3>.nfY\. i io The Board of Foreign Missions OF THE Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. 156 Fifth Avenue, New York Telling Figures of Last Year April 1, 1923—March 31, 1924 Obligations Paid—No Deficit Half a Million Dollars for Property Obligations for the regular work of the year.$4,048,201.69 Accumulated deficit. 657,187.57 Total to be secured. .$4,705,389.26 This meant the securing of an income about one-third greater than that of the previous year, or more than $ 1,000,000 increase. This seemed impossible, and retrenchment inevitable, when, by February 1st, receipts had come in but slowly. A cable was therefore sent to each Mission early in February, ordering a cut of 20%, not on missionary salaries, but on the native work for the first three months of 1924- 25, that is, April, May and June. By this time, however, the Church was waking to the serious¬ ness of the situation, and the last two months of the fiscal year witnessed an almost unprece¬ dented volume of gifts, so that when the books were closed, these telling figures revealed what had happened: Donations from Churches, Sunday Schools, Women's and Young People's Societies, Individuals and Legacies: For the regular work of the year $4,015,652.70 Specially designated for the deficit. 462,027.59 $4,477,680.29 Other credits, including income from invested funds. Mission field savings and receipts, exchange and adjustments.$ 199,011.08 Total for regular work and deficit. . $4,676,69 1.37 Special gifts during the year for property, etc.$ 512,738.22 Total receipts for the year.$5,189,429.59 Deducting the total receipts for regular work and deficit $4,676,691.3 7 from the obligations for the year, $4,705,389.26, the deficit was reduced to $28,697.89. Since the books closed enough money has been re¬ ceived to cancel this deficit. The Deficit Money Where It Came From The gifts did not consist of a few large sums. The largest single gift was $25,000. There were about a dozen contributions of $5,000 or more each. Nearly 2,000 individuals, of whom the Board has record, including missionaries. Board members, officers and clerks, designated money for the deficit. Many thousands more gave through their Churches. In 172 Presby¬ teries, scores of Churches contributed a total of over $200,000 for the deficit, while many other Churches sent extra amounts undesignated. Women and Young People gave through their organizations for the deficit more than $100,- 000. It is thus evident that the giving for this fund was widespread and in direct response to a recognized, critical need. What These Figures Tell Prayer “1 feel that the deficit will be cleared because so many are praying for it. I am enclosing my little gift.” Interest in the work "To be used by the Board in making up the de¬ ficiency, so that our foreign workers will not be hampered in the Master’s work.” Sacrifice “1 am a woman of seventy-two, with an income of about twenty dollars per month, so I must do without something to give even fifteen dollars, but 1 enclose my check for that amount.” Loyalty "We are sending this with our prayers. We be¬ lieve in our missionaries with all our hearts. We trust that our great Church shall not fail those who are fighting the battles of our Lord and Saviour in far lands.” Telling Figures From Our Mission Fields 1,600 Missionaries 159 Stations 8,960 Native Workers 2,911 Out-stations 5,777 Churches and Other Groups of Christians 2 1 0,325 Church Members 4,528 Sunday Schools 129,675 In Training for 347,087 Pupils Membership 19,693 Persons United With the Church Last Year 2,711 Schools 7 Printing Plants 121,179 Pupils 122,043,371 Pages Printed last year. 85 Hospitals 41,731 In-patients 1 1 6 Dispensaries 371,917 Out-patients The peoples for whom the missionaries are working provided, in gifts and fees, for salaries of native work¬ ers, church support, home and foreign missions, build¬ ings, and especially for educational and medical work, etc., the magnificent sum of $2,264,633. Telling Figures of This Year April 1, 1924'March 31, 1925 Needs for the Year The Regular Work The Foreign Board’s share of the total apportioned budget of $15,000,000 for all benevolences, as approved by the Gen¬ eral Council, if received, would be $5,283,- 840. Adding the normal amount from legacies, $125,000, and the estimated in¬ come on investments, etc., $130,000, the total income of the Board would be $5,538,840. Judging by receipts of the past few years, the Board did not feel war¬ ranted in appropriating this entire amount at the beginning of the year. It guaran¬ teed, however, appropriations of $4,060,- 282, which are about the same as the appropriations for regular work last year. There is every reason to believe that this sum should be realized. The Board decided that the cut of 20 % on native work should be effective only for the first three months, until June 30th, the work having been already adjusted to this. Other Needs The difference between the appropria¬ tions for regular work, $4,060,282, and the total hoped-for income of $5,538,840, or $1,478,558, if received, will be subject to special appropriation for new mission¬ aries, war losses of missionaries in Persia, work in Europe, property, equipment and other approved needs. The property items include repairs, construction and equip¬ ment of buildings, such as residences, schools, hospitals, etc., completing in many cases building and equipment funds for which some money has been received. The Missions are in desperate need of these items. Strengthening the Stakes The chief purpose of the Board this year is not great expansion, alluring as are some of the opportunities before our mission¬ aries, but rather the strengthening of the work already in hand, by providing more adequate equipment, and by laying on the national churches such an increased finan¬ cial share of the work as they are able to assume.