USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Pittsfield > Jubilee of the South Congregational Church : November the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth, nineteen hundred > Part 6
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In looking over these letters a few months ago I noticed sev- eral allusions to Dr. Hamlin and his family. I was anxious to know if he remembered her and wrote him giving some quo- tations from the letters, concerning him. His replies I prize greatly now since he has gone to his reward. He wrote: "Your inquiries awaken memories of 40 years agone. I did not recall your sister at first, but I must tell you that my sleepy memory has waked up a good deal about Miss Howard. I remember she was often spoken of as one esteemed and beloved. I think I
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saw her a few times only." Eliza returned to Pittsfield in 1851, taught later in Lynchburg, Va., and as private instructor in some families in Pittsfield. But missionary work was dear to her and she was not contented to remain and was planning to return to Smyrna. The illness of her brother James and his death which took place in January, 1856 interfered with those plans.
I do not know whether his name was ever on the church roll or not. If so he might be reckoned as a missionary too, for in a newspaper clipping of 1854 I find the following record under a notice of Dedication and Ordination. This was concerning a chapel in the village of Rockport, Maine where he was ordained. "Seven months and a half ago Mr. Howard preached his first sermon as Home Missionary at Rockport, the first of any regu- lar preaching of our order (Congregational) in that place and during that time a church of 21 members has been gathered, a beautiful chapel capable of containing 200 worshipers erect- ed atan expense of $1900, thoroughly and beautifully furnished."
During the delay, Eliza had become acquainted through the Hume family with Rev. William Wood of the Satara mission in Western India. They were married in June 1856 and sailed that month. At that time the American board did not feel that they could send the missionaries by steamers. During the voyage they encountered severe storms, were driven out of their course and were five long weary months on the way. I cannot speak in detail of her special work. I only know she filled well the position of wife and mother. It seems strange that having passed unharmed through many seasons of cholera in Smyrna she should die of that terrible disease in India, but so it was. Her life there was short from our view point- only three years, but this "record is on high" and Eternity will reward the results.
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Noticing in the Missionary Herald some years ago an account of the death of Mr. Tibley at the Satara Station, I wrote Mrs. Tibley. In her reply after writing of her husband and their work she said: "Just across the path from the spot where Mr. Tibley's body awaits the resurrection morning, reposes the dust of your sister and her baby "George Howard." I am often in our beautiful cemetery (place of resting) and sometimes love to stand by her grave and read over and over again the inscrip- tion on the headstone "To depart and be with Christ is far bet- ter."
Hoping this little sketch of one of your members may be of some interest to those gathered to review the past and rejoice over the years in which the Lord has blessed and prospered you and praying with you for His continued guidance and blessing. Your sister in Christ,
KITTIE HOWARD BARTLETT.
Newton, Mass., Nov. 9, 1900.
HISTORY OF THE WOMEN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY,
BY MRS. W. R. EDGERTON.
The South Church Auxiliary was organized in 1875, twenty- five years after the organization of the church, with a membership roll of forty names. It was a very precocious infant, but in two years, for some reasons which do not appear in the early records of the society, the membership was reduced to twenty. Probably there had been a sifting process going on, caused by the usual routine of missionary meetings with a small attendance, and the
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practical and unromantie work of raising funds for the new so- ciety. The normal growth of the society in membership com- menced in 1878 and for several years there was a steady increase, new members being added every year. At length, in 1895, the number reached forty-one, but never since until this year has it quite attained to that number.
For several years previous to 1895 the funds were raised by personal solicitation and voluntary contributions. Collectors were appointed to canvass their respective districts, and for sever- al years they did their work faithfully, but evidently the time had not fully come when such personal work could be done very successfully, and at length the work became too arduous for the few who were able and willing to do it. In 1894 the executive committee decided that the soliciting should all be done by the secretary, and she was directed to "send by mail a package of monthly envelopes, a printed explanatory note and a mission- ary leaflet to every woman in the church who, it was thought, would be willing to receive them." For several years envelopes, leaflets, printed appeals and mite boxes were sent to nearly all the ladies of the church, and they were the means of bringing a fair amount of money into the treasury. But still the secret of success was only partly learned. When Jesus organized the first missionary society he did not send written invitations to the disciples whom he had chosen for the work, but he personally called them, and kept them within the sphere of his influence until they were fitted for the service. A message received from the lips of another might not have been heeded, but the disciples could not resist the call when in the presence of the command- ing, soul-winning Jesus.
At length the officers of the missionary society became con- vinced that it was only by personal work that the women of the church who were still indifferent, or only half in earnest in the
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work, could be enlisted for active service. But how could this be accomplished?
It happened that on a certain night not long before the last annual meeting, while the secretary was waiting in vain for the approach of "Nature's sweet restorer," a plan was evolved in her busy brain by which all the ladies of the church could be reached, and the work thoroughly done. The plan was as follows : The city was to be divided into sections; two or three ladies were to be appointed to have charge of each section, and the duties of these ladies would be to call on all the ladies in their respective sections as soon as possible, after the annual meeting of the so- ciety; to invite all who were not members to join the society, and to ask all who declined to join to contribute through the en- velopes or mite boxes. Once during the year the ladies who had charge of each section were to have charge of the programme of one of our monthly meetings, and were to ask all the ladies in their section who could attend the meeting to take part in the programme.
The plan of the secretary was approved by the executive com- mittee, and the visitors for each section were appointed. At the January meeting the visitors of each section were presented, by the secretary, with an outfit consisting of a book containing the names and addresses of all the ladies in their section, packages of envelopes, mite boxes, and sample copies of Life and Light and the Berkshire Evangel, for obtaining new subscribers. One lady said she was afraid she would be taken for an agent, but she meant to look very innocent. Judging from her success and that of her assistant in obtaining new members in their section, they must have been so persuasive and winning in their ways that they met with a reception wherever they called that would make the lot of an agent a happy one.
At the first regular meeting of the auxiliary under the new
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regime, held in February, twenty-one ladies took part in the pro- gramme, and the attendance was the largest ever known at one of our regular meetings. The work of the visitors has been thor- oughly done, and as a result of their labors we are able to report that we have more than doubled our membership, forty-two new members having been added to the society, besides a large num- ber who will contribute through the envelopes and mite boxes during the year. Seventeen new subscribers, on trial, for Life and Light were obtained, and the same number of new sub- scribers for the Berkshire Evangel, and our meetings, in inter- est and attendance, have rivaled the meetings of the Fortnight- ly club, which is saying much for the missionary society.
I think the members of our society, or any other missionary society represented here, will admit that no small amount of con- scientious and persevering effort is necessary to sustain the life of a missionary society for 25 years, and achieve any degree of success in the work, for of all the societies in a church, the mis- sionary society is the one which depends for its support upon the most devoted and self-sacrificing members of the church, and these are not always in the majority. A noble company of one hundred and forty-two honorable women have been members of the society during the 25 years of its history. The list is too long to be given in full, but I am sure you will be glad to hear the names of those who have borne the labor and responsibilities of officers of the society. Miss Lamberson was the first directress, or president, and the names of the other ladies who have been honored with the office of president are as follows: Dr. Seraph Frissell, Mrs. Electa L. Wadhams, Mrs. Julia A. Sears and Mrs. 0. E. Beckwith. Those who have served as vice-president are: Mrs. A. W. Crossman, Miss Cornelia A. Lamberson, Mrs. A. A. G. Russsell, Mrs. Mary D. Russell, Miss F. I. Dunham, Mrs. J. M. Wasson and Mrs. O. E. Beckwith. Mrs. Albert Tolman was
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the first secretary, and the others who have held that office are Miss L. T. Dunham, Miss F. I. Dunham and Mrs. W. R. Edger- ton. The first treasurer was Mrs. A. W. Crossman and the oth- ers who held that office are Miss L. T. Dunham, Miss M. H. Lamberson and Mrs. W. R. Edgerton. Miss A. E. Walker has held the office of assistant secretary for the past four years and Miss F. I. Dunham has served faithfully and efficiently as col- lector and auditor.
Eight of the original or charter members are still members of the society. Their names are as follows: Miss M. H. Lamber- son, Mrs. Albert Tolman, Mrs. E. L. Wadhams, Mrs. A. W. Crossman, Miss Annie F. Crossman, Mrs. Eleazer Williams, Miss F. I. Dunham and Miss A. E. Walker. Twenty-nine members have been removed by death, and this list includes some of our most faithful and beloved members. In this work in which we are engaged, they were faithful unto death, and the memory of their examples should inspire us with a holy ambition to become worthy of the inheritance of these saints who now rest from their labors while their works do follow them.
The total receipts of the society for the 25 years are $1,620.51. For our pledged work we have supported a scholarship in the Girls' school at Marsovan, Turkey, 17 years; a scholarship in the school at Ahmednugger, India, 7 years ; a scholarship in the school at Adabazar, Western Turkey, 7 years; a scholarship in the school at Madura, India, 1 year; a share in a school at Canerody, Cey- lon, 8 years. We have also contributed for the support of the San Sebastian Home, the Dacota Home, the Bombay Home, the Zulu Sanitarium, for common schools in China, and also for fam- ine sufferers in Turkey. The surplus of our funds every year, after paying for our pledged work, has been given to the general fund of the Women's Board of Missions.
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THE HERITAGE OF FREEDOM.
BY ANNA L. DAWES.
It gives me great pleasure-I feel it an honor-to bring to you, the women of the South Church, the greeting of the women of the First Church. I bring you the greeting of the Sunday school and of the societies. I bring you the greeting of a long line of saintly women, from the beginning until now. For them all and with them all, we thank God with you.
I am to say a few words to you upon our Heritage of Free- dom, Congregational Liberty.
The Jubilee trumpet sounds in all your courts today. Seven times seven years have counted themselves on your calendar, and written themselves in the living epistle of this church. The joy of today is the joy of freedom, but not as in the ancient time a joy of freedom after bondage. Rather it is the joy of children gathered in the Father's house to tell over the things the Lord hath wrought, to rejoice in the good hand of our God. It comes at the time which Puritan habit, not content with a half century of silence, has made a yearly jubilee of thanks in all our borders. It comes to a church of the order of freedom, whose name gathers up the fellowship of saints, and whose rule and order is liberty. Thus it is with overflowing joy we give thanks, in an atmosphere compounded all of freedom. Thus the silver trumpet rings out clear and full with the jubilee song-the sound of them that triumph, the voice of them that feast. For on the posts of your doors is written Congregational freedom, and over your altar shines the promise of Christian lib- erty.
We are free born. By a great sum of sorrow our Baptist brethren gained this freedom; the Presbyterian flock can only see their promised land; Methodist and Episcopalian alike linger
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in the Galatian country. But no bondage from old or new covenant fetters us. We are free born. "The Jerusalem which is above is free which is our mother." Yet this liberty becomes but a vain boast unless we stop now and then to see what it means, to reckon with our freedom. What does it do for us? What have we learned in these fifty years-which yet were years of service not of servitude-of the value of this our birthright?
It is true these words are a phrase, a commonplace of thought and action, it is true there is little grain left to thresh out of them. But daily bread rarely has anything novel about it, nor do we sustain life upon its spices. I have wished that we should use every season to consider some little corner of our great op- portunity, lest in the day of perplexity and need, we sell our birthright for pottage mixed at larger hearths. Three ways in which this freedom exhibits itself have become so familiar we have forgotten their very existence-Method: Thought: Fellow- ship. We need to repeat them over in a daily litany, wherein with the unremembered fruits of the earth, we thank our Lord God for freedom of way, of truth, of life,-the freedom that is the manifested life of our Lord. It is in the light of this three- fold freedom that each Congregational church stands out in such sharp outline. It is this individualism which makes the fifty years of this church loom so large. In Method, in Thought, in Fellowship it has shown forth the way of freedom, the high thought, the communion of saints. A living branch, the life of the Vine clothed it with ever new beauty and hung it with the purple glory of the fruit. That great prophet of the church uni- versal, Philips Brooks, once said to me of the progress of the years, that we must take the best of the old and add to it what is good in the new, that thus men might ever go onward. And as he illustrated his thought by that old house, dear to us all, now St. Stephen's Rectory, where we were then standing, so as I
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stand here, I can find no better illustration of what this church has done for us all, among whom you are set to light our world, than the beautiful fashion in which you have made your own meeting-house-let me use our family name stand for all that was best in the old and all that is good in the new; the manner in which you have glorified the way of the fathers without de- parting from it, revering the old white meeting-house of the New England faith, and adorning it with the grace of a new day. Thus in deeper things have you clung with one hand to all in the past which is constant, and reached forth to those things of the future which are already firm to the grasp. Thus have you not forgotten the old virtues, thus have you ever sought new graces of goodness for our helping.
So likewise as you have walked in the ways of freedom, the nursing mother of your thought was liberty. And if I have il- lustrated the one by your house, I cannot better show the other than by your minister. With what depth and height of think- ing, with what breadth of sympathy and wideness of outlook has he who ministers to you to-day made your pulpit count for free- dom. With what strength has he stood upon the foundation which the fathers loved, the rock Christ Jesus, and built there- on no temple of hay or stubble, but the beautiful work of a clear faith, of a brilliant mind, of a loving heart. Forgetting no word of life that has come down out of the past, he has writ- ten all anew in the language of his own time, that ye whom he loves may eat the daily bread of an ever fresh manna.
And in the web of life woven by this whole community, this church has been free to serve in a gracious fellowship. Who was in need and ye forgot them? Who was in joy and ye re- joiced not, who suffered and ye did not mourn? Upon whom came the care of the churches and ye put no shoulder to the bur- den? In laborings oft, in watchings constant, in all that befell
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the Kingdom of God instant in season, ye stood in your place as good servants of the Master who shall find his talents grown an hundred-fold. As we look at the encompassing cloud of wit- nesses and count over the roll of the men and women who have done these deeds, borne these burdens, we realize that the past has grown into the present by an imperceptible change. And if we would see how that past and this present may be joined in a youth renewed like the eagles, where in all the town but in this church can we find another Deacon Robinson? Or who so per- fectly shows forth as in a type, the Congregationalist?
I speak to you of the church, not of religion. Religion is of all times and all churches. Of that and what it means to men and to man, we have no pre-eminence, thank God. But to-day we speak of the church, the church which expresses this relig- ion and is the body of Christ; the church which gives love its op- portunity to become deed; the church which turns faith into the life of the Spirit. If religion funishes a motive to men and the power to perform Christian duty, it is the church which sup- plies the method of Christianity. If the Spirit of God is the dynamic of Christianity, the church is the machine-nay, bet- ter, the Spirit is the life, the church is the body. The actuali- zation of religion is given us by the church-outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual grace.
Thus the church means more to women than we always re- member. We are oppressed with the narrowness of life. Be- yond our control it falls to us to be concerned with details, and bricklaying was never inspiring even for temple walls. But the methods of the church are applied to great problems, her thoughts go on high emprise, her fellowship widen's with the seas, and breaks all barriers. As scholar in the school of spirit- ual life, as individual thinker, as apostle to the world, the church gives woman her opportunity. What woman does for
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the church is of little moment. It is what the church does for her that we need to consider-her open heaven, not her tread- mill. What does it not mean, then, when the church comes to her with no rule of life, no scheme of thought, no barred fellow- ship but in the freedom of the Spirit opens every way to the In- finite, through every spiritual affinity and human fellowship leading to the Divine, in that perfect freedom which is the privi- lege of children.
See how the heavens opened to the women who counted them- selves of the company of Jesus. Think of Mary, companioning with angels and arch-angels; of Elizabeth and Anna, severe and saintly prophets of a new earth and a new heaven; of her, an outcast, who exchanged the ways that lead to death for the im- mortal holiness of the saint; of that mother whose ambitions for her sons widened unto the throne of God; of the little girl who saw the great vision and came back to her homely earth; of the Gentile woman whose faith served to batter down the imme- morial walls of race, and of the sisters whose perpetual grace it is to have furnished the Lord Christ with friendship. Where shall you find more diverse beginning, where so great a common glory grown therefrom, through Him who made these women gates of single pearl in His New Jerusalem? New thought, new life came richly to them all, and in their footsteps we still walk, fol- lowing our Lord in His great fellowship.
To us of the New England churches this freedom to choose and to think and to feel, has become so common we do not al- ways count its worth. Often we forget that we may pour the new wine into the bottles we need, not those our neighbor fur- nishes. We forget that we are free to express our own life, that no present exigency or custom of other environment can be made to fit the body of our own growing. Our very freedom has become our fetter. Thus we have sometimes forgotten the
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dignity of our calling, and failed to remember that thought is our birthright as well as love; that for us, children of light and leading, there is a high and solemn duty to men's thinking, a duty belonging to the liberty of our way, and not to be lightly forborne. Thus also it comes about that freedom is not always freedom to change. In this restless time it is often a liberty to stand still. In eager haste we have sometimes given up the old in a fancied freedom, and forgotten that each of our Congrega- tional habits is a stone in a memorial pillar The children of our churches do not know why deacons serve, nor what protest lies in a simple sacrament, nor the grandeur of a long prayer, nor the unique glory of the teaching sermon. We have a way-our own way-I plead for its remembering, that we find in the reverent fashion of the fathers, at least a foundation for the temporary expedients of our restless modernity.
Freedom of thought means a gospel to the mind, and that- that chiefly -- is the Congregational glory. By all the light that broke on John Robinson, by the magnificent severity of Cotton Mather, by the grandeur of that will which Edwards invoked, by the clear faith of Horace Bushnell, we are bound to find the truth for our own time. Freedom means responsibility and re- sponsibility is but another spelling of duty. Other churches may seek the wanderer in different fashion, we are bound to rea- son with him; other folds may worship in splendid ritual, ours must seek an open communion with the Almighty; other pulpits may develop the Christian man through his work, we must teach him. It is for this we are sent. And by this token we must with courage face the unknown truth, with sincerity welcome the unwelcome idea. We may not shrink from any new inter- pretation or draw back from any path of investigation. But reverently, vigorously, with a firm hold on what is still good- and only that-we must go before the army of God, in the very
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van of progress, for this most difficult, most disheartening and yet most inspiring of all duties, the discovery of new truth, the trying of the spirits to see whether they be of God. The safety of truth, the vital power of thought, the right of the single con- science -- these things are ours -- ours as a church -- ours every man and woman of us. To say what this freedom of thought means to woman is to encompass heaven and earth; for that intuition which in things of the Spirit is insight, has made her quick to see new visions whether with austere Elizabeth, mother and her- ald of prophets, or with the careless woman of the well. Thus it is that to us all who call ourselves by the Congregational name comes the hope and the duty to witness to spirit and truth. These things we must not forget. To this end we must not hinder any development, must seek all help. So we may rise on the equal wings of faith and love to the very foot of the throne.
Again as in method and thought, so in fellowship, it is for us to go on to perfection. Church Unity, Federation of Churches and the like, these are the watchwords of the day. But Congre- gational fellowship is something better and deeper than that. It is a commonplace to talk of the associations of churches of our own polity; it is almost equally commonplace to talk of the sym- pathy of the different sects with each other. More and more a common duty unites different workers if not different faiths. But to us the communion of saints is a deeper thing, for all things are ours. The children of freedom may find everywhere their brethren. We are not bound to creed or to sacrament, to ecclesiastical inheritance or millennial hope; we cannot shut out the men of oriental vision, nor the priests of occidental system. We are of one family with him who calls God Father; whether he names that name in narrowest word, or in vaguest philoso- phy, him we welcome to the household of faith. Nay more, we seek everywhere, in all lands and all classes, for these our breth-
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