The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1919-01-09
The Methodist Centenary.

A Sub-District meeting Of the Metho-
d st Missionary Centenary was held IN
the Belfast Methodist church afternoon
and evening, Jan. End. The Centenary
celebrates one hundred years of active
participation of the Methodist church in
missionary activities IN foreign fields.
The object of the Centenary is to arouse
the church to the uneXamped opportun
ity for larger achievements in the mis-
sionary field, where never before doors
are opening to missionary workers.
The appeal of the Centenary is four
fold: To awaken the church to more
definite knowledge Of the missionary
work as a whole; to deepen the spiritual
life of the church as an organization; to
bring to the front men and women who
will devote their lives to some definite
form of religious life work; such as min
i3ter; missionary; Y. Nj. C. A. teacher,
ocial betterment worker; to enlist the
generosity of Methodism for the obtain
ing of $50, 600 600 for gifts to be paid
down or over period Of years Money
to be employed in furtheTing the work of
the Home Missionary Society and of the
Foreign Missionary Society.
To gain these desired ends the country
has been divided into certain areas each
under the direction and oversight of a
Bishop. These areas are again sub-di-
vided into smaller sections under the
direction of District Superintendent and
other assisting workers and the last di-
vision is one by which certain key-men,
pastors in central churches, have direc-
ton over groups of churches contiguous
to them. Belfast is such a key town
mont, Unity, Castine, Brooksvlle ard
Camden
AT this sub-district meeting in the local
church, representatives of the various
churches were invited to be present to
hear the details of organization and cam
paign for the Centenary discussed by a
team of preachers appointed by Boston
Area Headquarters.
In the afternoon at 80 Rev MI At
wood of the Searsport Methodist church
addressed the gathering on the General
Survey; employing maps to make plain
the situation in Mexico, South America,
India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Alaska,
Africa, and elsewhere, as touching the
needs and opportunities of Methodist
Missions in those countries. 1t was a
very interesting address.
In the evening at 7.30, the pastor Rev.
Charles W. Martin, as member of the
group team, discussed the subject of
Stewardship" in general and more par
ticularly as related to the great Centenary
movement. Emphasis was laid on the
fact that stewardship embraced more
than money; indeed ones life as touching
ones life work. ones family as touching
ones responsibility for them, their edu-
cation and training; and also upon a re-
newaI of stress recently being laid upon
the old institution of '"Tithing." The
Centenary program calls for 1000, 600
tithers in Methodism.
Following, Rev Arthur E. Hoyt, paste
of the Methodist Church at Thomaston.
where similar group meeting was held
the evening of Dec. 3lst, addressed the
company on the subject of "Organiza-
tion," treating on the details of the or
ganizaton of local churches to the end
that the churches represented at the
gathering might organize more intell-
gently and effectively and carry out the
Centenary program. He worked his sub
ject out with the blackboard and dia-
grams most entertainingly and proftably
to all concerned.
The Rev. T. Harold Grimshaw, who
was to have been present and spoken on
''The Spiritual Interpretation of the Cen
tenary," was detained at New Harbor by
the funeral of parishioneT.
The Rev. John Carson, pastor of the
Brooksville church, and Rev. A. E. Hoyt
were guests of Rev. and Mrs. Charles w.
Martin at the parsonage while in the city
Thursday and Friday.