The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-04-27
THE CHURCH DEBT.

THE CHURCH DEBT.
-
The Methodist Church of New AL
bon had long been staggering under a
load of debt It's edi6ce built in the
flush times following the war, was an
ambitious piece OF architecture
church Of the future, beyond doubt,
since it was much larger than the
nft needs of its congregation the
a.N pews were still vacant which the SAN
guine builders had expected to see filed
by the men who were to. pay off the
~ mortgages. NNNA
Rev. Mr.. Thorpe, the pastor had car
ried this debt now for two years; it had
been the burden of his days and the
nightmare of his dreams; at length he
had brought his congregation to the
point of attacking it. He had made
several anxious pilgrimages to rich
Methodists in neighboring cities, but
found small encouragement; it was
evident that the Methodists in New
Albion must shoulder their own load.
Accordingly the first Sunday in Oc-
e tober was devoted to a carefully-planned
effort for the payment of the debt. Mr..
Thorpe had concluded to dispense with
the services of Evangelist and to
direct his own forces. There was to be
st.M no regular service in the church, but the
public were invited to meet at ten
o'clock in the forenoon, and, by the
grace of God, the meeting would not
adjourn, Mr. Thorpe said, until the debt
was paid. A collation. was provided in
RI the basement so the people might spend
the day in the work
aa N The debt amounted to thirtyAtwo
thousand dollars, and when the meet
ING opened seventeen thousand dollars
was at once subscribed-this amount
having been secured beforehand by
private conference with the ADLER con-
tributors.
This excellent start awakened great
enthusiasm, and, for time, subscrip-
tons came in rapidly; but long before
noon the limit of the peoples ability
seemed to have been reached and the
list only footed up about twenty-four
thousand dollars.
Mr.. Thorpe kept his forces well in
hand, however, and showed no signs OF
wavering. Exhortations and appeals
were interspersed with singing; a
judicious and energetic committee did a
good deal of personal work with indi-
vlduals; messengers were dispatched to
labor with absentees. But it seemed
evident that the large gifts had all been
gathered in, and there was still de-
ticiency of more than seven thousand
dollars that the small subscriptions yet
to be obtained would by no means sup
ply.
AS Mr. Franklin, of the Congrega.
tonal Church, walked home after the
morning service, with his pastor, they
passed the door of the Methodist Church.
=" Let us look in for moment said
the parson, and see how they are get
ting on"
They sat down in one of the back
seats and watched the proceedings
From Mr.. Thorpe's occasional remark.
they learned the situation of affairs anC
.. saw that the case was probably hope.
less, though the resoute leader did not
for moment assent to such a concllr
sion.
AS they walked along, Mr. Franklin
said:
Markings strong fight, aren't theyP'
Yes. !"
"But they viii not take the fortp"
81 don't know
81 do; they've got to the sticking
point, and they viii not get past it."
"Pi@," said Mr.. Strong, senten
tiously M
After moments thought, Mr.
franklin said, with a new interest:
Is it lawful to pull your fellow crea
lures out of pit on the Sabbath dayP'
81 should say so, especially if he i;
trying to get out himself
Lawful to hitch up your horse and
pull him outP
Yes, +" laughed the minister
swell you so home and get youl
lunch and I'll get mine and have Major
put into the buggy. I'll be around be-
fore one O'clock, and Wei see what we
can do
can rightr'
1t was not long before the good whit,
horse came at week day pace to tn,
door of the parsonage, and the friends
were soon whiting away.
"Now, we've got to be swift sale
the banker MY first thought was t
Gallon some of our own people, but
am inclined TO give some of the rest
chance. The Epscopalians and tn,
Free Baptists have a heavy debt Of
their own; the Adventists are not ablC
to help much; we must enlist the others
Brinsmade must call on the First Church
folks, Ellsworth on the BaptiStS, Thomp
son on the UniversaliStS YOU and vii
look after our own
They were stopping at Mr.. Brins
made's door and the master of the house
answered the bell.
''We have set out said Mr.. Frank
lin, ''to give the Met!odists q little lif
III pay lu8 tltlI CuuICH NGDt. w III yOl
go and stand in the vestibule of YOU
church and waylay as many as you car
of your strongest men as they 90 int
the afternoon service, and get subscrip
tions from them? Start the paper your
self Then ask DR.. Phelps to take /
collection before the sermon for the
same object Get cash subscriptions
payable tomorrow at my bank Re
port the amount to me at Mr. Strong,
house by four o'clock sharp Will you
do itPn
What steamboat you areP" sale
Brinsmade, laughing.
''Will you do it2'' said Franklin
strenuously. mo time for nonsense
old fellowh'
eyes, I'll do it,
'sAll right. Good-byer'
And the white horse was soon flying
down the street.
None q the other churches had after