The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-01-26
Congregation Of German Evangelical
Church Heard Reports Of
Progress q
Year.
MUCH HAS BEEN DONE
Congregation Has Passed Through q
Prosperous Year-Pastor Shows
Recruits Of Ernest
Work.

!Ae annual meetln& OF tho congre-
cation OF st. PauIs German Dvangeli-
cal church was held last night in st.
Fauts hall, with q large number in
aatsendance. Charles H. Wolfe pre-
sided at the meeting. The young
ladies society served refreshments'
Reports were read showing the con-
dttdon of the church and what has
been done In all departments last
year.
I. George Hoffman. reporting on the
boy scout work. said that the work
was progressing. First aid and soma
phore signalling was almost complete.
One basket ball game had been played
with another scout team and won by
st. Paups. In December a new club
had been organized for the older fell
lows OF the church. ;, In addition to
athletic work. q course OF study has
been adopted and meetings planned
for every Tuesday.
Carl Schmidt. former secretary of
the brotherhood, reported eight inter
esting meetings during the year 1915,
which was the first year OF the or
ganization. The brotherhood has fif-
ty members and expects to get that
many more this year. The success
was attributed to the unselfish efforts
~ eho PoSto1 dAu l0duoIbulQ VI GlS
president, j. H. Heineman.
Franz Luedtke reported for the
choir and Miss Julia Schmidt on the
work of the girls club. Very flatter-
ing reports of the mission society and
orphans home clubs were enjoyed.
The Societies Reports.
The young ladies reported that the
meetings were better attended than in
previous years and financially 1t was
better. Membership sixtyseven. To
tai receipts $359.84; disbursements,
$176.75, balance in treasury, $4,000.
The Ladies' Aid society enjoyed
many social afternoons and did a
great deal of work for the church in
every way. The society has bal
ance OF $4O4.5s.
The Young Peoples society has
been laying, principal stress ON the
spiritual work In the Sunday meet
ings. but the social affairs were also
well attended and greatly enjoyed.
Sunday school showed that this part
of the church work is growing in eff
cheney and that there was also an in
crease in attendance Of the previous
year. The expenditure on Sunday
school periodicals and literature is
naturally growing with the develop
ment Of the school. But all bills are
met by it's own treasury, besides that
new primary chairs had been pur-
chased and a notable amount had been
given toward the mission. ff
The financial secretary Of the
church said that the conditions of the
treasury were good and that the in
come was greater than it had been
for many years.
The treasurer of the sinking fund
reported on hand $1.623.sS. aaane
The Pastors Report.
Rev. Ernst said that the grace Of
the Lord had been manifest in church
services, among the work with the
children and in the various societies.
He commented on the spirit of co.
operation shown him by all organiza-
lions and that everywhere he found
friendly faces, strong hands and gen.
erous hearts. BY his visits ha entered
23O homes and families, 200 ofswhich
are represented in some activity OF the
church. He reported 700 souls In the
parish, OF which 531 are adults. 593
attend church or Sunday school more
or less regularly. He delivered hfty-
seven German sermons, thf1y-seveA
English, twenty-five funeral sermons
and twenty-eight lectures and ad-
dresses, q total Of 1913. He made 633
pastoral and sick calls, confirmed six
teen individuals, admitted twenty
five persons to the church, offlciated
at eighteen baptisms, twelve we'd
dings and served communion to 491
guests, met with. forty committees
and conducted sixty periods OF cate
chetical instruction. Summing UP ev-
erything, the church shows progress
and live interest in every phase of
its work.