Evening journal., 1899-12-04
RECORD BROKEN
At EPWORTH
Over $1,000 Collected BY Rev
F. B. Short at That Church
Last Night.
PEOPLE WERE TURNED AWAY

NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT
THAT THEY KNEW LARGE con-
TRIBUTIONs WERE TO BE ASK
ED FoR-MoNEY FAIRLY FLOW
ED TOWARD THE POPULARI
YOUNG PASTOR,
The congregation Of Epworth NJ. e.
Church, assisted by the pastor Rev.
Francis Burgette Short, last night con-
tributed over s2.7OO in cash and over
$500 in subscriptions to clear away
floating debts and reduce the $500
mortgage on the church.
For many weeks the pastor, at every
service, morning and evening. inform
ed the audience that on the evening of
the first Sunday in December he was
going to ask the congregation for
mOney--and lots of it. NOtwithstand
ing this certainty, last night people had
to be turned away because there was mo-
room in the house for them.
This church has the finest choir and
the best music of any church in the
city, in the judgment Of the congrega-
ton. and visitors always enjoy the
singing as an unusual treat There are
not too many frills and trills about it;
but the music is delightful, and as wor-
shippers can understand the words sung.
they can participate in the devotion Of
the hymns.
Last night the choir sang the an
them Shout Aloud. Hosanna!" and
had they been on an opera stage would
have been recalled again and again by
applause denied them by convention in
the church
Miss Florence Walton. Of Philadel-
phia, sang Save Ne, Oh Lord" after
the anthem, and at the close of the
evenings exercises THE Holy City,
This time church conventions were dis
regarded, and the soloist was applauded
from every corner OF the house. Miss
Walton has a fine voice and her singing
is both artistic and sweet
SAVED THE CHURCH.
After the music the pastor said that
he was sorry to see that people had to
go home without finding seats. 1t was
surprising thing to see a great room
tive notice to them that they would be
asked and expected to give money
and lots Of it. He added that two
and a half years ago. when he came
here. there was a mortgage of over $13,-
500 on the church. He then had to
ask the holders of the mortgage for
thirty days indulgence before the
church was sold, to give him an oppor-
tunity to raise some Of the money.
\ Friends sponded-friends of the
church, although not members-that
\ they would keep the church atioat so
far as the expense Of the mortgage was
concerned, for twelve months, and give
the members a chance. to see what
they coHlds tfccorhp dish 'GoF stkegnselVet;
and they had saved thei church. The
mortgage will now be reduced to $4,000.
He called all of the men sand women
holding official positions in the church
to the chancel rail and there called
their names. They responded, naming
the amount contributed and passing
1.-THE money to the clerks, who sat within
1.-THE railing Mr. Short contributed 500
himself before calling upon anyone
lelse.
The officials being dismissed. the
pastor called five members Of the
church to the front and sent then
lamong the pews, appealing to each in
dividual as they progressed. Nobody
appeared 10 decline to contribute. The
name Of the contributor and the
lamount was called by the solicitor, re
peated by the pastor and recorded by
. the clerks Many declined TO give
their names. and the amount was re
corded as cash. The pastor talked
lcontinually-alw asking for money
q always talking pleasantly;a always keep
p ing the people amused and in good hu
. NOR.
81 When the sums collected aggregated
p lsl,505. Mr. Short called the collector
! in and said: "All stand up; everybod,
D sing the long meter dOXOlogy.' Tn
i audience aDplauded vigorously, stoOl
d up and sang the doxology heartily.
The Sunday school classes made thei
contributions and were applauded wit
enthusiasm that warmed ones heart I
witness. These contributions range
= all the way from s1.62 to S62. an
brought the collections up to S1,91;
when the amount reached S2,001 ther
was more applause and again the do2
/ ology. Then came a check for 500
X (which brought more applause and repC
d ltition of the doxology.
y CASH FROM ABSENT FRIENDS.
a Mr.. Short then. went through hi
pockets and brought out $50, contril
luted by friends who were not able
lattend. Then, reading the list of h
D. Sunday school class. he turned ovI
At $40 contributed by the class. He foun
10 another envelope in his pockets. an
le it contained S100 cash from absel
T. friends. This was repeated sever
times, the sums found varying. A
the time that this was going on Il
collectors were busy collecting sma
ne sums. Finally the baskets were passe
el and this collection brought the total I
IS, to S2,7O0
st Now / want $500" said Mr. Shol
to I'VE want this in subscriptions, to
paid by the first Of April My Sundi
school class will give $50. This he !
I'll creased to $40. and in a few minut
the subscriptions aggregated S505.'
making the total raised during [
evening something over $4,000. III
ng establishes 4 new record in chur