Norwich bulletin., 1921-10-26
CONGREGATIONAL LAYMEN
 AND MINISTERS MEETING

AND MINISTERS MEETING
 With about 90 present representing the 2s Congregational churches in New London County the semi annual meet ing of the New London association of Congregational Churches and Ministers was held at the United Congregational church on Tuesday. At Il o'clock the meeting of the ministers took place. At this meeting there was an inspir- ing address on Tides of the Spirit by iGreeneViile Congregational church. Rev. Rev. c. H. Ricketts, pastor of the Mir. Ricketts said in part:
 It is well for us to remember that the Holy Spirit is not dependent on any systematic theology when He urges men to become Christians. In our New England Christian life we have had the followers of Edwards, of Emmons, Of Taylor and Tyler and the Holy Spirit has worked power fully with all of them in spite of 1 their ir-spl;tting differences. Where there is a burning desire to help Godward and heayenward, such terms as Baptist, Methodist, Congregational | Presbyterian and the like melt away ] like dew under a burning sun. The l burning question before our Associa- l ton is this: do we want the religious i interests of the churches of the eoun- 1 try revived? If so, are we willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to bring this about? We cannot escape the fact that the religious activities are certainly uot at present at flood tide. Is the Holy Spirit just watching for some expression of concerted will Iingness on our part, as ministers and churches, to assume this extra re- sponsibiiity?
 The last National Council, deeply
 conscious of the need of increased re- ligious activity in our churches, pro- posed the following excellent program that may be followed to advantage: l. The recruiting Of new member ship Certainly here is a field that is open for work. We are told that there are fifty millions of Americans that have absolutely no church affiliations
 These are largely Protestant in inheri-
 tanee and sympathy. The success oi
 this work, the committee says, depends on carrying out these four princi3ie l. Knowing the faets, by listing al 1 who are to be invited.
 ?, Having an adequate plan-sin-
 ply but thoroughly understood.
 | 3. Extending the responsibility fol , ! church as a whole shall engage il , the effort.
 {. Undergirding the whole program P with personal and social prayer.
 The second main thing to do is tl D restore the lapsed membership. Tn : facts in the matter are these: On
 1 out of every seven members is an ab . sentee; we are dropping members b! r the revision of the rolr at the rat ! of about a hundred a day, that uries
 we reclaim absentees an1 restore tn 3 lapsed, we shall require a continues ? Pentecost to keep alive. To be sue a cessful here we must carry out tn : same four principles; know the fact , -haVe an adequate plan-extend th
 responsibility of personal work-aH
 undergrad the whole with persona
 and social prayer.
 x1 The third main feature suggested b the National Councils Committee O
 Evangelism is the promotion of tn x Devotional Life Shall the praye z meeting of the church be strength :, ened? Shall it be given up? Shall ' be changed into some other channt . for the expression of Christian Lii s It was once called the prayer and ex perience meeting, but modern Chris |, tians have either ne experiences C s are disineiined to express them. Gres = work is demanded in impr ressing upo l. church members the necessity of reg
 ular church attendance. Church woT e ship is increasingly looked upon g a only incidental to Christian Twin t Unless all this is radically change
 we have no hope of winning the UT converted. This is the suggestion pro A gram of the National Committee 0 Evangelism. Do we in New Londc
 county feel the need of it? Are. "
 in sympathy with it? ASe We read
 to take it up?
 Following the ministers meeting fur
 cheon was served in the Communit
 House by the women of the entertain
 ing church with Mrs. Herbert v
 Gallup and Miss Hattie Carter in ger
 eral charge.
 IF The afternoon meeting took place
 2 o'clock with Rev. A. H. Abbott pr' x siding and pr. James II. Weeks if Stouington acting as clerk and Re m Mr. Bailey acting as registrar TT s. business of this meeting included r m ports Of the churches and the commi it tees in charge of the various phaS' e. of the winters work. Rev. H. W. Hu l. bert of GI'otan reported for the Ri es ligjous Education committee and Re a Arthur Varley Taftville outlined u d plan of Social service for the winte k, The report of the Bvangel;stic con at mitee was made by Rev. C. II. Rickett ,g The Benevoience committee made t. report through its chairman Rev III Reveridge Lee. D. D. of New Londo g. The address of the afternoon was as Rev. J. Romeyn Danforth. of New Lol D. don who spoke of "Our National Coui lp ell and the Worldly wide Work" Re tn Mir. panforth told of his trip to l. at Angeles where he attended meeting ,g the National Council and spoke of Il ts work that has been outlined by Il D. national council for the coming tv
 years. The next meeting of the Ns