Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-05-21
REV. FRASER MErzcER
Formally Installed a. Pastor OF Beth
any Church Of Randolph.

any SuurC0 OF n0nooton.
The formal installation of Rev. Fraser
Metzger as pastor of Bethany church took
place Friday evening and was preceded in
the afternoon by meeting of council
composed of the following pastors and
lay delegates Federated churches Of
Randolph Center, Rev. F. A. Wells and
c. H. Morrill,; Cong'l church of North
field, Rev. j. B. Sargent, Capt. }. L.
Moseley; First and Second Cong'l church
es of Brookfield, Rev. j. E. Sweet, Dea-
cons Frink and Graves; Cong'l churches
of East Braintree and West Brookfeld,
Rev. C. H. Grosvenor and Mrs. Byron
Wakefield; Cong'l church of Williams
town, Rev. D. H. Strong; invited mem
Der OF the board, Rev. M. H. Buckham,
d. D., LII. D., president of the University
of Vermont.
The council organized by electing Pres
ident Buckham moderator, and Rev. j.
B. Sargent scribe. E. T. Salisbury, clerk
of Bethany church, was then called upon
to read the correspondence between the
church and its pastor relative to the mat
ter of installation, which he did as fol-
lows
GA special meeting OF the members of
Bethany church was called April 10 last,
and after comforting with the church war
dens and the pastor. it was the unani-
nous opinion of all that it would be well
to raise the PASTORS salary from $25 to
$50 week if he would accept installation
and become the regularly installed pastor
of the church, thus assuring as permanent
connection as possible between church
and pastor. In view of the fact that his
work has been so arduous; that there are
so many extra calls for his services; so
many extra items of expense, and espe-
cially in view of the fact that he might
command a higher salary in a larger
place, the church committee and the war
dens were of the unanimous opinion that
this church could afford to pay him
weekly salary of $50 in addition to his
house rent and other items il he would
accept installation.
"The church committee conferred with
the pastor and found him willing to ac-
cept installation on such terms; therefore,
it was recommended to issue call to the
Rev. Fraser Metzger to become regularly
installed pastor; that a council be called
for such purpose sometime in May, and
that all action necessary for the purpose
be taken by the church,
Mr.. Metzger then presented his certifi-
cate of ordination in the Merrimac Chris
tian conference of New Hampshire and
read this declaration of faith
81 believe in the fatherhood of God and
the brotherhood of man.
81 believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God. believe that He came to save
the world from its sins, that is, to lead
the world God-ward.
81 believe there is no other name under
heaven given among men whereby we
must be saved, recognizing persistent
redemption or growth to be a larger
factor insalvation than sudden rescue.
ssBut above all, / believe it to be of
small consequence what man holds in
matters of creed so long as his eyes are
fixed upon Jesus. Great and good men
are as far apart as possible, theologically,
but as see them, each finds his saliva
ton, not in the creed he holds, but in the
Christ he trusts.
81 believe that the saying of Jesus,
except We become as little children We
shall not enter into the kingdom Of heav-
en- was never so applicable as in this
day of unprecedented differences among
the scholars of the world.
81 believe that Christianity must be
freed from the tendency to make funda-
mental, mere confession or creed and rit-
ual observance or worship, and that in
the fulfillment of the faith and conduct of
Jesus Christ in the lives OF men today.
81 would not ignore creed nor worship,
but / would put them in their proper
place as incidental to the expression of
character and faith.'
Asked by the moderator for his views
of the Christian church, Mr.. Metzger said
he believed the church to be an organiza-
ton like other organizations. sometimes
guilty of blunders but yet conserving the
truths of Christianity down to our day
and prepared to carry them on to the
days to come. He believed it to be subject,
like other organizations, to growth and
deterioration and that the methods of the
past cannot be the methods of today;
modern conditions must be met by mod
ern means. The church is an institution
in which he and others may work toward
the goal OF Christianity truths OF
Christ-though they might wish for
better organization; but since there is
none, they are glad to work within the
church.