Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-25

prayer, ana tHe INeN. \. II.
pronounced the benediction.
The afternoon session: Presiding
Elder. the Rev. ]. A. Hollenbach, of
the Central Pennsylvania Conference
led in the opening devotions.
A feature of the session was the
singing under the direction of Leader
Sanville.
j. d. Kilheffer read a telegram
from his son in Omaha, Nebraska,
congratulating the church for their
having such a man in China as Dr.
G. Newton Dubs, superintendent of
the China mission. The telegram read
as follows: please convey to con-
ference, greetings from DR.. Dubs,
whom | left in good health at the end
of the year in Shanghai. He was then
leaving for Changhsha, Also my per-
sonal congratulations on their hav-
ing a man of his ability in charge of
the work.
The Rev. ]. A. Hollenbach, the Rev.
3. l.. Moore, the Rev. l.. NJ. Dice, the
Rev. l.. A. Thurman, all of Central
Pennsylvania Conference of the L. e.
church, were received as advisory
members of conference.
The following ministers of the Unit
ed Brethren Church visiting confer
ence, were introduced the Rev. ]. II.
Daugherty, of Harrisburg; the Rev. Ii.
S. Kieffer, of Oberlin; the Rev. IL. M.
Miller, of Penbrook.
Report of Elders
The reports of the presiding elders
were listened to with interest. A
marked spirit of optimism was evil
dent throughout, and all the reports
showed decided numerical increases,
and spiritual progress. The Rev. +.
E. Erdman, reported for the Allen
town district; the Rev. w. f. He'll
for the Harrisburg district and the
RaV Il w IInnVpr for II q a ding dis
trict.
The report of the Rev. w. f. He'll,
presiding elder of the Harrisburg dis
trict in part is as follows:
Advance Reports
Advance reports indicate that 1927
persons professed conversion, that
1898 were received into the church,
that ISL We're lost by death, removals
and otherwise. leaving a net gain of
542, bringing. the total membership up
to 9,719. During the year special
campaigns were conducted in Lam
caster and Lebanon, by DR.. Slough, in
Shamokin by DIR. Honeywell, in Lititz,
James 7. Lowe and in Tower City
and Park street, Harrisburg, by the
Rev. William Davis. These cam
paiGns contributed much to the ef-
fective evangelism of the year. A bet
ter opportunity to observe the effect
OIL SpeCldl GNdlSeHSIh on our con-
gregations came TO me this year and
the conviction that the pastor must be
the largest factor in this important
work has been confirmed. Evangelists
may greatly assist and supplement the
work of the efficient pastor, but they
are no substitute for such pastor
and cannot atone for the Indifference
and delinquencies of faithless minis
ters.
A net gain of more than 6 per cent.
is gratifying for it is about three
times the average growth of the
church in general but. it is not so
satisfactory to contemplate the losses
sustained. Losses by death and hon
orable transfers are no cause for re-
gret but the comparatively large
number which passes out through the
door labeled other removals" arrests
attention; 751 losses are reported and
of this number 43S are the "other re-
movals." Certain fields report from
35 to Sc under this head. These losses
are due to Inaccurate membership rec
ords, to failure to assimilate new
accessions, and to backslidlng which
seem to be inevitable. The first cause
should not exist, the second should be
much less potent and the correction
of these will materially reduce this
item"
The Sunday schools are becoming
Important as u factor IN
evangelism, since one-half of the con-
versions reported are credited to the
schools
Urges Higher Salaries
Financially the district will report
the usual conditions. Salaries were
increased in several instances and
with only a few exceptions were maid
promptly. sincere effort is being
made and will be continued during the
coming year to bring the salaries up
to better grade. The financial sys-
TENS followed by the congregations
are being improved and the duplex
system is finding more favor. The
property onCthe district is generally
in good condition.
The largest reduction in church
debts reported was made by Mount
Carmel. The complete reconstruction
of their church was begun in the for
mer year and completed in the pres
ent. The auditorium is one of the
largest and finest in the conference,
number of large rooms were pro
Nlded for prayermeeting classes and
social purposes, and all at a cost of
$1O,35S.47. OF this amount $2,S3S.47
was paid. The parsonage was also
renovated at cost of $447.59 which
amount was paid. The second largest
amount reported was paid by the
Bethany congregation of Lancaster.
i'iS t'ihouiit T&sOVV anu was dpDlleu
on the purchase and renovation of a
home for their pastor. The third
largest amount is reported by the
Grace church of the same city, S1,94O|
which almost removes the interest
bearing debt on the chapel and opens
the way for the erection of the main
building before very long. Harris
Street, Harrisburg, paid $3.50, and
Park Street, S1,35S. on their obliga-
tons. The following charges raised
the amounts attached to their names
either for improvements or to be ap-
piled on debts. Columbia, S625;
Steelton, $500; Penbrook, $500; Sun
bury Second, 1852; Sunbury First
raised $3.50 for improvements in ad-
dition to the amount added to build
ing fund; Harris Street, Harrisburg.
raised, $3.50 for improvements in ad-
dition to the amount paid on debt;
Annville, $4O5; Akron, $3.50; Berrys-
burg. S275; Lebanon First, $500;
Lebanon st. Paul, $500; Palmyra,
S21O; Richland, 1898; ReXmont, $2O5;
fremont, $160; Mt. Joy, $50.
Prayer Meeting Spirit Alive
The report of the Allentown dist
trict given by the Rev. F.E. Erdman, in
part is as follows:
The prayer meeting spirit is still
alive. BY a comparison with former
records that | have. find that the
average attendance is higher that it
was a few years ago. CAS- a result of
the evangelistic campaigns 1909 con-
versions are reported and approx
mately 937 accessories. The net
InGcaC f,lI