By Mrs. E. B. Haseltine
THE
Olney auxiliary of the W. F. M. S. of the M. E. Church was organized in the
early 70's, but owing to lack of interest it was discontinued and the records
were lost. It was re-organized March 9, 1879, with a membership of thirty-five;
Mrs. T. F. Houts being elected president. As far as we can learn from the
records the following ladies have served as president: Mrs. T. F. Houts, Mrs.
Mary Longwood, Mrs. Cordelia Phillips, Mrs. H. Nall, Mrs. E. B. Haseltine, Mrs.
M. N. Powers, Mrs. G. D. Slanker, Mrs. Elma Fahs and Mrs. T. A. Fritchey.
Our auxiliary is increasing in interest and spirituality. We have used the
United Study of Missions since its inception, about seven years ago, and a
number of the "Woman's Friend" are taken each year. We hold regular meetings the
first Tuesday of each month. Thank offering services have been held each year in
March. We also give a Christmas offering to the cause. The mite box offering is
a feature of the September meeting.
Our special work at present is the
support of a Bible Woman in India, and we contribute forty dollars per year to
the day school in Nan Chang, China. The sum total raised by our society last
year was $240. We are awakening to the fact that "God has given us the heathen
for an inheritance."
Through the efforts of some of the ladies of our
society the Standard Bearers, the King's Heralds and Little Light Bearers have
been organized. The King's Heralds are a potential factor in mission work in our
own local church. They hold regular monthly meetings, and nearly every member
takes a copy of the "Children's Friend." They always give liberally to some
special work aside from their regular dues. This year they have sent $15 to the
Industrial Home in Mexico, and have contributed to the support of our beloved
Bertha Creek, who, as we all know, is the Children's Missionary of the
Northwestern Branch. They have a mite box opening at their September meetings.
In fact, they bid fair to outshine their mother society. The Little Light
Bearers have the same relation to our society that the "Cradle Roll" has to the
Sunday School, and they are in line with the other societies.
And now we
reverently bow our heads, and ask the Giver of all good to own and bless our
efforts.
"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish
thou the work of our hands."
"If you and I today
Should stop and
lay
Our life work down, and let our hands fall where they will,
Fall down to lie quite still,
And if some other hand should come, and
stoop to find
The threads we carried, so that it could wind,
Beginning where we stopped; if it should come to keep
Our life work
going, seek
To carry on the good design,
Distinctively made
yours or mine,
What would it find?
By One of the Members.
IN OCTOBER, 1897, a committee
composed of Mrs. Lida Fritchey, Mrs. E. B. Haseltine and Mrs. Elma Fahs,
appointed by the W. F. M. S., met with young ladies of the Church and organized
a Young Ladies' Foreign Missionary Society, with Miss Florence Edmiston as
president. For about a year meetings were held regularly every month, then the
interest decreased until the society gradually died out. In January, 1900, under
the leadership of Mrs. Fritchey, the Y. W. F. M. S. was re-organized and Miss
Stearman elected president. In 1901, the name "Daughters of the Covenant," was
given to the Society. In 1904, the name was again changed to The Standard
Bearers. Missionary leaflets were used as a basis of study for a time, and later
books on Japan and African missions.
Our pastor's wife, Mrs. Robert
Morris, is now supervisor and the newly elected officers are: President, Ethel
Fitch; First Vice-President, Lulu Winans; Recording Secretary, Flossie Christy;
Corresponding Secretary, Ethel Peneton; Treasurer, Lura Bailey.
By Mrs. T. M. Wharf
THE W. H. M.
S. was organized during the spring of 1900, by Mrs. Gegie, of Duluth, Minn., one
of the National Organizers of Home Missions. A few months later the society was
re-organized by Miss Wood, of Sumner, Ill., the Conference Organizer, and it was
called the Woman's Home Missionary Society of Olney, Auxiliary to the Southern
Illinois Conference.
The Society being well established with nineteen
charter members, the following officers were elected: Mrs. J. W. Loy, President;
Mrs. M. C. McGriff, Vice-President; Mrs. T. M. Wharf, Recording Secretary and
Treasurer; Miss Lela Myers, Corresponding Secretary.
Although the
membership was small, and the amount of supply work, dues and money from all
sources did not exceed over $47 for the remaining conference year, yet the Holy
Spirit was with us as the source of our strength when opposition arose (from
pulpit and pew) bringing us out more than conqueror; and, as the years go by
there is a steady increase in membership, finance and supply work.
In
March, 1909, the auxiliary numbered forty-three active members. It has paid out
during the past conference year, (1908) $114.48 for dues, pledge work, supply
work and scholarship. Supplies are being sent to a great many homes, including a
Training School for Deaconesses, and also to our precious sister, Bertha Creek,
of Darjeeling, India. Boxes of supplies are also sent to ministers on frontier
work many of whom are receiving only from $150 to $250 a year, while others are
laboring without promise of any certain salary, simply trusting day by day for
their daily bread.
The amount of cash for local work is quite small, but
a great deal of bedding, provisions and second hand garments have been
distributed. Business meetings are held once a month, and call meetings for work
as often as needed.
We feel very grateful to our Heavenly Father for
leading us thus far safely, and gratefully appreciate any assistance rendered to
advance the work, for it has been largely through the efforts of the good people
of Olney that has made it possible to bring these results to pass.
By Lulu Winans
THE Queen Esther Circle of the Woman's
Home Missionary Society of the M. E. Church of Olney, was organized by Mrs.
Mabel Hillish in 1903. The following officers were elected: President, Lulu
Winans; First Vice-President, Minnie Kramer; Second Vice-President, Margaret
Butler; Corresponding and Recording Secretary, Blanche Everett. The first
regular meeting was held at the home of Mrs. D. P. Moore, April 24th, 1903. Mrs.
Moore was elected Superintendent or Lady Manager, which office she has
faithfully filled to the present time. The dues are sixty cents per year.
Meetings are held once a month for the purpose of studying the conditions and
needs of the Indians, Negroes, Mountaineers, Mormons and Foreigners in our
country. Special work has been done to some extent to aid in educating these
people so that they may live helpful Christian lives. Money has been raised by
dues, mite boxes and sales of different kinds, and help has been given to
several organizations working along these lines.
In 1905 and 1906, the
Queen Esthers organized The Mothers Jewel Band, and these little ones, too, are
nobly helping with the good work. This year we have pledged $15 for the Rebecca
McCleskey Home, and will continue to do what we can, by the help of God, and in
His name to win America for Christ.
By Eudora Ratcliffe
MOTTO: LOOK UP. LIFT UP.
Because of a
growing need among Methodists to care for their young people, societies of
various names were springing up over the country having primarily the same
object, Christian culture. Some one conceived the idea of union, to which end
the secretary of the Young People's Methodist Alliance of St. Joseph, Michigan,
began correspondence with other societies resulting in a representative
gathering at Cleveland, Ohio, May 14, 1889. Dr. B. F. Dimmick, pastor of the
church where the meetings were held, says: "The meetings were exceedingly
interesting. They arose at times to the dramatic in excitement, as the members
became stirred with the gravity of the question under discussion, and as one
after another of the delegations were compelled to surrender some particular and
distinctive feature of their society. It was mental surgery without an
anaesthetic, but it was inevitable, and it was beautiful to observe how the
Christian grace of charity would finally arise superior to selfishness and
personal or party pride."
After two days spent in debate and comparison
of views it was decided to organize an entirely new society. Various names were
wanted, the one chosen, Epworth League, being a slip of the tongue, in speaking
of Epworth Hymnal and Oxford league by one intending to prove Oxford League
would be best.
In no other than a body of Christian workers could be
enacted such a scene as followed the adjournment. "The threatening storm cloud
that had hung over the conference all disappeared and the Sun of Righteousness
had arisen over the assembly with healing in his wings and had spoken peace to
the storm-tossed sea; and during the fina hours of the last session a perfect
calm rested upon the conference."
From the history of the Epworth league
written for the corner stone by Mrs. George Fitch, the following dates are
taken:
"At
the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church held
at Omaha, Nebraska, May 1892, the Epworth league was officially adopted and made
a department of our church. Previous to this there had been a society for young
people in the Olney Methodist Church, which was changed to "Epworth League,"
September 10, 1889, largely through the efforts of the Pastor, Rev. Joseph W.
Van Cleve. His interest in the Epworth League and success in establishing it
upon a firm foundation cannot be appreciated wholly even by those of us closely
associated with him in the work."
The first president was Mrs. Harry
Stauffer, and the chairman of the department of Christian work was Edward B.
Shaw, whose efficient services in the League was only severed when his Heavenly
Father called him home. Among other invaluable workers our own missionary, Miss
Bertha Creek, ranks high. What the regular meetings have been in spiritual
development of the young people is shown by their faithfulness and consecration.
While the League has never been a money-making society many supplies
have been sent to different homes for orphans; teachers have been supported in
India; our own needy helped with clothing and bedding; money paid for nurses to
care for sick; thousands of visits made to the sick; taking flowers and
delicacies to them; the pulpit has been supplied with flowers and funds raised
for church improvements.
The present cabinet is composed of: President,
Mrs. E. B. Shaw; Vice-President, Spiritual Department, Josie Richardson;
Vice-President Department of World's Evangelism, Lulu Winans; Vice-President
Mercy and Help Department, Mrs. George Fitch; Vice-President Literary and Social
Department, Eudora Ratcliffe; Secretary, Mabel Eichen; Treasurer, Harry Fitch.
Tribute
should be paid to one, "Aunt Rhoda" Gaddis, whose young heart
enabled her to work with the Leauge, faithfully in her own way, doing invaluable
service since the organization of the Epworth League. She entered eternal rest
September 13, 1909. Most appropriate services were held on the lawn of her
humble dwelling place, conducted by Rev. Robert Morris and Rev. J. W. Cummins,
of East St. Louis.
The Epworth League constitution says: "The object of
the League is to promote intelligent and loyal piety in the young members and
friends of the Church, to aid them in the attainment of purity of heart, and in
constant growth in grace, and to train them in works of mercy and help.
By Mrs. T. A. Fritchey
ONE of the
most promising organizations of our Church is the Junior league. Realizing the
children of today are the Church of tomorrow, our beloved Methodism is giving
special attention to the training of children. The Sunday School is the nursery
of the Church, is for instruction in a given portion of the Bible week by week.
The Junior League aims to supplement this institution and to do what the school
has not the time to do during the Sunday School session teach Bible history,
Bible geography, books of the Bible, memorizing scripture and hymns, the Creed,
the Catechism, church history, etc. But it also attempts much more. Diligent
efforts are made to lead the children to the Savior of the world; and, if a
Christian child, to develop and enrich his Christian life; and train the boys
and girls into intelligent Christians and intelligent Methodists.
The
Junior league of Olney was organized October 1, 1891, within the pastorate of
Rev. Joseph W. Van Cleve. It was named Simpson Chapter and enrolled at Central
office No. 536. The first records are missing. Mrs. Ashton was the first
superintendent and Miss Florence English the first treasurer. They were true to
their duty, kept the children together and held meetings every Saturday
afternoon.
Early in the pastorate of Rev. C. Nash, Miss Dora Ratcliffe
was appointed to take the place of the former superintendent Because of illness
it being necessary about a year later to make a change, Brother Nash appointed
Mrs. T. A. Fritchey as superintendent; Miss Dora Ratcliffe, assistant; and two
teachers, Miss Lora Sheperd and Miss Bertha Creek, now missionary to India. With
such efficient and faithful helpers the pastor and superintendent saw the League
rapidly growing in numbers and in interest. Meetings were held every Sunday
afternoon. Business meetings once a month.
The time soon came when it
was necessary to have the League divided into dojwirtments and an officer for
each of the six departments. Ere long we divided into classes, had a regular
course of study, and practical Christian work enforced in its numerous phases.
The Master used every agency and method, and officers and teachers were at times
surprised at the growth in grace, and the unfolding of religious life of the
Juniors.
Our Juniors have varied in age; they have come from homes
abounding in plenty and homes destitute and cheerless, but they are real,
tender-hearted, beautiful, religious boys and girls. The children's experiences
told in testimony meetings and their sentence prayers are often novel and
exceedingly helpful, and inspire us to master the blessed art of the true
ministry to children. "Of such is the kingdom."
Our day of graduation is
on the anniversary of the Epworth league, when public services are held and
diplomas awarded to the children who have reached the age of fourteen. Our
classes have never been smaller titan twelve nor larger than nineteen in number.
Today many of our graduates are the most active, aggressive and generous members
of our Church; active in the Epworth League; many are teachers in the Junior
League and Sunday School; one is leader of the evening choir; one the treasurer
of our church; and others filling positions of importance in the Church. Many of
them began tithing when children. The result has been both development in their
own lives and material prosperity of the Church.
The recording angel
must note the Mercy and Help Department, for it has done much, such a large
amount of local work. Boxes of fruit and candy, flowers, books, pictures,
baskets of clothing, fuel, groceries, etc., have found their way into homes of
the sick and needy. The superintendent and teachers have only to suggest. The
Juniors give gladly and enthusiastically, watching for opportunities to do the
things they have been learning.
The Junior League pledge:
"I do
hereby promise, by the help of God, to try always to do right, to pray every
day, to read every day in the Word of God, to abstain from the use of tobacco,
and all intoxicating liquor."
The officers are: Superintendent, Mrs.
Robert Morris; President, Ruth Winans; First Vice-President, Hattie Dewhirst;
Second Vice-President, Ruth Murray; Third Vice-President, Blanche Archibald;
Fourth Vice-President, Leone Pixley; Secretary, Esther Rogers; Treasurer,
Margaret Falconer.
Enrollment, Seventy-six.
The last verse of
our Junior League song expresses the sentiment of the members: "Long may our
league remain, Long may we love its name, Its truths make known.
The
motto that we love, 'Look up, Lift up,' shall prove A prayer our hearts to move
To God's own throne."
By Mrs. J. F. Jolly
THE
M. E. Guild, of which this is to be a brief history, was organized from the old
societies of the Methodist Church, known respectively as follows: First, the Aid
Society, afterwards the Sewing Circle and lastly, the Church Building
Association. Of those bodies the writer wishes to speak before giving an account
of the work of the Guild.
The books date back only as far as 1895, but
the women of the Church had met at intervals long before that date, had sewed,
had given public dinners and worked energetically if spasmodically. By the women
of the Church is meant, first one little gathering and then another, but through
it all one or two were always so faithful they deserve special mention.
Foremost among these was Miss Carrie Ratcliffe; not that she made herself a
leader, but the fact that she was always willing, always patient and always at
her post, caused her to be selected as directress of the Sewing Circle. Hers was
always the self-appointed task of completing unfinished work and the taking of
extra orders for work between meetings. Her loyalty to the work and her never
failing good humor, endeared her to the entire Society which, aside from a few
faithful ones, consisted mostly of a floating membership.
Airs. Nellie
Phillips, Mrs. J. I. Moutrey, Mrs. Knoph and many others did faithful and
unassuming work in the days of that Society. Mrs. A. L. Redman was a capable
leader from the time of her election as president in 1895 to the date of
re-organization, which took place at her home and at her solicitation on
November 23, 1897, being the christening of the new M. E. Ladies Guild, which
was organized and so named on that date. Some outsiders were asked to attend
this meeting, one of whom was elected president. The following is a list of
officers as elected November 23, 1897: Mrs. John F. Jolly, President; Mrs. A. L.
Redman, Vice-President; Mrs. Andrews, Secretary; Mrs. J. L. Zook, Treasurer.
At the first meeting thereafter, Mrs. Andrews resigned the secretaryship,
and Mrs. E. B. Shaw was elected to fill her place. The M. E. Ladies' Guild now
took up the church work in earnest. Finances were discussed and the members were
asked to each earn a dollar and hand in at a given date. The first dollar to
come into the new organization was presented by George Elizabeth Jolly, who at
that time was a little girl eleven years old. She earned it by making
butterscotch and selling it. The Guild denounced the plans of former societies
of buying material, sewing it up and selling it at so little real profit. They
embarked in new waters, took up new plans of making money, one of the first
ventures being the compiling and publishing of a cook book. It was decided for
reasons of policy to call this the Olney Cook Book in preference to the
Methodist as was first suggested. The work on this was driven unceasingly until
the publication in July, 1898. The first lot of five hundred sold so readily a
second edition followed, and finally a third edition. This money coming in
almost constantly was a great help in Guild work.
This organization
tried many new and unique ways of making money, the most successful being an
Emporium, run at great expense on Main Street. However, as the members took
turns at clerking, the sum of $475.00 was realized, above all expenses. Many
other new ideas were tried, some of which were criticized by a few. But many of
the pillars in the Church, including the trustees, were most loyal in their
appreciation of the financial efforts of the Guild.
Also, let us speak
here of the loving helpfulness of Rev. J. W. Cummins during his pastorate. The
knowledge of his approval, of his confidence in their ability, and of his faith
in their motives being for the right, was always uplifting to the workers in the
Guild. He expected great things of them and it was their ambition to come up to
the expectations of the pastor and trustees of the church.
Women and men
are only God's children and like other and smaller children they are more easily
led to their highest achievements by encouragement and sympathy than by harsh
criticism.
To return to the Guild and its work. The first piece of
property bought was the corner of Elm and Fair, for the sum of $1550.00, from
Mr. J. F. Haytt. Mr. Hyatt's price was $1650.00, but he generously donated
$100.00 to the Guild. Afterward the property known as the Boffenmyer place was
purchased for $1000.00. On this was a cottage and barn, the cottage the Guild
moved to the back of the Hyatt place for renting, and donated the Boffenmyer lot
to the Church for a parsonage site, on which the parsonage now stands. Soon
after the old Lutheran Church, standing between the Hyatt corner and Boffenmyer
place, was bought for $850.00, and the debt assumed by the Guild. By hard work
and constant alertness the Guild paid off that amount and all other indebtedness
thus presenting the Church with ground (including the parsonage site) at a cost
of $3,400. In addition to this sum the organization has given $2,000.00, to the
new church building, having paid $1,000.00 of it down, and pledged the other
thousand to be made in payments.
The books show many hundred dollars
paid out as taxes, insurance and repairs on property. All this, while perhaps
overlooked by the Church, all meant a continuous money earning on the part of
the Guild. The building of the new church in reality is the achievement of the
Guild's ambition, but the members are as keenly alive to money making as they
ever were in the past, realizing that after the few payments it will take to pay
off the promises made, other matters are sure to come up in the way of church
furnishings, etc.
The good will to continue earning money is evident at
every meeting, the social nature of which is a strong factor in keeping up the
business relations and rendering them interesting. Our ex-deaconess, Miss Etta
Mae Powell (now Mrs. Schwind, of Vandalia) paid the Guild the highest compliment
possible when she wrote of her pleasure in meeting with its members and added:
"I consider the M. E. Ladies' Guild of Olney the finest organization I have ever
known in any Church." This tribute is doubly dear coming from one of her
position and standing in the Church.
The secret of the social side of
the Guild as well as the financial success is summed up in one word, "Harmony."
Never has there been one unseemly falling out or a bitter feeling expressed at
meetings. The members have pulled together and worked with one purpose and for
one end.
Six times death has entered the fold and the workers paused and
realized that others must step in and help finish the work begun. The following
members have passed away since 1897: Flora Adams Byer, Mrs. G. D. Slanker, Miss
Carrie Ratcliffe, Mrs. Peter Burnes, Mrs. Eleanor Elliott and Mrs. A. J. White.
The present pastor, Rev. Robert Morris, has been and is all that is most
helpful and encouraging to the Guild, filling the place of counselor and friend.
In him is a combination but seldom found in one man, a thoroughly consecrated
Christian character, deeply and earnestly devoted to his work and at the same
time broadly charitable toward all and keenly alive to innocent joy and
amusement, thus endearing himself to all who meet him in church work. Adding to
this his pleasant smile and ever cordial manner and we have the personality of
the ideal pastor.
The latest work of the Guild was the organizing, at
the home of Mrs. H. C. Falconer, of the Auxiliary of the Guild, to be known as
the "Daughters of the Guild." This body is composed of the daughters of the
members of the Guild. They are to be helpers and work in conjunction with the
Guild. September 28, 1909, was the date of the organization and the following
officers were elected: George Jolly McMahon, President; Mary Ellen Page,
Vice-President; Kate Falconer, Secretary; Eugenia Powers, Treasurer.
The
other charter members are Lillie Zook, Cleo Ryan Redman, Kathrina Powers, Helen
Hoggins and Francis Phillips. At present the duties of the Auxiliary will be
light but new work will develop and early training will enable them to meet it.
The Guild considers the new Auxiliary the most important factor in its history.
It was a beautiful thought, to thus bring in the grand daughters of many of the
old time, staunch church members, and to secure, through them, young life and
energy for the great work of the future.
Extracted 21 Apr 2017 by Norma Hass from Historical Sketch of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Olney, Illinois, 1841-1909.
| Jasper | Crawford | |
| Clay |
 |
Lawrence |
| Wayne | Edwards | Wabash |
