The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1901-11-15
TOWN TOPICS.
TRINITY CHURCH.
THE wOMAN's AUXILIARY AT SAN
FRANCISCO.

FRANCISCO.
The members of the Woman's Aux
iliary to the Board of Missions have
signalized their first triennial meeting
on the Pacific coast by far surprising
all previous efforts on behalf of mis-
sions. On Thursday, October 3, they
laid upon the altar of Grace church,
San Francisco, more than 100000 at
their United Offering. The Triennial
service was held in Grace church, on
the morning of October 3. The large
church was crowded in every part,
when a few moments after 10 o'clock
the singing of the vestry prayer 81
fenced the buzz of conversation. The
vested choir, singing, 80 Sion, haste"
preceded the bishops Of California and
Tokyo, the rector of the parish, and
the general and associate secretaries
Of the Board of Missions. Bishop
Nichols began the Communion office.
AS the preacher he chose as text St
Luke 2: 22-24. Touching but slightly
upon the material offering of money,
and emphasizing the Offering of self
and of service, the bishop endeavored
to interpret the meaning of the pres
ent occasion. Then came the moment
toward which the members had been
working and looking for three years.
The great congregation rose, and while
the offerings were being gathered sang
the hymn, "Holy offerings, rich and
rare" The very atmosphere seemed
charged with the spirit of reverent
and loyal service to the King. Upon
every face one saw unmistakable evil
dences of the high devotion which has
always marked the undertakings of
the Auxiliary and of the extent to
which the offering of money represent
ed the Offering of life.
The Alhambra theater seats 1000
people, but it was packed on Thursday
afternoon for the triennial meeting
1t was gathering that bore fOrcible
witness to the uniting power of the
missionary enterprise. Time and space
were annihilated by common pur-
pose. Here were women from fash
ionable parishes in the East and West.
North and South; women from mission
chapelS in the far-away parts of our
own land; women who worke, -,
missions and women who works.
missions; women who knew tl4t
and the isolation of an Alaskan Win
ter, or the subtle perils of an African
jungle; women whose hearts were sad
dened by the daily degradation they
had witnessed of their sisters in China
and Japan; women who knew the
damage to wOmanhOOd wrought by a
corrupt ROmanism in South America,
and women who were on their way to
face the like conditions in the Philip
pines. 1t was a great gathering, and
it expressed it's faith in the divine op-
timism of the old missionary hymn,
"JesuS shall reign Where'er the SUM-"
The most impressive feature of the
meeting occurred just after Bishop
Partridge finished speaking, when
missionary society, came to the plat
form to announce the total of the
United Offering. zone hundred and
four thousand'- was as far as he got,
for the great gathering rose by a COM
mon impulse and sang "PraiSe God,
from whom all blessings flow." Itwas
indeed thrilling moment, full of
deep emotion, humble thankfulness
and high resolve. When Mr. Thomas
| was allowed to continue he named the
total amount placed on the altar of
Grace church at the morning service
as S1O4, 295. .53-over $780, 900 more than
the Offering of 1898. The money IS to
be equally divided among the mission
ary bishops, the ColOred Commission
receiving one equal share, to be used
by them at their discretion. This gift,
as some one put.it, twill enable each
missionary bishop to breathe freely fol
at least fortnight. ."
1t is worth remembering on the part
of the members of Trinity par ish
| Newtown, that of this amount the
women of the Auxiliary here gave $40
The annual meeting Of the WOman's
Auxiliary of this parish will be held al
the rectory on Thursday November
q, at 2.3O p. m. Reports will be pre-
sented and officers elected for the com
ing year, and plans for the winter
work decided upon. The rector par
ticularly requests that all women in
terested in the parish. work for mis-
sions be present at this appointe'
meeting.
Miss DOllie Vincent of NeWa rk, N
j., has been the guest of Mrs II. {
Beers. --.