OF THE BOARD OF THE MINISTERS' AID SOCIETY OF BETHLEHEM, READ AT THE ANNUAL MEETING. Having done this, As according to Art. 2 of our constitution, the " only object of this society is to aid in affording pecuniary assistance to those Ministers of our Church, who are under the superintendence of the Provincial Helpers' Conference at Bethlehem, and whose salaries are inadequate to their maintenance,”—the very object of the society, if carried out in the true spirit of the gospel, forbids its officers to state more than the sum which has been distributed in the last year and the number of the recipients. we can merely add some extracts from the letters received in acknowledgment of the sums transmitted to our brethren, which, however, better than any words of ours could do it, will serve to prove how necessary and beneficial the humble activity of our society is, and how important it is to direct the attention of all the members to Art. 10 of the Constitution: "The members will endeavor to instruct themselves in obtaining subscriptions or donations, however small, from benevolent individuals." At a meeting of the Board in January it was resolved, to appropriate $150 directly to the wants of eight of our ministerial brethren, from the annual income of the society and the interests of the fund, which has already increased to $664. The following extracts from our correspondence will show that these appropriations are thankfully received, as coming very opportunely in times of need, and serving to strengthen our brethren in their faith and confidence in the Lord. Our brother writes: "I must take this first opportunity to acknowledge the receipt of your kind letter and also to return sincere thanks for the donation from the Ministers' Aid Society.— The more we strive to live a life of faith and put all our confidence in the Lord, how marvellous appears His loving kindness, and how wonderfully He makes all things work together for the good of those who love Him even with a weak love. We conLinue to experience the mercy and the love of the Lord, and surely He puts into the hearts of absent friends, not only to think of us, but also 'at the right time,' as you express it, to send that, which will be of great service for different purposes. Our church members are exceedingly kind and helpful, and other friends also assist us in various ways. As regards money, no large sum can be collected in so small a community, but whatever was subscribed for us, since we are here, has been paid; and as regards labor, we are much helped in that way. One family pays in money $25 annually, and besides does work to the same amount. Another sowed three acres of oats, which had yielded me about 100 bushels. Several others provided wood and had it cut for us, etc. There is a ready willingness among the people to do something for the support of the gospel, as they call it, and the Lord bless them for it." "May the Lord our Savior," writes another," abundantly bless the dear brethren and sisters, who bestow of their earthly substance in aid of this benevolent society, through whose hands many of the dear servants of the Lord in our church are cheered and encouraged by the timely aid thus tendered unto them. I am not aware that any of our people here take advantage of this aid which their minister receives from elsewhere, but must say, that they do what they can towards my sustenance, giving not from their abundance, but from the proceeds of their own hard labor." Another brother makes the following remarks; "I am sorry that I was prevented from returning you an immediate acknowledgment of the receipt of the very kind and acceptable donation from the Ministers' Aid Society. It came to hand at a time when I was much engaged with duties preparatory to the confirmation of a class of catechumens on the following Sunday. I now avail myself of the first opportunity by mail to return our most sincere thanks to the society for this practical expression of its benevolence, and to yourself for the transmission of the same. May the Lord reward those by whose instrumentality their brethren in poorer congregations are placed on a footing of comparative independence. Our congregation is poor as you are aware; there are those who contribute well considering their means, and very regularly; but these are by far the minority; so that at the end of a quarter a large number of non-payers remain on the list, and the committee is obliged to employ various systems of tactics to reach the purse. Thus far thank God we have suffered no want. Our people have shewn us much kindness, and we feel greatly encouraged to remain among them as long as the Lord sees fit. The salary of my predecessor was about at the rate of $180 per annum; several members lowered their subscriptions, so that I found the committee brethren rather unwilling to pledge themselves to furnish the same amount as had been paid before. I therefore made the proposal that for the presnt, I would require only $150 at their hands, with the proviso, that whatever is left at the close of the year, after paying church debts, etc., is to form a fund for the support of the minister in a case of emergency. If I cannot manage with this sum, I am at liberty to withdraw from my agreement. I have already succeeded in getting a small balance into the treasury, which I suppose will have to go towards the repair of fences in spring; the receipt of your kind donation will enable me to be patient for the receipt of my dues for the next quarter, until a sufficient sum has come in to keep the congregation out of debt. Once more then, dear brother, accept best thanks for the gift enclosed in your letter." The following extracts show that the outward circumstances of some of our ministerial brethren are far from being enviable. Our brother writes: "Your kind favor covering a donation from the Ministers' Aid Society, has come to hand, for which please return my best thanks to the donors reserving a portion for your own kindness in transmitting the same. I was at the time much straightened in my pecuniary matters and this gave me a fine relief, I assure you it came very opportune. It is certainly at all times consoling to know that we have the sympathies of kind friends, but peculiarly so when relieved out of embarrassment." Another writes: "Your kind letter with its cheering contents came yesterday into my hands and caused me more joy than the former ones, not, because the sum it contained was larger than before, but because it came more opportunely, my debts being larger than heretofore. As the minister's salary is quite inadequate for the maintenance of a family, I have been seriously considering, whether it would not be best to ask the permission of the congregation to begin a school or something else which would be the means of making me more independent. For really to be pressed down by debts has never been to my taste. Most willingly I would agree to have the kind donation of the Ministers' Aid Society handed to those, that serve in smaller congregations, but until now these presents were not only very cheering, but even necessary to our support and therefore accepted very gratefully." But we think enough has been communicated to emulate all the members with new zeal and increased activity, knowing that in this case less self-denial is required of those that give, than of those that receive. H. A. SHULTZ, President. |