Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-23

loans dgsreSaulng SlutVo. opeclal gifts
to 81, 1921 to- seventeen churches, SO that
the total amount allotted In this depart
ment was S64,554.31 to 141 different
AS Indicating the breadth of territory
covered by this work of the church, 1t
should be noted that appropriations have
ferent states and territories dncluding
Porto Rico) and within the bounds OF
eighty-hve presbyteries."
loans, i assgregating s2s,o5o were made ITO to
From the .'Manse fund" fifty five loans
ss o six nrags grants snsca to .t the
taI Of $50, $50 to sixty-three churches.
Six loans nggregating $500 were made
| 81, 500 from the Barber bequest."
summary of the years work shows
| that loans or grants have been made to
s122 232. Add to these the special gift,
viz: s1,252.31 to twenty churches, shows
total of 2o4 churches and s123,4s4.31.
| During the year there have been report
| ed as completed without debt 1S4 churches
and manses, the aggregate value Of which
| is computed at S416.94S.
Board of Education.
| The report of the board of education re.
views at considerable length the recon-
mendations of the special committee ap.
IpOluteu by IHe general dSSeulDly Oh 1879.
/ to consider the whole subject of education
| to the ministry. This report was made to
1 the general assembly last year and its rec
concentrations adopted. The board has
GRAFTON, the report continues, and has TAX
| en- steps to carry out the various recon-.
mendations of the committee. The board
has given special thought to the rule pre-
pared by the special committee, prohibit.
| Ing Presbyteries from taking men under
their care as candidates for the ministry,
persons whose application had not been on
file with the stated clerk as least three
months before the meeting of the presby-
| terry: This period was to be employed in
making a thorough investigation concern
feels that the adoption of this rule might
work hardship and injury because no pro
vision is made for any exceptions. Every
dates ed have been provientaIy e hndered
| from putting In their application so long
beforehand, about whose fitness no reason
able doubt exists, and where prompt &C
tion Is urgently needed. The exercise OF
discretionary power in such cases ap
pears to be practically necessary.
Passing on to the question Of the mum
called upon to provide, the board report:
/ that 1t enrolled only 600. This is the
smallest number since 1884, when So
names were listed. There had been 3
the report continues, with the exception
of the years 1892 and 1893. until the max
imum Of 1907 was reached in 1896 Since
that date the number has steadily declined
II we compare the figures for 1896 will
those of 1900, We find falling off in Mis-
souri, from Al to 81; in Illinois from 6
to "a; in New York from SO to 90: in New
Jersey from 81 to 81; in Ohio from 12l
to 20 and in PENNSYLVANIA from POI to 142
The losses are thus quite conspicuous ii
the very strongholds of our church. Will
must not forget how persistenty the!
have been told Of late that there is M
room for them in the ministry, which i
alleged to be overcrowded and they hav'
been tempted to devote their attention t
teaching, to business, to the natural sci
ences, to law and to medicine, notwith
standing the real and all but startling oy
ercrowding of some of these young men ii
. our various institutions of learning hay
undoubtedly felt the Influence of curren
discussions with regard to the degree o
authority which may now be accorded t
, the Holy Scriptures; and even those VIII
. have by no means lost their personal faitl
in Christ have not always felt sufficient
SURE, with regard to the Bible to be read
! quires mistaken confidence in the Hol
! Book as the very word of God, and a
! their one instrument for accomplishln
the redemption of the world.
Under the caption Facts About Cand
There are S45 candidates under the car
] Of the hoard during. the year in the variou
/ theological seminaries of the church; %
e in different collegs:.and 1S for special res
e sons were given scholarship aid in prepar;
I tory schools. Three of the candidates ar
2 Bohemians. are Spanish speaking str
e dents, 30 are Germans, 6S are negroes;
1 is preparing for work among his JEWS
a fellow countrymen, and one is n car
didate for work among the Frenc
Americans 1t is matter of deepest ri
lgret that we have at present no candidate
for work among the many thousands q
Italians who have come to America, t
! whom we owe the gospel and who exhibit
a remarkable readiness to listen to its mes
Z sage. We call the attention of the II,
y sembly to the need of prayer that Go
), will be pleased to raise up in the Italia
I churches which have been organized in v;
rlous parts of our lind suitable candidate
: for the ministry. The source of supply
: at present precarous and the need
: great"
! The report closes with statement G
" the boards financial condition. 1t pre-
: poses to take legacy of $1,000 recent
! paid in add to 1t last years balance q
: $7,216 and this years balance of SIPS.
( making a total of S19500, to be held /
= reserve to increase the rate of scholar
= ship aid. 1t hopes that by this means
i increase the number of candidates for th
: ministry.
4 REV. MuRRAY'S IDEA.