The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-08-26
SOUTHERN METHooISTS OUTLINE
PLANS FOR HANDLING GREAT
CENTENARY FUND.
Organization VIII Collect Largest
Amount Ever Handled BY Any
Religious Denomination
Anywhere.

the $4,000, 100000 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, OIL
Tennessee, the general centenary
treasurer and the director Of the de-
partment of finance for the Centenary
Commission ..,,l-rs, .
Colonel Edgerton is a well 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 member of
the executive committee Of the war in
dustry board appointed by President
Wilson
Our slogan is no sh-inkage, bat 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, 80 do
we expect to set a new record in the
collection Of these pledges"
An Extensive Organization.
The organization through which
those 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 4 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 viii direct the werk of collecting
all the pledges in each annual confer.
snce.
In each Of tho four hundred districts
Of the church there IL q similar cab
met composed OF tho Presiding Elders,
the Lay leaders. Campaign Directors
and tho Chairman Of tho Methodist
Minute Mon. The Conference MisEon-
ar1 Secretary Is an e1-officio member
of al district cabinets The work Of
collecting In tho districts will bs ~
psrvi,ed by this district cabinet.
- Twenty Thousand Churches.
In each Of tho 10000 local churches
thers will be local cabinets composed
Of the pastor, the centenary treas
urer, the campaign director, the lay
leader, the chairman of the minute
men, tho Sunday school superintendent
and tho president Of the Woman's Mis-
sionary Society. This cabinet will do
all tho actual work Of collecting tho
individual pledges.
The persons who made Subscrip-
lions will be divided into lists OF
twenty-five and the lists will be
placed in charge Of . certain member
Of tho church cabinet who will collect
all pledges as they come due.
One feature Of the standard plan ID
that the local church will be respon'
sible for collecting the full amount OF
its subscription. II any subscriber
dies or meets with misfortune such as
t. render it 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
It IL also proposed that every new
member who comes into the church
shall also be asked to make contrf
button to the Centenary fund.
The Centenary fund OF $SS,OOo,oo'
will bs used for the church in an e1
tension Of it's missionary wori
throughout tho world Several milliol
will be spent in the devastated re
.ions Of France, Belgium, Poland ant
Russia. Other millions will go to TIT
seven foreign fields occupied by tn
church-Mexico. Brazil, Cuba. Africa
China, Japan and Korea. Other mi
lions will be spent III the industria
-.I;.,, of tho praat cities in tn