The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-02

wer me this question who can. Who
wrote this passagel To whom was it
written, and why?"
No one could tell.
Well he went on. lit was written by
Paul TO Timothy. Timothy was young
man, and he had charge Of the church at
EpneSus The Inhabitants of that CITY
were singularly degraded people: thew
worshlped Diana of the Ephesians and OBJ
served the most degrading rites They
We're also IN the habit of killing old and
helpless persons and the surplus children.
often for economy's sake; and some of
those who had joined the church in Ephe-
sus mad been guilty of these things. Hence
Paul' denunciatiOn of those who do not
care Tor their own. But are YOU willing
70 be classed with these licentious Ephe-
SANS! Are you, any of you, ready TO con-
Tess that this passage applies to YOU as it
did to theme God forbid !"
Inls bit of vigorous attack broke the
spell, and the money came.
pit IS doubtful if Mr.. Kimball ever used
Ihat passage again when raising a church
debt, but he always does his work by the
application of the Bible verses to the
case IN hand.
HIS FIRST BEGGING.
Mr.. Kimball's first experiences as a
raiser OF church debts We're in San Fran
cisco He was in that city on business
during portion of the period of depres-
sion following the panic of 1873. This de-
preston was at its depths in 1877. Mr..
himballs engagements were such that
ne mad time to engage in some evangeli-
cal work as layman, and he improved
such opportunities as came TO him in the
city Of the Golden Gate But he saw
That one or two of the churches he
was laboring for were suffering severely
because of their Indebtedness. and he
could not shake of the feeling that he
ought to help them to lift their debts. He
struggled against it for some weeks. but,
IN his own words. Surrendered at last
Inside of three weeks from that time the
debts on four San Francisco churches
the Third Congregational, the Westmin-
ter Presbyterian, the Calvary Presby-
terian and the First Congregational-had
been paid-not pledged, but wiped out
Then he came east, and with slight inter
missions, has devoted himself to the work
ever since, visiting nearly every northern
state save the Dakotas and Virginia of
the southern states in its prosecution.
S150,000 IN ONE DAY.
Before he began church debt raising
MIR. Kimball was greatly interested in
Sunday school work, and, as indicated,
IN evangelical work as layman. One of
his Sunday school pupils in Boston was
Dwight l.. Moody the revivalist 1t is
worthy of note here that quickened in
terest in spiritual matters frequently fol-
lows the financial relief caused by Mr..
Kim balls labors. His work is almost in
variably done on Sundays, in the church
and before the regular congregation.
Sometimes he holds the audience for
hours, and sometimes he works an hour
or two without results. When he does
strike fire. in such a case, however. the
debt is likely to melt away very rapidly.
He has raised four church debts in one day,
and, in few instances. it has taken three
of four months to raise the debt Of one
church. The largest single debt he ever
raised was $3.50, 600, $3.50 900 of which was
forthcoming on the first day. One
church, Presbyterian was given up be-
cause of its indebtness by its presbytery,
not aIthousaud miles from New York, and
vote had been taken by that body for
abandonment when some one rose and
said:
wait a little That church isn't in
debt. Mr.. Kimball was here last Sunday
and he raised the money"
HARD TIMES EASY FOR CHURCH DEBTS.
1t is Mr.. Kimballs belief that church
debts are much more readily liquidated in
hard that in easy times. He says that he
knows of but one instance where church
debt was paid when times were good, and
that was because of special circumstances.
When the moueyed men of the churches
are doing proitab BILE business they would
rather pay the interest of church debts
annually than to withdraw the capital
needed to liquidate from commerce or
manufacturing uses. When times are
hard il pitches to pay the principal. OF
course the work he is engaged in pre-
cludes MIR. Kimball's doing a regular
business, and he accepts payment from
the churches he serves, but ne never
works for an agreedupon sum or on a
commission basis. The payment is volun-
tary in every case. Much of his work
has been done in New York and the i'm
mediate vicinity, and many of the strong
est churches hereabout owe their present
financial strength to his efforts. Re-
Gently he has labored very effectively in
Washington, d. G.