The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-17


large debt OF 1895 will make
II impossible for the board to send
out new missionaries and furnish the
equipment that will be greatly needed
during the year. Retrenchment will
be necessary. while enlargement ought
to be the order OF the day The
board ought by all means to have
several hundred thousand dollars for
furnishing better facilities for chapels
schools, hospitals and printing plants
The report calls especiall attention
TO the nine theological training schools
and the eight training schools for
women, in which $50 men and wo-
men are being prepared to give the
gospel TO their own people. The medi-
cal work is being greatly blessed.
There are now fifteen medical mis-
slonaries and FIVE trained nurses IN
the hospitals. and they report 4oT1s
patients treated during the year. This
medical work is one of the very best
/ means OF opening the way for the
gospel and impressing Its teachings
npon the hearts of the people. The
report also emphasizes the glorious
work which is being accomplished by
publishing plants and book deposi-
tories on the foreign fields
Home Missions.
In sending the appended abstract
Of his report Secretary 3. u. Gray
says;
All hail 10 the old Dominion She
has done gioriousiy, Her part was
leading one in helping us 10 close
the year without debt She made the
splendid advance OF s5as3os above
her gifts the previous year. her con-
tribution being s31.66s.sg, which puts
her third among the States In homo
mission gifts. From assurances re-
ceiTed from different sections Of the
State twn weeks bfore the close OF
oar year. | Was EN- boldened to be-
iieYe she would 60 beyond last year
| but she did better than | anticipated
What IL quite as good az her
splendid advance In contributions this
year is the noble spirit of sympathy
for home missions SO rapidly gain
ing ground throughout the State
Words of cheer and assurances Of
sympathy and help have come all
along through the year. These were
foretokens of the splendid wind-u
and prophecies of a great advance in
the future. May every blessing abide
upon the saints Of the old Common
wealth, the mother Of presidents and
the home of Baptist martyrs. who
helped 70 gain liberty Of conscience
for all our people and for all the
land
A Great Year for Results.
The year closing May /. 1911. has
been q great year with the Home
Board. 1t has been year Of great
constructive work We have had II
undertake church and chapel build
ing In large way to conserve our
interests and lay the foundations for
the future. This kind Of work Will
tell for ali time to home upon all
departments of our Baptist work,
How We Escaped Debt.
Let as rejoice first over the fact
Now then for the explanation The
Home Board lays out its work on
as large scale at the beginning of
1i1e year as stefns prudent. We never
appropriate the fuli amount at the
first meeting which We hope to
raise during the year We want to
leave some margin for further en-
largement during the year AT the
first meeting OF the year We always
have TO turn down many worthy calls
for help. Last July the board APP
propriated s3&1.3s5 as the budget
for the year. This included the sup
port Of missionaries In our indepen-
dent and cooperative work and chap
ei and school building AS we'll as
the expense OF administration.
good portion Of the above sum
was for church building In ce-ope-
ration with local forces made on GER
tain conditions. two prime conai-
tons being that our part would be
paid provided the local forces raised
a given part and with the understand
ing that ours would he paid towards
the close OF the conventional year
In church and school building and
the purchase of lots in Cuba and
Panama. and among the foreigners
In the South. especially the Cubans
and Italians in Tampa and the Mex
leans In Texas. where we had to
give about all the money we also de-
cided to pay these appropriations at
the close OF the year.
In the case of our cooperative
church building with local forces we
defer our payments until the close
OF the year in order that the local
forces may have time 10 do their part
and that We may be saved heavy
interest account. In the case of
church building In Cuba and Panama
and in the States where we pay the
whole amount we defer payment un-
til the close. in order that We may
save interest and also that we may
cut some OF these out and save a
debt in case our receipts are short
during the earlier months of the year.
This Is considered good business pre-
caution
Diminished Receipts.
Unfortunately our system of waiting
anti The Close. az SkeY gear. fer large
giving prevailed again during the past
year. From early summer clear on
through the year our receipts each
months compared with the former
year diminished steadily, ranging each
month from $4,000 to $4,000 behind
last year. This continued until after
the middle Of April. 1T appeared ten
days before the close of tile year that
our receipts would be between $4,000
and $20.0 900 smaller than for last year
Fortunately at the very last many of
our brethren were aroused and our
receipts went $4,000 or $4,000 beyond
those Of the previous year which
averted debt of 100000 or $4,000.
Early In the year when 1t was seen
~