The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-05-26
CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE

tuuICH DtODlt W TIE CITY. 4 ne du-
dress Of welcome was delivered by
Governor Wesley. Besides the talks
by ministers and resident members
of the state, addresses were given by
Robert p. Herrick, of Minneapolis;
Mrs. S. E.. Hurlburt of Chicago; w.
w. Newell and A. n. Hitchcock OF
Chicago.
Among the leaders of church work
in the state were present: H. X. Wa
rem of Yankton College; n. c. Hirshey
of Redfield, president of the confer
en2e; F. V. Stevens of Yankton, mod
orator. Rev. w. II. Thrall of Huron,
superintendent Of the home missions
work in South Dakota read a full and
superintendent of the home mission
most interesting report of the work
done during the year. The following
is an abstract from the same.
I'VE have a list of fifty churches
which have called for more or less o.
care from the Conference Superinton-
dent directly or indirectly on this one
question Of change of pastors and |
might onUmorate thirteen or fourteen
more where this question has come up
and which have called for personal
visits or correspondence; but a
change has finally been avoided or
postponed for the future.
In some cases the question OF the
continuance of the church in active
work has been brought to a focus
The Conference Superintendent has
also been asked to advise on various
other matters of church interest and
progress-church or parsonage build
ing, evangelism and the like. Per-
haDs this will be sufficiently sugges-
tive to make it clear that the respOn-
sibilities are not entirely a sine ure
outside of relationship to the Home
Missionary churches.
T~wenty-siX Home Missionary
churches have changed pastors dur
ing the year or are now changing.
The fact that churches have come
to s~elf-support continuously for four
years past at the rate Of more than
one a month with an added eight this
year accounts for the reduction is our
force, though of course the BUDGET for
our newly opened fields involves in
creased expense pro rata. The siren
uousnesS of the new work. its crisis
determining aspect, is appealing to
our laymen more and more. One wo-
man gave $500 this year because OF
this phase of the work.
The close of the Home Missionary
fiscal year shows that the churches
and friends of South Dakota AVE con-
tributed to the CONGREGATIONAL Home
Missionary Society s3,715.15 against
SO. POS of the proceeding year. The
National Society has assured us OF
$500 plus with a possible $500 more
and the present budget calls for S15,-
500 so we must call for large inter
est to be shown in the work of indl-
vidual givers, as well as by our
churches.
The record of Home Missionary
churches organized has not been so
remarkable as the Sunday School rec
ord, but we feel that what has been
done has been a work Of considerable
permanence and importance"
Quoting from the annual of Rev. G..
Z. Green, the registrar of the confer
ence, DR.. Thrall said:
81 will not attempt at this time to
state the results of the years work in
detail. Mr.. Green's report has shown
that here has been a splendid increase
all along the line. The reDor+ shows
a net increase of 7 chuTchcs, 4F3
church members, 1,247 Sunday school
members, an increase in bennv0lences
of $4,507, of home S'3,479, of
value of church property $-7,795."
In closing DR.. Thrall said:
"Our state is moving forward with
leaps and bounds. Towns are being
born by the score in different parts
of the great reaches west of the Mis-
| souri, river. The question is not where
are we needed, but where is the great
est need, what points are most strate-
gic, how can the work be so grouped
so to be worked most economical
how can the expenditures Of money
and personalities involved in the far
reaches of time before us be made
most economical and effective. We
seek so to labor that the ages shall
pronounce our labor to have been wise
and worth while in Jul day. Pastors
and laymen, your elected representa-
tives under the new conference or
ganization have this year given much
patience. and anxious thought to this
great work, but we look with earnest
expectancy for the futre TO reveal re-
suits In Sunday school and church en-
terprises which will more than war
amt the sacrifice and 10Y as we be-
gin a new wear and gather ourselves
together as for a mighty effort to do a
work worthy of the wisdom and pow
er vouchsafed by the Master himself
for those who wait upon Him, may
there not be a season for a new gath
ering together for prayer that from
end to end in this great new common
wealth, there shall be a renewing or
strength more than human n added
power to bring thirgs TO pass In the
Masters name, for in Him alone Is
strength and wisdom equal to doing
well the task which is upon US"
DR.. Thrall paid a warm tribute to
the pastors, workers and members,
and the general constituency OF the
denomination for their help and CO.
operation in the work of the year.
The report was received with mrch
interest and proved to be an able pre-
sentation of the religious and other
conditions OF the state. DR.. Thrau
has been connected with the work for
many years in South Dakota, and has
proved to be one of the most efficient
church officials anv denominat on
could boast of, and his influence has
gone far beyond the bounds Of the