The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-24
YEARS GOOD WORK.

Annual reports or the Various Boards or
the Presbyterian Church.
The annual reports of the various
church boards. made public today, and TO
be taken up by the assembly from time
to time, show encouraging results in every
branch OF the work. The permanent COM
mittee on ten perance enters into that
subject largely in detail. and makes some
recommendations that will come before
the assembly. Referring to the worlds
fair, the report saws: 1--WE can not con-
template except with feelings of shame
the proposed spectacle to be placed before
all the world OF a vast national grog-shop
and q vast national exhibition OF the
trampling down of law"
The establishment by congress of an
impartial commission of inquiry concern
ing the liquor traffic, is favored. THE
bill" continues the report, has several
times passed the senate, but the liquor
power rallying its forces, has always de-
feGted it in the lower house." Local
option is not regarded as the beat and ulti-
mate solution Of the liquor problem, but
the most OF the presbyteries here favored
ii as stepping-stone toward general pro-
hibi,ion. Among all the reports OF pres
byteriss the license system has no advo-
cate or epologst. The report emphaslzes
the statement tibet the church is not "A
political organization, but OWES it to God
and humanity 10 give unequiv0eal utter
ance on such moral question:.
And though q question in morals
should," saws the report through the
action Of political parties. become polit-
zeal question glsO, the church Is not. on
thar account, 10 be precluded from deal
ing with il. The Endorsement OF civil
goEesHmsnt or Of n political party must
rot be permitted 10 exempt immortality
from the rebuke OF tho church; and that
which would be clear wrong il done by
| the individual does not become right
when thousands join in is performance
| The report also protests against tie insti-
tuition known rs the army canteon, in
which. 1t ciaims. army officers aud SOL
diers are detailed as saIoon-keepers.
OtheT Reports.
The report OF the special committee
shows that the Christian Standard has at
tanned an average monthly issue OF n, 220
copies The total receipts OF ell the boards
~
increase over 1892 OF Sl7S.765.
The report OF the board Of church-erec-
ton fund shows that during the year
there were go applications for assistance,
upon which grants were made aggregatiug
Sos. 39l. and loans sol 1872 This tOtal ex-
ceeds any previous year in the history of
| the board, and still there is an INSULT
cheney OF supplies More than one.hall
the churches On the roll of the assembly
do not contribute to this fund, and the
board begins the new year with an empty
! treasury and many pressing demands
upon IL.
The result OF the years work OF the
board OF ala for colleges and academies
has not proved disappointment 10 the
exIectations OF the church. During the
year the receipts have been SO, 1874 and
the donations in the shape OF aid aggre-
gated S63630. Forty institutions have
been assisted and twenty states occupied.
The aggregate enrolment of students
is 1902. of which 2.794 are engaged In
systematic bible study.
The report of the board in charge of the
missions for freedmen shows that nearly
| 100000 annually Is being expended in
this direction with very good results The
| expenditures last year amounted 10 $685.,
COZ, while the receipts were Sl70,3l0. I'M
| der this board there were l52 ordained
ministers and 25S churches, with mem-
Dership OF 1928, and 10 472 Sunday
school scholars.
During the wear the report of the board
of relief shows that 722 persons were at
forded assistance, 81 new names being
placed upon the rolls last year. There are
| rs ministers over seventy years OF age re-
| tired the oldest being ninetv-four, and 80
of the number being over eighty. The 20
tai appropriation for this work was $751;
492.
In the branch of the church work de-
voted to publication and Sunday-schools
there has been, according to the report.
season of prosperity. The missionary de-
partment has organized 800 new schools
and reorgRnized 2g9, but of this total 255
have ceased to exist. Into these schools
about 49, teachers and scholars are now
gathered. The publication department
has distributed more than IL 100000 pages
of tracts and periodicals and 5000 vol
umes of Chinese literature. The year
closed with balance OF S446l5 on hand.
Foreign and Home Missions.
The report of the board of foreign mis-
sions displays very satisfactory condi-
ton of affairs. the only gloom being
caused by the death of four missionaries.
During the year forty-six new missionaries
were sent into the field, making a total