The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-13
NOTABLE RELIGIOUS GATHERING.
Meeting of American Board of Foreign
Missions at New Haven.


has probably at no time entertained
more prominent assemblage of religious
workers as are now in attendance at the
S7th annual meeting of the American
board of foreign missions which opened
here today and will continue through
Friday
The delegates include many of the most
prominent men in the Congregational
church and there is every indication that
the convention will be one of the most
successful ever held.
The meetings are being held in the
Hyperion theatre and though the atten-
dance at the opening session was very
gratifying there has since been large.
influx of delegates which promises large
congregations at all the services.
Thus far but few delegates from the
south or west have put in an appearance
but the northeast and middle west are
well represented and nearly every city
and section OF the east has already sent
its representative. The meeting opened
at 8 p. m.
After devotional exercises an address of
welcome was delivered by Professor Geo.
P. fisher, ID. D., of Yale Unsiversity.
The response was delivered by she pres
ident, Rev. DIR. Richard S. Stcrrs, of
Brooklyn.
ment was presented by its secretary, Rev.
G. 81. Daniels. d. D., of Boston.
A summary of his report was presented
by the treasurer, f. 81. Wiggin OF Boston.
The meeting tonight was entirely OF
religious nature. The services were held
at the Hyperion theatre and were presided
over by Rev. DIR. StorFs. Following pray
er and congregational singing, the annual
sermon was delivered by Kew. Nehemiah
Boynton of Detroit, Mich.
At the close of the sermon there was q
brief service OF song. There was large
influx of delegates during the day and
tonight's meeting taxed the capacity of
the theatre.
The following surveys of the field were
read:
EUROPEAN TURKEY.
This mission has partaken somewhat
of the unrest and anxiety (which have
marked the other Turkish missions.
Three of its five stations are under the
Ottoman government. Salonica and
Monastir have been centres of activity
in the late war between Turkey and
Greece. The movement of troops, and
the uncertainties of the war, while not
directly disturbing the missionaries in
. their residence, have rendered outside
evangelistic efforts difficult at all times
and often impossible. The native Chris
tian subjects of the Turkish government
have not been able to move about freely,
to assemble themselves together OF to give
their thought and time to distinctiyely
Christian work. Nevertheless it is an
encouraging fact that the mission has
not only held its own but has made man
ifess advance. Not note of discourage
nent comes from the missionaries, while
they unite in q petition for reinforcement
that they may begin a work among the
Albanians, who seem to be not only
ready but eager to welcome the Christian
preacher or teacher.
The Bulgarian side of the mission has
met with little change during the year
except in the broadening of its work
The mission is more and more convinced
of the necessity of a good training school
for the young men in Bulgaria who
shall be the evangelical Christian leaders
of their own people. The greatest need
today Is an efficient, able, consecrated
Christian leadership among the Bulgari-
ans themselves. To meet this CRYING
need, attention is now turned to the
better equipment and organization of the
Collegiate and Theological Institute at
Samokov.
EASTERN TURKEY.
The mission has been comparatively
free from disturbances except in its
Eastern portions, where some Armenian
reyolutionists, organizing in Persia and
Russia, have attempted to stir up ami
mosities. These have been aided by their
few sympathizers in Turkey. The Turk
ish government has upon the whole
handled these incendiary elements with
wisdom. Threats of new massacres
have constantly been made, and the
peaceable Armenians in many sections
nave been repeatedly threatened by their
Moslsm neighbors with new horrors in
store for them. This bias kept the entire
country in most unsettled condition,
and the Armenians who were able to do
SO have left the country, and others are
still leaving. Many of the pastors,
preachers and teachers, upon whom the
missionaries were depending for the
work of reconstruction, because of the
fear they. felt both for themselves and
their families, have come to this country
or crossed to Europe.
PAPAL LANDS.
The three missions in Papal lands are
Austria, Spain and Mexico. These mis-
sions were bagun In 1s72aand have had a
constant growth from their inception. To
those who know these countries best,
there is no doubt of the wisdom and need
of missionary work among their priest
ridden peoples
10 show the steady onward progress of
the work in these missions to the present
time, 1t Is necessary only to state that
after five years of labor in these three
nelds, TOUR churches had been organized,
with 100 members and with IS native
teachers, preachers and assistants to aid
in the general work. Five years later,
and ten after the beginning of the mis-
sions, there were eight churches with 4O6
members and with 81 native assistants.
There were also 244 pupils under instruc-
tion. Ten years later, or in 1892, there
were 38 churches, with membership of
l,55s' and with g. helpers, ten of whom
were ordained. The number of pupils
under instruction was 1926. The growth
has continued to the present year, when
we report church membership Of 2, 1O1
I oIIraiIe f,,% I,,o.