Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-12-12
DedIcstisn Of the French Protestant Mission
Chanel

I. Hymn. " Go. preach my "'1'r-'
given out by Rev. NJ. A. Wilcox
Reading OF the ScFiptarc-. by Rev. l.
. Barwel Of ll.ns~burgh-
2 PRAYER by Rev. y 3. sItJri, of the
College street Congregational Church.
sermon b Rev Theodore LaFleur, oil
Montreal. secretary If tho Grand Lisne
Mission. frsta I-t i'lr. III. 3 ''le are God :
bl,bandry. Among the excellent thoughts
IN Mr.. LaF.sur'- discourse were that hus-
L4ndry means nos merely reaping. OF cul-
tlr.ting the ground. but also the undoing
# the results If the bad cultivation Of
Others that work such as that 10 which
this buildins IS Dedicated requires especial
fidelity. carne-tness and industry that in
il We labor with God, and must live near to
Him. ana that lie. after all, does the best
part Of the work, even when We take pride
g. ourselge- for the results.
.. Hymn, Jesus shall reign.
@. Report Of the building committee read
hv Deacon Mai Davis, Chairman OF the
Committee. This was Is follows;
REPORT OF BUILDING COMMITTEE.
The work Of establishing mission among
the French population of our city ana
vicinity. Is ALREADY familiar 10 many # not
most persons present. In pursuing the
mi->iou work on Water street, and among
the hlatmeu ln the wharyes OF our city,
which work has been prosecuted for a
number Of Years past by the FIRST Baptist
Church, great destitution has been found to
exist, a. t. religious instruction and knowl-
edge Of the word OF God.
10 the early part Of the year 1872, the
pastor and deacJn- Of this church bad
several interviews, 10 consider what steps
could be taken 10 meet the necessities OF
the case. Alta special meeting Of the
church, August %, 1872, they submitted a
communication, FROM which the following i
an extract
The great need Of some proper Christian work
amou- the French "a this city. has for some time
forced tsefupuu the attention o. even the careless
observer. They constitute large ana rapla4y
increAs n element Of our population and the mass
81 them have almost no acquaintance VITA NE
word O. God. They are right IN our II DIST, and 7
do not give them the gospel o. Christ, Il seems
no one will That such work would nave the
fullest sympathy OF the church We have no doubt
The NJ Il successful and permanent work, u Was
thou zht by your pastor and deaoons, would re
uulru the services - a resilient frencn Al--uiiAls
and the erection OF Chapel in some suitable local
lty, Ia which the missionary could preach, and
gather classes Tor instruction In the Bible
This communication was referred 10 q
committee Of Eve members Of the church,
TO report at some future meeting. upon the
following points, viz.
Ist-As To the duty and ability IF the
church to undertake this work.
Edo examine the lot of land, as % its
suitability for the purpose indicated.
3d-The probable expense to the church
OF furnishing the chapel, and make eSiim
ates of the annual cost of the work.
4th-The best way Of providing funds ioi
this work.
At another special meeting Of thechurch
held September 18th, 1872, favorable anC
affirmative report WAS made by the commit
lee. and the same adopted by the church.
IN October, 1867, the lot Of land now Oc
eupied hy this chapel was purchased by a
member Of the Baptist Church, and a lady
member Of the College Street C0ngrega-
tional Church, having mission work IN
view.
After remaining in the possession OF the
purchasers number Of years without use
or occupation, Mrs. - made the follow
ing generous proposition TO the church, viz
She will transfer her title in the 10: to the FRS
Baptist Church upon payment % original cost ana
interest on the same and viii also donate on'
hundred dollars toward is purchase provided TINS
church v shes 10 20 forward with mission work i
that locality. and will within one year from thi
acceptance 81 this proposition, build chapel uPoi
the lot n cost % net les than one thousand
dollars"
At the meeting just before referred to
viz: sept. 10, 1872, this proposition being
accepted by the Church, q deed of the LAND
was executed
The committee on missions were cOnsti-
iuted building committee 10 proceed il
erecting chapel, the means having beer
duly provided for the same. r. also for the
purchase of the land
The committee have attended to the work
assigned them; and the result Of their
labOrs L. the completion of the building in
which we are this DAY convened
The total cost of both land and building
4 Sd. 377.44, which, uneacumbered, We
this day con~ccrate 10 the service and
worship Of God.
II should be added 10 the above that
while the work ha- been done in the nam,
Of the church, and under supervision Of 8
committee of the church, ali the funds fol
the construction Of the Chapel, and for fur.
n.shing the same with the exception ofth'
carpet for the chancei and books FOX th,
desk, given 10y two classes in the Sabbath
SCHOOL,, have been given by one generou.
member OF the church The ,hurch on it.
part has undertaken to sustain the Ms
sionary who is TO preach in the Chapel, and
bis salary i provided for, for the first year
:. Remarks by Rev. y. Cyr, Of Rutland
Mr.. Cyr said he had long taken a strong
interest in this enterprise. The result faI
exceeded his expectations. As a French
Canadian he thanked the church for thi,
fruit and proof of their Christian enter
prise. The beginning is most au7picious,
but the church must sustain it by prayer
and labor, or the Missionary can &c
eomplish bat little II might be well
for members Of the church to learn
French in order to aid the Mission
airy more directly. All should he well
grounded on the questions which divide Us
from the Roman Catholics We should
introduce the Bible. The speaker owed his
conversion to the gin Of Testament. and
they would find that a Frenchmsn would
seldom refuse New Testament. presented
in pleasant way. By such and other
means they should strive to lead those for
whom they were to labor, from worship OF
the Virgin to Christ the Saviour Among
the necessary conditions Of success in their
undertaking were, First. Faith. This they
had already shown. Ne other single
church, - fer a. lie was aware, had ever
undertaken to do what this j. doing to-day
Ssc0H6, Patience; for the work j. osse Of
time. Finally, he urged perseyering energy
In Isaiah We find in the English Bible tiie
injunction, Arise, shine" These words in
the French version are translated, Arise,
be enlightened" The difference is signif-
cant of the differing duties Of the races.
10 the Anglo-Saxon God says. Arise You
have the light, 60 scatter it 10 othsr-. To
Others, less privileged and more often
sunk in the darkness Of superstition. He
says, Arise, be illumined And no man
has the right to stand between Gods light
and human hearts.
Rev. J. y. Williams, Of Boston. New
England Secretary % the Baptist Home
Missionary Society, for the French Mis-.
sions, was next introduced by Mr.. Wilcox,
as having come from Boston especially n
attend this dedication.
Mr.. Williams told with touching interest
s..short story of his labors fifteen or twenty
years ago, when connected with the Grand
Ligne Mission, in Canada. he became al
that time greatly interested in French
hmiy, living eight or ten miles from St.
Johns, He found in their hands when h,