The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-11-28
WANTS UNITY
own WAY
Willing the Other People
Should Give In.
BUT PROSPECT IS POOR
Some Interesting Figures On
Question Of Uniting The WAX
Churches.

tlonal, Methodist, Baptist aud Free
Baptist churches OF Vermont met at
Montpelier recently aud the executive
committee composed OF Rev II. +.
Love and Rev w. a Kinzio OF Barre,
Rev Lewis Dexter OF West Topsham,
Rev L. +. Reed OF Montpelier and
Rev Fraser Metzger OF Randolph,
made report OF the condition OF the
churches throughout the state and
made recommendations In regard TO
certain fields OF the state. This report
Is In part as follows
To all The churches have been sent
circular letters some 500 In number,
stating the object and purpose Of the
inquiries.
The following we're In the inquiries:
~ Is you town oyer-churchedY t2)
10 your judgment II any, should you
be willing to give way TO, or colbine
with, any other church or churches
and whyY t3l What Is the best and
most practicable form OF consolidation
or do you think that federation o, all
the local churches, for practical co
operation would be the wisest sstep
(f Are the churches In your communi
~ ready for II, ADD II not, what are
the chief obstacles? (5) Do you per-
sonally favor such q move?
10 reply TO the first question as to
whether the town Sas over, hurched
LOB answered In the negative II 10 the
affirmative To the second question q
number say that the Protestant Epis.
copal church should give way since II
is the smallest and does not appeal to
any large portion OF the population but
they are OF the opinion that 1t is not
likely to give way.
Some do not say which church
should be merged but answer in such
a way as to leave very plain infer
euce. Eight OF 10 pastors have been
found that say they are willing to re.
sign their pastorate and go elsewhere
II a better man could be found for the
consolidated church.
The committee reports that It is
evident that some towns are over
churched. There are towns having
two churches which work amicably
together while there are some in which
prejudice and party feeling runs so
high as to retard the movement OF
federating.
The committee Is OF the opinion that
the following towns could be federat-
ed to good advantage, Brooklin, West.
field, Newport Center, Wardsboro,
East Dover, Westford, Wilmington,
Essex Junction, Johnson, Gaysyille,
Jericho Corners, and Goshen. The
committee did not deem it advisable
to have nine churches 10 the town OF
Lyndonville which has but 5000 popu-
lation. In St Johnsbury the committee
thinks the Baptists and the Free viii
Baptists should unite; in Richford the
federation OF the two Advent churches
would be advisable.
The committee mentions some princi-
pal stress In the coming together of the
churches.
First and most fundamental there Is
sympathetic attitude which must pre-
ceds all attempts at corporation; sec
ond, there is form of federation in
which each church retains its own pas
tor and is perfectly AUTONOMOUS. Such
a federation 10 being organized in
Newport for the purpose OF doing var
ious kinds OF Christian and benevolent
work but each church retains its own
pastor. The third step Is another form
OF federation where one, two or more
societies agree to have one pastor and
each organization maintains its iden-
tlty. Examples of such are Randolph,
Castleton, East Charleston, Williston
and Proctor. Doubtless this Find of
federation has marked tendency to
Woio COiiplcVo anna X dtudblOu uuutT tDe
Congregational form. The fourth step
Is complete consolidation.
There are various notifications to
the foregoing according to the circum-
stances and the committee realizes the
difficulty of applying the foregoing
principles to any community and
doubt II 1t can be met at long range.
1t will probably be non effective to
call together representative men of the
denominations interested to consider
the case in any given community.
They think, however, that missionary
aid ought not to be granted to two diff
ferent evangelical, churches in over
churched towns. They also think that
the most practical way OF removing a
superiuous church would be for the
denomination giving up something in
one place to receive something else
where and thus "balance of powers"
be maintained. UNCONVENTIONAL pride
in this way would be saved.
In regard to question four the OBJ