Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-03
CENTENARY MOVEMENT
IS THEME OF SERMON
Rev. Fred r. Chenaull Takes
as Subject, "Shall We
Garry On?"
HE JUsrIFIEs EXPENDITURES
Declares Spiritual Lifo of People Has
Becn Quickencd as Mover before.
Church Enterprises Fostered In
Manner Hitherto Unknown.

Methodist Church. Rev. Fred II. Che
nault spoke on tho subject: Shall
We Carry on7" His sermon was with
special reference to the centenary
collections. lie spoke. in part, as
follows:
When church becomes self-sat-
isned. 1t suffers stagnstIon. God Is
Il creative, not a static God. The
great centenary movement was tho
greatest forward step the Methodist
Church or any other church has ever
taken. 1t meant more than the rails
ing OF S60,000,000. IL has greatly
awakened the church. both at home
and in foreign nelds. and given to
our people a new impetus and a new
inspiration. 1t meant tho projecting
Of new and greater plans on an un-
paraileled scale in tho work OF mis-
sions. Five years intensive and ea-
pansive work has been planned on
the assumption that the million who
made their pledges would live up to
them. The subscribers to the CEN
tenary are now 100000 I'm arrears.
and the church, in order not 10 with
draw it's missionaries. not TO abandon
lis program: In order not TO retreat
from the field, and thus greatly him
der the, work. but even many OF our
workers would be forced into actual
privation.
The centenary expenditures have
been amply justified In the light OF
what has been achieved. In this
homeland. the spiritual life Of our
people has been quickencd as never
before: new church enterprises have
been fostered In manner hitherto
unknown, and In 1921 VIC received
into our church the largest number
IN one year ever received. Last year
We received. on profession OF faith
1873. II Is stated on authority.
this liz not only our largest net gain,
but by far the largest net gain OF
any Methodist Church. Our pcople
have learned the value OF the stew
ardship OF money as never before:
many families have re-establishcd or
established for the first time the fam.
lily altar: the 1.-THE has been adopted
as the minimum standard OF giving
by thousands. Much work has been
done among the Mexicans in Texas:
among the students in our variou,
universities. both West and East: in
dustrial centers have been opened:
some Institutional plants have been
assisted and directed: partial sup
port has been given to our work in
the West and Northwest; 5000 pas
tors on hard charges have had their
salaries supplemented. and number
less small charges have been as
sisted. Ten per cent OF the amount
PAID ny each conference has been re :
turned TO that conference to be an
pronrlated by the conference board of
missions In their own territory. This
mas been used to help in the build
ing or churches where needed, the
suppiementlnE OF salaries, the pro-
Jectins or larger evangelistic ef,
/ Iorts within the bounds OF the con-
ference, and the conducting OF
schools OF instruction for city and
rural pastors
our work In Mexico has been out
standing for it's progress since tn.
centenary. In the Monterey district.
where. at the beginning OF the CEN
tenary, there were only three mis-
sionaries and three native pastors.
there arc now hfteen missionaries
ana seventeen native pastors. Al
the beginning of the centenary. we
had no student volunteers in Mexico.
t.Now we have In our schools seven.v
hve young men and women who hav.
volunteered for life service. In
THIS same district. instead OF two
schoois-I.aurens and Palmore-w.
/ nave four schools and two social zen.
ters. our school enrolment in Me,
ico has grown from, $50 to 1854 ana
the number OF teachers from twenty
ronr to eiEhty-two. Our hospital at
monterey, after being closed for six
ears mas been reopened and fur
nishen' ana last year 2.S76 patients
were treated and 1S3 operations per-
formed. This is only a rlimpse NJ
many other outstanding features Of
'he centenary work in Mexico.
hrazii' no less than Mexico. has
ret the magic touch OF the centenary
movement. Bishop Moore tells M
that Brazil needs new intellectual
equipment and leadership. Seventy
nVe per cent OF the population are H.
iiterate. She. likewise. needs a new
moral sense. for her morals are at
sne lowest eob. She needs a religious
force that Will give her the incentiv.
not only for the development OF in,
dividual character. but the realization
OIL her wonderful resources. Our
work In Cuba has not only been slim.
uiated ny the centenary. but her mis-.
sionary STAFF has been increased. and
ner church and educational work has
been greatly enlarged. The building
OF churches. the establishment Of
evangelfstic centers. the enlarre-
ment and equipping OF our schools In
~ N"NS 6'NeH our ChuTCh new
hold upon that land. In Japan We
have sent seventeen missionaries. we
have bought q score OF buildings or
more and sites for churches and mar
sonaEes. We have built a large All
ditorium for our great school there.
with an enrolment OF 100 Young
men. We have built two college halls
for our largest girl school. we have
bought land at the great Japanese
resort for the purpose OF establish
ing great evangelistic center. In
China. two or three things have been
accomplished. We have built churches
throughout China. not only In her
large cities. but in her villages and
country places. We have one of the
greatest school systems In China that
we have anywhere in the world, and
our centenary funds are doing much
to meet the needs of our institutions
there. The centenary funds have so
increased our stan and our equipment
In China as to give to the Chinese
church a new self-respect and inter-
est. China Is looking, to the church
today to give her that great need
which the Christian nations have de-
MED her. We cannot prove recreant
TO that trust.
Africa is one OF our youngest mis-
sions, and yet the work Of our mis-
ofo vi L., -