The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-14
RESULTS OF MISSION WORK
ADDRESSES BEFORE THE AMERI-
 CAN BOARD.


 Yesterday--Hom Department Reports
 Increased Interest and Fervor Shown In
 the Meetings-No for Officers
 of the Board.
 Every seat in the Hyperion was oc-
 cupied at the afternoon and evening
 sessions of the American board yester-
 day. The addresses at both meetings
 were of unusual power and eloquence
 The addresses of Rev. A. M. Hitchcock
 Rev. John H. Barrows, p. D., are print
 ed in another column.
 Rev. Arthur Little. D. D., chairman
 of the committee on the report of the
 home department, reported as follows:
 Tn the report of the home department
 the prudential committee has given
 faithful account of its stewardship
 Every page is worthy of thoughtfuL
 prayerful consideration.
 It aims to embody in articulate
 speech and interpret to our understan-
 ing somewhat of the tolls and prayers and burdens and labors, in season and out of season, and even heartache of the earnest men to whom this board has committed the administration or its affairs. In what forge and what heat these trumpet-tongued utter ances have been wrought and taken shape for our inspiration and service we can never know.
 Death has been doing it's accustomed work in the removal from our fellow ship of eight corporate members. ln- cluding one member of the prudential committee, Hon. Henry o. Hyde. In this we find fresh incentive to work while the day lasts, for the night ot death cometh when no man can work. Our rejoicing that more missionaries have been sent out that the preceding year-twenty-one in all-is tempered by the fact that "the support of five of these is provided from outside the usu- al resources of the board" and also, by the further fact that ''the appoint ments were made to fill vacancies where the case seemed exigent." Abid- ing by the austere instructions given year ago. the committee has been com pelled to cut to the very quick another twelve months
 A year ago the committee was in \ structed to restore appropriations as X soon as possible And yet we are sad \ dened as we read in this years report # that Appropriations were made upon the same inadequate score as the pre- s y.ious year. curtailing the expenditures 1apon the mission field to the point of Obstructive hardship" in this connec- ~ tion we urge careful reading of that Y portion of the report which makes # clear the fact that, while gifts to spec # ial objects, and special donations, are valuable and help forward the work, N they do not aid the committee in mak- ing the annual appropriations. The re- % lief work done in Turkey and India \ through the agency of the board is a luminous spot in it's splendid history. It is encouraging to be told that more churches have probably contributed | this year than in any year of the his- | tory of the board, and yet we must gives these 2,046 churches, even though some of them are small and pastorless, no rest until they recognize it to be their privilege to have part in this blessed work.
 % But vastly more important than any < other part of the report Is the question of immediate needs We cannot wisely adjourn this meeting without some trustworthy assurances given to the oycrworlzed men who administer for us \ the sacred trust. We are advised that the lowest sum with which the mis- sionaries can do their work effectively this year is 45,000, or S1300OO more than last year.
 < Addresses were delivered by Presi- < dent Edward D. Eaton of Beloit col lege, and by the Rev. William A. Ament of Pekln, North China.
 President Eaton spoke on "Objections to Missionary Work" He said, in part: It is probable that Christian missions Z will never be popular with the world Z at large. The cogent and inspiring pa- per of Secretary Smith is final as to the < merits of the question involved. But, < no doubt, there will always be doubts & and objections regarding missionary N work. The claims of the gospel are v too exclusive for popular taste, and s these are emphasized in missionary en- # terprise. The Athenians are always N ready to erect altars to many gods,and z to all unknown God, but the service of ~ the one Only SIOu SeelIlS llllllllllS. oO-
 ~ ciety is ready to try many saviours for A Its various ills, but at the mention of x the only Name given under heaven, the M old offence of the cross returns. Tray
 t elers will still come back from foreign # lands, averring that missionary work $ has had no result in the lands visited, M although the Gospel is, even then per-
 ~ meating their ancient civilization, and zE souls are being won to the kingdom of N Christ. The vital question, however, is $ not so much what society says, but Nvhat does the Christian church say, be- 1M lieve and do. Missions are the enter @ prise committed especially to the KChurch of Christ, and upon it's faith and
 Inactivity depend the result.
 # The character of our missionaries x #aWakens our highest enthusiasm. What Awe have felt in reading of the mission aries of the ancient church, and of Mthose who were the pioneers of the N American board, we feel more nearly, Eand not less deeply, as we see what sEour brothers, sisters and friends are
 Ma chieying to-day. The search light
 4turned upon the Turkish empire brings
 Sout in vivid outline the lives and work
 Fof those who represent us there. The
 soaicers of the Red Cross society come
 Nback from their relief work declaring