The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-28

Ing of adequate representation Of this Con-
vention at the annual State and provincial
conferences.
The employment Of competent assistant
secretary, TO the end that entire unity and
harmony may be preserved in the conduct of
this growing work, now extended far beyond
the aDticipations of those who witnessed the
organization Of the present committee. and
to the end that the Information aud expert
ence which accumulate so rapidly may be
made every where available through prompt
correspondence and through the newspa-
pers, whose columns in every city are open
for the matter which We prepare.
Authority to the present committee to
complete its work by the publication OF the
proceedings Of this Convention and the pre-
paration Of the papers for the Hamburger
conference.
The reorganization of the committee upon
the following basis-viz.: Seven resident
mem bers in prominent city, and eight nom
resident members representing various Sec
| tons Of the country. Five to be a quorum for
the transaction Of business.
The following is summary of the reports
of the associations for the current year:
$50 have complied with the request of the
committee, and furnished reports to this
Convention; being $50 more than reported
last year. This result has been secured by
special effort in the collection of reports
| both bg the central Office and by the corre-
spending members 1t has also been ascer-
tanned that some Of the associations formerly
on the roll have ceased 10 exist, and upon
| the corrected roll we now have the names of
| 700 associations. SO Of these ure in colleges,
and 20 are German associations.
494 report an aggregate membership OF
G7,4lG.
The annual current expenses reported by
| 32G amount 10 1856 423.
90 persons are acting as general secretaries
and agents Of the various associations ana
the Suite and International committees.
252 keep open readiny.roomS, and l56 or
| these report daily attendance of 10.4S0.
100 own Libraries, numbering 1S0, 257 vol
umes, and Of these 137 are valued at $780,
| 15S.
Sc have buildings valued at S2.434, 800.
On these there is debt Of 500, 100. Last
year there were so buildings.
AZ have building funds amounting to $780,
093. The aggregate of buildings and build.
| ing funds amounts to S2,S25 S93, being an
Increase of S33S.231 over last year-a clear
building property of S2,l25.l43.
gJ provide situations and OF these So have
found employment for S.72l persoos.
20G observed the day Of prayer in NoVem.
Der.
So daily prayer-meetings are bed.
373 hold regular weekly praycr-meetings
] to the number OF G35.
40 held 1S1 open air meetings per week.
III other meetings, in jails, hospitals.
School-houSes, and elsewhere, nave been held
| by 29S associations.
12O conduct weekly Bible.cless, and 7G
report an average weekly attendance Of
1852.
! Your committee cannot close this report
without stating in contrast the condition Of
the associations as they appeared at Albany
nine wears ago aud aS they are now.
| Then, there were less tnan so associations,
onlv GJ of which reported; now, $50 ac-
tually report
| Tuen, 50 were represented in the ConVen.
ton; now, over 200 are represented by their
delegates.
| Then, one building which cost $4,000,
and the beginnings OF two or three funds !;
now, jG buildings worth =, 424.a00. and 81
funds alreIdy amounting TO 1890 1898. In
all. S2,S25 S93 capital invested in our work.
| Then, niue general secretaries; now, 90
are employed.
| Then, nearly half the associations without
the evangelical test now, nearly all harmp-
NOUS and united, exillng the Christian
| character Of the organization.
| Then, no State conventions; now. seven
teen State and provincial conventions, each
| with its effective committee and six employ
| ing secretaries.
| Then, 1885 was raised for all the work
prosecuted by affiliated societies; now, So
sos for the General Executive Committee and
$40, ,33G bv the State and provincial commit
tees. aggregating $40, Al for the work of the
affiliated societies.
| Then, no general system of visitation
now, two representatives OF the General
/ Committee with three other gentlemen en-
gagged for portion Of the year,, the six State
and provincial secretaries, aud host OF ca
pablc volunteer visitors.
Then, isolation, dsorganiZatiop now,
concert OF action, confidence, harmony in
principles, and thorough cooperation in ag'
gres>ive effort.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
| CEPHAs BRAISERD,
TIMOTHY G.. SELLEw, JR.,
| JAMES STOKES. JR.,
| RoBKRT r MCBURSEY,
EDGAR A. HUTCHlSs,
BENJAMIN G. WETMoRE,
VEKRAhUs MORSE, NJ. D.,
Executive Committee.
Mr.. Robert Weidensall, one of the general
agents of the committee who has been work
ing in the West, made deeply interesting
report of bis work:
"This report includes q term OF eight
months, from the 1st Of October, 1874. to the
last of May, 1915.
| "Duriug this time have travelled G,S3O
miles, stopped in 81 cities and towns, visited
81 existing associations. some OF them three
or four times, most of them several times,
land assisted personally in organizing or pre-
pairing the way to organize 10 new assocla'
fiops. II of which know TO be actively en-
gagged in the work they undertook to DO. l
have attended one State, one county, and
two district conventions, and was present at
the anniversaries OF three ASSOCIATIONS. Ih!s
varied work has embraced correspondence,
persoual interviews with the officers Oh the
associations or with ministers anu leadlns
Ilaymep. familiar talks with the active mem
hers alone or assembled together, taking the
lead in some new feature of Christian work
like street. preaching, cottage prayer.mee:-
ings, ETC.. public addresses, and Bible'read-
iugs. All the detail of this service cannot
of course be adequately reported.
ITO build up the Association cause IN the
Northwest is most difficult matter. %
every hand churches are struggling TO cancel
their indebtedness; many other organlza'
tious are pressed upon theattention OF Cbrls'
tian men with irde!atlgabe zeal. In addl-
ton to this, the multitude of extinct assoela'
tions that were born in excitement and be.
gan to die Immediately after they were born
has created an impression that our society is
but short-lced institution and makes no
claim for permanent support. And last but
not least, there is a considerable number OF