The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-09
FOR CITY MISSIONS
Work Accomplished In Last Year
knights of Father Mathew Tenn
perance Meeting.

The mass meeting under the auspices OF
the Indianapolis Board of Baptist City Mis-
sions was we'll attended last night The
meeting was held at the First Baptist
Church. The secretary of the board, NJ. a.
Potter, read a report showing the growth
of the membership in the Baptist churches
In this city since the organization of the
board in 1888. The board is composed of
pastors and delegates from the different
churches. When the board was organized
there was a total church membership OF
l.130 In 1894 1t had grown to 1872 At the
present time it is 2,093, a total increase OF
96S since 1883. The increase over last years
membership is 151. The report shows there
are twelve white Sunday schools in the city
with enrolled membership of 1872 There
are ten white Baptist churches I'm Indian.
apolis. The board was organized especially
for the extension and aid of the churches
Last year pastors were supplied, through
the agency of the board, for five churches.
Three of the churches were given financial
aid. The revenue OF the board was 1886 last
year. as shown by the report, while the ex-
penditures were s575, leaving deficit of $50
TO be made good.
Following the secretarys report an adj
dress was made by Rev. c. T. W. Dobbs.
ID. d., on the subject. "City Missions, the
True Enlargement of the Lords Work.
DR.. Dobbs thought the cause of Christ could
be greatly extended through the city mis-
sions. While the work in the foreign field
is great one and should receive all the
assistance possible, the work at home was
no less important. Increasing population
in great cities demanded more earnest ef-
fective work in this fled When the
Of h<r oh ic ayf n
ed at nome, as natural result IL will be
better able TO help spread the gospel in
foreign fields. He thought If the members
or the different Baptist churches would get
20 work in earnest and In the right spirit.
instead OF deficit there would be bal.
ance in the treasury next year. and instead
Of spending $500. $1,000 would not cover the
amount given in aid of the cause.
Rev. ID. r. MacGregor spoke on Hope
hopefulness in city missions is. in the first
pace, in proportion to the love of the COM
bined membership pr the city churches foi
the Lords work-the redemption of the
world. Paul declares that love endures all
things. believes all things, hopes all things,
bears all things. Let us get such a love as
this and We will have power to lift our
fellows and save the mariners from the
waves of sin. The hopefulness of the city
missions, in the second place, is in proper
tion TO the combined faith of the members
of the city churches in the work. There Is
saving faith and working faith. The saving
faith benefits the worker, while working
faith benefits some one. else. Love is of not
much value unless work be part of it,
The pastor Of the church, Rev. ID. j. Eli
son, spoke on the subject of the relation OF
Hs sad This % rSes ne
tion-the relation of the city missions to the
social and labor questions. The more we
think about it the more We get filled with 1t
and want to- fill everybody else with 1t.
l do not know why these subjects were put
together tonight, but / think they have
been rightly combined. I believe the only
Ions sc nj
line of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
| have paused and fingered over that great
painting, The Repose IN Egypt. 1t is a
picture Of the infant Jesus asleep in the
arms of His mother beneath the somber
shadows of the Sphinx, Joseph unlading the
ass in the distance. All around is the
ton. But light dawns on the face of the
sleeping infant. and 1t grows and broadens
throughout the whole land. That is the
way think ii is in regard TO the social and
labor problems The only true light comes
from the Lord Jesus Christ. The first work
Of the city missions is TO emphasize the ex-
stence of God The only tangible reminder
some people have of God is mission house
or church.
DIR. Ellison spoke of the necessity for hard
work on the part of Christians who hope to
accomplish anything toward the solution of
social and labor problems and for the SAL
walton of men. He insisted 1t was ncces-
ton. the laboring men and women. to work
constantly and increasingly. "The sweetest
word in the world next to love-
work." he continued. The question was
met by ripple of laughter from the audi
| ence. Men and women looked at one an
other and smiled. He emphasized the CUES
lion. Don't you?" he repeated. We'll,
there is something wrong Everybody likes
It If they are liking God If they don't they
are not liking God. / see men striving for
an eight-hour day. If you mean by that. /
say, eight hours for work and the rest of
the time to wallow around in. think it is
contemplate" DIR. Ellison spoke of a world
renowned Christian worker. man who has
lone much for the spread of the gospel of
Christ. THAT man has worked for years"
said. DIR. Ellison. and recently heard him
say he had not spent night at home dur
| ing all that time. Just few hours for
sleep, and the rest of his days passed
At work. You will get your reward if you
work."
Following the different addresses the rite
| of baptism was administered to two appr-
| cants for admission into the church. Dur
| ing the evening some excellent music was
rendered by the large choir. The choral
chants and responses rendered in connec-
| tion with the baptismal rite were especially
appropriate and impressive.