The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-03
The CONGREGATIONAL club.

Last week we referred to the papers
being read before the club, and that
Mai. b. b. Valentine had consented to
prepare one upon Business Methods as
Applied to Church and Society Work"
On Friday evening his paper was read
and discussed. 1t had several notable
passages, two of which we give to our
readers as contributory to the current
thought of the day. The author en-
phasizes the standpoint from which he
writes, viz: business" He was request
ed to write from business point of view
only,-nOt upon the moral, religious or
even polite phase Of the question.
What we give below is part of the re-
suit.
In Maj. Valentines paper are few
thoughts leading up to ''church fairs"
which we give as explanatory, as fol-
lows:
"There is one fault common to nearly
all organizations, which even in our al
most model Society, finds illustration.
It is the leaving it to the few, to do the
thinking, and formulating the plans, for
the whole. / do not mean that we
should not have our committees, direc-
tors, or trustees, or that they should not
have considerable discretionary power.
l mean that every member Of the Society
should take personal interest in the
general partnership. When speaking of
Society matters, the word we should be
used instead of YOU was told a few
days since, of an intelligent member of
our organization being very much sur
prised at learning how much money was
required, and where it came from, and
that there was sometimes deficiency;
and the surpriss was greatestat learning
that few had been in the habit of di-
viding up such deficiency among them
selves, and thus preventing debt being
carried to another year. OF course, we
should be thankful that we have those
willing and able to make up deficiencies,
but we should have an additional cause
for thankfulness If all would bear their
part.
"Now let me suggest to any one here
who has not had the pleasure of being a
party to the division spoken of, to try 1t
once, and see what quickening inter
est will be aroused in his breast in the
financial success of our Society. 1t will
no longer be why do you not do this, or
that9 but Let us do it.. You will enjoy
a personal interest in church work which
will be exhilarating, and very beneficial to
you and the Society. Too much cannot
be said on this part of our subject. Gen
eral interest IN our business methods
means more general intelligence. 1t is
educational, reaching beyond church
bounds, making better citizens, and bet
ter business men and women. When
each one does his duty, no one will be
called upon to do more than he thinks
his duty, or pay more than he feels able
and willing to pay. No truer words
were ever spoken than 1t is more
blessed to give than to receive Our
young members, especially, should be-
come familiar with the right methods of
Society work, so as to be able to take
the places of those who have long been
at tle front.
~ hardly think, thus fan, aught has been
said with which you will not all agree.
May venture upon that 70 which 1 fear
many will dissent, and which to some
seems to be pet scheme for raising
money? wish that there was no neces-
sity for church fairs, and, in my opin-
ion, If we practised the business meth
DDS to which we assent, there would be
no necessity for them.
aside from the social feature, the
bringing together in close relations those
who are working for common cause,
and the furnishing vent for the over
flowing energy, which is the happy pos
session of few, think them unbusi-
ness-like and Objectionable. 1t is bust
ness method which supposed necessity
most is called upon to do most. There
is suspicion Of fraud about it, in that
those who are the most generous and
ho.o olrooI,r rrt,ron all that fha., kl,tuI-
they can afford, are called upon to give
money to purchase something 10 sci, and
then are expected to purchase the arti-
Giles their money bought, AZ an advanced
price. There is actually no money made.
1t robs Peter to pay Paul, and II all, so
giving would pay half of the money di-
rectly into the Society's treasury, and
those not giving money, but time and
work, instead, would give half what
their time and labor Is worth, more
money would be realized than is made at
the fair; labor and doctors bills would
DO saved, and occasional bitterness of
feeling avoided.
"Of course, the excuse that we get
something out Of other denominations
Is good so far as 1t goes, but what about
their getting something out of us in re-
turn? The church fairs the relic and
successor Of the old-fasiioned donation
party, which long ago was voted nui-
sance by minister and people, and rele-
4 gated 10 the past. TO my mind il Is I'M
businesslike, and thing which will be
discarded in the near future. Why
should not our society take the lead In
the matterf OF course, these church
fairs are managed by The ladies, and
bright eyes, with hatterjng words from
pretty lips, have charms even greater
than the smooth tongued visionary men
toned at the beginning Of this paper
I This called out an animated discus
sion, some taking one side and others
another. On the whole we think many
will disagree with Maj Valentine; and
yet. for our part, we have always been
In favor OF paying cash rather than the
indirect church fair method which is
more cash out and less ayails for the
! treasury.