The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-10-11
BOARD0F FOREIGN MISSIONS
OPENING OF THE AHNUALMEETIS6
 HELD IN MADIs0S, WIS. s77.-

Report Of ths New Secretary of the Home
 Department Presented- -tssneyoisnt En- tsrprises Hindered by tho Financial Con-
 ditions.
 Madison, Wis, Oct. io.-The annual meeting of the American Board of Com missiohers for Foreign Missions began its sessions of three days here this af- ternoon at 8 o'clock. Rev. Richard s. Storrs. D. D.. presiding. The annual report for 1sss-s4 of the home depart ment was presented for the first time by the new secretary. Rev. Dr. Daniels. , who succeeded the Rev. pr. Alden one year ago. Seven corporate members have died during the year. among them several heavy financial supporters. such as Louis Chapin of Rochester. N. r., elected in 1864; Hon. Amos c. Barstow of Providence. R. l., elected in 1867; Hon. Benjamin Douglass, Middletown. Conn.,, elected in 1871; Ebert B. Mon- roe, Tarrytown, N. r., elected in 1884.
 
 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 ques- tions touching their own work, female delegates are to have an equal voice and vote with the men. This rule Is also applicable to station meetings. If at any time 1t were desired that women be placed upon the prudential committee, it would be necessary first to secure undoubted legal authority by an amendment to the charter, distinctly authorizing such elections.
 Unusual financial conditions have affected the country. Benevolent en- terprises have been seriously hin- dred. Many most generous contribu- tors have suffered heavy losses in in- come, and multitude of the churches have been under peculiar financial bur dens. These conditions have required unusual patience and economy and thus have laid increasing responsibif- ity upon the administration of the board. The real difficulty, however, is not new one, and it is not wholly ex- plained by the cry of hard times. The gradual exhaustion of the large legacies on the one hand, and the natural expan- sion of work on the other hand, have not been met by sufficiently large gifts from individuals and churches It is a problem which can only be solved by an increased number of donors and do- nations.
 One year ago there was the unavoida- ble burden of $SS,000 debt. With each passing year the pairing process has been a little more severe upon the mis- sions and the missionaries, until, now it would seem far kinder to recall rreeall the workers than to crush them. "'.',
 The board invites serious and en- thusiastic consideration of this prob- lem, namely, an increase of at least $75,00o in regular gifts in order to carry on the work in its present condition. The, ,committeo at the rbegi ,of, this year felt compelled to cut down the lowest estimates of the missions by $31,00o. This was $129,0O0 below what the missionaries felt was the necessary amount for a proper acceptance of in viting opportunities. The appeals are for 8 home, a school or college, church or pastor, or from brother worn down by heavy cares asking for rest or for moneyto pay the expense of an illness.
 The story is told when it is reported that during the previous year $45,0O0 was voted for special objects beyond the regular appropriations, and but $14,000 this year. No voice can utter all the meaning of these figures. It has been the we'll understood theory that when young people desire to go as mis- sionaries it is the boards business to work. It is also well tried theory of the board that every young person appointed and sent creates constitu- ency equal to his personal support. Shall the prudential committee delib- erately plan for a decrease of blessing abroad by disbanding schools, disrupt- ing churches, recalling evangelists, and withholdingmissiona from fields that are imperatively calling for them? It is surely difficult task to impose up- on men appointed to superintend the work of the American Board in this time of aggressive movements.
 The receipts of the American board may for convenience be tabulated un- der five headings-regular donations from individuals and churches, includ- ing the contributions from the woman's board; donations for special objects; legacies; income from the general per manent fund, and the amount appropri- ated from the Otis and Swett bequests, and this years gifts for the debt.
 The receipts from the regular dona- tions were $sS5, ,15o.44, loss of $3o,526.1S from the previous year. Of this sum $1s9,937.12 came from the woman's boards. The donations for special ob- jects were $60,1s7.1S, a loss of $7,323.9s from the previous year. Of this sum $18,936. .39 was received from the woman's boards. : The receipts from legacies were $183, ,768.51, an increase over the previous year of $37,0o951. There has been large shrinkage in interest, so that income from the permanent funds was but $7,303.66, or $4,17O.T less than the previous year. The receipts in spe- cial donations for the debt of $SS, SIS. .zs of September 1, 1893, were $37,770.63. The Swett legacy is practically exhausted, the very small portion remaining not being available for present use.
 From the Otis bequest there was ap- propriated for the new missions in Af- rica and China the sum of $30,952.2S.