The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1906-02-22
Members Of Zion Church Give up
Their valuabIes to Keep the
City Running
kEN0SHA MAN GIVES A CHECK.
Large Sum of Money Raised by New
Deputy Overseer Will be Used to
Redeem Zion Coupons Which
are Long Over Due

The first public address of Deputy
General Overseer Wilbur Glenn Vo-
Iva to the people of Zion City, made
Sunday morning, was a dramatic ap-
peal for general act Of se1f-sacrifice
to restore the city and its institutions
to sound financial basis.
For an hour the new leader preached,
taking as his text Paul's letter to the
Philippians, and urging the stern
duty of a complete Remuneration of
this worlds goods.
Then two tables were placed at the
front of the platform in the big tab
ernacle and the congregation, coming
forward in sections, piled them high
with the most valuable of their pos
sessions. Women tore off rings and
bracelets and threw them on the ia
b1es. Men brought watches, diamonds
and bank books, representing the
savings Of lifetime, and added them
to the heap. Even the children con-
tributed their cherished trinkets.
In the short time that Overseer
Voliva has been at Zion City he has
won the confidence of most of the
people and has given indications of
being an able leader. When he arose
to speak every face was turned toward
him in breathless interest.
He began quietly, telling of the sac
rifices IN the days of the apostles and
dwelling upon Pauls exhortation to
them to complete self-abnegation,
Then, driving his points home degree
by degree, he made the application
The duties of Gods children, he said
are the same today as they were in the
time of Paul. Zion is in need. IT.
people must rally to its support. And
gifts must not be made with a grudg
ing hand.
AS he. sat down there was deaG
silence. Then Overseer J. E. Excel
arose.
'sThe overseer is right" he said
''Zionmeeds your help. And OverAee1
Voliva has been shining example.
He gave all he had to Zion, even the
family heirlooma he treasured. He
has worked without compensation be-
You'd food and clothing. He comes tic
us from Australia a poor man.
A prayer and vocal solo followed
and then Overseer Vo1iva came for
ward again.
81 want nothing done on impulse, =
he said. Whatever you are about to
do, think it over carefully first. This
must be gift of the head as well as
of the heart"
Then two enormous tables were
brought forward and placed in front
of the platform. First the officials of
Zion City, whom Overseer Voliva had
told of what he was about to do at a
meeting Friday night, brought gifts
of silverware, cut glass and .jewelry,
and laid them on the tables. Over
seer Voliva himself gave his watch, a
gift from his mother when a boy.
Afterward the congregation was di-
vided into sections, and one by one
the groups were led forward.
1t was impossible to make any esti-
mate of the weS.lth contributed.
Twenty-Five watches, of materials
ranging from Inexpensive gun metal
to solid gold, we're counted. There
were sixty rings, many of them SET
with diamonds. Earrings, bracelets,
brooches. and jewelry of every de.
scription we're thrown upon the piles
without an instant's hesitation.
| From the men came gifts of houses
and lots, pledges of money gifts and
checks. A Kenosha man gave 5000
There was one check for So, 800 and
another for $3.50. One man gave ar
expensive fur overcoat and cap. There
were fifty bank books, representing
the entire fortunes of as many men.
Among the gifts were violin and an
autoharp.
A considerable proportion of the
contributions were made in the coupon
books with which the employees of
Zion City formerly were paid. Up to
the 1st of February all employees in
the factories or schools were paid, not
in cash, but in books of coupons,
which constituted claims for mer-
chandise or cash. The use of these
was discontinued as part Of the
plan to place the community on a
sound financial basis, and at the same
time the stores and banks refused to
honor them further.
Coupons to the value of $4,000 or
$50, 600 are still outstanding, and it is
chiefly for the purposesof redeeming
these that Sundays appeal was made.
Roundsman Moore Of the Wisconsin
State Reformatory at Green Bay
ira r1ssacted official business in Keno