Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-03-24


the last dollar Of indebtedness resting OF
that beautiful church building by tn,
bay-side. The Ladies Aid Society here
have lately purchased q prominent build
ing lot adjoining the church, evidentl,
to he used for parsonage purposes in tn,
near future.
At Ceciton the year has been crowded
with new and taking Innovation. The
officials of the two churches there las,
year unanimously resolved to "launcf
out into the deep" and undertake larger
things for the kingdom of God and their
immediate communities. Increasingly
large congregations greet the pastor
Organized Bible classes for men swell the
Sunday school attendance. An old church
building at Eareville hes been converted
into neat community hall, and another,
larger and better adapted to the COM
munity needs, is being planned, and is
prospective at Cecilton. 50, 800, in re-
liable subscriptions have already been
secured for the latter. The pastor reports
so conversions and ~ accessions. Salary
was advanced from 5000 to 81, 500 with
more to follow. Ceciltons rural project
seems to be fully assured, is fast assuming
shape, and is reasonably certain Tn be
heard from before another Conference
| year will have passed.
Other improvements either TO church
or parsonage the expense incurred and
includes, Bayside, 5000; Boxman, 1856;
Cecilton, $2O2; Centreville, Chestertown,
81, l25; Cheswold, S67; Clayton, H20;
Concord, slOS; Cordova, 800; Crumpton,
5000; Denton, S92: Fairbanks, 500;
| Fairlee, Sl22; Greensboro, $3.50; Hills
boro, $37 ;Marydel, $3.50; Millington, 1892;
Odessa, S3S; Oxford, S475; Preston, 81 600
Queenstown, SIPS; Ridgely, s2i2;; Rock
Hall, $3.50; Royal Oak, 800; st. Michcals,
$500; Salem, $26; Smyrna, $500; Smyrna
| CT, $3.50; Sudersville 81 ,110; 1ilghman,
| 1884; Trappe, S37; Worton, $40; total
$24, AIS Old indebtedness is reported
paid as follows: Clayton, 500; Easton,
5000; 1illsboro, S30 Oxford, $500; Rock
Hall, SI75; st. Micheals, 500; Smyrna,
$50; Still Pond, sl,550,s Cecilton, s275.
Total. S3,2l0
BY the death of Mrs. Mary j.. Price,
highly respected member of our church
at Crumpton, the trustees there have re-
ceived bequcst amounting TO $4,000,
which is to be invested and l-6 of the in
tercst applied on pastoral support, the
other SO to the up-keep of Crumpton
Church. The viii also contained special
mention of the Methodist Hospital in
Philadelphia, and n further sum approx
mating that received by the church viii
be available for that institution.
CeclltOn, Chestcrtown. Cheswold and
Royal Oak have adopted more salts
factory and effective me thods for financing
those churches, and now they too, along
with 23 others already mentioned as on
the roll of honor, are delighted TO pay as
they go. The question of better pastoral
support has been kept before our people
and that with some favorable response
More than so PER cent of the charges have
increased estimates Of support this year
as follows; Salem, s25; Wye Mills, $50
Royal Oak, SIS; Huntsville, Crlmpton,
Hillsboro, Oxford, Pomona, st. Michels,
Trappc, 500 each; Church Hill Kent
Island, Ridgely, 500 each; Queenstown,
S220; Easton, Galcna, Smyrna, Still Pond,
Sudlersville, $500 each; Fairlee $3.50;
Chcstertown and Greensboro, $500 each
Cecilton, 5000 Total S4,57O
Last year, previous 10 the issuing Of the
official minutes, the average support for
the district was thought 10 be $3.50: but
the published figures showed i. to be $3.50
This year quarterly conference estimates
indicate that the average will be s ,0SS
These figures represent actual cash sup
port and are wholly independent of either
home or domestic mission assistance.
AZ least l-3 OF the charges have expressed |
their willingness to make further advance |
IN pastora support during the coming |
year. The action Of last Conference /
making provision for a Ministerial Con-
tingent Relief Fund, was timely and |
much needed step Attention of the pas
tors was directed 10 the special recommen-
dation that the desired free-will offering
be taken on the second Sunday in MAY
each year, 70 which notice som gave heed
he Il
TO the authorized trustee, brother T. +.
Terry. The following churches responded
TO this interest, Bayside, Bozrnan, CecIltun
Church Hill, Clayton, Concord, Crumpton
Denton, EAston. Fairlee Galena, Greers-
boro. Millington, Middletown, Odessa,
Preston, Ridgely. Rock Hall, Royal Oak,
Smyrna, Smyrna Ct. Sudlersy1lle, 1Ilgb-
man, Townsend, Irappe.
The grand total of funds reported TO
the writer as raised this year on the dis
trict, for Ministerial Support, 350.05I;
Contingent Relief, s349: Centenary, x33,-
656: other benevolenccs, SO 500: improve
mcnts, s24, ,67S old Indebtedness, S3,210;
s1l7.s55.
With US the status OF the Sunday school
Is, to say the least quite unsatisfactory,
in fact the situation borders on the serious
Considerable Of the general loss reported
one year ago, for some reason, was again
traceable TO this district. causing the
writer TO wonder all the more what the
secret Of our steady decline might be.
In 1917 We reported 90 schools and / 1913
total membership. In 1918, s. schools
and a membership of 1866, loss Of
schools and 1,l77 members. In 1919
our report increases the embarrassment
bv showing of but So schools and mem
bership of 9,754, a further less Of 5 schools
and S62 in total enrolment A careful
of our 1919 statistics with
those of 1918 discloses the fact that Easton
District lost out in every item of Sunday
school activity except in that of expense,
where the increase was S703. Ten of
the charge made some growth ln this work
n wear ago. One has made no change
either for better or worse during quite
period of years while the remaining 81
Of the districts list figure quite CONSPICUOUS
ly in the loss column as indicated above.
No department of our church activities
today calls for more prayerful considera-
ton, larger conservation, better planning
and more earnest and practical effort,
TO stem this outgoing tide of membership
than does that Of the Sunday school We
hay urged the elimination of all mere
guessing at, or approximatlng OF figures,
and the rendering of absolutely accurate
data this year, with the hope, should here
IN lie an yexplanation of our district losses
that no element of carelessness in making
reports shall further initiate against the
districts credit Brother McCann, our
tireless Conference Sunday school secre-
tary, has made faithful and persistent
effort to bring the fact to the notice of our