578 History of Methodism 



The committee call the earnest attention of the Conference to 

 the present financial condition of the college. The tuition fees of 

 the current year will amount to ahout three thousand dollars. The 

 average amount contributed by the Conference from year to year 

 for the relief of the institution has been about fifteen hundred dol- 

 lars — less than four cents per year for each white member of the 

 Church Avithin the Conference. For the support of five professois, 

 with large families, four thousand five hundred dollars is wholly 

 inadequate. The committee recommend for the relief of the col- 

 lege for the ensuing year an appropriation of eight thousand dol- 

 lars, to be raised by the several presiding elders' districts on the 

 plan recommended in the report of last year, of which six thousand 

 dollars shall go for the support of the Faculty, and two thousand 

 dollars, should so much additional be raised, shall go for improving 

 the college campus, repairing the buildings, and for such other pur- 

 poses as may be determined by the Executive Committee of the 

 Trustees. In furtherance of the collection to be raised for the col- 

 lege, the committee call particular attention to the appeal of the 

 President of the institution, bearing date of 14th January, 1869: 



To the Preachers and Members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 

 within the bounds of the South Carolina Conference. 



Dear Brethren : — The collection for education ordered by the 

 Conference at Marion (1866), and continued at its session at Mor- 

 gantown (1867) and Abbeville C. H. (1868), introduces nothing new 

 in Methodism, but is in accurate conformity with plans adopted by 

 Mr. Wesley himself, and sanctioned by the Church both in England 

 and America. 



At the thirteenth Conference, which convened in Bristol, August 

 26th, 1756, a whole day (Saturday, 2Sth) was devoted to the subject 

 of education, as involved in Kingswood School, and resulted in the 

 adoption of the following resolutions, viz.: 



"1. That a short account of the design and present state of the 

 school be read by every assistant in every society. 



"2. That a subscription for it be begun in every place, and (if 

 need be) a collection made every year." 



Accordingly, Mr. Wesley prepared "a short account" to encour- 

 age the people to contribute, "and made special sermons in aid of 

 the collections." "From this time," says Mr. Myles, whose Chro- 

 nological History of the Methodists is brought down to 1812 "a 

 public collection has been made through all the societies once in 

 every year for Kingswood School." 



