Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-01-25

In pursuance Of the item IN last NeeA
uvRsID AND NEWS that business bloek
: ION 10 be erected on the vacant lol
-o-fb ~ Thurston's store IN West Ran :
.,.1,.h silisge one Of our most bonored
~s,srens 4, rites from his winter home IN
Nv York. TO ask why the plans ior tne
hnfIdiug 40 not comprise als0s uhaeI inc
s.-rr. -oof sxith the stores, public library
srd entertainment hall. meaning, 10
doubt, & well equipped opera mouse. 80
resson 10 be contrary 3 apparent ekcePt
i4..s 81 funds. and this, II i believed can
- overcome il our energetic community
r.-rerraEnes il ought 10 be and must De.
Put A scheme has been outlined 70 the
bcnar,d citizen which seems 10 very
many wort hv Of serious consideration II
eubodies nothing less Khan the conversion
81 5ne of our six churches INTO library
II the proposition, badly stated strlAsa
the reader 81 first thought, as g step - the
y-rouy direction. the writer oegs that a
second. and II need be, third thoughi be
taken As 10 the merits Of the matter, view
inr- n from the highest standpoint OF
rom spiritual ana temporal welfare.
First, from purely business and tenn
uoral view. six churches. SIX clergy men
and their families, aud the WORK ana care
incident 10 the maintenance OF SIX
church societies, are heavier drain than
any community OF this size should be call
ID uuon to bear. even in the best OF causes.
TIE aggregate expense Of these six socie-
lies is probably not less thaA > 900 per an
mum. Their influence for good, 70 be
sure.extencs Ia no inconslderabie degree,
Tar beyond the immediate circle OF tnelr
members and fairly permeates the COM
muuity; bat, neyeTs heless, there IS large
number whose lives are. "a the main, IN .
touchsd,by all this array OF spiritual wealth
ana whose best good demands something
We are sadly lacking IN this municipality.
Can any one doubt ii who sees the full au-
dience room Of our minstrel shows, the
pathetic emptiness OF our church pews,
The grinning rows in our teD-cent the
atre. or the vacant seats in our present en-
terIainment hail, confronting an instruct
i've lecturer And can our Christians bet
ter serve the Master than By an attempt.
10 remedy the picture this question calls
before the eyef To remedy i even BY a
surrender Of the personal prejudice which
confines each TO his own church, sur
render OF anything into y h1ch possible
shadow Of selfishness may impinge.
Second, with ali honor TO the Christian
religion and its good work, il may he
overdone, and its most sacred aim ano OBJ
ject. the bringing within the told OF all
gho are without .thwarted. The soil must
oe prepared before the seed is sown II
fullest fruition Is 70 be realized.
We will not undertake 10 say which
church is in duty bound 10 give up its ed
ifioe Tor this purpose. That one oest
saauged by location and construction Tor
library purposes should be voluntarily Of
ferec. Viii the society whose building Is
selected turn a deaf ear to the requests of
the community VIII they say the de-
mand for observance Of their particular
form Of worship : a higher obligation to
s0c.ety2 II this be the answer, il repels
rather Than draws nearer those whose cry
ing need is light. Il sentences again 10
the senseless minstrel performance or the
vulgar play manya one " hose steps would
otherR ise bend toward the village library.
i this Christianity The remedy is in the
hands OF a few IS DO VIII fno support iron
the many When they put the means at
command. Cos.