People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1895 — Ladles’ Missionary Society. [ARTICLE]

Ladles’ Missionary Society.

Officebs.—Pres:, Mrs. Valentine Setb; Ist V. Pres., Mrs!*T. J. McCoy; 2d V. Pres.. Mrs. E. Purcupile; Sect. Mrs. T; P. Vanatta; Treas.. Mrs. M; L. Spitler; The Ladies Home and Foreign Missionary Society of the First Presbyterian Chnrch of Rensselaer, Indiana, was organized in 1875 at the home of Elder Coen by an efficient organizer sent out by the board. The proposition to add a missionary society to the church work was assented to by several of the ladies but there was no hearty co-operation and the meetings were poorly attended and gradually dwindled to two or three. There was no resident pastor and there was a fueling that as a church they ! were struggling for very exis- j tence, they could not afford to do anything outside of their own church organization. Miss Elizabeth Smith, a zealous missionary worker (so faithful, in fact, that m ever remember her Tn connection with all church work,) writes from her new home in Kuttawa, Ky., with regard to this society: “As treasurer I distinctly call to mind that I was often ashamed to send to the synodical treasurer the small amounts collected—once only fifty cents —during Mr. Taylor’s pastorate. Mrs. Taylor tried hard to awaken an in terest in the work, but with indifferent success. It was not until Mr. Tressler came to the church and was duly installed its pastor, which seemed to put it upon a firmer footing, that there was a real and permanent interest in the work. Previous to that the meetings had been very irregular, sometimes omitted for several months.”

Within the last seven years the missionary situation in the church has been revolutionized. Instead of a few struggling workers the society numbers twenty active members and contributes annually an average of fifty dollars to. the missionary fund, divided equally between the home and foreign fields. A delegate is sent to each Presbyterial meeting and returning as she does with the spirit of the meeting upon her, infuses new life and enthusiasm into those unfortunate enough to be unable to attend. It. is often through this channel that the society is brought to a realization of the needs of those in our own midst as well as of those outside the pale of civilization, and they cannot be presented too often when one considers the deplorable state of affairs existing in so many parts of the country today. The very thought that 40,000,000 heathen pass into eternity every year without knowing there is a salvation provided for them, is truly appalling. But so many contend that charity begins at home. Ah, but did you ever stop to think it dosn’t end there? Our Savior did not confine his works of love and mercv to Nazareth or Galilee, neither did the apostles go no farther than Jerusalem or Judea. Too many think of the word home as pertaining to their own house and the objects of their love their immediate family. But is it not true that the most concientions at home are those whose sympathy and love extend far beyond the home circle? Witli the spirit of love in outhearts we shall strive to not only improve the condition of those immediately surrounding us but with the aid of others help the needy wherever they are. We believe there is a deeper and growing interest in the work which we conceive to be of the utmost importance inasmuch as it was the last solemn charge of our Savior to his pisciples and through them to the church of all time “Go ye into all the World and preach the gospel to every creature baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.”