The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-15
Mrs. Frank Siler'S Address on
Woman's Work a Gem.
MINISTERS RELIEF FUND
The Bishop Approves Plan for Increasing Sup
port of Superannuaied Preachers
Program Of Sunday
Services.
(specal to News and Observer J

| ttlgn P0lnt, n. u, NOV. 14.-lne VEST
ern North Carolina Conference in session
here, was opened this morning at $50
o'clock, the exercises being led by Rev.
T. H. Pegram.
Dr.. L. w. Crawford submitted report
from a special committee relative TO the
superanuated ministers relief fund.- The
report recommended that the ministers
encourage Dr. Watkins the agent, in his
work. The report was adopted Bishop
Smith made a few remarks about this
| fund. He said that the reason the women
succeed is because they do not expect q
few to do all the work. They CAN get
one dollar from one thousand people, while
| we men are satisfied when we get five
hundred from one man. We stop there.
There are seveDty-hve thousand Method
lists in the Western North Carolina Con-
| ference. Suppose one-fifth of this num-
Der were in the endowment order. When
member died and each paid fifty cents
a aiece that would net about four thous-
and five hundred dollars insurance. which
would prove a great help. Bishop Smith
again referred to the Canadian plan and
a similar one in Alabama, which proved
beneficial DR.. Crawford explained furth-
peared to be most excellent measure.
The business of the Conference this
morning was in the regular order, passing
to the third year ministers who had
passed examination before the committee.
The reports made by the ministers who
we've elected TO deacon orders were very
encouraging indeed. Some reported as
many as one hundred and fifty conver-
sions, and it was the exceptions when the
collections were not paid in full
The first part of the exercises last even
ing were taken up by an address by v Yrs.
Frank Siler, of the Womans Missionary
Society of the Methodist Episcopal church,
South She gave an interesting history
of the society, how it first had to strug-
gle and its subsequent growth, widening
Its sphere and contributing largely TO the
erection of homes for ministers on hard
charges, and many a time If it had not
been for the free boxes sent such min
listers they would not have had a suit Of
clothes to attend their conference. He
spoke of their work in the factory districts
and slums of the cities where grown chill
dren had never been approached IL re-
gard TO their souls. She began
to tell of her birthplace, in an
humble little house where old fashioned
counterpanes were brought in use to di-
vide the room, for father. son. daughter
and also preacher. How sweet those days
Of childhood to her, notwithstanding their
prvatons and sacrifice and today she
was glad to be the daughter of goodly
Methodist preacher whose reputation was
spotless She would rather have this for
a legacy than the millions of Rockefeller
Morgan and others. (Amen, amen by the
ministers). We women who do not fre-
amen to help us along. (Amen, amen by
a score Of voices.) l had hoped to ad-
dress the ministers alone for l feel at
home with them but as this is my only
chance am glad of the opportunity
l have known Methodist preachers TO go
to conference and give their last cent
for the many good causes, and perchance,
| If they were moved to new field that
year had TO borrow cnog@h money to
move on. Such godlY men make up this
great body of Methodists
! She referred to Miss Heed, Of Kentucky
| the pioneer i'll the Womans Missionary
Society in the M. z. Church, what sacrl-
! fees she made in the early days of the
organization. when for some time there
were only one dozen members, and held
their meetings in parlor. Today tho
number is about 10000, but how compara-
lively small to the large work they arc
doing Several thousand boxes had been
sent TO ministers families and several
thousand dollars in money given TO help
those on poor charges.
| Out in Texas preacher had no h9khe
Of his own and had to be content with
using 4 jittlo room over a bar-rooni
| hope he was a single man The wlfe's
dearest hope is to have as home Of her
own and how it seems for a Methodist
minister's wife TO sacrifice such pleasure
/ for every year or so they have to
move. Such sacrifices VIC must make. 1t
was hard for US at first 10 reach down IN
| the slums and get a child living III filth
| and point him TO a better living, but.
| oh my sisters and brothers, these arc
| crowuing acts in our life.
! She with her sisters was trying to solve
! problems as God would have them solved
| The race problem even can be solved by
| these Christian woman OF God. encourag
ing the black people and trying to lift
| them 10 q higher plane OF living treating
them kindly. etc she had seen the re-
sult of this in many places. Her speech
was gem and she held tho undivided
attention os all
| Mr.. Weisner, secretary of the Church
Extension Board. spoke next aud pointed
out the needs of this branch of the church
work, but the collections in full should
take in church extension by all
means for they need four times, yes ten
times the amount they could get He
closed, urging the preachers to hereafter
Continued on Fifth Page.l