Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-08
ANNUAL SERMON
Before the Woman's Board of Foreign Missions by Dr. G. c. Kelley
 Yesterdays Proceedings.

The large auditorium of the FdrSt Meth odist church was filled Sunday morning to hear pr. G. c. Kelley deliver the an- nual sermon to the Woman's Board of Foreign Missions. His text was from St. Luke, KY, S-9, the parable of the lost coin. He said in part
 The parable of the lost coin is designed to convey to Us the motive and method of the seeker aIid savior of sinners.
 There is a divine order in the sequence of the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Jesus is the universal man. His person includes both the masculine and the feminine eshemispheres of our hu- manity. When occasion arose for him to explain and illustrate his interest in publicans and sinners he found it neces- sary to speak two parables one taken from the field of mans activity, the other from the field of woman's activity. The parable of the lost sheep sets forth that phase of the search that begun with the incarnation and continued throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus. It was a heroic, far-pursuing search in the will derness. The parable of the lost coin i1- lustrates the work of the Holy Spirit; the phase of the search that began when the Holy Spirit descended in the form of tongues of fire and sat upon each Of the disciples in the upper room at Je- rusalem. It is a close and careful search within the house. There is also human order in the sequence of the parables. Man penetrates the wilderness, deter mines it's meets and bounds, fells and for est, drains the marshes, destroys the bear and lion. gains footing for woman. She transforms the wilderness into gar den, the hut into a house, the house into a home, the camp into corporation. the tribe into community, the state into "A commonwealth, humanity into brother hood, the human brotherhood into the family of the Lord Jesus Christ. These .1tel,f l1a handmaidenr of the Lord by finding and bringing into light the lost or hidden val ues of the inner world.
 The history of Woman's Boards of Mis- sions is the history of successful enter prise and capable management. The record of these nineteen yearS-the time that your board has been at work-is notable one; nearly $1,00O,0O0 raised and disbursed, more than $S0,00O raised in the past year.
 He said in conclusion that the woman's board is working for the inner-life, the home life of humanity. When every child shall be born of Christian moth CT, then will the prophecy be fulfilled that a nation shall be born unto God in day The new birth and the natural birth, will bessEnahron9us.
 Sunday night the services were opened by Dr. Kelley, with song and the Lords prayer by the congregation. .s.r
 Rev, l. w Wallng, who has been do- ing missionary work in Brazil, spoke of the work there and the trials and hard ships of those who went there to carry Christ.
 pr. Walter Lambreth, secretary of the general board of missions of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, south then made a short talk. which was a general discus sion of missionary work.
 YESTERDAY MORNING.
 The business session of the woman's 5a V rrnnr Mrs. E. c. Swindell, of the Tennessee conference.
 After reading a lesson from the Bible the meeting was thrown open for short talks and many of the ladies told their experience in the mission heid.
 Mrs M. D. Wightman then took the chair. Reports were received from the following departments. The report or the Missionary. Advocate was read by Mrs. F. A. Butler. The. receipts for the year were 1,538; disbursed, $5O4,722; leaving a balance of $7 ,115
 The Geoblet report showed that 79,5SS.- 800 leaflets had been distributed at cost of $77S23u This was submitted by Miss Lena Freeman, who is in charge of the work. 7
 The report of the Little Workers was read by Mrs. A w. Wilson. The amount received in the past year was $19l 1925; paid out $159,101, which leaves a balance of $S2, ,424.
 Miss M. G. Gibson then read the re- port of the Scarrit Bible and Training school of Kansas City, Mo. The report was very gratifying.
 CHILDREN'S MASS MEETING. !.
 Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock there was mass meeting of the children of the Sunday school and various mission ary societies of the church, presided over by Mrs. T B. Hargrove, of Nashville, Tenn. recording secretary of the women's board. The children of that church have been active in, mission work all along and many dollars have been raised by them. they are a living example of the importance of little things.