St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-10-30

"a
the candidate, the council had an execu-
tive session and voted to proceed with
the installation
Supper was served to the members of
the council in the church parlors, and at
7.30 the church was we'll filled for the
installation service On this occasion
this program was carried out, the music
being furnished by the double quartette:
organ Prelude. Prelude to
Lohengrin, Wagner
Moderators Statement and Reading
of Minutes of Council.
Invocation,
Rev. E. E. Grant.
Responsive Lesson,
Led by Rev. Emily c. wo odruff,
The Apostles Greed,
The Gloria Patri.
Anthem, "Gantate Domino in c." Buck
Scripture Lesson,
Rev. G. B. Kambour
Hymn 1o1.
Address in Giving the Right Hand
of Fellowship,
Rev. e. G. French.
Anthem, "Trisagion Sanctus," Hawley
The Installing Prayer,
Rev. S. G. Barnes. ID. d.
Response, Hear Thou Our Prayer, Morrison
Hymn 776.
Sermon,
Rev. George S. Mills.
Hymn ISL.
Benediction,
The Pastor.
Organ Postlude. Postlude, Verdi
The right hand of fellowship, given by
the pastor of the Lyndonville church,
was as follows:
Ny pleasant duty on this occasion is
to speak on behalf of the churches of our
county.
1t is more than formal hand shake
that give you, because to give the right
hand is more than a form.
The right hand denotes power and
strength. The lawyer poet of Israel
sang beside the defeated hosts of the
Egyptians, "Thy right hand 0 Lord, is
become glorious in power; and thy right
hand hath dashed in pieces the enemy"
And the Psalmist said, ''Show thy mar
velous loving Kindness 0 thou, that
saved by thy right hand them that put
their trust in Thee"
1t signifies also possession, for God
said to Jereboam, II will rend the king
dom out of the hand of Solomon and
will give thee ten tributes
Again it signifies help. Manahem gave
Pull, the Assyrian king a thousand
talents of silver that his hand might
be with him to confirm the kingdom.
And in many a reference it means advice
and counsel.
If the hand is so rich in significance
then to give, on behalf of our churches
the righthand of fellowship is to pledge
you the power and strength OF these
churches. 1t is to the honor of our
churches that they are bound together
by a tie stronger than any man can
make; and in your work as pastor and
prophet you will meet the stubborn foes
of all mankind. Perhaps at times the
fight will seem single-handed and alone,
but remember that the allies are ready
to march, and from the hills and valleys
of this splendid county where live and
labor our several churches pledge you
their power and strength.
No other calling is richer in friendships
than the ministry of Jesus Christ. Men
give us their condolences as they give to
no other profession. They take for
granted that we be brave men and true.
They hunger for the spiritual guidance
that they believe us competent to give.
We are to them the interpreters OF the
life of God expressed in the term OF a
man. At the cradle we are permitted to
consecrate to God the children of their
hope and affection. At the altar we re-
ceive the pledges of love and bless the
sacred VOWS At the Lords table we
help to register in high heaven the
pledges of duty and faithfulness in the
service OF God and men. And in the
house of affection we serve for the Man
of Sorrows that these stricken ones may
know "that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed
to us afterward."
We have no great possessions of
houses, lands, bonds, bank accounts, or
the cattle upon a thousand Caledonia
county hills, but every church and pastor
is rich in those possessions that are our
peculiar treasure and with my right
hand freely pledge you the privilege to
be sharer in them all.
One OF the distinguishing marks of our
denomination is that of independency
and autonomy; and just now we are
searching as never before for the deepest
luedHlIlR Vi THESE sWOIuS. we w peiiSF =
in the independency Of the individual and
of the local church, but it must be an
INDEPENDENCE not of separation, but OF
personality. We believe in the autono-
my of the local church, but it must be an
autonomy in action and not in purpose.
Neither independently or autonomy are
ends to be striven after, but only means
to an end. The real end to be sought is
the development of human character in
the perfecting of the will of God on
earth: therefore no man liveth unto
himself and no man dieth unto him
SELF"
We are dependent, each upon the
other, to far greater degree than we
realize. 1t is for this reason that we
have our councils, conventions, associa-
tons, and fellowship meetings, where we
can advise, help, and cooperate with
each other.
My brother, we need your help in these
ways, and you need ours. We have
waited for each other and in behalf oj