The Newtown bee., 1894-01-05

he children. Much money mad been col- al ected through the birthday boxes, each v cholar celebrating his or her birthday f. y presenting as many pennies as the ti birthday denoted years. Extracts were cad from letter of Secretary Hall of ;he Connecticut Sunday school union, V showing by actual work on the field that l districts could be found even in this state t IS destitute of religious influences as many portionssof the West. t Arthur J. Smith spoke of the place that t music should have in the church service. It is necessary and pleasant part of ev- cry church service and should have care- ful thought as to selection and prepara- tion. The music, to be thoroughly in keeping with the
 SPIRIT OF WORSHIP, should be the pure gospel put in simplest form and sung from consecrated throats, but the beau ideal is reached when the congregation all sing and the choir acts only as leader. If you can't sing part, sing just the same, and sing with all your heart and your discord, if any, will be lost in mighty anthem of praise to Him to whom it is due. Let us put whole hearted service into this work for 1894; we know not whether of our seed-sowing shall prosper, this testimony or that song of praise. or whether both alike shall prove good and acceptable to God.
 Mrs Otis w. Barker, as president of the Ladies' Missionary Society, reported it's work. $31.6S have been sent for the support of a Bible woman in Turkey. l This woman is under the care of the 1 Woman's Board of Missions, which asks all it's auxiliaries to do even better in their contributions for another year un- less the threatened decrease in their re- ceipts is met, nine missionaries must be laid aside, many Bible women discharged and number of day schools closed. l TEN DOLLARS WERE GIVEN
 to the Connecticut branch of the Woman's l Home Missionary society. Mrs Barker also read a letter from Rev Jacob Hem, the missionary in Des Moines, Ia., to whom the society recently sent a barrel whose contents were valued at $61 .55. Extracts from the letter read thus, "The barrel reached us the Saturday before Christmas and proved a source of great joy to us all. The incidents connected with many of the articles are sympa- thetic and show warm missionary spirit. All the garments fitted we'll. My work among the Germans here begun a year ago last August. The church has now 31 members and 36 scholars in the Sun- day school. A year we held services at the English Pilgrim Congregational church, but we are in our own church now. It was dedicated last October. It's cost was $3G50 and we are free from debt.''
 Mrs A. c. Moore read the financial re- port of the Ladies' Aid society. This showed that the ladies have raised a large sum ef money during the year in various ways, and much of the financial prosperity of the Ecclesiastical Society is due to their generous labor.
 M. $. Otis related several interesting
 
 Miss Fife Wolcott
 SPOKE OF TEMPERANCE
 work among the children. The Loyal Temperance Legion was organized in July, 1891. It began with 15 members. As many as 40 have been in attendance. In the summer of '92 the work was given up, but revived later with l2 members. Since then, the highest attendance has been IS. What is needed is more inter- est on the part of parents to see the great value of their children having right ideas on this all-important question.
 c. M. Penny told how the monthly missionary meeting had been started dur ing the summer with hope, and yet with fear, because of the newness of the un- dertaking and the scattered condition of the people. The meetings have grown in interest and in numbers far beyond the highest expectation of the originators of the plan. The collection at the next Oc- tober meeting was $6.50, that at the ne xt a little less, while, when it was desired in one Sunday to raise
 ENOUGH TO PURCHASE
 an overcoat for the missionary barrel, $9.50 were given in the Sunday school and enough in the evening to make the amount $l3. The church that is stretch ing out it's hand and arm to help some body is sure not to die of paralysis. The missionary church is the live church. Foreign missions react upon home mis- sions, and increased contribution in one direction does not mean slackened hand in another.
 M. c. Rodgers gave testimony to the great interest shown in the mid-week prayer meetings. He had come into the room on dark, threatening night to find 42 assembled, a remarkable number con- sidering how far many come. The spirit of the prayer meeting is clear index to the spiritual life of the church. Let us get in earnest in coming and make per- sonal sacrifices to come, and
 THE BLESSING DESIRED
 in the coming year is assured. The sug- gestions were made that the topics found in the Congregational hand book for 1894 be used and that now and then the lay members feel the responsibility the pas- tor has for the meetings by leading them selves.
 The pastor, Rev Otis W. Barker, spoke
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