Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-31
ready been given, with an interesting ex-
PLANTATION by the talented proprietor, John
b. Bachelor, A. M.

INSTRUMENTATION. Mathew Fl. Buck
ham occupied the pulpit Of the Congrega-
tional church yesterday, preaching an
excellent discourse from the words, "As
every man hath received the gift, egeaa so
minister the same one to another, as good
stewards Of the manifold grace of God
He made practical application OF these
words to the church and congregation to
which he has so acceptably ministered for
most OF the time for the past two years.
He reviewed the various elements OF
character and mind that compose the con-
grepation, showing its strength and
ability and therefrom intoxicating the duty
of each one to minister as each one had
received the gift committed to him. The
responsibility imposed upon the church
and congregation from the prominent po-
sition they occupied in the community
and State, was one more than ordinary,
and he earnestly exhorted them, to show
themselves "good stewards of the mani
fold grace of God" The church had a
membership of 1875 with an average at
tendance upon the Sabbath services of
600, thus making the largest church in
membership audience, as we'll as Sabbath
School in Vermont.
The sermon was eminently happy and
useful one, as the concluding discourse OF
him who has so earnestly and faithfully
preached the Word from time to time. 1t
was in this aspect peculiar and model
discourse, expressed in that terse, pure,
plain, yet chaste diction so characteristic
of all of Prof. Buckham's compositions.
1t was sermon peculiarly proper to be
presented to the people, under the cir
cumstances and from the relation he had
sustained to them, as temporary pastor. II
evinced knowledge of the character and
of the elements that compose the society
in which he had mingled comparatively
SO little, and the truths SO pungently set
forth could but reach every heart within
the Church, as we'll as the entire congre-
cation who worshipped there.
Prof. Buckhsm came here to supply the
church comparatively stranger to the
people of Rutland, and although he has
not had his residence among us, he has
formed friendships that have been con.
stantly cemented by his genial intercourse
and Christian manliness, which will ever
make him welcome to our hearts and
homes. He closes his labors bearing with
him the kind regard and full apprecia-
ton of the people to whom he has minis.
tered as a cultured scholar and genial
Christian gentleman. Although he came
among strangers, there was one at least
to whom his voice was familiar as that OF
friend in his earlier and ripening man.
hood, whose memory has often been car.
ried back over the vista of years to the
associations of youth, and remembered
the early promise of the cultured man
who has brought such ripened fruit and
laid it upon the altar of his Lord and
Master. Had the friends and associates
of his earlier years been as faithful stew
ards of the gifts committed to them as he
has been, they would have ministered the
same to far higher purpose than they
have. The "reminiscences of the past have
so often come over the memory during
his ministrations, that these illusions
have been thought proper, although made
it the risk of good taste, and perhaps a
violation of the proprieties of this article.
Prof. Buckham preached in the evening
at the chapel. Subject: The Elements
of Prosperous Church.
Rev. James Gibson johnson, the pas
tor elect of the church, will enter upon
his duties next Sabbath.