The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-11-30
Ne1Us of the Churches. and Religious
Methodists To>CeLebrate
 "HorUest Day" "Decen1ber15
nr cARoLYN D. ELLIOTT

letter that follows from the home sec retary. Woman's Missionary Council of the Southern Methodist Church:
 INCREASE IN COLLECTIONS
 Dear Mrs. Elliott: Another quarter has passed, and l am again acquainting you with the financial results of conse- crated service. The total collections from the conferences for the third quarter are S22 2+0.s7 ahead of those for the third quarter of fast year, and the increase for the three quarters is $92,t34.52 l know these splendid results rejoice your heart. There seems to be nothing to prevent our passing s10o,Oo0 increase for the year.
 ''I am sure you will spare no effort to bring your conference up in full during the fourth quarter. The week of prayer and harvest day should make the finan cfal report of the fourth quarter large. How much there is 70 give praise for this year, The war ended; no influenza epidemic; wonderful harvest, and the success of our great centenary move ment. Surely. harvest day will be aa occasion of great rejoicing and large gifts" And just after the signature or Bessie W. Lipseomb" comes the inevi- table woman's postscript which you will rejoice, she added, because it brings the news: North Alabama conference
  of this time last year. Ffnei Keep it up"
 Now isn't this a reasonable faith" that North Alabama. after attaining place among. the first conferences in Southern Methodist for the first three quarters. will Ego over the top' be- fore the end of the fourth quarter?
 Harvest day is the home run in big world series, and the reults of fhie 6av will or1xr heln fo meet the needs of your own auxiliary. your church and city but will extend over the American continent and into the orient. From Ensley community house to Seoul Korea: from the mountain schools of the south to the hospitals Of China; from the negro at your own door to the heart or Africa; the ag gregate result of the years work of thewomen of Southern Methodism will enable them to develop more largely the educational. benevolent and evan gelfcal work they have undertaken as their share in a world programme.
 BIRMINGHAM IN LEAD
 As the Birmingham district leads in a large share of North Alabama's part, in anticipation of the splendid re- sponse from the auxiliaries of the dis trict, the beloved secretary. Mrs. R. P. Hollin gshed. said to me: "Certainly the years work will be closed in the Birmingham district in manner grat- flying to the members of our auxil- iaries, for never before in the history of our missionary activity has the dis trict upheld such high standards. Of the z2 auxiiaries. not one is behind in development of spiritual life, the study of the Bible and missions. local work, community service. home and foreign claims and finances. Giving has been a privilege rather tha n drudgery, and joy in service has been the reward
 '"The reports just mailed out for the tAird quarter have revealed to the sec retary.s continued Mrs. Hoi1ingshed what can be accomplished by women in systematic business like way. when missionary work is put on the day book and counted in our living expenses. Highlands auxiliary, for ex- ample. has already submitted a full re- port for the year and, not content until the entire district can make the same joyful statement, they have sent representatives out to encourage the smaller 'auxiliaries.
 'Now if the next two meetings of the auxiliaries show the results that the past leads us to expect" Mrs. Hol- lingshed assured. "our Harvest day at Eleventh Avenue will show the best years work that Birmingham district has ever accomplished, with all funds in hand, books closed, and religious activity well organized But this will mean" the secretary emphasized a lit- tie wistfully. "that every auxiliary in the district will close a full record of full years work yb December IS, and be ready to turn to a clean white sheet for the new year"
 Surely, with Birmingham offering such encouragement. the 12 other dis tricts of North Alabama will join in. "bringing all the tithes into the store house. of devotion and thought and service, for a thanksgiving worthy the spirit of Harvest day.