The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-04-23
CONGREGATIONAL CLUB.
REV. JASON PTERCETELL WHAT
 4 BISHOP WOULD DO.

4 BISHOP WOULD DO,
 Among the Congregational Churches
 in New Haven-He Could Cultivate Independence First-WOuId Make the
 Churches More Cooperative Finan-
 ciaIIy--And Would Teach Them to Amongst the Foreign People.
 The April meeting of the New Haven Congregational club was held last eve- ming at the Grand Avenue Congrega- tional church. It was ladies night; there was large attendance and a most successful gathering.
 Supper was served at 6:30 in the Sun day school room by the Ladies guild of the church. of which Mrs. D. M. c. Hall is president. There were 297 at the supper, the largest attendance of the club and friends at all the previous meetings of this organization in this church. The tables were decorated with daffodils and panses, the color scheme throughout being yellow and green, and the effect was very fine. A most excellent supper was served, with menue as follows: Grape fruit, escal~ loped oysters, cold turkey, cold ham, deviled eggs, potato chips, rye bread rolls, pickles, olives, salad, cake, ice cream and coffee.
 Soon after o'clock members of the club and friends assembled in the au- ditorium of the church to listen to the addresses and music. Rev Dr. Leete, of the Dwight Place church, the presi- dent of the club, presided. After pray CT and shortt business session the Kent Ladies' quartette rendered Sweet Ginning Bell" The president then in- troduced Rev. Jason N. Pierce, who spoke on What a Congregational Bishop Would Do in New Haven" {" This was MT. Pierces first address be- fore the club and he received hearty applause. It was not proposed to have a Congregational bishop, but MT. Pierce went on to say what he thought such g. parsonage should do if the Congrega- tionalists had such an official. He said in part:
 1T recognize at the outset that a bish- CD would first encounter that independ- ence for which our city is noted. It is said that we Congregational ministers are each a rooster, doing the growing and the scratching, each for its partic- ular brood. A bishop would straighten our parish lines. Our flocks are scat tered and entangled, and overlap in a terrible manner This should not be. When members move out of the parish to another part of the city such mem bers should transfer their membership to the nearest Congregational church.
 Tn the second place, bishop would make our churches more cooperative financially. . There are two of oul churches with a debt of $30O00, and three that owe $6,O00. My church has no debts, but we would like to turr around and help some of those church es which are in debt. Some time age the Methodsts went to work here and paid off their church indebtdness, and why should not we? And l believe that our churches under bishop would help, in the matter of running expenses the weaker churches. Now, the church es in this city where there is need oi the most. pastoral care and work are the churches that are the least able tC pay for 1t.
 Tn the third place, Professionalism 1T this city Is losing ground. The city i' growing in population and wealth, bu we are losing in our chufches. Oul own denomination has lost in church membership and in it's Sunday schools The Methodists have lost also and thu Baptiss are marking time. Who art coming on to take the place of oul New England stock? The foreigners A bishop would have us cooperate financially and spiritually, to reacl these foreign people.
 "A bishop would have us co-operat in the exchange of workers: Some O our churches have more talent thai thev can use, and other churches hay, not enough to man the ship. A bishol would do these things, but they arr things that we can do We may havt a bishop and we may not. Some of ou churches should lose some of their in dependence and have more co-operatiol in work"
 The final address was made by Mis- Georgia Laura White, Ph, D., assistan professor of sociology In Smith college who made learned and interesting ad dress on Our Changing Social Ideals.
 The annual meeting of this club vii be held at the West Haven church oi Monday, June 10, and Dr. E. J, Bank: of the University of Chicago, will giv >i@ address.