Can enclose special Messages for the Pastor with their offerings.
This Gift will be Recorded on the books of the Church.
All this money pours into the business office of the church, where it is taken in charge by the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees and duly recorded by the Financial Secretary.
The business office is a very businesslike place, with files, typewriter, letter-copying press, big ledgers and all the modern appliances of an up-to-date business office.
The card system is used for keeping the record of member's contribution, being printed in a form that will last for eight years.
All payments are entered on these, and at any time at a moment's notice, a member can tell just what he has paid or what he owes on the year's account.
But in addition, the Sunday offerings of all those who place their contributions in envelopes at the morning and evening service and sign their names, are entered on cards, and when it is remembered that the basket collections alone for the year 1904 amounted to $6,995.00, it can be seen that this is no light task. But The Temple appreciates what is given it, and likes to keep a record. Any person giving to The Temple and signing his name to his gift, can find at any time how much he has contributed during the year.
All this income is deposited to the order of the church treasurer, who is then at liberty to draw against it as directed by the Board of Trustees and properly certified by their chairman and secretary. The business office is kept open during the entire week with the exception of two afternoons, and two evenings.
The pew committee, which is composed of three members of the Board of Trustees, attends to the rental of the many sittings in The Temple. A large number of the regular attendants at the services of The Temple are not members of the church. They enjoy the services and so rent sittings that they may he sure of a seat. The third committee drawn from the Board of Trustees is the House Committee, composed of three members. It has charge of The Temple building; sees to its being kept in order; arranges for all regular and special meetings; sees that the building is properly heated and lighted; decides on all questions as to the use of the house for any purpose, for the use of a part of it for special purposes; manages the great crowds that so often throng the building; has charge of the doors when entertainments are going on; in short, makes the most and the best of the great building under its care. Six persons are constantly employed in taking care of The Temple, and often there is necessity for securing extra help for the caretakers of this church whose doors are never shut.
The Deacons, as always, look after the welfare of the membership. On Communion Sundays, cards are passed the members that they may sign their names. These cards the Deacons take charge of and record the members present and those absent If a member is away three successive communion Sundays the Deacons call on him, if he lives in the city, to find the cause of his absence. If he resides in some neighboring town, they send a kindly letter to know if it is not possible for him to attend some of the Communion services. In person or by letter, they keep a loving watch over the vast membership, so that every member feels that even though he may not attend often, he is not forgotten.