The record-union., 1893-07-27

torty-hve thousand teachers and schol-
ars were gathered into these schools and
$1,000 volumes of Christian literature
were given away, to say nothing of seven
teen million pages of tracts and periodi-
Gals.
Another arm of the church is the Board
OF Church Erection. This board paid out
during the year 37S,7l7 in helping to build
lo4 churches. Three of these churches
were within our own (Sacramento) Pres
bytery. While this board spent 81 1888
helping to build the three churches men
toned, all the churches OF the Presbytery
together only gave S54 30 to this board and
our church gave nothing.
one OF the most interesting reports that
always comes before the General Assem-
ply IS that OF the Board of Relief.
ne tender care we are trying to take
OF our aged ministers, who have spent
their strength and their money in long
years of loving service, is one evidence
OF the ChrlstIlke spirit which prevails i'll
the church.
During the year one of these passed to
the better country, VINO had given ninety
nine years and three months to his earthly
pilgrimage. This venerable servant
OF the church had outlived all the mem
bers OF his family, and had no near rela-
tlves or friends to care for him. Since
1888 he has been in the House at Perth
Amboy, n. j., and his last years were
passed not only free from all anxiety and
care, but in the enjoyment of every COM
tort that an aged father could have in the
home of any one of his own children.
Among others who are getting relief
from this board are seventy-six old min
listers, averaging 78 years, the Oldest one
Delng VI years, and each of them has been
in the ministry more than thirty wears.
There are 122 persons on the roll OF this
board, to whom appropriations aggregat-
ing Sl52,4 were sent during the year.
Many OF these are the widows and or
phans of deceased ministers. Notice
that the money is sent to 722 persons, not
that only ~ persons are helped, for the
money may go to a mother with several
little children or to an aged minister
whose companion still fingers by his side.
But II ministers grow old, become dis
abled and pass away, and if new churches
spring into being, we must have new min
listers.
And we face fact, viz: "That most of
the young men who enter the ministry,
whether from city or country, are poor"
Whl4e we may differ in accounting for
the fact, 1t is fact that young men who
have wealth at their disposal very sell
dom turn toward the ministry. We face
another fact: The demand for ministers
Is going ahead of the supplies" The
record for 1892 shows sixty-one more va
cant churches than for the year preced-
ing. We had ], PA vacant churches ac-
cordlng TO the last accounts; 1873 of these
have membership ranging from 100 to
600.
Put those two things together, viz: that
we have to depend upon the young men
who are poor in the things of this world,
but rich in faith" and that the de-
mand exceeds the supply, and you see
the necessity of the Board of Education.
This board has S6S young men under its
care, whom 1t IS trying to help prepare for
the ministry. Those in the academy get
$40 each, and those in college or theologi-
cal seminary get $50 each. Would it seem
from this that these young men are in
danger of being ruined by ease and lux
ury? If the amount were doubled there
would still be little danger of that.
What occurs far more frequently is that
even with this help many young men in
jure themselves for life by overwork be-
fore they are ready for the ministry.
But there is another reason WHY this
board should command more attention
and get more help, viz: we need to pre-
pare our own men for the ministry. We
received ninety-one last year from other
religious bodies. AS a rule our ministers
receive more liberal support than other
denominations, and the result is good
many desire to come into our church.
1t is no reflection on these men to say
that they have not had Presbyterian
training, and hence are not as well pre-
pared to follow Presbyterian methods.
and carry out Presbyterian ideas, as if
they had had such training. The most
efficient and the best satisfied men in our
ministry are those trained for it.
But one thing makes necessary an
other. If we are to have an educated
we must have academies. COL
leges and theological seminaries in which
to educate them.
However, while we are educating our
young men torithe ministry we can at the
same time educate hundreds Of others.
young men and women, too for every
useful avocatiOn in life.
Ten years ago this work came to be
considered so important that a special de-
partment was created to look after the
founding and sustaining of academies
and colleges. This board was to deter
mine where it was wise TO plant such in
and to interest the church in
doing so.
During these ten years academies and
colleges to the number of fifty-six in
twenty-four States and Territories have
been. established, and property amounting
TO nearly one and half million dollars
Isl, ,941 ,933) has been acquired. Twenty
nine thousand seven hundred and sixty
three students have been enrolled in
these institutions, of whom 1874 have
taken course in systematic Bible study.
One thousand three hundred and sixty
SIX have been in preparation in them for
the ministry.
The advantage of Christian education is
almost beyond expression, and the deep
interest being aroused in our church
relative to it is one of the most gratifying
things in connection with our church
work.
All these departments upon which I
have been dwelling, those mentioned last
Sunday, and others which time will not
permit me to mention were reported be-
fore the General Assembly.
these various reports were presented
in writing, were considered, adopted and
commented to the church at large.
Just as the membership of our church
inform themselves concerning the work
done, the more respect and love will
they have for their church. Nor do 1 be-
Ileve any fair-minded man out of the
Christian church can examine the work
done, and the work laid out to be done.
and then speak slightingly of it.
five could get the facts before the
people in general l believe that preiu-
dice would largely disappear and that the
hearts of the people would warm toward
the church.
But if we all take pains to inform our
selves we can tell others and SO awaken
their interest.
While we must confess that we are not
as church doing all that we are capable
OF DONG, yet we can rejoice for what is
Delng done, and pray for such refresh
ing from the presence of the Lord as
shall arm the church for greatly in
creased usefulness.
The Testimonials