Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-06-27
Continued from second page.

efFicis Mt services of its different pas
tors. many of whom have been strong
men who got a deep hold upon the
neople. During the first twenty years
of its existence, the church was with
out a pastor except for about three
and one. half years. During that time
II nourished it's own life by an institu-
ton of worship whereby different
ones conducted different parts of pub
lie worship, and by the holding of
quarterly, monthly and weekly serv-
ices other than the Sabbath services.
At times special services were held
for nraving with and for the children
and for leading them into the Christ
ian life. The church has always been
conservative in it's doctrines and has
felt that the bonds of it's covenant had
force in life. In many instances the
church covenant has been the means
of correcting and restoring the
Christian life of its members.
Disturbing questions have come up.
for sc Element and they were always
discussed freely and with great delib-
GRAFTON. In 1928 the question of
Masonry became a burning one. 1t
was voted on Jan. 1st, 1929, that
Masonry be considered as an immora
institution, contrary to the spirit of
Christianity, and that attendance on a
Masonic Lodge be considered just
ground for church discipline. This
vote was rescinded in 1877. There is
no record of disciplining members of
the church for being connected with
the Masonic Lodge.
The question of slavery came to the
front in December, 1843, and was
under discussion two years before it
was settled. The final action of the
church was embodied in these two
resolutions:
Resolred, That the doctrine which
prevails to a great extent in our land,
| both in the North and South that man
may rightfully hold property IN his
! felloWman, is nowhere taught or
sanctioned in the word of God and
therefore is an anti Christian doc
trine; therefore,
Resolred, That those WIS hold this
| doctrine and practice accordingly, IN
using their fellowmen as property,
are not entitled to Christian fellow
ship but ought to be plainly and faith
fully admonished by all Christians on
every proper occasion until they
repent and reform.
With reference to both of these
questions there were conservatives
and radicals, yet no personal bitt:r-
ness seems to have been engendered
by the discussions.
The sermon following the historical
paper was given by Rev. q. Fl. Merrill,
D. D., secretary of the Vermont
Domestic Missionary Society. The
text was Ps. 81: 4. "Blessed are they
that dwell in thy house; they will be
still praising thee" AS it is COM
mon figure of speech to make the
expression "the house of God" stand
for 1.-the church of God" the theme
of the sermon was the presciousness
of the church of the living God and
the blessings which come to those who
live within the reach of its influence
The theme was considered ally ano
not historically, setting forth OF
what the church may be and will be
as it draws near to it's ideal. Then II
as far as this church during the last
one hundred years has drawn near tc
it's ideal it has stood % For the wor'
ship of God; (2) For the setting apar
of stated times for sacred ends; g.
For education in its broadest sense
"a For those characteristics in bust
ness and in political life which have
made possible the system under which
all society has come to be dependen
: one upon another for the necessitie
5. of life, and the government of thu
> people, by the people and for IT,
people, under which we live; (5) Fo
other worldliness. "Men die, insti
buttons remain. If our life, in all tina
= Is best, has been put into an 1nstltu
Of ton like this, our work will stan
~ 70 when all dross is burned with fire an
consumed" The sermon was a yer
forceful setting forth of these point
in their practical relations.
The evening was the celebration
- the nineteenth anniversary of the frs
A public organization of the Sunday
school in this town. Itwas organize
as part of our church work June 1
1914, and our present Sunday scho
81 is its direct descendant. The Sunda!
school anniversary was arranged fl
u by the State Sunday school Associi
ton and it was presided over by l
field secretary, Rev. E. NJ. Fuller.
was made a part of our centennl
anniversary because this Sunda
# school interest has ever been pa
~ of our church life. AS early as 10
Col. Asahel Washburn, member