The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-16
From Montpelier Argus.
THE SABBATH AT TIID STATE
CAPITAL.
The Clergy of Montpelier.

ITs CHURCH GoING CITIZENS.
There are six congregations in Montpel
Ter, worshping in six substantial edifices.
and their worship embraces almost all forms
and their creed, everything from the STRIFE
test Romanism and orthodoxy to the
broadcast liberalism. The church bells ring
at half past nine, and speak in suggestive
and pleasant tones to those who are accus-
toned to answer their call The bells are
rung again at Il quarter past ten, and soon
after the streets present scene to delight
the heart of any christian The multitude
of those who 60 forth, embraces people of
all ages, from the prattling child to hoary
and tottering old age, and including all
conditions from the atluent to the hum
BILE poor. There is not among them all
apparently one listless or Indifferent person.
Each seems impressed with a due sense of
the errand on which he is going. and as
they go their several ways there is that in
their faces and manner which says "our
feet shall stand within thy gates o Jcru-
salem"
BETHANY CHURCH.
If our readers will go with us we will
introduce them briefly into each of these
six churches. We will go first to Bethany
"a beautiful name surely, and suggestive.
1t suggests rest, quiet, peace, fellowship ana
heavenly communion. The day is pleasant,
and the esteemed pastor of the church is Mt
home. The bell ceases tolling at precisely
half past ten, and he enters the large audi
torium by side door near the pulpit. An
organ voluntary is commenced at the same
moment The church is already well filled
and more are constantly arriving, Every
thing is noticeably quiet and orderly. Those
already on the seats and those arriving
maintain devout and revcrent demeanor.
There are are no salutations, and but little,
if any, looking about the house, as if to see
who is or who is not present. Altogether
this is one of the best conducted audiences
to be found anywhere. The organ volun-
tary is followed by choir voluntary.-The
Vente Jubiiate, Benedictus or music to
other appropriate words. The minister
rises with uplifted hands for the invocation
and this audience come to their feet almost
as the act of one person The programme
of exercises thereafter is that in general use
in the Congregational churches, except that
after the prayer following the sermon, the
Doxology is sung by the whole congrega-
ton to some familiar tune. This is pleas
ant feature in the services here, and the
music, as sample of congregational sing
ing, is sometimes very good. OF the preach
ing nothing need be said. DR.. ord has
been so long here and is so cor ,antly at
home, that strong attachment apparently
exists between him and his people. He
likes his own congregation and they like
him. His sermons are always strong and
well written, and are not unfrequently de-
livered with much eloquence of feeling
and earnestness of manner. He breaches
now and then doctrinal discourse, but
for the most part his sermons are practical
and well tending to do good The choir in
this church usually consists of eight or ten
persons. Mr.. w. A. Briggs is the organ
list. Hon. T.. 7. Walton, Col. +. Z. jew
EFT, Hon. Homer W. Heaton, Hon. John
\. Page, Hon. C. w. Willard, Hon. Joseph
Poland, James X. Langdon, Esq and other
well-known citizens are among the wor-
shippers. The second service is held at
seven o'clock in the evening. The Sabbath
school Immediately after the morning SER
vice. ID. G. Kemp Superintendent.
TRINITY CHURCH.
We will next 80 to Trinity (Methodist)
Church. 1t is "A large brick edifico with
lofty spirc. Externally the building is COM
pleted; internally only the basement and
its suit of small rooms for various uses, are
finished. We step to the beat of Il rich,
deep toned bell-the largest one in Central
Vermont. we enter the Chapel, as it is
called, by broad walk on a level with the
front door to the Church. Every thing here
for church services is only temporary, us
the congregation are by-and-by expecting
to finish their main audience room up stairs
and will then have for all uses, perhaps the
best audience room in Montpelier. The
choir occupy low seats at the right head, on
the same floor with the audience, and have
only a reed organ for accompaniment
You will know at once that you are in a
Methodist Church, for as is the custom with
this body of christians, members as they
enter kneel before taking their seats and Of
fer silent prayers. This audience too is one
of reverent, quiet demernor. They are not
so demonstrativc as n general thing as the
congregations of their denomination else
where. That man near the 'front.' whose
appearance indicates both the farmer and
the gentleman, is Henry NIT Esq, one of
the founders and always a pillar in the
Church. He knew and well remembers the
labors and trials of its younger days. In
that early work he had "A noble co-laborer
in the person of William b. Hubbard-now
gone to his rest. That man with heavy
beard and moustache and wearing glasses,
is Prof. Coke, Principal of the Vermont
Conference Seminary, and that other man
who comes so quietly to his place, unobtru-
sive in every act, and gentle in every mo-
ton, is Professor Bush. All the teachers
in the Seminary are worshippers here, and
besides them, n. IL. Peck, Esq, Hon. II.
r. Keith-though at present to ill to attend
p. II. Hinkley, Esq, ID. L. Fuller and
other active citizens of the place. The
minister is the Rev. II. A. Spencer, who
came by appointment of the last Conference.
He is regarded as one of the best preachers
of his denomination in Vermont, and also
as a most excellent pastor. 1t is therefore
no wonder ifthese people are much attached
to him, though he has only been with them
four months He is not bigoted you can
see at glance. Not all men outside his
chosen denomination are necessarily gem
tiles. The exercise of his perfect hatred is
toward evil rather than toward the evil
doer, and this quality of his mind charact-
erizes his preaching. lie seeks to persuade
men to repentance by faithful portrayals of
the divine love rather than by denunciation
aad threatenings. His sermons are mainly
extempore, are well arranged, and spoken
in an earnest. pleasant way. His command
Of language Is good and his dis
courses in the main Of practical
character, and well calculated TO en-
fnrca tho doctrine that ssfaith without works