The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-06-03
NOW A FOREIGN STATE.
PERCENTAGE OF NATIVE PAR
 ENTAGE IS DECREASING.

and Rhode IsIand-What the Mis-
 sionary Society of the State is Doing
 for the Foreign Born.
 Hartford, June 2-The annual report of the Missionary Society of Connecti- cut was read by the secretary, the Rev. Joel Ives of this city, at the proceed ings of the Ssventy-ninth annual meet ing of the Congregational Home Mis- sionary Society of Springfield. today, and it was made feature of the first days session.
 The report stated in general the work has proceeded as in the past few years, making more and more plain that Con- necticut in common with Massachu- setts and Rhode Island is already a foreign" State and that the percent age of foreign percentage is rapidly in- creasing, both because the native birth rate is so often smaller than the native death rate, because we are liv- ing in years when in the words of the commissioner general of immigration the immigration is at the million rate,' and because a constantly larger pro- portion of this foreign increment finds its way into New England.
 Through the increase of ecclesias- tical funds, one church which had re- ceiVed aid from 1885 to 1903 to the | amount of nearly $9,0O0 became self supporting and another materially re- duced it's application.
 In a growing section of Hartford where Sunday School has been main- tained for many years, definite eff fort is being made to develop church organization.
 At least 100 points in the State are reached by pastors who are often also general missionaries, and by some who are supported as such and the gospel is preached to Armenians, Danes, Ger mans, French, Italians, Norwegians, SWedes and Syrians, Assyrians, Chin- ese and Portuguese are also reached in various churches. There is a grow ing sentiment that Nations and peo- ples' of every land are within our bord- CTS and that we are derelict in plain obligation if we do not preach the gos- pei to them as far as possible in their native tongues. The Italian work has 1 especially increased.'
 l The Italian Church in Waterbury with a membership of 75 and the Swed- ish church in Granby are added to our 1 lists.
 | The report further says:
 The market value of the permanent funds has been increased $10O,00O. This i does not lessen the imperative need of 1 increased contributions, but it gives promise and stability to the work. l George E. Shelton, late of Plymouth, 1 made the missionary society of Connec- ticut his residuary legatee. By the vote of the directors, this reidum, amounting to market value of $75,- 612,35, was constituted a new depart ment of the society. and as the Shel- ton Administration Fund will pay all l the expenses of the administration of whatever description, the contribution of any church to the missionary society of Connecticut will go directly to the l work of the society, without so much as the cost of a postage stamp.
 Hezekiah l.. Reade, late of Jewett City, and for 10 years or more direc- l tor, also left his estate to the society, for work in Connecticut" market val ue being about s14,0o0. the same to be 1 kept distinct as ''the Reade Fund" 1 During the more than 10 years of it's chartered life the society has had va rious names. By order of the courts the chartered name is "The Missionary l Society of Connecticut"
 In conclusion Secretary Ives said in the report:
 Public opinion as it effects mis- sionary endeavor is being clarified along two lines, first that a divine op- portunity and obligation rests upon 1 the churches to build up our institu- tions with the only material which ex- ists in sufficient quantity for the needs. viz: the varied people of foreign par entage; and second, that as loyal auxiliary of the Congregational Home
 Missionary Society, Congregationalists are to sacrifice and work and pray and ! give to extend the kingdom of God
 wherever the flag floats, to put above the Stars and Stripes the Banner of 1 the Cross"
 !
 I TTnnc.H,c.