Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-11
FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS
Money Appropriated by Methodist
bishops After "A Long Debate.


Money Appropriated by Methodist
bishops After "A Long Debate.
After a debate of nearly six hours. which
covered the greater portion of two sessions.
the. general missionary committee of the
Methodist Episcopal Church at Minneap-
Oils yesterday afternoon decided upon the
sum of a,l50.OOO as the total to be appro-
priated for the work Of domestic and for
eign missions for the ensuing fisesI. year.
Ihls result was not attained until nearly
TWO score of speeches-many of them Of a
semi-political characterized been addressed
TO the committee. The silver question. the
tarin issue and the effect upon Industrial
ana commercial conditions of. Tuesdays
elections entered into the consideration of
the probable revenues of the mission causa
Tor the next two or three years perhaps
the most pointed remarks were those of
Bishop Walden, just before the vote was
TAKEN He said that IL would not be well
TO go right In the matter of appropriation
until after the next presidential election,
Until then" said the bishop, I'VE win
have no settled financial or commercial
conditions. We have three years before US
OF an unsettled industrial and financial
state of things. do not believe that the
times will improve until the next President
Is elected. (ApplauseD
Il don't know whether we had a pointer
on Tuesday Qoud hand clapping), but
trust we did"
This was greeted with prolonged an
plause
The first session Of the general commit
tee was called to order in Wesley Church.
1t was the financial report Of the year
submitted by DIR. Sanford Hunt Of New
YORK that precipitated the debate Of the
day. This report SAID in brief that the gross
receipts Tor the year showed a decrease of
nearly $ol,VvO and that instead OF the bal
ance of $+luu which stood to the credit Of
the committee on November ] OF last year,
IL was now confronted with a cash treas
ury debt of avs, zos. and adding to which an
outstanding bill OF exchange Of S1sy43 mace
a total Indebtedness of ASSOC The total .
expenditures Of the year We're s.. S5o2s5.
In submitting the report Treasurer Hunt
said that the movement was confronted
with the most stringent conditions IL had
ever known. BY the end of the next mon IA
the debt would have materially increased
ana by next March. when the receipts OF
the spring conferences became available. 1t
would aggregate, according TO present esti-
mates. not less than Sl25, 90.
Il am free to say" he continued, that
this is an amount that / cannot handle. No
man in New York can do it. Last summer
1 remained in New York to meet drafts
aggregating $1,000. At that time business
men could hardly get a dollar on the best
exhausted every resource; met the drafts
and the credit of the society was MAIN
tanned. But L say frankly this might not
be done again. i am deeply sorry that this
condition of affairs has arisen, but we must d.
keep our credit with the banks IL We can
not we will have to mortgage the building
We do business in. We cannot AFFORD to
do that 1 state as solemn fact
that We cannot go farther in the matter OF
debt than We did last year. We have car
ried all We can carry"
Considerable discussion OF a desultory,
character followed Dr. Hunts report, and
the committee then turned its attention 20
the amount TO be raised for the work OF the
society during the coming year.
Bishop Fowler thought that 81 10000
should be the limit, while Bishop Fitzgerald
was in favor of an appropriation of N27s.-
600. the figure adopted at the last annual
conference. Upon these two propositions
the debate waxed fast and furious
j. NJ. Buckley, editor of the Christian
Advocate of New York. in the course of an
energetic speech. expressed the opinion that
the financial strtngency was not TO be over
come by the repeal of the free coinage bill
There was yet. In his opinion. 4 heavy
strain before the country. The causes OF
the present depression were deep and gen.
eral, and IL was to be feared that the worst
was yet to come.
Delegate Alden Spear. who Is president
of the Boston chamber of commerce. in
financial situation was due TO the fear OF
American manufacturers that radical
changes would be made in the tariff.
Bishop Warren followed with a general
then the other side was given its turn
Rev. DR.. w. II Day, pastor Of the Cali
vary Church OF New York. was It's principal
spokesman. He struck out from the shoul-
der. and his remarks. delivered in stento-
rian tones. ELECTED repeated applause
Il protest against these utterances," he
said, and do not believe that present con-
ditions justify them. This committee. by
such talk il is INDUCING in will make
hard times harder.-The condition of our
affairs is not altogether due TO commercial
depression. The lack Of heart on the part
of those Of our faith must bear a share OF
the responsibility. Even in these hard
times i am an optimist. Is or has the
church given royalty to the mission cause,
No. 1t is even in these times, not giving
10 the extent of its ability. A reduced ap-
preparation means that we must go to
Africa and India and ask them TO bear a
share OF hard times in the United States
Even a suggestion of such action should
bring blush of shame to our cheeks"
Many other Of the delegates were heard
on the subject. ...
DR.. Earl Cranston of Cincinnati thought
IL would be madness to put the appropria.
ton at last years figures
Bishop Fitzgerald said that Il was well
enough TO talk about faith in God to over
come difficulties. but mortal effort was
needed in this case TO secure the necessary
income.
Bishop Hurst followed his brother OF the
episcopate with the declaration that q low
appropriation would compel the calling
home OF number Of missionaries, and that
the calling back OF the first one would
create as much OF a panic In the church
had existed in financial circles. His views
were seconded by DR.. ]. F. Boucher Of Bal
tmore. who said that the missionaries were
already working at starvation prices. and
could not stand any further reductions
Bishops Fowler and Walden, and other Of
the delegates followed, and the previous
question was ordered.
Bishop Fitzeeraid's proposition TO place
the appropriation at 8, 27seo was defeated
by a large majority. and Bishop Fowler's
proposal OF q. 200 900 was lost by a vote Of
20