Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-01-11
WESTMINSTER WEST.
The Protestant Churches Of the
County.

County.
Considerable attention was paid at
the recent conference at Newfane to
the present religious condition of the
county. The number of churches, the
number of ministers employed, the
number of church members, and the
proportion of people who are under
direct church influence was set forth
in a general way, but no exact figures
were presented. Further inquiry has
served to show that the statements
then made did not vary much from the
truth
A careful examination of the Ve~-
mont Register shows that the Protest
ant churches of the county number
20. They are divided denominations
ally as follows: Congregational, 20;
Baptist, including the Free Baptist of
Stratton. 20; Methodist, 70; Universal
list, including the Union church in
Vernon, .; Episcopal, 3; Unitarian, !;
Lutheran, Advent. /.
In the different towns these 70
churches are located as follows:
Athens, /; Brattlcboro. II; Brool,line,
.: Dover 3; DummcrstOn, . Grafton
2; Guiford, 8; Halifax 3; jamaica .
Londonderry, 3; Marlboro, /; New
fame. 4; Putney, 3; Rockingham, S;
StrattOn, /; Townshend, 3: Vernon. !
WardsborO, 3: Westminster. .: Whit
ingham, 4 Wilmington, A. Windham,
-. In addition to these there are a
few preaching stations where there
are no separate churches. The old
Congregational church in Dover is
mentioned, but this is not counted, as
there is no church organization there,
and if services are held at all il is
very infrequently. In several that are
counted il is stated there are only oc-
casiOnal services. The Seventh Day
Baptist community in Jamaica is not
mentioned in the Register. As to the
actual existence of a church there the
writer is ignorant.
In regard to the exact number of
ministers at work in the county at any
one time it is not easy to determine
There are frequent changes and
church which has a pastor this month
may not have one next month, or the
reverse may be true. 4 careful re-
view seems to put the present number
in the field at SO. This leaves Il
churches which have no resident pas
tor. but there are not that number pas
torless. Several ministers regularly
occupy two fields. and several other
fields are supplied by preachers who
are not pastors. a few of the church
cs. particularly in the southern part
OF the county. sustain only occasional
preaching. The Register gives no
resident preacher for the four church
es of Nottingham, but they are sup
piled mainly fromWilmington. Three
of the five churches of Guilford are
supplied from Brattleboro, at least a
portion of the year.
The entire population of the county
is a little less than 27.00O. The Ro-
man Catholics are believed to number
about 5000. This will leave about "a
600 Protestants. 1t appears then,
that there is a church for $50 people
on the average, and a minister for
$50. No one can say there are not
churches and ministers enough to
reach the whole population easily.
Between the towns there is no great
difference as TO the number of church
es to people. Brookline is the town
where there are the fewest number of
persons to a church. about 100; West
minister the largest number, about
700 as the figures go-but in fairness
il should be said that there is a con
siderable population whose relation IS
with churches in Rockingham, so that
the real average is about like that of
the other towns.
The precise church membership of
the county can be obtained only
through the annual statistics of the va.
| riouS denominations. II would be
some work to collect them and no one
probably has ever attempted to do it,
! But an estimate sufficiently accurate
may be made. That would place it az
! the lowest figure as 5000 for the "a
churches of the county. In another
paper an attempt will be made to
show what is actually done.