The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-17
THE HOME MISSION BOARD.
Interesting Report on the Work in
Florida and West Of The Mississippi.
PROGRESS OF The SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
DIR. Fair Addresses the East Hano'erire
bytery on an Appeal Prom the Dc
cision of the Grace fresby-
terian Church.

/ 81
third days session in Tabb-street Pres
bvterian church this morning at
| s.sO o'clock and was called 10
order by the Moderator. The
minutes Of the previous day
session were read and after corrections
were approved.
Elder Il. II. Gillian and j. s. JEFF
ferson were excused from further at
tendance upon sessions Of Presbyiery.
The Committee on Records OF the Pres
bytesy reported an item OF unhnish-
| Cd business Oh the necessities. VIZ. the
! Assemblys overture IN regard 10 the
| appointment OF general secretary Of
| SUNDAY schools referred 10 special
| committee Oh Sabbath schools.
! A communication Irom Ruling Elder j.
| Boiling. OF Grace-Sueet Presbyterian
, church. EichmOnd. asking the Presby-
/ terv for an expression OF opinion Oh the
! question OF selling liquor by church mem-
pers. was read. The paper was referred
10 q committee appointed for the purpose
| consisting Of r. +. Epes. Rev. 4. T..
| HoNlson, and Ruling Elder W. ". Hob
! son.
Ruling Elder J. E Mcclure. Of the
| 4
Rev. Il. {. Stewards excuse for alb
| sence was sustained
Home ArlssiOu report was made by
acting chairman. Rev. T. +. Smith. OF
| Richmond. The report was received ami
! discussed serister and made the order
cf the day for 4.S0 o'clock +. NJ.
Rev. Dr.. Moses D. Hoge. took tho
floor an stated that IL was impossible for
him 10 hear anything that was said on
| account Of the noise on the street. made
| by vehicles. and ne suggested that the
| Presbytery adjourn 10 the lecture-roOm.
This suggestion met with approval OF
the Presbytery, and the body al once ad-
Journed TO the basement. Before the
adjournment however. Rev. William Z.
Edwards d. D., pastor OF Washington
Street Methodist Episcopal church OF
this city was introduced by Rev. Rose
! bro. and was invited TO q seat on the
floor of the Presbytery.
| Presiding Elder j.. 5. Bennett. Of the
! Chlsch OF the Covenant. in Richmond
alternate for II. II. Gillian. reported.
and by order OF the Presbytery, he was
! enrolled.
HOME MISSIONS.
Rev. Dr. j. n. Craig secretary Of the
| Home Mission Board of the Southern
! General Assembly, made am appeal for
the invalid fund which aids thirty-odd
| aged or infrm ministers and the families
Of about one hundred ministers deceased.
| Most of these Old ministers are from
J seVenty-iour 20 cighty-hve years OF aee,
| Il number OF them having been in the
! ministry for half q century. Many Of the
/ WIDOWS also are aged and iunrm. while
| others have families OF little children
/ East Hanover Presbytey gave during
last year S2s6 TO this fund. The contn-
| buttons Of the churches were sufficient
to pay only seyeniy-hve cents on the dol
| lar OF amounts asked for the benefciaries.
! Dr. Craig also presented the great home
missionary work OF the General Assem-
! bly, in Florida and west Of the Afissis-
! sissippi river, showing the great needs of
| Florida, especially because Of the almost
| entire destruction of the orange industry
| by the freeze OF 1895. by which churches
were impoverished and aid in support OF
ministers in charge is a necessity.
lie also showed that the single Presby-
! terry Of East Hanover is stronger than
the whole synod of Arkansas, and that
\ the Church in Arkansas has upon its
| hands a home missionary work equal 10
/ that which East Hanover Prosbytery
would have 81 one-half Of the Virginia
| synodical territory were turned over 10
its care. 'Iie showed the growth of the
] church in Texas from five churches ana
seyenty-fve members in 1876 20 326 church
| Is and about 1900 members, the growth
| being largely due TO home missionary
funds. lie gave an interesting account
of the work In the Indian Territory,
where eight Christian schools are carried
! by the assembly and others, Or. Craig
said, should be added.
Dr. Craig said they wanted to raise an
endowment fund Of 100000 FOR the home
mission work. lie stated that the popu-
| lauon Of Florida had increased l74 per
cent. In the past thirteen years, and the
population Of Texas during the same
period had increased 1O9 per cent. The
| speaker said that the home missionary
work must be carried on in the section
Of country 10 which he had referred, and
closed by asking II East Hanover Pres
bytory would give for this work the sum
! of $l,2l3.
Dr. Craig distributed blanks among the
members Of the Prosbytcry on which they
could write tho sum they were willing TO
give.
MIR. LEWIS PASSES.
The committee appointed TO examine
Mr.. W. j. Lewis Tor Hcentiate reported
that he had passed satisfactory eXamina-
ton. Mr.. Lewis IS a missionary from
China.
Rev. r.. r. HowisOn, Of Fredericksburg.
expressed the hope that the Presbytery
would grant no more leaves OF absence.
This remark OF Or. Howson was brought
about by several members asking TO be
excused from further attendance upon
this session Of the Presbytery.
Rev. j. w Rosebro, ID. D.. here took
the aoor and called for the order OF the
day-viz, the trial sermon by Mr.. W. !.
Lewis. Mr.. Lewis selected for his text
the eighth chapter OF John and the l2th
verse. from which he preached very
earnest and thoughtful sermon. Al
ter the sermon. Rev. II. i. Kerr, ID. D.,
Of Richmond moved that the sermon be
approved az part OF the trial. He said
that the sermcn had shown the sweet
glow Of thought and thorough prepara-
lion. Or. Kerr stated that Mr.. Lewis
came to us from China. on account Of the
health Of his wife. and as she had rela-
tives and friends IN Richmond. they came
there The Prcsbytery approved the
sermon of Mr.. Lewis.
Rev. G. h. Hyde, Of Richmond, sub
mitted the report Of the Committee on
Sunday-Schoos. The report shows the
following totals: Sunday schools, 81.
teachers, 40l, enrolment, S.lli; attend
ance. Sl6. attendance OF scholars. 2.05l;
ADDITION 10 the churches from the schools.
GO: disbursements. Si.6is II; Denoncence.
Ss52.4S. The report was adopted and re-
ferred TO the General sembly.
Rev. T. +. Epes offered the following.
which was adopted:
Inasmuch as the Synod OF Virginia and
North Carolina proposes TO move the