The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-06
FOREIGN MISSIONS,
Seventy-Seventh Annual Meeting of the
American Beard of Commissioners.

annual meeting Of the American Board Of Com
mssioners for Foreign Missions began in this
city this afternoon. BY the time of meeting
nearly thousand visiters had arrived and each
succeeding train has brought additions At 3
p NJ. a large audience had assembled at the
Grand Opera house, where the exercises are
being held The stage was filled with an army
of distinguished men, prominent in the ministry
and laity of the Congregational Church. New
England, and particularly Boston, was especially
we'll represented by the leading officials and
members of the prudential committee. AT
the center, and front of the stage. sat
the venerable Mark Hopkins, president OF the
board who, though past eighty years OF age,
had travelled 1880 miles to preside at this meet
ing. At his right, in their accustomed places
were the corresponding secretaries-Rev. n. q.
Clark, D. D.: E. K. Alden, D. D.; Julian Smith.
ID. D., and Treasurer Langdon s. Ward. all OF
Boston. On his left were the recording secre-
tary, Rev H. A. Stmson, u. d., OF st. Louis,
and the assistant recording secretary, Rev. nj.
Burnham of Springfield, Mass, and Rev. E. h.
Strong, editor of the Mission Herald. of Boston.
Grouped behind them on the stage were leading
men in the denomination. Among them were
President Bartlett of Dartmouth College; Presl.
dent Fairchild, of Oberin College; ex-President
Chaplin, of Beioit College; President Strong,
of Carleton College. Minnesota; PresI.
demo Butterfeld. Of Olivet College, Michigani
Prof. E. G. Smyth, of Andover, Mass; DIR. w.
E. Sheldon, of Boston, secretary of the National
Board of Education; Hon. Philo Parsons. OF De-
troit; Hon. A. G. Barstow, of Providence, K. l.;
Rev. A. c. Thompson D. D. of Boston. and his
brother, Prof. NJ Thompson D. D., of Hartford;
Rev. Burdett Hart D. D., of New Haven. Conn;
Rev. H. Fairbanks Phi. D., of Vermont; Ezra
Farnsworth. of Boston; Rev. t. III. Cobb D. D.,
of New York. Rev. E. B. Webo. D. D., Rev DR..
j. l.. Withrow, of Boston; q. Stiles Ely, of New
York.
Dr. Hopkins called the assembly to order and
announced hymn, which was sung by the en-
tire congregation. Prayer was offered by Rev.
DR.. Laurie, of Providence. r. l., and the record
ing secretary, Rev. DR.. Stimson, of st. Louis.
read the report of the last meeting.
Following came the appointment OF commit
tees, and the president named the following:
On Business-Hon. Z. D. Holton, Hon. Phio Par
sons, j. H. FairChild DR.. j. W. Strong Hon. Arthur
Tufts.
On Nominations--Dr. E. A. Noble, DR.. H. o. But
terfcld, Ralph Emeron
On Arrangements-Dr. A. L. Frisbie, DR.. nj. NJ q.
Dana, DIR. Ephraim Adams, Rev. Harry Hawkins, Ia
H. Pitkn.
kev. E. K. Alden, home secretary, then read
the annual report of the prudential committee.
He stated that during the past year there have
entered upon the missionary work of the board
abroad, now on their way, eight mission.
aries and twenty-seven assistant missionaries.
The report mentioned with expressions of deep
regret, the death, during the past year. of Mr..
Charles Hutchins for twenty years publishing
agent of the board. Incorporated in this
report was the report of the dis
trict secretary, William Kincaid, of New
York. who reported that, apart from
legacies, there has been in all the States save
one q gain in receipts over the preceding year.
District Secretary Dr. S. J. Humphrey, of Chi.
cago reported that in his district there is an in
crease in the aggregate of receipts last year.
The committee further report that special en-
phasis should be given to the successful work OF
the women of the church. who are highly com.
mended for what they have done. Referring to
the receipts of the year, the report says that
"deducting an exceptional gift of over $4,000,
which came into the treasury during the pre-.
ceding year, the donations justclosed were in ex
cess of those of the preceding year about SIG 000
During the past year the number of missionary
appointments made by committee was thirty
seven, larger number than during any previous
four years; larger, also, than the annual average
of the past ten years. The report of the con-:
mittee, as was expected touches inferentially
upon the great question of the meeting namely
future probation. The drift of DR.. Alden's re,
port sustairs the prudential committee in refus.
ing to commission missionaries who believe in
what is called 1.-THE New Departure, but does
so very carefully in the following guarded Ian.
guage, which was warmly applauded:
The board does not assume to decide upon the fit
ness of individual to be minister of the gospel
but it is their duty to decide and that integently
his original and continued fitness to be sustained
by the funds committed to their disposal as a mis-
sionary to the heather. The contributors to the
fund for fore Oh missions demand more evidence of
faithfuness in the preaching of tho gospel than
possibly be in possession even of the permanent
ecclesiastical bodies scattered country and
they will hold the prudential committee and the board
responsible for seeing that part of their conrbu
tons go for the propagation OF error either In doc
trine or in practice.
Following the report of the home secretary
came that of the foreign secretary, DR.. n C.
Clark, of Boston 1t stated that but four mis-
sionaries out of four hundred had died during
the past year, while four veterans, with an aver
age term of service of forty-six years had re-
tired. Then followed general survey of the
rules in each foreign country where missions ara
conducted by the board The report closed with
the following summary:
Number of missions, %; number Of stations,
50; number of out-stations, $40: whole number
of laborers sent from this country 434; whole
number of laborers connected with missions,
2,398; whole number of pupils in mission schools,
1887.
Following this report came that of the treas
urer, Laugdon S. Ward, of Boston. 1t gave AS
the cost of missions for the past year, $780,
GAO so; cost of agencies So 533 3d. cost of publ
cations, So, 255. Co. cost of administration $22,-
$685. 90; total expenditures, S65S, 265 IL total
ceipts from all sources for the year, 1863 667 90
After devotional exercises the convention adj
journed until evening
The evening session was devoted to the annual
sermon by Rev. j. l.. Wlthrow, ID. d., pastor of
Ln6 Tdrk-SLreeL Cnurcn, boston. ne opera
house was packed, hundreds being turned away.
Dr. Withrow spoke on The Condition and Con.
version of the Heather" taking as text Acts
xvi, H. His sermon was largely devoted to tho
doctrinal po nts in connection with missionary
work now under discussion, and was aimed espe-
cially at the doctrine of future probation. With
out discussing the subject on it's merits, hc
urged that the church had too much to do to pay
any attention to such specuations. 1.-THE
church has no timo to waste on dead pagans. he
exclaimed. Christ said, LET the dead bury
their Dead" so he insisted that the church should
let the dead, molderng past cake care fitself.
and address itself directly to the work of tho
present. His address, which was very conserva-
tive and thoroughly in line with the views OF
the old school, was frequently applauded by the
vast audience. 1t regarded as specially