The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-01-31
SOUTH KANSAS CONFERENCE.
aIethodism in southern Kansas.

MethOdism in Southern Kansas.
Rev. q. W. Pye, OF this city, in lat
ter TO the St Louis Christian Advocate,
of last week, furnishes the following in
teresting statements of the growth of the
Methodist church in the South Kansas
conference:
AS the name indicates, this conference
comprises the south half of this grow
ing and rapidly developing State. Com
parsons of growth between this and
any other State of the Union would be
difficult and the same truth applies to
this conference. Into this State flood
tide of immigration has been pouring
for several years, and never in greater
numbers, nor of a more intelligent and
substantial class, than during this year.
From all parts of the Union, and from
nearly every country of Europe, the
''star ofempire" has led the thousands of
every cline and tongue TO this focal cen
ter of our United States-a conglomer-
ated mass of peoples, tongues, callings
and religions, yet happily adjusting
themselves TO circumstances and ener-
getically pushing forward settlements,
cities, schools, churches, and ali the in
duStrieS of an empire. II is a noticeable
| fact the immigrants of late years are
from our eastern and middle States, and
largely of the better class of farmers and
mechanics, who do wisely to come and
get them home of Uncle Sans domain
that few years of industry will render
comfortable and independent.
The condition of successful organiza
| ton of these people into churches anC
| Sunday schools is somewhat different
from the work done by the fathers il
the older States. Recognized as an i'm
portant field by every church of the
land, the competitions are of the sharp
wide-awake sort, that leaves no stone un
turned that promises to build up tn,
various organizations. That too many
churches are trying to possess the fielC
is evident from the many weak anC
| struggling churches; often as many a
| twelve to fourteen in a town of from tive
to three thousand inhabitants. Now, o
the churches already organized il
healthy condition, none are doing bette
than our own Methodist Episcopa
church, as the following statistics of TIN
growth of this conference clearly in
dictate.
The South Kansas conference was or
ganiZed at Fit. Scott, by Bishop Z. G
Andrews, March II, 1874, with ~ mem
bers and II prObatiOners, and four dis
|
charges, representing a membership o
1885, with 43 church buildings and
parsonages. The returns for benevolen
collections were: Conference claimants
$204.S7; for missionary societies. $93S
70; for church extension, $256.31; 70
tract society, $47.50; for S. S. union
$51-47 for freedmen, $54.21; and 70
education, $26.
The returns for ministerial supper
show an aggregate of 500, 1878. AT tn
last session held in Garnett, March {
1878, Bishop T. Bowman presiding, fiv
years from date of organization, the ri
ports show SO full members and % pre-
bai;on"rs, with six districts. Appoint
ments were made to 1877 charges, repre-
senting 1886 members, with SO churc
buildings and SO parsOnages. The n
turns for benevolent collections were
For conference claimants, $35S.0S; fo
missionary societies, $1,575.39; 70
church extension, 381.21; for tract socit
ty, $63.50; for S. S. union, $79S6; fo
J freedmen, $102.14; education, $369.97.
The returns for ministerial supper
show an aggregate of $50, 025.66. Thes
do not cover all the moneys raised. AID
in the bible society, church and parsOI
age building and repairing and misce
laneOus collections, and they will amour
to over 100000 at Il rough guess.
: Now, remembering that these fiv
years include the period of the grasshoI
per raid and the general financial depre
sion, this growth must be seen to be til
more amazing, and we can but exclain
what hath God wrought" The decad
of ten years when finished will present
conference that will call for another q
vision, which will then be as timely an
healthy as the last. ITO God be all tn
| Draise''