Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-04-30

DBChuSe tncl are MY years OF uge ne lTesl- !
dents Of the United States have usually been men
who were between fifty aud seventy years Of age
John Quincy Adams is nearly eighty and who re-
CARDS him as incompetent for the duties Of repre-.
sentative in Congress Will any one say here, |
that Mr. Adams is kept in Office for the good he
has done Then, in the name of humanity, why
not, for the same reason keep a faithful minister
in office, for the good he has done Is not his
Office as sacred of that Of the statesman Does
age and experience diminish minister's power to
do good among his peoplel Ay, the very reverse
is true. Any minister who enjoys good health, is
worth more to people between the ages of6ny and
sixty, than he has been during any fifteen proceed
ing years Of his life.
What would YOU think Of farmer who kept but
one horse do all his work. aud had great deal OF
work Of all kinds to do, if he should change away
good substantial beast, Of eight years for colt OF
four years Why, you would think him fool
and you would think right But no, less foolish
is the conduct OF those churches, who dismiss
good substantial forty years minister, for a twenty
years. will not say what. Neither the people,
nor any body else know what, till they have sum
mered and wintered him, at least, five years
am aware that this instability of which | am
here complaining, manifested by many societies in
disposition to get rid of middle aged ministers,
is generally laid to the young people Of the parish.
1t is often grayely said, by men who ought to know
better, that in order to interest the children Of
congregation, it is necessary to have young man.
A greater untrutl was never told. Children always
love those best who love them best. And now,
them for the test OF character. Who love children
best, old men, or youngl | appeal TO the expert
ence of every man Of observation. DO not those
men, who have sustained the relation Of fathers,
themselves, always feel and manifest a greater in
terest in all children, than those who have never
had children of their own know this to be the
fact II is gross fasehood, then, TO say, that in
order to interest the children of society, it is nee
essary TO have young man. 1t is generally fact,
that those children who complain Of minister's and
use their influence 10 get rid of them, quite
old in years the minister himself And | am
sorry TO say it, the first open complaint that i S
made against the pastor, is made in three
out Of four by deacon Of his church. Deacons,
the world over, are like Jeremiahs grspes,-i G.,
very sweet or very sour. They either aid their
pastor, aud like Aaron aud lIar, stay up his hands,
decidedly the reverse II is sober fact, and it
ought to make the Of such deacons Jingle, that
at least three out of four, of all the ministers in
New England. who have been driven away from
their people, have been driven away by deacons I;
by men who, in respect, have with vengeance,
"magnifcd their office" | might point you to nu-
merous examples all over the land, But lorbear.
thank God however, that have never been plagu-
ed by snch deacons. | have never had the slight
est uliuCulll WIN any VI ucdCoHob NAStFh ~ u
single instance; and that lasted but five minutes.
1t was with good Deacon Wyman, at the COM
mencement of the Temperance Reformation in
1876. Some one told him that said, at a church
meeting, that | would never drink another drop OF
ardent spirit (unless ordered by a physician, J
| or give il to workman, or vislter, while
| lived
| The deacon called upon me the next day, and
asked me if said so. told him | did and should
! u l. a Ill he.
you will not be minister for this parish three months
Every WELL" said |, 81 have taken my stand, and
if knew should be drawn in quarters within three
months, if did not recant, would not do it,
Said the deacon, "You are crazy man, and
will not talk with you" aud arose to 60 out OF my
house-when thus accosted him. Deacon Wy.
man, the next time you enter your closet will you
ask God 10 teach you by his Spirit, who is right on
this subject you or q 81 tell you" said he, 81
will not talk with you" and marched out of doors
The next morning, long before sunrise, some one
knocked II went to the door, and behold, there
stood Deacon Wyman lie instantly grasped my
hand, and with tears rolling down his cheeks, cx
claimed, "My dear pastor, ! went home irou
your house yesterday, and, in accordance with YOU
advice retired to my closet and asked God teacf
me by his Spirit, who was right in regard to the
use Of ardent spirits, you or |. In FIVE minutes
flood of light broke in upon my mind, and ] wat
fuily convinced that you was rlght ana wa
wrong" "And now" said he, "go ahead will
, your temperance relormaon-to the day OF m.
death ] will do all in my power to sustain you
EIe was as good as his word, lie did sustain me
as long as he lived. He was a stable man-s'
; were Deacons Wright, Lawrence and Gardner
and so are all the Deacons ofths church, who arr
now in office. They are the descendants Of stabl
men. Three or four of them have come down in
direct line from those seven stable men, OF whom
the world was not worthy, who were organizes
into this church more than two hundred years ag
and one of them is a descendant of Sir Matthe'
Hale of England, more stable man than whor
our mother country never produced No wonde
I, them since have been blessed with such stabl
band ofdeacons, that still dwell among my ow
people.