The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-15

reCJ fellowship VI tuo OOHNoAtiohI tho
application was referred to the Commit
tee of Fellowship, who subsequently
recommended that the same be granted;
and the recommendation was adopted.
The Financial Secretary, having before
reported his receipts since the previous
meeting of the Board, reported further;
That he had FUSED his best efforts to in
troduce the 'Cent-a-Day Method and
to make it productive. Some delay &C
Cured in obtaining needful supplies;
but from middle of December he had
written hundreds of letters to pastors
and to laymen, explaining the new sys-
tenn and advising as to the manner of it's
introduction and use." He had devoted
twelve Sundays, by arrangement with
pastors in charge, to presentation OF the
Convention interests and the new plan
to their parishes. He had received and
registered 1900 duly signed Cent-aDay
pledges There are 200 more temporari-
ly in other hands. There are 5000
blanks in the hands of pastors and others
who had written for the slips and prom
ised to urge their adoption. From these
widely distributed outstanding slips
pected. Upon the 1000 duly registered
amounting to $1,000, payment has been
received of s725, generally in anticipa-
ton of full maturity Evidently the
new plan has attained considerable
measure of success. 1t has been found
to be simple and efficient in it's working,
and in almost every instance where it
has been presented with confidence the
people have responded to the new form
of appeal
The Financial Secretary continued;
1.-THE experience which | have had dur
the few months since the system was
put on trial convinces me that it may
be expected to grow in favor, and to be-
come increasingly productive from year
to year. If we can hold the contributors
whose names are once obtained, aud can
add to the list from new localities, the
receipts from the Cent a-Day plan will
soon become gratifyingly large. The
pledges unless marked otherwise by the
individual subscriber run indefinitely,
and can only be cancelled by written
notice. The pledge is definite obliga-
ton. and it's financial value does not
hinge at all upon the accumulation of
pennies in box. In many parishes the
boxes are not used as repositories.
The boxes may or may not be used as
part of the system"
The report further discusses the
difficulties which the Financial Secre-
tary has met in his efforts. For various
reasons number of pastors decline to
approve or operate the preeent system"
1t was believed however that with
fair degree of success in the working of
the plan, which already has made avail
able some new resources, these difficult
ties will grow less year by year."
The Financial Secretary also re-
ported results of his work in soliciting
contributors on the basis Of the Wash
ington plan, and also in urging pastors
and others to take collections for the
General Convention, in all cases where
the Cent-a Day plan or that Of individ-
ual contributions has not been put in
operation. The immediate product of
this branch of the Financial Secretary's
work has been the receipt of $1,000. with
unpaid pledges amounting to 81 ,355, and
the notice of collections already taken
though not forwarded, aggregating near
ly $1,000.
The report concludes with a sum-
mary of the work of the office: Nearly
1000 letters relating to the claims, needs.
plans, ETC., of the General Convention,
the Financial Secretary having written
at least once to every Universalist pas
tor. and to every other Universalist
clergyman regularly engaged in the du-
ties of his profession; to all the Secre-
taries of Young Peoples societies so far
as their address could be obtained, and
to numerous laymen supposed to be inter-
ested in the work and enterprises of the
cHuTcn. DOCKS OF enrolment WIN dp
propriate headings, have been prepared;
in which were entered some 5000 names
of persons connected with Universalist
parishes whose pastors have supplied
desired lists for the purpose.
In an emergency small sum was APP
propriated in aid of an infrm clergyman,
in anticipation of income of the Minis
terial Relief Fund to be declared in
October.
The following minute was unanimous
ly adopted:
WHEREAS; There appears to be somewhat
widespread impression that the Board of Trus-
tees of the General Convention mas rule to al
low recipients of the scholarship Loan to extin-
guish their Indebtedness by missionary work."
the Secretary of the Board is hereby instructed
to publish statement in our UNCONVENTIONAL
papers, correcting that impression and setting
forth the fact that while the Board has in some
instances allowed benefciares to reduce their
Indebtedness by doing missionary work under
its auspices, 1t deals with each case as it arises
and requires benefciaries to consult the Board
first, and obtain specific instructions in regard
thereto.