The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-27

JIG Tia aaNC v nOuC vi
which was connected with the Messiah
craze but instead contributed q. 900 tow ard
our benevolent causes In Spencer Acad-
envy. Indian Territory, there have been
many conversions. Dur two churches
among the Pimas and Papagoes, of Ari-
zOna. cost 5000. of which the Indians paid
5000. At Tucson we have n fine academy
with l42 scholars. In Alaska our Sitka
Church has received thirty-four members.
snG has in all 31s. Three students lave
married and begun 20 set up Christian
homes. and others ane seeking preparation
as teachers.
aries and teachers. $40: additions on pro-
fesslon, lO,6o3; additions on certificate, T.
4OS; a total of 1874 Total In congrega-
tons, I. 262; total in Sabbath-schools, 49,
169: One hundred and thirty-hve churches
built during the year cost S425.4o2. Our
church buildings number 1881. valued at
S4.y15.29 p~arsonages. 3g7, OF the value OF
Si92. 7O4. Church debts paid during the
year amounted TO Sl43,s6S. while the total
receipts for the year were 1851 .9O6.57. The
four synods of Baltimore, New Jersey. New
York and Pennsylvania paid through the
usual channels. s325.65z50."
Recommendations were made to the as
scmbly In connection with or overture
from Niagara Presby terry asking that each
presbytery be invited to send delegates to
the fall meeting of the missionary confer
ence, and that such delegates shall consti-
tuto special committees on home missions
within the bounds of each presbytery; and
also urging the board 10 push Sabbath
school work and that among foreign popu-
latlOns.
TO THE ATE REV. VAN DYKE.
The moderator announced various COM
mittees and also the instantaneous death
from angina pectoris of Prof. Henry j. Van
Dyke, ID. D.. of Brooklyn, who had just re-
signed bis passionate to take the chair of
systematic theology In Union Theological
Seminary. A telegram of coincidence was
sent to the widow, and a committee was
named TO prepare the minute which Is Gus
tomary v hen a former moderator Of the as
sembly dies during it's sessions. The
moderator then led in prayer.
DIR. Mcmillan, the new secretary of the
Board OF Home Missions, spoke tenderly of
DIR. Van Dyke, who was at one time an act
i've member of the board and always its
warm friend; and also of the venerable
Secretary kendell who is. on account of
illness, absent for the first time in thirty
years. He gave q vivid picture of the
difficulties of getting a hearing for the Cos
pei In some OF the new towns In their BOOM
ing period. when Sunday is far the most
busy day In the week and the saloon Is
seemingly absolute master of the situation.
lie said the rich men OF the
new West have made their money
without gospel influences and do not
contribute as they ought to gospel work.
Many Scotch people are coming into New
England. and they are said TO be predesti-
mated to be very bad people, if they are
not Presby terians. In the West nowadays
there is almost nothing of the Old-time
rivalry between denominations He told
of a town where the paper announced that
when the Baptist bell rang the Presbyterian
minister would preach IN the Methodist
Church. Il have myself run a quarterly
meeting for the Methodists," be said. The
Indian Is very accessible to the gospel and
work among them very hopeful. Had we
spent 10 per cent. of what it has cost to kill
them In evangelizing them there would
have been no ghost dances. Our mission
aries felt perfectly safe during those horri-
bic days" He told of the great progress
made in New Mexico among S~panish-Amer-
have been trained in missionary schools
will do the right thing on juries to those
poly gamous old wretches. Now we must
not let this work go by default for lack of
money. Rowland Hill would have said
that the elder ought to be ~hung-thati lie by
the heels, so hat the money could run out
of his pockets" The speech was a very
stirring one. and held the attention of the
assembly closely.
Remarks on the home mission work in
New England were made by the pastor.
Rev. Sinclair. of the old church in New
buryport IN which George Whitefield lies
buried, and, "whO," he said. preferred our
policy. We could establish sixteen new
churches at once if we had the money.
COngregationalists are beginning to see
that there is room for a church that has a
standard-that is steadfast-and they are
looking to see what we will do at the meet
ing of this assembly to vindicate those
standards"
Rev. James S. Mcdonald. of California.
spoke feelingly of the death of DR.. Van
Dyke, and described some characteristic
features of the work in the Northwest
MINISTER'S.
Elder Kilrar Van Rensselaer,. of New
York. said: what is the use In pledging
o,-aaluas 20 ra;aa 81 900 900 &c xya A., MT do
il? IL is a moekery unless we can reach the
non-contributing churches. One reason is
that we have so many pastors not to the
manor born. who do not understand. and
who do much to upset our system. Let rs
be dead In earnest. 1t Is the ministers.
They read O notice in a tremnlous voice,
hut do not preach and inform their people
about IT.
Rev. Thomas Boyd, of Oregon. told how
they raised money there. Our 152 home
missionaries churches" he said, have
paid their share of the great debt. You in
the East should do the same. To-day we
shall reach high-water mark; what we do
for this board will gauge what we will do
for ali the rest. Picketts charge at Gettys-
burg filled its cemetery with graves
marked unknown the Northwest is full
of the unknown graves of those who have
fallen in our work"
james Lewis, ID. d., of Illinois, formerly
a colonel in the Union army, spoke of the
aspects of the work in the central part of
the country. He thought 1.-The amount we
vote is not an absolute pledge. but a mark
to be arrived at. Still. we have enough
mOuey. If We only get 1T out, and to do that
we must expect 10 DO it,
The recommendations of the report were
taken up scriatim. They included one
suggested IN an overture from Niagara
Presby terry for the appointment of q mis-
sionary council. and with delegates from
pTesbyteries In the same proportion as to
the assembly. these delegates to constitute
spec. al committees for awakening q gen.
eral interest in missionary work; recogniZ-
ing the value of the work lone by the
wOmen's executive committees: the taxing
or special collections IN Sabbath-schools
the Sunday before Thanksgiving: of push
ing work among foreigners, perhaps of ap-
pointing n special secretary for It. and one
TO raise q, zoo. 0O0 this year for this work.
Rev. Mr.. Adolphus krebs, of ST. Louis,
urged q better provision for the two Ger
man seminarles. 1--WE Germans are tired
of resolutions that are not acted upon," he
said. A recess was then taken.
b OBSERVANCE.
At the afternoon session Col. Elliot f.
Shepard. of New York. presented the report
of the committee on Sabbath observance.
1t declared against the tendency toward
the violation of the Sabbath as evidenced
in the opening Of art galleries and reading
Tooms. The excuse given that they were
intended for the benefit of the poor was set
down as q delusion and a snare. The com-
mittee recommended the closing of the
worlds fair gates on Sundays and the set
ting aside of the first week In April, 1897,
"a q week of prayer for Sunday observance.