The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-31

The convention opened at 9.15 o'clock
with a prayer meeting led by Rev.
Arthur S. Burrows of the South
Farnham called the meeting to order
at 8 40. A selection from the Scriptures
was read by Lewis A. Gould and prayer
was offered by Rev. L. c. H. Biggs of
Greenville.
President Farnham appointed this
committee on enrolment: Homer j.
Stratton of Willimantic, Rev. A. S.
Burrows of Worcester, Rev. N. S. Bur-
bank of Revere.
The report of Treasurer Dwight
Chester was read and adopted. A
summary follows:
Receipts, income-From $50 churches
and missions and 8 associations,
$S556 .SS; individual donations and be,
quests, $2052 81; interest on invested
funds and rents, e13, 750.97; balance
from last year. 1851. Total contribu-
tions and income, $24, 3S6.56.
Disbursements on, account of in
come-To aid churches and missions
and evangelistic service, S96OS. 81; Tor
French italian. Portuguese and
Swedish missions, $41S5 81; for city
missions and superintendent of mis-
ing, rent, postage, clerk, real estate,
etc, $3497. 40; for interest paid on
special funds, $2443. IA; balance on hand,
$2251 81. Total, $24, 3S6.56.
Permanent funds of which the income
only can be used, $3.50, Splits.
The report of the finance committee
was read by Dudley P. Bailey of
Everett 1t was adopted.
The report of the board of directors
was presented by State Superintendent
of Missions Rev. w. H. Eaton. After
a short introduction, the report took up
the following divisions of the work:
Finances-The receipts from the
churches amount to about the same as
in the year preceding, but personal
contributions have been much less
Receipts from legacies which can be
applied to current expenses also show
a falling off. Many of the churches
either fail to consider the work of state
evangelization of great Importance, or
Gistrust the instrumentality con-
stituted to do this work. SeVenty-nVe
thousand dollars could be easily ana
prof1tably expended annually tor tne
continuance and enlargement or work
among more than 100000 people in
Massachusetts who are as yet I'M
reached by the gospel.
Aided churches-During the decade
ending 1890, q new churches were or
ganized. of which all but have be-
come self-supporting. Since 1880 80 new
churches have been organized, OF when
DC Of nresent receive convention AID
II is confidently expected that before
1910 fully three-quarters of them VIII
have become self-supporting. Forty
Z nine old churches have received AID
3 the mast year. most of them located in
the small country towns. Many OF
. them is the only church in the town
and must be sustained. The prospect
for growth or any betterment OF con-
dition is very poor. Three churches,
after having become selt-supportng'
have during the year felt compelled by
their Enisfortunes to again ask aid Of
the convention.
Aid to buiId-At the meeting of the
hoard in May a new plan on Whlcn
the convention should hereafter render
aid to build churches and cnapels was
considered, which, summarized Is as
follows: s
II is to make all aid in sums exceed
,no a few hundred dollars loans at
veTv low rate of interest for or 10
vears. at the expiration of which per-
Tod the loan must either be repaid OF
hear interest at the average rate pald
nv savings banks 1t is high time tnat
the folly of mourning large lnaepted-
ness should be emphasized ana every
proper influence exerted 70 p iesei,.
their doing what will inevitably result
10 their injury. n-ho
Work among the foreign born: inc
work among tie italians is enIar s IN.
rapidly. and promises 70 De IN aiOo omonp
tbe French. The people are more ap-
oroachabie and less prejudiced against
the gospel and Professionalism A sur
vev Of these missions as a whole SHOWS
results in conversions and baptlsIns IN ~
larger numbers than among chuI Aslss
and pastors with far. more perez perez
equipment. IS having been oap'i]eu
during the year.