Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-10-14
TIE AMERICAN BoaEr.
synopsis Of Reports :. .As AnnaI zsstiag a


The seyenty-seyenth annual meeting Of
the American board Of commissioners for
foreign missions began in r'es Moines, lows.
on the 9Th. Over a thousand delegates
were present. Atser preliminary business
Rev. +. X. Alden, home secretary, read
his annual report OF the prudential COM
mittssd, he stated.
During the past year there have entered
the missionary work, or are nov on their
way, eight missionaries and twenty-ssyen
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 OF
the district secretary. William kincaid OF
New York. who reported that apart from
iegacies there had been in all the states
save ons a gain in receipts over the preced-
ing wear. The committee further report
that special emphasis should be given to
the successful work OF the women OF the
church, Who are highly commended Tor
what they have done. Referring to the re-
ceipts OF the year the report says
Dedueting an exceptional gift OF over
$I9, 900, which came into the treasury
during the preceding year, the donations
jus. closed were in excess OF those OF the
preceding year about S16, 900. During the
past year the number OF missionary APP
poiutments 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'm
ferentially upon the great questions OF the
meeting, namely,
FUTURE PROBATION,
and the DRIFT OF DR.. AIden's report sustains
the prudential committee in refusing to
commission missionaries who believed IN
what il called 1.-THE new departure, but
does so very carefully in the following
guarded language, which was warmly APP
plauded:
The board does not assume to decide up
on the fitness Of an individual to be min
ister Of the gospel. but it is its duty 10 de.
eide, and that intelligentiy, on his original
and continued fitness TO be sustained by
the funds committed to its 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 oipermanent ecelesiasti-
cal bodies scattered over our country, and
they will hold the prudential committee
aud the board responsible for their seeing
that no part OF their contributions go Tor
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 p
Number Ct statious............-,....... 30
Number OF out stations.-...............- 81
Whole number of laborers sent
from this country ..-...........--...-.... A43
n 4
ed With missions..............,...,....... 2.s9s
Whole number pupils in mission
-.s-s.sssDS -
Following this report came that OF the
treasurer. Langdon Ward OF Boston:
IL gave as the coat Of missions for the
past year s62o, GAO. so: cost OF agencies,
IS, 533.32 cost OF publications, So, 1850;
cost Of administration, s22, $3.50; total
expenditures, $65S, 2S5.71; total receipts
from all sources for the year, $685., 667.26.