Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1919-09-11
To COLLECT
SUM OF s53,OOQ,OOO
SOUTHERN METHoDIsTs OUTLINE
PLANS FOR HANDLING GREAT
CENTENARY FUND.
Organization viii Collect Larses.
Amount Ever Handled BY Any
Religious Denomination
Anywhere.

Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
has announced its plan for collecting
the $5S, coo, 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 well known
business man. He is president and
manager of the Lebanon Wooden
Mills, president of the Tennessee
State Manufacturers Association, and
during the war 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 Edserton re-
Gently. "Just as the Southern Metho-
aist church has surpassed all records
in securing pledges for benevolent
purposes and has raised the largest
sum ever 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 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 . 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
met composed Of the Presiding Elders,
the Lay leaders, Campaign Directors
and the Chairman OF the Methodist
Minute Men. The Conference Missien-
airy Secretary is an exoftieio 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
leader, 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. t
The persons who made suhscrip-
lions will be divided into lists of
twenty-five and the lists will be
placed In charge OF 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 rsspon-
sible for collecting the full amount OF
its subscription. II any subscriber
dies or meets with misfortune such a.
to render it impossible for him to pay
his pledge, 1t will be the duty Of the
church cabinet to secure another pei.
son to take the place Of the one thus
become delinquent.
II is also proposed that every new
who comes into the church
shall also De asked to make a contri.
button ~ tie Centenary fund.
The Centenary fund of $4,000
will be used for the church in an ex
tension of its missionary work
throughout the world Several million
will be spen; in the devastated re
gions of France, Belgium. Poland and
Russia. Other Millions Will 80 to ths
seven foreign rtelds occupied by the
Brazil. Cuba. Africa
China, Japan ard Korea. osheT mil
lions will be spent In the iadsneesA
sections Of the great casses. ia As
among the iinmigsAsek tAs |
-a<1sas ana the indians. - - -
- aAnnhog N tAA mieu5s1nW -