Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-04-27

church membership had gained 40
per cent. The denomination work in
Cuba has had to be given up and work
in other territories curtailed. The
missionary work has run behind finan-
cially and il is a serious question.
Have we lost our grip on these things
or forgotten? For two years we have
met our bills at the sacrifice Of some
of the best parts of our work. Is this
to continue? That is for our church
to decide and 1t must be decided soon.
Mr.. Lougee closed with an appeal for
subscriptions to a fund of 100000. of
which 1878, 094l94 was to be applied to
wipe out the accumulated debts on
home and foreign missions, and the
balance to be divided between the sew
en- national Congregational societies,
according to the apportionment plan.
Subscriptions are to be binding only
If they reach S300, 900 on or before July
l, 1909, and of this amount $l02,4S5
has been pledged he said.
After a hymn and the benediction
by DIR. Pratt the meeting adjourned.
The singing for the afternoon was led
by Miss Elsie Brand and Miss Olive
Carpenter was organist.
Evening Session.
DR.. Pratt presided again at the even
ing meeting at 1880 O'Clock After an
anthem by the choir. prayer by Rev.
E. S. Worcester, pastor of Broadway
church, and a hymn by the congrega-
ton, DIR. Pratt spoke briefly OF the
appOrtionment plan for contributions
as a regular and helpful plan, which
was one of the organized methods
which this campaign was seeking to
further DIR. Pratt presented as the
first speaker DR.. Cooper, who had
spoken at the afternoon meeting alsO
DR.. Cooper thanked DR.. Pratt for his
H. H.. Of
the campaign, and went on to speak OF
the necessity Of curtailing mission
work, OF the necessity OF abandoning
some, and also of the need of doing
more - compare with other denomina-
tons in Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Sandwich Islands. He called upon the
denomination for a unity Of effort, and
to put the missionary effort upon a
solid business basis and method for
the salvation of the world The solv-
ing Of three problems is the work of
the A. NJ A. First. the reservation
problem covering the Indian and the
Eskimo; second, the problem Ct nation
al expansion; and, third, the problem
of the south, which may stay with US
longer than the others. These three
problems concern even the least for
which Jesus Christ gave his life.
The world wide outlook in missions
was given by DR.. Creegan, who was .hs
reAt speaker From his travels in In
dia, DIR. Cooper spoke with a personal
touch that was especially entertaining,
as ne spoke of experiences with the
plague, cobras. and the climate as the
dark side there, while on the bright
eide were the magnificent achievements
of the missionaries and the progress Of
the gospel which should go on I'M
checked.
The third speaker was Rev. Mr..
Kicker, who had also spoken in the
afternoon. He spoke upon home mis-
sicns and the opportunities at the pres
ent time for great advancement and
the imperative call that Congregation
alists should grasp the fields open to
morality reform, and the great tenn
parts Of our country In this the Chris
tan people OF the east must be def
nitely interested. for our interests ara
one from ocean to ocean. The spirit
Of the Christ inpels US to this work.
Associate Secretary Lougee again
presented the matter Of the contrfnu-
tons by pledges, and after a hymn the
conferences closed with the benediction
by DR.. Pratt.
Mr.. Lougee stated after the meeting
that he believed about $1,000 had been
raised from pledges from Norwich peo-
pie and probably more pledges would
be made.
The conference meets today in Hart
ford. The visiting pastors were enter
taired over night in the homes Of mem
bers Of the churches.