Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-30

gift of s2oo by the will of Ars- C. Pierce and Danielson s1oo from NIT. Sweet. --
 Gales Ferry has received s250 from the children of Mfr. and Mrs. Thomas Latham for the perpetual endowment of a pew in the church, also $50 from friend for the permanent fund.
 By the will of Mrs. Abbie Lucy Lewis, the church at Griswold receives fifteen hundred dollars
 Mrs. D. T. Carrier. generous ben efactor of our church at South Man chester. has given S1,Oo0 to Confer ence Claimants.
 Rev. Albany Smith. son of Gypsy at old Mystic. The same amount was given by AIrs. O. Brown
 We gratefully acknowledge the re- ceipt of these gifts, both large and small and would urge upon our people the importance, the value yes the ne- cessity of providing for our church work here in New England after they have gone to their eternal home. About twenty churches on Norwich District would have to go out of busi- ness and several others would be ser iously embarrassed were 1t not for the income received from invester funds, made possible by the generous gifts of former members and friends While we ask to be thus remembered | We would urge a more liberal support | on the part of our entire membership now. When we analyze the situation we cannot help feeling that we are only scratching the surface of our | resources.
 In 1915 the total amount paId for salary and current expenses was | $69, ,122. add to this $17.6ss. the amount paid for all benevolences and We have | a total of Se6, ,S10, which is less than 25 cents a week per member for. all | church expenses and benevolences. If | we took time to study more closely to discover how much of this is income from invested funds how much raised by Ladies Aid Societies and kindred organizations, how much con- tributed by constituents who are not members of the church. 1t is perfect ly safe to assume that the actual av- craze giving of our members is less than half this amount. two cents a day per member for all church ex- penses and benevolences.
 In the light of this condition I re- peat the wonder is not that so lit tie has been done, but that SO much has been accomplished. One of the greatest spiritual assets that can come
 is a revival of giving that will make
 it possible in the first place to pay
 the minister a salary sufficient to meet the demands of decency and respecta-
 bility in this 2oth century. This car
 never be done on the basis of two
 cents per member Just so long as
 the minister has to keep hens, sell
 lead pencils, plant potatoes. or dig
 clans for his stomach's sake. to ekt
 out an existence will he be tremend-
 ously handicapped for the work tC | which he has been called of God
 Make it possible to pay the minimum
 salary of SSG0 a year, as voted by oul
 conference and approved by the Lay
 mems Association, pay it promptly
 and regularly, and your have taken q | afa ard rf,a as..
 iency of the preacher and the spiritua power of the church.
 In closing this report I would cal attention to the program for Pas
 sion Week, Self Denial. issued by tht
 Board of Foreign Missions and earn estly urge its faithful presentation
 and adoption. Coming as it does. a
 the beginning of the conference yea it makes possible the sounding of tha
 note which lies at the very center O
 our Christian faith, it lifts up tn
 standard of the cross, it challenge
 the church In the name of Jesus Chris : to practice the fundamental princi 2 pie of His teaching. In recent mum f Der of the Outlook the editor said . Three clements combine in success : full achievement, opportunity, equip , ment, courage. In the first centur Christian missionaries had to go fror Palestine into foreign lands In tn - | twentieth century the inhabitants c
 foreign lands, migrate to Christia . America. Men of all lands, all race. all languages. and all religions hay , fiocked to our shores, they have com q to the land of free speech and hay o brought with them open minds"
 This is our opportunity. "W
 Christians profess to believe ths . nineteen centuries ago the Redeemer (
 the world appeared, that he has give
 to us the secret of life, that We hay
 in His spirit the medicine which wi a | cure industrial unrest. unite in or 2 brotherhood all the families of th 2 earth, and expell from our hearts tn