The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-18
BIG COLLECTION
AT EPW0RTH.
Largest in History Of The
Church During Rev. Mr..
Shorts Charge Bebt
Has Been Greatly
Reduced.

Yesterday was the annual jubilee col
lection day at Epworth NJ. Il. Church
and the Rev. +. Burgette Short, pastor
of the church, succeeded by hard work.
in not only raising the largest amount
lever raised at one time in EpwOrth
Church, but it was also probably the
largest collection ever taken in any
church in this city. Everybody had
money and everybody gave money and
the result was that, when Mr.. Short
left the church last night nearly $4,000
had been raised.
1t came from all sources, the Sunday
School classes, infant classes, Ladies'
Aid Society, junior and senior choirs,
official board, congregation, friends Of
the church and the pastor himself. The
most gratifying part of it all was that
the people not only seemed eager and
pleased to give the cash last night but
a great many also promised to give as
much more before next Christmas.
The idea of the collection was to re-
duce the debt Of the church and in this
the effort was successful beyond all
expectations. or the amount raised
last night $2,175 was in cash and the
remainder was by subscription to be
paid by Christmas next. During the
service excellent music was rendered by
the choir and Miss Agnes Il. Snyder, Of
! Philadelphia. sang several selections.
The Rev. Mr.. Short started the col
lection by giving 800. All of the Off
cial board was then called up before the
altar and all responded generously. The
pastor then appointed committee Of
the official board to wait on the CON
gregation personally and take their Of
ferings. The committee was so success
iful that it was necessary to appoint
two gentlemen and woman to act as
clerks in recording the collections and
giving credit to the giver.
This was kept up for at least half an
hour and the clerks were constantly
busy writing down The names and
amounts. All of this time the Rev. Mr..
Short was busy finding pockets enough
| to hold the mon Y. Many imagined
their pastor was made of money or
something of that sort, as he had notes
stuffed in all Of his pockets and every
few minutes would pull one out and drop
it in the contribution box.
There is an end to most everything,
however, and SO there was an end to
! the collection at Erworth Church last
night after over $1,000 had been collect
led in cash. Among the largest contri
lbutors were: The Rev. +. Burgattc
Short and wife. 500; Thomas Melvin.
5000: the Misses Hyde, 800; Ladies' Aid
Society. 500, and Mrs. John Gees class,
500. There was also numerous contri
buttons of $50 and SIS. After the cash
collection was completed the Rev. Mr..
Shorts next move was to see how much
could be raised by subscription to be
paid by the time as stated. The CON
! grcgatiun was equally as liberal in that
way as with their cash and nearly $1,000
was raised in subscriptions.
| When Mr.. Short became pastor of Ep-
worth Church four years ago the amount
of the church debt was $165O0. He has
from time to time succeeded in reducing
that debt The Indebtedness when the
collection was started last night was
$S.400. The $2.115 in cash reduces it to
nearly 5000 and it is expected that by
the first Of next year the total debt of
the church will not be more than $1,000.
Mr.. Short is one of the most popular
pastors in Wilmington and is especially
popular with his own congregation. He
and the mrmhers Of the church were
much pleased and thankful for the
generous collection last night. The
mn ~ Al, ,,r t,,,nuatinn loud