St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-08-05
CONGREGATIONAL Brotherhood.

.b.r C ST. Clare, pastor of the Nor
-als church. Mr.. St. Clare is very
rsssotly remembered in st. Johnsbury
graduate of our Academy. The
address follows;
,i.l.rc F, a movement of the Goth
l.r ~, NOR. notable than another, it is
'SD, ar6,sing OF the moral and religious
ID, . a.m If he men of America to the
na,D'' of definite action. We are not
..;ng that preceding ages have been
y 'ac,or6duc,ye Of men of this positive
uu5 for noble souls have lived, have
ri t,5 their visions and have passed over
NJ .s.r loug Quincy to their sure rewards,
nth nth tbeir prophetic messages ringing on
,s. s Gns But we do intimate that
n ., awe, since the days of the great revivals,
t.s there been a more unanimous inter
..+ an III. part OF thinking men in the
rosnel of lssus Christ, and a more evil
3srf willingness to put the teachings of
.Es sermon on the Mount into univer-
VI al practice. than during the opening
s.ors nj rhe 2Oth century. The men of
N ,msrica are awaking to the RESPONSE
bgr nlaced upon their shoulders by
" llmobty God. and whereas this respon-
" ,Gifr has been borne lightly or wholly
n IGNORED BY the large majority as the
Years have passed, there is today
Simultaneous awakening on the part of
men in every department of life, and
VI definite action has begun.
N # began in the business world with
H tbe attack on the loose and Unfair
methods Of business procedure of GER
n tain representative insurance companies.
II Bpt this was enough. 1t needed but a
II beoinning 1t was the call to arms, and
N Me- clarion was not through reverberat-
n rg It's hopeful note, when the country
bpgan to culver with the restlessuess of
those whose hearts had been thrilled and
strred BY the slogan of those who had
n ooened the FRAY. 1t had been a long
N wait The armies had faced each other
n for almost a generation; but one morn
d righteousness leaps over the ramparts,
PUSHES up to the very rifle pits of the
n enemy and hurls herself on greed, and
rckerv. with relentless fury. Many a
man discovered in that moment what
that Juggling restlessness in his breast
4 meant. 1t needed only battle cry to
break the spell, only bold command to
arouse all this divine patriotism for
n truth in the souls of Americas men.
The ultimatum once delivered, the ad-
vance once begun, it was thrilling to
note with what rapidity the movement
made progress No business was too
time honored, no individual too old to
escape the relentless scrutiny of this
mighty power of awakened righteous
ness L, turned its vigorous energy
toward any industry however large its
capitalization, upon which the shade of
\ Suspicion had at any time rested 1t
Il began, we said, in the business world,
Il outside of the church, where the doctrine
Of business is war; had been preached;
4 but YOU could not conhne it there, thank
God 1t spread with rapidity to the
obbies, to the committee rooms, and
even to the representative and senate
halls Of the capitols of state and nation.
thas been showing itself since in the
formation gifts lines for a renewed at
tack on the social problems Of our
country and why should one think it
strange to find evidences, unmistakable
evidences Of its entrance into the organic
ed church of Christ?
The church has been praying long for
men otron to show themselves within
her ranks, her prayer has begun to be
answered and from counting house,
farm and shop they are turning toward
theChurch, and are beginning to ask
what wilt thou have US to do" 1t
was long long ago that the women of
America felt this profound and impelling
tug within their souls and the unani-
nous and persistent vigor with which
they have prosecuted their holy work
makes the brightest and most encourage
ing reading on the pages of Americas
church history during the 10th century;
and as a result we find the women today
thoroughly and Systematically organic
ed, and we must confess that they have
been the real impelling and sustaining
power Of aggressive work in the
Christian church for many decades.
Ahttle more than quarter of CEN
fury ago through the wisdom of DR..
Francis E Clark, then of Portland,
Maine, the first steps were taken to
llFect and solidity the influence of the
InrSuan Young men and women OF
america, The gigantic project of weld
lngyoung men and women in a common
gndeayor was attempted, and, brethren,
twas accomplished, and with how great
success we cannot say, but we verify
0eIeye that the present attitude of our
men today toward civic Righteousness is
lue In no small measure to the teach
ngs OF good citizenship which this
society has always championed. 1t is
The men who alone have been inorganic
yuby the church, who have been allowed
10 walk independently and have not
gten taught the beauty of interdepen-
uence and it is they who are now ex-
pressing by several indubitable signs
Ueir readiness, in some cases their
VageTnes, to stand shoulder to shoulder
improperly organized effort in behalf
Uthe Kingdom of Almighty God.
nut we ind ourselves unprepared for
ucn a situation. The thing for which
We nave been praying, we are not fully
guaUhed TO receive. Some say There is
Wechurchitself Use the church. "'Do not
unnecessarily multiply your ecclesiasti-
"a machinery and so say we, but many
u these men are not ready for church
membership. They have had their own
lucas OF workmanship and are going to
lake then own time in making this init
Iate identification of their lives with the
S'9e body Of Christ. And even should
al decide to join the church at once,
lucy c9u.Inot be put at work Church
"o[h is latersexual work, and the men
rgyu "aa- the women have had, def