The Washington herald., 1915-05-30

Forty-seven years ago a: Arlington.
Va. the first Memorial Day observance
was held. its designation being Decora-
ton Day.
Early in May of that year Gen. Chip
man had a conference with John A.
Logan. the national commander Of the
Grand Army of the Republic. looking
toward having that organization inaugu-
rate the practice of putting mowers on
the graves of Union soldiers on some uni
form day. Logan issued an order nam
ing the 3oth of May. James A. Garneio
delivered an address at Arlington that
day. and flowers were strewn on the
graves Of 1000 Union soldiers.
It was not until 1852 that the designa-
ton was changed to Memorial Day, the
request for the change having come from
the Grand Army of the Republic.
The day has its fitting observation In
a spirit of reverence and patriotism. and
churches In Washington and throughout
the country will unite today to honor the
memory of the soldier dead.
Into the Presbyterian Church. whose
annual General Assembly at Rochester,
n. Y, adjourned on Thursday. there
were received last year on confession Of
faith Sc, 467. The net gain in membership
was 42,A3. Contributions to church sup
FORT rose 2S.6 per cent, from SIS. I2.oo0. or
s1lsI per capita, to SO. IN. 900. or 1897 per
capita, between 1903 and 1914 During the
same period total gifts to all boards rose
from A.3o2. 900 to $S.A7.0oo. or Isl per
cent-from $32S to $3S3 per capita: while
miscellaneous benevolences rose 80 per
cent, and contributions for all purposes
advanced more than q per cent in the
four years ending 1914 Every board
shows q decided increase in contributions
during the past year. Great stress has
been put upon evangelism, many per-
sonal workers have enlisted, and large
numbers have been won to Christ. the
Presbyterians were the first of the great
denominations to establish standing
committee on evangelism. One Presby-
terrain church out of every three has
manse. As many ministers serve two
churches 1t Is estimated that half the
pastors live in manses. The total assets
of the denomination for its board of re-
lief and sustentation have now passed
the 81 o00. 900 mark. Last year 1t paid out
SS23 900 in caring for aged ministers ana
their widows. In its temperance cam
paign more than 1000 audiences have
been addressed during the past year.
Contributions for all purposes reported
in 1914 amounted to s27,6sl.s $40, as against
s21. ss4.76o five years ago.
The Presbyterian Committee on Evan
geHsm gave at the Rochester meeting
most encouraging report telling of a gen.
eral awakening throughout the church
with regard to the earnest and faithful
of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, with a view to winning men to
repentance and faith in His blood for
the remission OF sins: that this earnest
ness had been blessed Of God to the In
crease of His kingdom. In Pennsylvania
alone there was an increase OF 1000. and
since 1911 there had been a steady in
crease throughout the church.
The committee reported that 1t had
sought to stimulate the Presbyteries in
he various forms of evangelism. That
I had also pursued a course of college
md that there had been a most har-
,ther denomina tons.
The following budget. totaling A.Ss6, 600.
vas adopted by the Presbyterian General
Assembly for the year 1sl5-1SlS: Home
missions Gncluding womans board, $780,
o0), 81, 900: foreign missions Gncluding
mission boards, sl.750. 600: edu-
alton. $4,000; publication and Sabbath
school work, 10000: church erection.
100. 900; ministerial relief and sustenta-
ion. s175.Ooo: freedmen. s2l5. 600; colleges.
go. 900; temperance. $4,000.
The Mary baltimore Bible Class of the
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
It its deferred annual meeting, received
eports showing an active membership of
an increase in gifts, and
he formation of Red Cross unit. The
elections were as follows: President. AL |
nah r. Shafer; vice president, Marie L. |
shford; vice president, Ruth T. Beav-
RS: secretary, Sara L. Kent; treasurer.
lillian Farnham: teacher. Mrs. Wallace
The meetings of the Southern Bap-
list convention at Houston. Tex, May |
2-lS. registered a cord-breaking at |
enhance. Texas itself is a veritable |
Baptist empire, with $500 churches |
here are more Baptists in Texas !
han in Pennsylvania, New York. |
Rhode Island, Massachu-
etts. Vermont, New Hampshire, and
faine put together. Texas Baptists
urned out in great numbers to well
ome the Southern convention. En-
husiasm ran high and the sessions
Il the convention were of unusual in
crest. The boards of the convention
losed the fiscal year with a debt The
ebt of the foreign board is $ss,soo.
\
2e,4o1. These debts are not discour-
ging. for the South has been plunged
nto temporary financial trouble by
he millions of dollars lost on the
otton crop because Of the European
var. |:
The Baptist year book. just issued,
hows for that denomination in the
United States 52.410 churches, 1871
rdained ministers, and a total MEM
ership of 5.s32,3S4. an increase of
33.1111. The increase for the last ten
ears makes a total of 1,331.56s, or
n average yearly gain of 1916
- baptisms, an increase over the
revious year of 1857. There are
2,76s Sunday schools. 325,475 officers
nd teachers, and 3.ess.ss: scholars.
here was given for church expenses
a2,4ss.e4s, an increase Of s1,7ol.516:
Or Sunday school expenses, $1,o7s.00s;
Or State missions. $1,o5s.s14; for home
sss5.Sss: for foreign mis-
ons, SI.23I, s64; for Bible and publ
ation work, S113.s1s; for education.
i24.3s1; for miscellaneous. S1.so7.4ss.
taking a grand total Of $2s.o43.1s1.
n Increase 9f s1.4ss.47o.
The Episcopal Church will. 1t il said.
reak all records this year In number Of
ew bishops. Already this year It has
seven. and conventions this
pring either have chosen or will elect
even more, besides altering the status
his number exceeds by four the number
|. Is