Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-02-12

formed at the late teachers meeting
at Barton, will hold its first meeting
at Baton Landing, Feb. "a. The
object of the society is to afford fire.
quent opportunity for teachers and
others connected with our schools to
meet to discuss school topics and to
establish such fraternal relations as
shall be beneficial. All the teachers
in the county are invited to be present
and the public will be welcomed to
the meeting. The following pro-
gramme has been arranged for the
meeting:
10, a. M, Our Society, its objects
and aims, F. F. Whittier of Derby;
1915, Report of committee 1870,
Intermission; 1915, How shall
spelling be taught?, Stella Haddock,
Troy, Helen S. Morse, Irasburgh;
Ills, How shall reading be
taught? L. E. Upper, Craftsbury,
Edna E. Fayer, essay, Glover; 1.30,
How shall our prescribed text books
on grammar be used? Thomas Mar
thu, Barton, VIM. Aldrich, Derby;
2.15, Elementary, Physiology and
Hygiene, act No. 20 of the legislature
of 1882, DR.. Branch, Coventry, G. A.
Prouty, Newport; 2'45, How to
teach primary classes? Matte Jen-
ness, st. Johnsbury, Lillian D.
Chandler, Derby; 3.15, Disciplinary
methods, A. L. Jameson, Irasburgh,
A. P. Bean, Glover.
The item is last weeks MONITOR in re-
gard to Mr. Neill has seemed to many
here to be very unjust and has caused
much indignation; but information kindly
furnished the writer of this satisfies him
that it's author did not set it down in
malice, and he will no doubt be glad to
be corrected in part at least. Mr.. Neill
preached here for the Congregational
church five Sabbaths and gave several
addresses on temperance, reading, etc,
all able and instructive, and his relations
with the committee and with the church
and society were pleasant and cordial
from first to last. While his work was
concluded here by mutual agreement and
not by a refusal to celebrates" nor did he
present here any "forged CREDENTIALS
the question of his standing as minister
is an open one, which it would be both
useless and unfair to discuss and attempt
to decide in his absence. Certainly, since
1878 he has enjoyed the confidence Of en-
inent clergymen and has himself perform
ed for, and with them, efficient Christian
work, while his secular work has been in
places of great responsibility and requir-
ing good literary attachments. Hence the
words ministerial vagabond,'' seemed
very harsh. But it was not my purpose
to defend him; l approved Of the pur-
pose of the committee of the society, to
say nothing for or against him in the
public press; he is not on trial; neither
the committee nor the church had any
trouble with him or about him; they
think that there has been too much
said outside, and if the friends would
bride their tongues and their no less I'M
ruly pens, they, and many others, think
it would be better; there is more import
ant work, and nearer home, than ''to
look his case up" Let not Christian
charity adopt sterner law than the jew
ish, and condemn any man before it
hath heard him." JUSTICE.
We cheerfully publish the statement
of "Justice," being grieved that any
thing incorrect in any of it's workings or
implications slipped into our columns.
From the above and the statement which
we are asked to publish below, it would
seem that while Mr.. Neill was man of
pleasing address and good talent, his
credentials and past record were not
such that the ministers of the Congrega-
tional church of the county saw fit to
grant him a ''licensure.' On the other
hand he made many friends at Barton
Landing and Bloomington who regret
that anything unpleasant should have
gone into print concerning him. EDITOR.
In recent editorial entitled Common
sense in religion the COngregdtiOndlist
pertinently asks ''Is it Christian common
sense for the men to ask into the pulpit
as the representative and exponent of
eternal truth and the guide of their chill
dren toward eternal life, man who
would not reasonably be trusted with their
correspondence and their pocket books?"
The point made is sharp one, and should
be applied skillfully to those cases in
which church has been deceived or is in
danger of being deceived by an unworthy
man. The only way to guard our pulpits
from these imposters is to demand of
every man who aspires to enter one of
them the same evidences of fitness for the
place that we demand of new corners in
business life. By some sort of mistake,
the Congregational church at Barton
Landing was led to employ for few
weeks one of these men without proper
credentials. Mr.. Neill, though man of
pleasing address, was found upon exam
nation to be entirely wanting in this es-
sential qualification and the society COM
mittee, upon ascertaining this, wisely de-
cided to have nothing more to do with
him. The committee appointed by the
county conference to examine and approve
the credentials of candidates for the pull
pits, cannot recognize Mr.. Neill as min
lister, because he possesses no proper Gre
| dentials. And they cannot recommend
him for licensure, because on account of
certain irregularities in his life past and
present they do not deem it wise for him
to enter the ministry.
LAWRENCE PHELPS, | Conference
E. p. WILD, Com.
Bloomington.
The snow blockade is upon us.
At an oyster supper at DR.. Young's
on Tuesday night, 145 persons were
present and about ten gallons of oys-
tiers with other edibles were made
way with. This was the largest gath
erlng of the kind of the winter. The
doctor is badly driven with business
this winter.
East Charleston.
NJ. r. Davis has rented his hotel
to A. Lang.
G. Calkins and family have moved
back to Holland.
The town withdrew it's suit against
II. Dane in regard to the horse.
NJ. G. Davis is to put in run of
stone to grind corn and provender.
Mrs. M. R. Davis has gone to
Boston and Mr.. Davis will 90 as soon