The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-10-05
SIXTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
AMERICAN BOARD.
From The N. Z. Sun

From the n. Y. Sun
The sixtieth anniversary of the American
Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mis-
sions is to be held in Brooklyn during the
present week This meeting will call together
upward of five thousand people-clergymen
and laymen-from all parts of the country
including fifty missionaries from various
quarters of the world The hospitality of
the City of Churches is sorely tried to take
care of this great multitude; and although
for several years past appeals for accommo-
dations have been made every Sunday from
Presby yterian and Congregational pulpits,
several hundred expected delegates are yet
unprovided for.
The American Board is one of the voluntary
organizations for Christian enterprise and be-
nevolence that came into existence during
the early part of the present century. The
American Home Missionary Society is sis
ter organization for domestic operations.
The American Tract Society, the American
Bible Society, and the American Sunday
School Union are similar agencies for re-
ligious effort though embracing in their
scope O wider field of denominational
union. 1t was the creation of these outside
agencies, and the diversion to them of the
benevolent contributions of a large number
of the churches, which greatly contributed to
awaken that spirit of schism in the
Presby yterian Church in the United States
which finally grew into the Old and New
School breach, now just healed after an ex-
istence of q third of a century. The Old
School Presbyterians always opposed these
independent organizations, and insisted that
all missionary work should be done by the
Church itself through its own appointed
agencies; and the General Assembly of that
branch of the Church has always maintained
its own foreign and home mission boards and
publishing house. The New School Presby-
terians, on the contrary, joined heartily with
the Congregationalists of New England in
sustaining these voluntary and, as the Old
School brethren called them, irresponsible
societies.
But of late years, with success in making
converts through these agencies, and in es-
tablishing churches throughout the world,
there has arisen feeling akin to jealousy
between the Congregationalists and New
School Presbyterians as to the proper eccle-
siastical connections of such converts and
churches and thus the disgraceful spectacle
has been presented of general scramble for
the spoils of the victory over sin, the world,
and the Devil. In consequence of this ten
dency, the New School Assembly began Or
ganizing missions of its own, though hesitat
ing to sever its fraternal relations with its
former associates. But with the reunion of the
two Assemblies of the Presbyterian Church,
consummated last spring, the policy of the
Old School Assembly in holding aloof from
outside organizations was adopted as the
policy of the reunited church, and the volun-
tary agencies, except the Bible and Tract
| Societies and the Sunday School Union, were
left to the Congregationalists alone.
AS the Presbyterians had been the largest
| contributors to the funds of the American
Board, their withdrawal from it would have
necessitated the abrupt discontinuance of
many of its largest and most promising mis-
sions. In this emergency a compromise was
effected, by which considerable number of
missions, including some in India, China,
Africa, and elsewhere were transferred to the
care of the Presbyterian Board of Missions.
At the meeting in Brooklyn this week the
formal 6transfer of these establishments, or
more properly'the REIMBURSEMENT of the care
of them by the American Board, will be made,
furnishing occasion for many interesting re-
views of missionary work and achievements.
The meetings will also be the occasion for
the formal leave-taking and separation from
the Board of many veteran missionaries, some
of whom have served under its patronage and
direction for quarter of a century. Alto
gether, therefore, the present anniversary of
this respectable and venerable Board will
have peculiar interest, justifying the large
attendance anticipated.