The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-11
rHE 1IA1s: RICHMOND Va SUNDAY. NoVENIBEI u 900.

organization OF the Disciples of Christ,
and Professor Forest Is a native OF Bal
timore, but was educated in what IS now
the University of Indianapolis. HIS Work
in Calcutta VIII not officially &c part
of the University there. but will be recos-
nized by it and supported by DISCIPLES
E1ere.
There arc said 10 be ten thousand
students in the Calcutta institution, ana
Bible lectures are to be gwen them. it
(. Is "a method OF foreign mission work, be-
cause these students represent every part
of India. and for the most part are non-
Christians. The Bible courses consider
the Book both IN its literary and historic
form. and at the same time give proini-
hence to its ethical and religious intiu-
ence Bible chairs are features of the
American Universities mentioned, and the
Discipline women are SeeklG TO increase
them in number, some progress having
been made in the University of Georgia
and Minnesota. as we'll as at Ann Arbor.
RADICAL INNOVATIONS.
The Rev. DR. T. e. Nicely, the new
head of Methodist Sunday school work,
is making some radical innovations. 10
the .Sunday-Sctl0cl Journal there has
been added a Bible students depart
Inent, the aim being 10 make it maya
zine for students. whether they are in
school or not When bound at the end
Of the year. it IS intended to be 4 conf
preheIsivcs commentary. y Home Depnrt-
ment Quarterly has also been decided upon
by the Methodist book concerns. ana with
it home department sunday-school WHSh
is hereafter to be pushed vigorously. me
Rev. DIR. Nicely mas also dcv.seu some III
ditionai lessons. which will take only ABOUT
five minutes Of the tine OF school ses-
sions. and being easily memorized will
make Aletilodists Of tho future far batter
informed than Mcthodists Of the present
md past on general Bible data
For the last two years there has been a
general cry that Methodists are falling
behind in membership. Elaborate tables
have been prepared to show tslat in cites
especially Methndism is found wanting.
The answer Of cIethodSts has been tIlat
nothing more hid happened than tina.
rolls of churches had seen pruncd in &C
cordance with regulations made by the
General Conference of 1896. Fall confer
ences whilfl are chiefly in The middle
west, are now coming to a close and re-
ports from them show marked increase
II Methodist membership. 1t is esti-
mated that this Increase viii reach IsA10
and may go as high as 100000. which mum
Der is at least fifty per cent. above the
average.
NEW MISSION.
The international Union Mission is the
name Of a new missionary society, It IS
to appeal! To American churches foa
funds, but il VIII re.,rcSent no SPECIAL
Bible tenet ana stand for no religious
body 1t says it will be simply Christian
end it claims TO he Financially 50 situare@
that every penny contributed 20 the
heather through it VII go directly to
them. There Will be absolutely Il" nome
or incidental expenses. The president Of
ii is Richard Tjader; the secretary is his
wife; the Tice-president OF it, the Rev.
Or. u. Asa Blackburn. pastor OF the
New York Church Of the Strangers. and
the treasurer. the treasurer OF the Church
named. The president IS Swede. The
initial work is to pc in India.
Steps have been taken recently TO or
ganize a missionary information bureau.
Its aim Will be TO collect statistics from
all fields and distribute the same to pc
ricl.cals IN tbs country without cast.
to make geographical and statistical
maps for the use of lecturers and at all
times 10 furnish without charge infotnH-
ton to everybody about mission work and
fields All missionary societies in the
United States and Canada will be asked
10 have upon its executive board at least
one representatives. The idea grows out
Of the E.cumenical Conference, the re-
port OF whilt., by the WAY. is TO be ready
Tor DISTRIBUTOR 10 SUBSCRIBERS on De-
Gender 18th. ana is in the nature Of
trust 10 the extent that it Viii save
money and obviate the necessity OF du-
pication of work.
The important meetings of November in
clude two Church Congresses, the ttapt.st
at Richmond Oh the 20ih AMI the Enisco-
pal III Providence beginning next Tuesday.
These congresses are vents for denomina-
tiomll thought. They formulate few
workable plans, and have rarely ol'si-
mated anything practical. \ good deal
of interest is taken n them. and they
help to make religious opinion. The Ma
tionai City lcvanselzat!on Union meets
in Allegheny. November 21st. II aims
to improve the condition Of cities, espe-
cialiv OF those having submerged tenths.
Al Syracuse next week there is 10 be 4
meeting OF persons i,sterestcl in forming
a National Federation Of Churches, some
thing that aims 10 bring ABOUT greater
comfy OF effort. and incidentally 10
spread knowledge about institutional.
methods. And during the third week OF
In month comes thc Conference Of Re
lgion il New York similar to the con-
ference on the Same subject during the