The Indianapolis journal., 1892-05-01

for the ministry and was graduated in
1880 with the highest honors In his class.
After a theological course mt Lane
Seminary. he became home missionary
in Wisconsin. and later was settled in the
Oak Park Presby terian Church of Chicago.
From thence he was called to his present
church, succeeding the Rev. Dr. A. l..
Lindsey. four years ago. The F1ret Church
eighteen months when DIR. Brown entered
upon his work here During that time the
old church property had been sod. the
present site selected and the foundation for
new stone editice laid. In speaking or
his work at Portland. friend says: 'Dr.
Brown entered upon his work with char
acterlstic energy and O coneecrated pur-
pose, and 1t very soon became evident tnat
the work of completing the new edihce
must be pushed forward with all possible
vigor in order to accommodate the rapidly
increasing congregation. This was done
and the chapel 40 far completed that the
nrst service was held there In 1889, and the
main auditorium of the magnificent new
church was occupied for the first time
in October of the following year. 1t was
then thought. with a seating capacity OF
eight hundred, this room would give ample
accommodations for several years, but be-
fore the end OF the first year the continued
and rapid increase again forced the con-
vlcti0n that more room must be provided
in the very near future. When the Gener-
al Assembly at Detroit accepted Portland's
lUtltNtlOu 10 ufccb I'LL bul6 CuuICn III May,
1892. there was no longer time for hesi-
tance. and it was Mt once decided TO build
a gallery on three sides of the main audi
tOrium, which increases tho seating ca
pacity to over 1,3OO. Seldom hos
church been called upon TO increase it's ac-
commoda ations so often in so short period
And this rapid growth in attendance Ia not
more marked than the growth In member.
ship. which has increased from 30l to 900.
an average gain of 1l2 each year OF Dr:
npnr sxfe otn "a md ff IN O.
note that, although the members of the
congregation were called upon to expend
so princely sum for building purposes
within the four years, yet the beneyo-
leDces were not neglected. During that
period tho amount given to the various
causes was over Sl35.0C0. home missions
alone receiving about $4,000"
A large committee on arrangements has
been actively at work for many months
anticipating not only evory possible need
them many pleasures as we'll Every thing
that can be done to make tho delegates
and their friends comfortable while in the
city or on the coast has been accomplished.
Popular meetings, o banquet and excur-
sions. including one TO Alaska. are among
the plans ready to be carried out.
Considerable interest centcrs every year
about the selection of q moderator. and
this interest 10 unusually keen this spring.
for while this is to be pre-. eminently
home missionary assembly, If the desires
of the hosts are consulted, there is no de-
nying the fact that there is also to be q
gathering when some of the gravest
o body are to be discussed. and
the man called upon to preside
will need to have not only firmness
and parliamentary knowledge, but also all
the tact of the wisest men in the church.
AS much Of the work of the assembly is
done In the cor1mi tee-rooms. q great deal
will depend upon the appointment of the
committees and this is left entirely to the
moderator. Among the candidates men
toned. perhaps the name most prominent
is DR.. Wallace Radcliffe. pastor of
the Fourth Church of Detroit. the host Of
the assembly last year. Dr. Radcliffe is
nearly fifty years old. and has the
confidence Of all who know him. DR..
S. J. McPherson, of Chicago. is also men
toned. Like DR.. Radcliffe, be received his
theological training at Princeton and also
his collegiate education, while DR.. Rad
cliffe, is graduate Of Jefferson.