USA > Michigan > Jackson County > Jackson > Minutes of the Michigan Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1919 > Part 7
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But the drive was on and could not wait, and some of our pastors hy sheer faith and grit went to it and wrenched victory out of defeat, and proved that the impossible could he donc. Others toiled most valiently and deserve the distinguisbed Service Cross, though they did not reach the goal-deserve it more than some who did reach the goal without working half so hard. This is only justice to the faithful men wbose hearts were hroken because they failed to reach their quota.
In the Centenary Drive, three of our districts passed their quota by nearly $70,000, and on Lansing District every charge went over the top but five.
15.000 Intercessors were secured, ahout 12,00 tithers, and nearly 2,500 signed the life service covenant.
We thank God for the chievement of our church and hecause of it. we can go forward to our share of the world's redemptive task. Our chievement has aroused the people of the whole Christian world to a feeling of their own responsibility. and encouraged them to good works also.
But the Centenary Drive is not over yet. and it ought not to stop until all our people have signed the prayer, and the Stewardship of Life, and time and money covenant. Therefore we should devote ourselves most diligently in continuance of our campaign of education until we have mobilized our entire army. Our people are not all in the game yet.
"Like a mighty army, Moves our church of God." only in the Hymn Book, yet.
And if we should spend our time for the next year on our unmobilized, unprepared mass of members to bring them to a war footing, we would do well.
Half our people, and more too, are inactive, lacking in social ideals and in any proper conception of what discipleship to Jesus Christ really means. They do little and they give little. Not half our people gave to the Centenary. If all had done accordinging to ahility as those who did, we should have gone far beyond our askings.
Not half our people have any true conception of what our church is for, or what membership means. It is "safety first" with a lot of them, and they do not even "watch their step."
If the next twelve months. we should set ourselves to the task of mobilizing the forces we now have and drilling them until we bave four million soldiers trained to fight and armed for battle, and marching out to a world conquest, our time would be well spent, even if we should not add one single recruit during that period. We should then be girded and equipped for the task our Lord sent us forth to do, and which we are doing now but weakly.
Our Statistical tables for church membership shame us every day, for our in- creases are turning to decreases, and so, lastly,
5. OUR EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN.
That was a remarkable meeting in Cleveland last June of the Bishops and
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District Superintendents of our church in this country, and the resolution of the Findings Committee, which most profoundly affected all, and which climaxed every- thing done at that Cleveland meeting, was the resolution suggesting for the coming year a definite simultaneous church-wide program of evangelistic endeavor for the conversion of a million souls-a 25% increase in our church membership before next June.
That was as daring as the call for one hundred million dollars plus, and will test the stuff we are made of with a more acid test.
We shall have to examine ourselves whether we he in the faith, and, more than that, we shall have to travail in pain for the birth of children. If the Methodist church shall win one million souls for Jesus Christ in the next twelve months, the Methodist church must he purified by fire to start with. Judgment must begin at the house of God, and with us who stand between the dead and the living with the issues of life in hand. We who are the watchmen on the walls must inquire anew for our mission and message, and must seek a new anointing-a new endurement of power.
"O that it now from heaven might fall And all our sins consume ! Come Holy Ghost, for Thee we call, Spirit of burning come !"
We are going out for a million souls. and our temptation will he anxiety to number Israel and get names enough to count a million.
But we inust seek to get a million converted souls. It isn't enough that they raise their hand, or sign a card. or leave their name at the postoffice, to get converted. The way of conversion is hy repentance and faith and the New Birth. And let us hope that the new horn will not be still born. Heaven grant us a revival which will cast the dumb spirit out and give the converts an experience to talk about and power of utterance that they may
= tell to sinners round What a dear Savior they have found."
We may not insist on Shibboleths. but we must insist on saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. that we may have a million souls sared, not a million people who have joined the church with a name to live, hut are dead.
We know where our field is and where these million souls are. They are in our homes, in our Sunday School, and round about us with church letters in secret and forgotten places. Here is a field white to the harvest that ought to he easy to gather. for all these helong to our family. and these should we bring into the family circle ; hut how many of our million shall be hrands plucked from the burning, won from Satan's forces. the rich spoil of our battle and the captive of our prayers ?
Our revival must invade the enemy's territory and take prisoners of war. It must change the moral atmosphere of communities and awaken and quicken the public conscience and arouse the church to a sense of responsibility for present day duties. It must ride no hobbies, it must have a proper sense of proportions. and it must take hold of the heart life of men and women and teach them to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present world.
When we get our converts added to the church. we must remember that our task is not yet done. Too much in the past. we have thought it was.
But to get a man saved and added to the church does not present to the Kingdom a finished product. We have thought our work was done when we numbered converts and enrolled them as members. And we have not been so careful as we should have been to establish them in faith and doctrine and instruct them in the way of the Lord. Hence our churches are filled with an indifferent and easy going meni- bership. That is why we found it so hard to get our quota of intercessors. life service stewards, and tithers. That is why so many of our people count in church membership only in the statictical tahles. There are many people in the church,
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we could just as well get along without as with. Many of them are as much a liability as au asset.
If we get a million souls added to our membership, our last state may be worse than the first, unless we bring them in through the conversion door, and then harness them to the church activities, that they may become a real asset to the King- dom.
Hence it must be a million souls won, and a million souls in training camp for army service, and mobilized for battle, and marching out to conquest over sin and Satan, to bring in that day when the Kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. Then we shall face a new century to be made more glorious than the one we have just closed, before whose end shall come this whole world shall be evangelized and our Lord shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied.
J. C. FLOYD, For the District Superintendents.
REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES, BOARDS AND AGENTS.
REPORT OF CONFERENCE AUDITOR.
The Conference Auditor reports that the books of the Conference Treasurer are carefully auditted for last year and found correct, that the vouchers for District Missionery Funds, distributed by the District Superintendents, the account of the Conference Secretary, and the Transportation Secertary's books have been examined and appear correct.
G. B. FLEMING, Conference Auditor.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE M. J. CLARK MEMORIAL HOME.
The Clark Home has been filled to capacity with contented and happy old people the year through.
Superintendent Freeman continues to be a wise manager of the Home affairs, a younger brother to these aged men and women, and a religious counsellor for all the residents. Through his skillful handling of the building enterprise and success in enlisting aid from outside. the fine new Superintendent's residence was completed, adding a property to the equipment of the Home Grounds worth at least $6.500 at an expense to the Board of only $3.000. The unanimous request of this Board is for the reappointment of Bro. Freeman for another year. .
So urgent was the call for more room to provide for the increasing number of applicants, that the Board decided to move the church building. standing unused on the ground, and attach it to the Home in the rear in such a way as not to mar the architectual effect of the property, and out of it make a chapel for worship and nineteen additional rooms for other worthy old people who seek such a haven of refuge and rest, where their comfort and care will be assured. The nineteen rooms will add upwards of 40% to the capacity of the Home. The building has not yet been completed and the expense incurred cannot now be reported.
We have at the present time forty-four people in the Home, and there are eight others whose applications have been accepted by the Board to be admitted just as
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soon as this new addition is completed. Besides this there are seven applications for admission now awaiting Board action.
Death has taken four during the year : Mrs. Poole, Mrs. W. W. Johnson, Mrs. Dubers, Mrs. Hannah Smith, whose last days were made comfortable by this philanthropy.
The report of Mr. L. L. Skillman, treasurer, will show our financial condition.
We need a larger income to make possible a larger work of philanthropy, and we trust our pastors will call the attention of their people to this opportunity for investment in dividend bearing securities which promise blessed returns in the life that now is, and that which is to come.
There is coming to be a very great urgency for an infirmary or a hospital as an added equipment. Permanent breakdown-physical and mental-will be inevitable with some of the residents, and an equipment, other than just a home, will be needed, and is now needed, to care for such. The comfort of other members of the family requires this, as well as the proper care of such unfortunates. We are hoping and praying that some big-hearted man or woman who has an abundance of this world's goods will make such added equipment possible.
The Trustees have given their time faithfully to their duties, and as President, I take pleasure in commending their fidelity to the Conference. They have worked in greatest harmony the year through.
Mr. M. L. Cook, elected a year ago a trustee, found it impossible to serve on the Board, and Prof. Frank A. Bacon of Grand Rapids, son of a member of this Conference now deceased, was elected by the Board to serve in Mr .. Cook's stead, and he is proving himself a valuable member of the Board. We trust the Conference will confirm this election.
Respectfully submitted, J. C. FLOYD, President of the Board.
REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE DEACONESS BOARD.
Report for the year ending June 30, 1919 :
FINANCIAL REPORT.
Value of property.
$14,000 00
Amount of endowment
2,785 55
Total indebtedness on property. 3,000 00
Amount of insurance.
8,500 00
CASH ACCOUNT.
Balance on hand last report.
$82 81
Receipts from all sources.
5,434 39
Received from Conference (included in above)
1,045 03
Total receipts $5.517 20 5,163 9S
Disbursements
Balance on hand June first. $353 22
The following were approved as deaconesses and their licenses renewed : Mrs. Ella C. Hartshorn and the Misses Mildred Avery, Bertha M. Clark, Hattie E. Davis. Jennie L. Gilmore, Herma R. Laskey, Zoa L. Mitchell, Nellie D. Shorter, E. Pearl Swank, and Belle Whitcomb.
The following were continued as probationers : Leah Belle Lyman, Florence Nims, and Katherine Stroven, and Miss Stroven was recommended for license and con- secration within the year.
Miss Edith Collins was granted an honorable discharge to be married and Is now
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Mrs. M. L. Covey, of Grand Rapids. Miss Laura Eimer, who was a probationer, with- drew from the work.
Mrs. Minnle E. Coie, who was ioaned to the Conference for the year for Traveiers' Aid work, wiii return to New Jersey this month.
Miss Bertha M. Clark has resigned as superintendent and has taken a year's leave of absence on account of home obligations.
During the influenza epidemic, four were reguiariy engaged in nursing and four others nursed for longer or shorter periods. Two of our workers were engaged in war work during the entire year, Miss Gilmore as Travelers' Aid, our Methodist representative with the War Camp Community Service people at Battle Creek, and Mrs. Hartshorn as hostess in charge of our Methodist Guest House at Camp Dix, New Jersey.
Three churches have ben supplied with parish workers, Cadillac for the entire year, and St. Paul's, Grand Rapids, and Grand Haven for shorter periods.
Two stations have been regularly supplied with Travelers' Aids, Battle Creek and Union Station, Grand Rapids ; and St. Joseph for summer work.
Four deaconess and an associate worker have been employed in Settiement work, two in Grand Rapids, the others at Kalamazoo, and our nurse deaconess has been reguiarly employed as visiting nurse.
For our work the coming year, we ask the same appropriation as last year, viz., one thousand eight hundred dollars, and because of the high cost of living, we urge the pastors to see that their apportionments are paid in fuil.
G. B. FLEMING, Secretary.
CONFERENCE BOARD OF HOME MISSIONS AND CHURCH EXTENSION.
Reguiar Home Missions Appropriations received and paid to the District Superintendents. .
$6,428 25
Church Extension Donations :
To Elisworth Church.
$200
To St Louis 200
To Moscow 200
To Recreationai Park, Kalamazoo
150
To Cambria
100
Total
$850 00
COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION.
Resolved, That we view with gratification the increased enrollment, faculty and endowment of Albion College, and, appreciating its vitai relationship to Michigan Methodism piedge our heartiest cooperation in the forward movement designed to place her in equal rank with the best of our church schoois .....
M. L. FOX,
W. F. KENDRICK,
E. G. LEWIS,
P. A. CROSS,
W. P. MANNING,
R. W. MERRILL.
COMMITTEE ON THE EPWORTH LEAGUE.
This committee desires to emphasize the vitai importance in the New Day of an adequate and vigorous program for Epworth League activities. The uitimate success of the Centenary will depend more largely upon the consecrated service of trained men and women than upon the great sums of money pledged to the cause. The
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MICHIGAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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Epworth League is the recruiting ground and the training school for service in the Army of the Lord.
For this reason, we recommend most highly the Michigan State Epworth League Institute at Albion, and urge upon our pastors to secure the attendance of a picked number of Leaguers.
We also endorse the Twenty-four-hour Day plan for Epworth League finance, and request all pastors and League officers to familiarize themselves with it and to urge its adoption in the chapters.
Every effort should he made to organize at least one Mission Study class in each chapter. An informed Epworth League is an inspired one, and an inspired League is triumphant.
Especially do we urge that each League chapter will make a determined and persistant effort to Christianize the social life of its community. Here is our great opportunity and our great challenge.
ELMER C. DEWEY, P. RAY NORTON, R. D. WEARNE.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON EVANGELISM.
The report of the statistical secretary, showing a decrease of 2,500 in memher- ship in the Michigan Conference this year, makes us pause and think. We are appalled. We are humbled. We therefore heartily welcome the slogan for this year of A MILLION SOULS FOR CHRIST'S KINGDOM. We think it has come just in time to save the day.
We hereby affirm our faith in the Holy Spirit as our greatest need and God's potent agency in baptising his people with unction and power. We call upon our pastors and people to honor the Holy Spirit and seek his baptism.
We affirm our confidence in all the accredited means of the church. Such as- The Time Legion, Constituency Roll, Personal and Public Appeal, Decision Day in the Sunday School, Win My Chum Week, and every other reasonable means to win folks for Christ.
We recommend the using of the Minute Men, whose messages were so effective in the centenary, in bringing the message of saving grace to needy hearts.
All Together Now, Bishops, District Superintendents. Pastors and People let us look to God and face the task and save the church from this humiliation and push to victory.
ONE MILLION SOULS FOR CHRIST THIS YEAR. A. A. GEIGER.
THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.
Your committee rejoices with you over the achievements of the past year in the great Centenary Campaign.
Resolved, That we carefully follow up these subscriptions "that nothing he lost," and that we all continue the campaign for the stewardship of tithers. until we reach the goal more worthy of the traditions of our great church.
Resolved, That the District Superintendents he authorized to apportion the following amounts to the charges as annual Conference benevolenees :
Clark Memorial Home, 1% of pastor's cash salary. U. of M. Pastor. $1.500.
Aldrich Deaconess Home, $1.800.
We have had an increase for Aldrich Deaconess Home over last year of $208. ret our apportionment of $1,800 was still short $325; sixty-two charges having failed to report anything for that worthy cause.
Resolred, That we include under "Other Collections" the following :
District Emergency Fund.
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Anti-Saloon League. Wesley Hospital. Detroit Children's Home. We suggest that the Treasurer call attention to this in his letter of instructions to the ministers.
(Signed) G. W. MAXWELL, J. C. COOKE, CHAS. E. THIES.
COMMITTEE ON GENERAL REFERENCE AND RESOLUTIONS.
Resolved, That the Michigan Annual Conference expresses its high appreciation of the many courtesies that have been extended by the citizens of Lansing, the pastors of the various churches, the press, the Y. M. C. A .. the business men, the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, that their keen interest. gracious reception and open-hearted hospitality have greatly contributed to the success of the Conference ..
Resolved, That we endorse the general purpose of the proposed League of Nations as being a movement toward the unification of the Democratic peoples of the earth in the "Parliament of Man" which shall as far as possible safeguard the peace of the world through the years to come.
Resolved, That the time has come in the judgment of the Michigan Annual Conference when a conserted effort should he made to bring the support of our ministers in the effective ranks to a minimum of $1,200 per year.
Resolved, That we the members of the Michigan Annual Conference heartily appreciate the strong and vigorous administration of our presiding bishop in the Detroit area. We express the hope that the Committee on Episcopacy will return Bishop Henderson to the Detroit area for another quadenium.
THOMAS G. R. BROWNLOW, FRANKLIN HARWOOD, CLARENCE E. HOAG.
REFORMS.
1. Your Committee on Reforms would suggest that every possible effort be made to induce our people to observe more carfeully our Christian Sunday, and that in this connection, wherever at all possible. a campaign be waged against the Sunday Picture Show and other kindred desecrations of the day.
.
2. We would also urge that the State Legislature he asked to provide for a State censorship of moving picture films : that our various churches and men's classes and other adult Bible classes take this matter up. and hy resolution ask for the enactment of a safe. sane and serviceable law, and the creation of a strong State censorship board.
3. We believe that greater emphasis should be placed upon constructive measures relative to entertainments and amusements for young people. Instead of always saying "don't." that we begin to provide suitable pleasures for the growing generation. To this end. we recommend that in every official board a committee on amusements be appointed who shall lay plans for a more definite and constructive program in this important field.
C. J. Kruse, G. B. FLEMING. P. A. CROSS.
Committec.
FIELD SECRETARY ENDOWMENT FUND.
The task assigned the Field Secretary this year was the administration and conservation of the assets of the Superannuate Fund. No public appeal has been
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made for additional funds, right of way having been given to the Centenary drive. However, in voluntary gifts, promises and wills this year, our assets appear to have been increased about $11,000.
Our Treasurer's books show that the sum of $30,238 has been received into our treasury this year from various sources up to August 31st. At least $1,750 has been received since. The amount of interest received this year for our annual dis- tribution to claimants is the largest in any year of our history. This is largely due to the careful attention and kindly spirit of our efficient Treasurer supported of course by our devoted friends throughout the Conference. Our pastors are our chief support, without whose help we should not prosper and to whom we are grateful.
The one percent on pastors' salary should have brought to us at the close of last year $3,093, but actually amounted to only $1,987. The number of pastors who, according to the record, failed to pay the one percent last year is one hundred ten, representing a withholding from our fund of $1,106. At six per cent intereset this amount would have yielded about $66 more for distribution this year, and would bave brought our check for you up to nearly $6,000. If the one per cent could have been applied for immediate and direct distribution, instead of being funded for its interest, and all paid in, we should have had $9,000 for our worthy and needy veterans this year.
Since last Conference the sum of $16,400 has been loaned out in real estate mort- gages, our policy being to require security of twice the value of the loan. This rule will avoid any losses on loans.
At the beginning of this year two hundred twenty-eight old notes were passed over to the Field Secretary for examination and collection, the aggregate amount being about $17,000. After such attention to them as I have been able to give, my estimate of them is as follows : Of the $16,650 in notes, about $1,168 are considered good, $6,246 doubtful, and $9,236 worthless. Of course, this is in part my estimate, and the results of further effort may change these figures.
Our total permanent assets appear as follows :
Real estate
$30,271 00
Mortgages on real estate.
99,140 00
Bonds and stock. 15,250 00
Live stock and tools on farms.
1.823 00
Interest-bearing notes
27.865 00
Non-interest-bearing notes
38,653 00
Jubilee fund pledges.
568 00
Total $213,570.00
Our estimate of the Jubilee Fund pledges is that at least $400 will not be paid. If we deduct from the above aggregate this estimated deficiency and the sum of the notes considered worthless above mentioned, we show as the dependable assets of our fund $203,934.00. We have two certificates of stock amounting to $750 which have been carried on our books as of value of $500, and which were accepted in payment of a note to our fund, whose value is very doubtful.
Of the $66,518.00 in notes, $51,525 are "payable at death," and these are problematical. Our experience in probate matters this year indicates that probably about one-half of the "death-notes" are productive. But this, too, is an uncertain estimate.
For a detailed financial statement, I refer you to our Treasurer's Report as printed in the Conference Minutes.
During the time of our possession and occupaney of the Mills farm. the net proceeds to us have been $407 while the annuities paid out have aggregated $1,350, showing a net loss to claimant's distribution account of $942. During the period of our ownership of the Godrich farm, the net profits to us have been $2,302, the annuities paid $1,890, showing a net gain to the claimants' distribution account of $412. According to expert estimate. we have on the Mills farm at present about $3,000 worth of salable crops beside live stock worth $1,325, We have on the
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Goodrich farm about $500 in crops and $498 in live stock. After our check of $5,900 is paid over for distribution to Conference claimants this year, we still have $2,815 on hand.
(Signed) LOUIS DELAMARTER, Secretary.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FIELD SECRETARY OF THE SUPPLY PASTOR'S ENDOWMENT FUND FOR THE YEAR 1918-1919.
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