Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-04-02
ENDOWMENT WORK
|NTERFERED With
BY THE HARD TIMES
But Despite This, Progress Has
Been Made in Conference
Claimants Fund.
AFTER HALF-MlLLl0N FUND

The general financial depression OF inc
year has been reflected in the difiicuity |
with which the work of the commls-
sion has been conducted. But, in spite |
of the depression substantial progress
has been made. The dirge of doubt is
lost in the song of hope. and we look
10 the future with undisturhed conn
dence.
After the last conference, when our
goal was advanced TO S3oo.eou some
Of our lavnen strongly urged another
intensive campaign. Pursuant to their
desire your secretary. at the commission
meeting in June. presented the only
plap ny which he believed such r move
rnent could succeed The plan was not
adopted hut after prolonged discus
sion a substitute plan was outlined,
with request that it be put into opera
tion All summer was given TO this
matter in an earnest Cndeavor 70 get
/, in shane for an intensive action in
the fall But the plan proved unwork-
lbl. and nj the meeting at Dover OctO-
hcr - was abandoned At that time
m, voices of all the district superin-
tcndcnts were against another intcn-
~ive campaign The secretary also ad-
lised against il. and the commission.
hv unanimous vote. abandoned il for
in which 10 directly work for results.
neither Christmas Sunday nor the last
two Sundays before conference are ever
available. Among the churches We're
confined largely to securing the as
sumption by them Of what remained
unmct Of their original minimums. The
pledges were as follows: Claymont,
5000 Cheswold. S399; Chester Bethel.
5000 Ridgely $695: Burrsville. $500:
MarshaIlton. 500: Hockessin, $500
Newport Stanton. $500 Eastlake, VIII
mincton. $1,000; Concord $500; Galena.
s432 cherry Hill $3.50: Crumpton.
s469. cape Charles $50. Fruitland,
$3.50: Church Hin. sS4s: Hebron, s926;
Beckwith Spedden $1,000. IN addition
70 this requests bring the amount up TO
$50 600 Had we been able to have
worked the full year. as heretofore, we
have no doubt the result. even in face
of the financial depression. could have
been more than doubled.
The cash return this year has been
about s. 600 the smallest yet. although
there has been no year during which We
have given more earnest attention to
that phase OF the work. However. the
average cash return, including the
present year has been $50 600 Cash
collected to date including original
holdings. is $4,000.
AT the October meeting above alluded
70. the matter of inducing our people 10
make requests to this fund was dis
cuSsed n length Caleb T. Rurchenal
suggesting the advisa hility OF speciaIiz-
nc in tnat field and volunteering to
lake any change necessary or draw III
tull, without charge. any viii in which
$500 or more was left TO this fund. The
commission was decidedly impressed
plcte the endowment and upon motion
uy Mr. Burchenai directed that special
attention from then on he given to Sc
curing requests. During the FIVE months
from that meeting 10 this conference
the secretary in connection with his
other work. has been assembling data
which shows that there are about $35.-
900 held by Peninsula Methodists
which must soon be left 10 something z
or somebody. No little Of this is held
by persons without immediate heirs.
Every involved principle of the Gospel
dictates the bequeathing of some OF il
a. the aged and retired servants Of the
kingdom.
In studying the field we have been
surprised 10 find the number OF preach
ers and widows who are making pro-
vision for this fund in their wills, Only
a small percentage have anything 10
will. but those who have are not for
getting the CRY of their brothers in dis
tress. From time To time we have re-
ported bequests from both preachers
and widows. \ few weeks ago one OF
our prominent pastors told me he had
set apart something for the fund in his
will: and a few days ago. while IL con
versation with DR.. Robert Watt We
learned that he has included the cause
among the benefciaries OF his resid-
uary estate DR.. Vaughan s. Collins
has contributed in Liberty bonds $500
which he desires shall be designated tC
the Vaughan S. Collins fund" it being
his intention TO add TO the amount from
time 10 time until il reaches at least
81 600 He wishes it understood how
ever. that while this is his purpose, he
makes no pledge beyond the $500 al
ready paid.
We have found also widows of our
preachers. living in comparative OBJ
security and economizing to the last
penny in order TO subsist on the meagrc
income from So 900 or So 900 and what
they were allowed by the conference
who were nevertheless ready upon
suggestion. and even without sugges-
tion. TO will part or all Of what they
had TO their husbands brothers III tht
ministry and 10 other widows like
themselves. IneN VINO give tnelT l1Nes
to Cod and then a death what o.
earthly goods they may have become
possessed. are giving their little all,
and IL will appear presently built int
the foundation Of the eternal King
dom There IS something so noble
about this-something so full OF
abandonment TO the cause for which
both preachers and their wives hav,
Iived-that the church should be moved
by IL.
And the church is moved by il
There is more intelligent sympathy
for this cause among the laity thar
ever before. and they are beginning L
catch the vision Of devoting al deatt
a part Of their possessions to it, The,
are beginning to see that il is absO
lutely fundamental to all spiritua
achievement, and that, in placing thei
money here. they are, in the highes
and truest sense. giving TO mission
and all other enterprises of the churcl
for how can they hear without
preacher" No proper expenditur
upon a foundation is wasted. Will
failure TO put in the foundation wha
ought TO 20 there often results in dis
aster.
The commission which puts fort
this call TO the people are themselve