In September 1926, she resigned this work, and is now "parochial director of religious education in St. Paul's Church, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia." Mrs. Effie H. Fisk has been a faithful member of the staff since April 1, 1919. Quiet and unassuming, she has proved hard-working and efficient, tried and true. Honorable mention ought to be made of the Parish Visitor, Miss Josephine Blackfan, who came as a voluntary, unpaid worker during the rectorate of Dr. Slattery, and continues, on a nominal salary. Three rectors have known her unswerving loyalty, her conscientiousness and her industry. She gives her time and strength unreservedly, and her devotion to her charges commands the respect of the entire Parish.
There are two non-parochial Episcopal clergymen now, because of ill health, living in Springfield who regularly attend Christ Church, the Rev. Norman Burnham, and the Rev. Jay F. Ullery. They occasionally assist at the services.
Christ Church has the great honor of numbering among its members, one missionary, Mrs. Elliot Thomson, a woman of rare sweetness and gentle spiritual strength, who spent over forty years in active service in China. With the exception of one visit to that far-away land, she has lived in Springfield since her husband's death in 1917. Archdeacon Elliot Thomson spent one year's vacation in Springfield, during Dr. Slattery's rectorship, and when his health permitted, assisted in the conduct of the services.
The Churchman in 1922, voicing its grateful appreciation of generous contributions then made by Mrs. Thomson to St. Luke's Hospital, St. Mary's Hall, St. Elizabeth's Hospital and All Saints, Shanghai, said: "Archdeacon Thomson went to China in 1859 and for nearly sixty years was one of the church's most faithful representatives . . . Those were the days when the China Mission almost failed. It was Archdeacon Thomson alone who prevented failing . . . . It was Archdeacon Thomson who in the latter sixties conceived the plan of establishing St. Luke's Hospital and carried his vision through to a fine reality."
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