Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-10
| N TIL E Gu U R CHES

The Methodist Episcopal Churches in this
as well as all other cities throughout the
country have been asked by the bishops
| the general committee and the board OF
managers Of the Freedmen's Aid Society to
| observe tomorrow,sf1 tl instant. that being
| the Sunday nearest to Iincoln's birthday,
February IL. assfreednen's aid day.
The Freedmen's Aid and Southern Educa-
ton Society has nearly fifty schools in the
south-half Of them among the white peo-
pie, half Of them among the coiored. There
are 10000 students in the schools-2,JOO are
| among the white people, 1880 are among
the colored people. There are $50 students
in the industrial schoois-2353 are preparing
for the Christian ministry. 354 studying
medicine and So preparing for work as
teachers. More than 100000 young men
and women have attended the various
schools. The society expended last year
455,S27.67. The students gave last year to
help themselves s55,S4o.23. There are now
-, 1a3 200 invested In school property Of the
FreedInen's Society. There are now $4,000
900 invested in other school property of the
M E. Church. The total valuation Of NJ.
E. Church property in the south is s25,0OO,-
eoo.
The NJ. E. Church has expended in the
south since the civil war s13900.000. The
Freed:nen'S Aid and Southern Educational
Society has given of this amount nearly
SG,UOO,OOO. There are now 601, 562 members
OF the church in the south-341, 69o are
among the white people, 259 S67 are among
the coiored people There are Ago, 1856 chill
dren in the Sunday schools. There is gain
for the year of AZ churches among the white
people and 70 among the colored people.
The value of church and parsonage prop
s13,sl6,529: among the co1ored people, $4.-
619,977. The churches gave in 1898 to
benevolence, S2o3, 312, Or more than 40 per
cent per member.
Rev. and Mrs. W. J. Webster. who are
known as the Scotch evangeiists and who
recently arrived in the United States from
Europe, are expected to visit Washington
shortly. Mr.. and Mrs. Webster have been
engaged In evangelical work in Scotland
and England for the past twenty years.
They came to this country about two
months ago and have conducted services in
New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore. 1t
Is their intention to make tour of this
country, spending about two weeks in each
OF the large cities. Their son, Mr.. Jas.
Webster, is also In this country; he intends
to engage in missionary work in China.
Rev. George Bosom. an Armenian mis-
s1onary, who is a present laboring as an
evangelist for the Methodist Episcopal
Church, will soon come to Washington. it
is said, in pursuance of his calling. Mr..
Bosoom is an Armenian by birth, and was
taxing postgraduate course at the Johns
Hopkins University when the Armenian
massacre occurred a few years ago. Though
having already taken out naturalization
papers in Chicago, where he studied pre-
viously to entering the Hopkins University.
he took the steamer for his native coun-
try, hoping to refider his countrymen some
assistance. Upon landing at Smyrna he
was seized and thrown into prison, where
he was confined for thirty-two days. Dur
ing that time it lbs sadd he was subjected
to most horrible torture. He was subse-
quently released and given twenty-four
hours In which to leave the country.
He ned to Constantinople and there placed
hlmsef under the protection of the Amer
lean embassy. Endefs that protection he
remained until he Succeeded, with their
aid, In conveying his parents to that city,
when they embarked together upon the
first outgoing steamer for America. He has
since lived in Boston with his family.
Statistics recently published and just re-
celVed in this chySstate that there were
confirmed into membership in the Protest.
ant Episcopal Church last year Al 1902 per-
sons. or these nearly $500. residents in
every part or the country, were asked from
Wnat FAMILIES they came--whether trained
IN Episcopal or some other religious body
1t was found that {, 100. or about So per
cent, came from Sunday schools and fam
ines connected with the churches in which
the confirmation took place, and only 2 per
cent from wholly non-religious families.
In response to an invitation from Secre-
tary' Root OF the War Department the in
ternatfonl committee of the Young Mems