Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-21

| indicated their preference for the Mctho-
| dist Episcopal church. The community
| hns received D new moral impulse.
When wisely used the Epwurih League
| is an effective agency for the training of
our young people in Christian service.
The cabinet led by brother r. T. EIy,
consecratcd and capable laymnn, III
planning large things for the coming year.
The district convention held last Novem-
ber in Harrison Street church was evan
speakers, DR.. Geo. j. Henson Of phia-
delpha, and d. W l.. Mcdowell. Of The
Department Of Church Extension.
brought great messages which wonder
fully stimulated and encouraged he
workers.
Closely related to this organization in
it's particular field in the Sabbath school
new vision Of The purpose and possi-
blities Of this institution has come to
the church The Institutes held last
fall were we'll wofth while in pointing
the way toward more effective and
systematic effort
There is, however, n danger point
against which we do we'll io guard.
| Training, however, thorough, can never
| be substitute either for vital religious
experience or saving faith IN the Lord
| Jesus Christ. Nor can the Sabbath
| school be in any sense . substitute for
! the church. II will be calamity TO
bring our children in increasing numbers
| into the membership in the church while
| IN increasing numbers they absent them-
selves from the public services Pastors,
| officers aud teachers and especially
| Christian parents owe n duty here that
cannot he neglected without grave injury
| To both The church and our youth
| II is moi far cry from 1908 To lhls,
| hut measured hv the progress IN the fight
| against booze it might cover the period
| of a generation Our contest in rural
New Castle and Wilmington has passe'l
| into history We lost in the eity. hut
we won in county That ro1al Methodist
| lavman. Caleb T. Burchenal. ESQ
| suprorieJ@bv the Anti-Saloon League
| and the Protestant clergy 81 the city
| gave tho rum men the fight of their lives.
| And had il not hnen FOR he late closing
| of the polls and an immense corruption
| fund he would have fin the salonn out
| Of Wilmington Thank Cod the doom
| Of this unholy thing ia scaled There
arc mulitudns who shall not taste
! death until this come to pass ! 1T us
| lift M our hearts. the dav II deliverance
| dawns And when that good iay docs
come Il will bc found that The Methodist
Episcopal church uas a large factor sn
| bringing IN that day
Personally the wear has bcet strenuous
| one. From early IN September tilI
| November the 9th have devoted myself
| almost exclusively 10 tho work 81 the wet
| and dry campaign 6ur street meetings
were eimpl. wonderful The crowds
were quiet fnf tho most f'afi and listened
with an intentnpsa that was unusual
| They were thourhtfn thef wanted f.
| hear a fnll liecnqsinn pf the ssiie II
was oShaustng work Int u Ind II enrn
| pensatinr after fev daYe teeurtc |
| pliuped my brethren into tho educatln
| camraign and until neccmher The 10th
| did little cleo The routine work II tho
| district Was ~ neressitY neglected.. nlt
| tho district is well organized aud vol
manned and will give . good account ~
| itself
| word relative t. the annual meeting
| of The District Stewards will noi be afplse
! IN all dav meeting was planned hr
| business was ,lian,,scd af ~ The cnmtniftee
~ the whole -Ihen hr,cf addresses
were made bearing IN the needs Il ihe
| church. espeelallv uuf eiiy problem
I! In tho afternoon Dt t,en /, Dean.
| superintendent III tfVaHgrlt7fn 81 thr
| Board Of Home Missions and Church
| Extension, conducted n conference on
| evangrlam The service was helpful
and lnepTing In the evening pr Dean
addrnased maaa meeting IN ~ fauls
church The address was fine enm-
| bination of intellect and heart. and made
| a profound impression Iv unanimous
| vote tho iiatrict Stewards requested =
| similar program for the current yrar
In their reports tn he quarterly cnnfer-
| cnccs special mention waa made hy the
| district Stewards nf the value and l,rofit
nf the meetings
With gratitude 10 Him N hosc Wc arc
| and Whom VIC serve. and to the ministers
and lavmcn for fheu untalling support
and hrotherlv cooperation, and for the
privilege of another yCar of serNlce
IN the Kingdom and patience of iestls
Christ, and AN earnest PRAYER that Tho
g1iidine Of His presence may cnheattcn
rs for our future tasbs. this report Is
Respectfully submitted
Robert Matt