The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-28
is NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC
BISHOP FRANCIS NOT SATISFIED
WITH CHURCH's PROGRESS.
He Discusses "The Missions of the
Diocese" i'm His Morning Sermon
at Christ Church.

Bishop Francis, of the Episcopal diocese,
yesterday morning preached in Christ
Church on 1.-THE Missions of the Diocese"
He said the people who contribute so lib
orally toward church work and missions
should know what is being done. He said
the work of the diocese mission is to ex-
tend church work amidst the congrega-
ton and immediate vicinity. The diocese
has jurisdiction over sixty-one of the nine
ty-two counties of the State, and the bish-
op said the church worked in but twenty
eight Of the counties and in ninety-eight
towns. The result of the church work in
the sixty-five years it has been carried
on in the diocese, he said, is disappointing.
I'm the city of Indianapolis" said he,
I'VE have but 100 communicates, and in
the State the same ratio of membership
compared to the population is maintained
Why is it that the church which has done
so much to attract has done so little?
Why is it that the church has made so
little progress in siXty-five years." He
said the church had contributed literally
in prayers and finances, and why it had
not progressed more he could not answer.
There is only one thing to do" said he,
land that is to recognize certain things
as have done in the past. The diocese
mission work has to contend with far more
the difficulties stand greater in this city
than anywhere else l have ever known.
Our church has not been favored in the
past, but we cannot but see that all the
seed that has been sown, in time, will
spring up and bear fruit.
What is it you promise each year to
the rector and the VeStry2 You promise
to carry the gospel to all who need it. In
the city of Indianapolis and other cities
and towns there are many who need the
gospel as well as those in heather lands"
q he rql oaric hos Of na
city almost dead when he became bishop
two and a half years ago and he at once
set about to revive them. He said the de-
cay was not the fault of those in charge
but because OF conditions that could not
be fOreseen and were unavoidable. He
said there were many who requested him to
let the old parishes die ard build up new
work but because population had moved
away and the parish had encountered ad-
verse conditions was no reason why those
left should be without the gospel of Jesus
Christ He said the showing in the last
two and a half years has not been entire
~ unsuccessful.
In one town near Indianapolis. he said
a church had been reSurrected and is now
almost Self-SuStaining. In Charlottesville
he found the church almost extinct but
now the pews are filed every Sunday even
ing. and il receives but little support from
the diocese. This mission work is in charge
of archdeacon. He said there are few
in this country entitled to that title but
that the church had appointed a general
missionary giving him that title without
reforming the duties OF the office. He said
some had z miScOnceptiOn of the duties of
this general missionary, thinking they were
to visit the entire diocese. In his opinion
ii was the missiOnary's duty to go 10 one
place and build up a substantial and per-
raanent work. He said this plan had been
very successfully carried out. In Shelby
vile the church started n little more than
a year ago with but five members and now
the congregation as church is paid for,
and in Greensburg, where "A similar con-
ditiOn existed. regular services are being
held and the congregation has purchased
a lot and Will soon build a church In the
gas belt towns. he said. the ministers have
great difficulty in holding their congrega-
tons because when the mills shut down
people move away.