First Universalist Church – Meeting Minutes, Feb 5, 1902 (Annual Meeting)

Atlanta, Ga. Feb. 5, 1902

The annual meeting and supper of the First Universalist Church was held tonight in the Sunday school room of the church with about seventy persons present.

The ladies of the church had prepared a very elaborate supper which was enjoyed after a return of thanks by Rev. F.W. Wey.

The meeting was under the charge of President Crowe. All of the members of the Board were present excepting Mr. Blake who had moved away from the city.

After the supper the financial report of the secretary was called for and the secretary reported as follows:

I am glad to report to you that our finances are in much better condition then they were one year ago. Yet we are poised to have to announce the fact that of the pledges that were made around this banquet board one year ago, there are still remaining due and unpaid the sum of $72.60. For the year 1901 our total pledge amounted to $639.20 and we have collected on same $566.60.

We began the year just past with old debts hanging over us amounting to something over $600.00 exclusive of the salary account. During the year we have paid on debt $404.00 besides having paid $300.00 on salary. Our total indebtedness at the present time does not exceed $200.00, not accounting the amount we own on salary.

The total amount raised from all sources during the year has been $2,057.10.

For special purposes, during the year we have raised and expended the following:

Dr. Bisbee’s meetings in March $41.00
Florida Sufferers in May $37.00
Mission in Japan $15.00
Harvest House Offering $15.73
Painting the Church $22.12
Organ Fund $77.60
Onward Subscription $6.50
Total $237.95

Beside this, Dr. Bisbee received subscriptions to the amount of $179.00 to the 20th Century Fund during his visit in March 1901.

Your Board has been doing everything in their powers to further the interests of the church. To do this it is of the upmost importance that we receive the financial assistance of each and every member of the church and we heartily recommend that each member of the church make contributions as God as prospered them in some amount however small because each one receives morally, socially and spiritually from the church and their pledges when once made should surely be paid and we earnestly recommend the use of the envelope system in the payment of same.

We recommend that the sum of $750.00 be paid on salary the coming year.

We further recommend that as we believe in the doctrine of doing the “greatest good to the greatest numbers” during the coming year a most determined effort be made to finish up the basement of our church that same may be used for broadening the scope our work and increase the sphere of our usefulness in this community

We further and finally recommend that during the coming year we renew our consecration and increase our fidelity to our church and our good pastor, who at a great sacrifice, is surly giving the best and noblest service of his life in the upbuilding of the faith we so much love here in Atlanta. Let us give him our prayers and show him in every way we can by our interest in attending church every Sunday and in thousands of other ways how much we appreciate the great work he is doing for the cause of “Christ and His Church” in the Gate City of the South.

Respectively Submitted,

By the Secy J.C. Bond for the Board

This report was adopted.

Dr. McGlauflin as pastor made his report which showed he had received into church membership twenty-seven persons since the last annual meeting, including one minister from the Episcopal church. His report showed that some special features had marked each month’s work during the year.

Mrs. Hallam in behalf of the Woman’s Mission Circle reported the work of that body during the year. Her report showed during the year the circle had raised the total sum of $792.45, had paid its pledge in full of $100.00 and had voted $250.00 over to the Treasury of the church to be used as the Board saw fit; and pledge $100.00 to the church the coming year.

Mr. Bond reported that the Y.P.C.U. was doing a good work; that the Union of the Atlanta church was up to the standard of any Union; it had paid it pledge of $75.00 in full to the church and pledged for this year the sum of $100.00; that during the past year it had raised the total sum of $151.71.

Mrs. Davis the secretary of the Sunday school gave a fine report of the work that is being done in this department of our work; that the Sunday school was gradually gaining in numbers and had raised during the past year $80.00; had paid its pledge to the church of $25.00 in full and for the 1902 pledged the sum of $50.00.

This being the regular time for the election of new board of directors for the ensuing year the following officers were duly named by a nominating committee:

  • President – C.W. Hubner
  • Secretary – J.C. Bond
  • Treasurer – F.M. Marsh
  • W.C. Gill, B.M. Zetter, N.V. Perry and W.A. Davis

Upon motion the report of the Nominating Committee was adopted and the Secretary was instructed to cast the ballot for the nominees, and said officers were duly declared elected.

Upon motion of Dr. McGlauflin the following were elected as members of the church:

  • J.W. Turner
  • Dr. Horniker (Archivist: Unsure of spelling)
  • Miss Cramer
  • Mrs. Harry Brun (Archivist: Unsure of spelling)
  • Miss May Hollingsworth
  • Mrs. Linderman
  • Miss L. Allen
  • Mr. Whatley
  • Mrs. A. B. Robinson
  • Mrs. C.J. Harris
  • Mrs. Bertha Creswell
  • Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence

Upon motion of C.W. Hubner a rising vote of thanks was tendered to the ladies of the church for the excellent supper they had prepared.

The chair appointed the following committee to solicit further subscriptions to the salary and running expenses fund: Miss Grace Gill, Miss M. Cawthon, Mr. Perry and Mr. Bond.

Enthusiastic talks were made by Messrs. Zetter, Hubner, Harris and Dr. Cain. Pledges were received to the amount of $670.00.

After singing “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” the meeting adjourned sine die.

J.C. Bond, Secy

Physical Archive: UUCA   Box: 60   Folder: 1  Pages: 48 – 52
Citation: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Records, RG 026, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta GA