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Longmont Ledger
During the period of considerably more than a
half a century, we have known of and attended a large number
of church dedications. But memory fails to recall a single
instance in which there was not a greater or less amount of
indebtedness assumed by the society, to be paid in the
future or to be begged from the congregation before the
sentence of dedication could be pronounced. In other words,
we have never know an instance of church building where
every dollar of the money necessary to cover the entire
expense of the new edifice and its furnishings was not only
subscribed but actually paid over to the building committee
before the work was begun. But this assertion will not bear
repeating. The spell has been broken by a little county
society made up entirely of Highlandlake farmers, none of
whom are wealthy but who have completely furnished, paid for
and dedicated a $2,500 church. A brief description of the
building and the dedication services will be found on the
local pate, furnished by the LEDGER reporter who was
present.
Ever since its organization some fifteen
years ago, this society has occupied the district
schoolhouse as its place for public worship, but had
outgrown its rather limited quarters. During the past two or
three years, the pastor the of the church has been Rev. Mary
G. Bumstead. No member of the society was more anxious for a
better and larger place of Sunday worship than its pastor.
But she insisted from the very start that she would not be a
party to the building of a church edifice which they
couldn't not pay for. The important question arose as to
where the monetary funds were to come from. Money was scarce
with these farmers, and it did not seem possible to raise so
large a sum without outside help.
In this emergency, the pastor asked for a two
months vacation for a visit to her New England home. When
she returned, she announced to her congregation that she had
brought back with her the sum of $1,000 as the contribution
of her New England friends for the new church, and that as
soon as the society could raise the necessary balance, the
building contract would be let and the work would begin.
This was accomplished after a hard struggle, and the new
church was dedicated last Sunday, with not a single dollar
of indebtedness to be provided for. It was a happy day for
the society, and most of all for its level-headed pastor.
But it must have seemed rather odd to those who were
present, to have the service of dedication concluded without
the usual accompaniment of begging for enough money to pay
the balance still remaining after exhausting all the
funds provided for that purpose. It must have seem
wonderfully suggestive of the play of Hamlet with Hamlet
left out. Out sincere congratulations are hereby extended to
the people of Highlandlake in general, and especially to
Rev. Mary G. Bumstead who ministers to them in holy things. |
