Letters June 1, 1907 Issue

LETTERS TO OUR LEADER

with contributions from Laura Lathrop, T. L. L. Temple, Henry Jewett, Annie Charles Smith, Alma Flato Yeager, Flora S. Vermilye, Ethel Bliss Platt, Wm. A. Childs, Albert E. Miller

New York, N. Y., May 17, 1907.

My Teacher and Leader, Dearest and Best Beloved:—I hope now I can write you a sane and sensible letter about the meeting of last Monday evening, of which I wired you. John and I have both written you of the determined effort our Second Church was making to pay its indebtedness. Last September we owed one hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars; it was not that this was such a large sum, for we had raised three hundred and forty-nine thousand dollars when we were quite a small church, but the church seemed asleep—they had become accustomed to being in debt. I had even heard it said that it was a good thing for a church to be in debt. Then, too, my relation to the church had changed. I was no longer their Reader, and while I was doing all I could to help them yet there were many things I had done before that I could not do now. Finally it was decided to have a church meeting the sevond Monday of each month until the debt was paid. Last Monday evening was the first of these meetings. We still had one hundred and ten thousand dollars to raise. John opened the meeting by a most eloquent tribute to his mother, who had been commissioned by you, our loved Leader, to start Second Church. At first everything seemed dark: then one dear woman gave fifty thousand dollars, and one after the other said what they would give, until the full amount was raised and Second Church drew its first free breath, for its burden had rolled off. These subscriptions are all perfectly good. It was after one o'clock that night when we sang the Doxology; then we sang your dear hymn, "Shepherd, show me how to go."

Next will come the dedication, and what a joyful day that will be! In August of 1891 you talked with me about starting Second Church. Before I left the room, you prophesied for us a "glorious victory." This prophecy has sustained us through many dark discouraged hours. You have been our inspiration. To you we owe all that we are as a church, and we feel, now the load is lifted, that we shall be able to prove to you that we are at last wide-awake, watching and praying for the redemption of Israel. The church sends to you its grateful thanks and a "God bless you," knowing that "the eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

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