The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-05-03
CHURCH OBSERVES
SEVENTY
ANNIVERSARY
Celebration Last Night at Sec
ond Congregational
CHURCH is PROSPEROUS
Reoorts of Business Of Society Pres
ented and officers Chosen for
Coming Year

The chapel of the Second Congre-
.sational church was comfortably
filed Thursday evening by repre-
sentative audience, chiefly members,
the occasion being the 10th annual
meeting OF the church. The commit
fee assisted by Mrs. c. w. Thatcher,
shared no pains to make the interior
arrangement of the chapel inviting,
and with the help of rugs, plants ana
cut flowers, had transformed II INTO
what seemed more like comfortable
drawing room than portion OF
church.
The meeting was opened by music
and prayer, after which the pastor
Rev. George Sherman Mills, made a
brief address calling attention to the
age of the church and saying that 1T
is good to be young, but 1t is even
better to be old.
Then followed the various reports.
The church clerks showed
membership of ass, of that number
l1S nonresident; additions during
the year, IL; dismissions, including
loss by death 10; number of children
baptized, II; Bibles presented to chill
dren. s; DR.. L. H. Ross, treasurer
reported $559.6S raised for beneyo-
lencies. The Sunday school, report
ed by its Secretary, V. c. Edgerton,
has enrolment of over ZOO average
attendance below 1907 growing
mems class; up-todate methods in
use and encouraging outlook. The
ported by Burton Z. Harwood, its
secretary. That school has gained in
average attendance and is in good
condition all round Prayer meetings
are held at the Guideboard chapel
every Tuesday evening, the Sunday
school converting at o'clock Sunday
afternoons
The report OF Mrs. Emma Harwood,
secretary of the Woman's Missionary
society, told OF change in the plan
of raising money; SIS had been given
for Foreign and $50 for Home Mis-
sions: box of clothing sent to a
needy school; food sale held; well
sustained Mission Study class; alto
gether a prosperous year.
The Ladies Aid society, one of the
most active of the auxiliary societies.
reported through its Secretary, Miss
Cecil Powers, total receipts of S515
and expenditures of nearly $500
which included the purchase of a
water heater, and the expenses OF
cleaning chapel, repairing parsonage
and contribution towards pastors
salary, as well as a substantial pres
. n fVnc
Miss Elizabeth Stewart reported
for the Senior Endeavor society oil
which she Is secretary. Average at
tendance at the Sunday evening
meeting 20; Missionary meeting ono,
a month; S29 was realized from the
mite boxes; two missionary banquet!
held; five union meetings held; sew
eral soclals, one being with the Nortl
Bennington society at this place.
The Junior Endeavorers were re
ported by their superintendent, Mis-
Jeanette Perkins. Her report shows
their society to be a Banner" one o
the State, over all other Junior so
cieties; the beautiful Japanese EN-
broidered banner was displayed iron
the platform and brought forth mucl
applause; Il also has the honor o
holding what is known as Five
Gold.Star- Certificate" an average at
tendance at the meetings each Mon
day afternoon of 90, out Of an enrol
ment OF %, OF money raised by tn
children who rallied to the Ten Ia
e ent plan; Of industrial work perform
ed by the members, metal work, sew
ing, making picture books, baske
work. etc; altogether what would
equivalent to nearly a hundred do
lars was raised and made by this an
bilious society. AZ this point, Their
was music by the church quartet,
after which Mrs. W. b. Sheldon rea
her neurology for the year, prefa,
ing II by quotation from Lyma
Abbott which was most approprat,
Mrs. Wells w. White then rende
ed solo, following which the repoi
of the nominating committee wa
made by Mrs Frank b. Pope, rosul
ing in the following election
Deacon for six years, Edward Pa.
son Hathaway
Deacon for four years to fll une
pired term OF the late Edward ]
|+ Bennett, II. b. Dickinson
Clerk for one year, Philip r. /
Pierson.
Treasurer for one year, DR.. L. !
Ross.
Auditor for one year. Colonel Oh
Scott.
Members OF Church committe
. Miss Mary L. Blgelow and Mrs. Ellz
beth H. Pope.
A committee on church reoort
and revision was elected; II consis
OF the following persons who SER
FIVE years, Rev. George s. Mills, Il
ward ]. Hall. Robert b. Pike, MI
W. B. Sheldon, Miss Jennie A. Vale