The Newtown bee., 1901-03-15
THE WORK OF A COUNTRY CHURCH

GOOD PROGRESS SHOWN EVEN WHERE
| CONDITIONS ARE BY NO MEANS
IDEAL.-THE NEWTOWN CONGREGA-
| TIONAL CHURCH AND WHAT IT AC-
COMPLIsHED IN 1900.
These are the days when those in
terested in matters of religion are dis
| the future of the country church, eS-
pecially in New England?" The old
Puritan stock is dying off or moving
away. 1t is being replaced by a com
munity in no wise in sympathy with
evangelical church life. When hot air
rises, Nature abhOrS vacuum and cold
airs ruSheS in to take the abandoned
| place. Thus it is in Nature, but it is
not always SO in New England rural
church; there is not always filling up
for the dropping out. The old people
die, the young people, the natural sue
cesssiOn to the places of responsibility
and usefulness, move away: and what
| is left? Under these circumstances d
church, it's pastor and people, are to
be heartily congratulated if the church
makes head against the stream. This
the Newtown Congregational church
has done, and more than done, in the
past year, as the following facts fully
show.
On profession of faith six were added
during the year and four by letter,
making the total membership of the
church now l42. 1t is quite peculiar
fact that there are little more than
| twice as many females on the church
roll as males; So of the former, 46 of the
| latter. Let him explain this disprOpOr-
tion who will. Surely it cannot be
because religion is an effeminate and
unmanly thing, for there never was
time when manly qualities were SO
much in demand in the Christian
church as they are to-day. Not a sim
gle church member was lost during the
twelve months by death. Four adults
and four infants were baptized. Nine
ty-three families would apply to the
pastor of the church for ministerial
service. The Sunday school was never
in better condition than now. In it's
three departments of the main school,
the branch in Taunton district and
the ''home department" there are en-
rolled 146 scholars and teachers. The
average attendance for the year is put
down at -, though this number hard
ly gives the school sufficient credit; for
the ''home department, while count
ing in the total membership, does not
appear in the average attendance.
There are not many young men and
JOullS "OlHCll Ill lllC SCllOOl. llSSC
are helping Sunday schools in other
places where they have taken up their
home; but there is a larger number
of the smaller boys and girls, and, as
one of the teachers terSely expressed it,
| it is hoped there iS!SOme excellent tim
ber'' for future deacons and Ladies'
Aid society presidents among these.
Miss Susie J. Scudder's fine class, II
boys, who are most faithful in atten-
dance and who are held together by
the noble influence of their
teacher, is the pride of the school.
The Christian EndeavOr society now
ate members; and still it keeps grow
ing, for now and then an additional
name is found when it had been
thought the field had been exhausted.
This earnest band of young people last
year gave $50 to the famine sufferers of
India, S5.15 to the Mount Carmel
! Children'S Home near New Haven,
! helped the church by adding S34 to it's
funds, spent about $40 in repairs on
church and parsonage, besides paying
all ilsrunning expenses. Since start
cd, he society has not missed a single
meeting. even during TIE fair sized
bllzZard or two years ago Some Of the
faithful plodding through the snow
and holding a meeting helpful to the
little company assembled. The sum
paid out in carrying on the work of
the church for the year was $ls3l.S4.
In missionary contributions the for
eign work seems to have the lead
quite the reverse Of the way people
generally think it should be- as they
are apt to say, IL don't get much in
terested in giving any money to con
vert the heather: there are enough
hea then at home" To the American
Board and other foreign work was Civ
en- $41.S5; to educational work 1852:
to the Church Building society $500;
to the Congregational Home Mission
airy society $29.O2; to the American
Missionary Association $500; to the
Congregational Sunday school and