Newspaper Page Text
February 28, 1912 ]
JTEW8 OF BIBLE DISTRIBUTION IN
CHINA.
The American Bible Society has reports
from Its agent in China showing
that, In spite of the interruption of its
work caused by the revolution, its col- ?
porteurs have still been able to distribute
the Scriptures with unexpected
success.
In western Szechuan the Rev. Mr.
Torrance at Chengtu reports for the
quarter ending November 30th a total
aisiriDuuon or nearly li.uuu copies.
In Chengtu, when the new republic
was proclaimed, Mr. Torrance sent
copies of the Bible and the Testament
tc the President of the government and
the leader of the Provincial Assembly,
which were appreciatively received.
The official proclamation issued by the
new authorities laid special stress on
the obligations not to molest churches
or foreigners.
In the Canton district there is an
unprecedented demand for Scriptures;
also in Peking and the vicinity.
The Rev. Mr. Hirst at Hanyang distributed
400 portions to the soldiers,
who were glad to get them.
BIBLE WORK IN PERSIA.
The American Bible Society has been
at work in northern Persia for seventy
von rs Vnr montoo. boom,
^ wv* VSIVWU JUUIU J/I IU1 IV/
1896 It had Its own agent. but since that
time has worked through the missionaries
of the Presbyterian Church In
Urumia, Tabriz, Teheran, Hamadan and
Resht. The political disturbances there
have, of course, Interfered with the
progress of the work, and. still further,
the Importation of Persian and Turkish
scriptures has at times been prohibited.
Yet the circulation of the Scriptures
has been continued, and the last annual
report shows 773 copies distributed
at Resht and Teheran. This report
contained an Interesting letter from the
Rev. Mr. Doomboorajlan, reporting that
during the last ten years he has been
able to sell 5,400 copies of the Scriptures
In seventeen different languages,
the greater part In Persian, traveling
more than 2,500 miles and meeting In
each year a thousand different persons
with whom he has had religious conversations.
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF TITE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEES, FEBRUARY
1, 1912.
Home Missions.
Amount appropriated $190,000
Amount due. 158,333
Received 73,622
Deficit, 84,711.
REPORT OF THE TREASURER OF
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTE OF
FOREIGN MISSIONS.
The following Is the report of the
Treasurer of the Executive Committee
of Foreign Missions submitted at the
monthly meeting on February 13. 1912:
I would respectfully report that the
receipts for January, 1912, were as follows:
Specials % 2,180
"Legacy (Korean special) 5,000
Debt fund 10,032
Regular funds 43,517
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Receipts for January, 1911 30,545
Gain $ 30,184
Receipts.
Fiscal year to January 31,1912, $340,302
Fiscal year to January 31, 1911, 320,334
Gain for fiscal vear $ 25,968
Liabilities.
Due Missions to Feb. 1, 1912, $ 70.800
Bills payable 103,100
Total $173,600
This Is a decrease In our indebtedness
of $12,840 since January 1st Our bal
THE PRESBYTERI.
enc? In bank on February lit to tba
credit of the regular account wai $3,986,
and to the credit of the special
account $3,203.
The $5,000 legacy reported above was
devised to the Session of the First
church of St. Joseph, Missouri, to be
applied to Foreign Missions. The officers
of the Church decided to use the
fund for the purpose of erecting a hospital
at Mokpo, Korea, to be known as
the "Charles "W. French Memorial
Hospital." The $5,000 was forwarded
at once to the Treasurer of the Korean
Mission, and I am advised that the bequest
will yield an additional amount
which will be used for-the same purpose.
The months of February and March
of each year are critical ones, for our
experience In the past has been that a
large amount of money due our treasury
Is held back until March, consequently,
we can never know until the
last day of our fiscal year what our
exact financial condition will be. In
March, 1911, our receipts were $101,000.
It is to be hoped that all treasurers
of churches, societies, and other organizations
this year will forward to us
promptly all funds coming into their
hands, thus relieving our office of much
of tile heavy work on the closing days
of the fiscal year.
Respectfully submitted,
W. H. Raymond. Treasurer.
FINANCIAL CONDITION FEBRUARY
1, 1912.
The Executive Committee of Christian
Education and Ministerial Relief.
Amonnts appropriated: Education for
he Ministry, $43,000; Ministerial Relief,
$64,500; The Assembly's Home
and School, $12,900; Schools and Colleges,
$8,600. Total. $129,000.
Amonnts due to date: Education for
the Ministry, $43,000; Ministerial Relief,
$53,750; Assembly's Home and
School# $10,750; Schools and Colleges,
$7,166.66. Total, $107,499.99.
Deficits: Education for the Ministry,
$19,765.93; Ministerial Relief, $36,579
(exclusive of $13,410.60 interest from
the Endowment Fund); Assembly's
Home and School, $1,732.79 (exclusive
of $5,147.75 Board, Rent and Tuition);
Schools and Colleges, $5,153.28. Total
deficit, $63,231.26. As there are less
than two months of the year remaining,
we call to the earnest attention of the
churches our very serious need of funds.
Special Fnnds.
The Endowment Fnnd of Ministerial
Relief has received during the year $9,641.29,
which Includes legacies to the
amount of $6,511.75, making the total
amount of the Endowment Fund, $314,451.54.
Amount yet to he raised, at
least $185,548.46.
Schools and College?Loan Fnnd, has
received during the year $1,481.94, making
the total amount of the Loan Fund
$6,438.11.
Send remittances for all the above
causes to Mr. John Stltes, Treasurer,
Fifth and Market Streets, Louisville,
Ky.
DISCREPANCIES.
Rer. Thos. H. Law, D. D.
The discrepancies appearing every
year In our statistical tables have hecome
a source of keen disappointment
and provoking annoyance to such as
would resort to these tables for reliable
Information and practical use.
The marked difference between the figures
of the benevolent contributions of
the churches as reported In the statistical
tables and the actual receipts of the
Executive Committees showed so plainly
that the tables furnished Ijy the sessions
did .our people a eross Inlustlce,
that the Aesemblv of 190* Instructed the
stated clerk In making up the comparative
summary of contributions to use
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the flgureB of the Executive Committees
rather than those of the presbyterlal
reports. And this is not all; last year
attention was specially called to the
glaring discrepancy between the figures
as to Sabbath schools appearing in the
general statistics of the churches and
those of the special statistics of Sabbath
schools and young people's societies
printed in another part of the Minutes.
Since both came to the stated
clerk of the Assembly from the same
source, the stated clerk of the Presbytery,
they ought to have corresponded
exactly. But they did not in the case
of a single Synod.
Now all this shows that there is some
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our statistics are so important in the
history of the Church, are so constantly
used in judging of its character and
service, and are really to make them
as correct and complete as possible.
Therefore, as the time is now approaching
for the preparation of our reports
for the present ecclesiastical year, out
of a large experience in this business
I beg to offer a few practical suggestions.
1. Let the session of every church
on our roll be sure to make out a report
and send it up promptly to the
stated clerk of the Presbytery. He
will supply the necessary blanks as
provided by the General Assembly in
time. And no matter how small the
church may be, or how Incomplete its
organization and work, its report is
necessary to the whole, and should
be made Olll nR enrreetlv no nnooihln
and sent up. The statistics of the last
Assembly indicate that many sessions,
hundreds of them, sent up no reports
at all. But the stated clerk had to keep
the names of the churches on the roll,
and It was his duty under the rules,
which in few cases would be correct,
so many and rapid are the changes taking
place. And as to contributions, he
had just to leave the blanks, which
in the addition counts nought. Thus
these churches got no credit whatever
for any contributions they have made,
or for additions to their membership,
and the whole statistics are sadly erroneous.
Cannot we do better this
year?
2. Let the sessions In making up their
reports gather the information from
all sources requisite to make the reports
complete. For instance, I have
known the session to hand the blank
to the church treasurer to fill out from
his book the columns of contributions;
but in nearly every case this gives an
Incomplete report, for, as a rule, all
funds do not pass through the treasurer's
hands. Hence the session should
have the deacons' board?to whom nron
erly the treasurer should make his report
annually?the Sabhath school, and
all other aeencles of the Church, such
as Toadies' and Youne: People's sfctetles,
etc., to send In complete reports at the
end of the ecceles'astlcal year and from
all these sources make up Its report.
Thus only can Its report he complete
and correct.
8. I.et the stated clerks of Presbytery
use ell the means In their power to
have the sessions send up full and
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accurate reports, and by comparison of
sessional and Sabbath school reports
make them as correct as practicable.
uy carrying out these few and businesslike
suggestions, I am sure that
we can secure far more satisfactory
statistics this year.
WEEKLY CONTRIBUTIONS FORWARDED
ANNUALLY?
R?t. Henry II. Sweets, D. D? Secretary.
The Executive Committee of Christian
Education and Ministerial Relief has
been greatly disappointed in the receipts
from the collections which were
ordered by the General Assembly in
April and December.
We had set our hopes on large returns
from the churches adopting the new
plan of weekly contributions to all the
causes. But this has proved to be
"hope long deferred" and it has saddened
our hearts.
Up to this time we have received no
offering at all from 1.739 of our
churches or from n Rnfchafh ???
society connected with them, while
many of the 1,636 contributing churches
have Bent very small contributions to
all the departments of our work.
The General Assembly asked for
$129,000 for our Committee to use in the
work of Education for the Ministry, Ministerial
Relief, the Assembly's Home and
School and Schools and Colleges. Of
this amount we have received only $66,351.10,
leaving a balance of $62,648.90
greatly needed and only forty days in
which tc raise It.
There has been a decrease in receipts,
as compared with the same
period last year, In each one of these
causes, in all amounting to $10,795.08.
We are in very great need of funds.
Can we not hear from some of the 1,739
non.contributing churches. Sabbath
schools and societies? Cannot some of
those who have given a little send larger
g'fts? Will not the treasurers remit
monthly or quarterly so that our hearts
may be relieved of this great anxiety
and the money forwarded to those to
whom it has been promised and who are
in great need?
Send all funds to Mr. John Stltes,
Treasurer, Fifth and Market Streets,
Louisville, Ky.
February 21, 1912.
Better methods may simplify the social
question. It can be solved by nothing
less than better men.
What eyer view o fthe authority of the
Old Testament on may take. It Is certain
that In the nohler literature which jroes
under that title th*ere is a deener, clearer,
and fuller disclosure of the human
spirit In Its effort to reallre Itself and
live its l'fe than lo oil
works that have ever been written. For
the real hlstorv of man on this earth Is
not the record of the deeds he has performed
with his hands, the lonmeys he
has made with his feet, and the material
thlnrs he has fashioned with his mind,
but the record of his thonarhts. feellnrs,
inspirations, aspirations, and ?srpar!ence.?Hamilton
W. Mabte.