit of sacrifice" The | sermon In part was as follows: We arc now on holy ground. This is the most critical stage of the en- tire campaign. Unless we rise in a | spirit of sacrifice our church will | suffer the greatest loss In it's history. | Alabama is the storm center of the | Christian education movement. Tho other participating synods have done their full share and more, In fact, other synods are now carrying part of Aiabama's burden,
 Our church authorities have is- sued this call. The voice of the church ought to be the voice of Chris; for us.
 Pleads For Nation
 There is no greater need before America today than that of Christian education. In former days this need was emphasized by the pulpit only. Now the platform and the press are telling the same story Bis business men and captains of industry are telling us the same thing. There are S,000,000 illiterates in the United States. We remember the revelations of the army recruiting board with reference to illiteracy among young men. There are 5o,00o.00 people In the United States who never darken a church door. And yet we call our selves a Christian nation. We have 27, ,000, 900 children coming to ma turity with no religious instruction whatever. What hope Is there for a nAtion amid such conditions? No wonder we have strikes and lockouts and robberies and midnight fiogginEs and murder. If some of the money invested in search for criminals were invested in the work of Christian ed- ucation 1t would have a more far reaching effect. The saints of God must make covenant with Him by sacrifice.
 Pleads For south "As much as we may and do love the south the truth must be faced of the country in the work of Chris tan education. And yet the south furnishes far more than her propor- tion of Christian leadership. The general education board in New York has told us that we are the center of the most barren educational area in the entire country. Comparing the whole south with the single state Of Massachusetts. while we have 70 times the area and four and a half times the population and white pop ulation at that, Massachusetts ex- ceeds us by more than $500, 100000 in total wealth. Most of the money we have invested in Christian education came from the north. The south Is pauper no longer and we ought to begin bearing part of our own load.
 Pleads For Church This Is call from our own church. Our church courts have spoken. If we are loyal Presbyterians we will respond to the call of our own church. We have given to every- thing else. Shall we stop now at our own church door? Presbyterians have heretofore been the leaders in the work of Christian education, but we have lost our leadership. We rejoice in what our sister denominations are doing. but surely there Is work for us to do also Heretofore Presby- terians have led all other denomina- tions in per capita benevolence. but in recent years we of the Southern Presbyterian church have lost our leadership here, too. It is high time for us to awaken out of sleep. We are not as liberal as our forefathers. We have increased in wealth l6S per