The Newtown bee., 1893-09-22
Fairfield County Chat.
TRUMBULL.
THE CoNGREGATIoNAL CHURCH.
The Annual Rsport.-Letter From the Pastor. A Flourishing Church.

The annual report or the auditor or the Congregational society, w. s. Plumb, is here presented, with a letter sent out by the pastor, Rev MT White, to the church membership. The church has prospered under the energetic leader ship of Mir White. MT Whites letter follows:
 Dear Brethren: In consideration of all the circumstances under which we begin our new financial year, feel con- strained to add a personal letter to all our people. Your attention is called to the following points: First, our excellent financial condition. After all repairs, improvements, running expenses and | long standing note has been paid, there should be a fair balance in treasury, Oc- tober l. This report, gratifying to all, was made possible and only possible be- canse of our method of church support. 1 IT INSPIRED CONFIDENCE
 and hearty support on account of it's nat uralness, simplicity and effectiveness in distributing the burden among old and | young, and making giving part of wor ship. That no mistake was made is cer- tain from the books and testimony of all the officers. Also because of bequests and gifts. In the three years of my ministry these amount to more than $7000. The income from these have been only partly available, but it has been of great assistance. They promise to be, for many years in the fu- ture, what they were desired to be, a blessing to this people. Second, our be- nevolences. While there has been
 SLIGHT INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR
 in the sum total, there has been a very perceptible decrease in the monthly con- tributions, showing that the ladies of the church are doing more than the men. | The decrease has been thought by some 1 to be due to the method of taking the collection. Hereafter the attempt will | be made to obviate this deficiency by taking separate benevolent collections at the close of the morning service of the | first Sunday in every month. Third, our dangers. To most of our people this point will need no emphasis, yet in view of human weakness l am constrained to emphasize what all will feel. Our dan ger is that we will lessen the amount of individual offerings because of increased funds. Shonld this prove in any way true among
 THIS GoD-BLEssED PEOPLE,
 I have serious apprehensions for the fu- Jure of this grand old church and the spiritual life of this people. This must Y uOb Dt. hlClltI Uy idE WOulu we UG III the end if we doubled last years offer ing rather than give one bit less. A de- crease in our offerings would be the de- stroying of that confidence we have been awakening, and which I verify believe has been the cause of many of our bless ings. Perfect loyalty to our church de- mands of us at this time all we can af- ford to do for it. Have we been any the poorer for all we did last year? Have our means not increased during the year so that we can offer more this year? Are there no persons who could not give last year, who can do so this year? Parents, have you not children old enough to be- gin to give into
 THE LORDS TREASURY?
 They are to be the supporters of the church very soon. Is it not your duty to teach them the blessed art of giving worthilyg It is not the amornJ we are after so much as the fact of giving, ! Their penny offerings are a delight te those that love the church. Teach them to give regularly even though 1t be g , care. You will never regret it. Young people, you think your offerings small and not worth the while of offering. Nol so, every one of them is appreciated. Dc , what you can regularly and systemati cally and you will not fail in receiving g blessing for it. Let us all do what we can this coming year. have anticipa ted the time when all our obligations | can be met without restoring to sssub scription papers," If we do our duty this can be done, and not only that, but we shall have the means to make
 MANY NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS on our church property. have already referred to our beneVOlences There fe great danger of our becoming selfish by doing for ourselves and not doing for tho lost world for which Christ died and in. ' 60 which he has bidden us enter to fls His work and to carry his saving truth.