The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-05
INDIANA SYNOD PLAN
cAUsE\ OF A DISPUTE WITH Ma
TIONAx. BOARD OF MISSIONS.
Presbyterian General Assembly Will
Settle It-Rev. Mr.. Dickey Ex-
plains the Situation.

The Presbyterian General Assembly will
be called upon to settle the differences ex-
listing between the National Board Of Home
Missions and the State boards Of Indiana and
Illinois. The secretaries Of the national
board have issued a circular letter to the Hi
nois and Indiana superintendents of home
missions requesting that committees be sent
to New York prior to April q, for the pur-
pose of holding conference, when. as the
lawyers say, the tissues will be joined" ready
for presentation to the General Assembly.
when it meets in the middle of May.
Some five years. ago the Indiana Synod
adopted different plan Of conducting home
mission work than that then in vogue. The
plans proposed at that time were submitted
to the national board, and that body heartily
Endorsed the changes contemplated, even
making some suggestions relative thereto.
The new plan proved pre-eminently success
full, and it was subsequently adopted by the
Illinois Synod. Other States wish to adopt
it. Finding that revolution in home mis-
sionary work was imminent, the national
secretaries grew alarmed, and directed the
Indiana and Illinois synods to return to the
old system. The demand was not complied
with. For some time wordy war has been
carried ON through the mails, but Indiana
has remained firm in the position assumed.
Illinois remained equally steadfast.
AIT Danville ILL.,, Presbyterian missionary
conference was held last Tuesday. Delegates
from all the presbyteries in Indiana and Illi-
nois were present In compliance with the
request of the national board for the ap-
pointment Of committees to meet with it in
New York, Rev. Frank H. Hays, of Muncie;
Rev. r. ". Hunter of Terre Haute, formerly
of this city. and Rev. Sol c. Dickey, of In
dianapolis, State superintendent of PTesby-
terrain home missions, were chosen to attend
the conference in New York city. Mr..
Dickey says that the committee is requested
to meet prior to April 20. and that it will
probably go to the conference about the 18th
of this month. At the conference statements
will be prepared showing the relative po-
sitions assumed by the Indiana Home Mis-
sionary Society and the national board on
the questions in controversy. These state
ments will be presented to the General AS
sembly, the highest authority of the Pres
byterian Church. Many other States are
anxious to adopt the now famous Indiana
plan," but a vigorous protest is being made
by the secretaries of the national board,
who see that they are about to be Invested
OF much power and authority. The question
is of vital interest to every presbytery
in the United States, and as much interest
will be taken in the action of the assembly
as was manifested during the famous trial
when DR.. Briggs was cited to answer the
charge of heresy.
REV. MIR. DICKEY EXPLAINS
Rev. Sol c. Dickey has just returned from
the conference at Danville. He is the State
superintendent of Presbyterian missions,
and is practically at the head of the mis-
sionary work in this State. Yesterday
afternoon he discussed the subject quite
fully. The home missions Of the United
States are supported by assessments
against the different churches and by vol
untary contributions made by the women's
societies and other church organizations.
In this State the annual assessments
against each church based at the rate
| of 35 cents per capita Formerly each
church was required to remit the money
directly to the national board. Upon the
| recommendation of the Presbyterian COM
mittees, funds for the support of weak
| churches in the presbyteries were fur
nished by the national board, the appro-
| priations from the general funds being
made by two secretaries who had in charge
| the subject of church aid 1t will &c seen
/ that the secretaries, having the power to
| make disbursements. welded immense au-
4
| felt with the manner in which appropria-
| tons were made in this State, as the
amounts asked by the committees were
generally cut down. The churches of this
| State at that time annually sent $500 to
| the board. and received back for the sup
port of weak churches $1,000, $500 more
| than the gross contributions.
| THE NEW PLAN.
/
| adopted with the consent of the national
| board. Indiana at that time determined to
become self-supporting, agreeing to continue
| her contributions to the general fund, but
| in a different way. Under the new plan all
assessments collected in the different church
| es of this city, for instance, are RENTED to
the presbyterial treasurer. The treasurer re-
tains a sum corresponding to q cents per
capita, which is used in the work OF this
| presbytery. The remaining II cents per cap
tia is sent to the State or synodical treas
urer and placed in the State fund From all
amounts received by him the synodical treas
| urer transmits 10 per cent. to the national
board in New York, and any surplus that
| may remain after the years work Is finished
Last year $552 was sent from the general
State fund, besides $4,000 raised by the diff
ferent churches. in addition to the assess
| ment, making $4,S52 that was turned over 10
the general national fund, beside some sl1 900
raised by the women's and young peoples
societies. Not one cent was furnished by
the national board for the work in this State.
This plan has been adopted by Illinois.
Kentucky, Michigan and other States wish
| to adopt it, and it Is believed that those
States would be equally as self-supporting
as Indiana, and that their contributions 10
the general fund would not abate one jot-
The national board Is perfectly willing
that the States shall be self-supporting,
hut is Jealous of the loss of its power
which the plan entails. A new proposition
has been made. The board wants Indiana
and illinois to make two assessments. the
first for the national board and the other
for their own support IN Michigan this
| plan failed, and after years trial was
abandoned, as, for some reason, instead of
being self-supporting, the State had to
have more assistance than before. Indiana
maintains that the money raised in this
State for home missionary work should
be expended here first. and. IL any sur
plus remains, that the balance be applied
TO the general national work Some of the