Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-01-19
CENTRE CHURCH ANNUAL MEETING
Every Organization Free From Debt
Large Benevolent Work-oaln Of 81 In
Church Membership.

A larger number than usual attended
the annual meeting of the Congrega-
tional church Friday night, a special in
ducement being the presence of Miss
Helen b. Calder of Boston, associate field
secretary of the Woman's Board of
Foreign Missions. First came the reports
of officers The clerk, +. c. Adams,
showed a membership of 444. During the
year there were 29 additions on confess
sion of faith and Is by letter, making AZ
in all, and there were 16 removals, IL by
death and five by letter, leaving the net
gain 81. G. l.. Dunhams report as
treasurer showed that the church and
every organization connected with 1t was
free from debt and had a balance on
hand. l.. A. Whitney, treasurer of
benevolences, reported receipts of $1632.S4
for that work. g. II. Clapp trustee of the
Chaplin fund, reported the condition of
$1,000 of New York city bonds, also the
conditions of the Salisbury bequest. The
secretary of the Ladies' association, Mrs.
/. c. Crosier, said that for the year
ending Sept 1 the association received
$1313.50 and expended $1077.70 including
s423.25 for repairs and improvements on
the organ and $206.30 for oak chairs for
the chapel. Some of the old chairs were
given to the church in Guilford and two
boxes of clothing were sent to Vermont
pastors. For the Brotherhood a men,
bership of 139 at the time OF the reor-
ganization in November was reported by
w. II. Bruce, secretary. Ernest R.
Bemis, secretary of the Sunday school,
showed a substantial increase in men,
bership and in average attendance. The
school gave in benevolences 1915, of
which $40 was from the class envelopes
and $145 from the children's fair The
total amount paid for home expenses
by all the organizations, including the
ecclesiastical society, was $5461.67 The
total paid in benevolences. including
home and foreign missions and local
charity, was $235713. The expenses the
past year were somewhat larger than
usual on account of new chairs and re-
pairs on the organ. The total of benev-
olent gifts is considered, both by itself
and i'm comparison with the home ex-
penses, to be an excellent record.
These officers were elected: Clerk, F..
c. Adams; treasurer, G. l. Durham;
treasurer of benevolences L. A. Whit
ney; assistant treasurer of beneyolences,
Miss Florence E. Clark; committee to
solicit funds for the seven Congrega-
tional societies, Mr.. and Mrs. E. ]. Guth-
RE and Mr.. and Mrs w. T. Bruce;
church committee. the deacons and E. c.
Crosby, G. c. Averill, G. L. Durham, C.
c. Fits and II. F. Jordan; Sunday school
committee, E. c. Crosby, Miss Mary r.
Cabot, Miss Edith M Stolte. II. F. Jor-
dan. Mrs. A. NJ. Harlow, II. E. Bond and
r. I. ADAMS. IL was voted TO support
the Sunday school in order that the
school might devote its funds to benevo-
lent work, and the same plan as last
year was adopted relative to apportion-
ment of funds for the seven societies.
Rev. r. NJ. Houghton, after stating that
the past year had been joyous and one
of great encouragement introduced Miss
Calder, who spoke about half an hour on
the sacrifices made by missionaries
through their great love and devotion for
their work.