Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-10

which have regular ministerial service on
a supposedly permanent basis, % have
pastors installed and four pastors recog-
nized by council The number Of coun-
ellis held in the past year is unusually
small-cne for ordination and installa-
tion, two for installation, one for simple
ordination and two for dismissal.
The annual statistics call for their usu-
al analysis. The record Of last year for
completeness is not quite maintained, for
one church, Waterford, ia .unreported.
There is no ground for suspecting its dis
solution, but there is no positive evil
denee to the contrary. In the Vermont
Missionary for April may be found list
Of other churches whose reports came late
and with especial difficulty. The total
membership Jan. 1, 1909. 21.965, is 80 less
than last year. The additions by confess
sion we're 467, ~ letter 39S, total s65-
the smallest Dumber reported since 1882.
Removals are at about the average num-
ber-42s by death. SOP by letter, "a by
discipline and revision-total 1908. The
loss would thus be l40, but is lessened by
a discovery which does not increase the
complacency With which the compi e. Of
the statistics might regard them. One OF
the larger churches for some years, while
/ giving the number Of nonresident mem
bers, has failed to count them into the
total. The discovery of the error helps
out in time of need, but it is to be
/ hoped there are no more such to be dis
covered. A loss of As in the non-resi-
dent list, now standing at $3.50, is highly
welcome, but the absentees are still 25
/ per cent Of the whole number.
One hundred three churches received
additions by confession and 109 By letter.
/ The unusually large number OF "a re-
ceived no new members during the year.
The following churches received each ten
or more by confession South Hero and
Grand Isle, 81; Hsrdwick, %; Morrisville
and Swanton, 20 each; Rutland, Is; Ches-
ter, IA; Bristol, 10; Bennington Second,
Brattleboro, Middlebury and saxtons
River, II each; Randolph and ST. Johns
bury North, 10 each.
SMALLER SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
The increase in Sunday school member
ship is checked, the present membership.
1850, being 322 less than last year.
Young peoples societies, Christian En-
deavor and other, continue TO decrease.
! there being six fewer societies and POI
fewer members than q year ago.
A slight increase in the number Of
families reported brings the number up
to 1884, no doubt far too few, IL we
mean to include all families for whose
spiritual care our churches should hold
themselves responsible. The number Of
infant baptisms, 327, exceeds the adult
312, for the first time since these have
been reported with sufficient care to make
the comparison OF any value
Last year it will be remembered that a
large gain in benevolent contributions
proved on analysis TO represent an in
crease OF gifts to undenominationaI cb-
jects, while there was an actual loss in
the support Of our denominational work
This year loss in the same column OF
s16,s45 1.-THE total being ga, 773) largely
represents a decrease in outside gifts, the
decrease to UNCONVENTIONAL objects being
little short of $1,000. The apportion-
ment plan was not on such a basis as to
affect the gifts of last year and il is too
early to surmise what its result this year
will be. Financial stress may have
caused the decrease OF S35O2 in home ex-
penditures. or il may be due to the fact
that there have been fewer items Of
building and repairs. An increase Of
s47, 500 in the valuation OF church prop
erty must denote a higher appraisal
rather that actual increase Of value. In
vested funds, now S42s, 534, have in
creased ga, AIS in the year, and may he
expected to increase year by year. The
report does not include the large fund OF
which the Dandy church has the benefit,
IS this is in the hands OF trustees and not
controlled by the church.
CHURCH BUILDING AND REPAIRS.
The matters now to be touched upon
have to do with the year which closes
Frf "a af1r rnff inc Of 4 t.sa
With that which runs from January to
January. Under building and repairs
there are fewer large items than usual
The largest outlay upon a church build
ing is probably at Brattleboro. where
$500 has been expended in renovation.
In similar work at Pittsford, 1920 has
been employed. AT Greensboro, $500
has Teen expended, and at franklin 500.
At Montgomery, the church building has
been enlarged and improved, and at Low
ell an annex for social purposes has been
added. At Thetford, there have been ex-
tensive repairs and Improvements on the
church building, which was built in
1887, and is thought 20 be the oldest in
the state which has been in continuous
use. Among other churches making ex-
tensiye repairs on church property are
East Arlington, Middletown Springs.
Morrisville, Sudbury. South Woodbury.,
Norwich, Pawlet, Weybridge, Underhill,
Fair Haven. South Hero, Richmond,
Glover, North Bennington, Waterbury,
Bridport, Orleans formerly Barton Land
ing) Coventry, Barton. At vershire, re-
pairs are about to follow the obtaining of
full title to the building. which was
formerly owned by the Baptists. Work
Is about to begin at Dorset upon S15,-
900 marble house of worship, to replace
the building destroyed by FIRE in Novem-
Der, 1907. The new parsonage at West
Glover is completed and occupied, the
cost being about $500. The Eden
church has just received the deed Of the
house presented for a parsonage, which
has been so used for year.
Each year OF late finds several churches
recipients Of legacies or gifts. generally
to be funded and the income used for
current expenses. Among those favore 4
this year with Iegscies, either in hand or
in prospect, are these: Barnet, Pittsford.
Whiting, St. Johnsbury North and
Bloomington and Orleans, each $1,000;
Fnr4 a