The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
GREAT RELIGIOUS WORK
WHAT THE \. NJ. c. A. INTENDS TO
DO FOR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.
American Preachers In Demand
Abroad-Wane of the sunday-schooI
Santa Claus - Church Notes.
speclaI . tha InaIanapoIls J0urnal.

NEW YORK, Dec. 2A--A great Christian
| and social work is about to be inaugurated
for the benefit and advantage Of enlisted
men in the United States army and navy.
All Of the best ideas obtained from long ex-
perience in Christian efforts among British
and French forces will be made use Of, and
some American organizing ability Will be
added. The movement grows out Of the late
warts one of the many results of that war;
and has behind it the international commits
tee of the Young Mems Christian Associa-
ton. The initial undertaking is to be a
naval branch. to cost at least 100000. and
to be located in Brooklyn near the New
York navy yard. Eventually it is hoped to
provide institute buildings at Boston, New
port, Norfolk. San Francisco. and it may be-
Manila and Honolulu. Still farther along in
the plan are association buildings for the
various army posts, and where the national
government has no chaplains to provide
posts with association workers who shall act
as chaplains. The latter it is hoped to
have at army posts where are now fewest
church accommodations
The international committee secretary,
Mr.. William B. MilIar, who had charge Of
the army and navy work during the late
war, has just returned from England and
France, whittier he went to examine Chris
tian effort among the British and French
forces.
Now is the time for American ministers
who want to go abroad without cost to
themselves to make themselves known. Al
curious result of our late war is tremen-
dous demand on the part of English
churches fot American preachers. The war
brought out the fact that our British cousins
think a great deal OF us, and one of the
ways which this International esteem has
taken of manifesting itself is I'm English
pulpit supply committees securing every
passing American minister to preach in their
churches. The supply being limited, the de-
mands have made themselves heard across
the ocean, and not a few Americans are
planning to take advantage OF 1t next sea-
son. The information is volunteered from
the other side that clergymen need not have
great regulations here in order to get into
prominent pulpits there. Everything Aneri-
can goes. 1t is, however, the provincial pul-
pits which pay best, many of the London
churches offering but 93 to 25 per Sunday.
A gentleman in position to know expresses
the belief that the American minister, who
is fairly shrewd at making business turn
will be able to spend three months in E!u1
rope next summer and pay a very consider
able part of his expenses with money earned
in supplying London and provincial pulpits.
There is some demand for Episcopal, but the
greatest call is for Presbyterian, Congre-
gational and Baptist ministers
There are to be two Methodist general
gatherings in New York during the first
part of January One is a meeting Of the
twentieth century Offering commission.
which is held for the purpose of devising
plans for raising the $50, coo which Amer
lean Methodists viii try to collect during
the two years 1899 and 1900, and the other
is a meeting of the commission on organic
law Of the church. The twentieth century
commission meets on JAN and the law
commission on Jan: 9:
While the secretaries of the foreign mis-
sion boards Of the United States that are
conducted by men are in session in the
Church Missions House, New York, during
the second week in January, a similar meet
ing Of secretaries of all foreign mission
boards conducted by women will be in ses-
sion in the Broadway Tabernacle Church,
in the same city. Invitations have been ex-
tended to forty womans boards in the
United States and Canada and fully two
hundred women are expected, each board
being entitled to two delegates besides the
secretaries. The purpose of these confer
arousing Of greatest interest in missions
Episcopal bishops and clergy are to make
use of the second Sunday after the Epiphany
and the Monday following, Jan. Is and 16,
for the purpose of bringing the subject OF
missions to the attention Of Episcopal Sun
day schools, and appeals to this effect have
recently been sent to officers of Sunday
school associations and institutes. A special
order Of service for the Sunday mentioned
has been adopted and this or some modif-
cation of it will. be employed in most Epis-
copaI schools in the United States on
the date mentioned.
For several years there has been a move
ment on foot to secure the adoption of uni
form topics for Christian Endeayor, Up
worth League and Baptist Young People
PRAYER meetings. nearly uniform series
has at last been adopted and will begin to
be used next month. The most marked fea-
lures wherein the uniformity will be broken
will be the monthly substitution by the Bap-
lists of their conquest meeting, which has
become a fixed observance and is part Of
the educational work Of the Union
The general theme for the Comrades OF
the Quiet Hour among Christian Endeav-
orers which they will begin TO follow next
month is ''The Fruit Of the Spirit Presi-
dent Clark announces that no one is COM
PEELED to follow the schedule as he lays it
down. yet he hopes as many Endeavorers
as possible will do so. He finds the theme in
the fifth chapter Of Galatians but in the
announcement gives only few Scripture
references, saying that Comrades Of the
Quiet Hour are at liberty to hunt out
Scripture references for themselves.
The president of the Actors Society OF
America has addressed a communication to
a very large number of ministers in all prin-
cipaI cities inviting their assistance IN the
task OF suppressing theatrical performances
on Sunday. President .Maekay says it is
wrong to suppose that actors desire 10 play
ON Sundays. The fact that they do so comes
from their necessity, and from the power
and greed of the managers, who have no
ambition but the accumulation Of money.
He says that actors have, for years, pro-
tested against Sunday performances, hoid-
ing that they have as much need as other
people for the rest which Sunday alone af-
fords. President Afackay says the SUNDAY
performance is demoralizing alike to the
actors and to the community. The latter
consideration, he thinks the one to make
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