The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-15
Annual Report OF Rev. L. F. Chapman,
State President Epworth League Conf

hef. l.. r. chapman, State pres
dent. made the following splendi
report of the work of the League dul
. ing the past year, at the openin
session of the Conference last night
I'm the grace of God are W
gathered at another State Confer
ience for the double purpose of clos
. ing an old year and opening a ne,
one God help us to do both well.
The year just closing has bee
one of peace and progress in on
League work. We have not BEEF
seriously affected by the disturbe,
conditions that seem to have univer
sally prevailed; the young people O
of church have Loyalty and con
scientiously carried on their work
This is at it should be, because dis
turbance without creates all tn,
greater need for peace within. II il
a gracious privilege to live in tn,
world. br. nc. CT =. cad Il g OH
high task to attain unto this ranl
and to lead others up to it. Shall
we not, even now, be up and about
our Fathers business, even though
wars and rumors of wars be heard
The Epworth League in our own
! church has enjoyed growth that is
most satisfactory We now have
considerably more than 100000
members; and the new chapters
number something over 1870. In our
own state. we have new Leagues in
every section.
las your President, beg leave to
state that during the year have
written $50 letters in the interest of
the League; attended four District
League Conferences; visited twenty
one individual Leagues; Travelled
l.S5C miles; made "a addresses and
speeches in the interest of the
League; and written sixteen articles
for publication in the religious and
secular papers. found it impos-
sible to travel the last half of the
year because of theduties of a heavy,
pastorate and great distance be-
tween my home and League terri
tory.
II rejoice to state that the State
officers have in the main co-operated
fully with me in the arduous and
quiet work in the interim of the
State Conferences. Our League
editor deserves especial mention for
her tireless efforts. And we wish to
thank Rev. J. Edgar Wilson for his
patience and cooperation and for his
helpful words of sympathy and cheer
as expressed editorially from time to
time in the Advocate. The vice.
presidents. secretary, treasurer, the
other officers, and the district secre-
taries have rarely failed to respond
nobly when called for any duty. The
success of the year has been due in
large measuresto the fidelity of these
League workers..
we have had four District League
Conferences during the year. This
is three more than we had the year
previous; and if this record of i'm
provement is sustained this coming
year we will have League Confer
ence in every presiding elders dis
trict in the State. These confer
ences We're inspiring and helpful, and
were the result of the honest labor
and planning of the district secre-
taries.
There has been decided
growth in interest in the League
both on the part of the older church
and on the part of the
available material for League work.
ers. | have received three times as
many calls for instruction and infor-
nation as | received last year, and 4 |,
have had many more invitations to |
visit Leagues than ! could accept |
The churches of the State know that |
The workers of tomorrow must be |
trained as the young people of to-
day.
This State League Conference has
been carefully planned, and it is
hoped that it will prove to be the
best ever held in the State to date. |
The program Is an elastic one. pur-
posely SO made. in the hope that the
greater spontaneity would bring out |
many items of interest that could |
1ot possibly be placed on any formal |
program. The State Conference is
he appointed place for getting rid !
Of false notions in League work and
,or acquiring methods that have
been tried and found good. Let
very delegate constantly compare
ais League with the composite ideal
hat will be formed in his mind as
he conference progresses; note the
points in which your League can be
improved. Your League will in this
way realize good dividends on the
effort it put forth to send delegate.
And be sure that the best return
hat you can make your League is a
luickened power in your own Gfe,
Nay every visitor. take away, not
'nly information, but inspiration,
We hoped to have at our confer
nee fraternal delegate from our
lister Lea guh conference in this
,tate-thP /. ga pnn of the NJ