Norwich bulletin., 1912-03-28


 as follows:
 At the close of another Conference year this division of the Church Mill tant hears the command to halt and pitch our tents for few days in order that we may review our forces, recount our victories and, if need be, our de- feats, make new plans for the on- ward march and the oncoming battles. Here we also are to receive from our honored and beloved Commander in Chief new orders, wise counsel and fresh inspiration. In submitting the report of the Norwich district we de- sire first to acknowledge our gratitude to God for the privilege of serving the entire year without Interruption from accident or illness, and also to express our appreciation of the loyal support of the preachers on the district They have done splendid work. They have borne hardships unfiinchingly and sorrows without complaint, and have proven themselves the true spiritual sons of the hardy itinerant type of which our Methodism is so justly proud.
 One year ago the appointing power sent fifty men to their appointments in this district and each man went to his field without protest. Each one has labored in his field with fidelity and in harmony with his brethren, and not one comes up to be moved because he is dissatisfied with that appointment. The changes asked will be for other reasons.
 Pastoral Changes During The Year.
 There were but two changes left un- supplied at the close of conference of 1911, viz. East Thompson and Col chester. These were cared for by temporary supplies for some months. In February, Rev David H. Talmage accepted service at East Thompson. It is his first attempt to direct the af- fairs of a church but the people are finding him an acceptable leader and l preacher. In the fall the church at Colchester suspended it's services to 1 unite with the Baptist church in the place, during the illness of the Baptist | pastor The united congregations were largely supplied by Methodist l preachers from Wesleyan college. | In August the supply at Stafford vile left that church to take charge of a church within the bounds of the New | York East Conference, Rev. W. D.. Hamilton has been secured to supply | Staffordville and has begun the work with good prospects. At about the same time W. H. Morrill, the pastor at l Old Mystic was compelled to abandon | the work on account of ill health. 1 Since then the church there has been cared for by student.
 Deaths.
 Each year death claims it's toll of our | Conference. Each year we miss from our side the form of some good soldier, | the friend of years of comradeship and feel loss unspeakable because he | is not with us. This year we are be- 1 reft in the death of Martin T. Braley. A few years ago he was superannuat- ed at his own request because of i'll health. After a long struggle borne | with fortitude and filled with hope he died, Sunday, August 20, 1911, at his home in North Grosvernor Dale. In him we have lost a good friend, an earnest and Evangelistic preacher and a loyal brother. His good record of years of successful service Is written. His name is on the roll of honor.
 Two ministers widows have, since last Conference, passed through the gates of death into life beyond, Mrs Matilda Brewster, the widow of George l w. Brewster, who died in 1891, died in the winter days in her home in Danielson, and Mrs. Thankful Brad ford, widow of Elisha B. Bradford
 died in the home of her daughter in 1 Hyde Park, Mass, in February.
 Sunday, July the sixteenth of last year death entered the home of the pastor of the Uncasville church and
 took a beloved son, Otis s. D. Aldrich
 @ youth just coming into manhood Ii
 was after a lingering illness that this young man who had received a H.
 cense to preach as a local preacher passed on to serve the great church
 beyond. September :, the only son oi
 our brother B. J. Ayres was suddenly called home. He also was youne
 man of promise, full of hope and as-
 piration that can only be realized ir
 the fuller life to which he has gone
 For the consolation of the friends oI these translated ones there remains
 the joy of a memory of their splendid
 characters, the daily support of the
 strength their lives have imparted tC
 us and the hope of a happy reunion
 They being of the company who have l given through their lives their sym.
 pathy to the sorrOwing, their sub
 stance to the poor, their strength tt
 the weak and their hearts to God, hay,
 in the world to come life everlasting Membership and Spiritual Work.
 Above all the losses by death. O which reports show there have beer i 95, and removals, a gain of 100 fuI
 members is indicated Three hundred
 and eighty-five probationers will b,
 reported, and one hundred and nine ] ty-six received by certificate. We cal
 not boast of this as a year of larges
 gains nor of special revival interest
 nevertheless there is a reasonable gail
 and some revival spirit This has beer
 most manifestly seen at South Man
 chester where a revival of some week , duration, under the wise direction O
 the pastor, Rev. $. I1. Ellis, resulted il
 one hundred and twenty-five e0nVer
 siOns and a list of eighty three pro , batieners. Churches receiving tin
 largest number of prebatioHers are a
 follows; Westerly, 2; Willimantic, 21
 Warehouse Point, T; East Hartford
 !; Rockville, 1Sj New London, IS East Glastonbury, 1S; North Gros
 venor Dale, IS; Moosup, 15; Man
 chester, B. Burnside, 1Si Staffor,
 Springs, IT. These mark the place
 where the greatest revival interest ha been seen. With the exception of on church there has been no evangeIis employed on the district this year
 Sunday Schools o=d Other Church So eistiss.
 The Sunday school is one vita
 point in the growth and success of an church. In some of the churches q the district it is with difticuIty tina l this branch of the churcl work i maintained on account of the seaJt,ere 7 population, and from the fact that s many foreign families of other Ian guages and religious beliefs have re < placed the families who used to oc r cupy the farm homes all about tn = chuI ches. Nevertheless he i.,-eres in this work is good and progress T reported in many parts of the distric . Twenty -four pastors report an increas r in the enrellment this year and severs v report that the increase is very mark
 ed. The largest school on the distrit
 is at New London rae mem bershi there is $50, with a cradle roll of il, < and a Home department of 2IG. Tn I average attendance is 551. This crea H advance is partly brought about by tn