The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-07
WORK. OF PRESBYTERIANS.
A Review by DR.. James Mcleod of the
Reports to the General Assembly.
The Progress Made During the Last Year by
the Denomination Throughout the Coun-
try in Different Branches of Work.

The sermon of DR.. James Mcleod, pastor OF
The Second Presbyterian Church, yesterday
morning, was devoted to reviewing the more i'm
portant proceedings of the Presbyterian General
Assembly at its recent session in Mime
apolis, which he attended. His text was:
''And the apostles and elders came
together for to consider Of this mat
lerS-Acts XIV, 6 After speaking of the nota-
table gathering referred to in the text he said
Of the Presbyterian General Assembly that it
had doubtless made, from time to time, some
mistakes, but on the whole these great gather
ings have done much to further the interests of
the Redeemer's kingdom.
In speaking of the work done during the last
As lovers of home and of country. as well az
lovers of Christ, we are all interested in the
work Of home missions. This board of our
ehureh has for its object the spiritual care of
prived Of gospel privileges There are vast
numbers in the West and Northwest who would
be without the gospel were it not for home
missionaries The crowds which have been
rushing Westward and NorthwGrd, and who
still are rushing thither, are from all lands
Many of these came from Scotland. and from
the north Of Ireland, and from Canada, and
hence in religious matters they are
closely allied TO our church. We must
not neglect them. Multitudes came
from Germany and from other parts of
Europe, and it is our duty, in common with that
Of sister denominations, to follower, better
still 20 aceompany-these immigrants with the
blessed gospel of Christ. for without that gospel
they must prove curse rather than blessing
TO our land. They need the gospel not only for
the sake of the hereafter but for the sake of the
here. Their sobriety. honesty, integrity and
good citizenship depend upon Christianity. The
past few months have taught US lesson In that
direction. We need not go into the far Western
States and Territories in order to learn 1T. A
great deal of home mission work IS needed in
some of our great cities and in some of our older
States.
In connection with the Board of Home Mis-
-Sions 1867 missionaries have been employed dur
ing the past year. These have been scattered
throughout forty -eight States and Territories,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Can
ada to the Gulf of Mexico. Their success may
Do seen from few facts contained
Gathered into churches, 1855; conversions.
0,56l; baptized, both infants and adults, 1885;
Sunday schools organized. 1893; number OF Sun
day-schoos, 2,035; membership OF Sunday
schools 1872 128; church edifices, 1,458; value of
these church ediices, So 97l OBI; churches built
during the year. 100; churches repaired and en-
hrged, 1885, church debts cancelled, $l22, 593:
churches that became self sustaining. 81;
churches organized, l40; number of parsonages
III.
1l6 These.facts and figures are noteworthy.
They show a commendable degree Of progress
But they only tell part OF the story. They do
not speak of the trials and hardships which
many of these missionaries have had to undergo;
trials and hardships quite as severe in many in
stances as any to which missionaries In heatnen
lands are subject.
The total amount contributed to this board
from all sources during the past year has been
s671, 72870. OF this amount $ll7, 81 was
given toward the payment of the debt
a. thss tine time was This has
been reduced, so that the total debt
of this board at the present time is only $43,
$3.50. But even this is far too large. There
ought not to be any debt Instead, there ought
20 be large balance in the treasury, 30 that
this great arm of the church might do its work
vigorously aud effectively. This is work that
appeals to Us not only as Christians but as citi-
Gems and patriots. and our church must rise
20 the greatness Of the occasion and come up TO
che help of this board. The field is growing
larger every year. Our own youth are rushing
westward. Other peoples tired of wretched-
ness and poverty. many OF despot-
Ism and tyranny, are coming to this
land of liberty and of abundance. and let it be
again emphasized that if these people are to be-
come good and lawabiding citizens they must
be trained in the school of Christ, and that mean
earnest, faithful. self sacrificing work By home
missionaries for many years to come. Our own
Tor home missions and, as we have been blessed
In the past, we ought now to esteem it a great
privilege to help those who are as needy as we
once were.
The work done by the foreign mission board
during the past year is quite encouraging. Our
church has sent out to foreign fields forty-s
missionaries. The whole number employed by
our church, both male and female, Americans
and natives, is 1.5l3 These are distributed as
follows: Among the Indian tribes in this land
IN Maviao co. Guatemala x. Sopth m
o.; Africa, As; India, 285; Siam and Laos SO;
China and among the Chinese in America,
S16 Japan, ST. Corea, 5; Persia, 207; Syria.
23l But statistics cannot tell the amount of
good done among the heather by these Christian
workers. The fact that 1888 have made pro-
fesson of their faith in Christ during the year
Is cheering, but how many besides them have
been blessed and helped toward better life
eternity alone will reveal. The hope of the
church in heather lands like the hope of the
church in Christian lands is largely connected
with the young. Train up child in
The way he should CO. ard when he is old
he will not depart from it. Hence, it is exceed
ingiy gratifying to know that in the schools
established By our missionaries more than q. 600
children and youth have been gathered from day
80 day during the year, and that in addition to
this, more than 1000 have been trained in Sab
bathschools. It is gratifying. also. to learn that
ninety eight young men, once heather, are study
ing with view to thu ministry. The total
amount contributed for the support of
this board has been $745. l64.46 Il will
be- remembered that there was a deficiency
last year of more than $780, 600, and as
the liabilities Of the board, including
the debt of last year. amounted to little more
than $500 000 the board has been compelled to
come up to the Assembly this year with debt of
E57, 853 % This is greatly to be regretted, but
oar church cannot afford to take backward step
IN this great field. We ars abundantly able to
double our contributions TO both these great
boards without in the least degree pinching or
Empoverishing ourselves. The truth is that so
few give literally and systematically. and as the
Lord hath prospered them. The noble
women Of our church have, through
their auxiliaries. contributed to this cause
more than $224000, and there is
but little doubt that they will do even better
during the current year. The Assembly recog-
nzed their efficiency. and requested their hearty
cooperation for the coming year. Our whole
Ehurch ought to raise for the eause not less than