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

| he that these local necuS cannot DC pro-
vided for, il the hand of help has to be ex-
| tended 10 the city missionary work, may
we not at least ask for your sympathy
and pravers2 This is not said because We
| do no. appreciate the generous and SYM
pathetic assistance rendered in the past by,
| our people of the territory outside the city
| but to show them that we recognize the
| fact that the city IS not the only place
where problems exist, but 1T is universally
conceded that the problem of the city is
! the problem of the nation.
! IL will gladden. all hearts to hear that
/ our city missionary work has had the best
| year in its history, and IN reality the work
| is Just beginning
! | had hoped ere to have been permitted
! TO make an announcement concerning our
program of activities that would prompt a
| note of gratitude and thanksgiving, but
| because of unforeseen circumstances this
/ announcement is delayed for a bricf sea-
! SON But the day is not far distant when
/ through the liberality Of public spirited
citizens, We will be enabled 10 project a
| movement which will ensure for all time
/ the realizations Of our plans concerning
! ''the stranger within our gates
! A beginning has been made toward this
, by securing the first unit of the final plant
! in the form of two buildings adjacent to
/ AsbuKy Church Much of the credit of this
/ beginning belongs TO brother George
/ White Dawson the pastor of 'Old As
/ bury Brother John II Beauchamp, and
! the writer co-operated in the good work,
/ and the property IS decided JOINTLY to
/ Asbury and the CITY Missionary Society.
/ The completed plant Will add To the value
of our property a quarter OF n million
dollars.
/ Further details relative TO our city mis-
sionary work are left To the report Of
| Brother John II. Beauchamp, our cf-
| ficient secretary Much Of his time and
| energy this wear have been gwen TO the
actual work of supervising and developing
| the work in the city. Our rapidly ex-
| panding work makes such supervision
! necessary for not only the city, but Its
suburbs require competent supervision.
| We have beautiful chapel at Bellefonte
today largely through the cooperation al
| our City Missionary Society.
Adverse conditions There may have
been wears more cxaeting than the year
! now closing. but none seem to remember
! when it was. The rigors of an Alaskan
| like winter proved serious handicap IN
! the rural regions, and even IN the towns
and cities the going was lar from easy
Yet no man among us Is pleading weather
conditions as an alibi They welcomed
hardship land endured hardness as good
soldiers of Jesus Christ.
The most trying experience TO the
average pastor has been the methods OF
certain high tensioned secretaries and
their food of literature deluging the pas
tors sail Occasionally, too, there were
intimations OF pressure with their at
tendant irritations Now the average
Methodist minister does not need to be
driven. nor will he receive efforts IN that
direction kindly. More than once was 1T
my privilege 10 commend to certain who
have charge over us, the sanely human and
brotherly policy OF our resident bishop,
In all of his official communications, and
they were comparatively few, certainly as
compared with the multitude OF communi-
cations from other sources, he emphasized
the necessity Of avoiding anything that
looked like pressure To such leadership
there is always a ready and enthusiastic
response.
am inclined 10 think that the keeper
Of the records will look with a smile OF ap-
proval when he secs the hard won VIC
tories Of this strenuous year. Who think
that the days Of heroisrn arc past thinks
neither wisely nor well Without the elc-
ment heroic the wear would have spelled
disaster with II the year $ achievements
gladden. all hearts.
Instance Of brotherly love-One Of the
most beautiful and touching instances Of
brotherly love ever witnessed was furnish
ed in the response Of the district TO the
appeal made on behalf OF Brother John
b. c. HopkinS. when, without pressure OF
anv sort. the churches gave to thus broken
and afflicted minister over 81, 200. IL
all who assisted In making lighter the
burdens of this good minister OF Jesus
Christ" and his helpless family, could
have read the letters which came from has
grateful heart, their Joy would be com
plete. Scores Of laymen said to their
ministers, You need never be AFRAID to
bring an appeal ike this TO our notice, We
viii consider il q JOY TO help" Nearly
every charge responded, and the contrlhu-
tions ranged from S. to 500, Brandywine
and Grace heading the list with 800 each.
Surely He who said "Inasmuch as ye have
done it unto one of these the least of My
brethren, We have done il unto Me, will
reward all who extended to brother In
need the hand Of help.
The Gentenary--A brief statement OF
this movement in its relation TO our dis
trict quota is necessary in order to avoid
the confusion resulting from the campaign
for funds The last qIiota, being the third,
which came to us after more than two
thirds Of the charges had completed their
canvass. added $4,000 to district quota.
The conditions upon which the last
quota was accepted were as follows
4 Centenary credit was TO be allowed all
churches which were in the original sur
vey, for the funds they raised for COM
munity houses, new churches or re-
modelled churches or parsonageS. This
condition was accepted by the area secre-
tary, and presumably approved by the
Joint Centenary Commission. 1t appears
now that this is in dispute. We must ln-
sist, however, on the fuihllment Of the
conditions named, in justice to both the
conference and the district.
When the time comes unless the agree
ment referred to is kept and whether it
is kept or not ! shall ask for the addition
OF footnote embodying the facts as
stated. To this our present area secretary
Dr. John r. Edwards, assents.
Mt Pleasant charge has the largest
number of tithers according TO its mem
bershIp; 40 per cent o its membership Is
tithng Nc wonder then that within SIX
months Of the close of the Centenary cam
paign this charge had sent three fotrths OF
its Centenary quota, and will pay its FIRST
year in full three nonths'in advance. St.
Paul 5 comes next with the largest number
of tithers IN the district, total of 200.
This will largely account for the TACT that
a budget of less than s., 900 four years ago
has grown to budget Of SIC, 900 for the
coming wear Next to st. Paul's in the
number of tithers is Grace Church, whose
r