The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-05-05
BOLTONVILLE.

We clip the following from the Grot-
on Times of April 18th as being of
great interest to many OPINION read
ers in other states who were liberal
contributors to this same church build
ing fund:
AN UNwIsE ACY.-We are always sor-
ry to record anything which tends to low
er the standard of morality and religion
in our valley but facts are facts and in
them the public are interested. A dis
agreeable fact and one that is making
much talk is the taking of the church
building fund at BOltOnville and paying
the yearly expenses of the church. This
fund, as we understand, of S1.05, was the
result of a fair which was held, the same
being advertised and contributions sOlic-
tied far and near, to raise a fund to start
a church building. The treasurer of the
fair, Mis-. Freeman Tucker, gave the mon
ey into the hands of James Vance, the
GilurCh treasurer, expecting him to bank
it for church building purposes only. This
he failed to do but put it with the other
church monies. Now from failure to raise
a salary for an unpopular minister Mr..
Vance and Rev. q. G. McDOugall have
drawn the entire sum and used it as be-
fore stated. A protest against this action
was made and signed by nearly forty per-
sons who were active in the fair and Mr..
Vance was notified of the fact and eX-
pressed himself as agreeing perfectly with
those who thought the money should only
be used for the cause for which it was
raised, but he failed to practice what he
preached. 1t seems sad to think of a
church which started only three years
ago with such promise and a congregation
which often numbered from so to 100 being
reduced to its present status. There is
no hope of MethOdiSm in BOltOnville ever
regaining what it has lost by this unwise
nj q ri of re off nd hO
have by this act attached to themselves a
Frankinstein which will take them a life
time to destroy.
This Times statement was taken in.
to the pulpit by Mr. McDougall on the
last Sunday he preached here and We
hemently called lie, particularly the
statements that the money was raised
for a church building, and that there
was a protest signed as the Times
states. The following extract from
private letter from Mr.. Bishop of Nc
lndOes tells its own story and the pro-
test mentioned is to be seen by any one |
interested. Mr.. Bishop writes as fol,
lows:
l remember very clearly making the
speech you spoke of, and L also donated |
my services for no other purpose than for
church building. 1t seem rather strange |
minister he should now demand the pro-
ceeds, for it seems to me he must have
understood what the fair was for, as | at
tempted to make it clear to all-offering
my services to you at any time,, / am,
Yours truly,
ORA BISHOP.
Mr.. Bishop was engaged by the fair
committee to sell any unsold articles
and before doing so made speech tell
ing the purpose of the fair and the use
to which the money was to be put.
Now that conference has failed to pro-
vide for preaching here a brief sum-
mary of the past three years work is
easily made :-Conversions can be rep
resented by units, old family friend
ships broken by tens, and the money
raised and made away with by hun
dreds, and nothing left behind to show
for it. Profitable work in the name of
Christ, surely.