The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-10-13

kcmda has lust built a $4,000 church
and is ready for dedication. There
is nearly $4,000 invested in church
property, $500 merbers of the
churches and an army of $50 Sunday
scsool officers and teachers. The pas
toral support amounts to $4,000 and
over $500 for running expenses. The
increase in membership was a 'pitia-
BILE 100" Superintendent Shepherd
set forth some of the things which
have to be commended with in Sioux
Falls, and in other parts of the dis
trict but he felt hopeful for an i'm
provement in the time to come.
The Mitchell District.
Superintendent Dobson stated that
after twenty-four years in the min
isterial labor in service in this state,
fifteen Of which had been as presid-
ing elder and district superintendent
he came to give an account OF
his stewardship in his final report,
in that he will retire from the work
of this conference, but retaining his
membership. and will go to Mt. Vern-
on, Iowa. In reviewing the district
for six years he made this report:
There are 40 charges; pastoral sup
port, 100000: membership 800; an
increase Of 1900; Sunday schools
IS; pupils in Sunday schools, 4.70S;
church property, $235,00O, making
anincrease of $113,OO0; there are %
new structures, an increase of 81 per
cent in number and 90 per cent in
valuation; Is new parsonages have
been built. In the newer territory on
the reservations there has been much
done in the building up Of churches.
The superintendent referred to many
Of the towns on the charge as having
made great advance in the work, both
temporal and financial. DR.. Dobson
spoke with special reference to the
Mitchell church, commencing DR..
Hoagland highly and referring to the
great membership of the church as l.
900 hard working members; OF 900 In
the Sunday school; of the 400 women
in the " oman's Aid Society-one OF
the greatest Industrial adjuncts ever
attached to q church, the society hav-
ing raised $2,263 in the past year
and $11,839 in the past six years.
The church contributes this year So
900 for benevolences, and gave a
large part OF the $4,000 for the Uni
versity endowment fund, and $780,
900 for the pipe organ, for decorat-
ing the church, etc. All of this COM
bined will reach nearly $4,000 rails
ed by the Mitchell church this year.
Tuesday evening of Conference
week was devoted to welcoming the
pastors, their wives and the laymen
OF the Methodist church to the city.
The front part of the auditorium of
the Methodist church vas we'll filled
with visitors and q goOdly number
of citizens.
DR.. Hoagland> presided yer the first
meeting, which opened with devot-
!. ional exercises. Prof. Hobson had
a large chorus choir present and
lead in the congregational singing
and presented a special number.
The address of welcome was de-
livered by President Kerfoot OF the
University. II have always looked
forward to Conference week." said
President Kerfoot, "for the past
twenty years with q great deal of
J. pleasure and no doubt many of my
brothers have ielt the same a
s'This is a body Of people in Nit
chell which have character back of
4 them. A Methodist preacher must
have his character or he cannot be
pdSSGu III LlIS SOulSlSASS. 4ACy LIZ
all straightforward, good men-and
those who are with them.
"There are four reasons why you
Methodist preachers are welcome to
Mitchell. Because you are men of
culture. of learning and judgment.
You have to have those attributes
to be good preachers. 1t has been
said that the preachers of the Metho-
dist church are not cultured men,
but I want to say that we have as
fine a bouy Of men here to this Con-
ference as haev ever set foot in
Mitchell.
"Beacuse you are a body of men
who are used to conquest-you
achieve things, because you solve
those problems which are for the
best interests Of the church, and be-
cause you are congenial, and I know
YOU are that because l have been out
with some OF you.
President Werfoot made the closing
part Of his remarks warm and well
coming, and made the visitors feel
that Mitchell and her homes were
thrown open with much gracious
ness.
4..v. A. B. Thfbodeau, of Pierre,
made the response in behalf of the
pastors. in which he grew quite
facetious at times, and INDUCED in
much that was serious in his talk.
Mr.. Thibodeau referred to an in
cident in hi smeeting with James j.
Hill in st. Paul recentlv which had
a bearing on Dakota Wesleyan. He
stated hat he had an audience with
the railroad king, who stated that
he had fourteen colleges on his heart
which he desired to help with the
idea of seeing them endowed so that
their doors would never be closed.
He stated that Mr.. Hill assured him
that of the fourteen colleges that
Dakota Wesleyan was one of the
best one on his list that he desired
to help. Mr.. T%hidodeau spoke Of
the work that had been accomplished
at Pierre both in a temporal and
spiritual way, paying a high compli-
ment to the attitude OF Governor
Vessey, who has been a great help
in the construction of the new $685.
900 church, which is now in course
Of construction. The pastor spoke
the hearty sentiment Of the visiting