Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-09

The First Baptist Church Rally and Social will be held this (Tuesday) evening. Rev. Welcome E. Bates of Mystic will speak on The Church and the Delinquent Members and Edwin Hill secretary of the Norwich Young Mems Christian Association will give an address on Our Relationships. Re- treatments will be served in the vestry and a social hour will be enjoyed.
 At the annual meeting of the Wom- ems society of the church the presi- dent, Mrs. Otis Chapman, presiding, these officers were elected: Mrs. AL bert q. Kenneth, president; Mrs. Sa- rah R. Read, vice president; Mrs. N. F. Tuckerman, recording secretary; Mrs. H. H. Munsey, corresponding sec retary; Miss Susan Coy, treasurer.
 Here is summary of what has been done by the Every Member Canvass: Total number of pledges, 232; 2O9 weekly, 2 monthly, and 21 yearly, pledging a total amount of $1911.5S, for current expenses, and $230!SS for ben- evidences. Countinf sources of in- come outside of this system the bud reached The canvass has resulted, apart from the financial returns, in an increased interest in church work. During the month of April the aver age attendance at church services has been: Sunday morning, 125, with the
 
 Sunday evening 1S2, the largest num- Der present being 300 and the smallest 72; the midweek service, 37, largest number 52, smallest 30; Sunday school 134, largest number 161, smallest 91.
 Rev. F. Stewart KinIey, pastor of the First Baptist church, made a re- port at the Sunday morning service, in which he said: It is matter of re- gret that death has gathered such a harvest and that sorrow has been the lot of so many homes. The pastor has conducted 2S funerals and assisted at two. Of the total 13 were members of the church. During the year two of our nonresident members have died and had funeral services else where.
 The additions to our membership have been small: but the truth is we have more people on our church books It is poor policy to go gathering sheep for fold that is insecure. Our first attention must be the mending of the caches, or the making of our church life so strong that those who come to us may be held by the ire sistible force of the Divine Spirit. To the end that this may come the de- mand is for prayer, personal work, and in every way a service of sacri- flee. While the church is the place to receive help, 1t Is primarily the place to give help, and ''We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves"
 Your minister has made 553 calls, delivered 94 sermons in our own pull pit, and A sermons and addresses out side the bounds of the parish; he has missed one prayer meeting through illness. There was but one week dur ing the year without a prayer meeting. The Covenant meeting has met with little support. Under the conditions which have prevailed throughout the greater part of the year we might make better use of our time It is a matter for the church to consider.
 One of the greatest signs of prom ise is the response to the Every Mem Der Canvass.
 This year there will be a biennial vote in Rhode Island on the liquor li- cense question, and the Rhode Island Anti-Saloon League, with branch in Westerly, plans to lead in a special education plan, substantially as fol- lows:
 The object is to unify and make ef- fective all the forces The immediate aim is to secure as large a no-license vote as possible. and the ultimate aim is to prepare the state for national prohibition The plan contemplates enlisting pastors Sunday schools mems classes. women's and children's clubs in various activities.
 In the Sunday schools it is design ed that once each month ten minutes be given to presenting certain strik-