IN ESSENTIALS—UNITY/ IN NON-ESSE NTIALS—LIBERTY, IN ALL THINGS—CHARITY.
ABLISHEJ) 1S44
VOLUME
GREENSBORO, N. 0., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1807.
LIX, NUMBER 6.
EDITORIAL COMMENT.
SHIP SUBSIDIES.
Last week President Rcosevelt sent a spe
cial message to Congiess advocating ship
subsidies. It is useless to say that we were
surprised at this. President Roosevelt has
made himself famous as the champion of
equal lights to all and special privileges to
none. In an era of graft and special conces
sions, he has been the avowed enemy, in
season and out of season, of both. As po
lice commissioner of New Yoik City, as gov
ernor of New York State, and as President
of the United States, he has been the unre
lenting advocate of no repect of peisons.
Great is the pity that he should deny his pol
icy at this late hour. We had not expected
it of so good a Democrat as Theodore Roose
velt.
All of us grunt the need, the pressing need
and diie necessity of an American Merchant
Marine. We need it for tlnee reasons—the
• encouragement of commerce, the care of the
international mails, and as a possible navy
^ in times of war. Y e are, all of us, ashamed
of the petty show we make''"**'' a shipping
nation. It is not at all flattering to our self
respect to think what iA the fact, that we
carry pracically none of our own foreign
commerce and none at all of other nations’.
There are great seaport cities that never
see an American flag once a year. This is
not at all in keeping wdth our dignity nor
consonant with our position as a great world
. power. All of us agree that we should have
more American ships doing the transporta
tion business of the world.,
3
We differ on the method of getting these
ships. Our strenuous President has decided
on the subsidy plan. He makes a great ado
over the fact that we live in a subsidy age—
at a time when other nations grant subsides.
From this he infers that we should do the
same—that "we must do as Rome does.”
Apait from the false ethical principle in
volved in doing as Rome does, we must dis
sent from this latest pronuncia-mento of the
President. As we see it subsidies and spec
ial grants of all kinds are pernicious. Our
protective tariff is pernicious enough and al
ready top-heavey. But a subsidy is worse
than a protective tariff, because in the for
mer the special favoritism is direct and po
tent to everybody. Once launch the subsidy
principle in our national life and there is no
telling where it will end. We want more
ships on the ocean’s highways, we want a
Merchant Marine which shall reflect the pow
er, wealth, dignity, and commercial suprem
acy of our people, but if we must get it at
the expense of equal rights to all and special
privileges to none—a principle for which our
fathers fought and our mothers suffered, we
will none of it. _,—
A sane, safer, juster plan it seems to us,
one in keeping with the President’s attitude
on all other public questions to date, would
be the revision of our navigation laws. As
the law now stands no vessel built elsewhere
than in the U. S. can fly the American flag.
This is silly, narrow, out-of-date, and is di
rectly responsible for our present humilia
tion as a conveying power. Experts tell us
that our ship yards cannot turn out even
enough vessels for our coastwise and inter
nal trade. To subsidize ocean carriers built
by American ship yards would cripple our
coastwise and influence trade and at the
same time be an inadequate measure for giv
ing us international carriers, "tramps” as
they are called. All congress needs to do
is to allow American capital to buy vessels
built abroad and sail them under our flag
in international trade. This would not hurt
one oi our ”iniant inuusiries ‘uuuslv
antedating the constitution,) which it can not
even supply the coastwise and internal traffic
with vessels, but will also secure us in a few
years a Merchant Marine equal to that of
any nation now under Ibe sun. Other na
tions practice this policy as well as the sub
sidy plan. Does the President know this T
Or is he afraid to injure a more than a cen
tury old industry 1 Be that as it may, we
want no subsidies of any sort in ours, and we
Relieve that the great majority of Americans
agree with us in this.
HOME MIS3ION.
Is the Christian Church doing her full duty
for Home Missions in the South'? Last year
we raised from all sources $3784.57 to be
used in the Home mission work of the church.
About 20 cents per member. Certainly we
can give more than 20 cents per member for
Home missions annually. Yet ‘the amount
contributed indicates the real effort, financi
ally, of the church to enlarge her borders in
the southland. No denomination can grow
until it gives money for missions. Contribu
tions must be larger than the needs of the
local church. This writer is of the opinion
that we have not been aroused to do our full
duty along the line of missionary work, in
the home church. It is not my purposq/to
discourage Foreign mission work: another
writer will discuss that department of our
woik. But we do need some new life along
this line of our church enterprises.
Twenty cents a year for home missions!
Well, some pastor is afraid to press this mat
ter. His church is weak. It does not rep
resent much financial strength. The pas
tor’s salary is small, and it is difficult to pay
that. If the pastor touches the missionary
woik of the church, some brother Suggests
that it is best to wait until the other work
of the local church is attended to, and then
look after missions, and that good brother
usually says: “I don’t believe in missions,
there is a lot of charitable work at home,
and it is better to begin at home.” Ever
hear anybody talk like that? Right there
is a good opportunity to make a missionary
address. That brother may be conscientious
in his opinion, but he is laboring under a
mis-conception of Christianity, and the wise
pastor will see that this spirit is the great
hinderance to progress; Surely no minister
of the gospel should encourage such opinions.
Brother pastor, what is your attitude to
wards the anti-missionary argument ? Do
you remain silent, or.are you making some
effort to instruct your church as to the great
needs of the people, and the importance of
the great commission given .to the church?
Are you, as a minister, so absorbed in the
work of the church, that your church mem
bers feel that the one great thought of your
life, is, the proclamation of the gospel of
Jesus Christ? Are you giving your life to
the ministry? For my part, I hope the day
will soon come, when every pastor in the
Southern Christian Convention will be en
abled to say* “Sink or swim, survive or
perish, live or die, I am going to devote my
entire time to the ministry. The churches
call make that day possible, by a more lib
eral support of the ministry. When that
day comes, the annual contributions for
Home missions, from the. churches of the
Southern Christian Convention, will be $10,
000. There, somebody has already said tTTC
statement is overdrawn. Not at all. See
what was being done twenty five years ago.
Compare the present. Continue to educate
the people, and you will get the result. We
are rapidly improving, but we are just at the
dawn of day. Brethren, this is not a ques-.
tion of enlarging a denomination, that is
not the point. Herein is the matter of dis
charging our duty to the cause of Christ.
That is the great question of Home missions.
We are beginning to undertake greater things
for God. Wrhat is your duty in the matter?
We are in need of a great missionary awak
ening. That day will soon dawn. Let us be
earnest in making ready for the battle. This
is the Lord’s work, and He is calling for
volunteers. More praying, more paying, more
preaching.
I. W. Johnson.
Suffolk, Ya.
What is believed to be the death knell of
+he South Carolina state dispensary was
'■ouuded Friday in the State Senate when
on a test vote it was shown that there was
a majority of that body against the insti
tution.
PERSONALS.
Rev. N. G. Clements gives in another col
umn the account of a pounding he received
at Haw River. Bro. Clements had a most
successful year’s work last year. He de
served the pounding. Who next?
What’s the matter with Pastor L. F. John
son? Since he became a benedict one would
think that he had pronounced the benedict
ion on his connection with the Sun. Take
time to write us what you are doing, John
son.
The Jamestown Exposition is going to be
a great "thing, ftecognizing this and feeling
that Christians who attend this “ great fair”
would like to be housed with Christians, pas7
tor Sailer, of Norfolk, and his good people
have hit upon a fine plan. But read his let
ter in full. It deserves it. He also assures
us of jp near Christian church in Norfolk,
at'I^ptk Place. .
Dr/ Atkinson, though still confined to his
home, is very much improved. The Editor
is such an energetic man that to keep him
self in doors a few days is suggestive of
stagnation. If all goes well, and that all
will the prayers of the Brotherhood are
enlisted, he will be able to perform his many
duties again shortly, until when, the patient
indulgence of ^Ite Sun family is earnestly
besought and will be gratefully received.
Mr. DTll Marks, A. B., Elon College, 1900,
City Secretary of the Y. M. C. A., Asheville,
N. C., has ji’st raised $21,000 for a Y. M.
C. A. building at that place. We congratu
late our friend and brother on this evidence
of telling work. Those who know the ener
gy and the enthusiasm of Bro. Marks will
not be surprised at his continued and signal
success.
We are glad to note that our last week’s
sermon by Rev. L W. Johnson was copied
by the N. C. Methodist Protestant paper,
Our Church Record, published at Greensbo
ro, N. C., Rev. J. F. McCulloch, editor. By
the way, Johnson writes in a private letter
that he is getting fat from poundings. A
good jvay to get fat—this. Any other broth
er acquiring obesity in that way? If so,
pass on the good word.
We desire to call attention to the fine clus
ter of “Field Notes” on page two and else
where of this issue.' We sincerely hope that
every week we shall have as many encour
aging letters as we have this time. Breth
ren, do not be selfish with your progress.
Let us hear from you. No part of the re
ligious weekly is more inspiring to the min
istry and laity alike than the reports of the
work actually done and the record of the
progress attained in the various sections of
the Lord’s vineyard.
The Southern Railway last Sunday put on
a new train from Greensboro to Goldsboro
and return. The train passes Elon College
going to Goldsboro at 10:30 A. M. and re
turning toward Greensboro passes here at
9 P. M. This will greatly accommodate the
people from beyond Durham, Raleigh and
Selma who attended the Commencements and
other public exercises at the ^Otlege. This
train makes connection with the A. C. L. at
Selma from Norfolk and Richmond, with
the S. A.' L. at Raleigh and Durham from the
East and North, and with the Southe n via
Jeffress from Norfolk and Richmond. For
this great convenience in travel we doff our
hat to the Southern and its officials.
The A. C. C. Educational Board at its re
cent session in Dayton, Ohio, decided to es
tablish a National Correspondence School
for the Christian Church. This plan is to
have the heads of departments in our vari
ous Colleges, North and South, as heads of
departments in the School. Rev. P. H. Flem
ing is the only member on the board from
the South. Through his influence and the
high rank which Elon College takes as an ed
ucational centre for our people, our Southern
College has been tendered two positions in
the school: President Moffitt, in History, and
Prof. Lawrence, ih English. We congratu
late the Board, the new school, Elon College,
and these brethren.
NEWS ITEMS.
Friday, heb. 8, three men were hanged n*
N. C. At Greensboro, Frank Bohannon, col
ored, for murder j at Durham, John«H. Hod
ges, white, wife murder, and Freeman Jones,
colored, house-breaking with intent to rape.
All three men confessed their crimes and
blamed whiskey as the cause.
A horrible famine is raging in China. The
crops have been destroyed by flood and also
the fuel. A million and a quarter are al
ready starving. In the stricken district there
are three million destitute. Many have died
already and thousands have fled to the cities
for refuge. Our national Red Cross is trying
to help them. ' v
John D. Rockefeller has given $32,000,000
more to the General Education Board. This
is the largest single gift of money to a be
nevolent purpose on record. He had previ
ously given this same board $1,00,000. The
fund is Assigned to carry forward the work
of education throughout the U. S. In this
connection it will be remembered that on
Jan. 27, 1907, the Standard Oil Trust ad
vanced the price of all its oils in barrels.
The Littlefield Bill in Congress which is
intended to prohibit the shipping of liquor
from one State into the prohibition territo
ry of another State, has passed the Judiciary
Eommitlee of the House by a close vote. It
will likely .pass the House and have a hard
fight in the Senate. The passage of' this
much needed law would greatly help the pro
hibition territory of North Carolina, which
suffers from Virginia, Kentucky and Geor
gia whiskey, shipped in by express.
The first N. C. Professor to be retired by
the Carnegie Foundation is Rev. 'Dr. Thos.
Hume, Prof. English at Chapel Hill, the seat
of the University of N. C. Dr. Hume is a
teacher of charming personality, of wide
learning, and national reputution. For years
he has enjoyed the distinction of the sob
riquet, “The Shakespeare of the South.”
Dr. Hume becomes Prof. Emeritus in the in
stitution to which he has given his long life
of scholarship and usefulness. It is hoped
that Dr. Hume will spend the evening of his
life in giving permanent form Ito some of
his profound work in the field of English
Literature.
Congressman W. W. Kitchen of the 5th
N. C. Congressional District, who has been in
the Lower House since 1895 and made for
himself there an enviable record, has declared
himself a candidate for governor .to succeed
Gov. Glenn two years hence. Solicitor Brooks
is to become a candidate to take Mr. Kitch
en’s vacated Congressional seat. And Hon.
W. H. Carroll, Burlington, N. C., is a can
didate to succeed Mr. Brooks as solicito'r.
Here is wishing Bro. Carroll success. He is
a member of the Burlington Christian Church
and one of our Orphanage Board. He will
make an ideal solicitor.
REJOICE ALWAYS.
One way to rejoice always !s to pray al
ways; to give thanks for little things. I de
fy anyone to begin the day by thanking God
for the light that breaks into the bed cham
ber, and for the fresh morning air, and for
eight hours rest, and for water to wash in,
and keep that up, and go dow7n to breakfast
doleful and discouraged. Spirit-filled peo
ple are always sunny people. Every gfoan
and sign and complaint and doubt and un
faithfulness is a bucket of ieewater on the
spirit of rejoicing.—Rev. John Cowan.
DISCONTENT.
We are not happy enough Christians.
There is in us too much discontent, too much
complaining, too much fretting and anxiety.
We become discouraged too easily. We are
overcome too readily, and do not live victori
ously. The great truth which the Incarna
tion teaches us is .» God is with ns, liv
ing with us, dwelling in us. If this be true,
whatever the experiences of our lives may
be, we should meet them with joy. A song
in the heart makes all hard things easier,
all heavy burdens lighter, all bitter sorrow
less bitter.—Southern Churchman. *