The American Missionary. Volume 43, No. 06, June, 1889. Various

The American Missionary – Volume 43, No. 06, June, 1889

      American Missionary Association

      PRESIDENT, Rev. Wm. M. Taylor, D.D., LL.D., N.Y.

      Vice-Presidents.

      Rev. A.J.F. Behrends, D.D., N.Y.

      Rev. Alex. McKenzie, D.D., Mass.

      Rev. F.A. Noble, D.D., Ill.

      Rev. D.O. Mears, D.D., Mass.

      Rev. Henry Hopkins, D.D., Mo.

      Corresponding Secretaries.

      Rev. M.E. Strieby, D.D., 56 Reads Street, N.Y.

      Rev. A.F. Beard, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.

      Recording Secretary.

      Rev. M.E. Strieby, D.D., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.

      Treasurer.

      H.W. Hubbard, Esq., 56 Reade Street, N.Y.

      Auditors.

      Peter McCartee.

      Chas. P. Peirce.

      Executive Committee.

      John H. Washburn, Chairman.

      Addison P. Foster, Secretary.

      For Three Years.

      J.E. Rankin,

      Wm. H. Ward,

      J.W. Cooper,

      John H. Washburn,

      Edmund L. Champlin.

      For Two Years.

      Lyman Abbott,

      Chas. A. Hull,

      Clinton B. Fisk,

      Addison P. Foster.

      For One Year.

      S.B. Halliday,

      Samuel Holmes,

      Samuel S. Marples,

      Charles L. Mead,

      Elbert B. Monroe.

      District Secretaries.

      Rev. C.J. Ryder, 21 Cong'l House, Boston.

      Rev. J.E. Roy, D.D., 151 Washington Street, Chicago.

      Rev. Rev. C.W. Hiatt, Cleveland, Ohio.

      Financial Secretary for Indian Missions.

      Rev. Chas. W. Shelton.

      Field Superintendents.

      Rev. Frank E. Jenkins,

      Prof. Edward S. Hall.

      Secretary Of Woman's Bureau.

      Miss D.E. Emerson, 56 Reade St. N.Y.

COMMUNICATIONS

      Relating to the work of the Association may be addressed to the Corresponding Secretaries; letters for "THE AMERICAN MISSIONARY," to the Editor, at the New York Office; letters relating to the finances, to the Treasurer.

DONATIONS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

      In drafts, checks, registered letters, or post-office orders, may be sent to H.W. Hubbard, Treasurer, 56 Reade Street, New York, or, when more convenient, to either of the Branch Offices, 21 Congregational House, Boston, Mass., or 151 Washington Street, Chicago, Ill. A payment of thirty dollars at one time constitutes a Life Member.

      NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS.—The date on the "address label," indicates the time to which the subscription is paid. Changes are made in date on label to the 10th of each month. If payment of subscription be made afterward, the change on the label will appear a month later. Please send early notice of change in post-office address, giving the former address and the new address, in order that our periodicals and occasional papers may be correctly mailed.

FORM OF A BEQUEST

      "I bequeath to my executor (or executors) the sum of – dollars, in trust, to pay the same in – days after my decease to the person who, when the same is payable, shall act as Treasurer of the 'American Missionary Association,' of New York City, to be applied, under the direction of the Executive Committee of the Association, to its charitable uses and purposes." The Will should be attested by three witnesses.

      EDITORIAL

      FINANCIAL OUTLOOK

The Figures

      Our receipts for seven months to April 30th are, from donations, $118,051.25, estates, $20,308.09, incomes, $4,829.21, tuition, etc., $22,719.89, United States Government for Indians, $9,540.87; total, $175,449.31. Our payments to April 30th are $203,777.45. Debt balance, $28,328.14.

The Meaning of the Figures

      These figures mean a debt—growing at the rate of $4,000 a month. In passing "through the dark valley and shadow of"—debt, we walk with a goodly company. It is said that nearly every missionary society in Christendom reports a deficit this year. A common cause must underlie so broad a fact, and no one society deserves special censure.

How we get into Debt

      A missionary society cannot make its expenditures as a man provides for his family—from day to day—but must lay out its plans for the year. The missionaries, the teachers, the matrons and all employés must be engaged for that length of time. The appropriation must be made on the general expectation of receipts, with some allowance for added growth. Every prosperous business firm plans for enlargement. Shall the Lord's business only lack enterprise and growth? Must it move on a dead level, or on a declining grade? The churches would not long endure that, and the word of the Lord is: "Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward."

How our Debts are to be Paid

      This cannot be done near the close of the year by dismissing the ministers and shutting up the schools. These self-sacrificing workers are dependent on their salaries, and the teachers, some of whom out of their small pittance are helping to sustain an invalid mother or sister, and in not a few cases are aiding needy students, and should not be deprived of their wages. Repudiation of such debts is not the relief for a missionary society.

      The only way, therefore, that we can see is, to throw ourselves upon the benevolence of the churches, whose agents we are in doing their work, and ask them to come to the rescue by increased donations. A little from each will make it easy for all.

      VOICES FROM THE FIELD

      We wish our friends to see as we see and hear as we hear from the field, as to the need of enlargement and the difficulty of closing schools prematurely, and hence we present some condensed facts as specimens.

      McINTOSH, GA.—One hundred and nineteen in a single room and with only one teacher. No boarding department and scores must be turned away.

      FLORENCE, ALA.—In a rapidly growing city, school held in our church building. Large numbers turned away for lack of room.

      JONESBORO, TENN.—No boarding place for either boys or girls. Boys live in rough rooms in a barn, six in a small room. No more can possibly be accommodated.

      GRAND VIEW, TENN.—Buildings crowded full; no place for any more, yet pupils are trying to crowd in.

      PINE MOUNTAIN, TENN.—Situated in a region nearly a hundred miles long, without a single school except the almost worthless district schools for two or three months.

      WILLIAMSBURG, KY.—Crowded full of students; more than sixty in one room large enough for only thirty.

      JELLICO, TENN.—Our church and school building will not hold either our Sunday-school or those who attend the preaching services. Must be enlarged or no growth can follow.

      ATHENS, TENN.—Growing town; nearly a thousand Northern people with no church suited to their needs. Some Congregationalists need aid in starting a church.

      FORT BERTHOLD, DAKOTA.—Rev. C.L. Hall writes: "We have not at Fort Berthold the necessary buildings for our work. Our girls are in an old Government building out of repair, and a little cottage 16x22, and