The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-01-26
UNITED CHURCH ANNUAL
REPORT OF THE PASTOR, REV.
4. j. HAYNES.

A Discourse of Nuch Interest Heard by
a Large Congregatton-IneFe Ia
Membership During the Year-work
Ofthe Mems Club
! 1t is the custom among Congrega-
tiOnal churches to submit the annual re-
ports of the several departments Of
work at a special meeting called for
the purpose These meetings are gen
! orally sparsely attended and by those
already familiar with the church's work.
/ The work Of presenting these reports
II the rank and file of the membership
therefore failed in its purpose. This
| condition at once absurd and unsatis-
factory led Dr. Munger in assuming the
pastorate of the United church to estab-
! lish the practice to present a summary
| of these annual reports from the pull
pit the Sunday following the annual
meeting The pastor viewing these re-
ports in a broader range than the lay
man who usually submitted the reports
was enabled to clothe them with more
| life and attractiVeness and dry figures
and bald statements of facts become
interesting and profitable. Following
this custom instituted by DR.. Munger,
| Rev. A. j. Haynes, the pastor, submit
ted these annual reports yesterday
| morning.
After abiding to the practice above
alluded to Mr. Haynes said there were
| two things not mentioned in the re-
ports, which to his mind was important.
The reason why no mention had been
made o. them was from the fact that
| they had their origin in years previous,
and were only eliminated in 1902. One
of these was the completion of the en-
dowment fund of 100000, more than half
of which had been received since last
Easter. He admitted that there was a
difference of opinion as to the utility of
| an endowment He thought, however,
there was no trouble if the church was
strong enough. Wealth did not work
evil to the individual, if this individual
was strong and broad enough to use
wealth as a means Of increasing the
welfare and happiness of those about
him. 1t was not proposed that this
endowment fund of the church should
relieve its members of any of it's re-
sponsibilities, but to establish broader
lines Of work and secure greater eff
cheney. The other matter of Importance
not mentioned in the reports was the
new method Of admitting members.
This too was the result Of a steady
growth having its origin back in years
past. BY adopting this new method, or
standard, for church membership the
church had not adopted new creed but
simply returned to the simpler forms Of
early Congregational churches from
which New England churches had sin
gularIy departed. The purpose was to
lift from the new member the burden of
theological belief. The doors of the
church We're open to all those who be-
lieVed that Christ taught the right way
to live, and who desired to live in His
way,
During the year forty-four have been
added to the church, making its total
membership at the present time 726. OF
this number tWenty-four had been mem
bers over fifty years and six over sixty
years. A feeling tribute was made to
Deacons Richardson and Perkins, who
had died during the year. The benevo-
lent contributions of the church during
the year had been $7,SS3.74.
The pastor suggested that some one
esta blish fund for the supply of flow
ers which now cost about 500 a year.
These flowers served a four-fold pur-
pose First, for the pulpit then for the
Sunday school; then for the mothers
melting, after which they We're distrib-
uted among the sick and aged. The
mothers meeting in charge Of Mrs.
Munger was one Of the vital services Of
the church. 1t was heart to heart work
which must be the most effective and
lasting. Touching the mems club, Mr.
Haynes said that while in some ways it
was unsatisfactory it had done good
work. Christianity was divided into two
realms of work, the first that of mans
relation to God the concerns Of the soul,
the other reached out to the broader
| field Of the world The morning service
was devoted to the first, while the lat
ter gave emphasis to the latter. The
lectures, the speaker thought, had done
much for the church. They had created
| the feeling in the community that the
United church was endeavoring to
serve the people. The total attendance
/ upon the lectures last year aggregated
! 10000 people, an average of 500 to each
lecture
The Sunday school was in a most
prosperous condition. The retirement
of Walter Downes after a long service
as superintendent was the close of most
efficient and lasting results In the mind
| Of the speaker he had never seen more
| faithful work or broader results. The
| influence of Mr. DoWnes administration
| will long be felt upon the church.
| There was, however, a felt want by
superintendent and the ministers of the
| church for more efficient teachers. In
| conclusion the pastor spoke of the ele-
ments of strength and progress that
! could not be stated in figures. There
was a broader and closer fellowship. a
| deeper spirituality. These were appar-
| ent to those who stood close to the vital
| interests of the church and the progress
| of Gods kingdom.
|
THE GRAYS' ANNUAL.