The Press., 1900-04-05
WELLINGTON.
An Appeal for Old Churches.

care for feeble churches, came to advise
us as to the next best thing for US to do
after Rev. Mr.. Brown closed his pastor
years. Mr.. Piddock made statement of
his views in the Examiner" to the effect
that while we had very pleasant house
OF worship, the time was near at hand
when it would become the mission sta
tion; that there would be new church
edifice at South Wellington, the pastor
live there on account Of the scattered
population of the town and the distance
from the railroad to the church, etc, etc.
just at the time when we are about to
call a new pastor, the question of how
| and where to settle him Is one of consid-
erable Importance. While Bro. Paddock
doubtless had the welfare of our church
at heart, am fearful it would eventually
lead to the closing entirely of the old
church; the doors locked, the windows
boarded up, and the grass growing over
the stepping stones. I ask myself what
Is the moral condition in such commu-
nifty? When the doors of church are
once closed they are hard to open again,
and closed once the last restrainst against
wrong is removed. the last fortress against
sin is torn down. God pity the commu-
nifty that has no church and no church in
| fiuences.
will admit that for my own personal
case l should much prefer to attend
church at South Wilmington. 1t is quite
a task to climb the hills to the center ev-
cry Sabbath. The beautiful village at
South Wellington is far more attractive.
In one sense it Is the all In all of our
town, an ornament to any town, county
or state. Mr.. Hall and his son have dis
played good taste in the outlay of their
means to make 1t an ideal village. But
while this Is true, We have the old town
lines just the same; bounded on the
north by Stafford, east by Ashford, on
the south by Mansfield, and west by Toll
land. We have scattered population of
less than one thousand souls; we have a
hundred miles OF poor, hilly roads to keep
in repair, and any amount of bridges to
look after; we have our schools to care
for, and a large portion of this burden is
borne by the scattered land-holders of
this hilly town. These people who are
so unfortunate as to be located here have
the same love for their children as those
who live near the railroad, and they have
the same desire to give their children re-
ligious privileges as the more fortunate.
1t Is long way to South Wellington
to many Of our towns people, and those
who climb the hills from the north and
east ask US to meet them half way. Our
forefathers took this into consideration
and very wisely selected beautiful spot
on which to locate the church, the town
house and the town clerks Office. They
agreed to make this slightly hill the Gen.
ter, and not far away they selected ar
equally beautiful spot as burying place
for their dead. I think all will say thai
Wilmington Hill is the ideal place for thu
center, geographically, agriculturally ant
Q everyway, except railroad wise. Ant
: here let me say that the center Is n,
; farther away from the railroad than
was fifty years ago, which Is a short tw'
: miles, instead of three, as Bro. Piddocl
= says. 1t is just far enough to induce peo
t pie from our cities to come and purchas
I homes, that their children may breath
9 the pure air of our hills, and that the
: may have the quiet that nearness to rail
g road and factory villages deprive them OF
1t Is great help to these poor town
to have such people locate In them, as
the case in our town; but If we shut ou
church doors and allow our highways t
run down and our cemeteries to grow u
to bushes, they will pass us by for NOR
civilized places. Ought we not to do al
In our power to sustain the old institr
tions, even at sacrifice of our ease an
comfort? Ought not the fortunate t
help the unfortunate, the strong to hel
the weak? Our fathers, at great sacr
flee, erected this church, and with prid
it was dedicated. They sang, "Glory t
God, it is finished" 1t was not th
beauty of the structure or the buildin
itself they gloried in; it was what it reE
resented, the desire they had to erect
monument to their belief that there wa
something of more vast Importance b.
yond. They wanted to leave somethin
to impress upon the minds of their chi
dren that they were firm believers Ia @
house not made with hands," The churc
Ahox, hoo
Thus far we have had no aid from th
state convention, and we trust 1t will col
tinue to be self-sustaining. Its influent
has been great and far spread it's voit
1t has furnished scores of talented me
, and women to fill the various vocation
Of life all over our land-men and wome
we are proud Of, and every one livir
would loudly protest against the closir
of the doors of their home church. Ho
often do we receive expressions of lo'
from them for their old church and tow
the dearest spot on earth they say. Al
many of them express desire that tt
cemetery of old Wilmington be their la
resting place.
Inow appeal to all interested in churt
or town matters to take deep intere
In our town as town, and to keep l
our old customs and institutions, and +
our good people at South Wellington
remember how hard the majority of o,
people have to struggle for an existenc
and to lend them a helping hand-me
them half way, as near as POSSIBLE,
church and town matters. This from
citizen and we'll wisher of the whole
the town of Wellington.
Deafness Cannot be Cured
by local applications, as they cannot reach
QleeaSeQ portion of the ear. There Is only Q