Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-04-27
Ihe Stree Rress.
METHODIST CHURCH.
Rev. Merritt EIulburd's Farewell Ser
mon 10 his burlington charge.

All the available fea,s ut the Meth )dist
church were filled last night, many besides
the regular attendants desiring to hear Rev.
Merritt llulburd's parting sermon. 1t proved
to be a setting forth Of, IN his words, "Ihe
Lights and Shadows Of the Methodist Epis-
copal ltincracy." Starting with the PROPOSE
ton that the ,inerant system has in its 100
years existence sufficiently justified itself in
thai the AIcthodiss are now the most numerous
body of Christians in America, he gave a state
mcnt of the machinery Of the church the
elective officers, having supervision not over
a certain diocese but in succession over all
Methodist pats the quadrennia appointing
conference comprising the whole church
without limit Of national lines and the pre-
siGilS elders who give to the individual
churches the care which Tie few bishops can
moi give.
Mr.. lIulburd declared that the Methodist
is the only settled, permanent ministry in
the country though the ministers are
CHANGED tricnnially the ministry is perpetu-
al, the pustoratc uninterrupted. Every Sun
day in tie year the cLuches of the land,
with an insignificant number of exceptions,
are filled by regular aud responsible pastors.
If the usual pastor is away his place is filed
by preacher as responsible AS an instance
OF the regular working of the system MIR.
llulburd stated that while serving in Lowell,
Mass. lie found change OF climate neces-
sary FIR his health. lie was sent to Mime.
sofa, and with the loss of but one Sunday the
churches in Massachusetts and Minnesota,
liOJ miles apart, exchanged their set
tied pastors The strongest church in Yer
mont, IN membership, is the Congregational,
ycttJ-dJy unc-halt the congregations of the
STATE are without settled pastors, being
served 10y STATED supplies instead
OF regular pastors, partly, perhaps, because
the benefits of the iineracy are thus to be
socuei. The speaker declared that there
was danger in irresponsible pasturatcs OF
Emergencies OF doctrine and Il general loosen
Ing OF the bonds between pulpit and people.
But WHY not rcappont acceptable pastors?
Because III legislative matters tie law OF
averages must be followed, not the needs of
exceptional cases. Three years is found to
be the average limit of a ministers freshness
aud spt cial power of good. There are many
qualities called for in the pa'toia'e which
are combined in no one man The evange-
Isl has his work aud power, tie pastor his,
the preacher his. Tie present speaker is not
n pas Or-fcw men can be al tier hes, on all
points, yet all points need care from the
church. The president and council consider
the wants OF edcn chufcn as represented TO
them by the presiding elders, and in their
distribution OF charges cnIeivor to supply
the place where the preceding pastor was
weak, rather than regard that in which he
was strong.
"Ihe wear and tear of the ineracy" is
the wall that comes back 10 vs. rs minister
joins another denomination. In reply to this
the speaker quoted the New York
IrJUHe's statement tina, ir every
church hut one, The Methodist,
there is dcrth of ministers in that there
is a plethora Ii the iliueracy is so wearing
why docs the preaching tal,nl want to crowd
INTO that chuich: True there are some
things painful IN tearing ones roots from
community in which one has settled, but the
spcakerthOugh there was "A conservation OF
self respect and independence in being put
immediately in new pulpit bya thiid party
without having Canvassel Tor place. He
was thus no mans man but belong d to the
church anu to Him he served
The itineracy, then, has its drawbacks,
but 1t has n preacher for every place and
place for every preacher, the needs of each
place being consulted. Every faithful work
cr can find place somewhere and when his
powers OF service are gone will be sustained
until death. Mr.. Hubbard closed with ex-
pressons OF regret at closing his pleasant
pastoratc, but was glad to be able to say that
the same faith and doctrines would continue
to lie preached here as in the past