Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-08-27
EXPECT TO COLLECT
sum OF $53,000,000
SOUTHERN METHoDIsTs OUTLINE
/ PLANS FOR HANDLING GREAT
CENTENARY FUND.
ORGANIZATION Will Collect Largest
I Amount Ever Handled BY Any
Religious Denomination
Anywhere.


Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
has announced its plan for collecting
the S53,OOO,0OOOo which was pledged
for the missionary work Of the church
in the recent eight-day drive. Tho
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-
rpartment of finance for the Centenary
Commission. - '>-1s.''--.is t':f@
Colonel Edgerton is we'll known
business man. He is president and
manager Of the Lebanon Woolen
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
u;,.o, /! :'.'r-7 go. x =
"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 ever given to any church at one
time in the history of the world, SO do
we expect to set new record in the
collection Of these pledges" l."
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 she 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 similar cab
iHes composed of the Presiding Elders,
the Lay leaders, Campaign Directors
and the Chairman Of the Methodist
Minute Men. The Conference Mission
ary Secretary is an ex-officio member
Of all district cabinets The work OF
collecting in the districts will be su.
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 tbs
Individual pledges.
The persons who made subscrip
tions 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 il
:tlaC the local CuufCu VIII NC leSpoH
s,ble for collecting the full amount Of
its subscription. If any subscriber
dies or meets with misfortune such al
to render it impossible for him to pay
lhis pledge, it will be the duty OF ths
church cabinet to secure another pei
son to take the place of the one Shu'
become delinquent.
It 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 S35,00O,OOl
Will be used for the church in an ex
tansion Of its missionary worl
throughout the world. Several millior
win be spent in the devastated re
gions of France, Belgium, Poland ant
Russia. Other millions will go to tht
sevsn foreign fields occupied by tn,
ichurch-Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Africa