Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-10-03
OUR WORK IN CITY
OF ALBUQUERQUE
FROM SECRETARY LAM5UTH, IN
THE NORTH ALABAMA ADVo.
CATE, NASHVILLE, TENN.

"
Bishop Hoss made no mistake when
he appointed Brother ]. NJ. Sollie pas.
tor in charge of our church at Albu-
querque, and at the same time gave
him supervision as presiding elder
over a small, outlying district. The
district work was to be supplemented
as far as possible by the brethren oc-
cupying such points as San Marcial.
Magdalena, Gallup, and others. The
emphasis was to be placed upon the
town itself. which is a railroad town
and an important distributing center,
and gives promise of a rapid growth
into a substantial city. The Rio
Glande runs like a silver thread
through a valley made green and fer
tile by it's waters. The Santa Fe rail-
road bisects the town, throwing the
business portion to the west Of it and
the growing residence portion to the
east, or what is called the Highlands.
1t was delightful beyond expression
to find a resting place in a Methodist
parsonage after two days and nights
of steady travel. And the welcome
had the flavor of an Alabama home.
Pleasant memories will linger around
that family circle, and a visiting
VI pNANA ~ SNlANA gAoll NHANd " 81
not forget to pray for returning health
and strength in the case of the good
wife and her son. both of whom had
been obliged to seek a dryer and more
in%vigorating climate. One passenger
on the train facetiously remarked
that there was nothing but climate.
| can testify to the contrary, but one
thing is certain. it is the most salu-
brious air | have ever breathed, and
one which can hardly help to carry
healing to tender mucous membranes,
provided the work of "disintegration
has not gone too far.
Bishop Key who held the New Mex
leo conference this year at Deming,
is equally anxious with his colleague,
that one of the best corner lots in the
town should be secured and a church
erected which will be a rallying point
for southern Methodism in all that
section. The immigration from the
southern states is larger than I'VE in
the history of the territory. A great
many of our own people are pouring
in from Missouri, Arkansas, Texas
and from states east of the Mississippi.
Last year the membership of our
church in Albuquerque was eighty
this year it is just double That num-
Der, or 100. Our congregation has
outgrown our building. Nearly TWEEN
ty-five of the southern Methodist fami-
lies own homes of their own, fifteen
of whom have bought their homes this
year. There is no point in the west
where our prospects are better. The
membership is religious and ready for
any sacrifice. What we need is an
equipment for first-class work. Given
this, an aggressive, self-propagating
church is assured.
| was surprised to find in a town
of $1,000 people, four good ward
schools, one high school, and a col
lege. The railroad shops alone work
more than 1000 men, and many of
these have their homes with children
to be gathered into Sunday school
and brought under the influence of
the church. One of the best signs of
a growing and a permanent citizen
ship was the fact hat 300 new houses
went up in 1904, and at least 500 will
be built before the close of this year.
With other churches provided with
new buildings costing from $4,000 to
100000, it is incumbent upon us to
give Brother Sollie all possible CO.
operation in the enterprise which he
is well fitted to carry forward, and
which has the Episcopal sanction of
two of our bishops who have studied
the field and appreciate the situation.
What is true of Albuquerque is true
of three or four other centers in thei
southwest, if we would hold that coun-
try for Christ and the future. But we
must adopt the policy of ~concentra-
ton upon n place at a time.
NOte-W. r. Lambuth is the secre-
tary of the foreign mission board of
the Methodist Episcopal church
south. The gentleman visited Albu-
querque a few weeks ago, and while
here was the guest of Rev. j. NJ. Sol
lie.