Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-26

Inc rally VI Tie McIuOutSl EpiSCopaA
churches of this district held yester-
day in the interests Of the twentieth
century fund movement, which has
been inaugurated by the church, was
very successful and manifested in a
considerable degree the willingness OF
| the members to vie with each other
in aiding noble cause. In the morn
ing and evening some of the most
prominent ministers of the denomina-
ton delivered addresses at the various
NJ E. churches in the city, and in the
afternoon at $3.50 o'clock an interest
ing mass meeting of the clergymen
was held at the Opera House. The
principal addresses at this meeting
were made by Bishop j. N. Fitzgerald,
Rev. Louis Albert Banks, d. D., of
Cleveland O., and Rev. William F. Nc
lowell, Phi. D., of New York. In con-
sideration of the unpropitious weather
the different congregations were well
represented, and to those present the
object of the movement was very
thoroughly explained by the speakers.
IT was ordered at the last meeting
of the general conference of the M. e.
| church that during this year, marking
the closing of the old century and the
| coming year the opening Of the new
haf NIB
be made as a token of appreciation to
the Lord for what has been accim-
plished in the church. The offering
Is to consist of the converting of two
millions of souls and the raising of
| $1,000, 900, to be expended to meet the
needs of the church. 1t is the inten-
ton to first pay off the Indebtedness
of the church, then to properly endow
it's schools and universities, and also
to assist the retired ministers and the
families of deceased clergymen. The
portion of the offering assigned to this
versions and the sum of SIPS, 900. 1t
has been ordered that this apportioned
fund be devoted to the seminary at
Buckhannon, to liquidate its debt, to
build necessary addition and to prop
erly endow it. OF course, under these
provisions the entire sum will be
maintained in the State for use in i'm
proving the seminary, which ranks
third in the number of similar insti-
tutions in charge of the Methodist
Episcopal church.
Rev. S. L. Boyers, president of the
West Virginia Conference Seminary.
spoke first in regard to the offering,
| and among other things, said that
along the lines of education the State
has made very rapid progress Our
seminary was established ten years
! ago, and the church has at present
fifty-one colleges and sixty-one semin-
aries. We think that our school is do
ing as good as any of the other sem
inaries. We have sixteen or seven
teen in our faculty, and we not only
thank God for what has been accom-
plished in the past but also have faith
in the future. There are fifty-fve
thousand members in the church
| throughout the State, and ten or fif-
teen thousand of these are young peo-
pie. We have first class seminary.
and we now desire a college. Rev.
Boyer pointed out the needs of the
church to carry ON the work and ask
ed. for the united support of the peo-
pie.
Bishop J. N. Fitzgerald. who was
designated as chairman of the meet
ing remarked that it cannot be stated
too often in the Methodist home and
Methodist circles that the call made
by the bishop of the church and their
desires for response during the last
year of the old century and the first
year of the new century to acknowl-
edge our mercies by offerings. We
have been asked to pay our debt. |
speak, no doubt, to men who are
aware of the burden of a church debt
and that it requires all the time that
the brethren can give to carry on this
work. We ask that all arise in your
strength and assist in paying this OBJ
legation. l am happy TO say that
there are many churches that have
begun this work. One Of the objects
of those who made this call is Chris
tian education. We are determined
to rid our schools and colleges of debt
and provide proper endowment. We
are anxious to have our wealthy mem
bership do this. l am glad that the
conference has turned its attention TO
the seminary within its bounds and
the interest the laity is taking in it.
Let us to-day consecrate ourselves to
this work. We have two years in
which TO collect and give. But we are
also anxious to convert as many souls
as possible. | would that every soul
might lift its heart to God. / hope
you will go out to-day and start this
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