The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-08

some weeks after the appointment of
Or. Mills as the corresponding secre-
tary of the commission, thought that
he was the right man in the wrong
place. They We're the persons
who like to see things go with
hurrah. 1t is a hard task to hurrah
a dollar out of a mans pocket, and DIR.
Mills knew it. He devoted the neces-
sary time to making careful plans.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is
great machine. There are the bish-
ops, who are the general superinten-
dents. Below them in rank come the
presiding elders, about five to each
conference. Each of these supervises
the work of about forty preachers,
who are pastors in charge. The preach
ers, in measure accountable to the
presiding elders, report annually at
their conference at which a bishop
preSideS. At the conference the ZAP
pointments," as they are called, are
made for a years work. To the best
preachers the best appointments are
given by the bishop, but and with
the advice of the presiding elders. SO
1t is seen that the work of the preach
ers is passed upon annually and the
work of the presiding elders as well.
In other words, there is an annual
reckoning and taking of stock.
~ was eAio great itidCltiue WHICH
DR.. Mills undertook to set working to
raise $2O,00O,0OO for various church pur-
poses-for the cause of education, the
raising of church debts, philanthropies
and charities. And it did not take
him long to get it into active motion.
There was one presiding eder-a
very conscientious man-who early sue
ceeded in raising nearly the quota as
signed to him." said Dr. Mills in con-
versa tiOn recently 70
success that I gave him no peace 1
am afraid that l nearly drove that
good man crazy. l pointed out to
him that his district would be the first
in New York state to finish its por-
ton, if only he would put little more
ginger into the work. bombarded him
with letters and comparative state
ments. l was afraid that, at any mo-
ment, he would become exasperated
and turn on me. He didn't, though.
lie took 1T like good fellow, and l
had the pleasure of putting him on the
record as the first man in his state
to raise the amount allotted to him"
This incident gives a glimpse of the
methods pursued to make the project
a success. 1t is not on record as to
what methods the presiding elder in
question used to arouse the enthusiasm
of the preachers under him, forty odd
in number; nor is It recorded what
arguments the preachers or pastors
used with their several fiocks. The
preacher was the man who, in the last
instance, had to do the work, and he
did it under the enthusiastic prodding
which started with the bishops, fill
tered through DR. Mills, and finally
came to him direct from his presiding
elder.
Not a 1.-THE of the work was done
by correspondence.
1T was personal effort all the way
through said DR.. Mills in reply to
questions as to how he set about his
task: 1T took me four years. First
l laid the groundwork. Then, after
my theoretical work was done, I set
out to survey the field and learn some
thing of the local conditions. I very
early found that active personal effort
was necessary and. as a result. |
spent nearly four years in travel. In
that time I visited every state in the
Union except Texas. In all, 1 trav-
eled 10000 miles.
My methods were simple in the ex-
IRENE. Our people are generous. They
give according to their ability, and it
needed only a logical presentation of
the facts to bring out the money We
Methodists are. proud of our schools
and of the great work they are doing.
l told them the facts in the matter:
how the bishops, after conferences
with the leaders of the church, had
sent out the call, and that we must
answer it. The Methodists of the coun-
try did answer it, and I congratulate
them.n
DR.. Mills, who, by his feat of rails
irg the great 0,000,00 fund, has be-
come national figure, is of middle
age. He is about feet 8 inches in
hight. He is neither stocky nor slight
in figure.
After the completion of his task he
went back to his home conference. the
Central New York. He is now presid-
ing elder of the Geneva district of that
conference, and makes his home at
Elmira, N. Y. He has a wife, but no
children. Among his fellow ministers
Of his own denomination he is ex-
ceedingly popular, as he is among the
ministers of other denominations who
know him.
So far as determined the great $780,
100000 fund will be distributed as fol-
lows:
Church schools ............$ $3.50, 613
Debts on church property
(paid or subscribed) ....... zoos, 596
Charities ........... .......... 2519761
Permanent fund (for needy
preachers) ........ ........ 604, 900
For churches in destitute
communities ........ ...... $4,000
Grand total ............... 500, $50, $40
All of the organs of the Methodist
Episcopal Church unite in hailing this
as wonderful achievement. Con-
CALCULATIONS have been showered upon
the commission which had the matter
in charge. At it's head was the vener-
hi Dfc1aN L