Norwich bulletin., 1914-09-11

A decline of about 500 members mainly in the last five years. In the 40 years tke number never varied more than 500 and frequently went as low as this and sometimes a little higher.
 The baptisms in 1874 were 236 and the next year but 62. A good year IS frequently followed by a lean year. Tn 1879 there were 155 and 20 years ago, that is In 1894, the largest number or any one year there wer SIS baptsd, There wrre 30 in 1899 and last year 130. This year there have been re- ported S4 baptisms from 12 churcnes' 13 churches not having reported any. There were Il churches last year
 Three churches held special meet ings during the past year but the otn- CTS got along without special meet ings and had good results.
 There are but two churches with over 100 male members. Several have very small numbers of male mem bers. The foreign population SUIT sounds some of the churches. The past year was an average year, not marked by any great decline or ad- vance as regards to the state or re- ligion.
 To Meet at Waterford. Rev. J. G. Ward reported that the decided to hold the next meeting at Waterford, by invitation, and the fol- lowing will be the speakers; Rev. U. Il. Strouse will preach the annual ser mon. Rev. Joel B. Slocun. D. D.. alter nate; Rev. A. l.. Tedford, the mission ary sermon, alternate Rev. G. E.. Lam phere.
 /Address by State Secretary. | The general secretary of the state association, Rev. A. B. Coats, D. D., of Hartford, addressed the meeting on the subject of New Thing Under the | %< H n convention and how they should be raised. The expenses of the conven- ton each year are now about S17,SO0, | with a little over S5,000 to come from permanent funds, the income from which only can be used. As the busi- i ness is now conducted we must raise about s12,00o. The amount must be l raised not by assessing every member | but by assessing every church what each church is able to give. | There are 15S Baptist churches in the state, and General Secretary Coats hoped that all would respond to the appeal for financial aid so that the work of the convention in Hartford in
 October might go on uninterruptedly'
 Addfess ard Discussion. l There was the singing of a hymn and Rev. F. O. Cunningham delivered I an interesting address on The Mission | of the Baptists. At the close there | Rev. MT. Cunnin gham and six-minute
 remarks by Rev. G. E. Lanlphere and Rev G. H. Strouse.
 At 12.30 dinner was served in Bush- nell chapel by the ladies of the Gen. I tral Baptist church.
 1 Home Missionary Meeting. The Home Missionary society held its
 Mrs. c. E. Ellis of Bozrah reported or | the work in the county. Mrs. George F. Genung of Brooklyn, Conn.,, told ol | the importance of the work, and Miss
 Helen Story of Bridgeport told how the
 work among the Italians of that place is carried on and of the circumstances that they have to meet.
 An address on The Personal Religion | of Jesus Christ was given by Rev
 John R, Brown, Ph. D., and among some of the things he said were tht following: The personal faith of Chrls1
 we have overlooked it somewhat ESome of the methods used ,by hin l might be called irreligious by the Pharisees. The wonderful power thar
 Christ possessed is what impressed
 men, the mysterious miracles set then
 into wonderment.
 Men also were impressed by hi:
 speech and language, which would nat
 urally follow, also influence becami very impressive.
 HIS GAdrdCIeT was unique ana Q1(
 not impress men until the last weel
 of his life. as those things that are i'm
 portaat do not impress us until tn,
 last.
 Jesus cannot be classified as to wha
 his attitude was to the universe, bu
 we find in the life of Christ the pro , found sense of need and that the per
 sonai religion of Jesus Christ is a vita and growing thing. The more he say } and heard, the more he would reveal
 He translated the gospel in his sur
 roundings. The old Jews conception
 he left alone or treated them in a sligh , manner.
 Jesus was the only one to rnoraliz l religion in the terms of men and there fore 1t grew and later some of tn
 prophets did it. The piety of Jesus i the kind that stops by the roadsid
 and not that like Sir Gallahad who il pursuit of the Holy Grail said h
 would trample everything down unti he found the Grail. Jesus thought , | God in such a way that his reIigiol
 became natural and if his religion wa unnatural the sacrifice would not hay
 made the entombment of the world but his religion was complete an, hnal which makes men circle aroun him.
 Prayer was offered hy Rev. Joh
 Sheldon and Rev. J. B. Slocun. D. D 5 and the benediction was pronounce T by Rev. B. D. Remington