The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-27
Our Ohio Churches.
FROM ]. W. HENLEY, d. D.
State Secretary.
TWENTY YEARS OLD.

We find the following in the Ravenna
Democrat Press: 1.-THE Universalist
church was twenty years old Sunday,
March Z. An interesting and instruct
i've address was given by Rev. Andrew
Wilson, who organized the church. and
who has been its only pastor Two hun
dred and thirty-four persons have been
fellowshipped. OF this number thirty
three have died and many have moved
elsewhere. The present membership is
about one hundred and forty four, of
whom about one hundred reside in Ra-
VIENNA and vicinity. For repairs on the
old building and for erecting the new
temple Of worship, and for an organ.
nearly ten thousand dollars have been
expended. 1t is substantially out of
debt, except what it owes it's pastor. Its
business has been carefully managed.
While the sister churches have about
held their own, this organization has
grown from small beginning into one
of the substantial organizations of Ra-
VIENNA. For twenty years pastor and
people have worked harmoniously and
successfully"
BRO. WILSON'S MINISTRY.
During the twenty years, Bro. Wilson
has preached often in adjacent places,
and the following is summary of the
work done: Sermons preached. 2.083;
members received into church fellow
ship, 1916; marriages solemnized, ATT;
funerals attended, S97. During the
week following March 7, Bro. Wilson
attended three funerals. making 900 dur
his residence in Ravenna.
AKRON Up. u.
Recently the members of the Y. P. G.
U. of our Akron church, resolved to hold
a"Dollar Experience Social" at which
the members we're to report a dollar
earned, il possible, in some other way
than by regular occupation, and to tell
in rhyme how the money was earned.
The social occurred March II, and was
a decided success. Supper was served
from five to seven o'clock, at twenty
cents per plate to those persons who did
not bring their experience dollars"
After supper the "Bardell Trial." from
Dickens "Pickwick Papers" was acted
in costume by some OF the college stu
dents, and the audience was delighted
with the eloquence of "Bnzzfuzz," the
witty sallies of "Sam Weller" and the
agonized looks of poor "Mr. Pickwick."
Following the play came the exper.
fences, and twenty.one Unioners
marched up to the Presidents desk, and
twenty -one dollars clicked" of love and
loyalty for the Y. P. G. U. and nearly
twenty-one poems were read, telling of
the trials of the Unioners in earning
their dollars. The best feature of the
whole affair was that every dollar meant
sacrifice and self-denial. Some had
saved their street car fares; some had
made and sold candy; one young mar
ried lady earned her dollar by writing
the experience" Of her husband, who
was only too glad to pay dollar for his
poem. Auntie Brown had baked and
sold "Auntie Browns Brown Bread"
Bro. A. l. Spanton, who furnished us
the foregoing. says: 1--WE all feel encour-
aged. Thirty dollars have been added to
our treasury; and what is still better, we
have tasted something of that blessing
which ever follows in the wake of sacri-
fice."
PLATTsVILLE.
Bro. P. d. Frazier, clerk of our Platts.
vile church, informs us that at church
meeting held March 4, after the trans
action of usual routine business, the
trustees were authorized to continue the
services OF Rev. j. III. Blackboard as pas
tor another year. The first year closed
March Z. We are glad to have the priv
ilege of noting this fact. for the fewer
changes OF pastors that churches make
the better the work that will be accom-
plished by the church and pastor.
CONVENTION DELEGATES.
There are about eighty churches in
Ohio which should be represented at
every session of the Ohio Universalist
Convention. but such thing has never
occurred since the present order OF rep
resentation has been adopted. Under
the old plan, when delegates we're chosen
by associations, If but one delegate from
an association was present all churches
in that body had representative. The
records of the session held at Attica last
year show that there we're twenty.seven
churches represented by fitty-seven del
egates. Also that thirteen churches
elected twenty-four delegates, none of
whom were present. This left forty
churches that made no effort to send
delegates.
REPRESENTATION NEEDED.
Brethren, these things ought not to
be, and our denomination will never
,roSDar as IL should until mora ipfaraet