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with gratifying results. Another marked evidence
of progress is found in the fact that an encouraging
beginning has been made in securing pennanent
funds for State missions. The treasurer's report for
the fiscal year ending October 9th, 1906, shows a
total of $42,300.00 belonging to the permanent fund
(including real estate estimated at $4,400.00.)
Indiana Baptists in (A) Missions. The strength
of a religious denomination can be approximated only
by the number of its adherents; its liberality in giv-
ing, though not a perfect standard, is better. Indiana
Baptists of an early time gave the most freely to what
was called Domestic missions--that is missions with-
in the bounds of the several district Associations; not
that Home and Foreign missions were entirely neg-
lected, but that the main interest centered on the fields
closer by, and therefore better understood. And it
might have seemed to the leaders that we must be
strong at home if we are to extend a strong right
arm to the fields which lie farther away. The Asso-
ciations most interested in Domestic. missions were
Bethel, Coffee Creek, Elkhart River, Flat Rock, Long
Run, Northeastern, Northern and Tippecanoe. In
1853 the aggregate amount given to this work by
these Associations was $1,735.79. Through many.
years Bethel Association carried on this work giving
from $220.70 (1858), to $640.05 (1867); but in some
years the contributions were less even than in 1858.
However, as time went by it was seen that this was
not the most successful method of evangelizing the
state. Pastors of acknowledged ability had all their
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time taken in caring for their own churches; the main
thought of Domestic mission boards was not so much
taking hold of a work in a promising center and hold-
ing on to it till a church was formed and became
self-supporting, as it was to have frequent preaching
in school houses and private homes, so that the whole
population might have an opportunity to hear the
preaching of the gospel occasionally. Maturer
thought and larger observation led to the conviction
that the most economic mission work was that which
led to permanent results--the planting and training
of churches that would in turn help to plant and sus-
tain others. And so while Domestic missions declined
in general, the work of the General Association (Con-
vention) constantly increased. In 1833 the amount
reported as given for state missions was $35.75, and
$12.50 of this was given in work; in 1858 the amount
reported was $1,856.65, and the average for twen-
ty-five years was $849.21. The amount in 1857 was
$1,101.35, and that in 1881 was $3,481.31, and the
average for the second twenty-five years was $2,376.-
24. The receipts in 1882 were $3,272.60, those
in 1906 $7,557.03; and the average for the third
twenty-five years was $8,677.78.
It is a pleasure to note in this connection the be-
ginning of a movement to form a permanent fund
for the work of the Convention. The first step was
taken by the Rev. Joseph Brown, then corresponding
secretary; he gave a lot in Indianapolis in the times
when real estate was rapidly changing hands; the lot
yielded $1,000.00; since then fifteen different persons
