On the shore of Lake Geneva lies Williams Bay, the seat of the famous Yerkes observatory. We had a hand in helping our church there to secure its first house of worship. Just before Christmas six years ago that building burned to the ground, and we helped to secure a better one. The enterprising women of that church made up their minds that the pastor and his family ought to have a good home. They started the parsonage enterprise and pushed it with enthusiasm. The result is seen in the rarely attractive and commodious house pictured above. When everything was complete they took possession of it with ap propriate ceremonies. The people met at the church at evening, and forming a procession with lighted candles, escorted the pastor and his wife to the new home. On the porch the house was presented to the Trustees as a gift from the Ladies' Aid Society. The Trustees accepted it, and in turn gave the key to the pastor, who received it with a graceful speech. Then the dedicating party blew out the candles and turned on the electric lights. The illuminated rooms were not more radiant than the happy people who filled the house. God bless the women! They work our parish miracles! They touch the crude materials with the magic wand of their resolute endeavor, and presto! there stands the manse for the minisfer! CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, FORT DODGE, IA, INTERIOR Sixty-one years ago a little home missionary church was started in Fort Dodge, Iowa, not very far from the center of that great state. This was a year before this Society made its first grant from its own treasury to any church. Fourteen years later it helped this still struggling little church to complete a brick chapel as the first unit of a house of worship. Up to that time they had no regular house of worship, and barely marked CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, FORT DODGE, IA. having but eleven men and nine women in the membership of the little home missionary church, but they had courage and faith, and pushed ahead. Out of the little chapel they pushed into a real church. The work grew, having various ups and downs. Four years ago they secured as pastor the Rev. William A. Minty, and under his fine leadership the church has speeded up its progress. Naturally enough the three hundred and twenty-five families of this flock found their old quarters too small and too much out of date. They sold the old site and secured a better. location. Then with enthusiastic determination they undertook to build a new sanctuary, with such modern provision for educational and social needs as our new day requires. FLOOR PLAN OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND PARSONAGE, FORT DODGE, IA. tiful parsonage. Attractive in appearance and convenient in all its appointments, it is under the same roof, extended for the purpose, as the house of worship itself. Pastor and people are thus brought into closer relations than ever before. The floor plan given shows only is equipped with a fine organ, and the services of the church in this beautiful temple of worship have taken on a new interest and effectiveness. It is a pleasure to help such a church to secure such a splendid equipment. INDIAN CHURCH AT ELBOWOODS, N. D. In these Tercentenary days we commemorate John Eliot, first preacher of the gospel to the Indians in their native tongue in the Pilgrim colony. His heart burned. with desire for their salvation. His zeal and patience were rewarded by many conversions. Multitudes of "praying Indians" were reported in many places in New England. brethren in the great Northwest have brought great blessing to many who are "walking in the white man's way." In our day effort for the spiritual welfare of these original Americans has been taken up by the American Missionary Association. Their schools and churches for these dusky Just now a little church is being built at Elbowoods, North Dakota, for a group of Indian families who live on their prairie farms in a rather scattered community on the north side of the Missouri river. Within six miles are a hundred and fifty people on ranches stretching along the river for twelve miles. Many of them have been members of a church on the south side, but it is not easily. ONE OF THE FAMILIES, INDIAN CONGREGATIONAL reached by them, and they need a cannot complete this church without our aid. Who will send to us three hundred dollars at once, that we may help these dusky brethren of the plains to finish their meetinghouse? NEW INDIAN CHURCH, ELBOWOODS, N. D. hold of faith. They ONE OF THE CRADLE ROLL, ELBOWOODS, N. D. MISSIONARY SOCIETY Office: 237 Fourth Avenue, New York Charles E. Burton, D.D., General Secretary; Herman F. Swartz, D.D., Secretary of Missions; Rev. William S. Beard, Assistant Secretary; Charles H. Baker, Treasurer; Miss Miriam L. Woodberry, Secretary Woman's Department. In the January number watch for the second instalment of General Secretary Burton's message. The title will be "About Your Souls." Let no one fail to remember, not only in prayer, but with letters, the gallant lads, so many of them from our churches, who have offered themselves to help make the world decent and Christian. By the courtesy of "The Congregationalist," the article entitled "Why I want my boy to be a Minister," is reproduced here. We had supposed our missionary force was standing squarely behind this country in the Great War. A glance at the incomplete roster printed elsewhere confirms this supposition. Again the child is set in our midst. Let us not forget that it is the children of home missionary churches who have repeatedly made independent churches a strong nation. The Home Missionary Society wants to display a "Service Flag." Will any who know of pastors of aided churches who have enlisted, or who are serving as chaplains or with the Y. M. C. A., notify the Editorial Secretary at once? Note elsewhere a description of the Helps which this Society can furnish you for your January home missionary Service in the Sunday-school. January and July are the home missionary months in the Sundayschools for 1918. We want to bring the home mission appeal at least once during 1918 to every Congregational school in the land. Will you help realize this aim? So far as we have heard the banner Sunday-school in the matter of giving for home missions during 1917 is that of the Congregational church at Plainfield, New Jersey, whose Superintendent is a member of our Executive Committee. The offerings averaged twenty-two cents per member. The Editor is listening for a challenge. |