The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-11
Reported for the Globe.
Vermont state Diocesan COnvcn.


AS preliminary 10 the regular exercises |
of the convention, q meeting was held at |
st. Johns church. Poultney, Tuesday even
ing at which timeayery able and impress
i've discourse was delivered by Rev. w. II.
Collins. rector Of st. Paul's church, Yer
gennes, and St stephens church, Middle
bury, from the words;
" A little one shall become thousand
and small one n strong nation; |, the
Lord, will hasten it in his time. ~ Isaiah
CO. 90.
The reverend gentleman said that the en-
tire chapter from which the text was taken
is devoted to vivid description of the fu.
ture power and glory of the church Of
God, which is done by The use Of lriking
figures and startling metaphors: and so
fresh and vigorous are His words that they
seem to bc the utterance oi some living
man, although first written nearly three
thousand years ago Like all prophetic
writings they are susceptible Of more than
one Interpretation. bat in their primary
meaning they refer, undoubtedly. to th'
times Of peace. purity, and prosperity
vouchsafed to the chosen people after their
return from the captivity; when the tenn
pie was rebuilt and the worship of Jcho-
yah restored, and His city, long wasted,
impoverished. and desecrltcl. was once
more restored and became the jos of many
nations. But the prophetic vision was not
limited to description of those events,
but to him was given the power oi Gods
spirit to behold far 'greatcr things than
these" lie saw the rise and progress of
the Catholic Church, The wonderful a,ocH-
sion of the Gentle, the blessings OF tl3c
new inspiration and the marvellous change
wrought by the preacher of the Gospel,
accompanied by the Gifts of IL" Holy
Spirit and notwithstanding thc a.u.roid
sorrows in store for Israel despite Tie
woe, humiliation and distress to lie brought
upon Gods people. tie prophc,ie vision
could see the glorious rainbow of hope
spanning the SKY, and II. bright culors
were reflected II the dark abyss OF Water.
But the prophet was not staggered M
the thought of the small beginning Of the
kingdom. Isaiah believed that God was
able 10 plant and give the increase. although
] the seed should seem to be les than all
other seeds, and with this faith ai This
trust he could say. "a little one Shall
| become a thousand and small one Strong
| nation When we regard the spread Of
/ Christianity throughout the world when
we recall the facts and statistic pcrMEin"
] fha Of I,pnt,-', fl,
/ in this country. and lis increase in oar own
/ diocese. we recognize the fulhllmcnl Of the
| prophets words and are certain that those
who come after lis will behold greater
things than we. I'm the cnlcaYor mldc by
men to accumulate large fortune. either
for themselves or FOR their families it may
be that breach of trust. failing health. ol
some unforeseen accident will PROSTATE
them all it is not 50 in matters pertaining
to the kingdom of Christ However Woah
tho instrumentalites employed, loW-
ever contemplate in the eyes ol
men, one really and able to pros
per and bless each undertake,
ing accompanies the lover OF Christ's ser
wants in promoting the welfare cf The
church. This work cannot fail SO long q.
God puts it into the hearts of men To de
vote all their powers, and although we dt
not expect to overcome all obstacles immp
diately we "lcarn to labor and wait re
memberng the admonition Of The mastc
SIN your patience possess yc your souls.
The little one nurscd and strengthened By
Gods grace ''shall become a thousand. III
small one ''strong nation, for the vel
reason that the Lord vouchsafcs and direct
the work, and hastcns its Accomplishment
in His own due time and we should labor
strive and pray with this assurance. ON
great and striking proof of human impcr
; lection is seen in Il certain CHARACTERISED
peculiar to American people, the dispO,i
ton to expect and look for immediate ro
suits. This temper is frequently displaye,
in matters political, social and financial
and to a remarkable degree 'pcrValcs tina
, of the ecclesiastical ,,lso We look for
, great increase in paruchiM strength. fee
uneasy under the slow lut gradual in
, crease Of orr parishes, and do no
always see the rcSul, Of our work in tn
mission schools There are many ycstric
! in the United States that seem 10 regar
j, their minister or rector rs Il sort of an et
p clesiastical auctioncer, whose chiet bus
ness is to fill the pcWs and augment tn
e annual revenue, and so far as he accom-
plishes that end so far is he acceptable I
: them. This idea is carried ont to a gre.
[ extent among the various sccts around Il.
\ and so the sensational preacher has becon
> an institution, and the majority Of thos
r who forget what the house Of God
5 called, the house Of prayer, and who =
h to hear DFfdchiHg, are continually O
, the qui rice for something new an
+ strange. need not say that such thin
G is Numerically opposed to the doctrine {
discipline and worship OF the churcl
@ While we by no means dcspi'c pulpit eli
c qucnce and oratory, but fully believe th
n as public teachers we are bound 80 AVA
ourselves OF every opportunity To incrcN
=, our influence in that direction. still III pr
noting the growth and enlargement of Il
o church we are disposed 10 cXalt such q
y tainments over faithful pastoral work Al
o dligent working for souls. How maj
II congregations have been gathered togeihe
d how many churches built to the glory
e God, how many hearts checl'
q by Christian words and deed
le how many souls saved from etern
Il death by the use of instrumcntalitics viii,
+ at the first appeared small, weak and i
significant, He urged upon those prcsc
, to labor still more earnestly in their apm
pirate duties and to labor to magnify The
u Office, of Ambassador Of Christ" al
&c steward Of the mysteries of God m
~ tllul lltN llliShl h' Nult 10 EiN tAIN ny "a
y "Ihy Kingdom come and to labor by
to means in their power in the public seryic
1r of the Lords house. to visit the sick n
&c the well and to give their time, strcng
cs and aims in following the example of ol
mt who laid down His life for us, for by
doing they would be the instruments
Fastening the Lords work in Ills oy
way and lime-aud for the greater furthC
ance of their work to unite with th,
NJ brethren in works OF mercy, al
&c suggested that the lay brethr
to can aid in accomplishing the ful1
e. ment of the prophetic vision by cngagl
, =, as catcchisis, lay readers. teachers OF t
III Sunday school and in numberless authC
n lied ways. No work is 30 glorious, or
is noble, and il the spirit OF the Divine NJ,
ne ter be with us, we shall long to enter up
g SO glorious a work, with thankful hear
IN rejoicing that we are Dermttpd 10 be (