Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1919-08-29
EXPECT TO COLLECT
sumo OF s53,000,000
SOUTHERN METHoDlsTs OUTLINE
PLANS FOR HANDLING GREAT
CENTENARY FUND.
Organization VIII Collect Largest
Amount Ever Handled BY Any
Religious Denomination
Anywhere.

The Centenary Commission of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
has announced its plan for collecting
the $50, 600. 10000 which was pledged
for the missionary work of the church
in the recent eight.day drive. The
plan was prepared and will be direct.
ed by Colonel John E. Edgerton, OF
Tennessee, the general centenary
treasurer and the director OF the de.
partment OF finance for the Centenary
Commission.
Colonel Edgerton is a we'll known
business man. He is president and
manager of the Lebanon Wooden
Mills. president OF the Tennessee
State Manufacturers Association, and
during the wal he was a member OF
the executive committee Of the war In.
dustry board appointed by President
Wilson.
Our slogan is no %shrinkage, but an
increase said Colonel Edgerton re-
Gently. Just as the Southern Metho,
dist church has surpassed all records
in securing pledges for benevolent
purposes and has raised the largest
sum aver given to any church at one
time in the history OF the world, so do
we expect to set a new record in the
collection OF these pledges"
An Extensive Organization.
The organization through which
these pledges will be collected has
four centers of responsibility. The
first is a general finance commission
with headquarters at Nashville. headed
by Colonel Edgerton. This commits.
sion has prepared the standard plan
and will direct the entire movement,
handing down to the various bodies
throughout the church detailed plans
for their guidance.
There will also be a conference cab
met in each annual conference Of the
church, about forty in number. These
conference cabinets will be composed
of the Conference Missionary Secre-
tary, Conference Campaign Director,
the Lay leader, and the Conference
Centenary Treasurer. Each OF these
officials have certain specific duties.
and will direct the work of collecting
all the pledges in each annual confer.
ence.
In each of the four hundred districts
OF the church there is a similar cab
iEet composed of the Presiding Elders,
the Lay leaders, Campaign Directors
and the Chairman of the Methodist
Minute Men. The Conference Mission
airy Secretary Is an ex-offlcio member
OF all district cabinets The work OF
collecting in the districts will be gu.
pervised by this district cabinet.
Twenty Thousand Churches.
In each of the 10000 local churches
there will be local cabinets composed
OF the pastor, the centenary treas
urer, the campaign director, the lay
loader, the chairman OF the minute
men. the Sunday school superintendent
and the president OF the Woman's Mis-.
sionary Society. This cabinet Will do
all the actual work of collecting the
Individual pledges.
The persons who made subscrip-
tons will be divided into lists of
twenty-five and the lists will be
In charge OF a certain member
of the church cabinet who will collect
all pledges as they come due.
One feature of the standard plan 10
that the local church will be respon.
sible for collecting the full amount of
its subscription. If any subscriber
dies or meets with misfortune such as
to render il impossible for him to pay
His pledge. it will be the duty of the
church cabinet TO secure another pei.
son to take the place OF the one thus
become delinquent.
1t is also proposed that every new
member who comes into the church
shall also be asked to make a contri.
button to the Centenary fund.
The Centenary fund Of $50, 900, 000
will be used for the church In an ex
r. its missionary WORK
throughout the world. Several million
will be srent in the devastated re
gions of France, Belgium, Poland and
Other millions will 60 TO the
seven foreign fields occupied by the
church Mexico, Brazil. Cuba, Africa
China, Japan and Korea. Other mil
will be spent in the industria
sections of the great cities, ir the
among the immigrants, the
negroes and the Indians, and Ia build
churches in the missionary terri!