Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-05-20
Second Day Of the Presbyterian
General Assembly.
IMPORTANT CHANGES MADE
The EPiscopaiiaaA lsscosnise the
f'rr~bysery asd viii Do Much so
f'ronsose Christian Unisy.


the presb. terian assembly show enoour-
aging rcsults The report referring to
the worlds fair. sdys:
We cannot contemplate. except With
feelings of shame. the proposed spec
tacle to be placed before all the world IL
a vast national groeshop and = vast ma
tionsl exhibition of the trampIing down
II Law. The bill 10 establish by con
gress an impartial commission II inquiry
concerning the liquor traffic has several
times passed the senate. but the liquor
power rallying It's forces has always de
feated il IN the lower house"
Local option is not regarded as the
best and ultimate solution of the liquor
problem. but most II the presby teries
here favored II as a stepping stone to-
ward general Prohibition.
Some Expenditures.
The total receipts of Gll the boards
during the year amounted 10 s2..99. ..tSce.
an increase over ls.r9 of sl1s.1Gj. The
report cf the board IL church erection
fund shows that during the year there
were - applications for assistance upon
s,O5.s,l and loans .'il.l?a
The board IL and for colleges and
academies report receipts q. ss5. ia. and
donations ~ s'3.630.
The report 81 the board in charge ~
the missions for freedmen shows ex-
penditures last year IL si.c}.otE and re-
ceipts of sl1stil0.
The missionary department has or
gained I0new schools and re organized
..s,. but II this total 30 have ceased Ia
exist. Into these schools >are 5000
teachers and scholars now gathered.
The publication department has dis
tsibu'rd more than 100000 pages Of
tracts and periodicals anlco coo volumes
of Chinese literature. The year closed
with balance 81 sii.si5 on hand.
The repor; IL the board Of foreign
missions display satisfactory condition
a, aikairs. During the year forty six
new missionaries were sent into the
field. making total 1t G2i missionaries.
which. with active agents II all grades
reaches q total al l.ci1. including Is,
ordained ministers. The detailed re
p,ris from the missions i'm Japan. China.
Korea. Siam and Laos. India. Persia.
Syria. Africa. Mcxica. Central and South
America. the board saws call for thanks
giving.
Chinese Conversion.
The total numl,er of conversions in
China reported by all missionaries for
the year was 3. 452 IN increase of 10 per
cent over the last year. The total re-
cripts ~ all churches amounted Ia Si,
Oli.jll. OF which the womcns societies
and boards contributed $.fo.s $50. The
expenditures FOR missions IN the more
important fields are az fellows: Africa.
81 ,i61: China. tiSo.0S1: India. SlJI. 90;
Japan. s.4.9i2: Korea. Syi.5Si; Mexico.
sS.'.i6l: Persia. s.6oi2: Siam and Laos.
1..ti,; South America. So, iui; Syria.
S.il .3O6: United States Indians. sl9.Si,.
The expenses IL the home department
were S,o.ng
The Rev Charles 4. Dickey. chairman
of the special committee on Judicial
commissions. reported IN favor of send
ing an overture down To the prcsby
icrics for "a change In chapter IL
scc,ion lis. so as to provide that
the general assembly. each synod
and each presbytcry shall havc power
to appoint judicial commissions from
their respective bodies, tn which all
judicial cases are to bc submitted.
their decisions 10 lee subject Ia reversal
only b. the superior Iudiciatory. excep;
in matters of law. The assembly
adopted this report.
To Produce Christian Union.
The Rev. DIR. Smith. chairman II the
committee on church unity. reported
four meetings 81 the committee held IN
the past year. the result IL which had
been tha, II had been deemed best g.
drop. for the present. discussion 81
the differences between the two church
80. and leaving To the future the work al
securing the organic external union
desired.
The correspondence between the com
miitec and tke episcopal commission IL
the past year was read. Ii showed that
the episcopalians offered to make such
changes In the methods of selcctin ~
meuilcrs 81 the epiacopate as might h,
deemed essential. IL only thereby the
union - American christians could b..
secured: and further that the authority
% the presbytery was recognized IN The
episcopal church.
The scries of wcman's meetings ~
connection with the general as.semb,
began 'o.lay with that ~ the woman,
executive committee of the home uiIs
sious. which assembled in the Church
- the Covenant Mrs r. ii. Person
corresponding secretary. read the ire
liuinary report - the work of the past
year: Mira \ e.. Miller read the schro
report. Mrs. G. T. Coulter the rcport o
the frrccimen's department. and Mrs. >
r Lincoln. the tFeasurrTs report. show
-. r....t t,fs % Al.l LII