The Newtown bee., 1892-02-19

provements that are very desirable, il
 you will make known heart ready tC give and to do. a
 The question has often been put to me. both here and out of town, How do you like Newtown? I always answer, Very much indeed. And the thought often oc- CUTS to me, in thinking over the condi- tions of life here, that certainly Nature has done everything possible for it. But
 when we think of our community in the aggregate, 1 begin to feel Gas you feel more strongly even than I that what there is undesirable or unattractive or positively bad is due entirely to mans sin and his evil heart and not to any fault of Nature or Natures God. The beauty of our scenery and the healthfulness ot our hills are sadly marred by the large percentage of evil among our population Certainly not all of that sin and evil is ir this Trinity parish. But so much the more the pity and the shame, if we lend any countenance, by word or deed, to wrong doing or immortality.
 NS7 iIAC IlIC pldSCs ytO 6tLIl IolStu to bow in humble submission to the great amount of sin which l cannot hope to cure. But that is the case everywhere and Newtown is DO exception to the rule
 In thinking of Newtown, therefore, l think more especially of the work which have been sent and of the people whom 1 serve.
 The work for me to do is the same glorious work of the sacred ministry which is essentially the same every where The special characteristics of the work here are certainly agreeable.
 And the people? Yes, l like the peo- pie; not everything about you, but like you. Faults there are, sins there are, failures too, but those are found every where and you have good points, gratify- ing traits and, instead of breeding over the worse elements, prefer much rather to look for your good points in forming any general view of you as a whole.
 A rector's work must, therefore, go on from month to month and year to year in oAAS 1''AiC SNhSie>N Nft dlc tuC regular services of the church and the administration of the sacraments; the systematic and regular work in the study and the delivery of sermons and address es; as well as the association with the people in sorrow and in joy, in adversity and prosperity. Besides all this, there come other official duties of an occasion al yet important character.
 There is a large possibility in all this for errors of judgment and unwisdom in action. But better standard of iudg- ment is the faithfulness shown by a min ister in doing his work and it's prompting motive, which should be a true love for Christ and His Church, and real inter- est in the welfare and happiness of the people.
 And submit that much of a clergy mans inability to accomplish what is needed is due to the hindrances put in his way by some unfaithful people, who take greater delight in his failure than in the doing of their own duty.
 While we cannot look for any perma- nent increase of numbers in our parish, owing to the present conditions of New England civilization, yet there are cer- tain Improvements in our parish life that are practicable, which may contribute not only to the strength of some of our par ishes elsewhere and so to the Church as d whole, but may also promote our eter- nal welfare in Heaven above.
 There are something less than GOO per sons nominally connected with Trinity parish. Many of these are prevented from church attendance by physical in- tirmity or other just cause. We call 125 a good congregation. Now it is plain that, allowing for the intirm, for young children and for those who are hindered by other just reasons, the attendance at church might be made better.
 And, again, point out the conspicuous sin of the church going part of the par There are very few who are so regular at service that it is noticeable when they are absent and the fear at once arises that illness is the cause. I say that there are a few such; there ought to be more.
 Allied to this is the other bad habit, lack of punctuality. l have noticed on some Sundays that about half of the con- gregation come in late. It is possible to take train which never waits for late conner and it is equally possible to be on time in going to church.
 And so I am led on to the thought of your reverence when here; to join heart fly in the service; to sit attentively in the reading of the lessons; to kneel rev. erently in prayer and to stand when join ing in the praise of God. One Sunday, not long ago, I counted only about 30 who stood during the Te Deum and that in a congregation of 130. It is another bad habit due to thoughtlessness or in- firmity. The infirm and those unable to stand for five or ten minutes are gladly excused, but many would resent it if reckoned to be so numbered.
 Again, would urge upon the com municants to be regular in receiving the Holy Communion on the first Sundays in the month and also on the great festivals of the year.
 I have noticed that many fail to realize the true importance of the church prin- ciple of celebrating the great feast days of the Christian year by receiving the Holy Communion at that time. A com munieant of the church should always make it special aim to receive the sac- rament, especially on Christmas, Easter, Ascension, Whitsun-Day and Trinity Sunday. They are eommunions of obli-