The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-11
MISSIONARY WORK.
Annual Meeting Of the American
Board Of Foreign Missions.
HARD TIMES HAVE UNFAvORABLY
AFFECTED THE REVENUES.

AFFECTED THE REVENUES.
More Money Must be Had or the Work
Special Fund of $500, 000-survey of
the Years Work in Foreign Mission
Fields.
Madison, Wis.,, Oct. 10. The annual
meeting of the American Board of Com
missoners of Foreign Missions began its
sessions of three days here this afternoon
at 8 o'clock, Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D.
d, presiding. The annual report for
1888 of the home department was pre-
sented for the first time by the new sec
Rotary. Rev DR.. Daniels, who succeeded
the Rev. DR.. Alden one year ago. Seven
corporate member have died during the
year, among them several heavy financial
supporters such as Louis Chaplin, of
Rochester, II. ", elected in 1864 Hon.
Amos C.Barstow of Providence, R. l.,
elected in 1867 Hon. Benjamin Douglas,
Middletown, Conn. elected in 1871;
Egbert B. Monroe, larry town, N. Y,
elected in 1882 Forty -four new mission
aries have been sent to the field during
the past. year. of whom thirteen were
men, including three physicians and one
printer, eleven the wives of missionaries,
and twenty single ladies, including one
physician.
Hereafter in consideration of questions
touching their own work. female dele
gates are to have an equal voice and
vote with the men. This rule is as APP
plicable to station meetings If at any
time it were desired that women be
placed upon the prudential committee,
it would be necessary first to secure un-
doubted legal authority by an amend
ment to the charter, distinctly authors
izing such elections.
Unusual financial conditions have
afflicted the country. Benevolent enter
prises have been seriously hindered.
Many most generous contributors have
suffered heavy losses in income, and a
multitude of the churches have been
under peculiar financial burdens These
conditions have required unusual
patience and economy, and thus have
laid increasing responsibility upon the
administration of the hoard. The real
difficulty, however, is not new one,
and it is not wholly explained by the
cry of hardtimes. The gradual exhaus-
tion of the large legacies on the one
hand, and the natural expansion of work
on the other hand, have not been met by
sufficiently large gifts from individuals
and churches. 1t is problem which
can only be solved by increased mum Der
of donors and donations. One year ago
there was the unavoidable burden of SSS,-
600 debt. With each passing year the
pairing process has been little more
severe upon the missions and the mis-
ssionares, until now it would seem far
kinder to recall the workers than to
crush them. The Board invites aserious
and enthusiastic consideration of this
problem, namely, an increase OF at least
$4,000 in regular gifts in order to carry
on the work in its present condition.
The committee at the beginning of this
year felt compelled to cut down the
lowest estimates of the missions by $751;
900. This was 1890 below what the
missionaries felt was the necessary
amount for proper acceptance of invit-
ing opportunities. The appeals are for
home, a school or college, church or
pastor, or from brother worn down by
heavy cares asking for rest or money to
pay the expense of an illness. The story
Is told when it is reported that during
the previous year S45, 600 was voted for
special objects beyond the regular appro-
priations, and but $14, 600 this year. No
voice can utter all the meaning of these
figures. 1t has been the we'll understood
theory that when young people desire
to go as missionaries it is the board IS
business to send them if they are fitted
Tor the work. 1t is also a we'll tried
Theory o. the board that every young
person appointed and sent creates con-
stitueEcy equal TO his personal support
Snail the prudential committee deiiber-
ately plan tor a decrease of blessin gs
abroad By dishanding schools, disrupt
ing churches, recalling evangelists, and
Withholding missionaries from fields
that are imperatively calling for them?
1t IS surely a difficult task to impose
upon men appointed to superintend the
work of the American board in this tins
of aggressive movements.
The receipts of the American Board for
convenience may be tabulated under five
headings: regular donations from indi-
viduals and churches, Including the con-
tribntions from the Woman's Board !:
incomes from the general permanent
fund; and the amount appropriated
from the Otis and SWEET requests, and
this year gifts for the debt. The re-
ceipts from the regular donations were
1855, l5o. a, a loss of $50. 526.15 from the
PACf4Ouo year. vi Ills sum GlOS, SOl. IL
came from the Woman's Boards. The
donations for special objects were $780,
\ 1918, loss of 81, 1928. SO from previous
year. Of this sum s1s, 1885, 80 was received
from the Woman's Boards. The receipts
from legacies were $183, 76s. 81, an increase
over the previous year of So, oOa. 81.
There has been large shrlnkage in in
terest, SO that income from the perma-
nent funds was but 81, 1903. sc or $4,17o. n
less than the previous year. The receipts
In special donations for the debt of $751;
31S.73 of Sept. 1888 were $37, nc. 03.
The SWEET legacy is practically exhaust
cd, the very small portion remaining not
being available for present USE From
the Otis bequest there is appropriated
for the new missions in Africa and China
the sum of $50, 952.2s. There remains of
this fund not far from $4,000 Income
from all sources gives total of $685.
1870, or a gain over previous year OF
S25, S46.76. The total amount received
from the Woman's Boards was 1892, S73 :
81, loss from the preceding year of SIP,
s09S4. On the other hand expenditures
reached the sum of 733, 051. SO, showing
reduction in expenses of $50 $50 IA as