Methodists Raising Money For Missions, May 20, 1919

From The Daily Times, Wilson, N.C., Tuesday, May 20, 1919. In 2018 dollars, the Methodist Church is raising $508,019,605.

First Day Is Big One. . . North Carolina Methodists Raised Sunday $750,000 of the $1,608,455 Quota for This State

The big drive of the Methodist Centenary began Sunday at 12 o’clock noon. The program included services Sunday morning and on Sunday evening in either Methodist church in America, a thing which has never happened before in the history of the church. With several previous months of intensive organization and cultivation, the Centenary spirit and enthusiasm of the Church was running high all over Methodists. It was a glorious Sabbath day, and with 1,400,000 laymen and laywomen canvassers out in the field, covering every inch of territory in the United States and Canada together with the intensive labors and enthusiasm of the clergy, Methodism received an impetus and a spiritual awakening that will make them a dynamic force spiritually and financially, and enable her to render a world service, the meaning of which cannot now be estimated. She wrote yesterday a long and wonderful chapter in her history.

From telegraphic and telephone communications received last night by the Conference Campaign Director, practically all of the churches that got in their reports went over the top, many of them with from 25 per cent to 100 per cent oversubscription. A large number of telephone and telegraph offices in the state are closed on Sunday, it was impossible for many of these churches to get their reports through. Arrangements were made with the telegraph offices in Durham to keep open yesterday so that all reports than came in could be delivered. Centenary headquarters remained open during the day and until midnight Sunday night in order that local and district directors might file their reports.

Up to last night no report had been received from headquarters at Nashville giving the return for the whole of Southern Methodism, but the following is the report for the North Carolina Conference for Sunday afternoon’s canvass:

Durham District, $196,719.69, her quota being $191,047.

Elizabeth City, $46,163; quota $160,641.

Fayetteville, $50,000; quota $146,482.

New Bern, $92,259.25; quota, $146,482.

Raleigh, $121,036; quota, $186,915.

Rockingham, $16,656.50; quota, $203,655.

Warrenton, $66,860; quota, $186,345.

Washington, $95,658.25; quota, $172,935.

Wilmington, $61,516.26; quota, $158,475.

The canvass will continue through this week and will conclude with the final reports in all churches next Sunday night, May 25^th.

This is where the Centenary money will go:

America, $8,780,000.

China, $2,539,272.

Korea, $1,617,173.

Africa, $380,000.

Cuba, $481,987.

Brazil, $2,639,279.

Mexico, $1,369,548.

Japan, $1,842,741.

War work, caring for orphans and re-establishment of war shattered people in their homes, $5,350,000.

Amount to be distributed to the various Missionary Boards of the Church for carrying on the normal and regular activities of the Church in her established Missionary fields, $10,000,000.

Total, $35,000,000.