The Robesonian., 1908-08-17
A NOBLE WORK.

Being Done by the Woman's
Home Mission Society of the
Southern Methodist Church
AWork of Loving Service
History Of the Organization of
the Society and What it is Do
ing-An Appeal to Methodist
Women.
WHIT N for The Robesonan.
One Of the grandest works be-
ing done at the present day IN
the United States is the work Of
the Woman's Home Mission
Society Of the Southern Method
list Church, and yet so indiffer-
ent are our people that many
VINO consider themselves we'll in
formed scarcely know there is
such an organization.
1t is work of loving service
to stir our women up to the
knowledge of the opportunities
they are missing to prove their
gratitude to The Man of Galilee,
who raised woman from the
depths of degradation to her
rightful place Of equality with
mankind.
The Board of Church Exten-
sion of the Southern Methodist
Church was carrying heavy bur-
dens in 1882, when there was a
constant cry to them for help in
parsonage building for pioneer
preachers living sometimes IN
tents and dug-outs on the from
tier.
The board asked help of the
devoted band of women of the
Foreign Mission Society, but
they could not take up other
work, so the board called in con-
sultation that sainted woman,
Lucinda B. Helms, of Nashville,
Tenn, who responded by travel
ing all over our Southland calling
women to the rescue; and in 1884
was organized, the Woman's Par
sonage Aid Society.
Though feeble in numbers,
the little society was strong in
faith and works, and the hand
Of God was with it, giving it a
most marvellous growth. 1t was
intended solely as a parsonage
builder, but so many were the
cries for aid, so many doors OF
opportunity opened, that these
brave women enlarged their cir
Gle and made it include every
kind of ennObling work fol
Christ, and changed its name tt
the Home Mission Society. Now
the work includes rescue work ii
city slums, both of women ant
children; hospitals, visiting
nurses; kindergardens, day nur
series, night schools, chubs
gymnasiums, sewing schools and
industrial schools Of all kinds
The society has control of thos'
consecrated women, the deacon
esses of the church, and thes
are sent as pastors assistants t
many of the city churches ant
mill settlements and are doing
wonderful work for the Master.
Miss Helms, our beloved found
er, is dead, but God has raise
up faithful workers in her stead
and we. know she looks over tn
battlements of heaven and re
joices to see the work to which sh
gave her life becoming a poWe
in the Christian world.
The first record we have of tn
society was. in 1887, when tn
sum of $26155 was raised; whi
in 1903 there was reported fC
the year ending March 1st $147
909.62 for correctional work an
$270, 433. 60 for local work, NAL
ing a total raised of $418, 343. 2.
which was wisely applied, aftt
much prayer and thought, to tt
following work: helping parsol
ages; to the twelve large scho'
plants; schools for Cubans
Florida; Paine Annex, a scho
for negro girls at Paine Colleg
which is itself under control
the METHODIST chuch; Industri
schools for mountain girls
North Carolina and Kentuck
schools and missions for Jap
nese, Chinese and Koreans (
the Pacific coast; the Wash
Home for Friendless Girls; Il
Florine McEachern Hospital f
Poor Children; the Rescue Hor
and School for Fallen Girls; ci
missionaries in several of t
larger cities and at many m
settlements; and a fund for trai
ing workers at the Scavitt Bill
School of Kansas City, Mo.
Since our organization '
have helped nearly two the
sand parsonages, and have sc
to needy preachers, orphanag
and mission schools supplies v
ued at almost $780, 900.
The local work not only
cludes work for the parsona
and church, but also visits
sick and sorrowful, help !
poor and needy, love and C;
for new members of the churC
training the children by mee
of two well-organized societies
the Young Peoples Home N
sion and the Children sBrigad,
and helping the pastor in ev,
possible way.
In all these schools, missic
and homes the first thing tau
is the holy Bible, and Je
Christ is held up before these Il
ly ones as the one perfect T
tern, and many, many who HI
never known Him before h;