Our ministers are appointed by the bishop, whose cabinet (or advisors) are the four presiding elders or district superintendents. The term is one year, but a minister may be reappointed year after year for an indefinite time. Under our system, no minister is without a charge and no church without a pastor or supply. If any break occurs, it is for want of loyalty to the church polity. Thirty-eight years have passed away since the little gathering on April 1, 1872, and eighteen men have served, duly appointed to our church. Eight have heard the summons to ‘come up higher,’ the others are doing effective work. Our present pastor, on last Sabbath, began his fourth year with us, in response to the unanimous call of our official board. During his pastorate several have, because of business reasons, removed from our city and church, and the latter, especially, feels the loss. But with the newcomers and the recruits of the evangelistic effort our number steadily though slowly increases, and the young men of the Brotherhood are an inspiration.
I have written of our church history by pastorates. During these years over three hundred names have been upon our roll in full membership, not to mention the probationers who may have been received elsewhere, or those who have labored with us but never enrolled. Some have died in the faith; ‘they rest from their labors,’ their memory is blessed. But few have proven unworthy, none have ever been expelled for sinful conduct or immoral obliquity. At the present time our entire membership is one hundred and fifteen.
This sketch would be incomplete without mention of the untiring and self-sacrificing work of the Ladies' Aid Society. Commencing in 1873 with a dozen members, and at no time numbering over thirty, it has, in these years, done a work of financial help for Trinity Church that is unequalled by any other in the district when the
