Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-06-02
Religion in Vermont.
Some Bright and Telling Paragraphs
from Rev. c. IT. MerriIl's Report TO
the Home Missionary society.

Some Bright and Telling Paragraphs
from Rev. c. IT. Merrill's Report TO
the Home Missionary society.
The Phoenix printed last week sum
mary of the statistics given by Rev. Z. Ii.
Merrill in his statement to the Home Mis-
scnary society on the missionary work OF
the Congregationalsts in Vermont. His
report was admirably phrased with many
incisive terms. Here are some paragraphs:
"When Gov. Rollins said, There are
towns in New Hampshire where no church
bell is heard from January to January;
there are villages where the children grow
to manhood unchristened; there are com
munities where the dead are laid away
without the benson of the name of Christ,
and where marriages are solemnized only
by the justice of the peace statistical
expert in Vermont started up in the inter-
est of enterprising journalism and pub
lished list of 10 churches without pas
tor and IA towns without a church.
storm of protest soon showed that lie had
taken his facts from untrustworthy sources,
in a manner that threw discredt upon the
whole. And when a little later, as the
current of popular approval turned the
other way, it was shown that while Massa-
chusetts had one religious organization for
every $40 of population and seating capac-
! ity in churches for about one-half, New
Hampshire had religious organization
for every $50 and seating capacity for
about two-thirds, this same expert jumps
to the front and shows that Vermont has
an organization for every 367 inhabitants
and seating capacity for about three
fourths. AS usual, the Green Mountain
state is ahead. In whichever procession
it is fashionable to train, we are prepared
to take a front place and the same expert
will prove it.
"Never before in the history of our state
has the number of Congregational churches
been as large as today; and, in recent
years at least, never have there been so
few that were moribund. During the last
ten years we have organized II and drop
ped three. During the last six years we
have not dropped a single church from the
roll, and we have revived some that SEEM
ed like resurrection from the dead The
new churches, with only two exceptions in
rapidly growing places, have all been in
communities where there was no other re-
ligious service. Even in an old state like
Vermont we have found some such places.
For the past eight years, covering the
entire period of hard times. we have been
able to carry on our work aggressively and
fruitfully and pay our missionaries prompt
ly if not adequately. We have been able
to do this by the use of two legaces which
came into our treasury at the beginning of
the period and have carried us through the
times of financial depression. But the
legacies are now exhausted The cloud
upon our horizon is financial one. This
spring, for the first time in II years, we
have sent out an emergency call, and we
are now waiting for the response. The
living donors have done we'll We are not
ashamed TO compare figures with any 9TH
er state. Proportionately, we have the
honor of giving more than any other to
the Gen. Howard Roll of Honor fund.
When Mrs. Caswell wishes anything spec
ial she comes to Vermont. We are suf-
fering through a dearth of legaces. The
good do not die early in our bracing at
mosphere, and we would not have them.
The Necessity of Country Work.
vermont makes claim for liberal sup
port on two grounds. Our work is hope
full; it is necessary. The hopefulness of
our work is seen in results. Nowhere can
mission work show larger returns in re-
deemed souls which 90 to strengthen our
own churches and to carry their influences
to the ends of the earth. 1t will pay finan-
cially to keep these old fields alive. The
largest legacy our society ever received
came from parish where the church was
, on the verge of extinction. There are
humble homes on our hillsides that are
the Mecca of Western college presidents in
search of endowments. Would you close
! for these homes the old church door in
their last days?
And this work is a necessity. 1t is
country work. The country can live with
out the city, but the city cannot live with
out the country. To keep life strong and
pure in man, he must go back from time
W tlluo anu tOuCu the SUI. Inc men with
brain and Drawn who come to the front in
the fierce competition in business. in pro-
fessions and in politics are the men not
many generations removed from the farms.
Max Nordau, in his book on degeneracy,
says that the goth century must develop a
race of men with nerves of steel, who can
live on express trains, do business by tele-
phone, and read 20 pages of news morning
= and evening; or, that there must be re.
turn to the slower and saner methods OF
country life. We cannot doubt which al.
tentative will be taken. 1t is this country
life that we are trying to keep pure and
sweet
This Is Not Ancient History.
, vermont has taken prominent part in
our nations history the past year. She i:
small state, but she has furnished he,
, quota of men. And you will note how the
= pure Yankee type has come out in them in
the characteristics of courage, GOODNESS
calculation hard-headed sense and prepa
, ration for emergency, The speech in Con
gress that stirred the heart of the nation