Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-11-26
?ae congrega.iaas! Tr!esn!a! csun:il.


origin. There had hccn previously four OF
five National Synods, Conventions or Coun- .
ellis Of the Congregation order. 1u' not till
1871, was the National Council established
on a fixed basis Of representation and with
stated period of meeting. once in thee
years The first Of these Councils was held
at Obcrlin, the second at New Haven, the
third at Detroit, AMI the fourth is now in
session in this city.
It is a body Of about SEQ c!crzyMcn and
laymcn, tAe former being in a very great
majority aEI comprises many men of note
and inilucucc Its sessions are held in the
pilgrim Church" Of which Rev. pr. c. l..
Goodcll is the pastor. lie is Vermonter,
native of Calais, graduate Of the University
Of Vermont, and is one OF the most success
ful pastors in the Wcst. Though the Con
grcgational denomination has long had
worthy and influential representative here in
the person Of Dr. Post who came when St.
Louis was village, thirtY-thrcc years ago,
anil still remains in active service as pastor
of his church, and retaining the veneration,
esteem and affection Of the whole CCmmni-
ty, it is the fact that C0ngrcGaiionalism in
this city and throughout all this region has
taken long stride since Mr.. Goodcll came
here, and largely in consequence Of his earn
est and wo!l-diroctcd labors. His church is
a handsome structure Of stone, which is filed
with worshippcfs every sabbath. Attached
to ii aud part of the same structure is a spa
cious chapel, with large and Convenient
Sunday school room, and The largest and
finest church parlors. waiting rooms,
kitchen and other appliances for relig-
ious and social gatherings that l
have ever seen. In tn. church tower is 4
fine chime Of hcils-Ihc ELEPHANT CHIMES
and With these the church has Il law suit,
some wealthy residents near by whose souls
have been moved, but moved 10 wrath and
litigation, by the concord OF sweet sounds
! from the bell tower. having prayed for an in
| junction to suppress the chimes. rs disturb
ance of their peace.
The Sunday school fills chapel, parlors, in
| FAINT room and audience room Of the church,
| and comprises large share Of the Adults ms
| well as the children of the congregation, and
one important feature Of it is class of sixty
| to seventv-iivc ladies, who are 50 fortunate
| as TO have the instruction Of Mrs GOOdell,
| who is Il sister of Governor Fairbanks and
| in womanly Christian labor and influence is
a most valuable CO-worliCr with her genial
| husband. in all good works. All in all DIR.
| GOodeli's church is one Of The most complete
and successful institutions to be found any
where The meeting of the Council here,
was, believe mainly due t. him, and he
and his church have take8 hold of and car
| ried through all the arrangements for 1t with
| admirable method and fu:cthOught and no
end OF careful labor. The committee on en-
tertainment-onc Of the hardest working
members Of which Is Nermonter. Mr..
Whitcluw, RycgItc boy, now Il successful
| merchant in this citv-has been in constant
session. Hundreds of ho-I,itablc houses
have been thrown open, and all the delegates
and attendants upon the Council have been
welcomed with open-hearted hospitality.
Though the Vermont delegation is not
large. being composed Of Drs. Stafford and
BrastOw oi Burlington, Rev DIR. Jenning of
Bennington, Rev f. T. Hookerof Castleton,
Rev C. : Smith of Montpelier, Rev. W. ;.
Hazcnof Northiield andyour humble serv ant
(who is the only lay delegate present from
our State), there is goOdiy sprinklng OF
Nermontcrs in the Council. Our colleges
are representative University by DR.. /. L.
Dwinell Of California, Rev. Geo. Il. Spauld-
ing IF New Hampshire, Rev. Simeon Gil
bert Of the Chicago AdrHHce, DR..
Hcaley Of Milwaukee, !. y. Camp,
Esq, of Chicago, and Rev. Messrs.
Smith, llazen, Bard and others
Middlebury by Prof. Mead of Oberlin (who
read one of the strongest papers presented
Dr. Post Of st. Louis and others
The Council may be divided as respects
lines of thought AMI preference into three
classes-the men who desire to stifTen and
increase the machinery of the denomination
who would rcpress hcresy aud latitudinarian-
ism by more effective discipline eniOrcedup-
on the churches and ministers hy councils
and associations, upon the counciis and asso-
Citations by the State conventions and upon
the State conventions by the National Coun
ellis who want as a test of fellowship and
standard by which to try offenders, a moro
definite, il not more rigid crtei adopted by
authority =, the men who stand up es-
pecially for the independence of the churches
and for the traditional liberty OF the Con
-----a'-..,..l Filth s.sl.-. watch With great.
perhaps extreme jealousy, for anything tIial
looks like consolidated authority who dc
not propose to permit the establishment OF
any Congregational popcs or star chambers
or inqulsitions; who are charged by some
who do not agree with them with being viii
ling to lose almost all the benefits of organi
Zation and associated effort in their care fOl
individual liberty. Between these two is 4
third and probably larger class than either,
who, recognizing the progress and activity OF
modern thought on religious subjects, and
unwilling To be bound in all points to ancient
creeds, think that there need be no harm and
may be some good done by fresh statement
of the CONSENSUS Of evangelical belief in the
denomination who propose to be free to
make such Il statement or to commit the
making Of it to careful heads, and
who intend To he free to accept or
reject it, when made who also are not
prepared to deny that some additional safe
guards to the purity OF the pulpit may be
needed in some quarters, and are willing
that those who need them should secure and
use them have not set out TO report the
proceedings of the Council. which Will be
carried 10 You and your readers in other
ways. Ii is not yet ended; but the outcome
IF it cannot fail To be what should be expect
ed from body So composed. 1t will be
found 10 nave permitted no iuirlciiOns of
the historic liberty of the denomination !;
to have C,UutenauCed No luoscErss Of faith
and doctrine: to have made no tests and
created no machinery which viii L.. means
of division rather than of union.
CT MS close, ami u The excursion uf over
half the delegates to Southern Missouri |
may have more to say in another letter.
y.
\ pivrIo Elrcr1rN NcrF.-'rhc cleo
toral vote Of California j. divided. standing.
five for Hancock and one for Garfield. The
Republican clcctor is Henry j@crton a son
If Mn in I i.rrr.cn E. nj l,n,llnl WIN