The age-herald., 1899-05-14
GREAT DAYS OF THE
 METHODIST CHURCH
Will Meet Thursday and Friday
 to Take Up
TWENTIETH CENTURY FUND
Which Will be Devoted to Educational Purposes-Bishop Galloway of Mis- sissippi and Bishop Hendrix of
 Missouri Will be Present.

Next Thursday and Friday will be great days with the Methodfsts of Birmingham, for on those days the Methodsts of the Birmingham district will take the initiat- i've for the North Alabama conference, in the great Twentieth Century Movement ' an enterprise which the Methodist church of the world has undertaken for the spir- itual awakening of the church, and for the purpose of raising a fund of $300OO0O0 to be used solely for educational purposes. Bishop Galloway of Mississippi and Bishop Hendrix of the Missouri of the Southern Methodist church, will be pres ent at the meetings next Thursday and Friday. There will be three services each day, those on Thursday to be devoted largely to the spiritual needs of the church, the deepening of the spiritual life, and in seeking the return of the revival power in the church.
 The Twentieth Century Fund The services Friday will be devoted to considering the Twentieth Century fund. The object of this plan is to secure from every member of the Methodist church in the world, if possible, an offering to be used in the educational work of the church.
 Last Friday afternon meeting of all the Methodist pastors in the Birmingham district was held in the study of the First Methodist church to discuss this weeks i'm portant meetings, and to map out plans for making them successful in every respect
 As stated above, a meeting was held at the First Methodist church Friday after noon in anticipat tion of this weeks meet ing. pr. J. W. Newman, pr. G. c. Kelly, Dr. Jesse Wood, Prof. I. w. McAdory Rev G. w. Read, Rev. E. H. Hawkins, and others all made enthusiastic talks on the movement
 A resolution offered by Dr. Kelly and read recited that the Birmingham district ought to undertake to raise five dollars per capita, during the years 1899 and 190O MT. Trotter, of Bessemer, moved to amend by naming S50,000 as the amount for the dis trict, and the amendment was accepted. The resolution was then adopted unani- mously.
 A resolution was also passed requesting the trustees of the North Alabama confer ence college to change the name to "The Birmingham college"
 '.The twentieth century movement" was originated by q member of the Wesleyan church in England, who is also a member of pariament-R. W. Perkins by name His plan was to raise $5,090 GOO for educa- tional work of the church of England, and he had no idea at first that the movement would be taken up by the Methodist churches outside of England. But the plan proved such popular one, that it has
  izations in the world.
 In the words of Rev. G. c. Kelly of this city, 'the twentieth century fund is de- signed to be both a memorial and pledge "a living and ever-productive monument in grateful commemoration of the guidance and manifestation of God in the affairs of the world during the passing century, and substantial token of purpose to fol- low His leading more closely and serve His cause more perfectly during the progress of the coming century"
 England win Raise S5,OOO,OOO
 The Methodists in England propose to raise $J,000,0O0, and as there are only about a million Methodist there, this means about $5, or one pound, for each member. The work of raising this amount is already we'll under way, and all of the Wesleyan dis tricts in England which have been heard from have already promised more than their share.
 The northern Methodist church of the United States with about 1000 900 members. is determined to raise $20,O00,00 900, or $5 from every member.
 The Methodist church of Canada, with something over 300,O0a members. is endeav- oring to raise million dollars, an aver age of a little over s3 per member.
 The Methodist Church. South has an nounced it's intention of raising S,50O 900. or just one dollar from each member of the church. From this 1t will be seen that the Southern MethOdiStS will have to raise less per member than any of the other Methodist churches. but considering the wealth of the various sections, the offer ings of the Southern Methodists will rep resent-as much as those of their northern brethren, and those of England. The Methodist churches in Australia New Zealand and other countries of the world have also determined to raise large funds for educational purposes. So that it will be seen that the work Is not one of a particular country but one of all Method ism The funds to be raised in these various countries aggregate about thirty million dollars.
 Alabama Colleges Benefited | Birmingham, which was opened only last !, funds raised by the North Alabama con- | Greensboro. the principal college of the 1 .fited. Each conference in the Southern 1 where so per cent. .of the funds it raises applied to educational work by the south l ern church in general. Vanderbilt universi- | ty at Nashville. will be one of the general | benefcaries for the Southern Methodist | church has always wanted to make Van 1 derbit take its plae as one. of the fore most of American universities. | These regulations, however, do not pre- vent each individual donor from saying to what college he wishes his contribution l to go.