Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1903 — RAISE IMMENSE SUM FOR CHURCH [ARTICLE]

RAISE IMMENSE SUM FOR CHURCH

Methodists Announce That Twentieth Century Fund Is Full. RESULT OF FOUR YEARS’ WORK New York and Pennsylvania Contribute About $3,000,000 Each, the Whole Being Made Up of Offering* From One Cent to Thousands. Springfield, Mass., dispatch: From the pulpit of Trinity Methodist church. Dr. Edmund M. Mills, secretary of the Twentieth Century Methodist Tbank Offering commission, Announced the completion of the $20,000,000 fund which .was begun four years ago. The undertaking, which was characterized by the bishops of the church as the most stupendous in the history of Methodism, was inaugurated in Trinity church in £his city at a meeting of the bishops in November, 1893. Several of the bishops had little expectation that the task would ever be accomplished, although they readily volunteered to assist. Secretary’s Huge Task. Difficulty was experienced in getting a secretary. The first man who was offered the honor was appalled by the magnitude of the undertaking, and did not hesitate to say so. The Rev. Dr. Edmund M. Mills, a presiding elder in the New York central conference, was finally chosen. In four years Dr. Mills has visited every state and conference in the United States, He has made hundreds of appeals and written tens of thousands of letters. Contributions have been received in amounts ranging from one cent to half a million dollars. Poor Maks Response. The raising of the $20,000,000 has meant an average contribution of about $9 by every member of the Methodist Episcopal chureh in the United States. The poorer communities, Dr. Mills said, had responded nobly. The raising of the final millions has meant actual sacrifices on the part of many communicants. There have been many instances of denial that were almost pitiful. Dr. Mills said. The largest contributions were received from New York and Pennsylvania, each state giving approximately $3,000,000. New York was an easy leader until a dispatch to Dr. Mills from Philadelphia announced that the Philadelphia conference wished to add $1,000,000 to the charities fund and $600,000 to the fund for lifting church debts. Honor for Trinity. On account of its connection with the inception of the movement Trinity church was accorded the honor of the notable watch night service at which the completion of the fund was officially announced. Chief in interest among the speakers was Dr. Mills, who gave information concerning the status of the fund. The Rev. J. S. J. McConnell, who is in charge of the twentieth century thanks offering fund at Philadelphia, announced that $1,800,000 had been subscribed by Philadelphia Methodists. The conference was asked to raise $690,000 toward the total fund of $20,000,000.