The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-09-08
COL. DEM. -. V0L..XXXY mo. 90.

and il is intended that these social gath
erings shall be promoted and oDcourag-
cd, and that they shall take an added
phase, viz: when several families want
to Indulge in q little e-union, and have
not room in their small houses at home.
they can have 1t in the church parlors.
You will notice in every feature of this
new church one predominant idea and
purpose always discerniblo- the band.
ing together of the congregation as a
family, and the making Of the church Il |
honle You sec II in the playroom, the
library, the parlors, the baths, the in
iirmary--it is everywhere. 1t is the
great central, To entirely consummate
such thing would be impossible with
nearly any other congregation in the
Union; but after sixteen years of
moulding and teaching, Mr.. Beechcr
has made il wholly possible and pracil.
cable with this one. It Is not stretch
ing metaphor too far to say that he is
the father Of his people, and his church
their mother.
If the new church project Is a curios-
| ity, 1t is still but an inferior curiosity
compared to the plan of raising the
money FOX it. One could have told,
with his eyes shut and orc hand tied
behind him, that it originated from
Beechcr-I was going TO soy with a
lunatic, but the success of the plan rohs
mo Of the opportunity.
When IL was decided TO build a new
church cdifico ut a cost of not less than
$4,000, nor more than $4,000 (for the
membership is not three hundred and
fifty strong, and there are not six men
in it who can strictly be called rich,)
Mr.. Beecher gave to each member a
printed circular enclosed in an envelope
prepaid and addressed to himself, to be
returned through the post Office:
| iCoNFIDENrIAl.l
| II is proposed to build moeting-house and
other rooms for tho use of tho church. To do
this work honestly and we'll, II is proposed to
spend one gear in raislnG part of tho money in
Advance, and in getting plans and making con-
| tracts.
ycar-plans and contrqets, Apr; l, lS7J ISL TO iSIs 1877
| bnllu nn0 cover IN lS7y to lS13
II plaster, finish d furnish " 1873 to 1874
II pay for in full & dedl,ate " 1874 to 1875
: II is proposed TO expend not less than $1,000
nor more than s50,OOO-accordlng to the ability
shown by the returns of these cards of confctel-
tai subscription Any member OF the church
and con gregaton, or any friend of the church
is allowed and invited to subscribe. But no one
Is urged r. X BTECHER, Pastor. .
To help build our meeting house, think that
I shall he able to give
Not less than ana
not more than
Each year for four years. beginning Apiil |,
ISL.
Or can make in ore payment s................."..
Trusting in the Lord to help me, hereby sub
: scribe the same as noted above.
Nameo...'.'.,.",,. .'.'.'''
Residence. e......".............,.
p The subscriptions were to be wholly
y uohu,tGrv and strictly confidential; nc
! one was to know the amount of a man:
hnfsaf hfdn"T noS0Gyp S6Gdp waj hIm5F m5Fafd HIEa to Civ W.
anything at all; all were simply invit
= ed to give whatever sum they felt was
I right and just, from ten cents upward
, and no questions asked, no criticisms
8 made, no revealments uttered There
}. was no possible chance for glory, fol
even though man gave his whole for
q tune nobody would ever know it. I dt
!. not know when anything has strucl
a me as being so utopian, so absurdly ro
v mantle, so ignorant, on its face, of hu
!, man nature. And so anybody woult
Il have thought. Parties said that Mr.
n Beecher had educated" " his people
4 and that each wovld give as he private
: ly felt able, and not bother about tn
:. glory. l believed human nature to b
4 more potent educator than any min
:. lister, and that the result would show ii
+ But I was wrong. AT the end of ,
n, month or two, some two-thirds of tn,
? circulars had wended back, one by one
to the pastor, silently and secretly
through the post office, and then, with
f out mentioning the name of any give
+ or the amount of his gift, Mr.. Beeche
y announced from the pulpit that all tn
money needed was pledged-the certda
amount being over $4,000, and tn
u possible amount over $4,000! Whel
L the remainder of the circulars hav
" come in, it is confidently expected ant
y believed that they will add to thes
~ amounts sum of not less than $4,000
l. A great many subscriptions from Chi
70 drcn and workingmen consisted of cas-
y enclosures ranging from ten cent cui
IL rency stamp up to five, ten and tiftee
y dollars. AS I said before, the plan {
Il levying the building tax, and the sue
10 cess of the plan, are much more curiou
Is and surprising than The exceedingl
le curious edifice the money is to create.
Is The reason the moneys are to be pal
ia in four annual installments-lor that
u the plan-is, partly TO make the pa.
ic ments easy, but chiefly because III
pt church is to be substantially built, an
Us its several parts allowed time to settl
lie and season, each in its turn. For il
vi stance, thesubstructure5 will be allowe
IN a good part of the first year to sett
d. and compact themselves, after compl
ne ton; the walls the second year, and
er forth and so on. There is to be
H. work done by contract, and no unsef
Sc Oned wood used. The materials are
ld be sound and good; and honest, conn
~ tent, conscientious workmen (Beech
H. says there are such, the opinion of t
at world to the contrary notwithstandin
eu hired at full wages, by the day, to |
'St them together.
The above statements are all true a
ng genuine, according to the oath l ha
en-, already made thereto, and which
nat now about to repeat before notary,
Ise legal form, with my hand upon
he Book. Consequently we are going
lch have at least one sensible, but We
ds, very curious church in America.
'ay am aware that had no business
viii tell all these matters, but the repor
ar. instinct was strong upon me ant
hat could not help. And besides they W
a.. l n. l.. n