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

churches in 1894. But OF all the gath.
erinps that have made history within
within these walls, none stirred so many
hearts and left such lifelong impression
as the gospel meetings OF 1875 and 6.
At the first of those wonderful meetings
held in this house Feb. Z, '75 40 persons
rose to declare their interest and desire
to be Christians, the first OF whom, as
remember, in this same front pew OF the
family, was Lille Mcleod, who the next
Sunday morning was suddenly breathing
out her life as the bell called us here.
That Sunday evening 1000 people were
in this house, and the Tuesday following
| 1900, and in the room below rs rose to
say they received the Saviour. From
that time on the bell for a religious meet
ing here or anywhere in the village
brought out the eager multitudes, throng-
ing together to join in the Winnowed
Hymns in voices OF, prayer and psalm.
can see one and another rising in yonder
pew, or over in the south aisle, or down
here in the center, saying, 81 wish to be-
gin tonight" IL will try to be Chris
tian," "I confess Christ as my Saviour"
"In God have found retreat"
have in my study a bit of paper on
which was pencilled this memorandum
by hand now done with its work {:
Jan II, stood up and said, He that
denies me before men, him will deny
Also Nine days have | been wrestling
with the devil to say this" Many
others wrested with that same question.
Something like 200 in this congregation
| 4
Christian life, large proportion OF
whom have faithfully continued in it.
That was a high day indeed, Sunday,
May 2, 1875, when u stood together
here to conh IS faith in Christ, of which
number many have moved away. many
not living, but some with us this fore
noon, among the staunch and true ones
OF our church fellowship.
The names of Moore and Remington,
OF Winsow and Littleheld, laymen and
leaders in that gospel work among us,
are bound up with the history of this
church, and of the Others too, and as
soon as saw the face of Henry Nj.
Moore given on the frontispiece OF this
weeks CoDgregationalist | sat down
and wrote him how glad | was to see it
and how much we all owed to him and
the brothers who came here so many
times with him.
The mingled solemnity and Joy Of those
days will never be forgotten by any OF us
who were in them. We're hungry for
the like again-we want to feel once more
the deep thrill and solemn purpose, the
gladness, force and uplift of those holy
| oh I ,,tu 10, soil "A
all OF you, dear people, to cherish sa-
credly every breath OF spiritual impulse,
to prize the privileges of Gods house and
make our religion seven days in the week
a winning reality among all people "
At the conclusion of the sermon
Charles H. Horton stepped forward and
addressed the pastor as follows:
MR.. HORIZONS ADDRESS.
While it is quite an unusual thing to
interrupt the Sunday morning service, yet
the best church authorities reached the
decision that once in twenty-five year:
the congregation has the same right tC
part OF the morning service as pastor
We are reminded that this is tn,
twenty-6fth anniversary of our PASTOR
charge over this church. Twenty-fiv,
years the shepherd OF this flock; eve
leading it where the pastures are TIL
greenest, where the waters are tn
sweetest.
twenty-five years at the helm, guidn!
the thought of this people, Like a Sc;
that is thickly dotted with treasur
islands, so has he dotted the realm @
our contemplatious-the realm whc
leads on through the visible and into tn
invisible, with treasure islands OF rares
tt oughts, which are far more to us tina
mere creations of the mind, they hav
become realities. He has marked we
, his course. He has pointed out II
treacherous shoals, the dreaded reefs, IL
hidden rocks; he has kept well With
=, the safe waters.
4 In 20 years many changes have com
, alluded to in the pastors sermon. B,
{ other changes may be mentioned
7 Changes in thought, in the onwal
v march of civilization advancing scienc
c broader and freer thought. Many thinj
o have come up before the Bible truths as
! to challenge them. We have reason
e ,,'reioice today that there has been
5. strong hand at the helm. That the
" stood one there who took not in his S;
i or turned his craft as these things loom
n. up before it, but with undaunted COZ
% age, with an unconquerable faith, push
IL ever onward.
&c Twenty-Five years our teacher. I
We more we learn of the good book the me
we value the work Of the teacher. 1t
lis true we familiarize ourselves to some
~ tent with the Bible teachings. We lea
ge to repeat many of the most beauti
hit Psalms the wisest proverbs, the choic
ak and most comforting passages.
Of when it comes to digging down for
i'd nuggets of golden thoughts which
lis, buried deep in the rich mines of Go
'n, truths; when it comes to picking up
of threads OF Bible history, many of WI
of run in and out between the lines,
oil weaving them together till the patti
W" os of Gods plan seems as clear as the nc
The day sun, we leave this research for