New Britain herald., 1918-04-19

people with neither church nor par
sonage. The quarterly conference
voted to canvass the churches and
community and If good pledges pay
able on demand to the amount OF
$4,000 could be secured the trus~
tees would be authorized to rebuild
at once. Two weeks ago the canvass
was finished and the goal reached
In general the health of the dis
trict has been good, said DR.. Dent,
and he then gave the neurology OF
the district. Continuing he said that
all the churches had given cheerfully,
freely and systematically to Red
Cross Armenian Relief, y. NJ. G. A.
and kindred objects incident to win
ming the war. Liberty Bonds have
been bought by our people and by our
churches and Sunday schools at
Southington, Plainville, Kensington
and elsewhere. The churches are
we'll organized to keep in touch with
the boys in service. This work is we'll
illustrated by what is being done in
this (New Brittany church. Letters
are written to the boys weekly with
items Of interest from the church cal
endar and local papers enclosed.
Glasses are organized to prepare
tandages, make garments and pick
Cakum; khaki bound testaments have
been sent. Extracts from the letters
are read at the morning service.
Substitutes are found on the home
field to provide support to the church
and its benevolences formerly re-
ceived from the boys in the crater Of
death and the Calvary of Democracy.
DR.. Dent reviewed the financial
CT Sro Of nd
penses they have been under in keep
ing up their buildings, and also noted
the accomplishing nts of the member
ship. He said also: mo slackers will
be found among our churches In their
support of benevolences." He noted
the various contributions by individ-
ual churches, and in conclusion said;
THE demand of our ministry; the
necessity for economy, conservation
and increased production; the drain
Of manpower from our rural centers
will compel the organization of more
circuits and the use of more student
supplies. The church is impatient of
mere informal and respectable regu-
larity as it is also of preachers who
have lost their vision, The times af-
ford the church and her ministry
their opportunity. PLATE, not Christ, |
is being tried. Methodism has come |
to the kingdom for such a time as
this"
Brooklyn North District
I'VE are living in impersonal times |
Our boys are called into their coun- |
try's service. They leave home for |
some camp. Some time later they |
leave some port on some ship and
then they are somewhere In France. |
Later on some unmentioned regi- |
ments engage in battle somewhere |
along the line. We are learning that |
righteous causes count for more than |
men. This will be an impersonal re-
port.
LAS is true all over our Conference I
the work this year has been seriously |
hampered by want, the war and the |
weather. A winter that will be |
Dragged about by the older inhabi- |
tants a generation or two from now /
has made it impossible for many I
saints to attend church, and has fur 7
nished q convenient excuse to many !
others to stay away. The frigid tenn
peratures We're aggravated almost }
everywhere by fuel shortage. The |
absence of many young people on
war work, who had been among the
m ost active workers in our Schools
and Leagues, made serious inroads /
in the personnel Of our societies. Yet !
reports from all over the District
show that these handicaps were
spurs to more energetic activities
that have been graciously honored by /
The Divine Spirit.
"Reports from the pastors indicate /
that the receipts for the regular !
General Conference benevolences
will be above those of last year. IN
creases are also promised for the Re- k
tired Ministers Fund and the fund
for the Ministerial Commissions /
work. These increases are very graf
flying when he bear in mind the I
drain on our peoples ympathies and /
finances for many calls due to the /.
war. Large sums have been raised
on the District for the Y. M. G. A. |,
the Red Cross, relief of sufferers in l.
war stricken lands, for camp needs, |,
for Testaments for the Army and
Navy, ETC., etc. The majority of our
members and officials are generous !
and sympathetic to these worthy ap
peals Some few are withholding
their sympathy and aid, to their own !
letriment and to the disgust of those |
who know them. We could bear with
perfect equaninlity the knowledge |
that we would never again come
across these persons either in time, or T
IN eternity
1.-THE pastors have as a whole been
faithful and diligent in evangelistic
effort. The tangible results are that
TIA have been received as applicants
for membership, and $50 have been
received into our fellowship from !
membership. On the Dis
trict there is a reported total increase
Of members of over 500
"Financia also our District
makes a good showing. Property i'm
proven ents have been made on var
lous churches at a cost Of $26, 805.
Mortgage and note Indebtedness have