The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-03
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH
QUAKERS SHOW SMALL INCREASE IN
INDIANA YEARLY MEETING.
Proposed Change in Discipline in Re-
gard to Recognizing Ministers
Postponed.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
| RICHMOND, Ind, Oct. 1.-The growth
in membership Of the Indiana Yearly
Meeting of Friends is hardly sufficient to
be noticeable. The statistical report was
submitted to-day and shows the following:
Number of members last year. 191S7; addi-
tions by birth, 253; additions by request, 1871 !;
additions from other churches SO; additions
from certificates, S0S; total additions l. 359
Losses by death, 127; by disownment, AZ:
by resignation, 81; by discontinuance, A2
by letters to other churches, ~ by re-
moval, 1,311 total losses, 1161. The net gain
is $780, and the membership this year is 49,
81. The number of households represented
is 1888; males, 9,252; females 1929 under
twenty-one years 6,067; adult members, 49,
80; number who contribute to the support
of the church, $50; do not contribute 7,49S
established meetings for worship 146
monthly meetings, So; recorded minister's
2lo; meetings without recorded ministers,
"A; members in college, 1872; number of mem
bers teaching, 237.
The report of the Bible school committee
shows the following: Schools 1O5; number
OF classes, 7O4; average number Of scholars
at the close of school, 5,747; teachers meet
ences held, H. This shows an increase in
all departments over last year. The Bible
schools of this Yearly Meeting embrace a
territory representing three States and over
1000 students are enrolled. Some of the
schools are trying plans suggested by the
State Sunday-school Association. Institutes
are taking the place of conference among
quarterly meetings, and the committee high
~ praises the work of the Bible institute
held at Earlham College last year.
!, Rev. Samuel c. Mills, superintendent of
the eVangellStic and pastoral work of the
Yearly Meeting, made his annual report.
The following is a summary: Series of
meetings held, 129; conversions, 917; applica-
lions for membership TAI; number convert
ed who are already members, 290; under
regular pastoral care, 81; without pastoral
care, 4S; persons giving the work their time,
~; number who receive some support, "a
ministers able for active service, 149; giving
evidence of a call to the ministry 80
and % women; new meetings established, q
one new meeting house, s., 800; cost of re-
pairing twenty-five meeting houses 81, 1882;
missions kept up, II; paid out for evangelis-
tic work, not including the appropriation
by the Yearly Meeting, $7,67079; twenty
pastors and fourteen evangelists have been
assisted. Subscriptions amounting to about
$80G were taken for the use of the committee.
The subject of the transfer of property
in Mexico to the committee on foreign mis-
sons came before the meeting. This com
mittee has been legally incorporated and
the object of the transfer is to better pro-
tect the rights of the society in that coun-
try. An expenditure of about $500 Is involved
gates. M. M Binford and Emma Newlin
were released from the foreign mission COM
mittee and Elbert Russell, Leander Wood
ard, M. S. Wildman and Sarah Hussey
were added to it. William G. hubbard, of
Cleveland, is among those attending from
distance.
the Discipline with regard to the recogn1z-
ing of ministers came up, and was LAID over
suggest a plan to liquidate the debt of the
Yearly Meeting reported in favor of each
adult member being assessed 81, to be col
lected by each quarterly meeting, The re-
port was approved. If each adult member
will pay this assessment the debt can be
entirely paid off, as there are over l5;VOO
adult members and between $4,000 and SILL
600 Indebtedness. The debt has been hang
ing. for years. -,
general conference of the church, which
meets every five years, and which will be
held this month at indianapolis, q legisla-
pare a statement as to what the duties and
powers of the conference should be report
ed the following. which was approved and
will be forwarded to the conference
lit is the judgment of this Yearly Meet
ing that the conferences of 1887 and 1892
strengthened the bonds of fellowship in the
American yearly meetings and promoted
unity in some important matters. and we
request the approaching conference to con-
slider whether the time has not come to adj
wise the yearly meetings to confer certain
delegated powers on the conference, SO that
in the future its conclusions shall be bind
ing on all the yearly meetings that unite
in granting such authority"
The report of the board of trustees of
Farlham College shows a deficit of about
81 800 This is due to reduced patronage.
The biblical department has been an In
creasing drain on the resources OF the col
lege, and will have to be discontinued UNI
less the friends of the department furnish
substantial aid. The terms of Edmund
White and Esther Pugh. trustees. expire
this year. President Joseph j. Mills, of
Earlham College, presented his thirteenth
annual report President Mills took up to
some extent the question of the relations
of the state and nonstate colleges, and the
members Of the meeting were urged to see
that their representatives in the Legisla-
ture be more careful about making large
appropriations to the state institutions. A
subscription of $500 was taken for the bene-
fit of the biblical department
The time this evening was given to the
Christian Endeavor organization. To-mor-
row nearly all the Protestant pupits will
be occupied by the visiting ministers.