148 



CONGREGATIONALISTS. 



year had been $476,444; the total receipts, in- 

 cluding what had been spent out of funds con- 

 tributed for special work (in China, Japan, 

 Central Africa, and Northern Mexico), had 

 been $679,573 ; the expenditures had been 

 $679,377. The grounds of the Home for Mis- 

 sionary Children at Aubnrndale, Mass., had 

 been bought for the society. The Home had 

 entertained during the year 32 missionary chil- 

 dren and six families, and since its foundation, 

 nineteen years previously, 111 children. In the 

 " survey " of the missionary work, notice was 

 taken, in connection with the missions in Tur- 

 key, of divisions caused by the proselyting ef- 

 forts of agents belonging to another denomi- 

 nation, and of the prosperity of the Bulgarian 

 mission. Four weekly newspapers were pub- 

 lished in these missions, in as many different 

 languages, having a circulation of 9,000 copies. 

 In Japan there were 40 churches, with more 

 than 4,000 members, and the Christian College 

 had 300 students. In Africa, progress was re- 

 ported in the organization of the two central 

 missions and the removal of a serious obstacle 

 at Bihe by th'e death of the hostile king. It 

 had become expedient to resume missionary 

 work to a certain extent in the Sandwich Isl- 

 ands, and to send new missionaries there. The 

 Micronesian missions continued to advance 

 rapidly, and included 46 wholly self-supporting 

 churches, with 5,312 communicants. The mis- 

 sion in Ponape had been interrupted by the 

 arrest by the Spanish Governor, of the Kev. 

 Mr. Doane, on frivolous charges, and his de- 

 portation to Manila, in the Philippine Islands, 

 for trial. But, on the representations of the 

 Government of the United States, he had been 

 released, and was to be restored to his work. 

 The following is the General summary of the 

 missions, in Mexico, Spain, Austria, India, 

 Ceylon, Japan, China, Africa, the Sandwich 

 Islands, and Micronesia : 



Number of missions ... 

 Number of stations .... 

 Number of out- stations 



22 



83 

 691 



laBOREKS EMPLOYED. 



Number of orSained missionaries (11 be- 

 ing 1 physicians) 166 



Number of physicians cot ordained, 8 

 men and 4 women 12 



Number of other male assistants 10 



Number of women (wives, 163; unmar- 

 ried, besides physicians, 106) 269 



Whole number of laborers sent from 



this country 457 



Number of native pastors 155 



Number of native preachers and cate- 

 chists 893 



Number of native school-teachers 1,164 



Number of other native helpers 825 



Whole number of laborers connected 2,037 



with the missions 2,494 



THE PRESS. 

 Pages printed, as nearly as can be learned 13,650,000 



THE CHURCHES. 



Number of churches 825 



Number of church-members 23,042 



Added during the year 2,906 



Whole number from the first, as nearly as can be 



learned 101,089 



EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT. 



Number of high-schools, theological seminaries, 



and station-classes 



Number of pupils in the above 8,623 



Number of boarding-schools for girls 4t 



Number of pupils in boarding-schools for girls 2,813 



Number of common schools 878 



Number of pupils in common schools 84,417 



"Whole number under instruction 41,151 



Doctrinal Tests for Missionaries. The reports ot 

 the Prudential Committee contained a full ac- 

 count of its action on two matters which had 

 been referred to it for consideration at the 

 preceding meeting of the board. The first 

 of these matters related to the exptdiency of 

 referring questions respecting the doctrinal 

 soundness of candidates for appointment as 

 missionaries to councils of churches. The sec- 

 ond matter related to representations which 

 were made by the Congregational church of 

 New Haven, to which the person in question 

 belonged, in favor of the Kev. Mr. Hume, the 

 missionary whom the committee had declined 

 to reappoint to his post in the Marathi Mis- 

 sion because of his belief in the doctrine of 

 probation after death. On this subject, the 

 committee had been instructed to " seek to the 

 utmost of its power an adjustment of its differ- 

 ences." After correspondence and several in- 

 terviews, the committee had decided, on the 

 llth of February, that it understood 

 That under the action of the board nt its last annual 

 meeting it had no option but to decline to send out as 

 a missionary any person who has committed himself 

 to the acceptance of the hypothesis of a probation af- 

 ter death. That action was in the following terms : 

 " The board is constrained to look with grave appre- 

 hension upon certain tendencies of the doctrine of 

 a probation after death, which has been recently 

 broached and diligently propagated, that seems di- 

 visive and perversive, ana dangerous to the churches 

 at home and abroad. In view of those tendencies, 

 they do beartly approve_ of the action of the Pruden- 

 tial Committee in carefully guarding the board from 

 any committal to the approval of that doctrine, and 

 advise a continuance of that caution in time to come." 

 In the case of Kev. R. A. Hume, the report continued, 

 " embarrassment and consequent delay have arisen 

 from doubt as to his exact position on the subject. 

 After several interviews and much correspondence, it 

 appears that Mr. Hume regards the hypothesis in 

 question as not forbidden by the Scriptures, and that 

 some considerations favor it, while on the other hand 

 he affirms that he has not in his past utterances com- 

 mitted himself, and that he does not now commit 

 himself, to the acceptance of the hypothesis. It has 

 been a question with the committee how far sympa- 

 thy with this hypothesis, even where it is not ac- 

 cepted, would control one's thought and action ; but 

 it nas not been unmindful of the fact that Mr. Hume 

 is not a new applicant for missionary appointment. 

 He has for eleven years rendered good service in the 

 mission field, and the record of that service, as well 

 as his recent statements, give reasonable assurance 

 that he will work in the future, as in the past, as a 

 loyal representative of the American Board, and in 

 harmony with the wishes of his mission, as expressed 

 in their letter of October 28, 1886 : ' that ho avoid the 

 preaching or teaching of any speculation in favor of a 

 future probation.' The comnntte therefore assents to 

 the return of Mr. Hume to his cherished work in the 

 Maratlii mission." 



In reply, Mr. Hume, acknowledging the re- 

 ceipt of the committee's assent to his return 

 to his missionary work > said : 



