The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-06
The General COnveE ton.
REPORT OF GENERAL MISSIONARY. q.
II. SHINN. DID.

l will report as briefly as 1 can sum-
mary of my work as General Missionary
for thirty two months, from February l,
1895, time of my appointment, toSeptember
so, 1897. have done work in thirty -four
states and two provinces, Quebec and On
tario. | have travelled estimating dis
tances from place to place, and not miles
travelled in cities and towns, Il, 9l2 miles.
Much time has been given in fostering
movements which | started before begin
ming work under the auspices of the
General Convention. In the two years
and eight months, 1 have preached 731
sermons, an average of twenty three per
month, made 153 addresses, organized
eight churches, four State, Conferences,
two State Young Peoples Unions twenty
five local Young Peoples Unions, six
Ladies' Aid Societies, 8 mission circles.
Received into church membership 349,
Christened Is children, attended 80 State
Conventions and State Conferences, ad-
dressing them all, not different ones At
tended 20 State Young Peoples Unions,
and three National Conventions of the
Y. p. G. U. Gave addresses before the
District Conferences of the General Con-
vention held in Chicago and Atlanta, Ga.
Held three summer meetings at Weirs,
N. H. and two grove meetings at Sebago
Lake, Me. Assisted in conducting weeks
of meetings in various states and encour-
aged struggling churches in many parts
of the land.
Dedicated nine churches, in the follow
ing places: Lamonte, Ashley, Windsor, in
in the state of Missouri; Friendship and
Brewton in Alabama; Consolation, KY;
North Hatley, p. O., Magnolia, N. c.;
and Austin, MINI. l raised money for
other churches that have been dedicated,
and for the two to be dedicated in Decem-
Der, namely, Chickamauga, Ca, (this
church is now completely and Mountville,
S. G. l will add here that l encouraged
the building of the church which has been
erected in Lone Star, Texas, and raised
money for the church which is ready for
dedication in Bowie, Tex, Rev. c. H.
Rogers.) Subscriptions are begun and we
expect soon to erect buildings at De
Funiak Springs, Pensacola and Cottage
Hill, Florida, and near Canton, N. c.
A good building lot has been purchased in
Pensacola and one donated at Cottage
Hill. Rev. F. l.. Leavitt, pastor at Brew
ton, Ala, supplies these two places.
may say here that all the churches l
have dedicated within the thirty-two
months, and the three new ones in Mis-
souri, not mentioned, and also the three
new ones dedicated in Georgia within ST
months, have pastoral care, except two or
three. Austin, Brewton, North Hatley
and some others have resident pastors.
1 have had part in the ordination of
four ministers, including Rev. Thos. E.
Wise, colored.
l have received for services from the
various places and sent to our Financial
Secretary 81, 400. 10 have collected from
other sources and sent to DR.. Rugg
81 ,045 90. l have secured .306 Cent-a-D Day
pledges. have secured by personal can
vass for the churches built and for mis-
sions, IS, 96S. IS. AT the three summer
meetings held at the Weirs, pledges were
taken to assist in supporting pastors at
Kansas City and Tacoma, and for build
ing chapel and school building for our
colored church at Suffolk Va, to the
amount of g., 702. Most all of this has been
or will be collected, making in all $l4,-
124.75. If all the Cent-a Day pledges are
paid, the total sum will be SIS, ,24I. IS.
The churches that have been dedicated
and decided, or will be decided, to the
General Convention or State Convention
for which l raised all or part of the
11e
tiful church at Brewton, Ala, has quite
a debt, but it has rich and generous men
who assumed it all. l think all others are
virtually out of debt.
In about all the cities where I have
started movements, some work is being
done to day. Lay services, Y. P. c. US,
Sunday-schools and Ladies Societies are
kept up in Spokane, Tacoma, Wash,
Portland, Ore, Los Angeles, CAL,
and Columbia, S. c., Ladies' Societies,
working on building funds in Little
Rock, Ark, st Louis, Mo-, Sheldon,
Ia, St. Paul, Mimi, and several smaller
places. l expect to keep our loyal people
together in st. Paul until the time comes
when we can take stronger step. Four
members of that society are present in
this Convention In Little Rock, where
have church of eighteen members, we
have devoted workers; one wealthy man
who wants a UniveI salist church A few
places in the Northwest, where the ladies'
societies have some money, are inactive.
/ have organized on the plan that Uni
versalists can do something without pas
tors, and in the majority of cases have
been surprised at their achievements.
But have encouraged the hope that they
would have pastors sometime For my
faith has been strong that we would have
ministers with the missionary spirit and
of talent who would be ready to enter the
new mission fields. In this l have been
disappointed. And because of this disap-
pointment have refused to organize in
places where we have yearning souls who
want to join the church. Every man who
wants TO unite with our church should be
given the opportunity. In Houston, Tex.
a good number Of good true Universalists
Nas s.fy, ...l... ~.