Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-22
CHURCHES ARE
NOT READY,
Too Much Denominational Pre-.
judice in Vermont for Fed.
GRAFTON.
REPORT OF COMMITTEE
Recommend That In Ovcr-Churcbed a
Towns Missionary Ala should Bs
Given Only One Evangelical
Church-Thc Idcn of Fed
crntion Is Gaining.

Montpelier. Nov 21.--The committee
from the congregational. Methodist. Bap-
tist and Free Baptist Churches of Yer
mont met at Montpelier to-day and the
executive committee composed Of the
Revs. Lowe and Kinzle of Barre. Dexter
| OF Wlliamstown and Reed of Montpelier
made n report Of the condition of the
churches throughout the State and made
recommendation in regard to certain
fields of the State. This report is in part
as follows:
To all the churches have been sent cir
cular letters some so In number stating
the object and purpose OF the inquiries.
The following We're In the inquiries: %
Is your town over churched? (2) In your
judgment if any, should you be willing
to give way to, or combine with, any
other church or churches and why?
! 81 What is the best and most ractic-
able form of consolidation or do you
think that federation of all the local
churches for practical cooperation would
be the wisest step?
| (D Are the churches In your commun-
ty ready for it. and If not, what are the
chief obstaclesc
| a
move?
! In reply to the first question as to
whether the town was over-churched lO3
answered in the negative and II in the
affirmative. To the second question q
number say that the Protestant Episco-
! pal Church ought to give way since 1t ls
the smallest and does not appeal to any
large portion of the population but they
1
give way.
Some do not state which church
ought to be merged bit answer in
such n way as to leaNc very plain
I Inference Eight or ten pastors have
been found that 'euow their Christian
conservation by statirk their willing
ness to resign their Tastorate and go
elsewhere If n better man could be
found for the consolidated church.
The committee report that it Is evil
dent that some towns are over
church.d. There are towns having two
churches which work amcably togeth-
cr while there are some In which pre-
judice and party feeling runs so nigh
as to retard the movement Of federat-
ing.
The committee are Of the opinion
that the following towns could be fed
Grated to good advantage Brookline,
Westfcld. Newport Center Wardsboro,
East Dover. Westford, Wilmington, Es-
sex Junction. Johnson, Gaysvillc, Jeri-
cho Corners and Goshen. The commit
tee did not deem It advisable to have
nine churches in the town of Lyndon
Vile which has but 5000 population.
In St, Johnsbury ,ney BELLE, me
Baptists and the Free VIII DunfIsts
should unite. In Richfold tie fedora
tion Of the two Advent churches would
be advisable
The committee mention somc princi-
pal stress in the coming together of
the churches First and most funda-
mental there is IA sympa. Tactic attitude
which must precedc all attempts at
co-operation, second. there is "A form of
federation in which each church retains
It's own pastor and is perfectly autony-
nous. Such a federation is being or
ganized In Newport for the purpose Of
doing various kinds Of Christian and
benevolent work but each church re-
tains It's own pastor
The third step is another form of fedora
tion where one. two or more societies
agree to have one pastor and each
organization maintains it's identify
Examples of such are Randolph Castle
ton, East Charlestown, Wlllston and
Proctor Doubtless this kind of federation
has a marked tendency towards com
plete amalagamation under the Corgrega-
tional form.
The fourth step is complete consoida-
ton.
There are various notifications to the
foregoing according to the circumstances
and the committee realize the diff
iculty Of applying the foregoing principles
to any community and doubt II It can
be met at long range 1t will probably be
non reflective to call together represent
atve men OF the denominations interest
ed to consider the case in any given COM
munity They think however that mis-
sonary aid ought not to be granted to
two different evangelical churches In over
churched towns. They also think
that the most practical way of removing
superfluous church would be for the
denomination giving up something in one
place to receive something elsewhere and
thus II balance Of powers" be maintain
ed. Denominational pride in this way
would be saved.
In regard to question four the obstacles
are about such as might be expected
excessive denominational feeling, pre-.
judces and social differences. As a rula
the smaller the town the greater the pre-
judce. In answer to question five there
is no doubt that the majority of those
replying are In favor OF the movement
In closing they state they have con-
siderable doubt as to whether the Chris |
tian churches OF this State are yet ready
to take hold OF federation or consolida-
tion In any large way but that on the
other hand they feel certain that the
idea is constantly making headway. The |
committee is comprised of the Rev. r. F.
Lowe OF Barre. the Rev. L. F. Reed OF
Montpelier, the Rev. w. A. Kenze of
Barre, tho Rev. Lewis Dexter Of West
Topham and the Rev. Frazer Metzger of
Randolph.
DEATH OF J. NJ. COATES.
Rutland. Nov. 21.--James NJ. Coates,
age 43 years. who up to six months
nc - .Atirol ha,a,,.> .,, |