The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-01-09
JOHNSON.

Mrs. Agnes A. Houghton the accom-
plished and gifted elocutiouist will give
an entertainment at Normal Hall john
son. on Monday evening, January l4th.
it will be Il rare treat, do not fail to hear
her. 1t is claimed by the best Judges that
she has not been exeellcd in rendering
her wel-seected pieces.
An cc,l 'siastical council convened here.
December 18th, of which Rev. j. II.
Woodward was moderator, and Rev. j.
G. Hale scribe. Eight churches were i'll
vited, besides Rev. DR.. Doughcrty, Of
johnson. Dr. Dougerty was physically
unable to be present, but having Il fall
knowledge of the cases, sent Il cOmmuni-
cation to the council. highly commeuda-
tory of the pastor, and stating what he
thought best to be done. The lay element
in the council was very prominent. Two
churches without pastors were represent
ed by two delegates each, making six
'ministers and MAE lay delegates in the
council. 1t is certainly Il noticeable faa-
ture of so large Il council, that not one
pastor was Il member of it! The eight
churches of Lamoille, Conference have
now not one settled pastor among them!
Two other conferences, containing t0gr-
Their twenty-nine churches, were repre-
scented in the council. These conferences
have only six settled pastors. Thus it APP
pears that four cOulties in northwestern
Vermont have tIirty-scven Congregation
al churches. with only six settled pastors.
Are we not drifting rapidly away from
the practice of our fathers? And are we
goiug the right direction? Let me add
that during Brother Frcnch's six years
pastora,e ut Johnson, forty-fvc have been
added To the church the church edifice
| mas been repaired. and an excellent par
| soHage has been pu chased and paid for.
except small amount for which the la
dies are responsible.
The council came to this result: We
are greatly .gratified to learn that the pas
tor. our brother French, is held In deserv-
edly high esteem among his people. But
circumstances have arisen. in connection
with changes in the population. which
make it difficult for the society adequate
ly to support the pastor. We therefore
reluctantly advise the church to accept
the pastors proffered resignation and
thereby terminate the relation which has
been so pleasantly maintained for the
past six years. We commend brother
French to the churches as an able preach
er and faithful pastor. and trust the Great
Head Of the church will guide him and
his estimabfe companion to some field
where they may render much further eff
ticicnt service in advancing his cause. We
commend this church, in their prospec-
tive pastorless condition, to the Good
Shepherd, and pray that he may soon send
them another to break to them the bread
of life.-J G.. II. IN W. Chronicle.
A party-half surprise, half otherwise.
met at the Congregational parsonage on
New Years eve. The house was well
filled and the visit was social success,
although it had tinge of sadness, occa-
stoned by the fact that it was the last Wis
it of the kind that the people could pay
their retiring pastor. The rooms of the
parsonage were as bright and CHEEKY and
apparently as fresh as when six years ago
the young pastor, like Hollands Herd in
Mistress of the Manse led his just welded
wife through the rooms of their first
home. At 8 O'Clock, Prof. Crippen, fol
the friends of Mr.. French, presented him
with New Years gift of $4,000. Be
fore formally handing him the funds, Mr.
c. made a brief but very handsome speech
eliciting a feeling response, in which al
lusion was made to the uniform pleasant
relations which had existed between pas
tor and people during the past six years
There came thorough "square-tocd'
, surprise in the form of handful of crisI
currency--$26,O0-fo spin money, t.
, Mrs. French. from the ladies Of the com