The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-09

THE convention year, just closed
has been one of great financial
depression. In the agricultural dis
tricts this has been felt more severely
than during the preceding year. lts
effect upon many of our smaiier
marshes has been to render the mann
tenance of regular services dlthcui''
especially SO when change OF pas
tors made a canvass for funds neces-
sary. This same cause has retarded
the opening of new fields, and the
general disinclination to assume fresh
obligations, has prevented the de-
velopment of some promising move
ments into parishes.
Under these conditions it Is
pleasure to be able to report an IN
crease in the number of parishes ana
preaching stations where regular ser
vices are held. Last year the reports
showed forty-two places: this year we
can report fifty places where services
have been regularly held during the
whole or part Of the year. The mum
Der of places having services weekly
il twenty five. Those having ser
vices every two weeks eight. those
having services monthly seventeen.
In addition there are number OF
places where occasional services have
been held, aggregating about twenty
innumber, and amongthem are several
promising fields. There are other
places, where organizations exist or
where church buildings more or less
valuable have been built as Unlver-
saIist churches, that have been dor
mant during the entire year. Among
the most important of these may be
mentioned D ecatur, Lincoln, Wheaton
and Rochelle.
This summary will perhaps give
the members of the convention some
idea of the present state OF the
church in Illinois. 1t is not story
of any brilliant capture of strategic
points, or great advances, but 1t Is, L
think. a record of steady growth.
Several of the movements here tabu-
lated are quite modest: they may re-
quire fostering by the church at large
for some time yet. Some of them may
close their doors, yet in my opinion
we should be failing in our duty, did
we not attempt their development
into parishes.
Of my personal work detailed re-
ports have been made monthly to the
Board of Trustees. 1t will be more
convenient to speak of it here in rela-
ton to the various sections of the
state than to attempt chronological
account.
CHURCH PROPERTY.
The Sheridan parish has decided its
church building and lot to the Con-
vention in the usual manner.
The Wheaton church has been
leased recently to an athletic asso-
citation.
There is fund at Mendoza,
amounting to something over 81 1000,
the proceeds of the sale of church
property, many years since recently
visited this city and had an interview
with one of the Trustees. He is not
willing, as | understood him, for the
fund to be placed in the conventions
hands in trust, but would be willing
to abide by the decision of parish
meeting. Owing to arecent bereave-
ment | did not call upon the other
surviving trustee. 1t is probable
that a meeting of the parish will soon
be called and that part of the inter
est will be used in an attempt to re-
NlN0 pIcdCnluS oClblCCo'
THE YEAR
In the year past, / have preached
1872 sermons, and have travelled over
5000 miles, visiting thirty-three diff
ferent places, at almost all of which l
held public services.
| have, no doubt, often erred in
judgment, in my attempt to further
the cause of our church and its faith.
But such strength and ability as l
have were given to the work that
seemed to me to be most needed. |
have been unable to answer many of
the calls received to visit parishes or
to act on many valuable suggestions
made by friends. The work that you
have given me to do, might we'll en-
ploy the energies of several mission
aries.
During the year l have assisted or
conducted revival services, or series
of meetings at Mt. Pulaski, White
heath, Clinton, Leroy, Greenup,
Windsor, Hutsonville, Sharpsburg.
Cowden, KenneY, Carbondale, and
other places. For three and a half
months the requests for this form of
service were so many that l spoke on
the average once day.