The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-03-14

Mrs. Charles Shipley, of Baltimore,
leading off with donation of 500.
FOR PARsONA GLE BUILDING.
Mrs. WILEY Makes a Taking Speech and
Gets q Handsome Collection.
Bishop Hendrix said that while these
great correctional interests of the
church were being discussed he wanted
to bring these things together that
were closely allied and that Mrs. E.
Wyley president of the Woman's Par
sonage and Home Mission Society would
present the claims of that organization,
A stranza of "Jesus, Lover of MY
Soul" was sung and Mrs. Wyley came
forward and was introduced by the
bishop. She is low, stout lady with
pleasing and intelligent face and she
had the attention of every person in the
house from the first word she uttered
to the last.
She captured the entire audience-not
by storm-but gently, with vim ing way
and earnest sketch. Descending from
the rostrum Mrs. Wyley said:
eff the brethren will allow me, will
stand on the floor. 1 did not come from
the North and do not belong to the class
that is clamoring for admission as mem
bers of the conferences. 1 do not come
as ursurper of the places of the
brethren of the church or advocating
woman's rights, but come in woman's
way to do woman's work for woman.
(Applause).
1.-The movement / represent was set
on foot by the General Conference of
the church to aid in furnishing homes
for the wives and children of the preach
ers who labor in the missions of our
conference and in the Western territory
of the church. feel that am weak
and inefficient, but the church has
called me to do this work and am
here to do what can to help make the
homes of the preachers comfortable,
that they may be strengthened in their
work for Christ and the salvation of
souls.
"If my speech is rambling you must
overlook my imperfection. / cannot ar
range my thoughts logically like Bishop
Hendrix, DR.. Tillett and DIR. Morris, for
cannot spare the time from the cares of
my home life to write elaborate address.
(Laughter.)
Brethren of the Baltimore Confer
ence, you have said by your action that
you do need this work, for you have
done nothing to aid or encourage it. 1
want you. the presiding elders, to select
in each district some Christian lady who
is willing to work for the organization
of women of the church in this great
movement to shelter the wives and chill
dren of our ministers.
When you go to your charges talk
about this matter to the women and en-
courage them to organize. Thousands
of preachers are homeless, and 1 am
constantly in receipt of the most touch
ing appeals. There is money in the
pockets OF the people to relieve this
distress, and if the church does not do
something for the comfort of the fam
lies of the heroes that are spreading the
gospel, the blood OF thousands of preach
ers' wives and children will be upon it's
head.
1--WE don't expect much. The men,
bership fee of the society is only ten
cents per month, but if you had helped
your wives to give 81 per year for this
cause, hundreds of preachers families
would be living comfortably that are
now suffering in miserable shanties.
where there are local aid societies
they should come into this organiza-
ton. Rendering outside aid, as we'll as
looking after the local interest, would
help them to grow and develop"
Mrs. Wyley mentioned several pathet-
lc instances to illustrate the Importance
of the work, and her eloquent appeals
brought tears to the eyes Of almost the
entire congregation. When she con-
cluded, Rev. Mr.. Eggleston stated that
he would be one of fifty or one hundred
men to give SIS each. and moved that a
general collection be taken up.
Mr.. G. M. Armstrong, of Baltimore,
said he thought when coming to the
conference that he bad given all he was
able, but he could not resist that ap-
peal People in all parts of tho house
took up Rev. Mr.. Eggleston's PROPOSE
ton, and some half dozen secretaries
were engaged in taking down the names
of contributors. Within five minutes
S195.65 had been raised,
After the usual announcements, the
conference adjourned.
A reporter for THE TIMES had an in
teryiew with Mrs. WILEY yesterday
afternoon. "The organization of the
Woman's Parsonage and Home Mission
Society,"" she said, twas organized by
the session of the general conference
held in Baltimore Ave years ago, the
leaders OF the church, recognizing the
need of an organization to look after the
work OF building parsonages in the home
mission fields. About three and half
years ago the society was first put in
operation, and 1t has already collected
$685. and helped building 9O4 parson-
ages. 1t embraces nearly all the annual
conferences Of the Southern church and
has membership of 5000.
The head of the organization is n
central committee, composed Of presi-
dent spcratarv ora1o,,I