Statesville, Oct. 14—The Presbyterian Synod plunged into business today. Nearly the whole of the day was spent on the report of the synod’s stewardship committee, with Dr. J. H. Henderlite of Gastonia, as chairman of the committee, holding the limelight. Parliamentary rocks kept heaving in sight, with storms beating the sails and billows rising high, but Moderator McQueen proved a brave and wide pilot and the synod finally landed with the stormy petrel, J. B. Spillman, synod’s secretary of stewardship, safe on board. He was re-elected.
After devotional exercises by Rev. Petr McIntyre of Goldsboro, synod decided to consider the needs of a colored school in Oxford, Mark Potter Memorial, and commended it to the home missions committee.
New Divorce Law
A rousing resolution deploring the divorce statistics and conditions in divorces for unscriptural reasons, was this state, and the lax laws allowing offered by Dr. J.S. Foster of Winston-Salem, and the synod decided to ask the legislature to protect the purity of married life and guard the sanctity of the home and the interests of the suffering children of divorced couples, as well as the morals of the state.
At 11:30 Mel Trotter was introduced by Dr. A. S. Johnson of Charlotte, who narrated his marvelous conversion and described his career in his mission work in Grand Rapids, Mich. Mr. Trotter quickened the pulses of many of the ministers as he begged them to plug on, relying on God’s help. He challenged them for hard service, like Billy Borden, the millionaire’s son, who gave his life to mission work in China, and died in the Boxer rebellion in 1900 rather than seek an easy place. The synod warmly thanked Mr. Trotter for his message.
Storm Breaks
After dinner the stewardship storm broke over the synod and raged for three hours. The lengthy report prepared by J. B. Spillman of Charlotte, secretary, and read by Dr. J.H. Henderlite of Gastonia, showed that the synod had increased its benevolence 26 per cent in five years, outside of large contributions to education. It revealed that one church had increased its subscriptions over $25,000 and others showed similar spurts. The total raised by the church for benevolent causes was $54,090. The synod is asked to raise $953,000, of which $200,000 is to be assigned to the advisory council, composed of men and women of larger wealth, which is headed by Gov. A. W. McLean, and is to be a challenge fund. It was said that there are 100 Presbyterians worth $150 million in this state.
At last the synod met the tempest. The questions were “Shall the stewardship office be continued, and its present secretary re-elected?” Solemn moments were created when it weas reported that two of the nine Presbyteries overturned the discontinuance of the office. Strong presentations were made by representatives of these presbyteries urging the closing of the office. Other speeches as powerful were made to continue it, and many of these took form as personal testimonies to the worth and character of the secretary, who has gone over the state, visiting the churches, holding conferences, encouraging pastors as well as deluging them with literature revealing statistics about finances, tithing, family altars, personal work and so forth. High tributes were given.
At last after many amendments and substitutions, points of order and questions of privilege, the synod went to prayer just before the vote was taken. The question was so momentous that the vote was taken by standing and the vote stood 100 to 50 in favor of the office and the man, and J. B. Spillman will continue his office on the 12th floor of the Realty building, Charlotte.
Tonight the foreign mission report was presented by Dr. A. D. P. Gilmour of Wilmington, who substituted for Dr. A. S. Johnson, the chairman. Foreign mission contributions have declined from $270,000 to $262,000. The report recommended the raising of $60,000 for Korea by the Sunday schools, and all churches were urged to joint the Bristol plan of raising $1 per member for the church deficit. A powerful address was made by Dr. Darby Fulton, former missionary to Japan, and now field representative of foreign missions.
The synod accepted the invitation of Concord First Church to meet there next year.
From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Oct. 15, 1926
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-10-15/ed-1/seq-6/
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