The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-06-26

7 here represented. and what arc ous
heiliaes fer The work lefore ua Here
. are = towns covering 40 area Of over
coo square miles, and these q 600 PEG
pie haze their favored homes al up
aud down this beautiful valley 90 pro
ductive farms or IN the thriving vii.
lagos, or in eligible positions taken
here aud there on the mountain sides.
Now how many are there of these
people who fear God aud keep bis
commandments, how many are faithful
10 their just allegiance 10 Christ our
King May we not rightly infer that
the principal part of those who are
thus truly Christians IN purpose and
life are connected with the visible
Churches OF this county. As to the
number Of these Churches, our infor-
nation comes from limited personal
observation, and from the last number
Of the Vermont Register From these
sources we gather that at the present
time there are not far from SO pro-
fessedly Christian Churches in Ben.
nington County Of these, ono third
or ! ! are Congregational, Q are Metho-
dist. Baptist, 3 Episcopal, and the re.
maindcr divided among the three or
| four other orders. Dividing our whole
population into three equal portions
would give not less than 1000 into the
special care Of our one-third Of the
Churches, and / apprehend that more
nearly one-half Of the whole field
should be assumed by Churches having
the numbers and ability Of ours
The membership Of these II Churches,
as reported this year amounts to $50,
one third of them males But 1871 are
reported as non residents, leaving
about 500 resident Congregational
Church members in the county II
now we take 5000, a reasonably small
estimate, as the proportion Of our
whole population, whom we as Con
gregatioaalists should strive to reach
with a direct testimony for Christ and
his salvation, we find but one church
member to ten Inhabitants.
Now in seeking for the best means
for causing the Gospel to bear with
its benign power upon the people, we
are led first to notice The PpJlic Preach.
ing Of he Word Whatever opinion
wisdom may form Of the pulpit,
we know that 1T pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them
that believe" We are able to report
at this time eight Of our pulpits accep,
tably occupied by regular ministers Of
the Gospel. Five Of these arc settled
pastors, three in the town Of Benning.
ton, and one each in Manchester and
Dorset Two Of our feebler churche s
East Dorset and Pownal, are happily
/ provided with the ministrations Of
Methodist preachers, their congrega.
tons being made up Of different names
worshipping together as christians
ought, in the spirit Of New Testament
pieiy and brothehy love Tho congre
CATION at Rupert from being some
months IN a broken and discouraged
condition have recently obtained theil
desire ia minister and a renewal Of
the ordinances. Arlington has been
vacant for a few weeks, and we learn
that Peru has also become 80 this pres
eut week. The church at sandgate /.
go reduced as not 10 have attempted
regular services for some years. Thu.
we have an average OF one pulpit OF
preacher to 1000, it may be, of ON
whole population This proportion
might suffice, provided the aeuaY wa,
commensurate with the preaching fol
the question Hos can they hear with
out a preacher. involves another q
what use TO preach unless men vii