The morning call., 1894-04-12

TO the games and tricks. the frolics, the
sham and low penny catching schemes
which are common for the purpose of rails
ing money to promote the worship OF God
and the moral and spiritual education OF
his children is painful incongruity.
Thev engen der animosties that counter
balance the fnan cial gains, and the ex-
penses consume the most of the receipts.
and II The disappointment be added to the
inevitable loss of self-respect and the
lowering of the moral tone the deficit is
very large indeed.
Il am fully persuaded" went ON the
speaker. that the popular claptraD re-
sorted to OssensibIy for the promotion of
the social life of the church is defeating its
own end. and actually blunts the spiritual
sensbilities of tho church itself. Friyo-
lous sideshows lower the religious tone Of
confidence and allenate tho sympathy OF
the community at large. To such great
extent has this result been experienced in
different sections of the country that the
secular press Is sharply animadverting z
upon it, Against this general tendency in
our churches. sincerely hope our women
will set their faces as flint. 1t BODIES only
evil to true religion"
After pointing out that woman's proper
thing To say about women speake She
thought want of vocal power on their part
has greatly diminished their effectiveness.
''If | were In doubt" said the speaker, "as
to whether God had called me to the min
istry. would let my decision CT the mat
ter rest in this way. If the tone of my
voice was not suitable for public speaking.
not such as to command attention when
made the vehicle of good strong common
sense. should take it as hint that l am
not needed in the pulpit"
A discussion followed in which Miss
Ruth Campbell, MIR. Stebbins and others
took part, and DIR. Fay emphasized his
wife's words by stating thatin Los Angeles
and the northern part OF the State the
church sociable and fair had become the
worst kind of nuisance.
Proceedings yesterday morning were
opened at the First Unitarian Church by
Rev. Eliza Il. Wilkes after which Presi-
dent Mrs. S. X. Lathrop of Fruitvale
delivered an address of welcome. Mrs.
Baurhye and Mrs. Hardy were appointed
a committee on credentials and then the
secretary and treasurer read their annual
reports, showing steady increase in
prosperity Of the conference and a great
enlargement of its scope Of work. The
special reports on postofHce mission work
were full of interest.
Mrs. f. b. Easton read the report of the
pOSLQfflcS mission OIL t0G CN8DUlnR AuXlI-
iary in San Francisco. This mission was
organized in 1887 and is the medium of the
transmission of pamphlets. The new
chairman Of this committee is Mrs. Isidore
Burns, who is most active IN the work.
For the year ending February l 5170 de-
nominational pamphlets were distributed.
1912 pieces of secular literature, 242 letters
received, and 257Aetters dispatched. The
total expense was 500 As, an average of
SIS O4 month. This statement shows the
great increase of the work since the mis-
sion was established seven years ago,
when 1000 pamphlets were distributed IN
the year and 100 letters received and 70
sent. Parishioners are to be found in
British Columbia, Sandwich Islands.
Japan and Old Mexico. A loan library has
been established.
Miss Dawson read the report of the post
Office work In Portland. showing similar
increase Of usefulness as the San francisco
mission.
Mrs. Horace Davis read the report of
the delegates sent to the conference of
Unitarian Women held in Chicago May
last. These were besides Mrs. Davis Mrs.
+. 0. Smith and Miss Cordelia Kirkland.
As result of the report IL was voted 10
join the National Alliance OF Unitarian
Women as a branch alliance.
1t was also voted to send letters of greet
ing to the Western Women's Unitarian