REPORT OF THE BATTLE CREEK MATERNAL AND DORCAS ASSOCIATION.
The ninth annual meeting of the Maternal Association of Battle Creek was held in the Tabernacle at this place Sunday evening, March 21, 1880, at which time the following report was read:— On the afternoon of the 8th of March, 1871, twelve mothers, feeling deeply their need of Divine wisdom to aid in the right discharge of their responsible duties, and of the operation of the Holy Spirit upon the hearts of their children, met at the house of our dear departed Bro. and Sr. Gardner, and subscribed their names to the few simple rules that formed the basis of our society. Our number has steadily increased until we have now enrolled upon our book the names of one hundred and sixty-nine mothers, and their five-hundred and fifty-eight children. For the first eight years our weekly meetings, which continued with but little intermission, were entirely devoted to prayer and mental and religious culture, with gratifying results. Circumstances well known to most present necessitated a change in the order of our exercises. A little more than a year ago we felt constrained, as far as it was in our power, to act a mother's part to the many young persons constantly coming among us; not only to pray for their spiritual welfare, but to relieve the temporal necessities of such as were needy. So we proposed to devote one afternoon each month, or more if necessary, to sewing, making and repairing their clothes, the remainder of the meetings to be conducted as heretofore. We little realized the task we had undertaken. Work accumulated upon our hands until we can now find time for only one religious meeting on the first Tuesday of each month. Our usual attendance is from eighteen to twenty. It is interesting to see with what cheerfulness and alacrity these dear sisters work, feeling amply rewarded for all their toil by the grateful thanks of the recipients, and the sweet satisfaction that arises from a sense of doing right, and, although imperfectly, at an infinite distance, following in the footsteps of our Divine Master, who went about doing good. On the sixth of January last, in order to obtain more assistance and to remove some objections, so that young persons and those who were not mothers might feel free to attend our meetings (a fact we think not generally understood), we added the name of Dorcas to our society, so that now it will be known as the Battle Creek Maternal and Dorcas Association. For the past few months our labors have not been confined to our own poor; but, through the kindness of some of our absent members who increased their subscription, one lady giving a liberal donation, others smaller ones, and with the gifts of clothing from the New Year's tree, we have been enabled to render timely and essential aid to several poor, suffering families, even outside of our own community. Their grateful expressions of surprise, and thankfulness are too lengthy for insertion, but might add greatly to the interest of this report. In reviewing the labors of the past year, we feel that humility becomes us on account of the defects in our service. Gratitude should swell our hearts for our Heavenly Father's kindness. Strength and grace have been graciously vouchsafed to us. Death has not been permitted to enter our ranks, or protracted sickness to hinder any of us. We feel grateful, too, for the favor conferred upon us in devoting one evening of this precious, important time to the interests of our Association, and trust it may prove a source of encouragement, “provoking us to love and good works.” We hope it may create a more general interest, and bring efficient workers to our assistance; for truly in this, as in other enterprises, the work is great, and the laborers few. For the future, let us be encouraged to toil on, animated by the thought of the great recompense every faithful worker may hope ere long to receive, when the Great Arbiter, our blessed Saviour, shall appear. Battle Creek, March 16, 1880. |
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| Cash on hand at beginning of the year, |
$5.58 |
| Amount received during the year, |
41.07 |
| Amount expended, |
39.52 |
| Cash on hand, March 9, 1880, |
7.13 |
The Vigilant Committee report 122 garments made and 99 repaired, besides relief extended to the needy in other ways.