Connecticut western news., 1912-06-20
ANNIVERSARY SERVICE.

ANNIVERSARY SERVICE.
 The features of the Sunday morning service, were the anthem of the choir, a solo by R. D. Peirce, and the anniver- sary sermon preached by the pastor.
 MT. Gillette took for his text Phil. 3:12, substituting the plural "we' for St. Pauls "I:'' Mot that we have already obtained or are already made perfect, but we press on, if so be that we may lay hold on that for which also we were laid hold on by Christ Jesus"
 He said that the church and pastor, at the time of these anniversaries, while the backward look was natural. should take modest views of past achievements and should find in the anniversaries rather the inspiration for nobler future. The sermon was not historical, as the sketch of the church's history was to be given by Mrs. Mary Geikie Adam at the { Monday exercises. But statistics had been gathered which seemed to demon strate that the church had justified it's existence by it's ministry to it's own con- stituency, to the community, and through it's benevolences, to the world kingdom Of Christ.
 The organizing, strength of the church was 6S. Of these4 AS came by letter-S8 from the East Canaan church, from the Canaan Methodist, from the Great Burlington, and from South Canaan church. Of the original members 15 came upon profession of faith. The church has had 227 different names on It's rolls; and of these 132 have come by letter and 95 upon profession of faith.
 The largest number received in any one year, since the first year, was in 1900 when 19 were received. The larg- est number received on any one Sunday was on the last communion Sunday of the twenty-flfth year, when IT were re- ceived. Of the original 63 members only eight were removed by letter and 2S by death, leaving bare majority still members of this church. Of the whole number of members, (227) 36 have been transferred to the goodly fel- lowship of the church in the New Jeru. salem, GIT of these during the present ! pastorate); 42 have taken letters to other churches and were dropped from the roll, by vote of the church, at their own request"
 The present membership is 147, and of these 35 per cent have been received during the present pastorate.
 The iberality of this little company has always been demonstrated. They built church at a cost of $6 5000, in- stalled an organ costing $1 500 and lit tie later built parsonage costing B, ,000, all without debt. In all, over $45, ,00O have been raised to build, equip and maintain the church. This church has raised $2,725 for foreign missions, $4, ,29e for different phases of home mission work and $1 ,207 for undenominational causes, a total of $8, ,23O for benevolenoes. In all, this little church. with an average resident membership of 100, has raised over $54 900 during it's 25 years.
 The pastor reported that he had per. formed the marriage rite 58 times during his 10 years here and had conducted 80 funerals. AS large proportion of both of these were for those outside of the families of the church. it but shows one phase of the churoh's ministry to the community!
 The liberal spirit of the church was spoken of. as shown in it's broad, humanitarian interest in it's communi. tvs happiness, and in its liberal theo- logical standards. The church had won the approval and love of the sister churches of the conference. The church had been free from cliques. and factions and had loyal membership. The pas- tor spoke of the satisfaction he had had in the service of the church and of the affection which he and his family had for both church and community.
 MT, Gillette closed with an appeal that the church should take large views of it's future and press on to attain to its high calling in Christ Jesus.