Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-01
ANNUAL REVIEW,
SERMON BY REV. s. LEWIS B. SPEARE,
SUNDAY MORNING. DEO. 27.

SERMON BY REV. S. LEWIS B. SPEARE,
SUNDAY MORNING, DEo. 27.
TExr-walk about Zion, and go round aboul
her tell the towers thereof.-Psalm Xviii, y.
TO measure the life of the church, it
should be remembered that its demands
antagoni ,e all wrong splf-indulgenCe.
There are institutions that thrive and
multiply because they cater to self-indul-
gence: the church thrives and multiplies
notwithstanding its constant reiteration,
like the Ten Commandments, "THOU
SHALT NOT
There are many who fondly love this
church. 1t has a grand history. Cody
and able pastors have ministered at its
altar; devoted and faithful deacons have
prayed and planned for its upbuilding;
hundreds are now in glory who here first
learned to sing the Lords songs and tcs-
tify to his dying love. Our work as a
church, is of great consequence to our
selves, our families and the community
Let US note
|. The leading facts of the year: and,
IL. The lessons we should learn from
those facts.
|. Facts.
Eighteen have been added to our MEM
bership: six by letter from other church.
es. and twelve upon profession of faith.
Five have been dismissed to other church,
es and the same number have passed
from earth, leaving IA net gain of eight.
Two, not members of the church, have
been removed by death.
In connection with the week of prayer.
and later, extra prayer and preaching SER
vices were held in the vestry, with good
results to the church, and some who have
since joined speak of Il new life begun at
that time. Sabbath services have had
the usual attendance, and teachers in the
Sunday School have been able to give
more punctual attendance.
Contributions to benevolent societies
have gained somewhat. For the last four
years the advance has been steady and
marked, until for Home and Foreign Mis-
sions contributions have multiplied about
thrce-fold. For the past year they are as
follows, viz:
American Tract society n.37
Congregational Publishing society 9.2l
Congregational Union 81.
Education society II s.
Bible Society $3.50
Home Missions Gentlemen SPILLS
Ladies ll3.OO-32i l3
Foreign Missions Gentlemen 1880
Ladies I7.42-335. 02
Total 1871
Some small sums have been RENTED
directly by the donors. The Sabbath
school has contributed sci .6S, which has
been appropriated to educational work
among the Mormons: to the purchase of
material for IL missionary box; to the
National Divorce League and to the Rip
ton Sunday school. The Ladies' Mission
AIRY society. the Oldest in the State, has
contributed $40 to the support of Miss
Plympton, teaching at Macintosh, Ga.
and fitted out an excellent box of sup
plies for one of the home missonarie.
of Vermont. y Ladies' Sewing society
has been recently organized. The Young
; Ladies' society-the United Workers
has sent south one barrel and four boxes
. of clothing and fancy articles and con
tributed S69.37 to Home and Foreign Mis-
- sions.
At BroOksville, Munger Street, Dea
- Boyce's and the Seeley district, Sabbatl
schools are kept up until cold weather
! and prayer-meetings follow with regu
i larity and interest. Although the mem
; bership of these schools comes from al
e from this church. Three of these hay
II been established in the last three years
IL and had their beginning in our speca
II efforts. Let us hope that the schoC
It house in Bro. Holidays district will 500
n be used in like manner; then every di,
y trict save those near the East Middlebur
IL Church hill have a Sabbath school an
N prayer meeting. The young men of on
a, church have arranged to provide gospt
st services for Sabbath afternoon at til
v Alms-house.
t. | have learned from official sources
20 what am sure you will all be glad
V. know, that our Treasurer and Paris
+ Committee, aided by one of the brethren
IN have applied business methods to the Il
40 fairs of the parish, and have raised SUI
ce fully ample to meet the expenses of II
- current year. The ladies have raised
e, large additional sum for repairs upon IL
v. church edifice. 4 new furnace and son
ornamental work in the vestry are for
as runners of general and much-need'
no improvement soon to come
en- 1t is usual for the pastor, in such I
RS. views, to give some account of himse
as This have have never done in any pc
1T ton of my ministry, preferring to let II