The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-11-03
ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

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Foreign Missionary Society of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church met at
Catawissa, Tuesday evening, Oct. 81,
90. with a soodly number OF delegates
present.
The meeting was opened by sing.
ing "Glorious Things of Thee are
Spoken" Mrs. J. X. Dimm, presi.
dent of the conference presiding. Mrs.
Dimm chose for the scripture lesson
Of the evening, the story Of The Good
Samaritan as found in St. Luke 10:
1887 and made some very practical
remarks on the same as applied to
ourselves as to who is our neighbor in
missionary sense of the word.
This was followed by prayer by Mrs.
G.. p. Frymire of Bloomsbury.
Miss Martha Berninger, in the name
of the Missionary Society of Catawissa
gave the visiting delegates cordial
welcome which was responded to by
Mrs. J. l.. Miller, of Sunbury.
Recitation "Thora" by Miss Hattie
Abbott of Catawissa.
Mrs. VIM. Chrsman read an excel
lent essay "The Christian Spirit
Missionary Spirit" in which she set
forth very clearly that if we have the
love of Christ in our hearts we will be
ready to do what we can for those
who do not know him.
A collection was then taken up to
defray the expenses Of the conference.
After singing by the choir "Under
the Shadow of his Wing" Rev. S. +.
Bateman, of Philadelphia, one of our
home missionaries who now has charge
of the mission of which Rev. F. P.
Manhart was formerly pastor, was in
troduced. Rev. Bateman gave very
encouraging report of the returns for
money expended in Home Mission
work, both in souls brought to Christ
and money paid back to the Mission
Board by those helped.
He spoke very forcibly of the need
of more churches, especially in the
large cities, and the difficulties our
missionaries have to contend with in
establishing them. After presenting
the needs of the work in general he
presented the needs Of the work that
lay nearest his own Heart, the needs of
his own work, and asked the delegates
to present the matter to their res
pective societies and ask them to do
what they can for them.
After a vote of thanks to Rev. Bate
man for his encouraging and instruc-
tive address the meeting closing by
singing the Doxology, and the ben t
diction by Rev. Myers.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
The morning session was opened
by about twenty minutes devotional
exercises, after which the business Of
the conference was begun with roll
call of delegates and reading Of the
minutes of Tuesday evenings session.
The president appointed the necessary
committees.
Mrs. J. Anna Kistner of Selinsgrove
and Mrs. weaver of Sunbury each
read a paper on the subject, "Should
our contributions for Church Exten-
sion be made, in every case, an un-
conditional gift to the church alded'"
1t was Mrs. Klstner's opinion as
we'll as Mrs. Wcaver's, that in the
main it was more beneficial to give
our contributions as loan to be re-
turned to the Board of Missions when
the church aided is able to do SO, as
by SO doing the fund can then be used
to help other struggling churches.
After these papers the matter of
helping some particular mission was
discussed. The conference had no
authority to take any definite action,
but a motion was made and carried
that each society do what it can tc
help Rev. Bateman in his work al
Philadelphia.
Although this was the third meeting
of the conference it had not as yet
adopted constitution, and Mrs. 2. A
Heilman then presented constitution
!, for the consideration of the confer
, ence. The constitution was first
{ adopted item by item and then as a
, whole.
Mrs. A. N. Warner of Northumber'
land, gave talk on "Synodical Con
tingent Fund.-" which was followed by
remarks by several of the ladies on the
subject.
Reading by Miss Ella Knittle o
Catawissa.
Singing, 81 need Thee precious
Jesus" and prayer by Rev. Griffith
closed the morning session.
t WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Mrs. Yetman Kistner Of Hazletor
, conducted the devotional exercises
! The committees appointed during the
] morning session reported immediatel!
after the devotional exercises Th'
3 election of Officers for the ensuing yea