New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-30
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.


THE AMERICAN BOARD MEETING.-The sew
enty-second annual meeting of the American
Board of Foreign Missions was held mt st.
Louis, beginning on Tuesday, October IS, and
ending on the following Friday. The attend
ance was large. From the report of the home
secretary, DR.. Alden, it is evident that New
England is still the home of the society. The
receipts from all sources last year amounted to
S45l.214 10, about u per cent of which,
500 1914 11-was contributed by the New
England States. Vermont was the only State
the contribution of which was less than that of
the year before. Massachusetts contributed
SlS6,GS6 20, an increase of over $4,000 !;
Connecticut; $79,S74 81, an increase of about
500 less than that of Massachusetts; and the
other States, excepting Vermont, made gains
varying from 500 to 1888 For the first time
in several years the secretary reported that the
current annual expenses had been met by the
receipts of the year. The deficit OF over
$4,000, which had existed ut the beginning OF
the year, has been reduced to a little over
$1,000. The problem before the Board was
how to increase the regular annual receipts, so
that they should amount to not less than
T550,O0O. The main dependence, the secretary
thought, was tC be placed upon the Sunday
schools and churches. Many reports were made
as to the work of the missionaries of the Board
in foreign lands. One of the most interesting
OF these was the paper OF Professor Judson
Smith on "China and Christian Missions"
This work, he said, was all-impOrtaut, and the
time was OppOrtune. There were at present III
China, he said, about 100 missionary stations,
end about 800 out-statiOns, more than $50
missionaries and seventy single ladies engaged
in the work, representing twenty different
missionary societies; as many as $40 churches,
with nearly 10000 COMMITMENTS; at least
600 native helpers, seventy training schools
and twenty theological schools. Missionaries
could travel everywhere IN the Empire under
the protection of the Chinsese authorities.
The Rev. Dr. BlOdgett, for twenty-seyen years
a missionary in China, also 7spoke: The
question is said he, is China to convert lis
or are We to convert the Chinese. From the
walls of Pckin | looked down upon 10000
sheds for the examination of students from all
parts of the Empire. The men who III their
provinces have obtained their first and second
degrees come to Pekin. Some men die i'll the
examination some men struggle in the attempt
TO reach the capital and die on the way home
because they are completely exhausted by their
ldbOTS. The leader in the examination Is led
about the city i'll triumph. All the successful
candidates have their names inscribed on stone
in the temple OF COnfucus in Pekin This
binds the Empire as whole"
RELIGIOUS tREEDoM.-At the last session of
the Legislature, Governor Cornell vetoed a
bill entitled, "An Act to secure to inmates Of
institutions for the care of the poor freedom of
worship, and to provide for the visitation of
such institutions for that purpose" In his veto
message the Governor maintained IN brief that
the bill was impracticabe, since it would result
in rivalry between "sectarlan zeaOts and a
conflict of authority. Freedom of worship, as
guaranteed by the Constitution, pTcsuppOScd
ability of independent or scit-malntenanCe.
Endless confusion would arise under the provi-
sons of the bill. The Catholic Union eff the
City of New York, of which l.. b. BInssel is
president, at recent meeting adopted protest
against the doctrines expressed by the Gov
crnOr and called on the citizens OF the State TO
unite with them in rcmedying the evils i'll
tended to be rcdTesSed by this bill, and sccurins
10 all the rights guaranteed by the COnstltu-
ton In its protest the Union declares that
the bill was fair and impartial to all sccts, anu
was only intended to enforce the Constitutional
right of religious freedom; that the doctrine
that the enjoyment OF this freedom, as claimed
by the Governor, pTcsuppOSeS the ability OF IN
dependent or sClf-malutcnance, Is aS startling
and novel rs 1t Is tyrannlcal;' that the Gov
crnOr exceeded his authority in declaring that
" the simpler forms OF religious observance
would likely be as beneficial to those unfOrtu-
mates as the most elaborate and administrative
ceremonies y; that the passage of the bill would
uDt subject the inmates of the State Institutions
to the Tiyalrics OF sectariaU ZealOtS' but
would he accompanied 10y great benefits to
them; and that religious freedom is aS precious
rs the personal liberty protected by the writ of
habeas corpus. The protest concludes as fol-
lows: The SOphlstTy of the Governors argU-
mcuts against the vetoed bill, is the best proof
of the Justice of its provisions. Friends of re-
ligious freedom will rise from the pcrusal of
his message with new courage to continue their
efforts for the complete establishment of that
great constitutional right. 1t Will be accom-
pli,hod, not for one sect or denomlnaton but
for all mankind and all Will share and CRATE
fully acknowledge It's benefits
pREsBYTTRIANS AND DANCING.-The PrcSby-
terrain synod which was IN session at Eric,
Penn, a few days ago, rendered decision,
alter two days debate, in the case of Iebcr
Donaldson Il lawyer of EmlcntOn, Penn, who
was expelled from the Presbyterian church to
which he belonged, for dancing. According To
MIR. Donaldson while at Il private party last
spring he attempted to walk through the
nl,lrc of a quadrilc-sOmCthng he had never
before attempted He was expelled from the
church, and the Clarion Presbytery refused to
sustain his appeal. Consequently ne appealed
10 the synod which met at Erie. Mr.. Donald
son argued his own ease occupying n whole
day. lie maintained that the Bible did not plo-
hibit dancing. The sin consisted IN the abuse oft
The amusement, he claimed, was not con-
dcmncd b. the laws of the Church, and there
was no precedent for his expulsion. His plea
was long and elaborate. HIS peroratlon,'
says u reporter, was an eloquent and able re-
sumo of the case, and was listened To with the
closest attention 10y 4 congregation that filled
the church to overlooking. The next dly
David Lawson, a member of the Clarion bar,
representing The Clarion Prcsbytcry, was the
first speaker for the prosecution. CONSCIENCE,
he said. was not always safe guide. No line
could be drawn between, promlscuouS and
social dancing Mr. Donaldson committed an
offence against the Church because his example
was liable to lead others to the depths of wee.
Hence his act WAS calculated to bring diScredit
upon the Church. Mr.. Lawson also claimed
that an no place did the Bible sanction the
dancing of bath sexes together" When the
question was put TO vote reasons were given
by all the clcrgymcn for the way IN which they
voted. Only Il few maintained that dancing
was not Il sin against the law of the Church.
The vote stood: for sustaining the appeal, 20
against sustaining it, 70. In the excitement
Which followed Mr. Donaldson announced his
intention of appealing the case TO the General
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, which
meets at Springfield, H., next spring
Tho Roy. DIR. J. NJ. Buckley, Editor of he