ABSTRACT OF PROCEEDINGS AT THE ANNUAL MEETING.
The Thirty-seventh Annual Meeting of the American Missionary Association was held in the commodious Central Congregational Church, Brooklyn, N.Y., beginning Tuesday, Oct. 30, at 3 P.M. In the absence of the President, detained by illness, Rev. J. E. Rankin, D.D., one of the Vice-Presidents, presided. Rev. C. P. Osborne was appointed Scribe, and Revs. F. E. Snow and G. P. Lane Assistant Scribes. Committees were appointed as follows:
On Nominations. Rev. G. R. W. Scott, D.D., Rev. Wm. A. Robinson, Hon. David N. Camp, Rev. E. O. Bartlett and Rev. P. B. Davis.
Business. Rev. A. J. F. Behrends, D.D., Rev. W. W. Scudder, D.D., Rev. Frank Ayer, Rev. E. B. Palmer, H. H. Ricker, Esq.
Arrangements. A. S. Barnes, Esq., Chas. A. Hull, Esq., Rev. G. D. Pike, D.D., Wm. G. Hoople, Esq., Richard M. Montgomery, Esq., G. Johnson, Jr., Esq. and Rev. S. B. Halliday.
Indian Missions. Rev. Joseph Anderson, D.D., Rev. C. C. Painter, Gen. S. C. Armstrong, Rev. Cushing Eells, D.D., and Mr. Wm. H. McKinney.
Chinese Missions. Rev. Wm. Alvin Bartlett, D.D., Rev. Geo. M. Boynton, Rev. Evarts Scudder, Rev. S. L. Blake, D.D., and Rev. Geo. S. Smith.
Educational Work. President S. C. Bartlett, D.D., Rev. Washington Gladden, D.D., Rev. C. G. Fairchild, Rev. G. L. Ewell, Rev. E. W. Bacon.
Church Work. Prof. Llewellyn Pratt, Rev. T. P. Prudden, Rev. C. L. Woodworth, D.D., Rev. Isaac Hall, Rev. G. F. Gleason.
Finance. Dea. Eliezur Porter, Rev. William M. Taylor, D.D., Rev. D. O. Mears, D.D., Hon. H. D. Smith, Rev. Erastus Blakeslee.
H. W. Hubbard, Esq., Treasurer, read his annual report, which was referred to the Committee on Finance. Rev. J. E. Roy, D.D., presented the report of the Executive Committee, which was referred to the appropriate committees. Rev. G. M. Boynton read the report of the Committee on the Constitution, which was referred to a special committee. A half hour was spent in prayer and song.
Tuesday evening, at 7:30, Rev. Joseph Anderson, D.D., conducted devotional services, and Rev. J. L. Withrow, D.D., of Boston, preached the annual sermon, from Luke, 9:24. Rev. A. J. F. Behrends, D.D., made an address of welcome. The Lord’s Supper was administered by Rev. Samuel Scoville and Rev. W. S. Palmer, D.D.
Wednesday morning, Rev. R. B. Howard conducted a half-hour prayer-meeting. At 9 o’clock Dr. Rankin took the chair and read an address on “The Gospel of Christ our only Solvent for Race Difficulties.” A committee to confer with the Conference Committee of the Am. Home Miss. Society selected at Saratoga, was appointed as follows: President, S. C. Bartlett, D.D.; Rev. J. L. Withrow, D.D., Rev. Washington Gladden, D.D., Rev. D. O. Mears, D.D., and Rev. Wm. H. Ward, D.D.
Rev. D. K. Flickinger, D.D., Secretary of the Board of the United Brethren in Christ, gave an account of the Mendi Mission.
Rev. A. H. Bradford read a paper on “Woman in Modern Charity and Missions.” Rev. G. M. Boynton read a paper on “The Place of Missionary Literature in the Conversion of the World.”
Prof. Albert Salisbury, of Atlanta, Ga., read a paper entitled: “For What are We Sent?” Rev. A. A. Myers, of Williamsburg, Ky., read a paper on the “Mountain White Work.”
Five-minute speeches were made by Rev. Isaac H. Hall, of New Orleans, La.; Rev. Geo. S. Smith, of Raleigh, N.C., and Rev. Alfred Connet, of McLeansville, N.C.
Wednesday afternoon, Rev. W. H. Ward, D.D., made a report on a visit to the Dakota mission. The report of the Committee on Indian Missions was read by Rev. Joseph Anderson, D.D., Chairman, and addresses upon Indian affairs were made by Dr. Anderson, Rev. Cushing Eells, D.D., Rev. Samuel G. Rankin and Rev. Anson Gleason, formerly missionary to the Choctaws. The report of the Committee on Chinese Missions was presented by Rev. Wm. Alvin Bartlett, D.D., Chairman, who also made an address.
On motion of Rev. S. Wolcott, D.D., Resolved, That we place on record our thorough disapproval, as an Association, of the exclusive and prohibitory legislation of our government relative to the Chinese. The report of the Committee on the Constitution was presented by Rev. W. S. Palmer, Chairman, and accepted. After discussion the Amended Constitution was adopted with no dissenting vote.
Evening Session.—Devotional Services were conducted by Rev. J. M. Whiton, Ph. D. Addresses were made by a Chinaman, Ju Sing, from Oakland, Cal.; by an Indian, Wm. Harrison McKinney, of the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, a recent graduate of Roanoke University; by a negro, Rev. J. C. Price, of Salisbury, N. C., graduate of Lincoln University in 1879, and by Secretary James Powell. The exercises were interspersed with singing by a choir of nine young Chinamen, resident in Brooklyn and members of the Central Church Sunday-School.
Thursday Morning.—The half-hour prayer meeting was conducted by Rev. Geo. S. Smith. At 9 o’clock Dr. Rankin resumed the chair. Secretary M. E. Strieby read a paper on “Caste in America.” President S. C. Bartlett read the report of the Committee on Educational Work and made an address on that subject. A committee to consider Secretary Strieby’s paper on “Caste in America” was appointed, consisting of Deacon Samuel Holmes, General E. Whittlesey, Rev. S. Wolcott, D.D., Rev. G. M. Boynton, Rev. D. L. Furber, D.D. Rev. Washington Gladden, D.D., made an address on “Illiteracy in the South.” Rev. Edward W. Bacon, Rev. C. G. Fairchild, and Rev. John L. Ewell, made addresses upon the different phases of educational work at the South. Brief remarks were also made by Rev. A. P. Foster and Rev. R. B. Howard.
Thursday Afternoon.—After devotional services, Professor Llewellyn Pratt, D.D., read the report of the Committee on Church Work, and Rev. T. P. Prudden followed with an address. Rev. Erastus Blakeslee read the report of the Committee on Finance. Dr. Wm. M. Taylor made an address on “What the Bible Says About Giving.” Rev. D. O. Mears, D.D., made an address on “The Function and Privilege of the Churches.” Mrs. A. A. Myers, of Kentucky, read a statement regarding the mountain people of the South.
The following resolution was passed: “Whereas, the Finance Committee, after careful examination of the needs of the Association, have recommended that the contributions of churches, Sunday-schools and individuals for the coming year be increased 50 per cent, above the amount given by them during the past year, therefore, Resolved, That we approve this recommendation of the Finance Committee, and urge contributors everywhere to increase their contributions accordingly.”
The Committee appointed to consider Secretary Strieby’s paper on Caste in America made report through the Chairman, Dea. S. Holmes.
Officers for the coming year were elected as printed on second page of cover.
The following resolution offered by Rev. E. Blakeslee was adopted: Resolved, That if the Executive Committee now elected have any question as to their legal status under the Constitution, they be and hereby are authorized to take legal advice thereon, and, if competent to do so, to arrange themselves in three classes according to the terms of the new Constitution.
Thursday Evening.—Rev. A. P. Foster conducted the devotional services.
Addresses were made by Rev. S. R. Dennen on “Spiritual Life the Supreme Power in Your Work,” and by Dr. Wm. M. Barbour, on “Spiritual Vitality the Crowning Necessity in Missionary Work.”
A resolution of thanks offered by Secretary Woodworth was adopted, and Dr. Behrends responded for the Brooklyn people in fitting terms, and the meeting was dissolved.
All the sessions were characterized by a hopeful spirit and by deep spirituality which found frequent expression in the voice of prayer.