The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-27
THE CHURCH CONVENTIONS.
Northern Presbyterians Discuss Reports
on Missions and Publications.
The Sum of $SOO,OO3 To Be Raised Next
Year-The Southern Presbyterians Decide
that Man Was Created from Nothing.
NoRTHERN PREsBYTERIANs.

Reports and Discussions Missions and
Church Publications.
MINNEAPoLIs, May 26-The morning devo-
tions of the Presbyterian General Assembly
were led by /. Marling of New York. An over
ture from the Presbytery of Rio de Janeiro,
asking reafirmation of the doctrines of the Con-
fession of Faith concerning the Church of Rome,
Chapter %, Section 6, was answered that further
action is inexpedent
To the objections made by the Presbyteries Of
Austin and Trinity, on account Of the common use
of such expressions as Northern Presbyterian
Church." Presbyterian Church North" the
assembly urged clerks, secretaries, and reli
gous papers carefuness to use always the legal
title, the Presbyterian Church in the United
States of America" so as to avoid prejudice
against the work in the Southern States.
The report of DIR. D. w. Fisher reviewed the
Foreign Mission Boards annual report The
total receipts were $745.l64, from which
was paid last years debt of $57.651.
AS the years current expenditures
manned, April 30, of $751; $685. It is painful fact
tki.t the contributions have slightly decreased
from the women's Boards, from Sunday schools
and from requests. The total decrease is ST, 594.
schools, emitting special collections for the debt,
were little more than 1919 900. which, strange
ly, is the exact sum given in 1884 and 1883. Ihe
report asks if the fatal limit OF $279, 600 shall be
an impregnable rampant of heathenism beyond
which the spiritual forces Of the Presbyterian
Church cannot pass. The schools gave
$l52. 169 in Christmas offerings. Encouraging
progress of the work in all foreign fields was re-
ported, especially in Japan, Syria and Persia.
There were added foreign mission churches by
inf coin md thav vhnlo thar n
municants is 2O294 in 27l churches, who have
contributed $23.O59 for missions There are
Ii ITO scholars in the Sunday schools.
Pending the adoption of resolutions the new
ruary, made his maiden speech and good i'm
preston, speaking of himself as "Bap-
tized for the dead" to take the
place of the lamented DR.. David Irving
DR.. Gillespie reviewed the years work. In con-
necton with the decision to combine all the
missionary periodicals in one, he mentioned that
the Foreign Missionary had been self supporting,
not only, but had earned SO 900 yearly for the
general mission work; yet the board will heartily
attempt to make the experiment of one periodi
cal grand success.
The assembly applauded his appeal for their
aid in getting the hoard a hearing in $4,000
homes, instead Of 20, 900, by the new magazine.
The Sunday schools are asked to raise $50, 900
as Christmas offering. Sabbath in November
is set apart as day of special prayer The
churches will attempt to raise $3.50 900 next year.
besides the debt or total Of $500. 900, the as
sembly pledging this by rising vote
At the afternoon session the committee on
education recommended no answer to the over
lures from the presbyteries of Cape Fear and
Yadkin. to change the rules regarding colored
students. An overture will be sent the presby-
teries on licensing men to preach to the masses
without full education.
A lively debate occurred on the resolutions
appended to the report Of the publication board
One, to provide for total separation of the bust
ness and missionary departments, was rejected.
The officers of the board were reelected and
Rev. George Alexander to fill vanccncy. The
years work was commended. The annual re-
port shows that !, 900 copies of books and
tracts were published, with 1857, 776 copies Of
periodicals; the total receipts, $29S, 4l0. In the
business department. the expenditures were
1924. 466 The missionary department received
$50, 894 of the $50, 900 recommended by the last
Assembly, Of which 500, 919 were from
churches and Sunday schools. The year
closes with a debt In this department
of $24, 5l1. $4,000 greater than the year before.
Eighty-nine eolporteurs have sold and given
$780, 800 volumes. and 7,143 900 pages of tracts,
besides doing wide missionary work.
The evening meeting was devoted to the inter
ests Of foreign missions.