The Portland daily press., 1878-02-18
Preble Chapel.


The annual report of Rev. w. 7. Phelan was
made at the First Parish church yesterday
morning. He said that the year had closed as
it began, with the too familiar phrase "hard
times" on everybody's tongue. To the poor in
the community, who are dependent upon what
they can earn for THEFT daily bread it is full of
grim reality. A class of the poor, usually self
supporting, have been driven to our doors for
assistance. Having no large endowments like
kindred institutions in some other Cities cur
field is necessarily restricted. We are mostly
dependent upon voluntary contributions for
| what we can do from year to year. Our bene-
| fciaries ara selected with great care SO as to
| help Only the most worthy, our first care is the
| children of the poor. Efforts in this direction
| secure the best results. Oar next care is for
the occasional applicants, the sick, the old and
irfirm, these are never refused. Within these
limits our exertions are mostly restricted, and
| their demands are sufficient to tax our utmost
resources. OF the 16O children connected with the
Sunday school, lib have received aid in cloth
ing to the extent of 2l5 new garments, or cloth
to make them; also 140 pairs of new Shoes
Forty-fve adults, most of them heads of fami-
lies, have been assisted by secondhand cloth
ing-52o garments for the themselves and their
children, besides 43 yards of priut cotton cloth
and flannel, and II new garments. Between
40 and so individuals and families have re-
ceived aid in money, food and fuel 20 the
amount Of $1743l, Seventy-nine garments
and 80 yards of cloth were given as compensa-
ton for work. Our Thanksgiving contributions
amounted to $3S. 90. besides some fine turkeys,
By which we were enabled to make the day one |
of rejoicing to forty-one poor families.
He acknowledged contributions, from a
benevolent gentleman, of flour and meal;
many services from the medical profession and |
especially from Dr. B. B Foster; the good |
offices of the Ladies' District Mission; from the |
ladies of the Unitarian Circle, $22S.51; from |
Mrs. Fox's bequest $4,000; from the Little |
Helpers. $4,000; from First Parish Sunday |
school. IS 81; from Park street Sunday scnool, |
Sc 81, and from individual contributions, $26 So |
The Sunday contributions at the Chapel for the |
year were $70.9S.
1t will be seen, by comparison, that in all de- |
pattments of our bet evolent efforts, he had |
acc ,n p'isbed as much, aud in some directions |
more, than in any other year Of his services. |
rs went Oh to say that material aid was |
but portion of the object of the mission; that
it weat hsnd-ia hand with moral and religious |
instruction, ia which latter field the Sunday |
school had been the foremost agent He re-
ports the school 10 admirable condition, num-
beriog l60 chillrsu, an incre ase of 80 over last
year. He paid deserved tribute to the Off
cheney and devotion Of the officers and teachers,
and gives special thanks to Mr.. Edward A.
Jordan, for hi, musical instructions to the
school, and the two beautiful tablets which his
good taste and skill have afforded to the Chapel
Public services have been maintained after
noon and evening throughout the year, except
four Sundays, and confe renee NEE ing on
each Tuesday evening Cool results are re-
ported, especially in the direction of temper
ance.
Thr sewing school is doing good and useful
work on each Saturday afternoon, with an
attendance of forty little girs.
He closed with an earnest appeal for the |
support of the Institution, as doing good and
helpful work for the bene6 fit Of the community
and sufferiog hu mainly.