St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-04-10
ATypicaI New England Deacon.


From the tribute to Deacon X. A. Saw
age, late of Stowe, paid by his pastor
Rev. W. L. Anderson, the following ex,
tracts are taken. Mr.. Anderson's first
pastorate of eight years was here, and
when he saws of his deacon, "He gave
me my ideals of the church and of the
spiritual life, " he gives credit for for
native influence in his career as potent,
doubtless, as any in his whole course OF
training. Fortunate the young minister
who finds one as worthy
This church has always seemed to me
a larger embodiment of the spirit and
character of its recognized leader. The
| boy who could not be minister lived to
put the stamp OF his Christian personal
| ity upon a church as not one minister in
thousand succeeds in doing. Other in
| fuences have contributed to the making
of this church, but when all else is said
there is much which is not explained. |
humbly acknowledge that l have never
freed myself from the training of his
spirit. To this hour the type of religion
exempliied in him is that which rules my
heart. When was pastor and he was
one of the flock he was more powerful
than |. bent under his influence. He
gave me my ideals Of the church and of
the spiritual life. What he did for me he
has done for you. | rejoice in it. This
church is always to me bit of the king
dom of God which has already come, and
it is this in a distinguishing degree be-
cause there was poured out upon it the
perpetual love and care of this faithful
and wise man. l entreat you who share
in this tradition Of holy influence to be
mindful OF the sacred trust. God gave
You great blessing. Mr. Savage would |
have made noble minister. God took |
that choice material and wrought of it
leader for you. 1t is the old story of sac
rifice. 1t is ever the broken body which |
saves the world. He that overcomes, |
that is checked and baffled, but not de |
ieated, becomes pillar in the temple of |
God.
In speaking of Mr.. Savage have used
strong language Intentionally. l regard
him as one of the purest examples of the
noblest type of man which New England
has produced. He had the ability to win
in the exchange, the senate, the
professors chair, the pulpit. Many men
with less affluent equipment have gone
forth from New England to win conspic-
uous triumphs.
But these men of this type stayed at
home in youth. They sacrificed the fu.
ture of which they dreamed at the de.
nand of conscience. They paid the price
Of all great character, and God added a
blessing. These men on sterile farm, in
obscure hamlet, with meagre opportun-
ty, have wrested success from most TN
promising conditions. In doing that,
BETTY as the tasks of their daily life have
sometimes been, they have won for them.
elves character which is the glory of
'ur New England life. That sacrifcial
pirit is the substance of religion, and
hese men thus coming into affinity with
he spiritual world have lived in time as
they were eternal, and have wrought
precious handiwork Of gold and silver
nd precious stones, whose beauty sur
ives the shocks of change and is only re-
called by the fire that consumes what is
ashoned of wood and hay and stub
lie.