LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 544, 26 June 1909, Page 9

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

' ANOTHER LARGE DEFICIT. ;: I The friends of the London Missionary Society celebrated the socioty's 114 t- anniversaryin May undor a deep senso of .depression. Tho financial crisis has not been averted, and for tho first time'tho. society has to order a reduction of its expenditure in tho field. Tho essential fact standing out'in.the accounts, is' that, in spite."of 'tho Wardlaw Thompson -Million Shillings . Fund; the society ends its year with a deficiency of £3739. As tho Million Shillings > Fund realised £12,151, it (lid at least avert a deficit of nearly filfi.ooo. Tho accumulated deficiency is now £40,087. Last year tho Finance Committee Unugeted for an income of £155,600 (anticipating an increase of £700), but tho income realised was only £140,000, and. thoro was ah actual decline of over £4000. on,; tho normal income. \ -•.-,.""''::':•;•.

Mr. A. J. Shepheard (chairman.of tho"Finance, Committee) announced jthat the board,, after considering tho situation;: had resolved to.reduce expenditure by £5000..this..year, and by £10,000 or oven £15,000. next, year. Tlio reduction would involve pain and hard-, ship in tho field arid dishearten tho missionaries; but it was necessary.'. Mr.: Shepheard reviewed tho Forward "Movement,, confessing that tho faith upon which-'tho society embarked upon that endeavour to-send-a hundred new into tho field had not boon justified.. The constituents of 'the •society had not endorsed the venture by adequate financial support. ■ *•- : .'•'--• -.-■• --'■( But Mr. Shepheard declined- to bo.pessimistic, and ho pointed to the gains accruing to the society from'tho Forward Movement. Through it seventy-six now-missionaries had been sent, out and supported; - since tho Forward Movement started tho society's, income had increased by £49,728 and its funded legacies by £22,000.. It was necessary,now to reduce expenditure, because they could not stand tho strain on their permanent reserves. White there was no- need for panic, becauso tho society's credit was perfectly sound and strong, there was absolute necessity for reducing i; Tho Rev. J. D. Jones, of Bournemouth, wlio succeeds the Rev.\Dr;' Wardlaw Thompson as, chairman' of the Congregational Union of England and Wales, will share with Mr. Jowett trie'. distinction of being ono of the youngest; ministers to > occupy, that, distinguished position, -and he-is regarded by many as one of tho six greatest living preachers, j Ho cornea of Wckh stcck; J 'hia father'being ' tlio well-known author and compiler;.of the' Welsh' Independent Hymn' and Tune, Book. Mr.' Jones was trained for the ministry, at tho Lancashire Independent College,. and at tho ago.-of 23 took liis degree of B.D. at St. Andrew's University. In the same year ho was ordained minister of the, Congregational Church at Lincoln, and after a nine yeans 1 successful pastorate removed to Richmond Hill Church at Bournemouth ; a church which ho has mado famous by bis eloquent sermons. Hiß great friend, and companion in many a platform, campaign,' the Itcv. Silvester Home, in a fmo appreciation in last month's 'Tree Churchman,", says: "When -you hoar him it does not occur to. you to > call:'him a great preacher. He has no art but nature. He was born a preacher, he was not mado one. .His effects iare not studied. ' His stylo is; artness. ..That is where ho is unique. Somo great preachers i deliberately sit down beforo you as for a siege and ■ unmask their tremendous: batteries, for your bombardment. But J. D. does not do his

work that 'way.':: Your "'.feet are across the frontier of the, divine.kingdom before you realise.where you are."