Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-10
STATE or THE CHURCHES, &C.

TIE following report Of the Committee
on the State OF the Churches, the Needs
of the Field, aud Ministerial Support
was the most important paper presented
10 the association, contains rCSUiHc Of
tho work of the past year, provoked the
most animated debate Of the session, and
WAS adopted:
Your committee find that tEenty-one
churches have reported by letter to this
session Of the association. During the
associational year thero have been lS9
additions TO the churches. The number
Of dimlnuti0us has been l5S, showing a
net gam of 81 members.
Contributions 10 the boards Of the
General Association have been as fol
lows: State Missions, S203 81; Home
Missions Sl0S.20; Foreign Missions,
SlG2 SG Sunday-Schooland Bible Board,
Slj00l Education Board, Si6.21; Min
listers Relief Fund, $C}13. Ascompared
with the contributions of last session
there has been for state Missions a gain
Of 3}G.42 for Home Missions, 81; for
Foreign Missions Sl4S2; for the sun
day-School and Bible Board n loss of
$3.50; for the Education Board, loss
Of S97 for the Ministers Relief Fund, a
loss Of S3.47.
There has not been any considerable
increase in the aggregate amount OF con
tributious. vet some of the churches have
contributed TO larger number of boards
than they have heretofore done.
We are glad to be able to estate that
every church reports q Sunday school
and that there seems to be an increased
interest IL this department Of church
work.
Seventeen churches have pastors and
seven are only temporarily supplied. Ihe'
number OF regular pastors Is seven.
Several Of these churches. some with
regular pastors, others with supplies,
have received aid from the state Mission
Board. We feel very grateful to tins
board for the aid that they have giyenu us,
and hope 10 show our gratitude to II by
liberal contributions from our churches
in the years to come.
Your committee would submit whether
some of these churches are not really III
a condition to sustain themselves whe-
ther they are not receiving an injury III
receiving aid. and whether the funds
might not be more judiciously employed
in aiding pastors or others 10 build up
the cause of Christ in neglected and
entirely destitute portions Of our dis
trct.
We regret that none of the churches
are sufficiently a.ouscd to the importance
OF ministerial support, and recommend
that vigorous and persistent effort be
made in all our churches to induce every /
member to contribute of his means 10 |
the support Of the Gospel
We would suggest that the times
urgently demand that all the members /
of our churches should be fully aroused !
TO "a sense OF their individual response |
bility. and for this reason We heartily |
endorse the laymen's movement that has |
already effected in some OF our assocla-
tions such gratifying results.
We would recommend that the associa-
ton at It's present session appoint an etti-
cient layman TO represent each of tine /
boards of the General Association and TO !
cooperate with the Laymen's Union in
arranging fields, in settling pastors. and |
III otherwise supplying lno ues'I'u'iOn'
Mr.. THoRNnILL HEARD FROM.
DR.. 7. p. Mathews, OF this city, has |
received the following, dated Glasgow, |
Scotland. July 25th, from Rev. l.. X.
'rhornill, who is travelling with Rev. DR..
Hatcher Arrived here yesterday (Jnly
2lth) at $50 p. NJ, or about . 4. NJ. by
Richmond time. Had fine voyage,
which gave us quite q varied experience.
We seemed to sail on a sea Of
glass in an almost perfect calm, and on
Friday we were tossed and shaken and
almost terrified on the billowy sea.
said | wanted to see storm at sea.
and when it came longed 70 see 1t
of. Tho .torm lasted about eight hours
was among the few POSSIBLY DOZEN
who escaped seasickness and did not
mss q meal. nor did | fail TO DO my
duty at every meal. My appetite be-
cane rayenous, ana, with three meals
day. was hungry at almost every one;