the Home
Missionary Society, but should be returned to the Benzonia field to be
spent in the development of the Larger Parish. This proposition was
brought before the church at a regular meeting, and by a unanimous vote it
was accepted, and so the church in a formal and positive way committed
itself to the work of the Larger Parish.

The pastor wishes to make grateful acknowledgment of the part that the
state officers of the Congregational Conference have had in developing the
Larger Parish. Without their cooperation it could never have been brought
to its present stage of development. With clear foresight and generous
contributions they have fostered the work, and the success of the
experiment is largely due to their sympathetic interest, and their wise
and helpful efforts. They have regarded it as the demonstration of a
method of dealing with the country problem that may, if it proves
successful, find wide application throughout the state, and they have been
glad to give it their fostering influence and their substantial aid. It is
possible that the "Larger Parish Plan" may furnish a most effective method
of home missionary activity.

5. But the next thing was to find the man who, for a salary of five
hundred dollars, was willing to undertake the work of tramping over three
townships, and of becoming the under pastor of twenty-five hundred people.
The Larger Parish was still unorganized. It was still a rather indefinite
and unrealized vision. It was clear that in some way gospel work must be
inaugurated in all that wide territory; but just what form it would take
was not yet so clear. The Assistant must be a man of initiative and
executive ability. He must be able to strike out on new lines and to walk
in untried paths. There would be plenty of hard work, much need of tact
and wisdom, and the absolute demand for consecration. With these
aggressive qualities he must also be able to act under the direction of
another, and to carry on this work in harmony with the pastor of the
church.

This would seem to be a rare combination, and the task of finding
a man who would fit into this rather peculiar place seemed very
great--especially so, since a mistake or failure at the beginning of the
work might put it back indefinitely, or spoil it entirely. But with
unexpected promptness the very man was found who most fully met the need.
He had finished a high school course, had taught two terms in a country
school, had spent some