The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-11-13

is essentially unselfSh, and essentially
missionary, and the missionary spirit is alb
soiutcly essential to the existence ard per-
pctuity Of the Church. The speaker de-
nounccd the old and oft-quoted aphorism
"Charity begins at home - as selfish, and
said that it had ruined many a man and
greatly injured the Church. 1t is the devil
in the robe of an angel of light. This sell
fishncss must be overcome before the work
Of missions can prosper as it should.
Doctor Munsey then gave an interesting
account Of the missions Of the Southern
Methodist Church. Their missionaries have
been laboring among four tribes of Indians.
Before the war these tribes numbered
-, 600 souls. They espouscd the southern
cause, anl lost y, 900 during the war. There
are five white and seventeen native mission
aries there acting under the authority of
this branch Of the Church. They need mo-
ney. books, schools, and churches, and We
Of the South must respond to their calls for
assistance, for they meet with much opp0si-
ton, and the very arm of the Government,
which ought to protect, has been again>t
them. We, who occupy the land once be-
longing TO their fathers, should be the
spiritual guardians of the few who remain
upon the soil. The Church has agreed TO
give these tribes = 300, but we have not
done ii, and cannot until we get the money.
The speaker then referred to the only other
foreign mission Of the Southern Methodist
ChuTch-China, where Christianity meets
continued opposition, but where paganiSm
is making last struggle. The walls of pre-
judce are being battered down, and we
must he ready to spring into the breach.
Unless this is done onc-third Of the human
race is lost to Jesus. The Chinese will soon
be civilized, are quick to learn. and China
Il inf will ha bl or tn
deem than China uncducated and pagan. We
ought also to have missions in south Ame-
rica Mexico, and Cuba, not to speak OF
Africa, but have not.
DR.. MunScy then urged that the debt Of
So, 900, owed by the Board of Foreign Mis-
siOns, is IN evidence Of our seltShncss.
twenty-five thousand dollars of this sum
IS due 10 4 New Yorker, who paid the
drafts Of our Chinese missionaries during
the war rather Than have them 90 down.
lie said he would trust the Southern Me-
thodiSt Church, il the Contedcracy did fail !;
and now, 10 our shame be it said, although
iiyc years have elapsed since the war. only
Il small part Of this pccuniary obliga-
ton has been liquidatcd. The Virginia
Conference. however, has paid more
than uny other towards it. This debt was
weighing upon the Church like Il night
mare, and must be shaken of. Last summer
the secretary, by Il circular. requested every
member Of the Church to contribute one
dollar towards this object !: and although
there were about 600, 900 members. only 600
responded with their dollars. The Southern
Methodist Church was proporii0natcly far
behind other denominations III the amount
Of contributions to foreign missions. lie
read statistics showing that the denomina-
tions in the United states, i'll the amount OF
contributions per member, arc scaled Is
follows: old school Presbyterian, Ccngrc-
-ational, New School Presbyterian. Re
formed Dutch, Episcopal. Baptist, Mctho-
dist while the WcSlcyanS Of Great Britain
contributed twice as much per member Is
either Of the denominations named. It is
due. however, to the MethodiStS to say that
their domestic mission work is larger than
that of other branches Of the Christian
Church.
The Doctor then urged upon the Confer,
rnce the importance of 4 plain, systematic
bcncvocncc, and the proprcty Of having a
regularly organized missionary society in
every church and sunday school. He closed
with an eloquent apoStrophc to the Church
Of which he was 4 member, moving many
persons present to tears.
Although the address occupied about two
hours in tie delivery. we doubt if there
were dozen persons in the immense All
dicncc who did not hear it with deep attcn-
ton to the close. The effect Of it was Yisi-
iiir when the contributions Were called for,
and about - .UGu WAS immediately sub
scribcd or paid in cash tor the cause OF
foreign missions.
APPOINTMENTS.
After the address the following appoint
mrutS for RELIGIOUS services to-day were an
rouuced hy i,cy. Dr. Edwards