St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-11-13

| WdtCH those present ana see When
best to call for short prayers. Be
there on time, commence promptly,
let several hymns be sung before
announcing the subject; let the leader
make the opening prayer himself,
and after he has given his own
thoughts on the subject, declare the
meeting open for any or all, that the
stranger may have an opportunity
to speak if he wish Look for the
strangers, give them a handshake,
and also those who can not come
often. Let there be true Christian
fellowship, and often close the meet
ing early that there may be a chance
forthis. Good results from it. Be in
sympathy with all, especially those
who take part for the first time.
4 Miss Maude E. Chamberlain of
Swanton read a carefully prepared
paper upon music. 1t is the natural
language of the heart. 1t is a power
which can be felt in the material
world; it has a subtle power over
the heart and passions which moth
| ing else can have. The history of
musician be traced in the Bible,
gong back many centuries before
the Christian era. What should we
sing ? Praises; hymns that are in
harmony with the subject; some of
the old hymns, one at least at each
meeting. How should we sing?
With the spirit of thanksgiving and
| jovfulneSS. When should we sing !?
Fill the pauses with hymns, though
they should not be confined to this
alone.
c. H. Thompson of Brattleboro
briefly discussed the active members
part in the meeting. The regular
PRAYER and one so often heard is
that they may become more active.
Directly after the leader let the active
members come forward, not wait till
the last five minutes and then all
want to speak. Do not speak too
long Give others chance. What
ever is gone is past forever. The
present is ours. What we want and
need is a revival in the church of
God. Perhaps it would be well to
stop preaching to the unconverted
and direct our thoughts and words
to the protesting Christians. What
the key is to the watch, prayer is to
religion; it winds it up and sets it
going, and we must have persever-
ance to keep it and ourselves active.
The topic, IN oney, How to Raise
it." was discussed by w. F. Babbit
of Burlington. Money is power in
concrete things; it is essential to
we'll regulated homes and com
munities; it is the means to noble
ends. Money, like a cipher, has little
factors. The accepted idea is that it
isa tangible power and brings tangi
bic blessings. Brains and money are
necessary for successful enterprise.
The church has brains; 1000 college
men are pledged to Christ's service,
and are only waiting for the means
to go with. The strength Of any
nation lies in its rural population.
The present way of raising money i'll
the church is inadequate to the needs.
Its members are ignorant of the true
art and system of giving. Who will
be its educators? Y P. S. c. E.
We must have scheme which shall
be educational in character. Have a
carefully organized and working
committee of finance; divide the
members into groups equal in num-
Der to the committee in finance; have
each one in the groups do some per
sOnal work.
The question drawer was well con-
Quoted by Rev. ]. L. Hill. One of the
most frequent questions was in re-
gard to the age of the members,
should it be limited. There is no age
limit. A person may be old in
years but young in feelings and just
as ready for active service. The linn
iting of membership should be one of
health, not of age. What is the best
way to raise funds? :? BY the envelope
system every week. No person
should give more than five cents a
week. The expenses are few and
there is little need of more. The con-
tributions should be made in the
church. Give freely to the needs
and calls there Are committee re-
ports essential? Yes; and they
should be put in writing; there
should be no oral reports. Three
quarters of an hour is long enough
for meeting; in the case of the
junior societies do not prolong it
over 20 minutes; it is no use to tire
the children all out. Is it permissible
to spend some time socially after the
meeting when held Sunday evenings?
Is there any danger? Possibly from
irreverence, but usually not so; it
may be very profitable. Would it be
a spiritual gain to cut down the
time of singing as make up time !?
Yes; song is praise; have as much
| as YOU wish, but not for the purpose
of filling up.
At Music Hall Rev. J. L. Sewall
spoke upon THE knight GRANT of
today" giving strong plea for a
fighting Christian with loyalty to
Ideals. He wanted the knight
errant of today to fight impurity,
intemperance, gambling and all forms
of crime. The Christian Endeavor
knight errant should be careful that
the growth of the institution does
not check the growth of the indi-
vidual.
THE home land' was very effect
lively rendered by double quintette,
while the music of the evening was
furnished by chorus of nearly 100
voices led by H. H. May, assisted by
piano and an orchestra.
Rev. ]. L. Hill of Medford, Mass,
followed upon the distinctive features
of the work. This society does what
the church never does in its differen-
tiation between those who are Christ
ians and those who are not. 1t has
active and associate members. 1t
puts everybody to work, giving
everybody his place. 1t has found
the solution of the amusement ques-
ton. It's power of success is in the