Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-07-07

diligent may be speedily prepared TO
| give instruction to others. Our means
of accomplishing this work has been
most gratifying and have advanced be
yond all expectation. So il has been in
Africa. A more progressive work has
never been known than have been done
by our General Synod there. We find
our missionary, who has charge of the
| affairs, has been regarded as the most
successful man that has ever put his
foot on that soil to convert them to
Christianity. lie has even won the af.
lection and control of the rulers OF that
benighted people, simply by his untir.
ing efforts and kind words and adapta.
tion. He is considered by the mssiona.
ries of other denominations as the chief
among them, and is often asked to do
things or lend his influence to accom-.
plish what they cannot do of them.
selves. All proofs of our mission fields,
both in India and Africa, are that, to-
day, they are in IA far better condition
than we dared hope two years ago they
could be in ten or twenty years. If we
have then, within the last two years,
made such progress that would have
satisfied us had we made it in ten years,
what have we to expect that can be
| accomplished if we continue in this
course for the next few years. The
reason Of this is because Of the careful
manner in which the work has been
carried on in the past, and now it is
| beginning TO bear its fruits aud we are
just entering upon the great harvest,
81 la - .nh
years ago.
This progress is not confined alone
| to foreign mission work, but from the
report of the Home Mission Board it
| is found that within the last two years
the General Synod of the Lutheran
| church has accomplished far more than
| the most devoted member had expected
or even dreamed of accomplishing in
such Il short space OF time. She is TO.
| day farther advanced in her mission
/ work than her best informed members
/ had any idea Of This is due 10 the
manner in which this branch OF her
/ work has been managed during the last
/ two years. Hereafter it will be con
/ Quoted so that all the means given for
! the support of the Hons Mission work
.
/ church. will pass through the proper
channel and be applied where it does
. the most good. In the way the money
/ is now collected and to be applied
/ through the means of the treasurer of
. the General synod Board-eyery dollar
will be credited and every cent proper
ly applied. When contribution il
made for Home Mission work, those
making II can feel satisfied 1t will reach
the proper place-and no appeals are to
hc made from any other source. II has
only been q few years since three fourths
I of the amount Of money given as
/ church contributions for various causes.
in various parts Of the country, was
never entered upon the church reports,
aud there never was a credit gwen for
the full amount so collected and dis.
/ bursed, but when it all passes through
/ the hands Of the General Synod of tho
/ Lutheran church, every cent is credited
and it il found that the General Synod
/ OF the Lutheran church Of the United
/ States, has given more than has hereto.
| fore been included in her statistical re.
. ports. During the last two years we have
[ far exceeded any amount realized IN ali
the previous years. We are just enter.
. ing upon period Of rapid progress and
church development, and our plans for
I the operations Of the board are so ar
ranged by the action Of the General
Synod, last week, that their haEds are
no longer tied, but that they can 60 Oh
freely and uninterruptcdly, aud carry
out the wishes Of the people. We are
now in better condition 10 do Home
Mission work than ever we were, and
within the last two years have accom-
plished more than we could have ex.
pected to accomplish in twice that
length Of time, | cannot 90 into de.
tails connected with the Home Mission
work.
The reason that we are meeting with
such Unprecedented success. is because
the money passes through a regular
channel, and is applied to the object
for which 1t was intended. Concerning
the erection and repairing OF houses Of
worship. all appeals now come through
the board Of Church Extension. and the
money after being so collected. finds its
course to the proper object. No special
appeals for individual churches are now
necessary. All these wants are met by
our system OF Church Extension. We
also find by keeping an accurate &C.
count OF all moneys contributed and
expended for the erection of new
churches, and repairing Of churches. is
more than we supposed it was in ten
or fifteen years, and the manner il il
expended aud applied is such that not a
cent of it is put where it will do no good
IL is applied by persons who understAnd
the exact wants of the localities. and
consequently make the same amount Of
money 60 twice as far a. it did before
We had this excellent method Of ex.
pending money through the board of
| Church Extension. Now il this is the
progress we have made during the last
two years. and a great many obstacles
that heretofore impeded our progress
are done away, what can there be TO
hinder us from making still more rapid
strides in this glorious cause of gospel
work