St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-06-11
SECRETARY nERRILL,s REPORT.

The Work of the Vermont domestic
Missionary SOciety-A Wave of ReIis-
iOus Depression.
Rev. DR.. c. H. Merrill, secretary OF the
Vermont Domes, ic Missionary Society,
gave his annual report at the Tuesday
session of the Congregational Home Mis-
sionary Society 10Th annual conven-
ton held at Syracuse, N, Y, last week.
The receipts of the society during the year
were:
From churches and indivld-
uals, 20 20 10
From, Ieoacies 4,309.03
Income I1om invested funds, 58S94
$1O185 80
The national society received
tor the national work, 5,Ol4.oo
Total amount raised in the
state in ca,h Tor home mis-
sions, o1o'zoo'1o
The auxiliary paid into the
treasury of the national
society for the national
work, Z4Z 81
The auxiliary expended in its
own field for missionary
labor and expenses, S,6l6.oo
Fifty.seven missionaries have been en-
ployed during the whole or part of
the year, in connection with sixty churches
and eleven out stations.
The reLort If Secretary Merrill stated
that the work OF the year has been at
fected BY the wave of religious depres.
sion everywhere felt More fields have
turned to the missionary society for adj
vice and aid, the work has been of less
permanent character, and the results less
marked Since 1891 no organization
has been dropped from the state body.
New organizations have been put in
places only where thtre was need, and old
organizations have been nourished back
to lite with a patience oil endeavOr and
courage OF hope that could achieve the
impossible. In matters OF finance, the
increase in resources has come through
legacies. GIFTS rom the living maintain
rate Of almost exact uniformity with
that of the last few years, and we have
vet to see any effect from the season Of
prosperity which cannot fail to bring
increased incomes to most OF our con-
stituents. But legacies have largely in
creased both III number aud amount,
showing that tie work o! the society is
gaining increased favor and attention
among a class who have hitherto passed
us by.
More students have b en- employed in
summer work than for many years, and
with scarce an exception most excel, ut
work has been done BY them. The tact
| that their services have be II required
indicates the enieebled conditions of
many fields that have hitherto had per-
manent pastorates and the snccts5 OF
their work will again make such service
unnecessary. Another indication of the
condition of the work, as d whole, is
found in the charged demands for the
| services OF the women IN the employ ct
the society. There has been very little
call for work of an evangelistic charac'
ter, and where they were not employed
as permanent supplies oil small fields
they we're called to serve as general mis-
sioparies in the interim of pastorateS tor
the raising OF debts, settling of cithcul
ties and preparing the fields for new men.
In this some OF the workers have shown
themselves specially gifted, Thus the
year has been devoted rather to strength
ening the things that remain than to
reaching out aggressively to new enter
prises. A growing spirit OF comfy con.
tinues manifest In several fields hith'
erto occupied by other denominations
we have b,en welcome b, class who
had expressed desire for the unity oil