Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-19

work. My plan of experimenting has
enabled me to get into very many of
the schools, visit their different de-
partments and examine the methods
of work. 1 am glad to report a splen-
did forward movement in the Sunday
schools of the district. They are bet
ter organized and are doing more eff
cient service. Decision day is bringing
large results. The organized adult
Bible class movement is swinging for
ward with great momentum. The
home department and cradle roll work
are being pushed as never before. We
still lack in teacher training, but l
hope to advance this important work.
I present the following Sunday school
statistics: Organized classes. SO. with
an enrolment of 2,303; home depart
ments in the schools of 80 charges
with 1,024 members; 40 schools report
cradle rolls with 1903 children in the
same. Few schools now close during
the winter and most of them use our
own literature.
There has been some improvement
In the Epworth League situation, but
not so much as l would like to see.
| have visited many OF the leagues and
find their devotional meetings inter
esting and helpful A good deal of
mercy and help work is being done,
but entirely too little is being done for
the development of social life. In this
day Of questionable and harmful
amusements the league ought to be
doing vastly more in the direction of
the social life of the young people.
Moreover, in the rural sections, our
Epworth Leagues ought to be social
centers. Some of our leagues are in
active. One of my pastors expressed
the situation recently in his report to
the quarterly conference when he said:
We have 81 active members in our
league, most of whom have lost their
activity, and some associate members,
very few of whom have any association
whatever with the league.
The Junior League
our Junior League work is quite
hopeful. Wherever the Junior Leagues
are divided into classes splendid work
is being done. The reports show CT
Epworth Leagues in the district with
1882 members: Junior Leagues, "a,
with 1,4S4 members. Several churches
have intermediate Leagues, which are
helping to solve the problem of hold
ing the older boys and girls. Sixteen
mission study classes are reported,
with an enrolment of 1876. We do not
have many chapters of the Methodist
Brotherhood. only seven being re-
ported; but the organized mems classes
are doing the same kind of work. The
Ladies Aid Societies are accomplish
ing wonders, especially in financial
matters. The Woman's Home and For
eign Missionary Societies are to be
commended for their activity
"The following changes in pastorates
occurred during the year: Early in
the year C. V. Hartzell resigned at
Newville and L. w. Auman. student
was appointed as supply. In the fall
c. c. Mclean was transferred to the
70 al D., IL n
G. A. Smucker became his successor
at Stevens Memorial. Dr. Smucker be-
gan his work the first Sunday in De-
cember and has been very successful
in managing the affairs of that vigor-
Gus church. W. A. Houck was ap-
pointed in June to Carlisle and has
done the finest kind of work in that
important field.
Harrisonville had no pastor on the
adjournment of conference. None OF
the brethren heard the Macedonian
call to that hard field In May i went
over to see what could be done. I
found man whom God seems to have
called. He was postmaster store
keeper and blacksmith at Dane. l took
him with me over the circuit on Sun
day, He accepted the appointment,
closing his shop. his wife taking care
of the store and post office. He was
the United Brethren Church. I later
received him into the Methodist
Church and licensed him to preach.
God has been wonderfully blessing his
work. There have been great revivals
at all the appointments. Old Harri-
sonville, the forlorn hope of my dis
trict. is looking up. f. J. Croft, the
pastor, has toiled hard and success
fully. He Is here. attending his first
Methodist conference. God bless him
and the county in which he works
from which more preachers have come
into this conference than from an,
| other county In the State.
Church Improvement
"As usual, a large sum has beer
spent on church and parsonage i'm
provements. Two new pipe organ.
have been installed--at Duncannor
and Mercersburg. The Duncannon or,
gan was built by the Wirshing Organ
| Company, of Salem, Ohio 1t is
two-manual instrument, with tubular
pneumatic action. The cost was $4,000
| Afr. Andrew Carnegie contributing
| $3.50, the church paying the balance
1t is fine instrument. The dedi
| cation Ntook place on My IS. Th'