The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-03-10
OUR NEIGHBORS.
Congregational Church Anniver-
sary at Huntington.
LETTERS READ AT THE REGENT CELEBRA-
TON,

l ulHLOEY NAiOuAlbB SSSA AhS0 bAAG
past one and three quarters centuries.
! In the single fact Of an existence of IT'S
! years there Ia sufficient cause for pride,
while we humbly acknowledge that 1t
has not been due TO mans wisdom or
I strength, bat due entirely to the mercy
and love Of a long suffering God. But
we have something more than a mere ex
istence to look back to ard talk about to
day. God has used this church to do His
work In this place. No higher honor
can come to any church than to be used
by God. And by using this church
TO do His work in Huntington He has
used 1t to do His work Ia all parts of the
world. No one of US can tell the extent
to which the Influences of a single good
man may reach. How then shall we com
which has lived and worked for nearly
two cenruriesP And in tn Is instance the
Importance of our chuTch's influence is
nightly increased when we remember
that 1t was during It's life that our coun-
try was born; that this church has wit
messed the growth and development of
the young Republic from a handful of
| men in few villages on the Atlantic
seabOsrd to q pO Werful nation upon
whose domain there is no sunset, whose
leaders In craftsmanship, education, bust
ness and religion, are second to these of
no other nation on the globe. And our
church has not simply witnessed this
growth and development, it has been an
ever present factor in all the growth and
in all the development. During each
successive generation the town has called
to positions of responsibility, honor and
| trust, those who have been under the in
fluence of this church. They have served
their town and through their town their
country and their generation well. We
are proud to be called their children.
Hundreds of cody men and sanity
women whose names have never been
before the public, have in the quietness
Of their own homes lived Christlike lives
that have helped to make the world bet
our own land have felt the direct and
immediate influence of this church For
from amor & ice members young men have
gone forth TO stand for honesty in bust
ness, for truth in the profession and for
Christ in the life. Indian, miner, and
prairie settler have thanked God for the
men and women that came to them in-
fiuenced by the church in Huntington
But that we may not be accused OF lean
ing on our history, venture to assert
that the IL fiuence of this church Is as wide
and az helpful to-day as 1t ever has beer.
1 should like to be with you 10 day and
listen to the letters that are sure TO come
frpm men and women now scattered ali
over the country and in other lands, tell
ing Of what God has wrought through
II i, fuence that have gone out from the
Huntington church are many and power
full.
IL will be natural for you to with to hear
/ something at this time of the work in
charge of your agents In FOochow. The
! first fact that comes to my attention ~
hi that in the churches under our care
500 persons have publicly confessed
Christ to be their Saviour and have been
admitted to church membership during
The four years thai we have had charge
of Lhis station. la the yea 1895 25l per-
sons were admitted In ali the stations Of
the mission. La 1898 the same number,
AL, were admitted IN this one station.
Che second great fact for your encourage
ment IL this. During The past year not one
cent OF foreign money has been received
by any Of the pastors, preachers or book
sellers who are working in connection
with the churches of this station. These
men have been paid entirely by the ma
tive Christians. In addition to these
salaries the native Christians have also
met all the Incidental expenses OF the
churches and cbspels and in some H.
stances have paid the rent on the build
! ing. One new church building has been
erected by the Chinese without help
enlarged and repaired in the same way.
Four years ago the native contributions
amounted to less than 800 mexicans.
The reports for 1898 will show a native
contribution of over $1,000 mexieans.
This Is equal to about $1,000 gold
Church organizations have Increased
from two to six. Chapels have Increased
from one to four. Day schools from
three to twelvs. Woman's station class
es from one to five. But q more funda
mental cause for Thanksgiving is thf
establishment of q school for the sole
purpose of training young men for thu
Gospel Ministry. When we arrived OF
the field there was no SYSTEMATIC training
Of this class Of men. During the fire
wear OF our residence here there was no
single man studying for the ministry
AT the, close of the first year the mission
voted to repair an old native building t.
be used temporarily as the home OF
Theological school. Three years az
we received the fret class of nine youDi
men. Two years ago another class o
! eight were received and enc year ago 81;
more entered. The niHe who entere
shree years ago are TO go out into th
work next month. There il only on
fault to be found with them, namely tina
their number Ia not 10 instead Of nine
Ole station is calling for ten men. |
oar station two places where chapela hav
already been estsblisned will have 70 ,
supplied with unframed and unlettere
men With what assistance students fri
the Seminary can render By preachin
on the Sabbath. The great need Of tn
missIon Is for trained preachers. | So
that there IL most profnund reason Il
thankagiving that scholi has bee
50. ..a.ns. n.