Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-29

The FIRST PARIsH.-The following interest
ing items Of the Old South church and parish
for 1871, were presented by the clerk and treas
urer at a meeting of the church in their vestry,
on Wednesday evening last, showing that it has
been 4 year of progress. They have raised for
the current expenses Of the year the sum Of
$500; have paid OFF an old debt of $1,000 of
many years standing; have raised for repairing
their house Of worship 5000; and their contri-
buttons for charitable purposes have been larger
than for any other year during the last ten.
Nineteen members have been added to the
church on profession Of faith, which has not
been exceeded but once in the last ten years.
Their present membership is 53j, twelve more
than it was FIVE years ago, notwithstanding the
large colonies that have gone to the Plymouth
church, and Others that have moved out oil the
city. A few words about the first DAYS of this
church are always in order: Its organization
dates back one hundred and ffty-fye years, its
first house of worship, built in I'LL, being
rude structure of loas located little least of
where The First Baptist church now stands.
Notwithstanding the gradual MULTIPLICATION OF
reli gious organizations and churches in our
rapidly growing city, until we number now over
thirty, the First Parish has ever steadily main
taiued its proportionate share and increase in
numbers and prosperity,
MISSIONARY MEETING.-rhc union meeting
in behalf ot the missionary work of the Amer
lean Sunday school union, at Mechanics hall,
last evening, was very interesting and instrue-
| tive one and drew crowded house. After in
troduetory remarks, explanatory Of the object of
the meeting, by Rev. Mr.. Phillips, he introduced
| Rev. H. Clay Trumbu of Connecticut, the nor
mai secretary of the society, who briefly reca-
| pitulate its objects and aims, the extension of
| evangelical Christianity throughout the land by
| the orc anization Of Sunday schools, which are
| the pioneers aud precursors and feeders of the
churches. He said very large majority of the
evangelical churches established during the last
thirty three years, inthe extreme west and south
west, had been formed on the basis and through
| the fundamentally OF the various mission
aries of the Sabbath school union. Mr.
| TrumEull concluded by introducing Rev.
| S. II. Record of Rhode Island, who
| made Il brief statement Of the result of his la
| bors in Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
| Mr.. Record said, as n native of New England, he
| had boastcd of its advanced condition on the
| score OF religion and morality, but facts which
| 40 coo miles of travel had brought TO his obSer-
| walton, OF myrads of children in many thickly
settled manufacturing localities growing up in
heather ignorance and superstition, had forced
him TO somewhat modify his previous opinion.
He had visited every village and school district in
146 towns, during the last eight years, including
thirty towns in this county, and had organized
as many Sunday schools The low moral and
religious conditions in which he found large
majority Of the children in many places, was
dcplorablc in the extreme. The fact Of so much
ignorance of the fundamental principles Of the
gospel, he said, should ncite the churches to
wake up. The Bible school for the children was
| living necessity for the masses. In no other
way could there tie any evangelization of our
land.
Mr.. L. Milton Marsh of Wisconsin was the
next speaker He gave a statement of his
missionary labors there, where he found Il large
proportion OF the families without any Bible,
and less than half the children without any re-
lioious instruction. Such ignorance and in
fidelity rs he found there could only be RENE
died by the spreading of Bibles broadcast
throughout the land, and by the organization
of Sunday schools, 80 of which he had start
cd, with II 600 teachers and scholars; and the
|
had been among the blessed results of these
laborS.
Rev. VIM. p. Paxon of Missouri, son of the
veteran missionary, Stephen PaXon, whose con-
version by his little daughter about some years
ago was ailGctingy related, was next introduced.
He made many interesting references to the
labors and hardships of his missionary life on
the frontiers in the southwest, in the course of
which he had organized in all 1900 Sunday
schools, comprising from 10000 to 10000 chill
0rcn, who had thus been induced to study the
word of God, the glorious results of which work
the angels in heaven rcioiccd over He made
feeling alusion to the benghted condition Of
900 freedmen and women and children in
Missouri alone, who were in sad need Of the
labors OF missionaries OF this society. He made
affecting reference 10 instances OF degradation,
and to eases where he had been the means under
God Of spreading gospel light.
Rev. Mr. Phillips followed, commenting the
objects of the enterprise, which had been so
cloquently aud lorcibly represented to the
prayers and bcneyoeuce of all Christian men
and women present, and said he hoped the
various churches there represented would re-
member the claims OF this society in their con-
trihutons this year.
After prayer by Rev. Mr. Plxon TIE meeting
closed.