BY THE WAY
By Uncle Billie
Though I 4
rival all poets
of Cicero and
no knowledge
and thoughts,
sounding brass, ^inkling
cymbal.” And though I , have
the signs of much latent power
to understand the n^steriee of
nature; and though I b*|pHi
centered in my ability to bring
things to pass, and have no un
derstanding of the principles of
knowledge, I register nothing.
And though I scatter all my
inheritance to the advantage of
the unfortunate, and though I
cross the sea and lay bare my
breast to the Germans' cannon,
and yet am an ignorant man, I
am nothing still.
Ignorance is impatient; it is
unkind; ignorance wishes the
possession* of others* it dis
plays itself’ boastfully and is
Very much puffed up: its con
duct is very improper; seeks its
own interest. Ignorance is quite
easily provoked, and thinks in
terms of the evil-minded. 'It re
joices in iniquity, but not fin the
tr^ra.
1 "ignorance gives undue pub
licity to others’ misfortunes, has
a disposition to place the worst
construction on the motive of
othdnf^it hopes that' all things
actu&ted from impure mo
and does not bear up un
the least persecution.
Ignorance is the foundation of
failures; “whether there be
prophecies they shall fail,” but
will follow the prophets as good
tongues shall cease, but
ranees will be handed
many centuries. Knowledge
“shall vanish away,” but the
world is left richer in re in in
tellects
Now our knowledge is imper
fect and obscure; and prophetic
gifts are among the things that
are measured out in part'.
“When I was a child, I spake
as a child, I understood as a
child, I thought as a child, but
when I became a man I put
away childish things.”
For now we see one another
as we see ourselves, through a
poorly polished ancient glass;
but in the perfect day, in the
fuller revelations «f heaven, we
shall see one another through a
perfect medium. Now I know
a few things imperfectly; but
when I become a disembodied
spirit, my knowledge of others
shall be equal to their knowl
edge of me.
“And now abideth” race-dis
crimination, poverty, and igno
rance, these three, but the worst
of these is ignorance.
MARK 8:27
“Whom do men say that I am?”
Just a few days ago I listened
to three puffed up scholars (?)
criticising the grammatical con
struction of this passage:
“Whom do men say that I am ?”
Sitting quietly by unknown to
the trio, and disgusted, I had
to butt in. They accused Bi
ble scholars of many “gram
matical blunders” in writing
the New Testament in Greek
and Latin. They chose this pas
sage for instance. They spoke
with as much authority as
Christ did to the woman at the
well. But they were liberal
enough to let me say a word
in defense of the Greeks and
Romans. I was fortunate
enough to recall the passage in
the original. I remember that the
Greek reads thus: “Tena me le
gousin oi anthropoi einai;” and
the Vulgate by St. Jerome reads,
“Quern me dicunt homines
esse.-' Whom do men say
that I am?” is very poor gram
matical construction, but Greek
and Latin scholars did not make
this grammatical slip in the
original. King James transla
tors are the grammatically guil
ty parties.
A literal translation of this
passage would be: “Men say me
to be whom?” English gram
matical rules, based on Glteek
and Latin Grammar rules, have
many transitive verbs admit
ting1' an object and an infini
tive. Adhering strictly to
the Greek and Latin construc
tion, one Sees at a slight glance
in the passage of Scripture quot
ed from Mark 8:27 that the
pronoun, “me” is i^n the accu
sative case and is the' subject
of an infinitive (einai or the
Latin, esse) to the subject
of an infinitive is, of course, in
the accusative case. In plain
English, “to be whom” is an ob
jective complement of “men say
me,” which completes J^e pred
icate, say, and belofigs to me;
this places whom in the same
case in which me is. But in
King James’ translation the
translators transferred bodily
the relative (tena) pronoun
whom to the office of a relative
pronoun as a predicate relative
in the accusative case, which is
grammatically absurd. The
original is correct. The trans
lators made the “lapsus lin
g uac.
Hadley’s Greek Grammar and
Harkness' Latin Grammar will
set superficial critics on the
right road or Reed and Kellogg’s
Higher Lessons in English.
I beg the boys pardon, for I
have no desire to appear puffed
up, neither pedantic in this lit
tle discussion, which should
have never been provoked; I de
test seeing men show off and
try to make-believe, overdraw
ing themselves to be respected.
But I am indulging in a bit of
exposition of igfiorancer of
would-begmen of knowledge tq
help suran^
young man in preparing him
self to lead the people to heights
hitherto unreached. Do not
take a short cut through the
field in order to “get through
quick.” If your time, means,
and capacity will allow it, take
the “long course,” as an old stu
dent advised me when I entered
Biddle 37 years ago. You may
never see another line of Greek
or Latin after you leave college,
some will likely tell you, to
prove you are pursuing a
worthless course. That is a
poor and child-like argument:
you may never see another
spoon of pap or a mouthful of
milk after you are weaned from
your dear mother’s breast, but
you developed into a better baby
and a stronger man from hav
ing been nourished and fed on
what you may not see again.
A professor in a college wrote
a student’s father and told the
father of the student: “Your
son has not the capacity for
Latin and Greek.” The father
wrote back to the professor: “I
am going to the village today,
and while there I will just buy
him one.” Do you laugh? I do
not, but I commend the poor old
fellow for his determination. A
manly determination will make
a young man, too, realize that
fie has only one chance in life
to get an education; and when
that is gone, your efforts
are fruitless. Remember that
ignorance is a curse and incur
able in old age. Just as the hu
man body becomes too old to
respond to medicine, so do our
mental faculties become too
crowded and feeble to grasp the
things contained in books. Now
is the accepted time.
ON THE CAMPUS OF FEE
MEMORIAL INSTITUTE,
NICHOLASVILLE, KY.
By Lena Mae Guess, ’27
The faculty and students
were favored with a sermon by
Rev. L. W. Hyde last Sabbath,
from the 14th chapter of St.
John and verse six. Jesus was
pointed out as the only way.
The writer has been elected
by the school to send notes to
the Africo. President McNair
(Continued on page 2)
RECOLLECTIONS OF
A. YANCEY
By Rev. W.
When I first came to Dan
ville with my family nearly 35
years ago, I was entertained in
the home of our good broth
er until suitable arrangements
could be made for our com
fort. I was so impressed with
his personality that I took to
him at fi|st sight. He and his
good wife did all one could exj
pect to make ushappy and feel
perfectly at home while we tar
ried with them, e ^ f
The Rev. William A. Yancey
was one of the early graduates
of Hampton. He taught both in
the county and in the schools
bf Danville for several years.
Being an elder in our church
and having a desire to become
a missionary he was recom
mended by our board. He made?
a most acceptable man for such!
(work. He never entered the|
pastorate, but held on to Sun-I
day school work to the very *
last. I
For more than a quarter of
a century he labored assiduous-'
ly within the bounds of South
ern Virginia Presbytery. Dur
ing this time he did a work far
reaching in results. The in
stinctive feeling of all who had
any intercourse with him was
that he was a true friend. The
young people, even the small
children, were drawn to him. H&
manifested at all times a spe
cial interest in them. He had3
a concrete idea of their worth,
that they were to be the future
men and women of a great racgf
He was determined, to do Ira
very best to help s^ape more ae*
curately their destiny. He id
ways remembered his own eaidy
manhood and the peculiar wants
nf.4ha young, -and he- sought-rOtfe
this class with advice and en
couragement and sympathy. As
he went into the homes of the
people he impressed them that
he was God’s nobleman seeking
their good. He carried sunshine
everywhere he went. His very
presence gave the people fresh
courage and hope and infused
life into their souls.
He was a man noted for his
personal piety. From day to day
he kept in close touch with God.
His life was an inspiration to
the communities where he la
bored. The people were always
glad to welcome him and were
sorry when he left.
As a man of God he felt at all
times that the everlasting arms
were beneath him. There were
times in which the waves of op
position dashed against him,
but he felt confident that they
would not overwhelm him. So
strong was his faith in God and
His providence that he felt
that the trials, disappointments
and discouragements he had
to encounter would work
together for his good. With
this manliness of character, and
a burning zeal in any work he
undertook, with habits of de
votion and consecration to ser
vice for God’s cause, we saw no
reason why his work should not
be a success. He loved his
work with a devotion far great
er than we can comprehend. As
he went about over his field
from place to place whenever he
h*i an opportunity he would
preach Jesus to the people, and
in his simple, common sense
way, he was the means of lead
ing many precious souls into
the kingdom of God.
I have known this servant of
God to walk 10 and 15 miles
through the country carrying
his heavy load of supplies, foot
sore, tired and hungry,* and
sometimes when night would
come he csarcely had a place
to lay his head, yet he never
once complained. His was in
deed a life of self-sacrifice for
the good of others. He actual
ly wore himself out in the
work. He went until he could
go no more. He finally began
to grow weaker and weaker un
til last March, when he quietly
yielded to the inevitable law of
change.
The churches that have come
all
tfte Sunday schools he or
‘ will ever stand as mon
to his memory. He was
even unto death and he
gone up to wear the
He did a great work in
,y, but he had no dispo
to trust in the slightest
to his own works. To
he gave all the glory and
ered it a great privilege
permitted to do so grand
k. -Well done, good and
ul servant! Enter thou
the joy of thy Lord. May
be in the watchtower of
m looking out on the
immortality beyond.
wOTk.
yond the
r weeping t
| shall be soon.
Beyond, the waking
. sleeping,
eyond the sowing
reaping,
shall be soon.”
Danville, Va.
smiling and the
and the
and the
ES FROM LOUIS
VILLE, KY.
By Mrs. Ruth M. Rogers
Ferguson Memorial Presby
terian church was among those
hich observed “National Mis
ions Week.” At the 11 o’clock
ces Sunday, November
our pastor, Rev. J. A
e, delivered a most appro
priate sermon on the subject,
‘Evangelization Far and Near.”
‘The Missionary Society pre
ed a special program which
2 place of the regular
vored with several musical se
lections by boys from the
Louisville Institute for the
Blind. We were also favored
with a vocal selection by Mr.
Watson, of Philadelphia.
A most interesting part of
the program was the Dramatic
Hymn Service, and a very pa
thetic scene in keeping with the
hymns sung in this service
was “The Suppliant at the
Cross,” which was portrayed
by Miss Hattie Maddox.
Group No. 2 prepared and
served a Thanksgiving Dinner
at the church. The Thanksgiv
ing spirit was well manifested
by. all present. A special table
was laid for our pastor and his
family. Everything proved
that the members of Ferguson
Memorial church had much for
which to be thankful.
On Thursday night, Decem
ber 3rd, a program arranged by
group No. 2 was rendered at
the church. The group was en
tertained by Elder Frierson.
Among those who appeared on
the program was Mrs. Carter,
of Cleveland, Ohio, who favored
us with a very beautiful vocal
selection.
The young people at the
church have organized them
selves into a society known as
“The Young People’s Chapter.”
The purpose of this society is
to aid in the upbuilding of the
church, and help along financial,
lines. They invite other young
people to come and join and feel
free to work.
Group No. 1 entertained with
a play entitled “The Mysteries
of the Kingdom,” on Thursday
night, December 10th, which
was very interesting and enjoy
able. Group No. 1 is now pre
paring a Christmas program
wihch we hope will be a great
success.
! IN MEMORIAM
Mrs. J. C. Bucknp" who de
parted this life on October 26th,
is sadly missed by all the mem
bers of Ferguson Memorial
church. Mrs. Buckner’s illness
was short and her death came
as a thunderbolt from a clear
sky. Death is so natural, yet
so mysterious, especially when
visited upon one so kind and no
ble in God's creation. Mrs.
Buckner stood as a faithful pil
• lar of the church, having joined
the Presbyterian church when
quite a young woman. The loss
of this lovable woman cannot
ae estimated.
The many beautiful fibril de
signs placed about the sleeping j
mother showed that she had not
lived in vain; that she was loved
and appreciated by all who'
knew her.
The Funeral Sermon
The following is the sermon
ielivered by the pastor, Eev.
Doxe:
Text: “For I am now ready
to be offered up and the time
of my departure is at hand,” II
rim. 4:6.
This expression leaps from a
life well spent with God. All
but the conclusion of the mat
ter. It shows that the Apostle
has been restrospecting his life
as it is hid in God. It is not
the decision of a moment. Noth
ing of snap judgment! The life
has been weighed and not found
wanting! The rough seas have
been navigated! The haven is in
sight. Let the life boats be
manned! Cast over the anchor!
Make her fast to the moorings!
I am ready to face the customs
demands of the new world! I
am ready for citizenship in the
better country! I am now ready
to be offered! He is saying the
last word! He is concluding the
last Epistle! The time to depart
from the world of time and try
the realites of eternity !. The
struggle is about over! He is
ready to depart!
1. Death—a departure.
Death is a departure, a re
moval, a separation, going on a
journey.
“Home, home, sweet; sweet
home,
There’s no place like home,”
Thus sings the longing soul,
the soul distant from the most
nemtstn^Beenes cyc^-'cvcr rw*
held, the spot most loved, dear
ones most adored, the place
from which we have departed.
The exchange may be better, it'
may be worse; we have depart
ed; new scenes, new life, new
experiences of ours. Death is
a departure, removal, separa
tion, it is a going on a journey;
the soul moves out of the clay;
it enters another tenement, its
last home. St. Augustine re
marks, “No sooner do we begin
to live in this dying body than
we begin to move ceaselessly to
wards death.” Bishop Hall de
clared, “Our cradle stands in
our grave.” Chas. Froham, the
atrical producer, about to take
the plunge with the hundreds
on the Titanic, was heard to cry
above the confusion, “Why
should we fear death? It is but
a beautiful adventure in life.”
Ah! Paul believed in the im
mortality of the soul! He is
ready to be offered, the time of
his departure is at hand. Listen
to Dr. Hillis’ description of
death. “The old philosophy
gave us images of the scythe,
the skull and crossbones, caused
the tomb to drip with horrors,
taught men to darken the win
dows, to blacken the hearse,
the house and the ftuman Doay
with plumes plucked from the
wings of midnight. But the
philosophy which pictured
death as a monster is itself
death-struck and dying. Sci
ence, that once clipped the
wings of faith, is now learning
to soar and sing. If land is not
yet sighted, we sail through a
summer sea, midst drifting
boughs whose leaves have not
yet withered; the birds that fly
overhead 'belong to climes near,
though still unseen; the air,
laden with perfume, foretells
the continent that lies before
and lures us on. Let up, with
Lowell, confess that Death,
once disguised as an execution
er, has dropped the iron mask
and stands revealed as an angel
in disguise—God’s, seraph—
come for man’s release and
convoy.”
The time of my departure is
at hand—
The soul is immortal. It lives
out in eternity what it promised
here. Is it conceivable that
men who have added to the
sum total of human happiness
are to he limited to time, to the
imperfections of those whom
they have inflmfccied? Bethoven
poured out lus tery soul there
in the garre|£ Could it be possi
ble that this -ttpnhtt«v so potent
for good, is limitfeck to those who
ire mere imitators? No; a
thousand noes. But in some
other clime, now knowing how
imperfect that sonata, on instru
ments tuned by angels, in a
larger life, a broader vision, a
perfect soul, with* no handicap
of poverty, he has his place in
the Choir Invisible. The canvas
(Sistine Madonna) Raphael
painted has endured for three
centuries. But' has God or
iained that the canvas shall
be preserved while the artist
has fallen into dust ? Is the leaf
to live while the tree dies ? Rea
son and conscience whisper, it
can not be. Must Allen and Va
rick and Gloucester, noble men
of earth, teachers of righteous
ness, organizers, men after
God’s own heart, collapse at the
tomb and be no more? Do they
not live in the hearts of men
today? God forbid! We are rath
er satisfied that their lives are
expanding, growing, living with
Him who arose on the third
day victor over sin. “The body
of Benjamin Franklin (like the
cover of an old book, its con
tents torn out, and stripped of
its leather and gilding) lies
here food for the worms; yet
the work itself shall not be
lost, for it will, as he believes,
appear once more in a new and
more beautiful edition, correct
ed and amended by the
thor.” (Self-written.)
My departure is at hand. V
From the scene of childhoods
“How dear to my heart are the
scenes of my childhood,
When found recollection pre
deep tangled wildwood,
And every loved spot wnicn my
infancy knew.”
Our departed friend here has
oft recited these to her compan
ion of forty-one years. Those
were sweet moments; they
brought indeed fond recollec
tions, for each had a part. These
moments are cut short, but
sweet memory of them remains
here and with the departed
they are sweeter still. Who
can say that in a brighter,
larger way they may not be
lived again, removed from
childhood scenes?
Departed from the days of
young womanhood! And these
were never to be forgotten days,
days in which there was no lone
liness for the friend of child
hood is now a more important
incident in her life. The mo
ments of waiting, sometimes
anxious moments - lest he ap
pear not'. She has left the place
of waiting, he isleft alone, but
not bereft of hope.
“Lead, kindly light, amid th
encircling gloom,
Lead thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far
from home,
Lead thou me on.
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask
to see
The distant scene: one step
enough for me.”
Departed from the scenes of
wedded bliss and beautiful
motherhood. All the day long,
mother! All the night long,
motlaer. She has left the
plac,- of mother’s delight and
gon», to reap the reward which
belongs only to mothers. If
there is any mansion more
beautiful, if there is love more
rare, it is love for mothers in
their specially prepared homes
in the kingdom. If there is
anything that makes men stop
and examine themselves, be
ashamed of themselves, yes,
that makes them worthy of the
consideration of their fellows,
it is the love for a mother.
Mother! This mother has said
to you the hourunf my departure
is at hand. How she nurtured
you,'advised you and prayed for
you, how she entered into your
joys and sorrows, how she
(Continued on page 3)