Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-08

| NoN anu lUc kTctt NHtritt
controversy seems TO be settled. with
everybody in a good humor and there
is no probability that II will come up
again.
Then followed the Foreign Mission re-
port:
FOREIGN MISSION REPORT.
The report was presented by the secre-
| tary. Rev. DR.. r. j. Willinsham. and was
| looked forward TO with very great inte-
hes bad In View Of the fact mat the he rSnori
opens with this general statement OF the
work OF the past year.
THE past year has been full or the
| blessings OF our Heavenly Father on the
work which He has entrusted TO us In
| foreign lands. While IN some respects II
\ has been a year of great difficulties ana
! trials. yet the Lord has prospered us con-
tnually.
China, as a result OF the war with
| Japan. seems eager, as never before, 10
| listen TO the missionaries. and the reports
| from our workers I'm that country are very
encouraging. The work In Brazil during
| the past year has been very prosperous,
/ even though our forces In that country
! have been greatly reduced. Brother Nc
4 Collum, our Oldest missionary in japan,
/ reports the last year as one OF the best
in our work in that mission. In Mexico.
while there have not been so many addi-
| tions as In some former years, there mas
been considerable development OF the
| tHufCUtS III tue WOIk vi SupBoitih '"N'
own pastors and building their own houses
! of worship. In Italy the work shows good
/ advancement, though this Is one OF our
most difficult fields. In Africa the awiui
/ climate has driven again some OF our ms
sionaries from the field but the work goes
prosperously on. and needs reinforcements
| as soon as possible.
The report then gives statements In re-
| ference 10 the health Of the missionaries,
| and changes In the missions, pays grace
| fll and tender tribute to their former
president. DR.. II. II. Harris, and speaks
! OF a number of matters OF detail IN the
work Of the year.
FINANCES.
In reference to the important matter or
! finances. IL says: .
This has been a very trying year In
our finances We went to the last conven-
tion with a debt of nearly SS2.po. AS
result of the effort made at the convention
last year about Sl2,OOo came into the trea-
sury Of the board which helped us very
much. Just at a time when we were sorely
| pressed.
Some of the States are so systematic
! ing their work that the funds for foreign
! missions come regularly all along through
the wear and thus help us in Keeping
/ down the interest account Georgia has set
a noble example in this respect the past
| year.
1--WE are glad 10 report that most of the
| States now send up monthly the funds
which have been collected for foreign
missions. If the funds are not promptly
sent forward it increases our interest ac-
| count.
''Bv reference to our treasurer's report
II will be seen that we have received this
year s125. .6Sl99 Our expenditures were
S1O7.314G7. so that we have been able 10
| paw SIS. .3e7 70 on our Indebtedness. leaving
us with a debt Of $l3.532.79, against debt
! last year of s3l .900.1
! The contributors by States show that
Virginia heads the column with sH,565 .lS;
.axx4 a. a. n
lucky next with s12,2l452; and South
| Carolina next with 81, $3.50. But in pro-
portion to membership. Maryland is the
largest contributor. in giving $l;7O1 and
Grass State" is below any of these
| named.
In refutation of a popular idea of the
expense of missions, the report SHOWS
| that of all the money received by the
board at Richmond. 92 cents out of every
| dollar goes TO the missionaries.
SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD.
Our Sunday-School Board at Nashville
| has sent us thus year q, ,e55.2l as the re-
suit of Missionary collection IT Is
generally known that the amount qE col col
| Foreign boards. The Sunday-School
Board very generously has borne all the
| expenses the past year, and mas thus
nearly $1,000 The object of the Mis-
sionary-Day is not only TO collect FUNDS,
but to educate and develop our young
| people in mission work. The Woman
Missionary Union very kindly helped IN
| preparing the literature necessary Tor the
! occasion. and otherwise gave valuable aid.
The Maryland Baptist Missions Rooms
3O4 north Howard street, Baltimore, ND,
are well supplied with tracts ana nils-
sionary literature on different foreign
| fields. especially those connected win our
convention work. The Mission Prayer
! Card with topics fOr each month, is
quite convenience ana heip 10 thoTe .'s
who wish TO study our mission work sys-
tematically. The literature furnished py
the rooms is we'll prepared and instruc-
tive: is neat in mechanical execution, ana
IL offered at very reasonable price.
Pastors and mission leaders Will do well
TO confer with the rooms, and get sup
plies for their work.
SUNBEAM BANDS.
The Sunbeam Bands were last yeal
transferred to the care Of the woman
! Missionary Union. 1t gives us pleasurt
| to note that the interest in these c,hl-
| dren's societies has kept up We'll MISS
| F. g. s Heck edits special department
in the Foreign Mission Journal IN the IN
terest of the Sunbeams. Inc aei,,s wodnei,
| central committees OF the respective
| States have taken up the work with Vlgoi
| and consecrated zeal. Band superlntend-
ents have been appointed. The duties oi
| these officers are TO urge organization
! stimulate societies. and encourage tht
|
Som Some people seem to think that our mis-
sion work is at standstlll, or retro
grading 1t is well TO consider some
| figures. In 1877. twenty years ago, we
| had sixteen missionaries and thirty-tWo
| native assistants-forty- workers II
all The contributors were Sz,z1o, r,a. IL
| 1SS7 ten wears ago. we had ll6 missionaries
| and native assistants. 228 baptisms, .0ol
members. and the contributions were SSV,
SO.53. In 1897 we report 1870 missionaries ,.
and native assistants, $50 baptisns, 4,o-
| members and Sl26. Sl.99 in contributions
| we should thank God and press forward
This years report. with the large IN
| crease in gifts at home and the large
number of converts on tne Lorelgn heaus rS
should I'll our hearts with praise anc
thanksgiving.
items in our report is S2l6O.34 spent fol
| interest BY paying so much on our IN
debtedness we can greatly reduce the in
terest account But let il be kept in mnc
that we pay our missionaries monthly
and If the funds are not on hand whtr
their drafts come we are compelled tc
harrow and pay interest. We hope tha
he churches viii bear this in mind anC
begin in MAY to send forward their gifts
WoMAN's MISSIONARY UNION.
The report gives in detail the work o.
the Woman's Missionary Union, OF which
Miss Annie w. Armstrong, baltimore, u
YORK done and s23.476SS raised for th'
| Foreign Mission Noard,
Tken follows interesting details OF th'
work I'm Italy. Brazil, Mexico, Africa
China, and Japan
The report concludes with an earnes
appeal for more earnest prayer and mor'
cdfsecrated giving. that Southern Bap
| tists may come up 10 some appreciation
of and some fair performance of theil
duty in the work of obeying the grea
commission and giving the Gospel u
earths perishing millions.
DEBT CANCELLED.
Rev. DR.. Gibson. of Georgia. and Rev
DIR. Hatcher, of Virginia. then engineered
a subscription for the debt of the board
and soon raised the full amount needed