USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > History of St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church in Watertown, 1836-1936 > Part 11
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The monthly suppers and annual fair have been our largest means of raising money, but in addition food sales and luncheons, serving Men's Club suppers, coin cards, selling silver polish, cooking classes and rum- mage sales have played a varied and considerable part.
Our Friendly Committee have performed a very beautiful ministry in sending flowers and fruit to sick and sorrowing. In 1905 it was reported "The letters we receive in return are beautiful," and this is equally true of the letters of appreciation received today. As early as 1899, our elderly and shut-in members were cheered with a card at Christmas, and this is still a pleasant custom with us. Several of our older members are also remembered with flowers on their birthday.
Our Benevolent and Supply Committee have done a noble work through the years, always being ready to furnish clothes for Sunday school children or food for needy families in the Church, and many a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner has gladdened the hearts of those who otherwise would not have fared so well.
The gifts to philanthropic enterprises outside our Church have been made to very worth-while causes. The first gift to the Watertown Dis- trict Nursing Association was in 1903, and an annual donation has been made to this splendid work ever since. Annual donations to Morgan Memorial and Deaconess Aid soon followed, and later Italian Mission, and chairmen from our society have represented these various causes.
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In 1921, $100 was given to White Cross Hospital work; in 1923, $150 for a ward bed in the Deaconess Hospital; and in 1932, $100 to the Deaconess Hospital Fund. In 1930 we pledged $500 to the Pension Fund over a five-year period. Smaller donations throughout the years, both in St. John's and outside, are too numerous to mention.
In October, 1929 we had the pleasure of giving a reception to Dr. and Mrs. William G. Richardson, in commemoration of their fiftieth wedding anniversary. On the anniversary date in July, a group of about fifty journeyed to the summer home of the Richardson's in Marshfield to extend their felicitations on this happy occasion.
In September, 1933 it was voted to give the last $500 on the mortgage for the Remodelling Fund, and at a memorable service, at which Bishop Burns was present, the mortgage was burned with fitting cere- monies and great rejoicing.
In 1934 we adopted one of the old ladies at the Deaconess Home in Concord, with the idea of showing her little special attentions in the way of calls, cards and remembrances at Christmas and on her birthday.
In June, 1935 it was our privilege to give our pastor and wife, Dr. and Mrs. F. D. Taylor, a reception at the parsonage, in honor of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, at which time they were presented with a gift of silver in which a great number of the church and congrega- tion had the pleasure of sharing.
In this anniversary year we are looking forward with high hopes, enthusiastically planning and working for our Centennial Bazaar, antici- pating, with Mrs. Elizabeth A. Perkins as the efficient general chairman, a bigger, busier, and better bazaar than ever before.
In bringing this history to a close, it seems fitting that the following officers who have served us over periods of several consecutive years should receive honorable mention: Mrs. Elvira A. Sprague, who served as treasurer from 1909 until her death in 1921; Mrs. Phoebe A. Paine, who served as president from 1923 to 1928; Mrs. Gertrude L. Utting, who completed eight years of service as secretary in March, 1929; Mrs. Eva B. Watts, who served as her successor for six years; Mrs. Rena M. Fancy, who rounds out twelve years of service as treasurer this anniversary year; and Mrs. Lillie Simmons, who served as second vice-president from 1929 to 1936. Our chaplains, too, who have served as our spiritual guides over long periods of time, deserve special recognition: Mrs. Sarah H. Berry, from 1906 to 1916; Mrs. Helen L. Richardson from 1918 to 1926; and Mrs. Lois V. Taylor, from 1926 to the present time.
Following is a list of the presidents of the Ladies' Aid, beginning with the year 1900, two of whom were called to the Church Triumphant while in active service, Mrs. Hannah H. Bixby and Mrs. Eva B. Lovell.
1900-1901 Mrs. Elvira A. Sprague 1901-1907 Mrs. Mary W. Priest
1907-1909 Mrs. Elvira A. Sprague 1909-1910 Mrs. Nellie C. Stantion 1910-1913 Mrs. Abbie Howard Starr
1913-1914 Mrs. Hannah H. Bixby 1914-1915 Mrs. Phoebe A. Paine
1915-1916 Dr. Sara A. Emerson
(Acting President)
1916-1918 Mrs. Hannah H. Bixby
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1918-1919 Mrs. Phoebe A. Paine 1919-1922 Mrs. Maria A. Day 1922-1923 Mrs. Elizabeth A. Perkins
1923-1928 Mrs. Phoebe A. Paine
1928-1929 Mrs. Gertrude L. Huse
1929-1930 Mrs. Ethel M. Thomas
1930-1934 Mrs. Edna M. Beale
1934-1935 Mrs. Eva B. Lovell
1935-1936 Mrs. Eva B. Watts
1936- Mrs. Eudora Tucker
In summing up our activities it might seem that, like Martha of old, we had been "cumbered with much serving" and had devoted very little time to the contemplation of spiritual values. But who can tell how much of our strength to accomplish great tasks has come from the few quiet moments spent in communion with God at the beginning of each meeting, when our chaplains have led us to the throne of grace, and inspired us, like Mary, to "choose the better part."
EDNA M. BEALE.
WOMAN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
It was not until 1904 that the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society began to hand in an annual report to the Fourth Quarterly Conference. For information about Foreign Missionary work before this date, there- fore, we turned to Mrs. William Richardson, who wrote: "When I became President of the W. F. M. S. of the Watertown Church in 1887 (which office I held during the five years of our pastorate) the attendance was small because the hour of meeting - half past three on the last Sunday afternoon of each month - was unfavorable to a large attendance. In those days folks went to two services and Sunday school!
In 1890 we cast about to see what could be done to secure a larger attendance of the women of all ages. Through the kindness of the Epworth League, our meeting was given the place of the regular League meeting on the last Sunday night of each month. All the young women were invited, and came. The young men had a meeting of their own, but it was not long before, hearing how interesting the meetings were, they asked why they could not come to missionary meeting too! At the next annual meeting it was voted to admit any who cared to come. The smallest attendance in the quarter ending March, 1892, was 85; the largest, 100.
In this way began the Epworth League monthly missionary meeting and also in this way the W. F. M. S. took on a new life."
From the Quarterly Conference records of 1904 and the following years is selected other general information. In 1904, Mrs. Abbie Howard Starr was president. The principal benevolences were six "shares," at $10 a share, in the salaries of six missionaries, and a $20 scholarship for a school in China. In 1907, we find Mrs. Starr president and Mrs. Tennys Bliefling, secretary. The largest number attending their meetings was 38, and the year's total receipts were $91. A slight increase is shown in 1909, when 45 members attended a meeting, and $100 was sent to the Confer-
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ence from the Watertown society. It was in 1909 that Miss Sara F. Emerson became president, a position she loyally assumed for 15 years. Their study book was "The Nearer and the Farther East."
By 1910 the membership was 50, meetings being held at 5.30 on the third Sunday afternoon of each month. The most popular program was one of "Living Pictures," when forty young ladies in costumes of the Orient presented "Women of the Orient." In 1911 increased receipts allowed a budget of $214, some of the money being designated for the William Butler Memorial Hospital in Baroda, India, a school in Seoul, and missionaries' salaries. The next year's report tells of the organization of twenty-three girls under the guidance of Miss Nellie Turkington, as the "Standard Bearers." By 1915, the Standard Bearer group was supple- mented by the "King's Heralds" (younger), and by six little "Light Bearers" - names from the Cradle Roll. The W. F. M. S. budget was $220, and meetings were now held on the fourth Monday evening of the month. Principal events of the year were the May Breakfast and a Sunday evening missionary pageant. In 1916 Miss Maude Hodges is reported leader of the Standard Bearers and Mrs. Joseph M. Shepler as Roll-Keeper for the Little Light Bearers. It was this same year that the New England Branch of the W. F. M. S. held its conference at our Church, an arrangement which the ladies considered a great honor.
In 1917 the monthly meetings were all held in the homes of members because of the national fuel shortage. Ironically the textbook chosen was "World Missions and World Peace." The membership was 61, the budget, $214, and the King's Heralds are recorded as working splendidly under the guidance of Miss Ethel Hall. In May a Rummage Sale was held and $53 was realized, but this was an unusual event to take place under the W. F. M. S. auspices. The organization preferred to secure its funds from voluntary subscriptions and mite boxes rather than from money-making schemes. Miss Mary Beiler's school in Korea was one of the most favored benevolences every year, receiving a $25 scholarship and personal shipments besides. With the entrance of our country into the World War, the members of the W. F. M. S. complied with many requests to participate in relief work for French war orphans.
In 1918 an extensive drive was made to secure new members, and the "Great Visitation" of March 22 gained them 26 new ones. The total membership was now 93, and the budget had risen to $315. The "Jubilee Year" of 1919 found the W. F. M. S. cooperating with Dr. Shepler and his local church council to make "The Centenary" a success in Watertown. Another Standard Bearer Group was formed by the Sunday School class of Miss Nellie Smith, with the idea of helping as much as possible French children at the orphanage of Grenoble, France. Miss Florence Turkington was working with the younger "King's Heralds." By 1922, the W. F. M. S. had begun to mirror the prosperity of the Church as a whole, and the budget proudly sent to conference was $450, and the membership roll, 108. In the following year came the first of the substantial contribu- tions to the W. F. M. S. budget by the newly formed Galilea-Philathea Class, this time one of $50. Several "Life Membership" subscriptions
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were given around this time, the money from these being paid into the "Sunset Fund" for missionaries who have been obliged to retire.
The last year of Miss Sara Emerson's splendid service was 1924, when the society was organized into groups for the purpose of getting new members. The benevolences of this year were rather concentrated in Japan on account of the terrible earthquake and attending disasters there.
The report of 1925 gives the W. F. M. S. membership as 115, Mrs. Bessie Linfield as president, a large budget, and $90 raised beyond this for the interchurch debt. Mrs. Linfield was president in 1926, 1927, and 1928. In 1927 a budget of $732 was sent to the treasurer of the Con- ference, an amount which exceeded the St. John's W. F. M. S. apportion- ment by $III. In 1928 the report is for 96 members, the president deprecating the only "fair" attendance at meetings.
The next available annual report is the report of 1931, Miss Luliona Barker, president. The budget of $500 was raised by a reduced member- ship of 75, a really heroic feat. The following year the president was glad to be able to report that the high standard of giving had continued in spite of the "hard times," but attendance was still unsatisfactory. The story is the same for 1933, the budget of $300 plus dues being met by the sacrificial efforts of a comparatively small group. The proceeds from a St. Patrick's Day supper, with Rev. William R. Leslie the speaker, was of great assistance to Miss Barker in fulfilling the budget.
Because of the unsatisfactory state of affairs, an experiment was tried for the 1934-35 season, and the W. F. M. S. and the W. H. M. S. planned to meet together on the same evening. There were to be two separate corps of officers, and two budgets, and the meetings were to alternate from Foreign to Home Missionary interests. The president of the W. F. M. S., Miss Barker, reported in the spring of 1935 that the experiment had worked out well. Although the combined memberships had not increased, nevertheless the strain and undue sacrifice of a loyal few had been relieved, and a spirit of cooperation and appreciation for both fields of work had certainly begun to appear. The experiment having been a success, the idea was carried even farther in the spring of 1935, and the two societies became one. Mrs. Edna W. Beale was elected president, and at the end of her first year in office, March, 1936, filed an annual report which brings up to date most efficiently the splendid history of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. This report and the list of officers for 1936-37 will be found at the end of the next article, Record number 8.
ELINORE H. MIDDLETON.
WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONARY SOCIETY
With the help of Mrs. William R. Richardson, it was found that as early as 1887 the Home Missionary Work of the Methodist Church on Main Street was carried on by the Golden Rule Mission Band. This was
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a wonderfully active organization of the young women and girls of the Church who did much charitable and supply work for needy ministers' families. Later it became "The King's Daughters," and finally "The Woman's Home Missionary Society."
In the general reports of the Fourth Quarterly Conference of 1904 mention is first made of welfare work done by the W. H. M. S. for the Morgan Memorial. In 1906, record is made of Christmas boxes sent by the society to the Immigrants' Home in Boston, and to the Watts de Peyster Home, Tivoli-on-the-Hudson, New York. After 1907, when an annual report was sent in by Mrs. Eva Berry Davis, the progress of the group is clear. The W. H. M. S. was legally organized, Mrs. Davis recorded, in June, 1906, when "The King's Daughters" disbanded. The benevolent and charity list adopted soon after shows that the work then was much the same as we now know it - Deaconess Hospital, Medical Mission, Morgan Memorial, and others. The budget was $119 that first year, and a new young girls' group, "The Sunshine Band," was formed under Mrs. Starr. One of the most important branches of the Home Mission work for some ten years was considered to be the Americanization and religious help given to the Armenian immigrants of East Watertown, and it is too bad the society was not in a position to give even more financial and educational aid than it did. However, it did help to pay the rent for a reading room in the East End, and to furnish it. An organ was given by an interested gentleman of Armenian descent, and religious song services were held there. Mr. Hodges had a big blackboard made and installed, and under the W. H. M. S., Sunday services were provided there at three o'clock. Members of the W. H. M. S. were asked to spend at least one evening a month at the reading room, trying to help some one read English. Funds were also collected to buy bibles for Armenian homes where interest was shown.
By 1909 the W. H. M. S. numbered twenty-six members, and $51 was raised by means of subscriptions and mite boxes. In this year the Sunshine Band became the Sunshine Queen Esther Circle, and a "Mothers' Jewels" group was formed for the little ones. The year 1910 found Lucy Sanderson president, with a subscription of $28 to Armenian work the largest single gift. The following year a membership of thirty- two is quoted and a budget of $187, Lucy Sanderson again in office. In 19II, besides the regular budget, $100 was raised for the Immigrants' Home Building Fund. Christmas boxes were particularly generous, and the Queen Esthers donated the $16 they had raised from their "Hard Times Supper."
Reports from 1915 and 1916 show that Mrs. Eva Berry Davis was serving again as president. The budget, like that of the W. F. M. S., was always raised by subscription and donation, but in 1917 it was found necessary to have a food sale to meet the items they had promised charity. It was in 1917 that the "Home Guards" were organized under the direction of Mrs. Davis. These were younger girls than the Queen Esthers, the latter carrying on as before with a budget of their own; Miss Mildred Pollock was their superintendent. Miss E. Louise Richardson
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became president of the W. H. M. S. in 1917. The budget was $78, and $32 more was earned by serving meals at the big District Meeting which was held at our Church. Barrels were sent to needy families, as usual. A reading circle on "Missions" was formed during Lent, nineteen attend- ing. The next year showed a membership drive which netted twenty-six new members, the society then numbering ninety-one. One feature of the programs of 1918 was a "shower" held to help outfit a ward in the hospital at Camp Devens, Ayer, Mass.
The year 1919 was a banner one for the Watertown group. At the Cambridge District Conference they were awarded the "Efficiency Pennant" for making the greatest gains and showing the most marked efficiency in every work, being second in supply work only to the big society in the Newtonville church. Copying the Morgan Memorial system, the ladies had given out large paper bags to be used for the collecting of clothing and other articles suitable for our missionary barrels. Miss Richardson still served as president, and was pleased to receive $100, in behalf of the W. H. M. S., from the will of Mrs. Cyrus D. Campbell, for benevolent work.
Miss Nellie B. Smith became president, in 1920, of a group then numbering 100, and served for two years. The $105 budget was raised largely by voluntary contributions. The Home Guard worked hard for the Cooper Community Center, an organization also substantially remem- bered by the elder society. Mrs. Lois V. Taylor was president for the year 1922-23, the textbook studied being "The Negro Question," and members on the roll, 112. Watertown was proud that one of its own group, Mrs. Bixby (Eva Berry Davis), was president of the New England Conference of the W. H. M. S. this year, and she spoke at the society's annual open meeting on a Sunday night in November. Nearly $350 passed through the treasurer's hands from 1922 to 1923.
The year 1924 found Mrs. Eva L. Shipton president, serving a pros- perous society and administering a $551 budget. Once again the Water- town branch was proud to receive the District Banner for efficiency. Nineteen hundred and twenty-six was another time when St. John's was host to the two-day New England Conference. Two luncheons and one banquet were served and a fine pageant presented. As an aid in fulfilling the promises of the 1927 budget, organ concerts were given on the beautiful new Skinner organ, two by Mr. Wallace A. Shipton and one by Miss Rena I. Bisbee. Mrs. Shipton continued as president until May, 1928, the society enjoying great prosperity in the latter year. All pledges were paid up by February, so an extra $100 was given to Medical Missions before the year was out. Total expenditures were $497.
Miss E. Louise Richardson was president of the W. H. M. S. from spring 1928 until 1932. During this period there was an average active membership of around eighty members, an average attendance of forty- four. One favorite textbook of these years was "The Americanization and Christianization of the Great Mass of the Underprivileged in America." The society gratefully acknowledged the cooperation of the new District Superintendent, Dr. Charles Otto, in their work. Mrs.
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Minnie P. Cramer became president in the spring of 1932 and served for three years, until the final merging of the two societies. During her first year in office she was glad to accept in behalf of the society two bequests, one of $100 from the will of Mrs. W. W. Corson, and the other for $500 from the estate of Mrs. Helen Robinson. During the 1934-35 year, the W. H. M. S. joined tentatively with the W. F. M. S., holding six joint meetings, with separate officers, the presidents presiding alternately. At the end of the year's trial, it was voted to continue the arrangement per- manently, under one corps of officers, however. All women of the Church feel that the second year has proven even happier and more successful than the first, and so the history of the two societies will be concluded by Mrs. William R. Beale's report for the new "Women's Missionary Society" to the Fourth Quarterly Conference, February, 1936.
"The Home and Foreign Missionary Societies have been united this year, for the first time, under one corps of officers, and the arrangement seems to be a satisfactory one, and one which has tended toward greater unity. The monthly meetings have been exceptionally well attended, and the programs most interesting.
The first meeting at the parsonage brought out a large number, and at the next two meetings we were privileged to hear Mrs. Richardson and Miss Louise speak in their own inimitable manner. One of these occasions was a Guest Night, and visitors came from Waltham and Belmont churches. The Christmas meeting took the form of a shower for Cooper Community Centre, together with a playlet, and at our last meeting we had a most interesting national speaker on Young People's work. This month we are to have Mrs. Edward C. Camp, wife of our neighboring pastor, speak on 'Why Should We Be Enthusiastic about Missions?' Much credit is due Mrs. Cramer and Miss Barker, the two presidents of last year, for so ably arranging this year's program.
We have quite a budget to raise, $200 for our Home work, and $212.50 for the Foreign, but we are hopeful of reaching the goal, and have to thank the Philathea classes and several individuals in the Church for helping us by their gifts. We have already paid the Conference Treasurer $55 on our Home work, and $80 on our Foreign, and this does not include the receipts from our funds. Our mite boxes have been distributed more widely than ever before this year, and Mrs. Paine, the chairman of our Ways and Means Committee, successfully carried through two luncheons for us. Our Continental Breakfast, put on by Mrs. Ethel Thomas, was a real success, and we have a St. Patrick's Supper, a Silver Tea and Rum- mage Sale coming along later. We are trying to leave no stone unturned to raise our apportionments if possible.
Our membership is increasing, having had new members at every meeting, and we have had many kind friends working for us this year whose faces were new in a missionary meeting.
I wish you might sometime hear the report of our Supply Chairman, Mrs. Hutchins, when she tells what has gone in a barrel to some poor southern pastor and family. When that barrel arrives, there is nothing much left for that family to desire; at any rate, their immediate and
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most pressing needs are taken care of. The contents this year were valued at more than $49. We also sent $20 worth of canned goods and toys and $8.65 in cash to Cooper Community Centre at Christmas time, and $9 in cash to buy gifts for our missionaries in the foreign field.
We are much pleased this year to have organized junior societies, the Queen Esther Standard Bearers, with Miss Grace Comey and Miss Hazel Gentleman as leaders, and the Junior Service League, with Mrs. Lawrence Gentleman as leader.
On February 23, we are to have the privilege of holding our Thank- Offering service on Sunday morning, and you will have the opportunity of having a very fine speaker from the North India Conference, Rev. Murray I. Titus, home on furlough. We are hoping to realize a considerable amount from the special offering on that morning."
The officers for the society for the Centennial year, 1936-37, are as follows: president, Edna M. Beale; vice-president, Lois V. Taylor; treas- urer, Dora Lefavor; recording secretary, Helen Gentleman; corresponding secretary, Anna Rix.
ELINORE H. MIDDLETON.
THE PHILATHEA CLASS
In the year 1918, it seemed to a group of the younger married women of St. John's that one of the very apparent needs of the Church was a new Sunday school class which should include them. With this in mind the remnants of the old Galilea (meaning "Friends of Christ") Bible Class, with new recruits, met at the home of Mrs. Edna Beale to organize. Mrs. Jane Rial became first president, and before the year ended the class had become a part of the National Philathea organization. Mrs. Shepler, the wife of our pastor, became the first teacher, a very wise and gracious one. Professor Clelland followed her, and under his capable leadership the Philatheas' knowledge of the Bible was greatly broadened. Mrs. Bliefling was the next teacher, later to be succeeded by Mrs. Richardson. The Philatheas sincerely hope that Mrs. Richardson realizes the place she holds in their affections, for the comfort and help her words brought to many cannot be overestimated. Following Mrs. Richardson, Mr. William R. Beale served three years as teacher, then Mildred Pollock, and then their present one, Miss Jane Gray. All the teachers have given unselfishly of their time and talents to present the word of God, and all have been appreciated by a grateful class. The Philathea group is organ- ized first and foremost as a Sunday school class, and of this fact sight must never be lost.
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