Norwich bulletin., 1909-04-02

QllOil anu IlltEG EOHttIlGA dllAOAfs - IA
der the strong leadership of the dis
trict Epworth league president, r. S
! Cushman, two conventions of unusual
| excellence have been held, one in Mys-
| tic and one in New London. AT these
| conventions plans were set on loot FOR
more united action, both to increase
| the efficiency of the home chapt and
to assist in the missionary work of the
| district This. with the increased in
terest in the junior work, has greatly
encouraged the leaders of the young
I people.
There are now three brotherhoods,
recently organized, three mems clubs
and one Baraca class on the district.
/ Interest in these forms of organization
| is increasing.
Special Occasions and Services.
On June IA. 1908, the MapleviIle
| church laid the cornerstone for its
! beautiful new building. The church in
Putnam this year reached the fiftieth
milestone since its organization. The
| occasion was celebrated on Sunday. the
| 18th of October. A review Of what
! God hath wrought for the Putnam
| church is certainly encouraging.
On the evening of Feb. II, 1909, the
church at TOlland celebrated the ami
versary of the birth of Lincoln, not
| only by song and address, but by jubi-
| lantly burning the mortgage note that
| had 50 long clouded their financial
| sky, by consecrating the new organ
and by defeating new bell
vsIlimantic Camp Meeting.
This year the meeting at the Will
limantic camp was unusually interest
ing. 1t being the year of the general
conference, much difficulty was found
in securing preachers from abroad. The
pastors of our own conference had to
do the largest part of the preaching.
They did it gTandly. Tt was estimated
from the trolley fares and other means
at command that ten thousand per-
sons were on the camp ground during
Camp Meeting Sunday. 1t was a
great crowd, but there was perfect Or
der. The camp meeting association has
done much the past year to beautify
the place. A long fight of stone steps
costing $780, has been so placed as to
make the ascent of the hill leading to
the grounds easier and more beautiful
Forty young trees have been set out
to beautify the driveway and replace
trees that were dying. The recreation
grounds have been laid out anew and
are much improved. A new dOrlnitory
for the preachers is now provided for
those who desire the finest camp ac-
commodations. A new free dormitory
will be ready by the time the next
meeting is called It was a complete
surprise to the friends of the camp
ground to find on examining the rec
ords that this association has been
running for many years without any
legal standing. holding property with
out any right to hold it. enforcing rules
without any authority, collecting rents
and making contracts without the
right. This difficulty arose from the
laxness of the early officials in failing
to comply with the Connecticut laws
and thus the property interests of the
association were greatly endangered.
All this has been corrected. The Con-
necticut legislature has in the month
past passed a healing act, iegalizing
our acts and establishing the asso-
citation as a legalized body. Most of
the work that has made this possible
has been done by the efficient secre-
tary, our brother, F. c. Baker. Will
mantle camp meeting is too live and
too worthy an institution to be neg
lected or to be permitted to lose its
corporate rights. New and better cot
tages are going up on the ground and
the property interests are improving.
Benevolences.
Last year, when the report was read,
it appeared to the district superintend- /
ent that there must be a decrease in
the benevolences. The sudden strin-
gency Of the times had set so heavily
on the Connecticut mill villages, It
seemed inevitable Another year ha4
passed in which the times, seemingly,
have been harder than last year. In the
villages where the mills are stopped
the churches have had hard times to
get along, yet they have not reduced
the pastors salary except in one in
stance. The reports from the pastors
are not discoura giHg. In spite of ex-
ira calls for conference claimants, gen.
eral conference expenses and collec-
lions for earthquake sufferers, eighteen
churches have reported an increase
and only ten have reported a decrease. !
We viii have done well if he hold the
standard up to the point where we set
it last year.
The response Of the pastors and the |
churches to the call for money to meet
the conditions Of the John D. Flint De- |
quest for conference claimants has |
been fhearty and generous. Norwich |
district Will do its part for this worthy |
cause.
Gifts and Requests.
Burnside has this year received $500 |
as a bequest from the estate of the /
late Electa L. Beaumont. 1t is divided |
so as to provide $500 for the church |
debt, 800 for the Sunday school and
800 for the electric attachment to the |
church organ.
East Thompson Methodist Episcopal |
church is to profit by the will of the /
late /. J. IOyle, which gives to the con-
ference trustees the sum Of $500, the /
income Of which is to go to the sup
port Of minister in that church. This |
VIII DE a great bOon to that church.
At Norwich Town the parsonage, which
was given to the church, subject to /
an annuity Of 500, by Miss Mary A.
Cryer, has by the death of Miss Cryer
come into unencumbered possession of |
the church. BY the estate Of Miss
Hannah Naples. this church has also
this year 1910. Norwich Trim
ty has received this year $500 from
the estate Of Mrs. Mary L. Troland. 1t |
has also received a bequest of $4,000 |
from the estate Of Mrs. Mitchell re-
Gently deceased. and from he estate of
Mrs. +. e. Browning $500. West
thompson church has received this
year q beqUest of 800 from the estate
0f Mrs. Lydia Harrington. which has
been paid. as has also the Elliot be-
quest OF $1,000. Rockville church has
received a bequest of $3.50 from the es-
tate Of A. 3. Parker. who within few
weeks past has been called from labor
as an official OF the Rockville church
TO the heavenly home. South Coven-
try has received from the estate of
Mrs. Susan Ledoit $341. and by the
will Of John Wilson, recently deceased,
s to receive $500. These are greatly
appreciated gifts. The will ofCharles
:. Newell Of Chicago provides s40o, I
the income of which is to be used for
he church at Crystal Lake. The Ware
house Point church. in addition to the
$1,000 bequest Of Judge Mahlon Ban
croft. reported last year, has received !
800 Tor the Warehouse Point Sunday
school not yet reported. The will of
Mrs. Eunice Allen gives 800 also to
his church. Windsorville received