The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-15
to the pressure Of business. A number
Of the ministers are becoming impatient

to return home and the mileage commit
| tee reported that numerous requests had
been made for tickets. BY the rules OF
the synod no delegate is allowed to leave
the city except by permission Of the as
sembly.
Rev. ]. NJ. Cromer Of Kansas City
caused little ripple Of excitement a
| the opening of the morning session BY
| stating that certain newspapers had
| printed articles stating that the synod
| had been divided in the election Of Off.
GERS by partisan differences between the
| conservatives and radicals and that .hs
| tide OF the election was turned through
| the influence of the conservatives. Rev
| Cromer stated that the articles were
nlissta ieMents, and that no influence:
whatever had been brought to bear ir
the election. He then introduced res
| olut,on that the synod express disapprov
| al Of the reports, which was adopt.
| ed
After these pre,iminaries the regular
order was proceeded with and Rev. H
Fl. Weber. general secretary of the
board Of church xtensicn, submitted tht
fourtesnth biennial report. The re.
ceipfs from the churches have been larg.
er than during the previous biennium
The receipts. including the balance. were
s99,592. an increase OF over 27 per CEN
| quite number of the synods having
| exceeded their aportionment The be-
| quests amounted to s3,719. a decrease OF
! N,1S2. but the general secretary knew
| personally Of over s., 600 that had beer
! put into wills for the board. Nineieer
| churches had returned their loans ir
full or in part. Loans, donations and
| special appropriations amounting Il
S14,159 had been made TO 17S churches
81 more than in the preceding two years
| The total assets Of the board are $780,
SCI. or, less the trust property, the ne;
assets are s264,721. The board asked fol
an opportionnent Of $35, 900 for the mex,
| two years.
This was followed by the report OF
Treasurer ]. c. Carl. The balance or
hand June 8. 1895, was S3,769, and the
receipts during the blennium were s4,-
500. making $S.4SS available Disburse-
ments were s5,s15. the balance ON hand
May Z. 1897. being $2,652
.. u,
tistical secretary, stated as cause of re-
gret that the financial depression of the
few years had effected the work. There
were at present in the district synods
1,508 churches, gain of thirty-two in
two years; 205 preaching stations, a gain
OF 80. There were 312 students before
the ministry. decrease of IL. The loss
es numbered II ,442, but the accessions
were 36.940. Of which 1920 were by con-
firmation. The present communican,
membership is 1s4,72s, an Increase OF
ii $40 over the previous biennium. The
value OF the property owned by the
churches Is $l1, ,743, ,7S9, a gain Of 81, 1885,
402. The Indebtedness is $1,195,S12, an
increase Of $53,S92. The local expenses
OF the congregations were $2,3SS, 474, a
decrease OF $103, ,165. There are 1852
Sunday schools, an Increase Of 1877, with
l5,O6l teachers, an increase Of I'll, and
1s5.354 scholars, a gain of 7,15S. The
schools contributed for local objects s212,
SS4, which was $10,70S more than in the
previous biennium. and gave for benev-
olence 69,919, a decrease Of $S,795. There
are enrolled in the young peoples saci-
cites 44,2SS members, who contributed
$50,9S5 for local objects and $1S,34S for
benevolence. The total benevolent con-
tributionS Of the congregations were
500, 1853, decrease Of $6S, ,559. The total
Of moneys raised for all purposes was
3.0Oo. $50, decrease Of $12O,79s. 1t was
noted that the decrease was largely due
to the falling off OF contributions in
1895, those for 1895 showing a gain of
$31. .965 over the previous year.
The report Of the deaconess board was
submitted by Rev. F. P. Manhart. The
Lutheran deaconess house was opened
in Baltimore in October, 1895. The
growth Of the institution was so rapid
that additional room was made in Sep
tember, 1896. At present there are in
the institution seven deaconesses, six
probationers, and two candidates. In
answer to question Rev. Mr.. Manhart
explained that young women becoming
deaconesses do not assume life vows, but
have the prer0gative of leaving the work
at any time they so desire. Donations
in the way Of necessaries Of life have
been very liberal and cash donations
have amounted to S265. The receipts of
the deaconess boards OF the different
to S7,723, the expenses s7,433, leaving a
cash balance Of $500
The report Of Louis Mauss. treasurer
OF the general synod, was submitted and
showed a deficiency Of $3.50. The synod
passed a resolution to make temporary
loan to cover this deficiency.
A recess was then taken until after
noon.
The afternoon session Of the synod open
" Rev. W. S. Hinman OF Columbia.
Pa. The depressed financial condition
of the country has made = falling off
in the benevolent contributions but at
the same time there has been an in
crease IN the membership of churches
and Sunday schools.
The report o: the board or supplies
was submitted by Secretary Rev. DR..
D. 2. Bsusi'n. Springfield. Ohio. In the
REPORT il was recommended tha. grea /
er care be insisted upon IN the admission
of ministers from other churches into
the Lutheran ministry. as these applica-
tons. the report stated, are rarely in
duced by change OF doctrinal belief
or any altered attitude toward things
regarded by Lutherans as essential.
There are n the twenty-three English
synods OF the general synod sixty va
cant pastorates. containing rs church
es. and the average salary reported as
peing paid by these sixty pas;orates is
So5s.
After some discussion. the synod de-
cided thar the work of the board q.
supplies can be accomplished better BY