Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-13
MISSIONARY SOCIETY
HOLDS ITS CENTENNIAL
Rev. W. w. Moore, ID. D., Makes In.
teresting Address nt Union
Seminary.
WHAT ORGANIZATION HAS DONE
Sent Missionary to Turkey in 1892
and Party OF Missionaries to
Africa In 1S34-Has Carried on
Work In Every Mission Land.

Appropriate ceremonies in cclebra-
ton Of the 1Goth anniversary OF the or
gauiza.ion OF the Society of Mission
airy Inquiry Of Union Theological Semi
merry were held last night in the chapel.
at which Rev. w. w. Moore. Il. D.,
president Of the seminary. gave an in
terestng account of the society's &C
tivitiee since its foundation. Indeed.
no one is better fitted to deliver such
an address. as the phenomenal success
of the society is said to be due TO
great extent to Or. NIoore's stinulat-
ing inspiration aud support.
in his address lie touched briefly on
the most important stages in the or
sanizat!on's development. carrying his
audience from the socicty's inception,
December IS, 1878, through the tumul-
tuouG days OF the War Between tho
states, UP to tho present time. Or.
Moore was able to read the minutes OF
the first meeting from the original
manuscript on which they were writ
ten, and in which the names OF the
original officers were given. tho first
president being pr. Samuel - Holt.
The first periodicals subscribed to by
the society for discussion were the
New York Herald and the London
Evangelical Magazine. But it remained
for Rev. John Holt Rice. first prcsi-
ForeiSn Missions" to give to the So
o.ety its first great initial impulse
and aim. This he did on his deathbed,
when he urged the General Assembly
ct the church to stimulate the spirit
of missions among the lay members
a. we'll AS the clergy.
FIRST MISSIONARY SENT
TO TURKEY IN iSi3
The 1irst missionary was Rev. Thomas
!. Johnston. who was graduated in
1852 and sailed for Turkey tho follow
ing year. The first group or men TO
leave fer Africa were Rev. Daniel Lind
ley, Alex. Wilson. NJ. -. ono of his
narishioners. and Rev. Henry VenabIc.
who. with their families. sailed for
Cape Town in 1884 and arrived there on
feeruary of the following year.
Lindiey remaincd in Natal for thirty
"lght years and was said to have been
me only white man in Africa whom
the natives trusted. During his stay
nc e%erted great influence in deter
mining the life Of tho famous Paul
Kruger, OF Eoer War fame
Other members were sent ont nv
the society from time to time. until
hiatus OF ten years occurred durin.
hhc after the War Between the States
"hen the services Of the graduat,s
we're so badly needed at home. OF The
graduates, twenty served as chapiains
Moore related how when there were
10000 men encampcd about Richmond
lhelF chaplain, Few. Moses u. lore
u. y, went TO England to get Bibles
successfully running the blockade of
Nharleston harhor and returning safely
WIKI the precious volumes.
In 1865, nifty years after the fouuda.
t'en, the seminary graduated a class
81 fifteen. and since that time the
society has been continuously repre-
sented III practically every foreign
mission field on tho face OF the globe
'na mas had an astonishingly large
NUMBER engaged in home rrissiuu
work, where splendid educational and
fc!!sious work has been accomplished.
as Tor example, III the mountainous
rectionS OF Kentucky ana North Caro-
ma Man" other members Of tho
organization are TO be found among
ne leading writer's on missions and
allied topics.
The meeting was opened VIII, :.
hFtEer for the members and tn,ir
work by Rev. J. NJ. Wells. l.. L.. ana
l. KING, president of the student
hod!, made short address OF welcome
netore Or. Moore was introduced. Rev
lanes p. Smith, l.. d. offered the hcnn-
"!etloh. ). y. Mclean, president of tho
society acted as chairman