Church Review Historical Edition/Vol. 4/No. 1

Church Review Historical Edition/Vol. 4/No. 1/pg. 6

Page 6<br><br>society. The "social committee" was given the duty of making every one at home, of welcoming strangers and providing for the mutual acquaintance of members. All active members were given something to do. By means of a fund raised by a small per capita tax, the society purchased record books and appropriated 25 cents per week to the "flower committee." This money was used to provide flowers for the church, which were afterwards taken to the sick. At the end of the first six months a membership of thirty-six was reported, being a gain of fourteen members, twenty-one active and fifteen associate members. Through the efforts of this committee some most excellent missionary work was done, and numerous persons were brought to realize the importance of a Christian life. The committee consisted of the following: Madge O. Depue, Edna Kimball and D. A. Depue. After one year of existence the records show that the society had held regular meetings and that the smallest number in attendance was twelve, while at most meetings the number reached thirty, and sometimes more. During the first year the sum of $54 was raised by the society for the purpose of sending Rev. J. Brainard Thrall to Chicago as a delegate to the convention of Societies of Christian Endeavor. "In addition to this amount the proceeds of several entertainments amounted to a considerable sum and were distributed as thought best. The officers for the second year were Mrs. Anna D. Thrall, president; Miss Fanny White, vice-president; Miss Bessie Sprague, secretary and treasurer. Under the able leadership of those noble instructors the society continued to increase in numbers and influence. Meetings were held at 6 o'clock every Sunday. In January, 1889, the third set of officers was elected, and consisted of the following: Mr. Frank B. Stephens, president; Miss Margaret Sanford, vice-president; C. A. Rand, secretary and treasurer. Those officials carried the society through the year with good attendance and excellent work was done. On September 22, 1889, a reorganization was effected, which consisted of the reading and adoption of a new pledge, which was signed by fourteen persons who now constituted the membership of the Y. P. S. C. E. of the First Congregational church, which reads as follows: "Trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ for strength, I promise him that I will strive to do whatever he would like to have me do; that I will make it the rule of my life to pray and to read the Bible every day, and to support my own church in every way, especially by attending all her regular Sunday and mid-week services, unless prevented by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Savior; and that, just so far as I know how, throughout my whole life, I will endeavor to lead a Christian life. As an active member, I promise to be true to all my duties, to be present at and take some part, aside from singing, in every Christian Endeavor prayer meeting, unless hindered by some reason which I can conscientiously give to my Lord and Master. If obliged to be absent from the monthly consecration meeting of the society, I will, if possible, send at least a verse of Scripture to be read in response to my name at the roll-call." Signed by Alice P. Stevens, Ella C. Fitzgerald, Edward B. Benner, Carrie Benner, R. A. Metcalf, F. B. Stevens, Emily Curtiss, Eva Reilly, Christina Thomson, L. Glasmann, W. L. Peet, C. H. Chiloon, Anna B. Thrall, J. Brainard Thrall. At the present time there is but one name of the above list which is found upon the secretary's book, but in place of former loyal, hard-working members, there are new members with the same loyal hearts and the same patient devotion to duty. The weekly meetings, which are still held on Sunday during the hour preceding the regular evening service, are characterized by a sentiment of good fellowship, and by a spirit of religious sincerity and true consecration, and many a heart has been strengthened and helped by those hours of prayerful conference. Though the treasury has never at any one time been large, yet if all the items of financial aid could be added, the result would be no mean amount. There are now forty-four active and four associate members, with the following officers: President, Maude M. Smith; vice-president, A. J. Gorham; secretary, Marion Knickerbocker; treasurer, Gertie Griffin. The Burlington Congregational Mission is a child of the New West Education Commission, having been established by that organization about thirteen years ago. For six years a well-attended day school and Sunday-school and occasional preaching services were conducted in the pleasant one-room adobe building. In 1888 the accommodations proved inadequate, and the little adobe school-house was superseded by the present commodious brick building, which was occupied in February, 1889. With the opening of the new building and regular preaching services under the direction of the Home Missionary society, a splendid work, which gave promise of fruitful results, was inaugurated. The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, which was organized in 1886, had become strong in number and its members efficient in Christian work; the mission day school was crowded, in fact, it was often necessary, unfortunately, to turn applicants for admission away; the Sunday-school was large and prosperous and the preaching services were well attended. This condition of affairs continued until the present free-school system developed to such splendid proportions that the mission school was no longer necessary. The closing of the day school, the real nucleus of the work, the removal from our midst of the three faithful mission teachers and the suspension of preaching services by the H. M. S., necessitated by the financial depression, were causes sufficient to dishearten the most enthusiastic. Nevertheless, a few faithful workers held the Sunday-school and Y. P. S. C. E. together, and now with encouragement, support and workers from the First Congregational church, they having adopted the mission, an effective work is being done again. Sunday-school is held at 2 p. m. and Y. P. S. C. E. meetings at 3:15 p. m. This article cannot be complete without a word in praise of the noble women who have contributed the best years of their lives to this enterprise. Much might be said of all the teachers, but special mention, should be made of Miss Fannie Hall, Miss Anna Baker and Miss Emma M. Blodgett. Miss Hall was principal of the day school for ten years, Miss Blodgett as her assistant for four years, and Miss Baker as city missionary of the Congregational church have all endeared themselves to every one connected with the mission, and have sown seeds the harvest from which will be reaped in eternity. <br><br>PHILLIPS CONGREGATIONAL. <br><br>Seventh East and Fifth South, Dana W. Bartlett, pastor, 819 East Third South. The following is a condensed history of the beginning of the Phillips work: <br>Miss Anna Shepardson arrived in Salt Lake City early in 1881 from Brooksville, Me., to teach with Miss Wakefield in the first school opened in the Territory by the New West. In the following year the school was moved to its present site in the Tenth ward. From the first she was suffering from the disease which finally proved fatal. Her name will long live and be held in affection and high esteem among the early, unselfish and consecrated builders for the gospel in Utah. The following teachers have succeeded Miss Shepardson: Miss Mattie Winslow, Miss Grace Gilberth (now Mrs. Gale), Miss Susie I. Merrill, Miss Carrie L. Mason, Miss Francis Corwin, Miss Mary E. Hawkes and Miss Ivy G. Loar. The church was organized in 1887, while Miss Grace Gilberth was teacher and Mr. Alex Monroe pastor. Since then the church has been served by Rev. A. L. Seward, Rev. John E. Hurlbut, Rev. H. M. Burr and Rev. Dana W. Bartlett. The present pastor has entered upon his fifth year of service in this church, and is full of hope as to the future. There are at present over one hundred members, with the prospect in the next two or three years of receiving a large number of young people and children who are now being trained in the Christian Endeavor and Junior societies. Probably no church in Salt Lake is so popular among the Utah young people as Phillips, thus making a wide open door of opportunity and influence. May 8, 1886, a Christian Endeavor society was organized among the pupils of the school-the second one in the Territory-and ever since it has been a strong society and a splendid training school. The Junior Endeavor reorganized about two years ago has had a steady growth and has been very effective in training the boys and girls for discipleship. For years the Sunday-school was the largest in the Territory, and although three other churches have been built on the East Side, it now ranks third in enrollment. The ladies in their benevolent society have always been very active in raising money for missionary and charitable objects. In the Young Ladies' Missionary society, the coral-workers, the boys' brigade, the sewing-school, the Loyal Legion, good work is being done both for the present and the future. This church has made great use of the stereopticon in its Sunday-evening services, by this means crowding the church with an interested audience every Sunday evening during the summer. Two years ago an effort was made to raise the money necessary to erect a new church building, but the hard times coming on, only sufficient was raised to purchase and remodel the present building. We have a fine corner lot, and are hoping that the time will soon come when friends will contribute the money for our much-needed building. October 20th to November 5, 1895, Evangelist Harold F. Sayles was with us, and through his earnest preaching, his instructive Bible readings and his wise leadership, a large number confessed Christ for the first time, thus greatly strengthening the church in all departments of its work, as well as giving courage to the workers. Miss Anna Baker our city missionary has done faithful work for the