Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-02-16

A congregation of good numbers greet
ed the bishop on his appearance at Christ
church, Guilford, i'm the afternoon. Forty
or fifty people drove out from Brattleboro,
and dozen of the choir boys showed their
interest by making the journey on foot.
The text of the sermon was from Ephe-
slams: "And grieve not the holy spirit of
God whereby we are sealed unto the day of
redemption" In beginning his discourse
the speaker alluded felicitousy to the ven
cradle age of the Guilford parish, and to the
| 10th anniversary, which occurs next Sun
day. In its central theme the sermon EN-
! phasized the thought that the work of the
Holy Spirit, the sealing of the human
spirit unto God, is not from without but
from within. 1t depends upon the plastic
mood and will of our own spirits. We
must work with the spirit and not against it.
! Two persons were confirmed by the bishop,
this being the first confirmation by him in
his diocese.
Impressions Of BishOp.Han.
Upon those who met him socially or
| heard any or all of his sermons the new
bishop impressed himself as a man of
strong and distinct personality man
who is doubtless unique in many respects.
| lie possesses the Undesirable quality of
making one who meets him only casually
| feel that he has somehow made his ac-
| qualntance. He Enthusiastically possesses a
great reserve fund of physical and nervous
force, and this he uses unsparngly His
strength as a preacher, as he was heard on
Sunday, appears to lie in his ability to take
| simple, practical truths and impress their
Importance, often by homely illustration,
upon the inner life of his hearers. He is
man in sympathy with the common,
everyday struggles of common, work-a-
day people, and his strength as a pastor
and bishop of souls will doubtless prove to
be largely in this fact, or in this gift, for it
Is in great measure a gift. People of all
communions give the new bishop a cordial
welcome to Vermont, and sincerely hope
that his coming will be felt as a new force
for good in the state.
His Lenten Letter.
In a letter to the Vermont churches upon
the observance of Lent Bishop Hall asks
the members of the congregations to re-
member, first, that "the lenten season is
intended for a greater concentration and
intensity of spiritual exercises and not as
a substitute for a lack of earnestness and
strctness at other times. Each Lent we
should strive to take some step onward and
upward, not to fall back again when the
forty days are over" Second, that Client
calls to a united and common struggle"
Individually we have our special calls at
different times and in different ways, to
greater seriousness of life, to penitence
and to self denial. Lent summons all to
claim some share in the experience of the
Great Head of the church. PRAYER, fast
ing and almsgiving are commended as the
three exercises of Sc f discipline and up
lifting, and upon the last named special
stress is laid at this season when sad dis
tress prevails in many sections, and the
funds of the diocese are in urgent need of
replenishing. at is a time for self-denying
almsgiving in the more restricted sense of
the word" LET me beg you to ponder
these simple considerations, the letter
says in conclusion, "to apply them to your
own circumstances and needs, and to make
some resolution which will help you to turn
this Lent to good spiritual account"
From Brattleboro Bishop Hall went to
Rutland where he preached Monday after
noon. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fri
days during Lent will be spent in ST. AL
bans, Montpelier and Burlington respect
ively,a and the Sundays will be divided among
the other large parishes. On Easter day,
March %, he will be with the church in
Bellows Falls.