The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-25
INFRINGEMENT is NECESSARY
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECU-
TIVE COMMITTEE OF THE UNION. .
j. ID. Rockefeller Criticised by a Mis-
siOnary from China-Other Re-
IigiOus Conventions.

American Baptist Missionary Union, or
ganized May IS, 1914, has charge of all the
foreign missionary work, and also has
number of institutions for higher education
established under it's control in foreign
lands, as follows: The Baptist Theological
Seminary, Insein, near Rangoon, Burmah
Rangoon Baptist College, Burmah; the
Brownson Telugu Theological Seminary
Rampatam, India; the American Baptist
Mission College, Ongole. India; the Bibli-
cal School, Shaohing China: the Baptist
Theological Seminary. Yokohama, Japan;
Bethel Theological Seminary, Stockholm,
Sweden. and the Baptist Theological
School, Hamburg, Germany.
The convention was called to order by
Rev Henry F. Colby, of Ohio, the presi-
dent, after which the report of the eXecu-
tive committee was presented The report
gave an interesting account of the work
done during the past year. 1.-THE foreign
work." it says, has been faithfully prose-
cuted, though at great disadvantage, re-
sulting from reduced appropriations and
the failure to provide reinforcements at
points where additions to the staff of work.
ers were sorely needed. The most promi-
nent feature in the years work is the
awakening in China, where q marvellous
change has occurred in the disposition and
attitude of the stolid and conservative Chi
nese. The most important question has
been the financial problem. Last year the
committee said that in case the debt was
increased during the year there would be
no alternative but to close some of our
missions. Now, should every dollar of the
present debt be raised TO attempt to con-
tinue work on the present scale would
simply result in mourning another, unless
the offerings were greatly increased 1t is
the conviction of the executive committee
that the appropriations for the coming year
should be made on a, scale 100000 below that
of the past year and that in the years to
come the average receipts from all sources
for the five preceding years should be
adopted the basis of missionary appro-
priations for any single year. This will
compel the actual abandonment of sta
tions upon some of the mission fields with
the recall of missionary families, a serious
reduction in the force OF native workers
upon others, besides such curtailment in
the furnishing of missionary equipment as
cannot fail to prove a serious embarrass-
ment to workers in the field, and, for
time, at least, restrict progress From sew
eral of our European missions 1t Will In
volve the Withholding of nearly one-half
the present appropriation and consid-
cradle reduction of the work in France,
with the possible withdrawal altogether
from Spain. Any line of action less drastic
will fail to secure the relief demanded
FINANCIAL EXHIBIT.
Il .
ceived $467, 1O1 SO from the following sources:
Donations, $25S,29S.95 legacies, $45,74O.59;
Womans Society of the East, $75,9S5.23;
Womans Society of the West 8O,77O.13;
Womans Society of California, $1,766.4S;
Womans Society of Oregon, 1886; Bible day
collections, $1,921.44; additions to perma-
nent funds and bonded accounts $l5,140;
income on funds, $36.322.66 Gordon memo
rial funds, $55S.S2; rent of mission property
in Siam, $S12.64
The donations were received from the
Hampshire, $2,51.34; Vermont, $2,70513
Massachusetts, $45 949.77; Rhode Island, $5,-
049.85; Connecticut, $S,5S6.S9; New York, $64,-
$29.172s2 Ohio sa7 81S.7s; Illinois, SIS, 92725
Wisconsin, $S,532.l5 Norway, $64,29; Den
mark, $59265; Sweden, 500; England, $780,
Spain, 1872; Burmah $6,2l592; Assam
$90526; China, $l245.48: Japan, 81, 86809; In
dia, &C. 1868; Congo, $3.50; Alaska, 1885,
miscellaneous, $3,209.93. The balance came
from different portions the United
The expenditures We're as follows: Appro-
priations for the year 1851 $3.50, 855.5S;
counts, 49, 14O; debt April l, 1896, 1853, 63
a total of 1853, 823.21, leaving the debt April
l, 1891 1922, 21.32. OF the O,S555S appropri-
ated for the year s494 537.86 was for the va
rious missions, 81 BIOS for publication, $l9,-
504. - for annuites, SIG, S1095 for district sec
retaries and agencies, $21, 740.50 for executive
81 821.S6 for interest account.
After the reading of the report Rev w.
II. Crossum, a missionary from emma,
arose and said he was opposed to retrench-
ment You sent me to China to work,
he said, land you can't retrench me. You
fant Eetard the YORK you re re nv SAY
who offers US money: First consecrate
yourself to God, make your gift clean, and
not touch it. I don't say this about John
d Rockefeller particularly or alone, but to
all who make such Offers
This statement caused a profound sensa-
ton, and for a moment there was a pro-
found silence. followed by scattering APP
plause. A number OF delegates 1olloWeq
the chairman finally dismissed the matter
by saving: when our brother has been
longer in this country and becomes better 1Ie
acquainted he will modify his views The
meeting them adjourned without taking ac-
ton on the report under consideration.
The afternoon session was presided over
nv Pew TT. +. Colby D. D.. of Ohio, who
conducted opening devotional exercises. Al
dresses by returned missionaries followed
made an Interesting address. He said eight
years ago there were 900 Baptists there
and now there were 1000. Eight years ago
the church had theological seminary
which was a disgrace to the Baptists. Now
they had zone of the best equipped semi
naries in Japan. The boys school existed
missionaries and q few friends at home
Now they had such school, with buildings
and grounds WhlCn are a cre01J 10 all COLI
cerned.
The principal address of the afternoon
was delivered by Prof. ]. NJ English, D. D..
of Newton Theological Seminary Massa-
chusetts At the conclusion of the address,
which was a profound and scholarly dis
cussion of the speakers theme, Rev. Dr.
Booth of Massachusetts,, presented the re-
port of the committee on nominations. The
ballot resulted in the choice of the follow
ing officers:
ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
President. Rev Henry +. Colby, D. D..
Ohio: vice presidents, Chester w. Kingsley
Massachusetts; Rev. D. D. IcLaurin,
Michigan; recording secretary, Rev. Henry
S. Burrage, D. D.. Portland Me-; members
of the board of managers, Class 3, term
expiring in 1900: Ministers, w. n. Clarke,
D. d. Hamilton, n. Y; Rev. e. P. fuller.
Lawrence, Mass: c. r. Henderson, u. ID,
Chicago; J. F. Elder, ID. D.. Alliance. n. Y;
b. A. Wood D. D., Philadelphia; Rev. G.
A Cook Bloomfield n. j.; NJ. II. BiXby, d,
D., Providence, r. l.; William y. Lawrence,
ID. D.. Chicago; Rev. G. A. Hobbs DelaVan,
Wis; H. l.. Stetson ID. D., Des Moines, la.
Laymen: Hon. julius j. Estey, BrattleboEo
VT: Hon r. O. Fuller. Cambridge, Mass.
Wn NJ IsaaCs, New York; Hon. j. Blu
chanan, Trenton, n. j.; S. w. Woodward,
Washington ID. c.. J. b. Thresher, Dayton,
o. l. J, Dunn. Keene, N. H.; George II.
rows. Bangor, Me. Women Mrs. j. +.
Scott Evanston. H.. Mrs. d. r. Wolf ST.
Louis: Mrs William Lindsay Milwaukee;
Mrs J. B, Hoyt Stamford, Conn: Mrs w