The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-01-31
Ann1vsEsaxy ~ the Protestant Bpesoopal
Mutual Benefit Society.

yesterday evening, at ST. Bartholomew's Church. the
Right Rev Bishop Wainwright presiding. The congrega-
tion was large.
Or PRICE and DR. HAIsEr commenced the ceremone.
by reading the evening service.
Dr HAIGHr then preached a very able sermon appro-
pirate to the OCCASION taking his from the twelfth
chapter Of st. Pauls Episte the Romans fourth and
6fth verses :-"For, have many members in
body, and all members have not the same Office
being many body in Christ, and every
bers of another. AT the conclusion Of the sermon
The Rev. Mr. HOPKINS read the
ANNUAL REPORT
On comparing the statistics of the society with
those contained in the annual report OF last year VIII
be that steady increase has been made in every
department of its operations The number of members
is hundred being increase of third over
last year while the funds on hand amount to 81 1877 s.
increase Of about fifty per cent. OF the members
nine cergymen, and the ninety laymen
less than thirty different parishes This last fact is
gratifying proof that the interest felt in the society
sectional but is generally difused throughout the
churches in this city and is ground for hope that
its Geld of usefulness viii yet be greatly enlarged in pro
portion 1t shall become better known. During the
year eleven appropriations have been made Tor the be
nett of six different members amounting in all to s!s -
There has also been paid from the Widows ana Orphans
Fund the Of SlZ0 10 The widow OF deceased mem
Der. This being the only case that has yet arisen
under the provisions of the constitution, has
been done than could be reasonably expected a
general rule But il has been great satisfaction
to the members that worthy and left SO
destitute the death Of her husband has been provided
for literally and that simply from the fact that he
The death here spoken Of took place previous to the last
annual report During the past year by the good provi
dence of Almighty God little band, while thou
sands and tens Of Thousands have fallen every side
not single soul has been taken from among by the
hand Of death In addition to the amount already peci
fled, considerable has been paid out of the contn
gent fund in general charity TO church people not
beers of the society. OF this prominent feature of
operations we shall presently speak further in connec
ton with another matter Of small Importance.
But cannot foTbear abiding to two Of rather
uncommon interest which have been among those
that of poor man and his daughter who with
wealthy relations abroad and once in comfortable cir.
cumstances themselves, had been reduced TO helpless
restitution The daughter devoted herself TO the support
of her aged father by her needlea labor ncessant
that her overtasked sight way and her eyes wept
literally tears of blood. The physician who attended
her, moved by her extraordinary fal devotion with
extraordinary generosity, supported them both for
about five years when the burden having become too
heavy for him to bear longer alone aid rendered
from the funds of the society The other the
of mother, with three small children, who suddenly
became widow under most heart rending circum
stances ut Whitehall. But Providence seemed to mani
fest peculiar for her from the moment of her be
reavement The rector of the church procured her aid
free lodgings were provided for her here; wealthy
merchant-he who often does such things-gave her
and her free passage on one Of his packets to
besides aiding her in other ways. Even the great
deep she neither forgotten forsaken. Her chill
dren were taken dangerously i'll on board; but
IN the next berth to hers sklful ply scian who
by Gods blessing recovered them before the voyage
was over and at length she reached her native land
in safety, and received oyfuly by her relations.
Gases like these have not been few and such happy
relief win, we doubt not, flow forth more and more
freely enlarged Che of the objects pro-
posed in the formation of the society t0
is deceased Christian BURIAL In order to accomplish
this at less expense in the of poorer members app
cation made to the corporation Of Trinity church for
the grant of plot of ground in Trinity Cemetery The
welcome response to this application has been the dona
ton Of plot containing six hundred square feet which
will be amply sufficient for the wants of the society at
Of membership has been adopted, and handsomely
outed at comparatively moderate expense On looking
ct the actual numbers OF society, 1t may naturally
excite surprise in the minds of its friends that in
city rich in churches and churchmen New York
1t should not have mustered more than one hundred mem
bers during the years that have elapsed since the
adoption Of its constitution. But for this sowness of
growth there notwithstanding the great
want felt in all large towns of institution like
In the first place, society which is practically novel
ty in the church. is at once opposed by that instructive
spirit Of conseI yatsm that determination to walk in the
old paths and in other which is of the strong
est characteristics Of the church and which makes it the
hrmes bulwark OF the commonwealth. Besides the obi
of being it labors alse under the mputation
being only sort Of insurance company. which indeed
to certain extent is but is which goes far
beyond other Hsurarc anes in its principles and
In the basis OF its action il surpasses them in the
beness of motive which gave birth and which inspires
the administration Of ali its functions. Another obec
ton raised against u.s. that 1t is getting special
cety for doing what it equally the bounden duty al
Christians do To this ii may be answered that what
is everybody business is nobodys business. II mem
Der of the church is SICK or in want and there ten
it is, on the ground Of fellow membership alone,
equally the duty Of the whole ten thousand to
that the whole thousand should do any such thing
Each one of them may attend to some individual
instances Of distress. Nay, at times an interesting
case that happens become known will be almost
overwhelmed with relief while other destitute neghbors
perhape-simply because one has CHANGED to light
upon themmay fare poorly as did lazarus Of Old at
thegae OF Dives Left merely TO voluntary irregular and
unassociaed effort the administration o. the charities Oh
the church must be necessarily unequal II not spasmo-
dcas ribu, ions for such objects generally 1t is
only where the church is small community and where
all her poorer members easily known to all the rest,
that the purely voluntary system OF charity Is sufficient
for the wants 4 the poor We see how soon complaints
in the Apostolic Church of because their
WIDOWS neglected in the daily mintraton and it il
wonder The cry louder in the church Of
America. In those days too-as is now the case with
our Bishops and parochial Clergy-the burden too
heavy for the apostles and elders alone and deacons
appointed mainly for that mnistraton. And now, when
the church win not yet support order of deacons
specially TO fulfil this work and when the parish priests
cannot tosiby answer the demand this society comes
in and 20 far at least, as its own members
cerned, supplies the want and docs-with order and
system, and therefore, eHeetually does-that which
Christ hath ordained that all His members should
be ready to do, for His dear sake in behalf OF one ano
Their. Still another reason for our slow growth has
been the peculiar position Of this docess for many years
past, and the fact that besides being new, this so
ciety had received any formal sanction from
bishop lawfully exercising jurisdiction in this docess.
The depressing effect of this long ints9nun has been
seriously felt By all church Institutions The weary
hands have hung Gown and the 'eebe knees nave tot
tered slowly eong that good path where they should
have been able and not be weary, TO walk and not
faint This obstacle has now been happily removed
The Right Reverend The Provisional Bishop of New York
having been in due form requested by the society,
and having examined its constitution and bylaws,
has, in writing, consented 70 act as the counsellor
of the society, under article Of the constitu.
ton and he is here to night presiding at this
anniversary meeting TO testify to the church at
large that approval which lie has signihed to Us. We
are therefore longer merely unauthorized voluntary
association Of individuals united for purpose however
worthy, struggling slowly and obviously into the fayor
OF the church but at length accredited by Episco
pal sanction guarded by Episcopal oversight and forti
fed by Episcopal appreciation the onward march
OF the society shall be- not only wider field,
but also with a frmer step and with ever inereasing
speed. Its tendency towards wider field strik-
ingly shown by one of the amendments made in its
constitution long after the organization of the
cety itself That constitution originally adopted,
set forth as the objects OF the society only its duties to
its members and this limited purpose Is, unfor-
tunaely, all that is indicated by its name. second
section however, has since been added, making II
equally the duty Of he society according TO its ability
to administer relief IN OF distress among the
bers Of the church other than members Of this society
This feature nl.n In kindrnd ocatiea nd