The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-20

Celical organization. Without action on
the reports the General Assembly adj
jonrned till tomorrow morning. This
evening - general meeting. IN behalf of the
Sunday school, work of the church. was
held.
The series of women's meetings in con-
nection with the General Assembly began
to-day with that OF the womens executive
COMMITTEES of Home Missions. which as
sembled IN the Church of the Covenant
The auditorium Was prettIIy decorated
with flowers and plants. included in which
WAS contribution from the White House
conservatories by Mrs. Cleveland. Reports
were read and addresses made aud this
evening popular meeting was addressed
by the synodical secretaries.
REPORT on THE LIQUOR QUESTION.
The annual reports of the various church
boards made public to-day, and to DO taken
up by the assembly from time TO time.
show encouraging results in every branch
OF the work. The permanent committee
on temperance entered into that subject
largely In detail. and makes some recon-
meDdations that will come before the as
senbIy. Referring TO the worlds far the
report SAYS: I'VE cannot c0ntem plate. eX-
cept with feelings of shame. the proposed
spectacle TO be placed before all the world
OF q vast national grog shop. aud vast ma
tional exhibition of the trampliDg down
OF law" The establisbrlent. by Congress.
OF an impartial commission of inquiry
concerning the liquor traffic. IN favored.
The report emphasizes the statement that
the church Is not political organization,
but owes it 10 God and humanity TO give
unequivocal utterance on such moral
questions. And though q question IN
morals should" says the report. through
the action of political parties. become
political uestion also, the church Is not on
that account TO be precluded from dealing
with &c. The Endorsement of q civil
~ nOlIticai nartv must
not be permitted to exempt immortality
from the rebuke of the church; and that
which would he clearly wrong. II done by
the individual. does not become right
w hen thousands join In it's performance"
The report also protests against the lnSti-
tuition known as the army canteen. IN
which it claims army officers and soldiers
are detailed rs saloon keepers
The report of the special committee on
systematic beneticience shows that the
Christian Standard has attained al aver
age monthly issue of "a. 220 copies. The
total receipts of all the boards during the
year amounted to S2.799.562. an increase
over 1892 of Sl7S. 765.
The result of the years work of the
board of ala for colleges ana academies has
not proved q disappointment 70 the expec-
tati0n of the church. During the year the
receipts have been Si5. 1874 and the dona-
lions in the shape of aid aggregated s63. $50.
Forty institutions have been assisted and
twenty States occupied. The aggregate en-
rollment of students IL 4,0O2. of which 274
are enga ged IN systematic Bible study.
The report of the hoard In charge of the
missions for freedmen shows that nearly
500, 900 annually is being expended in this
direction with very good results. During
the year the report of the board of relief
shows that 723 persons were afforded as
sistaDce. ninety-four new names being
placed upon the rolls last year. There are
seyenty-siX ministers over seventy years
of age retired. the Oldest being ninety-fon
and fhirtv-fua aff ha m har hainu
eighty. The total appropriation for this
work was Sl52. 492.
sUNDAY-sCHooLs AND TRACTS.
In the branch of the church work de-
voted to publication and Sunday schools
there has been, according TO the report, a
season of prosperity. The missionary de-
partment has organized 800 new schools.
and reorganized 299. bnt of this total 255
have ceased TO exist. Into these schools
about s., 900 teachers and scholars are now
gathered. The publication department.
has distributed more than 100000 pages
OF tracts and periodicals and GS 600 VOL
umes of Chinese literature. The year
closed with o balance of S4f, CPS on hand.
The report of the Board Of Foreign Mis-
sions displays very satisfactory condi-
tion of affairs. During the year forty-six
new missionaries were sent into the held.
making total i'll connection with the
native agents of all grades. reaches a total
of 1,G4T. including 1S7 ordained ministers.
In China," says the report. "nOtwIth-
standing petty prosecutions and apprehen-
sIons of more serious opposition In retalia-
Ji0n of the UBIQUITOUS legislation of ourRov-
eminent against the Chinese In the United
States. steady progress has been made"
The total receipts from all sources
amounted to Sl.0l4.504. of which the
women's societies and boards contributed
1926. $50.
Tne report of the Board of Home Mis-
sions does not show the increase that was
hoped for at the commencement of the year.
The general summary OF the report con-
denses the most important details of the
years work as follows: Number of mis-
slonaries, 1,123; number OF missionary
teachers. 80: additions on professions of
faith. hoops: additions on certificate, 6,S3S;
total membership. ~. go; total in copgrega-
tions, la. 0U5: sunday schools organized.
$50; number of Sunday schools, 2,320: men,
bershIp of Sunday schools 1529l5: church
edifices. 1,s5j. valued at S4.752. 504; church
editices built during the year. rs. valued NJ
Sass; church edlices repaired and en-
larged. 337 at a cost of S7o.5S7: church Dc BITS
cancelled. 3 SO. ITO; chnrc b es self-sustsining.
80: churches organized, la2; number OF par
sonages. 412. valued at S502 ESQ., 412
The report of the Board OF Education
shows that the demand for ministers is
ahead of the supply. Two years ago the
vacant churches numbered 1888 and last
year LA, OF winch thfrteep havo n mem-
bership ranging from leo to over 1.O00 The
Western syDods particularly have suffered
and notably Nebraska. Kansas and Mime
sofa. The last year there graduated from
the seninaries 2s3. an increase of only ff-
teen and of these only 200 available for
the home field. The number of students
under the care OF the board aggregates $685.
OF which thirty seven are Germans and LOG
negroes.
Commissioners at the White House.
After adjournment this afternoon the
assembly went to the White House in a
body. The President and Mrs. Cleveland
received the commissioners and visitors to
the assembly In the East Room. Mrs.
Cleveland wore O gray gown of soft cling
ing material trimmed with black velvet,
and looked the EN- bod iment of good health.
DIR. Craig, moderator. was presented to the
Presiden. BY DIR. Bartlett. chairman of the
committee on arrangements. and made a
brief. felieitous address, in the course of
which he said:
You know somewhat of the Presby terian
Church Many OF these gentlemen who are here
had precisely the same general experience that
You had. perchance. reared amidst the PLAIN liv
Ing and high thinking or that wonderful nurs-
cry or men. We have common experiences which
make us. though We may never have come to-
gether before, 10 be, as IL were, friends because
we know the things which have. perchance.
made us worthy OF the esteem OF our fellow men.
and made you. sir. worthy rule with the con
hGenee of your fellow-citizens gathered close