The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-22

An excellently prepared paper show
ing the work of the Epworth league
in the Simpson Methodist Episcopal
church was read last Sunday evening
by the president, Miss Rachel Jones, at
the league anniversary service. The
paper was as follows:
The plan of work for the Epworth
league represents q wheel, with each
department as one of its spokes and the
cabinet at the hub. If one spoke OF
wheel Is broken, the wheel is disiigured,
so If one department refuses to work, the
whole plan is marred. But ! will at
tempt to show you that In our chapter
at least, the wreel is always presentable
and in good working order.
During the year spiritual meetings nave
been held every Sunday evening under
the. direction of the department of spirit
ual work. This committee select the
leaders for the Sunday evening meet
ings and assign them their topics The
topics themselves are sent to us from
the head Office at Chicago. The commit
tee report every one as ready and will
ing to do their part so that no diff
Guilty in the way of selecting leaders oc-
ours.
Under the second department of our
work, mercy and help, comes the charit-
able work, and while we do not let the
whole responsibility of being good by
doing good rest on the members of this
committee, still in order to have sys-
tematic giving, they stand at the head OF
all the benevolences connected with our
society. One-tenth of all money which
comes to us is given to this department
to aid them in their work of caring for
the poor and distressed. They have dur
ing the past six months made calls on
eighteen sick persons, providing bouquets
and potted plants for number of them,
have given away four quilts and made
and given away a number of garments.
Four families have been furnished with
provisions, who would otherwise have
gone hungry.
But while we are attending to the
spiritual side of our natures we are
mindful of the fact that we must all de-
velop our God given mental powers, in
order that we may more effectively per-
form our allegience to our Master. So
we have a literary department, under
whose guidance literary meetings are
held every two weeks. AT these meet
ings we have an average attendance OF
twenty-five members, all of whom are
Interested workers. We are at present
studying two books from the Epworth
Reading course, namely, "A Vision of
Christ Through the Poets" Torch
Bearers of Christendom," the study of
which we find very profitable. Each one
is expected to take some part. and here
again we find that cheerfulness that char
acterizes every department of our work.
Neither is the social instinct neglected,
for in order to lend hand in the true
spirit, we must lend a friendly hand, we
must cultivate friendlness or the social
nature. Under the supervision of the de-
partment of social work, number of
home soCials. at the homes of our men,
bers, have been successfully conducted;
a reception was given to the old folks,
which nroVp1 prp1t a that
are tempted to repeat it in the near
future; another reception was given Ia
new converts; and last month the amino
toscope exhibition given, which nettcd
us about $50 Besides this department
furnishes all flowers for the pulpit and
I'm sure you will all agree with me in
saying, "Well done to this part of our
chapter.
Our secretary and her special commit
tee attends to all the correspondence
keeping us in touch at all times with the
general work of the league outside of our
own chapter. She also takes careful min
utes of all the business and special meet
ings, and attends to tho enrolment OF
new members. etc. Our department of
finance always shows an encouraging re-
port. At present the report shows us
that during the year, dating from July
'96, we have paid over to the church
treasurer for the liquidation of the mort.
gage the sum of 1912, and that we still
have in our treasury $52.65, with which
we are going to send two delegates tc
the international convention, TO be helG
at Toronto, Canada, on July Is, 97 fully
confident that our money will be thus
wisely spent.
Rev. Levi Bird, Ph. D., is one of the
most ardent temperance men and Pro
hibitionists of the state. He, like Rev
J. c., Hogan, Withdrew from the Meth.
odist Episcopal church because it's at
titude toward the liquor business die
not coincide with his views. His las