Christian SUr(. EMMETT L. MOFFITT, Editor and , Proprietor. Rev. M. L. HURLEY. .TravellnglAgt. TKRMS OP SCBSCRIPTIOM. One Year.*?*S2 Six Months. 1-JJ! Three Months.... v.. 00 JRR-Snbscrlptlons are payable strictly In advance. rates of advkrtisino. —Time 1 wk 3 “ 8 “ 4 “ 8 mos 8 “ 6 “ 13 “ Transient advertisements must be paid for In advance Accounts rendered quar terly for all advertisements by the year. Local advertisements to be Inserted as reading matter, will be charged for at the rate of 10 cents per line. Marriage and death notices of eighty wordB and under free. All over eighty Words will be charged for at the rate ol one sent per word. Count your words and send oash with manuscript. ^^-Correspondents are responsible for the views expressed by them. Anonymous articles will receive no attention. All money should be remitted by register •d letter, post-office order, draft or check. Address all communications and letters to THB CHBISTXAN SUN, Siiun uine„e, '■ O. 1 in 7ft $135 ITS 2 00 3 25 4 00 8 00 1000 2 ill $1 25 2 00 250 300 500 8 50 9 00 1500 3 in 1400I $200 300 4 00 5 00 150 1000 160*i 2000 )*col $4 00 650 6 75 800 12 00 1500 2000 3600 $8 00 11 00 18 00 15 00 20 00 26 00 35 00 6500 l col $12 00 15 00 20 00 25 00 30 00 36 00 65 00 100 00 THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1900. AN^HONEST CONCLUSION, BUI FALSE CHEMISES. Ever since we have been in t position to observe the variou phases of the work in the differ ent conferences of the Southern Christian Convention we have noticed two distinct influences brought to bear upon every question that is proposed tur the promotion of our cause. One influence is exerted by thost bold, earnest, fearless men who have given their hearts to theii heavenly Father with that whole ness and unreserve with which an innocent, loving child leans upon and confides in his earthly lather. The other influence is that of those who are, no doubt, as honest as the tormer class, but who have accepted theii Saviour alter a long, careful, cool, and business-like course 01 questioning, reasoning, and doubting. In the business world men would say of them, “Tht one believes every one honest until proven to be a rascal; the other believes every one a rascal until proven to be honest.” The one sees the beckoning hand, instinctively recognizes i t s friendliness, and launches out in -.faith; while the other, lacking this confidence, hugs the shore in doubt. The one cries “for ward !” at every halt; the other cries “halt 1” at every step for ward. „ In conference or in conven tion one of the faith-led men pro poses a new enterprise, or some measure for the more speedy advancement of his church; very soon one of the doubt-held men, with knit brows and earn est mien, arises and counsels de liberation—in fact, he thinks we are “not ready lor so radical a movement yet; it will require the churches to raise a consider able amount of money—and, in deed, it seems that they are uo ing about all they will do now. To enter upon this new move ment at this time will jeopardize one or more of the enterprises that we have already on foot, li we undertake this now, it means failure to it, and, possibly, to something else ; therefore, bettei let it alone a little while longer.” And thus they reason it out, all the time losing sight of the fact that their over-conservatism their fear is falsely based, that at least one of their premises is false. Their reasoning is some what like this: “To try to do too much is certain to result,,in failure ot some kind. To add* this new enterprise to the ‘load’ that we are already carrying .yrill be too" much. ^ Therefore, i,r undertaken, it, or something else, will certainly prove a fail ure.”' ^he major premises is all right—“if, we undertake too much, failure is certain to result somewhere.” But the minor premise, up to the present time, at least, is all wrong—the add ing of no enterprise has as yet proven too much, not in all the history of the Christian church. And, indeed, so long as we give to the three principal enterprises of our church all together an av erage of less than 23 cts. a mem ber—a point which we reached only last year—or even twice or thrice or .ten times that much < —the alarm that “this or that ‘ new advance movement will be ‘ too much” will continue to be a false one. But, they say, “even if it can be done, it won't be done,” be cause our people are complain ing already. Here again, the honestly doubting brethren are in error. It is true that you will find honest doubters,hesitators— and even complainers—in the churches as well as on the con ference floor; but they do not represent the real basic element of the local churches, just as their counterparts in conference Or convention do not represent the real basic element of those bodies. Our people will do it —they will move forward, and at a good pace, if only the way be opened for them, and they be properly encouraged by our ac knowledged leaders. Does this assertion need proof? If so, lei us go back over the records ol our past more than a century’s history, and we will find that the “adding” of each “new enter prise,” when officially and heart-) ily endorsed by the leaders, was in every instance followed by a ready response on the part ot our people—and more than that, it was accompanied, rot by a “falling-off” (as some feared) in other departments of our work, but by a correspondingly increased interest in'and effort in behalf of every previously recognized enterprise of the church. To establish this fact it is only necessary to glance at the re cords of the last thirty years When, at the close of the war, we lound ourselves in a very crippled and seemingly hopeless condition—church paper demol ished, mission funds lost or stol en, and educational institutions with their doors closed—what was it that infused new life into our apparently lifeless body? Was it aifeffort on our part to rally around those old enterpris es that we had on foot before the war and to put new life into them? It was that, and more A new spirit begun to be awak ened among our people about this time, and even in the early seventies we flnd it manifesting itself not simply in an effort to re-establish our educational in stitutions, but in an active, earn est endeavor to educate our young ministers. It is true that, previous to this time, some little effort had been put forth in be half of the young preachers, but not until the seventies did it come to be a recognized work of the church. In the two larger conferences at this time our young ministers formed a kind of inspiring center around which our people rallied—and having been aroused in their benali some ot the strongest men who fill the pulpits of our best church es today received their educa tion—the foundation of their future usefulness—then. Was this “adding too much” to the burden of our then disorganized and war-impoverished people? No, it gave them a rallying cry, and they accomplished more for all the other enterprises of the church than they had ever done before. After a few years the enthusiasm had worn off, and the raising of this fund, like all the others, became a mere matter ot a cold business plan, attended by varying degrees of success. And this condition ot things con tinued until the inauguration of the Foreign Mission enterprise, which aroused some helpful en thusiasm ; but it was not so ap preciable because of the fact that our people were so long in be coming united on it. In this instance, as in no other, perhaps, the “conservatives,” the “doubt ers” of the advisability of un dertaking it yet, prevailed in -spirit and influence, if not in plan ; and as a result it took us ten years to do what we might have done in three, or' five, if >ur leaders in all the conferences had moved off together. But -;ven coming as it did, it infused sdme new life into the other en terprises, and this helped us to hold our own and to make some little progress while awaiting that great “ecj[ucational revival” that dates its visible origin from the extra session of the Southern Christian Convention which met in Graham in September 1888. For years a few of our bolder and more confident spirits had been dreaming and yearning for an educational institution that would be worthy of our en dorsement as $ church, and that -would in return, make u£ as a church worthy of the endorse ment of Him whom we proclaim as our Head. The “conserva tive doubters,” the “hold-on-a little-we-are-not-quite-ready-yet ers,” w ith their same old false premise, had reached their same old false conclusion that it was ‘sure to be a failure”—it was ‘putting too smelt os our peo pie.” Where are those doubt ers now, those who were afraid, those who said it was too big an undertaking? Many ot them are among Elon’s strongest support ers, while a few of them are still “hands-off,” not because of doubt of its success now, but— well, for other reasons. And how about the fear that the new enterprise would crippie ouri other enterprises—home mis sions, foreign missions, and the education ot young ministers? Let us see: In 1888, the fear be fore any effort was made to se cure funds for the college, we raised for all those purposes to gether only $1,351.41—just a lit tle more than ten cents per mem ber. In 1890, in the fall of which year Elon College open ed, several thousand dollars were contributed by our people to that institution ; and, in addi tion to that, they contributed to Home Missions alone $i>475 43 —over a hundred dollars more than they contributed to all three enterprises put together in 1888, a year when our people were not “burdened” with the establishment and support ol Elon College. And, abthe same lime, there was an encouragiug increase in our contributions to Foreign Missions and Minister ial Education. So the effect of this new enthusiasm not only gave us a great institution of learning to start out with in the fall of 1890, but at the same time it almost doubled our con tributions to the already existing enterprises of the church. Alter a few years, however, as is 'al ways the case, came a periodr of calm, almost of rest; and while the institution is now an assured success, we rested too soon ; or, if a rest were necessary, we have rested too long. We be gan our rest while a debt of about $12,000 was also resting upon the College—and it still rests there. And we are likely to carry it over with us into the twentieth century, unless we can soon have the way opened for our people to come together to wipe it out _ot existence. It is true, we can attain this end by the slow process of “apportion ment” among the churches, as was the case with our Foreign Mission efforts; but why wait lor this, and lose the effect of a general enthusiastic awakening throughout the brotherhood in behalf of the other enterprises ol the church. By all means, let us have a “Twentieth Century Fund” and a grand twentieth century rally such as sha 1 be worthy of our people and of our cause, and the Lord will bless our efforts with a rich harvest. We like Bro. Watt’s plan very well, but we Relieve he asks for too ?mall an amount. Suppose we get the fifty cents per mem ber, that will give us only about $7,500—and there still remains a considerable debt on the Col lege. The Lord will give us the whole amount if we ask for it in faith, and then do our part as true Christian workers. We have had our rallying cries in the past, and in each instance our achievements were in proportion to our faith and works. In the seventies it was “Ministerial Education”—and it gave us some of our strongest best equipped ministers. In the eighties it was “Foreign Mis sions”—and today our mission aries are at work side by side with those of other denomina tions in foreign lands, and there is an abiding interest in the work throughout the Christian churchy In the nineties it was the establishment of “Elon Col lege’^—and today we have an institution standing at the very heart-center of our work, send ing out into the darkest corners of our t rritory that new light and new life that are revolution izing our old-time methods and getting us in proper condition for taking advantage of the greater things just ahead. In the new decade of 1900 it will be the “Emancipation from debt ancf the Endowment of Elon College, and the placing of Mis sionaries throughout all our home conferences”-£iand by the time the first decade of the twentieth century shall have grown old, we will be abundant ly prepared for the responsibili ties of the new. Brethren, until we have reach ed the limit of possibility in our efforts for humanity, for the church and for the cause of Christ, let us look well to our premises before we dare cry, “bold!” —Sample copies of Thb Sun will be sent free to those who de sire to work for any of the pre miums offered by us. They may lid you in getting new subacrib ir». Write for them. Interesting Notes. —Rev. and Mrs. P. H. Flem ing, of Burlington, spent a day here with friends last week. —We are under obligations to Rev. N. G. Newman for some renewals from Franklin sub scribers last week ; also to Rev. P. T. Klapp for some renewals. —Revi B. F. Black preached a very interesting and instruc tive sermon at Liberty Spring church last Sunday. The con gregation was unusually large. —Cor. Suffolk Herald. —Rev. B. F. Young, of Phoe nix City, Ala., very kindly sent us some new subscribers to The Sun last week. Can not others of our Alabama brethren send us some.from their fields? V i —Rev. M. L. Hurley is spend ing a few days at home this week. He leaves for Antioch (W.) next Friday, and goes thence to Eastern Virginia. See his first appointments in this is sue of 1 he Sun. —Rev. I. W. Johnson filled his appointment at the Christian church here last Sunday morn ing, when he preached a very instructive sermon to a large congregation.—Windsor Cor. Suffolk Herald. —Rev. L. I. Cox was at Hap py Home last Sunday from which church he brought us six new subscribers to The Sun. Brethren, are there not those in your church whom you can not as easily induce to take The Sun? —Rev. P. T. Klapp returned from Fayetteville last week, where he went for a meeting. He filled his appointment at Bethlehem las Sunday. He says they had over two hundred in Sunday school and a large con-, gregation at the church services. —We enjoyed a night lust week at the home of Rev. M. W. Butler in- Raleigh. Bro. Butler seems to b* encouraged in his work, aari the brethren with whom we talked are very much pleased with their pastor. We see indi cations of brightening prospects in the Raleigh work. —In response 10 enquiries as to whose business it is to take the lead in an effort for a “Twentieth Century Fund” we will state that, if it is to be a Convention matter, the Execu tive Committee of the Conven tion, consisting of Rev. W. W. Staley, Prof. P. J. Kernodle and Hon. E. E. Holland, ail? the only ones who can take official action before the Convention meets in Franklin, Va.,next May. Then, of course, the Convention can act for itself. If it is to be a Conference movement, then it ies with the execu.ive commit tees of the various conferences, whose names appear in the new Annual just sent out. —The Annuals are now out and we supppose they will reach all the churches this week. We will statp for the benefit of the brethren who always come up to conference with the same old excuse about not being able to get up money for the Annuals, that the contract we had with the prioters was to have them ready by Dec. 20, ’99. They claim, however, that they met with “unavoidable obstacles,” and hence did not get them out until four weeks later. The Annual is larger than ever be fore, it costing four cents post age to send out every one that went.by mail. The last minutes —those of • the Association— reached us about the 10th or lath of December; and consid ering the sise and character ol the book and the fact that the) are all out in January, we feel sure that the brethren will “con gratulate us” next conference, and have all the inoney ready for next year’s Annuals. —A gentleman who lives tbout three hundred miles trom ere saw our premium offer of six Bible-Study Books in a copy !of Thb Sun which accidentally fell into his hands, and he wrote us immediately, saying, in part : “The books I have been want ing for a long time, but have not been able to get them. You say you will send the books to any old subscriber for his urear ages, renewal for one year and $6.00 cash. I am not an old subscriber, but if you will ac cept me as a new one, I will send you the $6.00 for the books and $3.00 for Thb Sun, and will consider it a treat besides.” Our offer was intended mainly for the benefit of our old sub scribers, but we accepted the brother's proposition tad sent him the paper and the books. “This combination library’* will! prove itself to be a “treat” to any one who loves to probe for the richer and deeper truths of God’s Word. —Dr. J. E. Rawls, who has recently graduated with the' de gree of A. B. from the Universi ty of Virginia and fromBellevue Hospital Medical College of New York, has located io Suf folk for the practice of m«diciae and surgery. His office is in the old Farmers Bank building, on Main street, opppsite Bank street, where he ca(x be found day or night when not profes sionally engaged. Dr. Rawls has fitted up the building io elegant style—office, consulta tion and his living rooms all comfortably furnished—where patients can call, for consult;! tion and be entirely private ; n 1 at the same time have a com fortable rest- His office is io the front room, which opens on the street, and adjoining is his consultation, examination and treatment room tor patients, which is entirely private. His sleeping apartment is in th-; rear room, where he can be found at night. He is now ready to re spond to calls in town or country, day or night.—Suffolk Herald. Correspondence. “Queer Mortal*.” In the last issue of Thb Sun the Norfolk Letter contains some statements which are similar to many others which have appear ed at other times. Speaking of church members, that writer says: “Most certain the spiritual^ condition of the people is simply dreadful when they regard with favor a sinful life and at the same time look with disapproval upon an honest effort to live a holy life.'* This language is used in reference to professing Christians as the arti cle itself shows. Yet the writer does not seem to realize that he greatly misrepresents his breth ren ; because he must know that no Christian does “regard with favor a sinful life.” All Chris tians hate sin, strive against sin, wage continual war against it, and consequently, cannot regard it with favor. How then can a Christian “look with disapprov al upon an honest effort to live a holy life”? From the moment of regener ation, all Christians possess a new nature.' The carnal mind has been exchaned for a spirit ual mind and the life of sin has been exchanged for the life of holiness. All spiritual desires and all striving after holiness begin with the new birth. In this new birth we are not partly born into the kingdom, but en tirely so—become “new crea tures in Christ Jesus.” The idividual who has been born of the Spirit and made a new creature in Christ Jesus possesses spiritual desires and aspirations which lead him con stantly in the way of holy living and certainly there is nothing in such a life that can lead him to regard with favor sin in any of its forms. The Christian may at all times be conscious of imperfec tions or look upon them with favor. No Christian sins wilful ly, yet all Christians can, I think, see that their lives and “fReir attainments in the Chris tian life are at least below the high ideal of the perfeft man in Christ jesus. There might be those who are perfeCt—wholly sanctified ac cording to their own ideas; yet I have failed thus far in my life to find any one whos^ life, words and actions; in all things would justify me in pro nouncing him so. Only One has ever lived the perfeCt life. There was no guile in His mouth. There could be no fault found in Him. Pilate’s acknowledgement has been ac cepted alike by His friends and His foes. That One stands ou a pedestal, alone, unapproached and unapproachable in a com plete sense forever—the only perfeCt life— while all other lives are fragmentary. By His grace are we to measure up our lives toward that life. While many of His followers are daily striving to live after the high example which He set, oft times conscious of their short comings and imperfections, may st pleasing manner that we have ever heard on any sim ilar occasion. Miss Maggie Ta* tem of our school did the train ing of the primary pupils who took part in the exercises. Sev eral dollars were raised for mis sions and quite a number of new members enrolled. Rev. Lancaster, pastor of St. Thomas Episcopal church, preached his farewell sermon Sunday morning. He goes to Pittsburg, Penn., to accept a $2000 charge. Mr. B. S. Upton and family, members of our church, have moved to North Carolina. Mr. Willie Porter is out after a two months’spell of typhoid fever. He is strong enough to ride out in the country. There was a very impressive service at St. Thomas Episcopal church Sunday afternoon. Bish op Randolph, assisted by sever al other ministers, conducted a confirmation service. Bishop< Randolph is a memb'er of the famous Randolph family of Vir ginia, and is a very able man as well as a very entertaining speaker. The main body of our letter will have to go over till nr xt week. Tomorrow will be a h<>l iday^here, it being Gen. Lee’s birthday, so the writer has de cided to leave this p. m. lor Smithfield, Va., to visit his brother and parents who live in Isle of Wight county. C. E. Newman. EXPERIENCE Is the BEST TEACHER. We must be willing to learn from the ex. penrnce of other people. 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