By Prayer with Thanksgiving...

The turning year of the century was a year of change in Virginia and in the entire nation. Changing conditions and the excitement of a new century vitally affected Virginia Baptists.

One particular man, William Ellyson, keenly felt the challenge of the new day and began to lead Virginia Baptists to plan a more effective witness to the more than 700,000 unsaved persons within the state. Mr. Ellyson was corresponding secretary of the State Mission Board.

In November of 1899 he challenged the messengers to the General Association to make the next year “a year for State Missions and the beginning of a new era in State evangelization.” The General Association responded by authorizing the employment of a field secretary for state missions.

On January 1, 1900, the Rev. J.C. Thompson began his work as field secretary for state missions. Mr. Ellyson and Mr. Thompson evolved a threefold plan: to create a scriptural, missionary spirit which would reach every church and every member; increase contributions to meet the demand for state evangelization; encourage stronger men to occupy some points and send missionaries to others.

A series of missionary meetings to be held in cities, villages, and rural areas was planned. Pastors were called upon to offer, without remuneration, their services to hold evangelistic meetings in weak churches and unreached places.

One week after these plans were presented by Mr. Ellyson and Mr. Thompson, an article, which was to be the forerunner of a far-reaching decision, appeared in the column for “Woman’s Work” in the Religious Herald. Mrs. A.E. Dickinson, wife of the editor of The Herald, wrote in part:

“We take pleasure in giving to our workers this week Mrs. Mercer’s admirable paper on State Missions. We want to lay stress on this branch of our work this year, and we ask for this paper your careful reading and prayerful consideration. Please note the suggestion as to having some special time for an offering for State Missions, just as we have a Christmas Offering for Foreign Missions and our week of self-denial for Home Missions. Shall we not do more for State Missions? Shall we not have a special offering as some suitable time for this work?”

Mrs. Mercer was the wife of the pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Richmond. Her article entitled, “State Missions: The Hope of All Missions,” indicated she knew well the power of prayer and she knew well the power of women in concerted prayer. She believed that “Every step in the progress of missions is indirectly traceable to prayer.” In this article, which was sent to all women’s groups, she began by showing that promoting state missions is not selfish, because, truly, state missions is the foundation upon which all Christian work is built. She defined state missions as keeping alive the Christian faith in our own hearts, our own homes, our own land. Mrs. Mercers article closed by saying, “Now, would it not be helpful if at some special time during the year the women of Virginia should unite with their prayers and contributions for the furtherance of our own state work. I suggest that we establish a week of prayer for State Missions, for state missions is the hope of all missions.” At the close of 1901, there was a sharp decrease in receipts and except for reserves and delay in securing missionaries the year would have ended with heavy debt on the board.

With faith almost beyond understanding, five days after this gloomy report was released, Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia vowed to inaugurate during the year ahead a Day of Thanksgiving for a Christian State. The recommendation said:

“That our contributions to the State Board be increased this year. With this end in view it is further recommended that a Thanksgiving Day be set apart to collect an offering for the work and that a suitable program be prepared and sent our with WMU literature.”

On September 25, 1902, the fourth Thursday in September, women across Virginia united in praise and thanksgiving. Petitions for the evangelization of Virginia ascended to the Heavenly Father and offerings were laid upon His altar. WMU contributions increased by $1,000, the effort was declared successful and the Day of Thanksgiving was made a permanent feature of WMU.

reprinted from the WMU Page of the Religious Herald on August 26, 1976