The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1871-10-12
Hsborough Highland County OhO Thursday October 1871

g. It commences with g, I think,
but somehow cannot think of the
word, The new church parlors will
be large, and it is intended that these
social gatherings shall be promoted
and encouraged, and that they shall
take an added phase, viz: When
several families want to indulge in a
little reunion, and have not room in
their small houses at home, they can
have it in the church parIors. You
will notice in every feature of this
new church one predominant idea
and purpose always discernible-the
banding together of the congregation
as a family, and the making of the
church a home. You see it in the
play room, the library, the parlors,
the baths, the infirmary-it is every
where 1t is the great CENTRAL, raj
ing idea. To entirely cOnsummate
such a thing would be impossible
with nearly any other congregation
in the Union; but after sixteen years
of molding and teaching, Mr.. Beech
er has made it wholly possible and
practicable with this one. It is not
stretching metaphor to far to say
that he is the father of his people,
and his church their mother.
If the new church project is
curiosity, it is still but an inferior
curiosity compared to the plan of
raising the money for it. On
could have told, with his eyes
shut and one hand tied behind
him, that it originated with Beech
er-I was going to say with luna
tic, but the success of the plan robs
me of the opportunity.
When it was decided to build a
new church edifcp, at cost of not
less than $40 600, nor more than
$4,000 (for the membership is not
$50 strong, and there are not six
men in it who can strictly be called
rich), Mr.. Bpecher gave to each
member a printed circular. enclosed
in an envelope, prepaid and address
ed to himself, to be returned through
the Post-Ofire
[Confdential.1
1t is proposed to build a meeting
house and other rooms for the use of the
church. To do this work honestly and
we'll, it is proposed to spend one year in
raising a part of the money in advance,
and in getting plans and making con
tracts.
ma year-Plans und contracts, April !, 1871 to 1877
| me yrar-Buid and cover in, April / 1872 to 81
! tine yeHr-rlaster. hni-h fur
pril l, 1873 to 1874
One year-Pay for in full and
dedicate april l. 1874 to 1879
It is proposed to expeud not less than
800, 900, nor more than $50, 900, accord
ing to the ability shown by the returns
of these cards of confidential subscrip-
tion. Any member of the church and
congregation, or any friend of tn,
church. is allowed and invited to sub,
scribe. But no one is urged.
T. K. BEECHER, Pastor.
To help build our Westinghouse,
think shall be able to give not les,
than s. =, and not more than -
each year, for four years, beginninl
April 1. 1871; or, I can make in on
payment g..
Trusting in the Lord to help me,
hereby subscribe the same as noteC
above.
tName.l [Residence.1
The subscriptions were to be Who'll
ly voluntary and strictly co1y7den
6aL; no one was to know tn,
amount of a mans subscription ex
cppt himself and the minister n"
body was urged to give anything IA
all all were simply invited to Civ.
whatever he felt was right and jus
from ten cents upward, and no qurs
| tiOns asked, no criticisms made, Il
revpalments uttered. There was
possible chance for glory, for, eve,
though a man gave his whole for
tune, nobody would ever know it.
| do not know when anything ha
struck me as being so Utopian, 81
absurdly romantic, so ignorant, OF
it's face, of human nature. Aud :,
any body would have thought. PaI
ties said Mr.. B echpr had "rdural
ed'' his people, and that each wOulr
give as he privately felt able, and no
bother about the glory. 1 believes
human nature to be more poten
educator than any minister, and tina
the result would show it. But Wa
wrong. At the end of month o
two, some tWO-thirds of the circular
had wended back, one by one, t,
the pastor, silently and secretly
through the post Office; and then
without mentioning the name of any
giver, or the amount of his gift, Mr.
Beecher announced from the pulpi
that all the money needed wa
pledgpd-the certain amount beinI
over 5000, and the pOs-ibl,
amount over $4,000! When tn
remainder of the circulars have com,
in, it is confidently expected ant
, believed that they Will adu u
these amounts a SUM of not less thai
$4,000. A great many subscrip
/, tions from children and working
men consisted of cash enclosures
ranging from a ten cent currency
stamp up to five, ten, and tiIteel
dollars. AS I said before, the plal
t of lrvying the building tax, and tn
. success of the plan, are much NOR
curious and Surprising than the eE
ceeding curious pd,tice the money i
f to create.
III, rnncnn the nnnnnNza gre 70 b