Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-05-04


There is 1894 now in the treasury.
Theodore Thomas, the secretary of the
Sunday school, reports decided gain in
membership. Fifty-fOur names were
lost by a revision of the rolls, and So
names were added, showing gain of 80
members. In the Primary Department
there is total enrolment of "a. The
entire membership of the school is 372,
and the average attendance about 200
Seventeen members of the school have
united with the church during the year.
Large additions have been made to the
library. The total amount of money
collected for all purposes is S431. OF
this S207 was appropriated for benevo-
lence. A happy feature of the year.
work is the growth of the "Guideboard
School," Il. 1. Norton, the superintend-
emit, reports membership of nearly one
hundred, with an average of seventy.
The Foreign Missionary Society has
made its usual contribution of $50 to the
Woman's Board of Missions.
The Homo Missionary Society has, as
in previous years, filled box for the
family of Home Missionary. This
year the box was valued at $1S8, and
sent, freight prepaid, to family in Cor
Wallis, Ore. Besides this, the Society
has sent SAT to the Vermont Home Mis-
s1onary Society. Whole amount given,
$23S. 40.
The largest and most important organ
ization connected with our church is the
Ladies' Aid Society. Important, not
only on account of the solid financial aid
itgives the church, but because, with its
semi-monthly suppers from October to
May, its annual celebration of Forefath-
er's Day, and various gatherings in our
pleasant rooms from time to time, it
keeps alive the feeling of brotherhood,
of familiar affectionate interest among
men, women and children, without
which there can be no substantial
growth and prosperity. The Ladies'
Aid Society has contributed to the sup
port of the church, and for repairs dur
ing the past year, $247, and manages to
have always in its treasury, sum large
enough to answer any reasonable de-
mand for repairs on the fine buildings
in which it takes such pride. This has
been the strong right arm of the church
ever since it began, as a little weekly
Sewing Society, So years ago, meeting
and taking tea at the houses of its mem
bers. From its members, the pastor has
chosen the greater part of a committee
of twenty as church visitors, and no
member of the church, old or young,
rich or poor, is overlooked by them.
The last year has been prosperous
one for our church. On the last Ami
versary the number of members was 402
During the year there have been added
by confession of faith, 10, and by letter,
8. In that time four have died and 6
have been dismissed, leaving a gain in
membership of II. To-day we have a
membership of 419. The total gifts of
church and Society for the year 1893
were 81, 800, one hundred dollars more
than the previous year. For the same
period the home expenses, including
improvements on property and cost of
the Sunday schools, amounted to So, 400.
The women of the church served a
supper after which came the postpran-
dial exercises, arranged by Mrs. G. R.
Seymour and Chas. H. Mac Donough.
The toasts and responses were: Our
5Sth Anniversary" Miss Anna G. Park;
1.-THE Second Congregational Church and
Its Village Relations" John S. Holden;
''Our Mother Church." the Rev. NJ. L.
Severance; ''Deeper Ploughing," Joseph
Child; "The Ladies'" DIN Scott; "The
Gentlemen" Mrs. Hitchcock. Mrs.
Merrill sang a solo, Mrs. Keeseman gave
an instrumental solo and a trio was sung
by Mr.. J. NJ. Burt, Mrs. Coffey and Mrs
Merrill. Then were some other short
remarks.
The tables prepared under the direc-
ton of Mrs. II. S. Bingham and II.
1. Norton were pronounced fault
less. They were handsomely furnished
with flowers, etc., and the edibles were
served by young Misses of the congrega-
ton, they being dressed IN white. Dur
ing the evening brief tributes of respect
were paid to the memory of the four
members of the church who had died
during the wear