The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-17
OPEN ALL DAY AND EVENING.
POI WASHINGTON ST.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATIONAL WORK
Annual Report of Secretary of tho Con-
gregational Education Society.

Annual Report of Secretary of tho Con-
gregational Education Society.
Boston, June 1.-THE report of Rev.
lha A. Hamilton, ID. d., secretary Of
the Congregational Education Society,
presented yesterday afternoon at the slst
annual meeting of the society, held in
Pilgrim hall, showed that during the
year the society has assisted 32l students.
or the number "a have come upon the
list for tho first time. The total In col
leges has been 1O6 the total In semi
naries 2l5 This is a falling off OF 26 in
the number aided during the period.
This decrease Ia mainly In the colleges
and Is TO be accounted for chiefly on the
ground of hard times. So long as it is
deemed wise To provide as far as possible
n separate pastor for each one Of the 55i6
churches of the denomination, 10 Is
natural To assume that there should be no
less than that number of ministers To
draw from, there being today about 40
less ministers than churches according TO
the last year book; but this phase of the
question is Of great subordinate import
ance when compared with that of the
kind OF ministers now forthcoming TO
Congregational churches. In the last two
generations there has been general de-
parture from tho high standards Of the
fathers, as respects an educated ministry;
thus from less than peri cont OF partially
educated ministers at the beginning of
that period, the number of that class has
increased To tho figure OF 80 per cent
today. The directors have deemed it their
duty to limit the aid of the society to the
class of students in the semiparies who
represent the full 1egrce of preparation
antecedent TO entering the seminary
Reports from our institutions are gener-
ally of an encouraging nature so far as
relates to attendance. In some instances
the number of pupils is materially in
creased over that of the preceding year.
This is especially true on tho part Of
those connected with the higher course Of
study. The following named are tho
colleges now on the society's list; Pacific
University, Pomona College, Whitman
College, salt Lake College, Fargo College,
Lake Charles College, Ridgeville College.
Rollins College Farmount College, In
the now West department. some of tho
higher schools have within the year beon
discontinued owing to the growth of the
public schools in tho same communities.
The Academy at Albuquerque is closed
for the season, but I'm all probability 10
will be reopened and under moro favorable
circumstances in the near future Proctor
Academy at Provo. u, has flourlshed
abundantly during the last year notwith.
standing the scarcity of money and every
thing indicates for that institution sue
cessful and widely influential future.
The mission schools of the department.
were probably never better attended or
moro flourishing than today. The schools
of the department are as follows: Bounti-
full, Coalville. Lehi, Barelas Cubero,
Pennington, Heber, Afrisco, San Rafael,
San Matco.
Tho report of the treasurer, s. +.
wilkins was presented. 1t showed that
the receipts of the year were sl35. Alb %
and the expenditures were $780, 200. "a,
leaving balance on hand of sl20S, IL.