The Indianapolis journal., 1898-05-27

Reports of Church Boards Presented
to the General Assembly.

OMAHA, Neb., May 26.-The United Pres
byterian General Assembly got down to
business to-day. Moderator Hanna presided
at the opening session AS soon as prelim-
inaries were cleared away the election OF
the new moderator came on, Dr. X. o.
Ferguson, president of Westminster College
at New Wilmington, Pa, being chosen by
122 out of 211 votes cast. Reports from the
boards of foreign missions, home missions,
freedmens missions. church extension,
woman's general missionary society and
publication were submitted and referred to
the proper committees. The statistical re-
port showed that a comparison with the re-
turns Of last year indicated a healthy but
not rapid growth of the church. The in
crease in the number of ministers was
forty-four of pastors twenty seven, Of con-
gregations eleven, of pastoral charges ten,
Increased membership in America 2669' IN
Increased $63801. There are at present 65l
pastors with charges, 961 congregations and
126, ,S39 communicanMts. M The young peoP,e os
Al 67S, and the number of Sunday schools
1,017. with 12, $50 officers and teachers, and
1i5,557 scholars. There are twelve synods
and siXty-Six preSbyterieS. The average
salary of pastors in 1897 was 81 OPS.
The report of the Board of Home Mis-
sions showed that al6 stations had peen
granted aid during the year, the average
attendance in those reporting being lt,5lO,
with 1929 communicates, a net gain of
294 The amount contributed was $14,S27.
The total expenditure during the year was
SIT 1872. Very few new stations were taken
up and the progress of the whole work has
not been so marked as at some former tunes
Throughout much of the West unfaVorabe
conditions still prevail. The receipts from
all sources were $67 ,261: expenditures, $n,-
1872 the debt owing to this ADDED denclency
now amounting to $20925 All claims, how
ever had been paid by borrowing money.
The church had been keeping up its gifts
fvn,1 n
outlay for mission work had steadily ex-
ceeded the income. The situation was a
very serious one.
The report of the Board Of Freedmens S
Missions showed that it was maintaining
eight organized congregations, with 590 COM
municants, and eleven schools, with an ag-
gregate enrolment of 1858. The receipts
were $52, ,461 and the expenditures s5O,91
The balance in the treasury, $l,490, 1t was
expenses Of the work for the rest or the
year An appropriation of $4,000 TO pay the
present Indebtedness and to defray expenses
of the coming year was asked for.
The afternoon session developed quite an
interesting controversy between duty to the
church and duty to the country, which
Mr.. w. T. Melloy, of Chicago, offered
motion that the memorial programme set
for Friday night be taken up Friday morn
ing, and that the time Friday night be
given over to prayer for the success of the
American army and navy In the war with
spain Dr. John A Mtso4 fbe OF M arS1iso Rrids
evening time be devoted to conference on
the question of Sunday school work 1T is
not question of devotion to the country" !"
said DR.. Wilson, ''but of devotion to the
already over the flag. he continued, which
is not especially indicative, Of patriotism
DR.. Melloy said he felt it a duty already too
long postponed to offer a general supplica-
ton to the God of battles for the triumph
of right in the war in which the United
States a nation of free Christian people.
is opposinr Spain which for four hundred
years had oppressed the poor and kept its
people in religious darkness.
other divines Joined in the debate. DR..
Wilson was asked by one to apologize for
the word "gush," but declined to do so,
saying he had not intended it as disre-
spectful to the flag. An amendment that
the evening be divided between the Sunday
school and prayers for American arms was
voted down. as was DR.. WILSON'S amend
ment and then DIR. Melloy's resolution was
adopted by a unanimous vote.