TWENTY MINUTES A-DAY WORKING SOCIETY,
IN CONNECTION WITH THE WOMAN’S HOME MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION.
For the benefit of ladies interested in home missionary work, but prevented from forming or joining auxiliaries, we have this month a new plan to propose, a plan which offers some of the advantages of both individual and co-operative work.
The Twenty Minutes a-Day Working Society originated, we believe, in England, where it appears to be accomplishing great good. Its characteristic features are found in other associations among English ladies, who seem to have a special liking for being bound together by aim and rules without organization or meetings. But the idea has been adopted in some of the churches of our country also, and, it is said, with admirable success.
The following are the rules by which the members of this society bind themselves:
1. To work twenty minutes a day, or two hours a week, according to convenience.
2. Each lady to furnish her own materials, and make such articles as are suitable either for home missionaries and their families at the West, or for distribution among the colored people.
3. To contribute at least one book a year, not necessarily new.
4. To contribute fifty cents a year for the purpose of defraying expenses of transportation, &c.
5. To pray each day for those to whom these gifts are sent, and also for the prosperity of our organization.
6. Articles made are to be sent twice a year to the rooms of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, at such times as shall be designated by the committee.
For further information apply to the Secretary of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, 20 Congregational House, Boston.
The interest roused by the late Home Missionary Convention at Chicago shows how real and earnest is the purpose in the hearts of many of our people to undertake with new determination and zeal the task of keeping and of recovering this land for a true Christianity. Every day exposes anew to us, if our eyes are open, the monstrous and fatal dangers which threaten our Republic. But do we consider, does each Christian reflect, that not one of these evils, not one evil, would endanger our beloved country, if the good news brought by Christ were accepted and worked out in every home and every life?
“Ten times one is ten;” yes, there is well unfolded the secret of Christian life and strength, and of the coming millennium. Let each of us now say: “I have been saved by the knowledge of Christ; to how many can I convey this knowledge the coming year? Can I send it to ten more? to one more? It is not for me to wait to see what ten others will do. What can I do, and now, to help recover what is lost, to keep what is yet ours in our dear land?” Oh, let us try it. We are not doing enough, and our time of working may be short, if we let the enemy come in like a flood; but let us work, each work, alone, together; work and pray, for we have already seen something of what God’s power and goodness can do in multiplying single-handed and feeble (?) efforts made in His name.
A word more to the children about the Sunday-school papers. A generous response has come in, but still the Secretary has a large number of names of schools ready to receive above the number of those ready to give. Are there not other Sunday-schools with papers to send? Is there not some girl or boy ready to undertake to collect the same? Do not be afraid to send a few, if you have not many, only send them regularly and with prayer. Do not forget to be “ready to distribute, willing to communicate.” This is your opportunity as well as that of your father and mother, and the work is great. Write to the Secretary of the Woman’s Home Missionary Association, 20 Congregational House, Boston, Mass., and she will send you the name of a school where the boys and girls will be, you can hardly think how, eager and glad to get your papers.
Receipts of Woman’s Home Missionary Association from May 31 to June 27, 1881:
| From | auxiliaries | $169.92 |
| ” | life members | 20.00 |
| ” | annual members | 2.00 |
| ” | donations | 52.50 |
| —————— | ||
| $244.42 |
Boxes and barrels:
| From | W. Newton, Aux. to Mrs. Babcock, valued at | $30.00 |
| ” | Son of Rev. Mr. Alvord, Nashua, to Miss Wilson. | 50.00 |
| ” | Miss. Sunbeams, Phillip’s Ch., South Boston, to the West | 15.00 |