The Portland daily press., 1895-10-11
Proceed ings Of the interesting Ceun
Gil at Syracuse.
ABLE PAPERS BY SEVERAL
LEARNED DEVINES.
A Proposition to Change the Name of the
Couference-SomeF FacetiOus Motions
Pertinent Reports, Etc.

Syracuse, N Y, Oct 10-For the first
time in the ghistory of National
Councils of Congregational Churches
an entire day is to be devoted to
the six missio onary societies One reason
is that all of them are either in debt or
Strengthened circumstances for funds with
which to carry on their work up to the
full measure of their opportunities. The
method of presenting the several causes IS
two-fold, first, triennial report pre-
pared by Secretary of each society, and,
secondly, series of addresses by selected
speakers, clerical and lay. This morning
the ERev. L.EH. Cobb, d. D., of New
York, Secretary of the Church Building
Society presented paper in its behalf,
stating that the facts covered in the re-
port Of this society from. August 1st, 1892,
to August 1st 1895, are as follows:
The receipts have been S4S3, S54. "a, more
than ever reported in any three years ex-
cept the three preceding these three.
With the money put into the hands OF the
society 351 churches have been aided in
erecting houses of worship, and 152 in
erecting parsonages. For every dollar ex-
pended directly by the society for parson-
age building $3S6 worth OF parsonage
property have been brought into use; for
every dollar expended on church build
lings ST. 63 worth of church building prop
erty have been brought into use. A larger
number OF churches have contributed dur
ing these years by at least 677, reckoning
the grand totals for the whole time COW
cred.
reached $93, 1863. 81 in gifts, and S107, 1898. 81.
in loans returned to this society, making
total Of funds available for use Of $201,-
292. 81.
In the National Council Church Build
ing Loan Fund there were on the first day
of August, 1895, $274, 8S9. Sc, of which
$261, $50. so had actually been paid out to
were in the hands of the Treasurer voted
away to churches engaged at that time
in building houses of worship.
Notwithstanding the hard times of 1884.
the number of contributing churches to
the work of this society in that year was
$40 more than in any year thus far, and
vet not quite one-half the churches have
appeared as regular contributors TO the
work of this society.
One hundred and seven personal gifts
in the three years reported have been sent
in sums varying from 800 to $35, 40 the
last in the form of an annuity trust,
which, it seems to all who have to do
with benevolent work, those planning to
leave large or small legacies for heirs or
courts to contest would do we'll to con-
sider An estate of millions, as we'll as
one of hundreds can be unquestionably
settled while the possessor is living
HOUSE MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
The report of the Congregational House
Missionary Society was presented by the
Rev. Geo. Washington Choate, D. D., of
New York, as follows: He reviewed the
work for the last 3S years, stating that
the missionary force which, in 1861, by
the withdrawal OF The Presbyterian
churches-not of all Presbyterian giyers
dropped from 1862 to S63 has since the
close of the war had an almost continu-
Gus upward movement. reaching 2Ol0 IN
1S93-4, and not far from that number to-
day.
The annual receipts which, by the sepa-
ration of the Presbyter1ans, showed de-
cline of about 800, 900 only, shave steadily
increased, and from S165, S52 in 1861 and
1869 reached $645, Oil in our last completed
year, touching high-water mark in 1899
istered by this Society. including its aux
| iliaries For these thirty-five- years the
| grand total is $12 652, 722, or more than
| three-fourths of the whole amount given
to this cause in the entire seventy years
| of its history.
In 1860 Congregationalism was Chris
| tian force in our land of 1884 churches.
with a membership of 260, 3s9 Through
the agency of this Society il this period
341S churches have been organized. and
| 1909 brought to self-support; 2e6. 726 ad-
ditions to the mem bership of these Home
| Missionary Churches have ..been made OF
which 104, 1896 were by confession of faith.
| IL II, + h ic,SC q
devoted to the foreign work 1854, 62O- ex-
| elusive of the expenditures of the several
auxiliaries along the same lines within
| their fields.
At least one-third of expenditures each
| year are directed to work in cities and,
with an estimate of five and quarter
millions of dollars devoted Ito this in
| creasinely important department of the
whole field during the entire seventy
years of work not less than four millions
| have been thus appropriated within the
| five and thirty years under review.
| The four missionaries of this Society
| laboring south Of Mason and Dixon S
! line thirty years ago, in four states, had
become in 1S93-94, one hundred and fifty,
distributed through the entire Southern
| field. in every state save South Carolina
and Mississippi.
Among the forces which are shaping
and organizing the new South is the Con-
eregational Home Missionary Society
through the six score laborers bearing it's
| commission.
REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS.
The report of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions was
presented by Rev. G. H. Daniels. D. D.,
Secretary of the Home Department., by
whom it had been prepared.
The American Board approaches its
s6tb anniversary, said the report, with a
history that is honorable, q credit that is
untarnished and purpose that is God
| directed.
| In tho work of the Board we would
give to our missionaries the preeminence,
count them the privileged ones, and III
the place of sending them our pity we
should}present our congratulations. Three
years ago we reported to you their mum
ber at 557. To-day we have 57a, or gain