Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-09
ST. JOHNS PARISH.
Enthusinstic Meeting of the Congre-
gatiOn-MOvement for the Erection
of a Sunday school Habits sue
cess Assured = Liberal Subser1P-
tIOnE-COmmiGtees Appointed.


Last evening large and very enthusiastic
meeting Of the congregation Of st. Johns
Episcopal parish was held at the church to
consider matters Of great importance to the
parish, in accordance with a call OF the
warden and vestrymen.
The proceedings were opened with reli-
gious services, after which Rev. Charles FL.
Strong, rector, called W. 8. Bogsrt, Eeq,
Senior Warden, to preside.
| Mr.. Bogart, on taking the chair, said, as
| 1t would be necessary to keep a minute OF
the proceedings of the meeting, that the
election of Secretary would be In order.
| He proposed, II there be no objection, that
the Secretary of the parish, Mr.. 8. B. Pal
mer, be requested to act.
The suggestion was adopted, and Mr..
| Palmer took his seat.
Mr.. Bogart then addressed the congrega-
| ton substantially as follows, clearly setting
forth the objects of the meeting:
Members Of ST. Johns Parish and Co'sgregd-
ton:
DEAR BRETHREN-we are glad to see so
| many members of st. Johns congregation
here tonight, both ladies and gentlemen.
1t shows your interest In what concerns the
welfare OF the church, when to call OF
| parish meeting to consider important bus1-
ness so many OF you respond, and we take
this large attendance as an augury of sue
cess.
1t Is now two years and half ago that
similar meeting was held here to inaugurate
plan for the payment Of the church debt,
and the enthusiastic way in which you took
up that matter, and the successful end to
which you brought 1t, encourage the officers
OF the church to propose now only one con-
sideration-a new object, OF scarcely less
importance, and, il carried out, of even
greater benefit to the church and to its
growth AID life.
This object is to build at once on the lot
In rear of this church a two-story building;
| primarily for the use of the Sunday school,
| and, secondarily, of the rector, church
| officers and people In vestry meetings,
| parish business meetings, meetings of the
Church Guild, and social gatherings, where
mutual mountaineering may be made,
| where social attachments may begin, where
| greater homOgeneiJY of feeling may come
| to exist; In short, where a more earnest
| family life and a more united spirit NAV
/ grow up among us.
| Now, as to the Sunday school room, there
| is no difference of opinion as to its advan-
/ tages, L may say as to its necessity. All
will admit this much. The use of this con-
| secrated building for purpose which, with
|
ness about it, as the Sunday school, though
| 1t has been the practice from the erection of
| the church, is, to say the least, inappropriate
! and Objectionable, while there are so many
! other objections that all-rector and vestry,
teachers and pupils, pewholders ard peo-
| ple-desire the removal Of our large and
increasing Sunday school to another place
! of meeting.
In the second place, the inner life of the
parish, as you have often heard lamented
| by the rector, and as we ourselves painfully
feel, requires absolutely that we should
have rooms where the congregation, in our
| case, more the accretion of outside member
ship than of inward growth, and so lacking
| the unity of feeling and of method, may
meet in social gatherings for p lrposes of
mutual benefit. In such meetings the peo-
pie will cultivate knowledge of each other,
learn to be sympathetic fellow worshipers
and workers, blend together in earnest
spirit, and in zeal for each others welfare
and for that of the church, and establish
that community of life which should char
acterIZe the members of one family.
So much for the laudable object we have
in view in summoning this parish meeting;
but cannot stop without saying that the
! Nestry are very glad to believe that the ne
| cessity of this work needs no argument
from US. Though we, in common with the
rector, have had for many months
a great desire to accomplish this
object, the special agitation of it now
| Is due rather to the earnest zeal
of the congregation, than to any initiatory
movement Of ourselves. We believe, then,
that this feeling is an suspicious sign, and
that this is an auspicious time for the con-
tipued energy and zeal of Vestry and peo-
pie to embark in the undertaking. In a
work certain to be SO beneficial
to the church, and which will
n h.
active and liberal cooperation of us sll,
it is small matter who suggests it, SO that
We enter upon it with zeal and carry it to q
successful issue. Let us then take this
matter up, as though we are in earnest, and
success will be foregone conclusion.
This statement brings the subject matter
OF this meeting before you, and trust that
you will act tremendously, promptly and
| wisely. The meeting is now open for adj
dresses and suggestions from gentlemen
present who may feel disposed to give their
| advice.
After these remarks, Mr. Bogart called
upon John Nj. Guerard, ESQ, to favor the
meeting with his views. Mr.. Guerard
responded by ascending the chancel steps
and making fervid and earnest address,
setting forth the necessity and advantages
of the proposed building, and strongly
commenting the movement designed to
secure its erection.
Remarks were also made By D. G. Purse,
| Eco, DR.. L. A. Falligant and others In q
similar strain, after which Rev. Mr.. Strong
made concise and practical address on
the subject, which had marked effect.
Mr. Bogart announced that there was a
subscription paper on the desk of the Secre-
tary, and extended an invitation to those
present to come forward and record their
names for such amounts as they felt able to
give. A number did so, and the paper was
afterwards circulated amorg the congrega-
ton, and was signed by nearly every one
for some amount, the total subscription
thus obtained aggregating handsome sum i,
an Indication that the entire amount re-
Quired will be raised without difficulty.
After some desultOry remarks, Mr.. Henry
Brigham suggested that the appointment of
committees should be made, whereupon
Mr.. d. G. Purse offered the following reso-
lutions, which, after an amendment by DR..
L. A. Falligant, that the resolution provides
for the appointment OF committee OF
fifteen ladies, were unanimously adopted:
Resolved. That in order to give definite
shape to the effort to raise funds for the
erection OF Sunday school building on the
vacant lot in rear Of the church, the Chair
man of this meeting appoint committee of
fifteen from the parish, to present the mat
ter to the members of the same and solicit
their contributions in aid of the work.
ReSelUed further. That the Chairman ap-
point a second committee, to be known as
the Building Committee, consisting of five,
of whom three shall be from the VeStry and
two from the parish at large, the Chairman
of which shall be the special treasurer for
the custody of all funds raised, that the
committee so appointed aud constituted
shall, in all matters pertaining to the cree
ton of the building for the Sunday school
and the disposition Of the funds turned over
to them, be under the immediate control
and direction of the Wsrdens and Vestryi
but nothing in this shall be construed to
empower the Wardens and Vestry, directly
or by delegation, 20 make or enter into any
contract or engagement in excess of the
funds in hand at the time for the construc-
ton Of said Sunday school building.
Under these resolutions the following
ommittees were appointed
LADIES.
Mrs. G.. w. Brueo, Mrs. DR.. Bouton,
| Mrs r. Ghinman Miss Eliza Gartar