The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-10-20
B. K. NICHOLSON AGAIN HEAD OF
 CONN. BAPTTSTS
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 convention, that serious attention had been given to the question of securing further funds for the building of chapeIs for the missions, referred to two vacancies in the board, one caus- ed by the death of Rev Dr. George M. Stone, of Hartford. and the other by the refusal of William T. Spicer. of Noank, to take a reelection, and then taking up the financial question said:
 s@The unlocked for interruption felt in all departments of business through the breaking out of the great war in Europe has had it's effect on us. When the books are closed it will not be strange if we find our debt some what increased. It is the settled con viction of the board that we can no l longer go on as we have been doing, planning our work on the basis of the needs of the field and its manifold opportunities and without reference to the probable amount of the money which will be forthcoming to pay the bills It seems to them imperative that budget should be planned which will fall within the ability and 1 willingness of the churches to meet. If our present field of operations is larger than this it must be restricted at no matter what cost. It is hardly necessary to say that this subject has
 given the board serious concern. All our missions are f1ourishing and the new field opening constantly are so inviting that the work would seem to demand continual expansion.
 .aTo meet this EonstantIy recurring situation, the committee on apportion- ment last year recommended that, in stead of apportioning specified amounts to the churches we ask them to pledge sums sufficient to meet the | budget The report was adopted and the plan has been put in operation Some weeks ago the committee sent a communication to each of the churches 1 stating the amount necessary to be | raised in offerings and gifts in order to meet our needs based on the pres l ent rate of expenditure and asking from them definite pledges toward this
 sum. The plan seems to be favored 1 by most of the churches It does | away with the objectionable appor- tionment system and substitutes for 1t 1 the voluntary offering of the churches. The only question which remains to ] be settled is whether or not the re- i suit will enable us to carry on our work as we are now doing 1t, or will
 compel withdrawal from some of the l fields which we are now occupying.
 .~rhe matter is now fairly up to the
 churches. It is for them to determine l what the course of the board will be | and we are anxiously awaiting the re-
 suit of the canvass. At the time this report was made up about One-hsalf ot
 the churches have responded to the
 appeal These have, as a result, done l generously and if all will take hold
 and do the best they can our work
 need not be seriously curtai1ed.'s
 About $1o,O00, the report stated have
 been added to the annuity fund during
 the year.
 The work among the foreign speak 1 ing Isaople is reported as in 8 promts- l iT7cr UF aCfC | ress has been made on all the fields 1 The number of baptisms during tn, l year was 67 as against 5s last year ant
 in the churches of the foreign borr
 there were 48 as against 15, the pre-. ] ceding year.
 On the other hand. it is pointed out the baptisms in the aided Englisl speaking churches have decreased
 from 46 to 34 and it is held to be i significant and important fact tha
 nearly one-fourth of all the baptism
 in the state this year were in churche