CHARLOTTE, N. C„
VOL. XLVIII.
—...
THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH
(From The Presbyterian
The Church of Jesus Christ
has many functions. Among
these functions, however, there
is one that takes precedence of
all others. This function was
given initial and summary ex
presion by the supreme Head ojf
the Church Himself immediately
after His ascension and after
His resumption of that glory
which He had had with the
Father before the world was-r
in what were therefore the final
instructions He gave to His
Church in person rather than
through the instrumentality of
His apostles—in the words that
are recorded in the eighth verse
of the first' chapter of the Book
of Acts, “Ye shall be my wit
nesses, both in Jerusalem, and ip
all Judea and Samarii, and unto
the uttermost parts of the
earth."
The primary function of the
Church is to bear witness, to
make known its - message of
truth. The campaign launched
by the apostles, at the command
of Christ Himself, was a cam
paign of witnessing. It was by
the “foolishness of preaching’’
that they began the task, not
only of bringing the thought^
and activities of individuals into
captivity to their Lord, but ojf
transforming the kingdoms of
this world into His kingdom. It
is not strange that it seemed
foolishness to the then-living
\ wise of this world that the apos
v ties should expect to achieve any
\ significant results by the use of
\ such a method. One might think
that the history of the last nine
„ teen hundred years had abun
v dantly justified the wisdom of
tneir metnoa; ana yet tnere are
f|ill many, even within the
t<Kwhom the
degree that they have largely
subordinated it to other meth
ods. For the “foolishness of
preaching” they substitute or
ganization, mass movements,
programmes, and such like, so
that instead of being primarily
“men with a message,” they are
rather “men with a program.”
Plans and programs and organ
izations have an important part
to play in the great task of
Christianizing the world, but in
view of the method commended
by Christ Himself and followed
by the apostles, it is clear that
our chief dependence should be
on the purity and sincerity of
our testimony to the truth as it
is in Jesus Christ
From the very beginning the
campaign of witnessing carried
on by the apostles included two
elements—both of which were
kept constantly in the fore
ground. In the first place, they
made known what had taken
place, the great historical events
that lie at the basis of the Chris
tian religion. In the second
place, they expounded the mean
ing and significance of those
events.
The apostles were not mere
philosophers, expounders and
defenders of certain religious
ideas which they had been led
to adopt through their associa
tion with the grefcit Nazarene
Teacher; neither were they mere
ethical teachers, those primarily
interested in leading men to
accept certain ethical or moral
ideals that would lead them to
live as Jesus lived. Certainly
they were religious and ethical
teachers who urged men to take
Jesus as their example, but pri
marily they were concerned
about telling men of certain
events that had happened and
of the meaning and significance
of those events, ‘fl delivered un
to you first of all that which I
also received,” wrote Paul, “that
Christ died for our sins accord
ing to the Scriptures.” They
testified to the facts, in the
sense of events that' have hap
pened, that lie at the basis of
the gospel—apart from which
there would be no gospel. They
told men that Christ had died
and that He had risen. That was
not all, however. They also
pointed out the meaning of those
& Herald and Presbyter.) ?
facts—that Jesus hid died' “for
our sins,” and that he! was
“raised for our j ustificatiofi.’’
They did not suppose that the
facts alone—-what are some
times Called the “bare or naked?’
facts, that is, the facts apart
from any interpretation Of theip
—gave them a gospel of redemp
tion to proclaim." It is more
than questionable whether we
can conceive such a* thing as a
“bare” or “naked” fact, but' it
is at least certain that such a
fact would be meaningless. It
is true that apart. from such
facts as the death and resurrec
tion of Jesus there woud be no
gospel for a sift-cursed World;
but it is equally true that' there
would be no such gospel if the
meaning and significance f of
those facts were not known.
Only as we' realize that thie
death and; resurrection of
Jesus was the death and re
surrection of the God-man,
and that* He was “deliv
ered for lourr trespasses and
raised for lour justification,” do
they beget in us a living hope
concerning- “an, iiihdritance in
corruptible, and imdefiled, and
that fadeth not away.” In Othj
er words,. the gospel is consti
tuted, not by facts apart frOm
doctrines, still less by doctrines
apart from facts, but by facts
and doctrines, so( bound togeth
er that in effect they coalesce.
As the late James Oir, to whose
writings so ftiany of this gen
eration are indebted, once put
it : ‘*The gospel is no mere pro
clamation of Eternal truths/
but the discovery of a saving
purpose of God for mankind, ex
ecuted in /time. But the doc
trines are the interpretation of
the f&ctg,. The faigts^^do^ not
but have a voice given them and
a meaning put into them. They
are accompanied by living
speech which makes their
meaning clear. When John de
clares that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh and is the Son
of God, he is stating a fact, but
he is none the less enunciating
a doctrine. When Paul affirms,
Christ died for our sins accord
ing to the Scriptures, he is pro
claiming a fact, bu£ he is at the
same time giving an interpreta
tion of it.
It is impossible for the church
of Jesus Christ to adequately
function in the world except as
it bears clear and positive testi
mony to the facts and doctrines
of the Christian religion. After
all, the fundamental thing about
Christianity is that it is a reve
lation of truth. From the Christ
ian view point, therefore, there
can be no greater evil than the
evil of compromising with truth
or even of minimizing the value
and importance of truth. Neg
lect or even ascribe a secondary
place to the truth as it is in
Jesus, aiid the main purpose for
which the Church exists is sur
rendered.
If the Church is functioning
badly today, it is largely because
of the evil of divided conviction
and divided testimony. The tes
timony given throughout the
Church is! discordant and con
tradictory. What one minister
commends as saving truth, an
other minister denounces as fa
tal error. Is it any wonder that
the rank and file are distracted
and confused ? There is no more
pressing need than the bringing
about of a situation wherein the
Church, as far as' is humanly
possible, will bear undivided teSJ
timony of the grace: of God! in
its purity: In as far as such*
divided testimony exists-Within
the Presbytefian ; Church, -itj
largely finds its explanation in
the faet that men have been ad
mitted to its ministry—or have
persisted in remaining iii • its'
ministry—in defiance of its'
constitutional requirements. The
recent judicial decision makes
clear that, according to the Con
stitution, only those who have
“clear and positive” views as to
Christian doctrines are eligible
for licensure “The Presbytery
must be satisfied, so the deci
ion reads, "that the appli
is clear and positive in his
lief as to the doctrines of tl
Church, and unless he is th
clear and positive, it is the du1
of Presbytery to defer licensi
tmtil he becomes clear and
itive.” It is clear, of course,
if those lacking clear and
tive beliefs as to the doctri:
of the Church have no right
enter the Presbyterian min
have also no righi
in this ministry*
The action of the General A.
sembly, it need scarcely
said, added nothing to the
stitution of the Presbyteria*
Church; it merely gave clem
and definite expression to wh$l
was already in the Constitution
but which in some quarters wai
being ignored or even denied.
istry, such
to remain
ST JAMES CHURCH
GREENSBORO.
By Mrs. S. W. Carter.
Sunday morning Rev. H.
Miller spoke from Nehemiah 9
6, using as his subject: “God'i
Providence All-Inclusive.”
speaker said among othe:
things:
“God did not wind up th:
world as a man would a cloc!
and leave it to its own mechai
ism. God, we believe, is actu
ly controlling the affairs of thii
World. Nothing can happen b;
chance or blind fate. What w<
call luck is our simply comi
into trends of fixed designs
It is true designed ends may bi
brought about through secom
causes, yet,-God has so connect
ed everything, incidents havl
been so arranged that all coi
spire to complete the whole.
•*‘fTo elevate Joseph to i
iphar’s wife and a terrible fam
ine. These were but' stepping
stones to Joseph’s elevation”
We should find the greatest re
lief in the fact that God directs
the affairs of His creatures. Let
us leave the direction of |our
road to Him and go through life
singing: “He Leadeth Me, 0
Blessed Thought.”
The third open forum Sunday
night was enjoyed by an appre
ciative audience in spite of the
inclement weather. The singing
of the Quintette and Female
Quartette was a feature of the
service.
The Christian Endeavor Soci
ety had a very interesting pro
gram on last Sunday evening.
Special numbers were rendered
by Bennett College Glee Club,
and Mr. Harry Smith, one of
Greensboro’s most noted sing
ers. A large number was in at
tendance.
The Missionary Society was
with Miss Mamie Jordan on last
Friday afternoon on Gaston St.
The meeting was well attended
by the members. After the
meeting a salad course was
served.
Mrs. S. B. McBryer, on East
Market Street, is very ill at this
writing. Mrs. Oldham and Mr.
Scott continue on the sick list.
The Sunday school was well
attended yesterday, despite the
inclement weather. The Will
ing Workers (Adult Bible Class)
are yet holding the Banner for
finance and attendance.
The Up and Doing Class, to
gether with the Willing Work
ers (Adult Bible Class) gave an
entertainment on last Friday
night at the residence of Mr.
and Mrs. W. J. Jones on Beach
Street. A neat sum was real
ized.
On last Thursday afternoon
the ladies of the church served
dinner in the basement to the
visiting members of the appor
tionment committee of the Syn
odical.
It is only good crop insurance
to test the germination of cot
ton seed before planting this
spring, advises Dr. R. Y. Win
ters, of the North Carolina Ex
periment Station.
Wp8<»
was about to say Biddle, but
* ■ you that I will say
n C. Smith University
she is making one su
effort to live up to t^e
name (Biddle), which she
r—— ited. “What's in a name,”
anyhow? Some one has said
that there is nothing in a name.
Perhaps he is right; but men
do not name their sons Judas
Iscariot or Benedict Arnold; but
they do name them George
Washington, and even Ben Till
man. But I suppose it is not so
much in the name after all, but
what it suggests. Biddle sug
gests to an old Biddleite honest
and thorough efforts with poor
equipment; no honor /for
achievements accomplished; a
hidden dynamo; an object of
attack and scathing criticisms
by her superiors and even infe
riors, but, like the duck in slush
and scum, she has emerged
clean and borne herself to a
place of honor and recognition*
amidst onslaughts from within
and from without.
Since My Appeal.
Since my appeal to the boys
in a previous issue of the Afri
co I received a letter from the
Rev. Dr. Miles J. Jackson, our
hard worker and one who does
not give up, at Dalseil, Sumter
County, tfl the effect that the
boys in Sumter accepted ray
suggestion and would make an
effort to organized chapter and
go hard to work to report at
the commencement next June.
Is not that loyalty? With de
light I read what “Sidelighter”
had to say on the subject. He
is one of the boys of the old
Biddle; and what he says her
makes ah effort to do. I thank
*&ideligbter” fbr taking up the
echo and canning it
’Bttffesvilhr
i<«ieiii1 ceuht.
There are some faithful boys in
that part of the old North
State. I am counting on them
to report at our June meeting.
Charleston chapter will be there
to report in body and soul. Hol
lowell holloas well. Keep it up.
Since my appeal I have been
expecting a letter every day
from near the campus of Biddle
—excuse me; I meant J. C,
Smith— bearing the good news
that a chapter had been organ
ized among the fellows who live
near about there and who teach
in the University. Is that shoot
ing at too close a range for ap
proval ?
Since my appeal it has ap
peared to me that these chap
ters well serve us as a bond of
union where we can come to
gether on common grounds in
the interest of those plans and
principles that make strong,'
pure, and attractive a college or
university. This bond of union
should do what its name implies:
it should bind us together as one
in the interest of our alma ma
ter lest we become separate and
each one go his own way at our
alma mater’s expense. Be a
college ever so richly endowed
and equipped it soon wanes*
without the united interest of
her alumni. And this interest
can be generated and conserved
by chapters, for an alumni asso
ciation is no more loyal, inv
ested, nor active than her chap
ters ; for the chapters are the
units of an alumni association.
Since my appeal it has oc
curred to me to say to those in
terested in my suggestion that
we in Charleston find it a great
pleasure to come come together
each month and discuss what
might be done by the Chapter to
help Johnson C. Smith Universi
ty, and afterwards retire to re
freshments prepared and sent
by one or two of the members’
fine wives. Their wives are of
different colleges, but they say
they love our alma mater and
want to make our meeting hap
py by sending us a good. sup
per. Suppose you organize, and
try it, boys.
If you will notice the Johnson
C. Smith University columns,
under the head of “Donations to
the Chime Clock Fund to Date,”
you will see that our Charles^
ton Chapter has boen raised
from, th$ one hundredth power
to the one hundred and seventi
eth power. Twenty dollars of
this amount comes from At
lantic Sabbath . School Conven
tion through the actiyity of
Eev. Geo.. M, Henderson. In
March QVp Chapter will send
Dr. McCrorey *J50 to cflgnplete
the ?100 that we have pledged
ourselves to give to help to re
duce the debt on the ehino^ clock.
Are there others, who wiltreport
to me or .to any one reider of
the Africo that you have .organ
ized and are functioning in the
right direction?
Unfortunately for many of us,
we :are, alt aglow with t&t ex
citement of the occasion ; but
when the excitement k over we
are like the. peanut vines at sun
set: we become withered and
seared. With real , workers
there is an afterglow after the
excitement. The spirit should
abide. , .
As President ofi our ' Alumni
Association, I should like to
hear from the boys in New
York, Newark, Washington, and
other cities in the North. I
feel sure that they are ^1 right,
but should like to hear that
they have organized and are
bringing^thihgs to pass.
President; of the Alumni Asso
ciation of Johmtoh C. Smith Uni
versity. : . v j;v
AN EVANGELISTIC fcRIVE
PLANNEDTOR THE SEC
OND DISTRICT, CAPE
PEAR PRESBTERY.
January 9th, a
of the second
Presby
of Dr.
for the purpose of devising
ways and means whereby an in
tensive evangelistic campaign
might be waged in the District
beofre the close of the Church
year. Rev. Turner G. William
son, Chairman , of the Commit
tee on Evangelism for Presby
tery, issued the call and presid
ed over t]tie session. A few of
the ministers of the district re
sponded.
The group pledged itself to
cooperate with the Church’s pro
gram of evangelism, and to put
forth every possible effort to
the end that there might be a
large ingathering of souls be
fore the close of the preseht
Church year.
It was further decided to
have an exchange of pulpits.
The visiting minister is to
preach an evangelistic sermon,
fnd is to present the program of
vangelism for the adoption of
the local church. This is to be
followed up by the organization
of a local evangelistic commit
mittiee and by special evange
listic sermons.
It was the deliverance of this
group that Cape Fear Presby
tery have a pre-Presbyterial
meeting for the purpose of cre
ating a deeper interest in the
cause of evangelism.
"The scribe.”
Wilson, N. C:
PUTTING THE LORD LAST.
They were making a drive tp
raise funds fo!r an addition to
to African Baptist Church. Two
colored sisters called on old Un
cle Berry, an aged Negrd, who
lived on the outskirts'of the vil
lage, and explained the purpose
of their Visit and asked the aged
rrian to; give something toward
thecaiise.
“Lawsy, sisters, I sho would
like to help you-all along,” he
said, '“but 1 just ain't got it.
Why, I has. the hardest time to
keep paying a little something
on Tyhat 1 already owe around
here." ‘ . ; ;
“But,” said one of the collect
ors, “you know you owe the Lord
something, too.”
“Yes, dat’s right, sister,” said
the old man, “but He ain’t push
ing me like my other creditors
is.”—United Presbyterian.
TO YADKIN PRESBYTERY.
Brethren of the Yadkin Pres
bytery : I would call your Atten
tion to the fact that the contri
bution of the Yadkin Presbytery
to Foreign Missions dining the
?***> April 1 to December 1,
(925, was only $39.09. We seem
to have lost the spirit of Foreign
Missions. *
I received a letter from the
Board some time ago urging
that the fact be pressed upon
the mind of every minister and
Bhttteh at the Presbytery that
it had to borrow last vear
*100,000.
. Brethren, the Foreign Mis
sion Board must meet its obli
gations as other Boards. With
this information of how little
we* have been doing for Foreign
work, and the great burden the
Board is now under, let us see
to it that the Foreign Mission
Board gets every dollar of its
juota.
J. B. FRANCIS,
Chairman.
PROMOTION CAMPAIGN IN
EASTERN DISTRICT OF
YADKIN PRESBYTERY.
The ministers of the Eastern
District, of the Yadkin Presby
tery met in Faith Presbyterian
church, December 29th, 1925,
the following ministers being
present: Revs. P. W. Toney, J.
B, Francis, J. E. McMillan, and
Dr. Wm. J. Rankin.
The purpose of this meeting
was to consider the plans offered
by the evangelistic committee of
the Presbytery relative to the
method of arousing the officers
and leaders of the various Pres
byterian churches tof action
along the line of duty;?£hat tliere
may be a spiritual j awakening
shaH mean a larger member
ship and better church attend
ance. Our attention was called
to the alarming condition of the
Presbyterian Church through
the^fact that of the many
thousands of churches reported
to the General Assembly last
year, a large per centage report
ed a non-increase in member
ship.
The ministers of the Eastern
District heartily approved and
accepted the plans offered by the
evangelistic committee of the
Presbytery, with the right and
privilege to take into considera
tion local conditions in carrying
them out
The organization of the dis
trict is as follows:
Rev. J. E. McMillan, chair
man; Rev. J. B. Francis, Secre
tary; Rev. P. W. Toney, Treas
urer.
The method of putting this
program into effect is through
the exchange of ministers in
Ithe District, one minister going
to each field and holding session
al and official meetings and ad
dressing the congregation either
in the form of a sermon or lec
ture, if possible. The exchange
to date is Rev. Wm. J. Rankin,
D. D., to Rev. J. B. Francis;
Rev. J. B. Francis to Rev. J. E.
McMillan; Rev. J. E. McMillan
to Rev. F. W. Toney; Rev. F. W.
Toney to Dr. Rankin.
Tne other ministers of the
district are urged to arrange
with some of the ministers as
early as possible to visit their
fields; since it was decided that
this plan should be put into ef
fect by each minister by the
spring meeting of the Presby
tery.
If any further information is
desired, write Rev. J. E. McMil
lan, chairman, or Rev. Rev. j.
B. Francis. We adjourned to
meet the 2nd Friday night in
in March at Faith church, Aber
deen.
J. B. FRANCIS,
Secretary.
Cows which freshen in the
fall will give ten per cent more
milk and 15 per cent more but
ter fat than the same cows
which freshen in the spring, ac
cording to dairy extension work;