Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-04-27
Hoods Pils cure liver ills; the nen.irritstng and
only cathhrtc to take with Hoods sarsapariia


Hoods Pills cure liver ills; the nenirritsung and
only cathaItic to take with Hoods sarsspariis
Governor Rollins IN his statement that
there is "a marked decline of the Chris
tian religion in that state. Rev. Cyrus
Richardson of Nashua says
There are very few towns in New Hamp-
shire that have no preaching services, and
what there are can easily reach churches
IN nelghborlng towns. I do not believe
there are any communities that cannot
obtain the services of ministers for funer-
ais and weddings. The governor refuses
10 mention the destitute places. His
friends say they are mentioned in the New
Hampshire Register This volume refers
to few towns without a church and sew
cral without n pastor. That is no proof
that they do not have preaching. Any ono
familiar with the situation knows that
most of the designated pastorloss towns
have constant and excellent preaching by
worthy ministers. During the last decade
Con gre9at ionnlists have established new
missions and have made a gain OF about
1000 in church membership. OGr mission
ary society expended 5000 LIST year to
strengthen the things which remain" in
the rural sections. Christians in hill towns
are making a splendid fight for righteous
ness. considering their losses of young
people who have gone elsewhere to do d
larger work.
Rev. g. +. Roper of West Lebanon says:
mot for many years have our rural dis
trcts been so well supplied with able,
earnest ministers"
Rev. W. f. Cooley of LittletOn says:
| have no personal acquaintance with
Ia N ir-a n n ifb
Governor Rollins words are true There
seems to have been some religious decline
in the farming sections hereabouts within
a half-Century past; but 1t does not appca r
to have been very serious. and the move
ment for Il decade or two past seems -
have been upward rather than downward.
The falling of. so far as it exists, is ac-
counted for in the main by decrease in
rural population.
Rev. +. G.. Clark of Plymouth says:
My acquaintance with the 243 towns Of
the state leads me to believe that not six
of them are without religious services in
the summer. In six OF the counties, in
Guiding Cheshire. Hillsboro, Merrimac and
Grafton there are religious services In IA
but two towns, and perhaps tnc- are no
exception There has been manifest an
increasing religious interest in remote
neighborhoods the past ten years through
the agency Of young peoples societies and
the home department of the Sunday
school.
/ f.. r. Burroughs says:
Governor Rollins proclamation has UNI
doubtedly done good. 1T has called the
attention to what Is here in New England
/ especially an ever present need. 1t is
written. however, from an Epscopalian
standpoint, the governor belonging to that
communion. The Episcopalans are not
In q 70 n, hslt Loo
a considerable portion of their general or
Episcopal fund and their parishes do not
increase rapidly From our Congregat on
al standpoint the State has, under all the
circumstances, done very well. The local
/ tiles where the church bell Is not heard
| for q year at a time are extremely few
! and far between. Here and there the pe1-
pie have removed Too often struggl ling
churches OF two or three kinds continue
to struggle against common sense AMI
Christian feeling, doing more harm than
good But upon the whole the State has
held its own and has done it under great
difficulties.
Rev. a. T. Hillman, the State agent OF
the (CongregationaD Home Missionary So
ciety, says:
My observations and experience of the
religious life of the rural towns OF New
Hampshire do not confirm the correCtnt IS
of Governor Rollins opinion. A list of the
weakes. churches in our fellowship, forty
seven in number and ministering entire y
to rural communities. excluding such as
have come to self-support within ten years
and all new organiza lions. reported a
membership of 1879 in 1880 and of 1859 IN
/ 1898 Including all, the record for ten
years ending 1888 is, hopeful conVers ons
| 1890 additions by profession COS. by letter
| 5i1; for the ten years ending 1898, CONVEX
sions 1919 additions by profession 1864 by
letter 81 The losses by death and re.
movals were 343 more in the last period
| than in the first, yet the net gain was 509
The largest gains have been within the
past five years. the net gain being for the
decade 93G Both in the efficiency and per
manonCy of their ministry the present
stands in favorable contrast to the past
These statements are of interest In this
state, because the conditions are very
similar in Vermont and New Hampshire
and largely so throughout New England
In arousing public attention and stimula-
ting earnest effort to overcome tendencies
towards a decline in the religious life and
health of the communities, Governor Rol
Inns proclamation is doing good work