Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-01
FUND IS COMPLETE
Methodists Announce Completion of
the Twentieth Century Thank Offer
ing of s2o,oooooo Started in 1893.

Springfield, Mass, Jan. AT a
meeting of the bishops of the Methodist
Episcopal denomination in. Trinity
Methodist Episcopal church in this city
on Nov. /, 1898, it was proposed that a
twentieth century thank offering of
SIC, 100000 be collected, the money to be
applied to the needs of the church at
large. Last night at the stroke of mid
night, at a watch meeting" in Trinity
church, where this big idea originated,
formal announcement was made of the
completion of the fund, the largest ever
collected by any denomination in
America, il not in the world.
The announcement was made by
Rev. Edmund M. Mills, a presiding ell
der of the New York central confer
ence, who as corresponding secretary of
the committee in charge Of the fund
has drra more Than any one man to
complete the stupendous task.
Others prominent in the work We're
William Deering of Evanston, ILL.,, sec
ond vice president of the committee;
w. l.. Holmes of Detroit, D. S. Gray of
Columbus, j. p. Dolliver Of Fort Dodge,
and j. N. Gamble of Cincinnati.
In making the announcement Mr..
Mills said:
Ito me has been assigned task at
once delightful and difficult. The bear
err of good news is always welcome. I
am keenly alive to the fact that If l
awaken hopes by my statements that
the revelations of the later days do not
o1, nj
will be slow to forgive me. On the au-
thority of the written reports of the
REPRESENTATIVES OF our various church
institutions and organizations, I de-
clare that s20.O00,00O has been pledged
in good subscriptions on our twentieth
century thank Offering.
At this hour the church should not
ask or expect complete or final report,
but that you may know that the thank
offering had an abundant entrance thru
the gates of success, let me further de-
clare that If the magnificent gifts Of the
Methodists of the Manhattan Island
were not to be included, could still say
$20.000,000 has been paid or pledged in
good subscriptions on the thank offer
ing.
1.-THE final collection in this church
remains to be taken for the thank Of
fering. Some hours hence, when we are
saying "A Happy New Year to you,' the
Methodists of California ana Oregon
and Washington will be gathering to
begin their watch night services. Five
hours of praying and giving remain
before this movement will be officially
closed at the Golden Gate. Who can
tell what eyes and hearts and pocket
books may be opened in the next five
hours?
Mine million dollars has been re-
ported paid or pledged for the liquida-
ton of debts on church property. New
Haven rejoices that there is no Meth
odist church there that has any debt
Cleveland. indianapolis and st. Paul
have each only one Methodist church
with any debt on it. The Methodists of
New York, Chicago and Cincinnati will
soon be free from church debts. There
is not cent on any Methodist church
in the state of Wyoming. Eighteen
presiding elders show their districts to
be out of debt There is not cent on
any Methodist brick or board in the
Holston, Tenn, annual conference.
Eight million and sixty thousand
dollars have been raised for Methodist
church schools, or more than the Meth
odist Episcopal church gathered for its
schools in the first hundred years of
the history of the church in America.
Syracuse University leads with $1,197,-
900; Ohio Wesleyan comes next with
s1,092,S0S. We have collected $2,750.-
900 for philanthropic charities, $780,
600 have been raised for the permanent
fund for the conference claimants. A
little over S3S0,00O have been raised for
the building of churches in destitute
communities.
'The thank offering movement so
soon to close makes Trinity church one
of the historic churches of Methodism.
Men, as they think of this church and
will find a reply to rebuke
and silence the prophets of indecision,
selfishness and unbelief. The goodly
of those who thru faith sub
dued kingdoms, wrought righteousness,
obtained promises, waXed valiant In
fight and put to flight the armies of
aliens, will be greatly increased. As
long as this thank offering Is remem-
hered it will be AN argument for trust
ing God for great things, and an inspir-
alton to attempt great things for Him"