The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-07-27
HIS RELIGION BENEFICIAL
Man Converted Under America,
Sunday School Evangelist
Made Restitution.

Dicgones was still on a hunt for an
honest man he could find the object OF
his search in the person of au honest
fellow by the name of James Phenn,
now a resident of Ordway. South
Dakota. He left here four years
ago, sick and in debt, some Of it of
long standing. On New Years eve
T. A. Sedgwick received a letter
from him enclosing a check tor $50.
The letter advised Mr.. Sedgwick to
pay Chas. Buckholtz S25; Or. Miller,
$3.50; DIR. Mellike, $40 and to keep
the remainder to cancel a drug bill
OF long standing.
ID. IL. Martin. the superintendent
OF the American Sunday School
Union, of Sioux Falls, which is now
meeting i'm this city for a
state conference of it's workers, gives
the foundation for the above story
in the followin. communication:
That such an item as the above
should appear in the newspaper is
not the result OF mere accident, but
is an indicali n that some one has
been responsible for setting forth
ideas and ideals of living such as
this world stands very greatly in
need OF. The story OF this occur
renee Is of exceeding interest and
NAV 10 briefly told as follows:
During the latter part of Deem
Der Mr.. a. j. Tiffany, OF Aberdeen,
a missionary OF the American Sum
day School Union. in the course of
his work in the u%nreached districts
%visitel and held services in the
community in which lived MIR.
Phenn. During the course of these
services Mr.. Tiffany preached a
sermon on that not altogether popu-
lar theme, restitution. The effec-
tiveness OF his preaching may he
judged from the incident Immediate
ly following the delivery OF this
sermon. Mr.. Phenr came to him
with Il letter and a check for $50
asking that he send it to Clinton
willie. Wisconsin, to Mr.. Sedgwick to
paw some bills of long standing as he
wished to start the year right with
God.
This is just the sort of work that
has distinguished the American
Sunday School Union throughout all
OF its e%ighty-two years of work.
Being an organization made up of
individuals its work being directed
by a board Of business managers
working in the interest OF and
harmony with the various denomina-
tions and churches sending it's
missionaries into the %unreached
districts and these missionaries be-
ing carefully chosen as men of pra:-
tical ability and earnest convictions,
is aud has been doing a satisfactory
work hotb as to iLs effectiveness and
as to the large amount of work
accomplished for the very small out
lay Of funds.
The work in South Dakota during |
the past Few years has a work very
like unto that done in every state of
the Union a large and ever enlarging
work. During the past three years
the force in South Dakota has been
increased from tbree missionaries to
twelve. During the four months
since March LIST these missionaries
in South Dakota have organized in
the unrelched and otherwise ucpro-
vided for country communities
eighty-three schools, into which some
2.4S0 teachers and pupils have been
gathered. These men have also
visited and rendered aid to l16
existing Sunday schools whose
officers and teachers have been
greatly encouraged, and whose MEM
bersb:p has beer considerably in
creased.
In their house to house work these
men have reached more than 1882
homes supplying reading matter of
the best and most helpful sort A
large humber OF bibles and tesla
ments have been distributed, more
than 292 gospel sermons have been
delivered in the most part to people
not being reached by pastors in their
services, while in twenty-five in
stances preaching services have been
opened q regular preaching estat-
lished. This growth and large work
has been due to the interest and
gifts OF the people of South Dakota.