The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-04-26
Mission Rooms. !
Baltimore, Md, April, 1876. [

baltimore, Nd, April, 1910.
In the prosecution Of the Foreign Mission,
sry work a most important crisis has been
reached, and it is matter of great moment
that every friend of the cause should care
fully ponder the facts of the case.
During the two years which ended the
first of April, 1875, twenty-five missionary
lsborers were sent out from this country to
the different missionary fields, and about
half that number of native helpers, were
added to the list, making thirsy-two in all.
This very nearly doubled the whole force in
the field. Tois large accession TO the labor
ing corps was not made hastily or incOnsid-
erately, but in compliance with the urgent
wants of the work, and in accordance with
what at the time seemed to be plain call of
Divine Providence; and it was done also
with a distinct understanding of the CORES
ponding increase of funds that would be
needed to carry on so extended work 10
the ADnusl Report submitted to the Gene
raj Assembly in May, 1874. the facts con-
necsed with this enlargement of the work
were not only fully set forth, but it was dis
tinctly stated at the same time that it would
require an increase Of at least $4,000 to
the ordinary contributions of the churches
to meet the demands Of the exigeney. This
report was carefully examined by the Gene
raj Assembly, and met with their full and
hearty approval, whilst all the facts of the
case we're carefully and repeatedly brought
to the notice of the churches II does not
appear either to the General Assembly or the
Executive Committee of Missions that this
was laying an undue burden upon the church
es. Up to this period not more than one-half
of the churches were contributing anything
at all to this great cause, and it did seem,
under this special call of Providence, that
this was the time, if ever, to bring all of orr
churches into hearty cooperation in the
prosecution of this great enterprise.
Now if the receipts of the last year had
come up to the proposed amount, or if they
had been equal to those given the present
year under much greater disadvantages, there
would have been no debt at all. But there
was scarcely any increase at all, being only
few hundred dollars in advance of what was
given the year before. As the matter stood,
-. - zoar ba1 60 ha oonmoncad not On
with reference to greatly augmented current
expense, but with reference also to cancel.
ling debt in part or whole of SIS 000.--
This state of things made it necessary to
bring the general outlay into as narrow a
compass as possible, so that larger amount
of funds might be devoted to iquidating the
debt. Two important obi jects, the preserva-
ton of the missions from ruinous curtailment,
and the cancelliug Of the debt as far as pos
slble, have been constantly kept before the
Committee during the year, and have called
forth the exercise of their highest wisdom.
When the annual estimate of the different
missions were laid before the Committee in
January last, it was found that they amount
ed in the aggregate to $4,000. A careful
examination of these estimates left the iIn
preston upon the mind of the Committee tha
there was scarcely an item on the long lis
laid before them, which did not seem to b,
very important, and which would not hav,
i ~ - r. i
would have allowed. No little perplexit.
was felt as to what particular items should b
stricken out from the list. The pruninI
knife, however, was applied and the sched
ule was reduced to $50 1000. By this ar
rangement the debt will be cancelled in part
but nothing will be left to repair the breach
es that have been made in the work by deaf