Advancing the Kingdom

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1903. Sloan asked the women in the
Mission Society specifically to organize
a settlement in connection with the
Sunday School. Accepting Sloan’s
invitation, the Society organized a city
mission board to run the settlement
portion of Sloan’s Mission and to
employ Mrs. F.E. Norwood as a city
missionary.
In May 1902 each Conference
Auxiliary was instructed to “elect three
of their best members to form a Board
of City Mission…[and] that they meet at
the Sloan Mission the first Thursday in
June at 2:00.” At this meeting the name
“Women’s Board of City Mission” was
adopted.14
By July 1902 Sloan’s Mission
had moved to Seventh and Hickory
Streets. This facility was small and
much of the Secretary’s Report of
the Women’s Board of City Missions;
Methodist Episcopal Church, South. St.
Louis, Missouri, First Annual Report,
lamenting the lack of space,
proposes enlarging the Day
Nursery room, building a
gymnasium, finding more
space for a reading room,
as well as club rooms and
bath rooms. Mention is also
made of the nominal fees
charged to participants (five
cents per day to leave a
child in the Day Nursery) in
order to “teach them not to
expect to get something for
nothing.”
Three years later Sloan Mission
moved again, to 803 Hickory. After
this move, William Sloan requested
that the Board of Managers of the
Church Extension and City Mission
Society change the name of the mission.
According to the November 15, 1906,
Board of Managers of the St. Louis
Church Extension and City Mission
Society of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South Mission records:
Mr. W.M. Sloan made a statement in
regard to the history of the naming of “Sloan
Mission” and thought it unwise to attach the
name of any living man to church buildings
or enterprises, and asked that it be referred
to the committee on City Missions, and
such name as they deemed appropriate be
selected & given it. Rev. R.P. Basler moved
that the Committee be given such authority,
and it was adopted.
[December 20, 1906] He [the president]
further stated that the Committee having
been instructed with the duty of changing the
name of “Sloan Mission,” at the request of
Mr. Sloan, the name “Hickory Street Open
Church” was now recommended for the
satisfaction of the Society, and the name was
adopted.
[January 1907] Rev. R.P. Basler, pastor
of Hickory Street Open Church, stated that
the new name substituted for Sloan Mission
had been found to be a bit too long and
cumbersome, and on his motion it was
changed to the simpler name of “The Open
Church.”
[February 21, 1907]… The chair, on
behalf of the “Open Church” presented the
new name “Kingdom House” which was
discussed pro and con very vigorously, but
which found little favor.
In consideration of hasty action in the two
previous meetings, regarding the change
of name, the Secretary moved that a
committee be appointed to fully consider the
question, and report to the next meeting for
final action. Rev. R.P. Basler moved as an
amendment the committee act on the name
as soon as possible, as it was an urgent
matter, and be given authority to settle the
question without reference to the Society.
Mr. X. P. Wilfley moved as a substitute that
the name of Sloan M.E. Church South be
adopted by the meeting at once, and this
settle all future controversy over it, but this
he subsequently withdrew. The amendment
was lost, and the original motion having
been put it prevailed whereupon T.E. Sharp,
R.P. Basler and X.P. Wilfley were constituted
the committee to fix upon a name and report
at the March meeting.
[March 18, 1907]. The president, Mr.
W.M. Sloan, took the chair, and after
calling the meeting to order, Mr. R.S.
Kimbrell offered prayer. The committee
for the settlement of the new name of the
Open Church, through Dr. T.E. Sharp,
made its report, in which he stated that the
unanimous conclusion of the committee
after earnest consideration of the subject,
was that the name should be “Wesley M.E.
Church, South”, which might be abbreviated
to “Wesley Church,” the word “Wesley”
also to be applied to any department of
Chapter One : Beginnings (1902-1927) 7
P hoto:
A: Sloan Mission located
at Seventh and Hickory
Streets
By J uly 1902 Sloan’s
Mission had moved
to Seventh and
Hickory Streets. This
facility was small
and much of the
Secretary’s Report of
the Women’s Board
of City Missions; ...
proposes enlarging the
Day Nursery room,
building a gymnasium
and finding more space
for a reading room,
as well as club rooms
and bath rooms.
A