ORGAN OF THE NORTH .CAROLINA CONFERENCE, M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH.
ESTABLISHE' J 1855.
RALEIGH CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
Organ of the North Carolina Conference.
Itflished Weekly at Raleigh, N. C.
J as second-class matter in the post-office at Raleigh.
T. X. IVEY, D. D., . . . Editor.
X. M. WATSON, Business Manager.
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' RALEIGH CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE.
EDITORIAL
THE PEACE CONFERENCE.
Peace Conference is still in ses
sion, but we know very little of what
has happened in the deliberations of this !
-,0dv. The newspaper reports are very !
contacting
Ti 1 I
li seems mat wnen an nn-
portant measure is on the point of being
passed some delegation expresses an ob
section, and the measure is killed. It
seems strange that some people had the
idea that the great outcome of the Con
ference would be the abolition of war.
ese people are going to be disap-
pointed.
However, thev need not ieel
7
that the Conference will be
altogether
fruitless. Minor measures will be passed
that will result in the alleviation, to an
appreciable degree, of the horrors of war
tare. The happiest thing done so far
was the decoration of the tomb of Hugo
Grotins. the founder of international law.
ANOTHER MONUMENT IN CAPITOL
SQUARE.
We are glad to know that North Caro
lina is beginning to place a value on her
Past. This is' shown by the growing
spirit of historical research among our
students. Old records are being searched j
as never before. Rich historical mines
are being discovered, and our boys and
girls will surely place a higher estimate
on the past of their State than was
placed by the boys and girls of a gener
ation ago. We are studying more closely
our great men who have joined the silent
majority. It is not to the credit of the
generations behind us that so many of
our monumental men have no monu
ment over their graves or elsewhere.
We are glad that this year of grace is
marked by a legislative action looking
to the erection of a monument to that
great "commoner" of the Old North
State Zebulou B. Vance. The State
may well feel proud of his labors and
character, and it will be a fitting tribute
to him to erect in the beautiful capitol
square in the capital city a neat, artistic
monument to his memory. This will be
done. The design has been accepted,
and the green foliage of next Spring
will wave around and over a handsome,
enduring monument to Vance. The
people of the State should make the clay
f the unveiling a great one.
IS THE AGE LOSING ITS CONVICTIONS?
A conviction is more than a mental as-ser-t
to a fact. It means the approval
and authority of conscience, and the
moral courage to carry into effect the
Mandates involved. Pilate was a man of
v5ews ; John the Baptist was a man of
co'-victions. Pilate's mind was sane and
ckar. But his heart was so devoid of
moral responsibility and courage that
Eviction with him was an unknown
ten
and an impossibility. So
strength
of conviction is an essential element in
the make-up of manhood. Men of strong
conviction have been the moral pioneers
of the world. Thev have stood by the
embers of seemingly forlorn hope and,
with the breath of faith and courage,
have fanned these embers into the flame
which warms and illuminates the truest
I feeling and thought of humanity. The
world is poor indeed when men of con
viction are scarce. No intellectual riches
can supply the lack. The heart demands
a place in all triumphal processions, and
when this place is denied, the triumph
changes to a rout.
Is this an age of decadent conviction?
Some observant thinkers say so. They
say that the number of those who really
believe something is growing less. They
point to the conspicuous absence of Eli
jahs, Daniels, Pauls, Luthers, Husses,
Knoxes, Cromwells, Dows, and Corn
stocks. Are they correct? Not alto
gether. Yet we have no hesitancy in as
serting that we need fewer views and
more convictions. The allegiance of the
majority to a political party is based more
upon policy than upon the conviction that
a thing
is right. It is an unfortunate
fact that newspapers and stump orators
can so appeal to superficial considerations
as to theoretically rally men aiound a
. , , , , t, , .
- ' "1
lse. In a
spirit of thoughtless bravado and phos
phorescent patriotism they may be
brought to die for that which they do not
believe. A shibboleth is manufactured,
j and they are whipped into speaking it.
! Convictions are sent to the rear or are
J sacrificed on the altar of political expe-
diency. A sad commentary on the man
j hood of our nation.
It is not otherwise in the religious do
main. How few followers of Christ base
their service on principle ! ' 'Our Church"
is the motto. ''Our Christ" seems to
have lost its force. There are many who
dislike to have another evangelical de
nomination to set up its banners near
them. Why? Because this means not
a decreasing Christ, but a seemingly de
creasing "my church." What place can
conviction have in such a strange, un
charitable phenomenon ? There is a dis-
! position to stifle conviction in the atmos
phere of expediency or possibility in the
force of the so-called inevitable. The
outcry against intemperance and other
evils has been hushed in thousands of
cases by the thought, "It is impossible to
do anything ; what is the use of my mak
ing a resistance? Thus conviction weak-
ens and dies. Manhood must retain its
resiliency or all is lost. The spirit of re
sistance must be with us and grow.
Not the spirit which is captious, cynical,
foolish and unchristian, but the spirit
which is normal and healthy, and acts at
the proper time. We should fight against
the fear of being in the minority. To .say
that a man in a moral struggle is on the
losing side may be to pay him the high
est compliment paid a man this side of
the gates of Heaven.' Let this be an age
that believes something, and it will be an
aee loaded with the blessings of Heaven.
The Part of the League in the Movement
for Collections in Full.
BY REV. J. J. STOWE.
President Tennessee Conference Epworth League.
The Epworth League should be in the
front rank in every forward movement of
the Church. This battle cry of mission
ary assessment in full is one long needed,
and it stands for infinitely more than the
mere paying and collecting of money.
As Leaguers how can we help in this
great work?
(1) By prayer: the only way to quicken
the conscience and reach the pocket of
many is to get the Spirit at work among
the people. To succeed in even so worthy
an undertaking in any other than a spirit
of prayer, is to fail. Wre need first to
meet the conditions of prevailing prayer
for ourselves for the Church that we
may see these things from the Christ
standpoint, and feel as He does and have
His strength for service.
RALEIGH, N. C, JULY 19, 1899.
(2) By receiving and giving out infor
mation, that our zeal may be according
to knowledge, that the motive may be
right, the method wise. It is not a sur
face movement, based on pride of charge
or district, fired by an uninformed and
fleeting enthusiasm we need, but a deep
conviction, founded on a knowledge of
the need of the world, the wealth of the
Church, the purpose of Christ, the plan
of salvation, inspired by the Spirit ; this
conviction bringing forth its inevitable
fruit of a larger liberality ; then there
will be no "reaction." These great mis
sionary truths can be taught through the
missionary periodicals and pamphlets, the
Church papers, the Conferences of the
League, the mass meetings, the services
of the local chapter the mission study
class, the individual Leaguer. "Facts
are the ringers of God," says Pearson.
Let us see to it that these point out to all
the path of duty in this campaign.
(3) ' we can neip oy paying more
money. How pitiable our donations in
the light of present opportunities and ob
ligations ! How slight our sacrifices be
side those of our friends who give up
homeland and loved ones to do the work
which is ours as much as theirs. How
sinful our selfishness in the light of His
life who, though he was rich, for our
sakes became poor.
(4) By securing, under the pastor's di
rections, contributions from others ; not
by giving ice cream suppers, spelling
bees, or donkey parties God save us
from all such, for they are a delusion and
a snare but by prayerful patience, Chris
tian tact, and'the application of the truth
about missions from God's WTord and
world. Let no League, even in so good
a cause, feel free to follow a given course
without the pastor's approval, for surely
every wise preacher can and will use his
League in this great work, and he is in
a position to know where and how his
young people can labor to greatest ad
vantage. The simple suggestions given above
are such as would occur to any cme think
ing for a moment on the subject. The
question is, Will we carry
Knowing these things, may
them out?
we do for
them !
MISSIONS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH, SOUTH.
Our foreign mission fields are China,
Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Korea, and Cuba.
We also have work for Germans and In
dians. In addition, small appropriations
are made to a few weaker Conferences in
the Northwest. Preaching the gospel;
teaching in day and boarding schools;
dispensing medicine ; house-to-house visi
tation by Bible women, and the dissemi
nation of Christian literature covers the
work done in these fields.
CHINA MISSION.
Opened in 1848 by Drs. Taylor and
Jenkins. In this, the greatest and most
difficult of all mission fields, a halt cen
tury of sowing is now to be followed by
a century of reaping.
Organized in 1886 into an Annual Con
ference, we now have : Missionaries, 29 ;
native traveling preachers, 15 ; members,
285; increase, 94; Sunday schools, 22;
scholars, 1,837; Epworth Leagues, 10;
members, 386; organized Churches; 19;
churches entirely self-supporting; 3;
boarding schools, 3; pupils, 561; day
schools, 7; pupils, 129; hospital, 1; dis
pensaries, 3; patients treated, 15,688;
total value mission property, 1138,795.
JAPAN MISSION.
Work opened in 1886 by Drs. J. W.
and W. R. Lambuth and O. A. Dukes.
Twelve years of labor have been greatly
blessed of God. In this Annual Confer
ence, organized in 1892, we have: Mis
sionaries, 35 ; native traveling preachers,
12; members, 600; increase, 41 ; Sunday
schools, 56 ; scholars, 1,665 ; Epworth
League, 1 ; members, 28 ; organized
churches, 13; self-supporting, 2; board
ing schools, 3 ; pupils, 294 ; day schools,
5 ; pupils, 264 ; total value mission prop
erty, $37,333-
KOREA MISSION.
Opened by Bishop Hendrix in 1895.
Dr. C. F. Reid, ot trie China Mission,
was appointed superintendent. The con
veision of Mr. T. H. Yun and his urgent
appeal to enter Korea became a call of
Providence to the church. The superin
tendent reports: Missionaries, 6; local
preachers and helpers, 6; members, 204;
church buildings, 4 ; total value mission
property, $7,900, with $2,000 in addition
given by Gen. Yun and his son, in the
bank for an Industrial School at Songdo.
MEXICO MISSION.
In 1873 Bishop" Keener laid in the City
of Mexico the foundation of our mission
in that country. The combined statistics
of the Central (organized in 1886), the
Northwest (organized in r89o), and the
Mexican Border (organized in 1885), three
Mission Conferences now in Mexico,
which represent the fruits of incessant
toil and heroic devotion for twenty-four
years; are : Missionaries, 28; native trav
eling preachers, 44; members, 5,706; de
crease, 43 ; Sunday schools, 117 ; scholars,
3,509; Epworth Leagues, 35; members,
1,171; organized churches, 142 i board
ing school, 1 ; pupils, 75 ; total value
mission property, $120,041.
BRAZIL MISSION.
In 1S74 Rev. J. J. Ransom was sent
out to organize and superintend work
that had been begun by Rev. J. E. New
man. The new mission grew rapidly,
and has proven a wide and open door.
There are now in the Brazil Mission Con
ference, organized in 1886: Missionaries,
21 i native traveling preachers, 12 ; mem
bers, 1,992; increase, 263; Sunday
schools, 28; scholars, 1,078; Epworth
League, 1 ; members, 50 ; organized
churches, 91 ; churches entirely self-supporting,
6 ; boarding school, 1 ; pupils,
70; day school; 1 ; pupils, 50; total value
mission property, $76,870.
GERMAN MISSION.
At the suggestion of Dr. Wm. Winans,
of Mississippi, in 1842 a mission in be
half of German immigrants was begun
in New Orleans. In a few years the work
was carried into Texas, where we now
have our German Mission Conference, or
ganized in 1890.
A joint commission upon the part of
the Texan Conferences is planning wisely
for future educational and evangelistic
work among the Germans in that State.
INDIAN MISSION.
In this work, which was organized in
1844, efforts are made to reach several
distinct classes of people viz., the whites,
those of mixed blood, the fullbloods, and
the blanket Indians. The Indian Mission
Conference, should be self-supporting at
an early day, as a very large proportion
of the members are whites.
CUBAN MISSION.
This mission, though appropriated for
by the General Board, was connected with
the Florida Conference until the meeting
of the Board in April, 1698, when, in re
spouse to a -memorial from the Florida
Conference, it was taken under the con
trol of the Board as a regular mission
field. Dr. C. A. Fulwood is superinten
dent of the work. We have a member
ship of 55 at Havana, 65 at Key West,
and about 120 at Tampa. The Woman's
Home Mission Society is doing a valua
ble work among the Cubans in Tampa,
having established two day schools and
one boarding school for Cuban children.
The ladies who teach these schools, by
visiting the homes and Sunday school
work, are steadily winning the children
and their parents to Christ.
WESTERN WORK.
eight Western Conferences,
The
to
which appropriations are made, are : Co
lumbia, East Columbia, Pacific, Los An
geles, Denver, Montana, WTestern, and
New Mexico.
SUMMARY.
In our foreign fields we have : Mission
aries, including wives, 128; native travel
ing preachers, 87; members, 9,503; in
crease, 462 ; Sunday schools, 230 ; schol
ars, 8,379 ; Epworth Leagues, 48 ; mem
bers, 1,660; organized churches, 275;
churches entirely self-supporting, 10;
boarding schools, S ; pupils, 990 ; day
schools, 17; pupils, 483; hospitals and
dispensaries, 5; patients treated, 15,688;
total valne mission property, $388,639.
HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT.
Some who have no vital interest in for
eign missions, and seek an excuse for not
contributing, assert that it requires two
dollars to send one dollar to the foreign
field. The truth is, the only expense in
sending funds is the letter postage. As
to the use of the dollar, 93 cents in every
dollar is applied to the work in the mis
sion fields, while the remaining seven
cents must be made to cover the expense
of collection, disbursement, and adminis
tration, which includes salaries of secre
taries and treasurer, clerical help, the pub
lication of a monthly periodical, the
printing of leaflets, mailing of circulars,
dissemination of literature, and a large
correspondence.
WHAT iS NEEDED.
The supreme need of the hour is a mis
sionary revival throughout the church.
This must begin in the individual, and
must stow out of a devotional study of
New Series. Vol: l, No. 22.
the Word of God in relation to missions,
and earnest application for a personal en
duement of the Holy Ghost. It is only
by this prayerful study of God's purpose
in the gift of his Son for the redemption
of a lost world, and by a closer fellowship
with Jesus Christ, that the conscience can
awakened to a true sense of loyalty to
God and duty to man. We need pastors
who will faithfully lay the missionary
obligation upon the people; we need a
membership rooted and grounded in the
principle of the gospel, informed as to
the facts of the missions, and constrained
by the love of Christ to go or send. We
need a missionary periodical in every
home and a contribution from every
member. Every Sunday school should
be organized into a missionary society.
Every Epworth League should co-operate
with its pastor to secure the full collec
tion under assessment before it under
takes to work for any special contribu
tion; and every man and woman, as a
steward intrusted with the gospel, should
be consecrated to the work of carrying
out the Lord's command.
The Church Member Away from Home.
It ought not to be a difficult thing
for a Christian to determine how he'
shall employ his Sundays while spend
ing a summer away from home. The
right course to pursue will soon be made
clear to one who gives conscientious
thought to the matter. But there is
often considerable hesitation about adopt
ing this right course, and, it is to be
feared, there is absolute refusal to adopt
it. This is why the coming of the sum
mer boarder is looked upon by pastors in
some rural communities with cwsmay.
They know that among those who will
settle in the parishes for the summer
quite a number of church people will be
found, the majority of whom, while ac
tive enough in their home churches, will
have absolutely nothing to do with the
church in the country. They assume
this attitude, not because of any well de
fined antipathy for the country church,
its pastor or membership, but rather be
cause they desire at least a temporary re
lease from the burdens and responsibili
ties of church work.
After all has been said in favor of this
view of the question, it must be con
ceded that it is a narrow and selfish view,
and by no means in accordance with the
teachings and practice of our divine Lord.
His ambition, and one of His greatest
joys, was to go about doing good; and
even when He took His disciples apart
into a desert place that they might rest
awhile, He was not idle, but engaged
with energy and enthusiasm in the great
work of preparing these men for the re
sponsible duties they were soon to as
sume. It is doubtful whether the example of
indifference and negligence is more con
tagious anywhere else than in a summer
resort. If the visitors are known to be
members of the church, they are watched
with unremitting vigilance by the people
of the place, and any evidence ot lrrelig
iousness is speedily seized upon by the
latter as a justification of their indul
gence in the same irregular practices.
The pastor of a church in a town in
Northern New Jersey in which many
visitors spend the summer, has come to
look upon the arrival of the latter in the
light of the descent of the Vandals upon
Rome. The religious life of the place is
invaded; the Sabbath, which is a day of
peace and churchgoing during the rest of
- 4 1 1.1
the year, becomes a day of carnival; the
congregations in the4 church, which
should be increased, are greatly dimin
ished; the Sunday schools maintain only
a feeble existence, and the place is more
or less demoralized generally. If the
Christian people among these summer
boarders were to set a proper example,
an entirely different condition of affairs
would obtain. Instead of being wantonly
desecrated, the Sabbath would be pre
served for the high and holy purposes of
Christian worship and instruction; the
people of the place, who are in a measure
dependent upon the visitors for suste
nance, would have before them the inspi
ration of a noble example, and being re
leased from Sunday work, could turn
their steps to the house of God, and the
moral and religious atmosphere of the
place during the summer season at least
would be radically improved.
As long as one purposes to 'adhere to a
high ideal of Christian life and practice
he is under obligation to maintain a vig
orous activity in the cause of his Master