, 1863-06-06
THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN. CON
VENTI0N.
Report from the Associations.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM GEN.
ERAl FlSkE.

prayer Alter I1e mlnnLea OF Tue LAST meet.
ing we're reno, the names Of the delegates were
called over, and before the regular business
of the day WAS proceeded with, It was resolv-
ed that all the Evangelical Ciergymen in the
city, who attended this Convention, should be
enrolled as corresponding members. The
propositions ordered Thursday, for Fridays
consideration, we're then read. They run as
follows:
What is youE Association doing to promote the
Interest Of the Redeemer's Kingdom amongst the
young men of your own city and town.
What ID your Association doing to promote the
interests Of the Redeemes's Kingdom amongst the
soldiers Of our army:
REPORTS.
Reports were read BY the delegates of the
condition and objects Of the Associations
Which they represented, In response to the
order Of business quoted above.
FROM BOSTON.
The report from Boston, Mass, was read BY
Moses ". Pond, which howed that the Bos~
ton Society hnd sent 500 men to the war, fur
nished $17, 600 in cash to the Military Fund,
and ], GOO cases Of miscellaneous goods for the
service Of the soldiers.
FROM MONTREAL
The report from Montreal, Canada East,
was read By L. 4. Dougall. The Society nun.
bers 1f5 members. Two missionaries and
Thirty young men were engaged in visiting
different parts Of the city, including the gar
1ison and the scamen In port, md had distrib
ntcd 600 tracts.
Philadelphia was represented by two dele
gates, and the report showed that the Society
And been almost exclusively occupied with
city enterprises, md had done nothing, there
fore, for the soldiers.
PROM TROY.
Rev. G. L. Robertson made yery interest.
ing ex'empoFancy report OF the Society in
Troy, N. T., which was fnaugulated about
four years ago. He stated that they support
ed regular missionary, whose duty 1t was to
the fallen, and render them both secu-
lar and spiritual assistance and con-
ISOLATION. Numbers Of young men
were also engaged in the same work, trying to
Increase his MAster's Kingdom, and By sym
pathy with those who were degraded and lost,
can rejoice then that they were trying to dis
Charge their duties rs Christians, aud TINT
they, with all their souls, cared for the souls
Of every inhabftant, no matter how degraded
he might be. The result had been satisfactory
fn''tle highest degree.
members Of this society belonging to several
denominations in the city. Il was the only
society in Troy which was endorsed by the
whole Of the Churches. They had been en-
gagcd with the United States Christian Com.
mission, during the past year. They address,
ed circular to the children Of the Sabbath
schools, and visited them to make What was
called thousewife" for soldiers. Itwas made
mp Of all the little etcetras which 4 soldier
needs, and the response made BY tile children
was prompt and generous In the extreme.
They made II. 600 OF these bags, which were
sent to the soldiers and had been
gratefully received. One gentleman told
If they would provide the bags he would
ill them. The little fingers went to work,
and each little girl made her bag. In about q
week they presented the gentleman with
nearly sixteen hundred Of them! This was
most cheering sign-and every one of the bags
contained besides necessary articles for the
soldiers comfort, one or more tracts-many
Of which they hid good reason to believe and
know had been the means to convert many
| poor soldier to Christ, and through Christ to
ness In the kingdom Of their Heavenly Father,
The delegate from Trenton, New Jersey,
said that their society consisted Of about $50
members amongst whom l50 were active aud
working. They Lad surplus fund contribu-
| ted by gentlemen Of the city III sums Of from
FIVE to ten dollars, which enabled them to do
much good in objections that they could not
| cover without this help. The lib1a1y consist
| ed Of upwards Of four thousand volumes
mostly Of miscellaneous character
aid none Of them what might be called
sectarian. These were well read by the mem
bers; which was a good proof Of their
Intelligence. The members went abroad a1l
over tie town md neighborhood and held
cottage prayer meetings, which often proved
seasons Of great spiritual refreshment, and,
he hoped, had been the means also ofawaken-
ing sinners and Of warning souls to Christ.
1t was the duty Of certain appointed mem
bers to find out a1l young men on their arEf-
val In the city, and try to bring them into the
field Of the Good Shepherd. They had done
all they could for the soldiers, which was not
half as mnch as they oneht to have done or
ever. provided each soldier IN every regiment
which had left New jersey, with O copy Of
the New Testament
FROM ST. LOUIS.
1fr. E. A. Burnell, Of st. Louis, read the
following very interesting report:
The history Of our Association for the past
two and a half years, has been unlike that Of
any other Association In America. The re-
bellion, understood and heartfelt in St. Louis
as In no other city in the Union, shook our
buFiness, social and religious institutions
well nigh to pieces. It's effect upon the Asso-
citation was eaddening in the extreme, dlvid-
ing, dtstracting and well nigh destroying.
for the young Mems Christian Association,
had Its origin little later ,han the United
| States Christian Commission. Tie first half
year OF the Com1nfttce's existence we do not
look upon Us truly energetic. But the past
nine months, we think, new baptism from
on high has been experienced, and we have
endeavored with some earnestness to go forth
in Christ's name to tell soldiers Of Jesus.
One man has been employed constantly,
going from army to army, camp to camp, cot
to cot, in the hospitals Of the vast armies Of
The Western Department. From four to sIx
volunteers, on tours Of from two to four
| weeks, hare been employed. The great work
has been the distributing Of religious reading
matter.
The work since September is as follows:
So,617 testaments, 100,Ss7 papers, 1885,, ,715
miscellaneous.
The demand for the general work of theAsso-
citation In st. Louis is immense. Our popula-
ton is over 100 900, and we have but nomi.
nal church membership Of 5000. 0ne-haH Of
that number are for hare been) In the seces-
sion element, 50 that, to-day, we have but a
working force Of three thousand to point the
vast mass to the Lord Jesus Christ. Our As
sociation Is determined, by divine aid, to live
and stand up for Jesus and for our country.
FROM sALEM
Mr.. Abner, Of Salem, Mass, said that the
city which hc represented WAS unfortunately
very rich It had inherited Its riches, through
a long ancestry. Twas very morol city, but
he believed there was no place On the CONT
nent harder to move 6y any religions truth Or
tarianism and Universalism had taken
the place Of Witchcraft. The Young Mems
Christian Association had been established to
aid In the eyaugelizatiou Of the city, and had
already POSSESSED the same secular and Teli-
possessed, but be felt they were not doing
half the good which ought to be done He
should return, however, from this meeting
with fEesh aspirations and higher purposes.
The Committee on Associations, to whom
Tas referred the resolution to report to this
organization amongst the Associations, sub
mitted the following resolution for adoption:
Rssozrtd, That an e1ecatire committee be ap-
pointed consisting Of I've members fsom TIE city
and the District Of Columbia; and one from 1, III,
British Provinces, whose dutyit shall be to main
tain correspondence with American and Foreign
sociatione collect and difass appropriate lnforms
ton from time to time, recommend to the assocla.
tions such measures as seem calculated to promote
needfal preparations for Conventions, having Arst
asce1tained the general wish Of the
to time and place Of holding the same; aud acting
as nearly a. possible in accordance Herewith;
fill vacancies in their body, and adopt such rules
as are necessary for their own government.
Reagtkd, further, That the Committee appointed
hereby Instructed to II port Il tic next convention
AL Of which is respectfully submitted
II. T. Miller, Chairman.
The report was received and laid upon the
table.
Mr.. Miller, Of Cincinnati, closed the morn
ing proceedings with prayer, and the Conren-
tion adjourned to the Daily Prayer meeting.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE on NATIONAL
AFFAIRS.
Rev. Robert Laird Collier read tue report Of
the Committee on National Affairs, which
was an exceedingly loyal and animated docn-
mcnt~
The preamble is too long to quote, but the