Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-02

which period ~ had been received on
confession. The disinission OF Mr.. Marsh
very naturally led to some stir in both
church and society and very naturally II
brought to tho front n project which
for several years had been considered al
Intervals. namely, the probable adva nta &c
OF establishing another Congregational
Church by colonization from this one. The
movement came officially to the attention
of the First Church in July, 1850. In Sep.
tember 45 members presented request for
a Joint letter Of dismssion and these with
three from other churches and four, who
then hrst made profession of their faith.
were organized into a third Congregational
Church November I. Drs. Joseph Torrcy
and Simeon Parmelee presiding very much
as President Sanders had done at the for
nation of this church. Since the division
both churches have, so far as is know,
to rue. met their financial obligations with
less difficulty than was sometimes en-
countered by the undivided community
and both have had reason to rejoice in
the outward and in the inward prosperity
enjoyed.
REV. ELDR1DGE MIX IS CALLED.
The sacred number seven indicates the
place Of the Rev. Eldridgc Mix in the suc.
cession. He came to Burlington In March,
1862. A little before Mr. Mix began his
ministry an effort was begun to secure
for the congregation some active share in
the conduct Of public worship. Later the
Sabbath hymn and tune book-the best
| then TO be had-was procured.
Another movement during Mr.. Mix's In
cumbency was the enthusing of fresh life
into the Sunday school. Mr.. Mix's pas
torate also marked the substitution of the
evening service for the old second serv-
icc at TWO o'clock In the afternoon. Mr.
Mix cndeared himself to all and there
was universal regret in the homes when
| at the close Of his fifth year he announced
his desire to accept a call to church in
Orange. N. j., and was dismissed by a
council which met August 90 1851. During
his pastOrate 81 were received upon pro-
fession. Since 1895 Mr.. Mix has resided
| in Worcester. Mass. where he has over.
sight OF the City Missionary society.
REV. EDWARD n. GRIFFIN AS
PASTOR.
| The Rev. Edward II. Griffin was ordain-
cd as Mr.. AIix's successor in February
1868. The historian showed how the point
of view has changed in generation, by
citing the instance of Mr.. GriIn's with
drawal from a club for the study OF
Shakesreare's plays. because two con-
scentious women members of the church
thought such conduct on the part of ;hc
pastor might he attended by serious con-
sequences. Great regret was expressed
when. at the end OF -four and one-half
years. Mr. Griffin closed his abors
For n few months after Mr.. Griffins de-
parture Prof. George \. Wcbbcr of Mid
dlchury mnistcred to the needs Of the
congre CATION.
THE LIBERAL MOVEMENT.
The Rev. Lewis o. Brastow came to us
in 1913. after a IL years pastorate in st.
Johnsbury. He took up his diversified du-
ties with characteristic promptness and
energy. As the parsonage was as yet I'M
built he lived at first as the rest had done
in his own hired house. About four years
after MIR. Brastow's induction. an attempt
was made by certain of the clergy in the
State To set more definite doctrnal
standard for the ministry of the denomin-
alton. Some here will remember the con-
vention Of the churches which met with
the College Street Church in 1879. The
question Of ministerial standing caused
not little tension Of feeling and the argu-
ments pro and con We're sharply and
strongly put. The pastors of the two Bur-
lington churches, Drs. Brastow and SAT-
ford insisted on the right to appeal past
|all catechisms and creeds to the anthem
tic word of God and argued that no min
lister should lie under the mputation of
hcresy unless his particular beliefs had
been examined and passed upon by a COM
oil >Lo
was twice called--an unusual thing in
that assembly and tho two champions of
freedom--of tho right to think and the
right to appeal to scrpture-were voted
down. once in the ratio of eight to three
and AT last in nearly the ratio Of nine to
one. And there followed a protest against
this action OF the convention and of tho
II sgncrs. their two names led the
list. They were in the minority in that
contest. but as unafraid as Gideon and
his troop and as sure of victory in a
future not remote. And to-day? Nay.
within ten years of that defeat they were
backed by a host of the very men who had
voted them down. The time-spirit wrought
on and insenslbly leavened and lightened
with the truth tho minds of the most
conservative. The two camps had be-
come one and their tents are pitched on
the height on which. in 1879, the two de-
tenders of religious liberty had stood to
their guns.
DIR. BRASTOW"S WORK.
DR.. Brastows sermons were addressed
to alert and active minds. His preaching
was at once stimulating and cducatve.
His skill as an educator shOnc in the
teachers meetings held weekly in his
surface work The hearers caught some
thing of his enthusiasm and the classes
too. got a reflex o. it, and best OF all
the sunday evening sermons showed that
his deep culture had brought Np treas
ures as rich as thoy were rare. DR.. Bras
tow WAS frank and outspokcn. indisposed
L. compromise: discussed temperance and
III" duties of the either and nj the Of
fcers of the law with plain sincerity,
which may have been n little disturbing
to some of his auditors After fruit
full ministry of II years, in the course
OF which 12S had publicly confessed Christ,
he resigned his charge to the deep re-
eret of the major part of his cOngrega-
ton ANA soon after received the high
compliment of a chair liz the Yale Theo-
lC gical Seminary.
THE LONGEST PASTORATE.
1t was the cordial recommendation of
DR.. Brastow which first drew the atten-
ton of the committees Of the church and
"a "a