The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-25


mary of which follows Although no new
work had been projected for the past four
years the board found itself operating two
large and fully equipped boarding schools
Tor girls that were not on the list last year
one at Admission. Ala, and the other at
West Point Miss The former was the
generous gift of Mrs. Phineas NJ. Barber.
of Philadelphia: the other, the Mary
Holmes Seminary, starting again after a
lapse CT nearly two years, the first build
ing having been burned. The first men
TONED cost $4,000 and was out Of debt. The
latter cost $S9oO3 and was nortgaged 11r
5000. Besides these two schools, all the
other seventeen boarding schools had been
retained, but the terms had been reduced.
Twelve are allowed only six months edch,
twO five months and the parochial schools
four months. The number OF the latter had
been reduced by twenty The board had
epdeaVored to carry on the work within its
reduced limits with the least possible out
lay. and in the interest of economy. The
services OF the treasurer as q saIdIleQ oIll-
Ger and also of the field secretary had peen
dispensed with. These changes effected
reduction of expenses of $3.50. An increase
in the real estate item, together with the
fact that the receipts fell to a lower figure
than they had fallen in the last eight years,
had operated TO increase the debt the
amount last year being $5l,2i5, as against
S26,l23 the previous one. The real estate
item amounted to 1883, larger than 1t
would probably be again for many years,
the bulk Of the amount going toward the
rebuilding of the Mary Holmes Seminary.
Buildings had been completed as follows;
Toys dormtory at Oak Hill, CHURCH and
school at Newport News. Hot Springs
Church basement Of new church at Chat
tanooga and aid was given TO bulId
churches at Columbia, S. c.; Savannah, Ga;
Charlotte, n. c.; Statesville, n. c.; Roam
Pike Va; Birmingham, Ala; Spartanburg,
The board desired that at least $4,000 OF
the debt should be paid this year. An IN
crease of $l1 600 in income over last year
would make this possible reducti0n OF
expenses would accomplish the same thlng,
but a reduction OF the work 10 that extent
meant almost its destruction TO That eX-
tent. The bodies contributing to the cause
wSre: Churches, 1888: women. IS societies,
iS0o; young peoples societies, Z9G; ouHudy
schools $50. The amount contributed for
sef-support none Of which entered into
the boards accounts was s70017 an in
crease compared with the previous year
of $I918 The freedmen gave to the sup
port OF their own ministers and churches
schools School SIS, 46i ~
The standing committee on the above re-
port reported through DR.. Thomas Law
renee. Asheville, n. G., chairman. After re-
viewing the work of the board resolutions
were introduced commencing the work and
urging tho boards claim on the four thou
sand noncontributing churches and indi-
vdual givers. Special stress was laid on
the liability Of endoWments for Biddle Un.
iversity Charlotte y. c. The secretary of
the board. Dr. Edgar P. Cowan, Pittsburg,
then addressed the assembly.
HOME MISSIONS.
The second order of the morning was the
report of the special committee on home
missions appointed last year to confer with
methods of the work and retrenchment of
the expenses. 1t was presented by DR.. VIM.
p. Kane Bloomington, III. Its main fea-
lures are given below:
1.-THE board of home missions submits to
the General Assembly its ninety-fifth an
nual report In reviewing the various de-
partment of it's work its finds it neces-
sary to make frequent illusions to circum-
stances and causes which had their origin
in preceding years. This has been rendered
a
last four or five years form a unique and
in some respects. exceptional period in our
cOuntrys history. Political; social and
financial storms swept over the land, do
ing damage that will require years to re-
pair. Strong banks having millions of doll
lars lying idle were not able to loan be
cause there was little or no demand for
money. Important railways, supposed to be
solvent, passed into the hands of receivers
for want of traffic to meet expenses. Many
of the factories of New England, OF the
Middle States and of the West had either
to close their doors to reduce the num-
Der of their workmen. Tens of thousands
of industrious men and women were UNI
able to find employment by which they
could support their families. Extensive
strikes compelled tens of thousands OF re-
spectacle and industrious operatives to beg
bread a formidable army of nlalcontentS
marched across the country to the nation
al capital to demand legislation for the inn
pFoVernent of their condition. An uprising
of formidable proportions took place in
Chicago. which disturbed for time the
peace of that community and threatened
to east the whole country into anarchy.
The result of all this is readily told.
Capital quietly retired into the vaults of
our great trust companies; millions of spin
dies In New England and other places were
stopped; the fires in many of the great
furnaces of Pennsylvania and Ohio were
put out and our interstate and foreign
commerce gradually decreased in bulk and
value. Multitudes of men were compelled
to draw the earnings of former years to
support their families. Even the revenue
of the United States government showed
dininut;on of from $4,000 GOO to $50 600 600 a
In vie Of n things
is it not strange that our hospitals and or
phan asylums, our tract and Bible societies,
and especially our missionary boards should
suffer serious falling off in receipts? Ow-
ing to the hard times and other causes
there was a gradual falling off in the re-
ceipts of the home board during the past
four years. The financial panic struck the
country during the summer of 1899. and in
q short time affected every department OF
business. As might be exepcted, the home
board at once felt its effect. Its income
was reduced daring the year 1S93-94 $l91. 600.
THE deficit in the receipts of the year 1S94-95
amounted to $112 414.96 There was during
the year 1885 a falling off of no less than
S2l5 600 the receipts of the whole year, eX-
elusive of what was received from the me-
morial fund, being only $4,000 during the
The whole force of missionaries during
,the past year numbered 1,4l6. and they are
distributed in the following manner name
n Eona Alq 49, Arkansas ALASKA 3 California,
rs; Colorado, IS; Florida, 49, = Idaho lao'
126. Kentucky. q; Maine. 2; Massachusetts,
s: Michigan 81: Minnesota, SO; Missouri, %;
Montana 10: Nebraska, 81; Nevada, /; New
'Hampshire, 2; New Jersey, 2; New Mexico,
40: New York 131; North Carolina, 3: North
Dakota SO; Ohio 10; Oklahoma, IA. oregon,
46; PENNSYLVANIA. g. Rhode Island 4; South
Dakota "A; Tennessee. 20; Texas. %; Utah,
"a; Vermont, /; Washington. 66; Wisconsin,
81; Wyoming Z.
IARDSHIPS OF MISSIONARIES.
The missionaries tolls and hardships were
oftentimes excessive The following ex-
tract shows what one of them suffered in
Louisiana: Nearly every day during my
missionary tours 1 have to swim across
creeks or wade through swamps and am
wet from head to foot, and some days from
morning to night 1 am dripping with water.
] tie all my plumber fast on my horse take
him by the bride and swim sometimes
hundred yards, and often farther. My
horses legs are now skinned and rough TO
his hook Joints, and / have rheumatism IN
all my Joints. What l have suffered In
BODY and in mind my pen is not able 10 de-
scribe. But this l can state whlle my poey
is wet with water and chilled with cold,
my soul is filled with heavenly nre ana
can say with St. Paul: None OF these
things move me, neither count | myself
dear unto myself so that | might finish my
course with low" The heroism of these
early pioneers has not died out in the
church The prospects of home missions
are more encouraging than they nave been
i'm two or three years. The whole sky is
Frightening and presaglng the approach OF
a better day.
AS vet the times have not materially inn
proved either East or West" the report
Continues Nevertheless, unmistakable in