The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-09-06
RAISING A CHURCH OEBT.
ny REV. WASHINGTON GLADDEN..

ny REV. WASHINGTON GLADDEN..
Tho Methodist Church at New Albion
had long been struggling under load
of debt. Its caitice, built in tho flush
times following the war, was nm am.
bitious piece OF architecture the
church Of tho future beyond \ doubt.
since il was much larger than the con-
grcgation, and the pcws were still va.
cant which the sanguine builders ha.l
expected TO sec filled by the men who
were expected to pay of the mortgages.
The Rev. Mr.. Thorpe, the pastor, had
carried this debt now for two wears. II
had been tho burden Of his ,inys and
the nightmare Of his dreams. At length
he had brought his congregation to the
point of attacking H. He had made
several anxious pilgrimages to the rich
Metl,odists in neighhoring cities, but
found small encouragement. 1t was
evident that, tho Methodists of New
Albion must shoulder their own load
Accordingly, tho first Sunday Of Oc
tobcr was devoted to u carefully.
| planned effort for tho payment Of tho
debt, MIR. Thorpe had concluded tt
dispense with the services Of "finan'
galist" and to direct his own forces
There was to he no regular service /,
the church, but the public were invited
to meet at 10 o'clock i'm tho forenoon
and. by the grace of God, the meeting
would not adjourn, Mr.. Thorpe said
until the debt was paid, A collatio,
was provided in tho basement. so tha
the people might spend tho day in til,
work.
Tho debt amounted to ~. 900. an,
when the meeting opened in the morn
ing $1,000 were at once subscribed
this amount having hcen secured he
fore and hy private conference with I'll,
ADLER contributors. Tho cxccllen
start awakened great enthusiasm, ani
for time subscriptions came in rapid
ly; but long before neon the limit .
tho peoples ability seemed tn hav,
been reached. and tho list footed III
only about $4,000. Mr.. Thorpe KEEP
his forces we'll in hand, however. an,
showed no signs Of wavering. Exhor
tations and appeals were intcrspersc,
with sinping:a a judicial and energetic
committee did n great deal Of persona
work with individuals: messenger
were dispatched to labor with absen
tees. But il seemed evident that th,
large gifts had all been gathered in
and thero was still deficiency o
$1,000, that tho small subscriptions We
to be obtained would by no means sup
ply.
As Mr.. Franklin, Of tho Congrego
1 Asa.<al Hh~u>h ,,*nlE..l h>,s,. a ft~n Al
service with his pastor. they passed tn
door Of the Methodist Church.
Lets look in moment said th
pastor, "and SEQ how they are gettin,
on"
They sat down on one Of the hacl
seats and watched the proceedings
From Mr.. Thorpe's occasional remark
they learned the situation Of affairs, an,
saw that the case was probably hopeless
though the resolutc leader did not for
moment assent to such conclusion.
As they walked along, Mr.. Frankli
eaid:
making strong fight, aren't they ?
sYes.s
shut they will not take the forte"
II don't know"
Il do. They have got to the s,ickin
point, and they will not get past it.
"Pity!" said MIR. Strong. senter
tiously.
After a moments Thought Mr.. Franz
lin added, with new interest:
"ls il lawful to pull your fellow
creature out Of apt ON the Sabhat
dayy'
i should say so, especially il he
trying to get out himself"
Lawful to hitch up your horse
pull him outg"
"Yes." laughed the minister.
well, you GO home and get you
lunch and I'll get mine and have Maic
put into the buggy. Ill be- aroun
hero before o'clock, and we'll Sc
what we can do"
"All right"
1t was not long before the good whi,
horse camc at a weekday pace to tn
door Of tho parsonage, and the frien,
were soon whirling away.
"Now, wc've got to be swift, said IL
banker. My first thought was to ca
only on some of our own people, but
am now inclined TO give some Of IL
rest chance. The Episcopalians al
tho FREQ Baptists have heavy debt
their own, and tho Adyentists are n,
able to help much. We must enli
the others. Brinsmade must call Z
the First Church folks, Ellsworth {
tho Beptists, Thompson on the Unive
salists, and you and will look out fc
our own"
They were stopping at Mr.. Brin
made's door, and the master Of Il
house answered the bell.
I'VE have set out, said Mr.. Fran
lin, "to give the Methodists little Ii
in paying their church debt. Will y,
60 and stand in the vestibule Of yo'
church and waylay as many rs you Ct
of your strongest men, as they 60 in
tho afternoon service, and get subscri
= tions from them? Start the pap
yourself. Then ask Mr.. Phelps to tai
up collection before the sermon +
the same object. Get cash subscri
tions, payable tomorrow at my ban
Report tho amount to me at N
Strong's house by o'clock, shar
q Will you do it?"
: "What a steamboat you are!' sa
Brinsmade, laughing.
- "Will you do it?" said Frankli
- strenuously. mo time for nonsens
old fellow"
"Yes, I'll do it"
All right. Good-byr
And the white horse was soon fyil
down the street.
:. None Of the other churches had afts
noon services, and oil that could
done in them must be done by person
application to few Of the most prt
= porous members. But Mr.. Frank
:, had selected the right man as ca
a vasser in each society, and after th
! had been set at work he and his past