The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1917-09-22

With membership of about 200 and
no MONIES on hand the proposition
looked SO hopeless we could not get
the members out to even consider it,
ana hnally urged on by Rev. Murrell at
a meeting held February 7, 1917, we
passed motion to buy the property
with only fifteen members present.
The owners allowed us to pay down
$500, the balance to be paid September
l, 1917. This $500 was raised as fol-
lows: Ladies' Aid Society, 800; So
clal and Literary Society, $50; Sun
day School, $500, and the balan nee of
$40 by members advancing money on
their dues. -
We now faced the problem of rails
ing Sits in six months, SIS having
been added as the cost of the church
benches. On February Is a meeting
was held and an organization formed
to raise this amount. Little was done
at this time, however, as the church
turned all it's resources, spiritual and
financial, to the promotion of the
Union Revival held during the month
OF May, 1917. Emerging from these
great meetings and before we could
organize the results and get the
church in working order, our pastor,
Kew. Murrell, announced that he had
applied for a commission as chaplain,
had been accepted into the officers
training camp, and been ordered to re-
port June S. Mr.. Murrell offered to
tender his resignation but the church
refused to receive it and granted him
leave of absence for three months. 1t
had been arranged to end the finan-
cial effort on June "a. Without
leader, however, very little was done
and the results netted only $3.50.
The situation at this time looked
hopeless. Depending on different
preachers to fill the pulpit each Sun
day, we found it difficult to keep up
interest enough to meet even current
expenses. -, ~.- ..-
In this discouraging situation our
minds turned to beloved pastor who
had served us in the past, and who
had led us out of many financial diff
ficulties-Rev. w. D.. Carter, of Sc
attic, Wash. The mention of his name
brought new hope and confidence and
the officers of the church Immediately
entered into negotiations with DR..
Carter. to secure his services, notify
ing Rev. Murrell at Des Moines of our
plans.
Rev. Murrell wrote giving his hearty
approval and expressing regret at his
inability to assist further than to re-
port 500 promised him in case the
whole amount was raised.
On Sunday morning, September 9,
Rev. w. D. Carter arrived in st. Paul,
almost exhausted from a three days
stay at the National Baptist Conven-
ton and a 36-hour trip from Musco-
gee, Okla, part of which had to be
made in a day coach.
After brief consultation with the
officers he found he had to face the
following conditions: $1,480 had to be
raised by September Is, the owners
having given an extension of time to
! that date. The forces of the church
were not organized for work. The
members were willing but unable to
give and with war loans, Red Cross
funds, Boy Scouts canvass and the
High Cost of Living condition, it
seemed an inopportune time to solicit
s the public.
Rev. Carter preached short but
s-forceful sermon in which he predicted
success, called upon the members to
do their duty and set the example by
putting down his name for $25
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