The record-union., 1896-05-17
THE UNITED BRETHREN.
Forty Second Annual Session Of the Board
Of Missions.
Description of the Great Work Being
Carried on by This Church in
Foreign Lands.

Foreign Lands.
ALEXIS Oll), May 1.-THE forty-sec-
ond annual session of the Board of
Missions Of the United Brethren in
Christ convened at Alexis, ILL.,, May 7th
to the 10TH
The venerable Bishop ]. Weaver of
Dayton, O., presided, with A P. Funk
houser of Springfield, Ill.,, at the Secre-
tary's table. Various portions of the
church were widely represented, en-
bracing Bishops Weaver, Castle, Hott,
Kephart and Mills, G. A. Funkhouser,
&. M. Mathews, William Mckee, w. M.
Bell and representative from Califor-
MIA, Oregon, Washington, Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Mississippi,
Missouri, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Il
linois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan.
West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania,
Wisconsin, Canada and Africa.
The presiding Bishop, who so recently
has returned from the Pacific Coast,
was born in Ohio in 1922, and has been
Bishop of the church thirty years His
flowing white silken locks, sanity
couutenance and loving, tender de-
meanor make him beloved of all who
meet him. He is wise, calm and i'm
partial in authority. Seventy four
years have brought him near the end
of his labors. A church membership of
243,0 900 receive his words and works
as oracles of inspiration.
This church is operating Christian
work in Africa, China, Germany, Can
ada, and Japan. The denomination is
hopeful and planning to project work
into other lands at an early date In
the United States nearly every large
city is receiving favorable attention
from the Board of Missions for the op-
Grafton of missions within it's borders.
This church is rapidly becoming an
operating evangelical force in cities and
important towns. The church now con-
trolls influence from Canada on the
north to Mexico on the south; from
New York ITO the Golden Gate and
through Africa, Germany, Japan and
China.
The mission work in foreign lands is
no small feature. The spirit of the de-
nomination is wide, progressive and
evangelical. The work is pushed with
systematic enthusiasm and must event
ually be one of the leading potent fac
tors in mission work, at home as well
as abroad. AS the doors of the nations
are being thrown open to the Chris
tian religion, this church is among the
first to enter and give to heather worlds
the salvation of the gospel Of Jesus
Christ.
The United Brethren in Christ make
claim and do keep abreast of all prac
I - IL y h
to-day is operating with grand success
in the newly opened fields of Japan.
Officials from the denomination are
receiving hearty sanction from the
leading officials of the japanese Impe-
rial Government, being granted cor
dial welcome and godspeed. The Jap
anese deserve praise for the spirit of
willingness shown to receive the Chris
tian religion within her realm. May
Japanese as Americans, be lifted speed
ilr to liberty, freedom and peace in
State and religion. Will not Christian
ity work marvelously in the social and
moral evolution of these peoples? They
are tired Of idolatrous heathenism.
The United Brethren should have the
sympathy of all denominations by
united effort to plant Christianity in
Japan The land Of the Rising Sun"
is tired of Buddhism. w. NJ Bell, Mis-
sonary Secretary of the church, re-
Gently visited Japan, locating a center
| of operations at Toxic. In Germany
excellent work is in operation. There
are nearly 1000 members there, with a
valuable property.
In the Sherbro and Mendi countries
of Africa the church has nearly 5000
members and a well-organized system
| of work The church houses, chapels,
| factories, schools and mines make the
African work a large feature in the
mission work of the church. Seven
| thousand dollars has been appropriated
| to that work and four new missiona-
ries ordered sent out.
On Mount Leister, near Freetown,
West Africa, the church is erecting a
large sanitarium to be used for the re-
| cuperation of enfeebled missionaries.
| The erection of the sanitarium is an
| advanced step in foreign work in At
| rica, looking to the comfort and well
| fare Of missionaries in that torrid cli-
mate. The hot climate is severe and
| fevers dangerous. The proposed new
line of railroad to be built by the Eng
lish Government follows closely the
line of United Brethren missions i'm the
| Sherbro and Mendi countries. The
| church was highly favored in having
| two returned missionaries at the ses-
sion, L. o. Burtner and wife. They
gave thrilling and encouraging reports
of the work in Africa. They have been
pressing upon the natives the policy
of self-support 1t is feasible. Further
plans will be put in operation to make
Africa self-sustaining.
In the South extensive work is opened
in Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Ala
bama and Kentucky, under the efficient
superintendency of T. c. Carter, D. D.,
| of Chatanooga Tenn. He is live, ju-
| dicious manager and is turning the
South "solid" to United Brethren
polity. His work has spread wonder
! fully in short year and a half. The
South bespeaks for United Brethren
polity a hearty acceptance, and welcomes
the church as bringing a gospel for
| which the South has long been yearning
| and looking Methodists are Hooking to
| the church by hundreds. The colored
race have a word of praise for the in
| terest shown to them by the church.
| AS the population marches cityward
for Capitalization this church adopts
city mission work as the urgent factor
! in future evangelical work, for the
maintenance of a strong, aggressive
church. The masses thus centralizing
in cities are demanding beautiful church
! houses, elegant furniture, polished min
| listers and an intelligent gospel.
| Sixtv-three thousand dollars was this
year given to missions. 1t is strenu-
ously purposed to raise 100000 the
Ac 70 ha r,lo nf oiCiy,