THE MISSIONARY MONTHLY - Huntington University

2 THE MISSIONARY MONTHLY
REPORT OF OUR AFRICAN MISSION CONFERENCE
By Superintendent G. D. Fleming
The West A frican Annual Conference of the United
Brethren Church met in session at Bonthe, Sherbro, on
the first day o f January, 1924, at 8:45 A. M. Devotion
was led by Rev. Lloyd Eby, the scripture lesson being the
13th chapter of 1st. Corinthians.
At 9:00 o’clock conference was called to order and Rev.
G. D. Fleming was chosen chairman, and the following
members were recorded as present: Mr. and Mrs. G. D.
Fleming, Mr. and Mrs. L. Eby, Miss Mabel Shultz, Miss
Ellen Rush, J. T. Harvey, T. Beckley, L. J. Davies, D.
T. Seeley, A. Brooks, S. W. Mosier, A. S. Yarn, A. Nelson,
H. A. Williams, Henry J. Becker, Lucy Caulker and
R. A. Morrison.
The forenoon was spent in hearing quarterly reports
from the different members, a few being left over until
the afternoon. Before adjournment at 11:00 the following
committees were appointed: Ways and Means, School,
Resolutions, Literary and Recommendations. Also one
to suggest possible ways of interesting the teachers’ and
workers’ wives, and how to get them to work in the church.
Afternoon
The devotions precedin g the session was conducted by
Rev. G. D. Fleming. At 2:00 o’clock the conference was
called to order, and the remaining quarterly reports were
heard and acted upon. The yearly reports followed and
were also acted upon.
A question was raised by the chairman as to whether
Gbamgbama should be retained as a sub-station, owing
to the low state of the finances. Different suggestions
were offered and a vote taken, with the result that it
remain as a sub-station.
Wednesday Morning, January 2
After devotions the business session was called to order
at 9:00 o’clock.
After the roll-call the report of the School Committee
was called for, and the committee presented the following
recommendations:
1. That from the Third Standard up the lecture
method of teaching be adopted.
2. That if possible, Danville have two more steady
teachers besides the two already engaged, and that one
of them be a tailor as well.
3. That an addition be built to the school-house at Danville
during this vacation.
4. That one more teacher be added to the staff at Bonthe.
5. That each teacher have a daily record book.
This report was considered item by item and adopted.
The report of the committee on Ways and Means was
next presented with the following recommendations:
1. That free house-rent and free passage be supplied
for our workers to annual conference.
2. That a missionary subscription be taken in the afternoon
by the Superintendent, and that each missionary
and worker be urged to pledge one-twentieth of their
salary, which is automatically to become due monthly,
and to be kept out of the salary and credited to the pledge.
3. That three copies of the conference minutes be
typewritten; one copy sent to headquarters at Huntington,
one kept at Danville and one at Bonthe. This report was
considered item by item and adopted.
A paper on “ Successful Methods in Church W ork” was
read by Rev. L. Eby. A fter a short discussion on the
paper the conference adjourned until the afternoon.
Afternoon
After devotions at 1:30 and the calling of the roll,
Henry Becker gave his financial report of the Danville
church, and requested that a definite rule be established
regarding the pledges.
The yearly reports were again taken up. A question
was raised regarding the feeding of the boys at Taninihu
and Mokelleh. It was decided that for each boy given:
four bushels of clean rice to be provided by the parents for
the year. This arrangement to be made between the mis- >
sionary in charge and the parents of the child in the presence
of the chief.
Some time was given for the consideration of mission
problems. Different suggestions were offered regarding ;
the care of “ W atch-care” members. Also a penalty, in.
the form of a fine, was made to apply to teachers who
failed to keep their yards clean.
Henry Becker read a paper on “ The New Birth,” which
was both interesting and profitable.
The report of the Committee on Recommendations was
called for and read. The committee recommended:
1. That the pledge required be so changed that the.;
people be allowed to bring provisions, on order, to fill their:
church obligations.
2. That each Station have two men instead of one.
3. That a better plan be adopted for equipping the boys
for industrial work.
4. That a house be built in Bonthe for the convenience
of the workers when attending meetings there.
5. That marriage between the young men and women
of the school be advised and encouraged.
This report was amended so as to strike out item two
(2) of the report, and it was adopted as amended.
A missionary subscription was then taken, all pledging
one-twentieth of their salaries, except two, as recommended
in the report of the Ways and Means committee.
Thursday Morning, January 3
After devotions and roll-call the yearly reports were
again taken up and finished, and the committee appointed
to “ suggest ways of interesting teachers’ and workers'
wives in church work” was called upon to report. The
committee reported as follows:
1. That the wives of the workers should call other
women to church.
2. That they should help their husbands in other religious
services.
3. That they should attend the church services regularly.
Although this report suggested no ways of inducing the
women to assume these duties, the report was adopted
by the conference.
A ballot was taken suggesting an appropriate watchword
for the year. The ballots were placed in the hands of
the School Committee, to choose the three most suitable
balloted for, these to be voted on during the afternoon
session.
The question of the place of holding the next quarterly
meeting was next considered. It was decided that it
should be held at Victoria, for the encouragement of the
workers there.
It was also decided that each worker should have a
circle of towns surrounding his own town, for which he
would be responsible as an itinerant.
The committee on Resolutions reported as follows:
1. That a standing vote of thanks be given to the
people of Bonthe for their kind hospitality.
2. That a vote of thanks be extended to our visiting
workers, and those from other churches who helped to
make our conference a success.
3. That we express our gratitude to our superintendent
for his efforts to push the work forward.
4. That a Teacher Training class be organized at Bonthe
and Danville. The vote on the Resolutions was deferred
until afternoon. z