Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-03-21
FOUR HUNDRED AND
S|xTY-SEVEN IS THE
CONVERT TOTAL
DIR. FIXES CONVINCED THIS
NUMBER OF THEIR NEED FOR
CHRIST; LIBERAL OFFERING

The evangelistic campaign held in
the opera house by four churches in
united action closed Sunday night
with a mammoth crowd attending
and a meeting of unusual moment in
the series. Fifty-six people went
forward during the service and took
definite stands in favor of the Christ
life.
During the three weeks campaign
four hundred and sixty-seven people,
including men, women and children,
either took the step for the first time,
or renewed their faith. Sunday
evenings meeting was given over in
part to rejoicing among the new con-
verts for the good they had received
in the meetings. Scores of them
testified in the brief time, sometimes
as many as half a dozen being, on
their feet at one time.
AS an appreciation of the work
done by DR.. Fixes in the campaign,
the Sunday collections, as is the usual
custom in these meetings, was given
to him. 1t amounted to $773.93.
Many people have since expressed
themselves as deeply regretting that
they did not have more to give him
as they felt that he had accomplished
a great WOTk III DclulIlS.
While DIR. Fixes was here Soul
Winners Leagues were organized in
each of the four churches identified
in the movement. The membership
in the leagues totaled 324 OF this
number the Methodist church league
his 113 members, the Baptist church
80, the Congregational 81 and the
Church of Christ 61.
Of fba de7 converts o10 stoned
cards showing a preference for the
Methodist denomination. In this num-
Der were included several for the Free
Methodist church here; some for
Portland NJ. E., Ionia, Orleans and
Shepard. This will reduce the total
expressing in favor of the local
Methodist church by about 10.
Sixty-seven converts signed cards
favoring the Church of Christ. OF
this number two will possibly identity
themselves with the church at Cedar
Springs.
The Congregational church gained
seventy preferences and the Baptist
church ninety-three. The other cards
were signed in favor of the Catholic
and many other denominations. In
case where no church of the prefer
ence given is in reach of the local
ministers they are still holding the
cards and the converts may enter one
of the local churches.
In his closing address Sunday even
inc Dr. Fixes in most Teverent way
spoke of the religious 'condition of
Belding. He expressed deep sorrow
at the Indifference of the business
men of the city toward the campaign.
composed as it was of the united
churches of the city. No denomina-
tional grounds should have kept them
away he said, and if they believed in
the church and religion, as they said
they did, then they were delinquent
in their support of the movement that
was designed solely to make Belding
better. He thanked most generously
the members of the committees and
others connected with the organiza-
ton. He also asserted that in his
talks and in all he had said he was
not throwing stones at anyone, nor at
any organization.
During the brief period Of his
stay in Belding DR.. Fixes gained a
warm place in hundreds of hearts,
and hundreds of homes rejoiced be-
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