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aaa i" i wd % O 'Stoves at my store, Thursday. May 14th. We ' sal da we will Bave a gentleman here show- : ing how. to use Lacqueret Varnish Stain, o © W.L PARISH HARDWARE MERCHANT PORT PERRY «5 San foro, = 710c. a cake = + 40c. quart + conditions. the old _the nature of the community--a purely a ¥ ox: help, and 1 went on to dream of a united church and its ~ possibilities in a Perfy. © The idea was sug- own in one of the North-west vantage of a united church in most settlers have to be, they practice and to-day the report '1 began to picture it in my y not in an old one? Would nt of four different Protestant haying four capable and faith- : there is no question but that y others could do under similar ion it is quite noticeable that place to the better spirit of co- as elsewhere. This is perhaps more ¢ ong the younger generation, where social circles are not near- divided on denominational lines as they were a few years ago. The they are doing as much and as well Dac Within the pessent pulpit almost ignores denominational divisions now, while, not so very | ong ago, a preaches was expected to "damn the different" as part of his duties, and his In some respects there is not the need for an institutional church in our village that exists in the larger towns and cities. We are fortunate in being almost free from po --a condition that is doubtless due to cultural centre, and agricul- ture being the chief source of all real wealth,as Henry George has pointed out, there is less opportunity for poverty here than in those places where hving depends on non-producing occupations with their ups and downs - "of booms and hard times, : : At the same time, there are many things which a united church could accomplish that individual churches cannot. The very feeling that the whole village had a 'united interest for the spiritual, moral, intel- lectual and physical good of all its members would be a satisfaction and stimulus to interest that could hardly be obtained in any other way. A few weeks ago, when reading a report of some of our boys who had got into trouble, the question probably came up in many minds as + to what the churches might do to prevent just such occurrences. It is not a case where the preachers are to blame. Nor is it possible to feel - that any one person or church is responsible, and yet every one who 1" thinks seriously about it must feel that something might be done to pre- * vent such things by giving the boys something better to do. Lack of [$0 attend a demonstration o New Perfection Coal | | attractive occupation seems to be at the root of the matter nine times 'out of ten, and here, it seems, is where an institutional church could polsibilities, on the present town hall site I saw a plain, square building three stories high, with a sign in front, illuminated at night, "The United Christian Churches of Port Perry," and below that, equally conspicuous, "Open all the time." In the basement is the general hall which is also the Sunday School, On the ground floor the church auditorium. Above that the public library, reading room; club and class rooms. In the top story, a janitor's living rooms and a few plainly furnished bedrooms. The town ball, as such, has disappeared. It only housed the fire de- partment, the court room and lockup, and provided a meeting place for public entertainments, the town council and school-board. The old fire . equipment: has been superceded. This happened soon after the town realized the advantage of co-operative fire fighting with the aid of tele- phones, electric and gasoline power, and the water system. The church provides sleeping room for vagrants, by whom the lockup was chiefly ' used, and more serious cases are attended to at the power house or trans- forming station. One of the church buildings has been converted into a farmer's hotel, providing good stabling, rest rooms for the women and headquarters for the manager of the Farmer's Association by whom the building is leased and managed. Another church building has been bought by the hydro radial railway which has made it their passenger station, using the rest of the lot for car barns and freight shed. A third building has become the headquarters of the Athletic. Club, under the management of a committee of the church. The fourth building is now operated as a small hospital, all the town doctors having their offices there and co-operating in this way for their mutual benefit as to hours - and holidays. This last move was the outcome of a talk at the Men's Club on 'How we can Help our Competitors." ~~ The scheme was found to be good business as well as practical religion. - Of course some of these changes seemed impossible at first, but after taking the first step and finding the results so good, the town people soon developed the habit of doing things. It was rather.a shock to some of the staid old town fathers when "the Business Men's Club decided to bave a weekly half holiday, in addi- tion to closing the stores every night at six o'clock. But after this arrangement had been in operation for a few months with no decrease of "business, the only coniment to be heard was surprise that it had not been __er's Association who, done before. The change was simplified by the assistance of the Farm- y this time, had realized for themselves the neces- sity for regulating hours of work. = The dramatic club had also presented the case very clearly in an original 'play entitled "Why boys leave the fist, 'and many had been ; icognising the advantages, they thought it must mean losing a personal Ariend ar : What about the pistons? : There was the biggest obstacle of all at been opposed to a union church, because, though perhaps treating unfairly a faithful servant. are the vw? Of course the new church has a pastor as teacher and adviser. - One gives his time to that. The institu- 'of the church EE ager and secretary. One who that occupation took hold of the business side of church 'general manager, and showed such ability in that later the town Sefided on 'municipal govern- nanimously appointed td the position of id | Toe duties as he had already t and h been a member of the council in n of the members of the church were farm- i hearers were taught to look on those having other beliefs ' '| as wolves in sheep's clothing, : : PORT PERRY BRANCH i a a ne HUTCHESON, a and Orchestra, Literary and Debating Society, Dramatic Club, Camera Club, and Athletic Chib, with entertainments by each of them from time: to time. A moving picture exhibition is given weekly with principally: travel and educational pictures. An arena and skating rink has beem built on the site of the old foundry, the town having sold the land as: cost and the church raised the money for the building and land by issu--- ing bonds secured by a mortage on the property, which were all takem: by local investors. The revenue during the winter months provides: interest and a sinking fund, and during the summer the building is leased to the Farmer's Association at a low rental and used by them as a market 'and for fairs, storage, demonstrations of farm and house- machinery, etc. There was some question as to how the authorities of the Romamn Catholic church would view the features of the united church apart from the matter of religious teaching. When the organization had been fully decided on, the plan was explained to the local Father who was asked to obtain the views of his church, and it was a great satisfaction to be in- formed by him that "no objection would be taken to the attendance by the members of their faith at meetings and departments where there was: no sectarian teaching and wishing the movement success in all efforts: looking so the advancement of temperance and the general welfare of the: people. There were some who feared that the new church might divide ons: political party lines, but on the contrary, it was soon evident that the- germs of common sense were working and that the people were beginning: to think for themselves, This did not mean unanimity of opinion ons: political matters, of course, but these are debated on grounds of Chris-- tianity, reason and common sense, and it requires more than the appro- val of either party to satisfy the Electoral Club. This department keeps the town posted on all proposed legislation, and more than once the local member has found it advisable to vote against his party om measures, of which, plainly worded and largely signed messages have told him, an influential number of his constituents did not approve. In- deed it was not long before, this person developed a great interest in thes: doings of this Club, the reports of which, in common with all branches: of the church, are fully and correctly reported in the local papers eache: week. The Farmer's Association found its influence greatly enhanced as a branch of the church, and it was not long before a local good roads: movement developed that in its results surprised its most sanguine sup- porters. As to the financial side of affairs. . With the security of the proper- ties already owned there was no trouble in building and equipping the= place described. At the organization each member agreed to subscribes at least as much as his previous annual subscription to his denomnma- tional church, and gave his note for this amount payable within one: year, any unpaid balance to be remitted in the event of his death. The weekly contributions were applied on these notes and the manager was able to get what accommodation he required on their security. The: payments were soon seen to be in excess of these promises and enquiry showed that the practical and visible nature of the work being done had $0, impressed the members that they were almost all voluntarily increas- ing their donations. The contributions to foreign missions and other denominational schemes were forwarded to the governing bodies of these churches im: proportion to the total collections for these purposes for the preceding year in each denomination. This met the difficulty of the united churches having no general organization at first. More than one member decided that instead of leaving a sum irs his will for religious purposes, he would give it, or part of it at once, and the equipment of the kitchen, gymnasium, hospital and stables wass- helped largely in this way. A charge is made at all special entertainments and the revenue is:- sufficient to pay all expenses and provide a surplus for the generall revenue. All matters of finance are open to public inspection excep: particulars of personal subscriptions. Each subscriber is given a receipt: at the end of the year for his total payments, which hé confirms andl' forwards to the auditors. After a time the practice of taking a collec-- tion during religious service was discontinued, boxes being placed in the- entries where voluntary contributions can be made. The difficulty of providing sittings for all families was got over by" allotting seats for morning and evening services separately, but any per--- son may occupy any seat after ten minutes before the service, ! Other questions of a similar nature that had appeared as difficultiess+ were solved in the same spirit of good-will and common sense. About this time I woke up and, looking at the clock, found it aftes:- eleven o'clock. When I went out to the door to have a look at the weather there was only one person in sight on the street and I recognized him as one of the town storekeepers. I asked him if there was anyone- sick at home, but he said=no--he had just closed up. Thinking of my~ dream I said to bim: "Why don't you fellows get together and agree tos close in decent time?" He was almost too tired to talk, but he said¥ " "What's the use--the others wouldn't doit." And after I got into bed! I could hear the old grandfather's clock down in the hall saying slowly and solemnly, "What's the use." "What's the use." "What's the use™ I thought I was still listening to the grandfather's clock whem am-- other sound gradually intruded on my senses." It was a little moderns alarm clock and there was no mistaking what it was saying. Its message: was--"IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP." "A Limited Supply of. | GLADIOLA BULBS 1 5¢. per dozen, or two dozen for 25ce For Sale at the Star Oriice: