The sun., 1886-10-14
THE AMERICAN BOARD.


The seventy seventh annual meeting Of
the American board OF commissioners for
foreign missions began in Des Moines, Iowa,
on the 5th. Over thousand delegates
were present. After preliminary business
Rev. E. K. Alden, home secretary, read
his annual report OF the prudential com.
mitted. He stated.
During the past year there have entered
the missionary work, or are now on their
way, eight missionaries and twenty-seven
assistant missionaries. The report men,
toned, with expressions OF deep regret, the
death during the past year OF Charles
Hutchins, for twenty years the publishing
agent of the board.
Following this report came the report oil
the district secretary, William Kincaid oi
New York, who reported that apart from
legacies there had been in all the states
save one a gain in receipts over the preced.
ing year. The committee further report
that special emphasis should be given tc
the successful work OF the women OF the
church, who are highly commended for
what they have done. Referring to the re:
ceipts OF the year the report says:
Deducting an exceptional gift OF over
$19, 900, which came into the treasury
during the preceding year, the donations
Just closed were in excess Of those OF the
preceding year about SIG, 900. During the
past year the number OF missionary ap-
pointments made by committees was thir-
ty-seven-a larger number than during any
previous four years; larger, also than the
annual average OF the past ten years.
The report OF the committee touches i'll.
ferentially upon the great questions OF the
meeting, namely,
FUTURE PROBATION,
and the drift OF DR.. Alden's report sustains
the prudential committee in refu sing to
commission missionaries who believed in
what is called 1.-The new departure" but
does so very carefully in the following
guarded language, which was warmly ap-
plauded:
The board does not assume to decide up
on the fitness OF an individual to be min
lister of the gospel but it is its duty to de-
eide, and that intelligently, on his original
and continued fitness to be sustained by
the funds committed toits disposal as
missionary to the heathen. The contribu.
tors to the fund for foreign missions de-
mand more evidence OF faithfulness in the
preaching OF the gospel than can possibly be
in possession even Oipermanente ecclesiasti-
cal bodies scattered over our country, and
they will hold the prudential committee
and the board responsible for their seeing
that no part OF their contributions go for
the portion of error in doctrine or in
practice.
Following the report of the home secre-
tary came that OF the foreign secretary,
Mr.. Clark of Boston. The report gave
the following summary:
Number of missions. %
Number of ations...................... S5
Number of out stations.............:... 81
Whole number of laborers sent
from this country try.................". 443
Whole number laborers connect
ed with ssions......................... 2,39S
Whole number pupils in mission
school,. ...........39, 977
Following this report came that of the
treasurer, Langdon Ward of Boston:
It gave as the cost of missions for the
past year $500, ,64O.5O; cost Of agencies,
80, 533. 80; cost OF publications, SIS, 1850;
cost OF administration, $22, ,855. 60; total
expenditures, $65S, ,2S5.71; total receipts
from all sources for the year, $3.50. 667. .26.