St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-02-01

invaluable counselor OF cnufcnes al"
ministers; James Harlow, the ency,clo'
pedia of the church committee; Thaddeus
Fairbanks, silent tower OF strength;
Henry Ross and VIM. Clement, two
Christian farmers of the good old type;
VIM. Matthews, universal helper and
chaplain of the County District;
Loammi Flint who for more than 20
years did magnify the janitor's ofhce;
Asa Livingston and John Alvord whose
names are on the official call that
brought me here; Henry French, warden,
and our first weekly offering receiver;
D. A. Clifford whose eccentricities were
not so great as his love for this church
William Green, who for quarter OF
century buried our dead; Ancil Babbitt,
upright in gait and character, gentle
man OF the old school; Vim. Horton, OF
the same type and Of true English air;
Daniel Thompson. machinist, and George
B. Ely, manufacturer, both of soundest
Christian principles and courtesy; A. u;
Nelson, junior deacon, loved and trusted
by everybody; and very many more VINO
in differing way and degree gave some
thing of abiding worth to the church
and community. There's time to men
ton by name these few only OF the $50
who, since came, have been transferred
from our roll to the general assembly
and church of the first born whose names
are written in heaven. And when to
these we add the names oil those who
went up during the two and twenty
years preceding we feel impressively
how rich is our store yonder and what
blessed welcomes await us IN the future.
Enough of those there are in the upper
sanctuary to make a goodly congrega,,
ton here. I've tried to see them restored
again to this place of worship, congre-
cation Just by themselves. II it could be
so and | were speaking, | should say,
20 Friends, beloved in former years, not
less endeared in memory now, we stu
cling to YOU and claim you as part OF the
South church we would have you teach
us how to live with those mighty mys.
teries before us that you have mingled
in; how rightly to love and serve orr
Holy Redeemer whom you have seen
face to face" And if they could answer
think it would be in substance,
Heaven has not lifted us above you
altogether. The holy ties that held us
and YOU as branches in the true vine are
not even looscncd. We love YOU even
more truly and keep in affectionate
remembrance the halIowed place where
YOU and we worshiped God ami kept
company on his holy Day The script
ures and the hymns and the sacred tunes,
we've brought them all up hther, where
1--WE Join the everlasting song and crown
Him Lord OF ALL" Sometimes it seems
as tho we were back with you for a
little on the Lords Day; but it we were
we could not teach you any new thing.
Moses and the prophets, YOU have them
in your hands and the Savlours own
words, OF which we can testify from
large experience, they are true and
precious every one, We and you are one
forever because one in Christ, who died
Tor our sins, and lives to keep us IN
heaven and you on earth in the one bond
OF love that never shall be broken"
Losses by removal to other towns have
not been so conspicuous, but they are
very many. | have not taken time to
count them up. In almost every case
they have been providential, not from
choice, but of necessity. One compens-
alton Tor this is the expression OF love
and interest it brings out. Piles of let
tiers in my drawer repeat for substance
that familiar phrase, dear old South
church" how | would love to sit again
withinits hallowed walls; howl its goodly
influences still follow me-" Writings OF
this sort, spontaneous, often quite I'M
expected, are very refreshing, as you can
all see. But it reminds me again that
we who are here all the while can afford
to be trihe more gushing, yea very con.
siderably more than our wont has been
for each others strength and comfort.
Dear people, we are not going to wait
till one and another is gone before learn
ing to appreciate their worth in the
church; we're going to cherish one an
other more aifectionately while spared
in this sacred fellowship. thanking God
Tor one another and tor what we can dc
for each other and for all men,
1t has been my privilege to welcome tC
our church membership Gil persons
POI by letter, 40 upon confession o
faith
We have today to thank God that on
place of worship has been spared from
damage by fire. once or twice threatened
and from the unsupported liability OF tn
falling of the church spire, discovered an,
rectihed in 1888, Many time have
thought OF that spire, how nsidousl
the rot had gotten into the frame OF tn
bell tower, quietly working for years t.
startle and sadden us sometime with
crash. And like to believe that our Goo
whose structure Il IS, lei some one a. a. ~
, right time to discover it and to save III
Things of this sort. however, canno
be left to any theory of special prov
| Deuce. 1t is with church property an
: church business as with the soul of maj
, attention and diligent care according
{ the laws of the universe or no salvation
e To those OF us who have met here fC
n FIVE and twenty years, the walls and aisl
b and seats and all that meets our eye ha'
:, become exceedingly dear.
a Added to the memories OF loved sou
E, who have been one with us, is the remer
S, brance Of occasions and Of persons wi
lie have here voiced great messages. Stran
y, and distant lands have been broug
oil near by many noble workers, whose raj
~ is in the high peerage of their time, such
ry Doctors Barnum OF Harpoot. Hamlin
tn Constantinople, Greene Of Tokyo, Lir
VS. lay of South Africa, Knapp OF Bill
as Kingsbury of Samokov. Parson Brow
ks as he called himself, of Harpoot, AK
er OF Picking, Tyler of Zululand, Fowle
he Cesarea, Perkins of China, Adams
cd Antioch, Giles F. Montgomery
Of Marash, whose lovely wife we've kno
les so well, Pettee of Okayama, Parmeee
Der Trebizand. Mrs. Snow narrated here