Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-20

years ago the total church membership was
l41; today it is 2,079. In Corea, as in China,
Christianity is oNerting a mighty influence
on social life aud political institutions as
well, which has already issued in a royal
proclamation of religious liberty.
The board reioices to report that the year
ends as 1t began, without any deficit The
receipts for the year have been $S637l9. as
compared with SSS155l for the year 1S97-9S
the fatter including the contributions for
the deficit Of 1S9G-91.
Cut Down Appropriations.
The board has felt constrained in making
the appropriations for the fiscal year 1899
1900 to limit the budget to SS25,0O0, with
the hope that enlarged contributions from
the church during the year will enable It
to add to this amount This is 100000 less
than the appropriations six years ago.
The whole work needs expansion. wide
expansion. 1t should be enlarged, extended
now, without delay
The report of the treasurer showed that
offerings had been received from 4,7j3
from 2,6i1 churches None of the current
contributions to the board had been used to
make up any part of the deficit of the
Presbyterian building.
The report of the auditor showed that the
current and invested assets amount to
81, 2l0 and the liabilities to $1,32O212 The
apparent surplus, Si,4S7. however, may Be
required to close some of the outstanding
mission balances.
Home Missions.
The report of the Board of Home Missions
was in substance:
The total number of ministers employed
was 2l12 of whom 1872 were under the
charge of the synods of eight states, and in
dependent of the board The synods ex-
pended $l25.365 in their support and the
board $6S5,45i on filed work. The board
In1Nt NrF 41,,l
total contributions were $3.50, 900: so the
board had no debit to show. Besides the
$50 ministers the board had under its
charge 347 teachers in 121 schools, with
SAL pupils in the Sabbath schools there
were 100 teachers and 7i41 scholars The
conversions reported were 700. In the Ass
churches under the board there was a total
membership of 1882 of whom 7,346 were
added on confession of faith.
The board organized during the year 231
Sunday schools, built sixty-siX churches at
cost of $34051 and repaired and enlarged
233 Others at a cost of $57?16; besides $76-
OSO of church debts were Cancelled during
the year. Seven church organizations
reached the stage of self-support and forty
seven new ones were organized.
The permanent committee on temperance
submitted its report, which was in part:
The committee has labored to cultivate a |
public sentiment in favor of total absti- |
nence from intoxicating beverages by the |
individual and the complete suppression of |
the traffic by the strong arm of the law. In |
the year now closing as heretofore. the en- |
deavor has been that from the pulpit. in the |
home and Sabbath school, and in all schools |
and colleges sound instruction should be |
given promotlVe of proper personal habits |
and OF the correction of social drinking GUS !
toms. Such aid and cooperation as seemed |
competent to a church temperance commit |
Tee we nave rendered to efforts for securing |
governmental action, either in better legis- |
lation or enforcement of the prohibtory
features of existing laws.
Your committee would invoke action by
the assembly emphatically protesting against |
the fiagrant defiance of the will of the people |
and of the plain meaning of the laws of con-
gress in retaining the beer canteen in the
army and appealing to the president for
its suppression
The report of the board of relief for dis
abled ministers and the widows and orphans
OF deceased ministers showed the following
receipts: From churches and Sabbath
schools, S79024; individuals, SIG, ,004; interest
permanent funds, s7O,347; interest on depos-
Its in bank $975; interests from funds, $34O;
legacies, S1S.S21 total, slS5 ,513,
as against $197,136 in 1878. The permanent
fund amounts to 81 ,547 S04.
During the year collections were received
from 4,O3S churches, 1891 failing to send
any. For the year ending March 81 there
were on the roll S77 names-347 ministers,
~" hiuoNS twenty -SlN orphan ldnllleS, one
widow of medical missionary, nine female
missionaries and nineteen guests in the min
ster's house at Perth Amboy, n. j. There
were 12O honorabry retired ministers on the
roll whose average age is 1873, and whose
average service has been 45 L years. Forty
hree annutants died during the year, of
whom twelve were ministers on the honor
ably retired roll. The average amount paid
all annuitants was $226.20; to ministers on
he honorably retired roll, $27S.1
While ninety-siX new names have been
added to the roll of annutants-forty-n
forty-four widows, two women
and one orphan-there were
1nly two more families on the roll than last
'ear There are S77 families on the roll at
he present time.
The report Of the Board Of Church Erec-
Ion showed that as usual the board closed
he year without debt Owing principally
o the inability of the home board to push
missionary work there have been fewer ap-
'lications to the Board of Church Erections
han usual. Their number was 16S, call
ng for $114,5l6. Including special gifts,
however, there were appropriations, either
Is grants or loans, to $50 churches to the
amount OF $99,O86. OF these thirty-fi
ggregating $15,350, were for manses. The
Lctual payments to churches were consider
IDLY more than the years appropriations
rs they included numerous instances in
which the appropriations were made for the
previous year. The total income of the
'oard from all sources was $155 476, and the
otal disbursements S129,66 The number
II new applications since the fiscal year
losed indicates that there will be an ad-
ance this year in the demand upon the
'oard of about 25 per cent"
The report of the Board of Aid for Col
eyes and Academies was in part:
The year has been a good one. Some OF
he institutions have had much discourage
nent. Most have tiourished. Some al
'ays prosperous have prospered more. Some
eretofore spindling and i'll -nourished have
toutly thrived.
The board aided twenty-seyen institu-
IONS The value of their property above
ldebtedness increased $134,781. In the
otal enrolment of students twelve institu-
ions lost 2l3 and fifteen gained 425, a net
ain of 2O7 There was a gain of 176 aca-
emlc students, promising good freshmen
lasses next year. The total receipts for
$3.50 were S1S1 1886.
The time has fully come for the church =
, consider seriously whether its western
lstitutions shall be permanent. Does it
esire these foundations for its growth and
sefulness? Then they must be endowed
nd soon. Happily there Is the beginning
such a movement.
The disbursements were $1S9, ,636, the cash
n hand is S36,146.
The committee on bills and overtures will