St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-06
FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
A Notable Gathering of the American
Board Of Commissioners For For
eign Missions.
The Congregational Denomination Repre-
Sented by Distinguished Throng
of Eminent Divines.
Chief Among Whom Was the Veneer.
able and Honored President,
Mark Hopkins.
A Doctr1nal Question Treated With
Mingled Lfberal1ty and Con-
serVatism.
Foreign Mission Work.

DEs MONIES, Ia, Oct. 5.-The seventy
board of commissioners for foreign mis-
slons began in this city this afternoon. BY
the time of meeting nearly one thousand
visitors had arrived, and each succeeding
Train has brought additions At D. NJ a
large audience had assembled in the Grand
opera house where the exercises are being
held. The stage was filled with an array
OF distinguished men prominent in the min
istry and laity of the Congregational
church. New England, and particularly
Boston, was especially well represented by
the leading officials and members Of the pru-
DENTAL committee. At the center and front
OF the stage sat the venerable Mark Hopkins,
president of the board, who, though past so
years OF age, had travelled 1900 miles to
preside at this meeting. At his right, in
their accustomed places, were the CORE
spending secretaries Rev. N. G. Clark, D..
u. and Treasurer LaBgdon S. Ward, of
Boston. On his left were the recording
secretary, Rev. FL. A. Stillson, D. D., OF
st. Louis. and the assistant recording Sec
rotary, Rev. NJ. Durham, of Springfield,
Mass, and Rev. DR.. E. E. Strong, editor
behind them on the stage were
LEADING MEN IN THE DENOMINATION.
Among them were President Bartlett. of
Dartmouth college; President Fairchild. of
Oberlin college; ex-President Chaplin. of
Beloit college; President Strong, of earle.
ton college, Minnesota: President Butter.
field, of Olivet college. Michigan; Prof.
E. G. Smyth, of Andover college, Massa-
chusetts; DR.. W. E. Sheldon, of Boston,
secretary of the National board of educa-
ton; Hon. Phile Parsons, of Detroit; Hon.
A. G. Barstoe, of Providence, r. l.;
Rev. Thompson, of Boston, and
his brother. Prof. William Thomp-
son. of Hartford, Conn; Rev. Burdett
Hart, D. D.. of New Haven. Conn; Rev.
ii. Fairbanks. Oh. D, of Vermont; Ezra
Farnsworth, of Boston; Rev, L. H. Cobb,
d. d., OF New 7 ork; Rev. E. B. Webb, d.
D., of Boston; Rev. DR.. j. L. Withrow,
of Boston, and F. Stiles Ely, of New
York. DR.. Hopkins called the assembly to
order and announced hymn, which was
sung by the entire congregation. Prayer
was offered by Rev. Dr.. Lawrie, of Provi-
dence, and the recording secretary read the
report OF the last meeting. Following
came the appointment Of committees, and
the president named the following;
Busness-Hon. E. DR. Holton, Hon. Philo
Parsons, J. FL. Fairchild, DIR. j. W. Strong,
Hon. Arthur Tufts.
Nominations-Dr. F. A. Noble, DIR. II. Q.
Butterfeld, Ralph Emerson.
Arrangements-Dr A. l.. Frisbie, DR.. NJ.
NJ G. Dana, DR.. Ephraim Adams, Rev. II.
Hawkins, E. PetkeR.
Rev. E. K. Alden, home secretary, then
read his annual report of the prudential
committee, and he stated that during the
past year there have entered the missionary
work of the board, or are now on their way,
eight missionaries and twenty-seyen as
sistant missionaries. The report men
toned, with
EXPRESSIONS OF DEEP REGRET,
the death during the past year of Mr..
Charles Hutchins, for twenty years publish
ing agent Of the board. Incorporated in
this report was the report of the district
secretary, William kincaid, of New York,
who reported that apart from legacies there
had been in all the states save one, gain
in receipts over the preceding year. Dis
trict Secretary Humphrey, of Chicago. re-
ported that in his district there is an in
crease in the aggregate of receipts over last
year. The committee further report that
special emphasis should be given to the sue
cessful work of the women of the church,
who are highly commended for what they
have done. Referring to the receipts of
the year, the report says that deduct
ing on exceptional gift of over
$4,000 which came into the
treasury during the preceding year. the do
nations just closed were in excess of those
the preceding year about $3.50, 900. During
the past year the number of missionary ap-
pointments made by committees was thirty
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 inferen-
TALLY upon the great question of the meet
ing, namely, future probation. The drift
of DR.. Alden's report sustains the pruden-
tial committee in refusing to commission
missionaries who believe 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 upon
the fitness Of an individual to be a minister
of the gospel, but it Is their duty to decide.
and that intelligsntly, on his original and
continued fitness to be sustained by the
funds committed to their disposal as mis-
sionary to the heather. The contributors to
the fund for foreign missions demand more
0VlQ6pc6 Oh IdlLnIulHcSS III the preaching OF
the gospel than can possibly be in possession
of even the permanent ecclesiastical bodies
scattered over the country, and they will hold
the prudential committee and the board re-
sponsibe for seeing that no part of their
cont ributions go for the spreading OF error
in doctrine or in practice. -
Following the report of the home secre-
tary came that OF the foreign secretary,
Benjamin Clark, of Boston. The report
frl1
Der of missions 90, number of stations SIS,
number Of sub-stations 81, whole number
of laborers sent from this country 443.
whole number of laborers connected with
missions 2,S9s. while number of pupils in
mission schools 80, OFT. Following this re-
port came that of the treasurer, Langdon
Ward, of Boston. 1t gave as the cost of
missions for the past year 1920, 640.5O cost
of agencies SO, 533. 80, cost of publication
SIS, 255 90, cost of administration S22,-
$3.50, total expenditures S65S, 2S5. II,
total from all sources for the year $685.
667.20. After devotional exercised adj
jovrned till evening.
THE EVENING SESSION
was devoted to the annual sermon by Rev.
j. L. Withrows. D. D., pastor of the Park
Street church, Boston. The opera house
was packed. hundreds being turned away.
DR.. Withrow spoke on The Condition and
Conversion of the Heathen," from the text,
Acts xvi. Is. His sermon was largely de-
voted to the doctrinal points in connection
with missionary work under scussiou, and
were aimed specially at the doctrine of flu
ture probation. Without discussing the
subject on its merits, he urged that the
church had too much to do to pay any at
tention to such speculatiens. 1.-The church
has no time to waste on dead Pagans," he
exclaimed. Christ said let the dead bury
the dead" So he insisted that the church
should let the dead moalder and take care
OF the future His address, which was
very conservative and thoroughly in line
with the views of the old school. was fire.
quontly anpauded.