Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-28

WOrlQ eVange1ZatlOn belongs to the Methodist church and is at it. Home and foreign missions cannot be sep arated, said he. He outlined the work before the church in four sections: First, the racial problem, with par ucular emphasis upon the Latins and the Orientals, the great problem of the world; second, as to individual rights and their assertion, and the re- Iatlon of these rights to property and the ownership of what a man pro- duces; third. the social question, which is not merely economic The city is the response to the claims of social hunger. The cities are the Centers of power. All these movements, the w. w. the labor organizations and the like, which try to bring individuals to their rights. are the problems of every country on the earth. The fourth is the great faiths of the world Christianity is penetrating them, but except in the prophetic sense they are not dying religions, they are not doom ed. We have only drawn the outlines. of a great programme, he said, and we should keep the line of advance where it is and not receding
 At the conclusion of the session the bishop introduced the presiding officers and the speakers of the afternoon ses- sions of the womens societies, and adjournment was then taken.
 New Financial Plan.
 
 ence was given up to a consideration of the new financial plan, what it is and what 1t does. Rev. J. E. CT-owther gave a survey of prevailing conditions, illustrating his talk with many charts showing statistics collected from 5000 district reports, as to the amounts given per capita and in the gross the decreases and increases throughout the country, for the support of the benev- olences of the church and the local work
 lie was followed by Rev. John Lowe Fort of Detroit, who characterized the present condition without a budget plan as due to two factors, lack of knowledge and lack of system. He then presented the plan adopted by the finance committee appointed by the last general conference, stating that although it was a financial plan it was the greatest eyangeliZing influence now in the church. The personal canvass and the bipocket or duplex envelope system were strongly commended by the speaker, and he said that this plan eliminates begging from the duties of the pastor and leaves him free for spiritual work.
 Resolutions were adopted by the conference approving the plan as out lined and thanking the gentlemen for | their presentation of the same. | Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. | While the afternoon conference was 1 in progress the women held an inter | esting meeting in the parlors of the l Baptist church. The Woman's For l eign Missionary society had charge of | the first part of the programme, over | which Mrs. w. H. Thurber presided. 1 Dr. Bell J. Allan of Baroda, India, was i the speaker and gave an interesting ac- i count of the work done in that coun- 1 try and the large measure of success | attained.
 l At o'clock the Womans Home i Mission society took charge, Mrs. w. P. | Buck presiding. Rev. Benjamin Hay i wood, D. D., spoke interestingly upon i the subject World Power in America. l At 1.25 the annual meeting of the | Laymen's association was held in the 1 church house of the Congregational | church and was largely attended. Rev. i B. F. Thurston of Newport, R. l., pre- sided, and Miss Lena Knight of Taun- ton, Mass, acted as secretary. Laymen's Association Elects Officers
 Rev. F. w. Gray of the Tabernacle 1 church of Providence told of its needs l and he was corroborated by Supt. G w Amidon and Rev. E. s. Ninde. The roll call of delegates showed 100 pres 1 ent.
 Dr. Clemens of the board of confer ! ence claimants spoke upon that sub- ject, and Bishop Hamilton delivered 2 l short address in which he stated that 1 there was no real distinction between l bishop, minister or laity, for both the former came from the laity. Such z meeting as this one is a chance for tho Iaity to do their share in making con- ditions better in the future.
 The following officers were elected a the meeting: President, B. $. Thurston Newport R. T.: first vice president Charles Mitchell, New Bedford; sec ond vice president, J. R. Oldham, Eas Providence: third vice president. T. F Patten, Stafford Springs; secretary, L NJ. Knight Taunton, Mass; treasurer Luther Filling, Danielson.
 "Mexico Then and Now"
 There was no session of the confer ence in the evening, but in it's plact was a lecture by Bishop John w. Ham ilton, D. D., ILL. D., on Mexico TheI and Now. Bishop Hamilton has haC an intimate knowledge of Mexico anC it's people from his own knowledge claiming personal acquaintance witt former President DiaZ and other! prominent in recent Mexican history and his knowledge of the history of thu land was evidenced by his every ut teranee. The lecture was couched II elegant language and was a sane, wei balanced synopsis of what may b. called the Mexican crisis and thu events leading up te it,
 Bishop Hamilton said in part Much of the history of old Mexico has been written by the imagination while modern Mexico shows its age The best that can be said fer the bes of it is that it's history has only gon' as far as the middle ages. The i'm | possibilities of the middle ages are tn comm onplaces of our day, and that i the difference between Mexico and oui country. The country has much II common with Greece and at no tina would a cold, calculating estimate 0 Mexico be satisfactory. It is seen bes | in the mirage.
 ! Mexico But Little Understood.
 Much is to be said for the people in the face of all that is said agains them. Their reforms have come no