The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-20
THE soCIETY's REPORTS.
Statistics That VIII BE Exhibited to
Convention To-day.

The programme for the convention this
morning includes the presentation of board
reports, and al Fresses by Jabez Hall, on
Our Plea to American Christianity" and
by A. M. Atkinson, on Ministerial Relief"
President B. c.. Hagerman will open the
session. with Bible study entitled bible
Examples of Missions and Missionaries"
During the afternoon there will be a sym
postum on How to Push Home Missions
to the Front" to be led by F. D. Power
AT night Carey E. Morgan will make an
address entitled 1.-THE Church and the Chill
dren." and Booker T. Washington will give
an address
The reports to be made this morning of
various boards of an interesting char
acter and will receive the careful attention
of the convention.
THE STATISTICIAN'S REPORT.
G. A. Hoffman, the statistician of the
missionary societies, makes the following
report:
THE growth of a religious body depends
on three things: First, the truth empha-
arship and spiritual power of its ministry;
third the thoroughness of it's organization
The Christian Church IS pre-emnentiy
everywhere that the truth which forms
the basis of our Zion is wise, acceptable
and Scriptural. In this we are far in ad-
the first the last, and the best. We have
the Christ of the New Testament Christ
the revelation of God, Christ, own and
only ideal, or hope and Savior of men.
'Of the second item we may not be able
to say much. 1t is true that our ministry
IS of more than average intelligence, and
have far more average zeal In spiritual
ity and piety they also compare well. But
it must not be forgotten that during the
last twelve years our churches in America
have gained 100 per cen, During the
same twelve years our mil ~, either in
scholarship numbers, ha s,ained only
80 per cent Both of these raiils are very
large but our membership been grow
ing more rapidly than We are preparing
men to train them We HAY eight hundred
young men in our colleges stldyfng for the
Christian ministry. This number is suffi-
GENTLY large to satisfy all demands If it
were not for the fact that only fifty Of
them graduate annually. This number of
graduates should be doubled If we keep
pace with the growing needs of our
churches. But even under these circum-
stances our ministry average well, and are
among the most successful in both convert
ing men and holding them after their con-
version
But our greatest need is In more thor
rience of a half century has clearly dem
onstrated to our people that We can or
ganize for the extension of Christ's king
dom without coming together to try here
ties or formulating our opinions to bind the
conscience of others. Let the work OF or
ganization continue until it shall embrace
every disciple of our Lord in the work OF
extending the Masters kingdom.
THE year now closing Is showing excel
lent gains. We shall find. however. that
the gains in the States of our larger mem
bership is not equal to the per cent. in the
states where we are the weakest. We
shall try to give the reasons for this here
but would suggest that an effort be made
where we are strong to so organize that we
may utilize every element Of strength to
advance the Masters kingdom. The re-
ports for last year and this indicate the
following: