The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-22

Enrolment of theological seminaries and
colleges: Xenia Seminary, 81 Allegheny
Seminary, Is: Monmouth College, 30; West
minister College, IA; Muskingum College, 10;
Tarkio College, 10; Knoxville College, A.
Mr.. Dun reported the enrollments Of the
last three conventions to be as follows:
Columbus, 2.238 Omaha, $3.50; Indianapolis,
2,374. falling off is thus shown in the
membership of the present body.
The reporting of the enrolment gave Mr.
Duff an opportunity to make a neat ora
torical effort He spoke as follows:
II remember reading somewhere In the
Bible concerning the history of the Old
Testament church, That in that day there
no vision | have wondered many
times to myself what that particular thing
meant, and l believe that l understand
become engaged in the young peoples
work. can remember a time when there
seemed to be no vision of any particular
advancement, of any particular work.
or of any particular interest in our own
church, and | remember how dry and how
dreary sometimes the work seemed to be
because there was vision of marching
hosts and singing hands and enthusiastic
young people enlisted in the service of
the Master. And l remember also a few
years. ago that some had a vision, and
they believed that If proper influences were
brought to bear they might see the realiza-
ton of that vision, which was then only
a mental picture.
80, large plans were made and large
things devised, and certain things nro-
posed which seemed to some in a meas
ure as little things, but which resulted in
making real thing. So they had a vision
in convention or institute at Columbus, and
they wrought faithfully day and night
until when we assembled down there a year
or so ago we saw the realization
of a vision and had great host Of you
who are young who moved the whole
church with enthusiasm. Again there was
vision, and that vision was that we
might repeat the same thing in another
section of our church, and great plans were
made for gathering at Omaha, and it
was our privilege there to see the realiza-
young people of our church gathered and
repeated the blessed experience that they
had had at Columbus. and made the whole
church to the vision of the mighty host
Of young people moving on in honor of
the church and in faithfulness to her
standards. And again there was a vision
and that was that here in indianapolis
we might see a repetition of that Columbus
and that Omaha gathering. a great host
here where we would repeat the songs of
Gods praises we sang there, and carry
out into the church the enthusiasm of this
meeting
BANNER AWARDED.
blue silk banner with lettering of gold
upon il showing that it had previously
been awarded to Xenia, O., and College
Springs. Ia, was at this point presented
by Mr.. Duff to Rev Paul Stewart, of
Spring Hill, Ind, who represented the In
diana presbytery. The banner was the re-
ward given the presbytery for its having
the largest enrolled attendance, its repre-
sentation being 457 Mr. Stewart in ac-
oepting the banner, made the following
speech:
1T gives me great pleasure to receive
from our general secretary and from the
worthy presbytery of College Springs
the banner which l hold in my hands
Indiana presbytery and Indiana itself. in
the eyes of the church. has in the past
scarcely been seen. / remember last
year at Omaha sitting beside a lady who
had III her infancy gone to the Western
when l told her i was from Indiana she
gave me a good old-tme shake. and said :
" / used TO live in Indiana, and all that
/ had was fever and ague You know
that Indiana has the Wabash river run
ming through it: that. perhaps is a curse
to the State, for the people looked upon
Ii as simply State of chills and fever
But, my good friends, let me ask YOU
row from this time on and until the COM
ing Of the Lord, to recognize that Indiana
stands to-day as the banner presbytery of
the United Presbyterian Church. the great
est church in America, and in the world
and Indiana the greatest presbytery in the
greatest church. When Pittsburg Mo-
nongahela and Allegheny have to take a
back seat and even Monmouth comes uD
with a faint echo, the people of the Hoosier
State can sing Now Blessed be Jehovah
God f"
The banner for the educational insttu-
was awarded TO Monmouth College. This
banner had previously been held by Mus
kingum and TarlxiC Colleges. Professor
Mcmillan accepted the banner in the name
Of Monmouth College.
The various reports OF the cGfnmittees on
resolutions were adopted and &hs business
Of the morning closed with Il report OF