The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-06-13
For TEE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
HOME AND FOREIGN MISSIONS.
BY REV. H. H. HALVES.

Well, what is the matter with our church.
IS and Sabbath Schools, that they fall away
in their contributions to Foreign Missions
The report on Foreign Missions shows, as
stated in the former article, that notwith-
standing all difficulties I'VE have held our
ground well. Turn now tO~the report on Sus-
tentation, which includes all the home '0Ork,
" Sustentation, Evangehstic, COlOred Evan
geIstic, Invalid and Relief Funds, five
objects.
1. Total receipts of all funds here, $43,,
1O2,9O, which is S12,O18.25, less than the
receipts for the one object Of Foreign Missions.
2. No ladies Societies or Sabbath Schools
seem to hare had any care or to hare made
any contributions for Home sOOrk. But 172
societies and 262 Sabbath Schools we're at
work for Foreign Missions.
8. We have 1852 unoccupied fields, need
ing ministers at once, of which nearly 81 are
able by themselves to support the gospel,
showing that besides the 164 charges now
being helped from the SustentatiOn Fund,
there are 11S vacant fields which must be
aided if they have the gospel of salvation
preached to them"
4. (a,) About two-thirds of our ministers
wholly engaged in the work of the Church,
are living, rather trying to live, on very IN
adequate salaries, and are thus much hin
dered in their usefulness. (b) About two
hundred of our ministers do not appear to
be engaged in any fruitful ministerial work
at all, or if at all, so irregularly that they
are not reported. This must be due in
great measure to the want of support" (e.)
" Probably two-thirds of all our churches,
when grouped into pastoral charges = are
unable without assistance to support thestated
ministry" (d) Four hundred, or more
churches vacant now, because they cannot
receive aid in the support of the ministry"
(e.) One hundred and sixty,one organized
churches have no house of worship, of which
80 are really suffering now for want Of places
of worship.
What shall we say to these things? We
are not taking care Of the Greeks at our
doors" as we should. We cannot say of the
Home, as of the Foreign work that it has not
suffered. It has not even held its oagn, as the
Foreign work has. We have 20 Presbyteries
50 weak as to need large help. And II more
which can barely take care Of themselves
This leaves q Presbyteries to do the whole
Home work in all its branches. But four Of
these q, have received more help than they
gave, and others gave mere pittance more
than they received from the Home fund, thus
leaving really only about nine out Of sixty
one Presbyteries to do the work. Ii looks
" blte." How can we either sustain or carry
on Foreign work, unless We first attend to
Home work better Sustain the Home fields
above sll things. This viii increase our Civ
ing ability, enlarge our giving territory and
members. Then We can do what We will in
the Foreign work. But if We expend first
our greatest force upon the Foreign heather,
the Home field is left to a secondary oultiVa-
ton. We are leaving the weeds to grow in
our own garden, while busy in first digging
them out of the gardens of others. Says
the Committee, {" Hurtful retrenchment has
been necessary" If the receipts to Susten-
tatiOn are not much larger than they were
last year " future appropriations will have to
be very much diminished, and thus the work
of the Preabyteries be further oppressed
Both the wisdom and the zeal of the Assem-
bly, are invoked to prevent SO dire calsm-
ity." So too if the Egsngehstic work IS to
90 on as now, " the receipts must be greatly |
The same cry comes from every
branch of this Home work, bat no such cry
comes from the Foreign department. Yet it
will come, and with q more bitter despair, if
We do not bestir ourselves TO our Home work
as of first Importance, for tie present time
at least.
Let us have some Ladies Societies and
Sabbath Schools in this work also. Are they
az to love the "heathen" more than the
poor starving souls in their own land ? With |
bur own churches growing poorer, our Own
fields remaining uneultiyated and running
10 weeds ;" our many ministers here unem-
DlOyed or unsupported; tho thought Of the
Church educated to hold the Foreign field
If first Importance, what's to become Of this
Home work? And then, what is to become
If the Foreign work? Can man work in
business safely, if no neglects or continues to
undermine his foundations Can his capital
stand the strain Of large aud increasing
traits, if he takes no pains nor caution to in.
,rease it? If he proposes to enlarge his bust
ness, must he not both confirm and increase
bis working capital?
The wisdom of the Church should see that
ler foundations as she 5uildS.-yea, and BE-
fore she builds, are both sufficient and strong;
Ind then she must keep them so. A time for
repairs has now come. We eaa0t ertsn9
,ur W0rk safely unless sgs attend to these
lOr even preserve what We have done.