Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-05-24
PLAN BIG CAMPAIGN
Presbyterians Arranging Worldwide
Evangelistic Campaign.
DR.. CHAPMAN TO DIRECT IT
Expenses Are to Be Borne Chiefly by
Laymen Of Church.
MANY CONGREGATIONS SMALL
Report Shows Many of Less Than
Fifty Members.
INDIAN WOMAN is PROMINENT
INDIAN WOMAN Is PROMINENT
Nebraska Member of the Omaha Tribe
Attracts Attention at Kansas
CitY-POwer of the Re-
iGious Press.

KANSAS CITY, May 23.-It is expected
that the Presbyterian general assembly
now in session in this city win make plans
for an evangeistic campaign to be begun
within a year. touching every part Of the
world to be under the direction of Rev.
DR.. ]. Wilbur Chapman and the expenses
to be borne chiefly by laymen. John H.
Converse. president of the Baldwin Loco
motive works, Philadelphia, who in the
last seven years has given more than $780,
900 for evangelical work, Is said to be the
leader in the movement. The Inability of
Mr.. Converse. John wannamaker and Rev.
Henry c. Van Dyke to attend the assem-
bly, has caused general regret
OF the 1895 churches making returns Of
membership to the general assembly Ass.
or AZ per cent of the whole number,
showed memberships Of fifty persons or
less. 1t is sai1 that 80 per cent of the
Presbyterian churches have seventy-flve
members or less.
A special missionary exhibit was opened
today for the instruction of Sunday school
children in the Second Presbyterian church
here. The exhibit includes idols, fetshes,
clothing and many other curious things
which have come from the lands visited by
Presbyterian missionaries. There are also
explain the exhibits to visitors Rev. DR..
A. w. Halsey Of New York delivered an
address today.
Indian Woman Graduate.
Dr. Susan LaFleshe Picotte, an Omaha
Indian from Walthill, Neb., the first In
dian woman graduated from medical col
lege, was one of the most interesting speak
ers at yesterdays meeting Of the Woman's
~ Missions naSCribinR har
work in charge of the church on the Omaha
reservation she said that she started with
congregation of three Indians, all of
them not attending regularly. Now she
has under her care 1,250 Indians, What
is most needed" she said, 'is someone to
begin the work of educating the lliterate
white people, 1850 of whom share our res
ervation with u.s.
Reports Of committees, were again the
important business before the general as
I sembly today The report on legal mat
ters connected with the union with the
Cumberland Presbyterian church showed
that litigation growing out of the union
/ has arisen In eleven states. In two states,
! Illinois and Georgia, cases have been APP
| pealed to the supreme courts and the suits
there have been decided adversely to those
opposing the union. A case is now pend
|
With so many suits pending the committee
asked that the several synodical commit
tees be requested to assume the response
bility OF handling the various cases as the
respective situations may require.
1t was recognized that the moderator be
authorized to appoint a committee of
| eleven, five ministers and six elders, OF
which the moderator shall be chairman, to
succeed the committee on pastoral over
! sight appointed by the Decatur assembly
of the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
This new committee shall have charge of
! all legal matters arising from the union of
the churches. provided that all expenses in
CURED by the committee be procured by
| contributions from persons or citizens in
| terested.
Power of Church Press.
Discussing the Importance of educational
church literature, Rev. B. p. Fullerton,
the moderator, said:
The press is the greatest power in the
country today: Its influence Is every
! Presbyterians in their optimism are too
apt to conclude that with this great power
directing public affairs all would be we'll
and have relaxed their efforts in the mat
ter OF educational literature. The church
needs to lay more emphasis on religious
education, The board Of publication is
showing us that the most effective results
come through the children.
That more than half a million dollars
| have been collected and disbursed to the
several funds to which the Woman's Board
OF Home Missions contributes during the
last year was shown by a report from that
| society.
popular evangelistic meeting will be
held in convention hall tonight. at which
Rev. ]. Wilbur Chapman will be the prin-
eipsl speaker. The music will be under the
direction OF Charles NJ. Alexander Of Br-
mingham, England.
The visiting delegates were given an au-
tomobile ride this afternoon over the parks
and boulevards OF Kansas City. Four hun
dred cars have been contributed for the
purpose by local citizens.
Board of Relief.
One of the important reports presented
today was that of the board of ministerial
| relief.
The discussion of the report brought out
the statement that there are only $500 min
listers in the church who receive a salary Of
over 5000 a year and there are 5000 who
receive less than that amount Dr. w. l..
Darby Of Evanvile. Ind, urged the neces-
sity of relieving the needs of struggling
young ministers. many OF whom, he said,
received less than $500 a year.
DR.. John B. Devins OF New York intro
duced a resolution asking the members OF
the conference to seek the correction OF
violations of the child labor laws where
ever they may occur.