In other places still, a wholly separate organization may be most advisable, in which the filling of Home Mission boxes, the collection of money for the W. H. M. A., and the communication of intelligence as to Home Mission work may be the only objects of the society.
The regular Woman’s Prayer Meeting might well set apart one meeting each month where they are held weekly, or a meeting at longer intervals when they occur less frequently; this monthly or quarterly meeting to be devoted to prayer and conversation about the spread of the Gospel in our own country. At these meetings a collection may be taken and there may be a treasurer to receive this, and an officer, either secretary or president, to preside at the meeting. It is not necessary that these officers should serve no other organizations, since the same person not infrequently acts as an officer in one or more societies and keeps the business of each by itself. It seems wise, however, whenever a sufficient number of persons can be obtained, to have separate officers for different organizations. The end to be attained is that there be a definite, separate time given to praying and working for the cause of the evangelization of our own country, and a definite, separate contribution arranged so that each woman of the church may have just the channel at hand by which to send her own offering for this cause direct to its destination.
And further, may we not ask those churches that have adopted the system of weekly offerings, known as the “Harris plan,” to put this Association also on their list, to make this one of the channels of distribution through which individual members of the church show their desire and accomplish their purpose of co-operating in Christ’s work of saving men? It is no longer—if it ever ought to have been—the age in which Christian men and women should wait to be stirred, to be urged, even to be invited, to give. Does it not become each of us to find out by calculation, careful, generous calculation, how much we can afford to the specific work of spreading the Gospel; and then through what channels we can best effect our object? And if this is done by all will there not be some who will wish to send part of their funds through this society, whose work is, directly, for the women and children of our country?
New opportunities for work are presenting themselves almost every week, in the new West, the South, for Indian girls, for colored women and children. There is no quarter to which we can look that we do not see those, dear to us by nature, and by what Christ has done for us, waiting to be helped and to be taught; nor, as yet, have we had any lack of those who were well fitted for the work of teaching and helping, and anxious to go into it.
We, therefore, ask the Christian women in our churches whether, in addition to the interest, money and prayer they are giving to kindred societies, they do not wish to give also to this particular work which seems at once so urgent and so promising. It requires but small individual sums, regularly and prayerfully given, to enable the church to pursue a vigorous and effective work in this direction for the kingdom of Christ.
| Receipts from Oct. 15, 1880, to Jan. 1,1881: | |
| From auxiliaries | $761.00 |
| From donations | 155.08 |
| From life members | 100.00 |
| From annual members | 81.00 |
| —————— | |
| Total | $1,097.08 |
The committee also acknowledge with thanks, the following donations: From the Congregational Publishing Society, $19 worth of papers and maps, and from Mr. J. L. Hommett, three large wall maps, and from S. M. H. a movable black-board, all for the use of Mrs. Steele at Almeda, S. C. A barrel has been sent to Miss Carter containing new material for use in her Industrial school, and clothing for distribution.