30 A HALF CENTURY. 



ber, through the personal solicitation of collectors appointed 

 annually, and the contributions for other objects were made in 

 Church on specific days appointed by the pastor and Church 

 committee. 



In May, 1860, the Church adopted the following minute: 



" Since in this age the providence of God has opened a wide field 

 for Christian benevolence, blessed the Church with temporal prosper- 

 ity, and crowned its charities for the spiritual elevation and redemp- 

 tion of man with favor, we deem it a duty to practice according to our 

 ability prayerful and systematic benevolence." 



Certain months of the year were set apart, or recommended 

 for each of the principal societies, but the collections were still 

 made in part by calls of committees from house to house. At 

 a Church meeting held Apinl 2, 1875, the plan of systematic 

 giving by weekly contributions, as a part of worship, on each 

 Lord's day morning, was adopted; and the amount collected, 

 not specifically appropriated to some definite object by the do- 

 nors, was distributed to the various missionary and benevolent 

 societies and charitable objects by giving a certain percentage 

 to each. The percentages were slightly changed, but this plan 

 was followed until 1883, when special months were devoted to 

 special objects, and envelopes dated for each Sunday in the 

 year were furnished to all who desired to use them for the 

 weekly offering. While the benevolent contributions have not 

 been as large as in some wealthier churches, they have been 

 made freely for objects. at home and abroad. A commodious, 

 substantial church edifice and a convenient chapel and Sunday- 

 school rooms and social rooms have been secured and paid for 

 in full. Local objects have been freely aided. The Church 

 has had a special interest in the cause of Christian education, 

 the cause of missions, and of aid to the depressed classes in our 

 own country, and while other objects of Christian effort and 

 opportunity have not been overlooked, for no cause have its 

 contributions been more regular and systematic than for 

 Foreign Missions. The following table has the principal con- 

 tributions for fifty years : 



