The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-22
BAPTIST ANNIVERSARIES
REPORTS PRESENTED AT THE PUB
LEGATION soCIETY's MEETING.
Figures That show Great work Is
Being Done by the Church
Plan to Raise Money.

PITTSBURG, May 21-When the ques-
ton of adopting plan to raise the balance
of the money necessary to obtain the
S250000 offered by John d. Rockefeller is
taken up Saturday by the Northern Bap-
fist missionary societies, now assembled in
convention in this city, it is quite probable
that suggestion offered by the Baptist
Home Missionary Society that all the Bap-
list missionary societies combine and en-
ploy the agents to collect for all the So
cieties will be agreed to. The money thus
collected is to be paid into a general treas
ury and divided pro rata between the So
cieties in proportion to the size of the debt
of each This plan, if adopted, will result
in a reduction in the number Of collectors
to such an extent that at least $4,000 in
salaries and expenses will be saved during
the year.
The second days session of the American
Baptist Publication Society opened at 9:45
this morning with the smallest attendance
at the opening of any session so far held
Fifteen minutes were occupied in religious
services, and at 10 o'clock President Croser
called the business session to order. About
two hundred delegates were present. The
first business was the report of the pub
fishing department Rev. George E. Hoar,
D. D., of Massachusetts, the first speaker,
attacked the sentimental religious book,
and said there was too much of such liter
allure in the church and Sunday-sehool
libraries. Rev. c. A. Barbour, of New
York, then read the report OF the commit
tee on the missionary department. lie Salo
in part: tin
ization of greater power for good or eVll
than the pabulum furnished the people
through the printed page Newspapers are
not below that level in the anxiety not 10
get above it. The dissemination of good
literature the pure, the strong, the noble.
he said was the antidote for the poison OF
bad publications. The corporation furnish
ing such literature was missionary, ana
benefactor of the Nation and of the human
race" He said this was a novel.reading
age, and not the highest type OF ncti3n
society during the past year had reached
the astonishing figure of 1888, 700; more
over $780, 900 pages of tracts were sent OUT
and 4400000O pages since the pegl ItLl o5
this work. Add to these the printing ana
circulation Of the word itself and the mis-
sionary work of the society through the
printed page was mighty engine Tor GOOD
In closing he said: Il am no alarmlst, no
pessimist, but my eyes would be closed dld
I not see rnists and clouds, grave and
threatening peris, rising from our SOL. our
missionaries are helping to check the nooo
of unbelief and of Wickedness
Rev. c. H. Rust. of Wisconsin, followed
with an interesting address on Work IN
Rev. s. S. Sucker, of Illinois, spoke at
considerable length on the Publication So
ciety in the Northwest, during which ne
stated that in the twenty States from In
diana to California, there are 1000 Baptist
churches, with less than 1900 Baptist sun m
day schools OF a population OF ZS'ooopVo
suggested the need and great Importance
of a building in Chicago, and SAID: one
coming to Chicago in these days needs a
guide to show him where he may find some
BaptistS.'
Rev. Richard Carroll, of South Carolina,
closed the addresses with an account OF the
colOrad naOnlp
The annual report OF the board OF mana
gers was read by General Secretary Row
land of Philadelphia. The summing up OF
the year showed very, encouraging results.
Two months after the beginning OF the year
the headquarters of the society were
burned out, including all machinery, etc
Notwithstanding these difficulties and hin
ORANGES, the year was a successful one me
total amount of sales in merchandise ana
periodicals was $6O7, 1866. This was an in
crease over the preceding year or 46S0o.93.
In the publication department 122 new pub
during the previous year; VI these z, Io2;i We
copies were printed. The report furtner
showed that the society had kept nlne st
away 1913 books distributed 63S,S2S pages
of tracts, aided 119 Sunday schools with do
nations of Scriptures, books, etc., and aided
243 pastors and ministerial students with
grants for their libraries.
The report of the treasurer showed the
total receipts from all sources to have been
81, loo, 31554. A cash balance on hand April
l. 1896, of So 701. So brought the total to ST.
112,017.42 This is equaled by the eXpendl.
lures, to which amount is added $S469S.56
due from open accounts. The assets - are re
$s72. 7OS 49, while the liabilities are $1O2 104 S.
leaving the net assets $3.50, 603.53 In the
missionary department the total receipts
were $114, 1857 and the expenditures $l28,-
S6271. The deficit was paid out of bal
ance in the Bible department.
The following officers were elected: Presi-
dent, Samuel A. Crozier, Pennsylvania;
vice presidents, Mr. Edward Goodman, I'LL
nois; Mr.. Joshua lowering, Maryland; Geo
z. Hoar. jr., D: D.. Massachusetts,; j.. w
Sarles D. D., New Jersey; secretary, A. j.
Rowland D. D.. treasurer, B. F. Dennison;
recording secretary, ]. G. Walker, d. D.
At the afternoon session the report of the
committee on Bible work was presented by
the chairman, Rev. John Gordon, d. d., of
Pennsy lvania. 1t was adopted.
Hon. c. W. Kingsley, of Massachusetts,
chairman of the committee on finance, Of
fered his report. showing there had been
printed during the year IS, 592, zoo copies of
periodicals, an increase Of 3,1655O0 over the
preceding year.
A Sunday-school session was held at $3.50
.. m. A great many teachers and officers
were present and the session proved one of
the most interesting of the day.