Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-16
REQUESTS IN NORWICH DISTRICT
With Gifts Made $1235o Received by Methodist Churches
District Superintendent Scrivener Made His Report to
Conference Brockton-Spiritual Interest and Temp
oral Prosperity Shown in the Churches.

| Justments, benevo1ence, athletics and
| industrial classes. A splendid illus
tration of the latter is the industrial
class for Italian girls conducted by
Mrs. Walter P. Buck, under the aus
pices of the church at Stafford
Springs.
| I feel. that thus far, we are only
| touching the fringe Of this problem,
with New England fifty-nine per
cent. immigrant. and many Of these
] unaffihated with the church, surely
| this is our opportunity and our task.
| One Of our pastors puts the matter
none too strongly when he says Our
own salvation depends upon doing
our duty to the immigrant, the only
hope of the perpetuity of our evan
upon the evangelization Of the for
eigner in our midst. God has led
these people here not only for their
sakes but for ours Also Here is a
task challenging the genius Of Meth
odism and the grace Of a consecrated
purpose. God help us to meet the
challenge with the Gospel Of Jesus
| Christ.
Sunday Schools
Twenty eight Sunday schools re-
port using the Graded System of
Lessons in whole or in part, and tes-
tify to its value and efficiency. A few
schools have gone back to the wilder
ness of the old system and others
have not yet entered the promised
| land.
Decision Day is not generally OBJ
| served. the tendency is toward per-
| sonal work by pastor and teacher and
gathering the children with classes
for religious instruction preparatory
to membership in the church.
| The organized class is much in
evidence and in most cases make for
larger interest and more regular at
| tendance, the danger to be guarded
against is that of organizing away
| from and acting Independently. of the
Sunday school. Our schools are weak
in the lack of a sufficient number of
| teaching training classes. At least
| three churches are finding 1t difficult
| to accommodate the Sunday school
has been an increase this year of 1877
members the total membership is
500, and the abundance threatens to
press out the sides of the building
unless relief is speedily provided.
Other indications of expansion are
found in the facts that an average
of one member per week is being
added to the Cradle Roll. A mis-
sionary offering by the school of SITS,
a Christmas ship donation Of $135,
ial Fund with which to establish a
Sunday school on the frontier. One
| hundred dollars have been forwarded
to the. Sunday school board for this
purpose. At Burnside the member
ship has increased twenty-five per
| cent over last year and something
will have to be done to meet the
growing demand for more room.
New London is embarrassed by its
successes, and this Sunday school
In doing its best work by lack of
proper and sufficient accommodations
Twelve chapters Of the Methodist
brotherhood are reported on the dis
| trict.
Special Events.
Willimantic Camp meeting of last
year will be remembered for at least
| three things: First, Genuine Spirit
| uality. Second, The high order of
| addresses and sermons. Third, The
those present to meet the financial
obligations. The support given the
/ Camp Meeting by the pastors of the
district is exceedingly gratifying. The
readiness of the Executive Commit
tee and Association to unite with the
Epworth League Institute is greatly
| appreciated. The preliminary pro-
gram. already published is filled with
the promise of good things. Mark
the date on your calendar, reserve
days make WiEimantic Camp Ground
the mecca for the pilgrim feet of New
| England Methodists.
In the month of October DIR. Ernest
B. Caldwell spent eight days on the
district representing the Board of
Foreign Missions.
Methodist Mems Convention.
AS result of Booster Banquets
personal solicitation and much cor
respondence Norwich District was
| well represented at the New England
convention of Methodist Men and
followed this with four successful
group meetings at which the message
| carried to the local churches. In
| these meetings the District Super
intendent was ably assisted by Broth
ers Bath. Critchlow, Dodd, Buckley,
Charles Smith. c. Harley Smith
| Stephen Prentiss of New London, and
Mrs. w. P. Buck Of Stafford Springs
At each meeting the stereopticon
survey. of New England Methodism
was given and the various parts OF
the program, earnestly and intelli-
gently presented. Some of the re-
suits of this campaign will appear
later in this report, others, I trust
will appear in years to come.
been continued. representatives OF
East Greenwich Academy have visit
ed the churches with good results.
The Woman's Home and the Wo-
mans Foreign Missionary Societies
have been actively engaged in Sc
their propaganda. Too much cannot
be said in favor of these societies and
the splendid work they are engaged
in would especially recommend
that here in New England we con-
slider the work OF the Woman's Home
| Missionary Society, and give it our
heartiest sympathy and support
On Sunday March 18th we were
honored by the presence of our resi-
dent bishop, {who preached greatly
to the edification and comfort of the
people, at Norwich Trinity and at
Federal Street, New London.
/ The New Financial Plan.
Believing that one reason for spir-
| itual dearth is financial sloth, that
before we can get religion into bust
ness, we must put business into re-
ligion, the District Superintendent
| has visited the churches in the inter-
ests of the New Financial Plan. With
eolored charts and stereopticon views
we have endeayored to expose the
disease and apply the remedy. In
open Quarterly Conference, in pub
lice meetings. to private individuals,
alone or assisted by the hrethen this
important phase Of church work has
been agitated and emphasized, with
the result that the churches are
| swinging into line and where the