The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

a member of the board of home missions
in New York and were directed against the
allegation of Rev. j. w. Knowles, Of Mount
ssEiisha's successor The statement thus
denied was TO the effect that one or the
sccreuries OF the home mission board in
New York was receiving two salaries-one
frcm the board and one from friend me
denial was explicit alleging that the state
ment never was true and is not now true.
over the offer of the original speaker to
give his authority there came the nfsI serl-
Gus parliamentary tangle OF the session.
The moderator ruled the offer TO give au-
thority for the statement out OF order. APP
peals from this decision were taken and
sustained. The authority was then stated
30 be member of the committee from the
synod OF Illinois and Indiana who went to
New York to confer with the board OF
but his name was withheld. After adj
journment considerable indignation was eX-
pressed by various commissioners that such
mountain should nave peen mace OF SO
small molehili, and one at least expressed
q wish for just such friend
The General Assembly was opened this
morning with devotional exercises, led
by DR.. Samuel I. Studdiford. of Trenton
n. ]. Among the papers referred to appro-
pirate committees were four on ofganlza-
ton of Presbyterian churches North and
South.
The regular order of the morning was the
report of the board of ministerial relief,
which, in outline was as follows: The re-
ceipts last year were Sl6O,S56; expenditures,
$lS2,264. While the permanent fund is now
large, amounting to 81, 551, 783 it should be
very largely increased, for there was
steady increase in applications for aid and
the aid granted should in many cases be
much larger than now given. 1t was PAIN
full TO notice that since the centennial 1und
was raised, in 1888, the collections from the
churches and Sabbath schools had been
gradually falling off. In lS8l-8S they raised
$9S,922 and in lS96-97 only S4,OJl, a decrease
of $24, S31 in nine years. Many of the church
sessions think because the board had
large permanent fund 1t did not need an
nual collections. The showing was all the
worse, Since, in 1885, there were reported
but 722, 671 communicates, and in 1896 there
were 943,716. While the church was more
the collections We're more than one-tourth
less. And what made the showing arpear
still worse was that in 1888 but 264 families
were under the care of the board, ard last
year they had 835 The average gifts of
communicates had fallen from IL cents
each to about ~ cents each. The entire
cash receipts from all sources, including
interest were $197, S95, a little less than per
cent of the sum being used for the ex-
penses of administration. The board was
compelled to report an Indebtedness of
$29.911 due to the permanent fund.
The report of the assembly standing com
mittee on the foregoing was presented by
Hon. James A. Mount, Governor of lndi-
ana, lay commissioner to the assembly.
After reviewing the work of the year the
committee recommended approval of a
change OF rule by which legacies viii be
expended for current work instead of be-
ing invested in a permanent fund. Efforts
were recommended to increase contribu-
tons to this charitable work. The selec-
ton of DIR. Benjamin L. Agnew, of Phil
adelphia as secretary of the board, was
approved. The interests of the board were
presented d to the Assembly b by reefn
hour devoted to the subject was occu-
pied by a number of speakers, who pre-
scented the matter from various points OF
view.
Consideration of the report on the Pres
byterian building in New York occupied the
.fr,1a # no mon q
sole speech was made by Hon. John Wanna
maker. After speaking of the reasons lead
ing to the appointment of the committee,
he went on to give results reached. THESE
were that there no evidence found that
the boards had done anything beyond what
was authorized by a former General As
sembly; that the men in charge of the
boards were men successful in great bust
ness enterprises in New York: that these
men were fun of love and loyalty to the
church, that there was no reason to expect
a miracle for the special benefit of the
ficult1es which beset the whole business
world. The committe recognized the good
business ability and sagacity of those in
charge, and the speaker expressed the con-
viction that the boards ought to have
moved Ave years ago, and asserted that the
building is one worthy the Presbyterian
Church. The remainder of the speech was
directed against the minority report, stat
ing that it dealt with question settled by
previous assemblies. and that they cannot
be reopened. At the close of the session
unsuccessful attempts were made to close
the debate and take vote Immediately.
Notice was given that many commissioners
wished to be heard. and protest was made
against application of the gag. The assem-
bly, was declared adjourned until after
noon.
The afternoon session was opened by the
appointment of commission to trY the
judicial case of the Synod of Missouri
against Rev. w. j. Lee a suspended mem
Der of the Presbytery of st. Louis. 1t was
decided to continue the discussion of the
question of the building in New York on
Monday afternoon next as the second order
and the report on home missions was made
second order for Monday morning.
The afternoons discussion was Of des-
uitory character, without much plan or
conference, but a great variety of views
were brought out DR.. Samuel c. Logan,
of Scranton, Pa, wanted a committee con-
tinued in order to investigate further and
to report a rule to govern the boards in
the use of beneficiary funds He stated
that the ministers needed more information
in order that they may present the needs
of the boards to their churches.
DR.. G. G. Bolton: of Philadelphia, said
too soon and that the minority went too
far. The powers granted to the boards by
the assemblies of 1898 and 1894 cannot be
withdrawn honorably, he said. DR.. Henry
p. Bake, of Spencertown, N. Y, introduced
an amendment to the minority report, of
which he gave notice.
Rev. James f. Knowles. of Mount Carmel
ILL.,. caused the sensation of the afternoon,
but the opinion of many commissioners was
that his speech was aimed at nothing and
hit it. DR.. Jay Clisebe of Mason, Mich,
while disbelieVing in petty economy, adj
vocated the sale of the new building of the
boards of missions. The statement that
they occupied quarters with rental value of
$4,000 he said, would be the effect of dis
couraging liberal contributions. The as
sembly then adjourned until Monday morn
ing
"WILD RIDER OF THE SIERRAs."