The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-08-07
ACCEPTS CALL TO
BALDWINSVILLE
Rev. Luther NJ. Keneston viii
Leave September !.
READ RESIGNATION ON SUNDAY
Thinks He Has Accomplished All the
Special Work He Is Capable OF Do
ing in This Parish-New Field Win
Offer Wider Opportunities for Work.

oner Wider Opportunities for Work
Rev. Luther NJ, keneston, pastor o
the First Congregational church, read hi
resignation Sunday morning, IL y U
take effect Sept. |, when he will begli
the pastorate OF the First Congregational
or Memorial, church IN BaldwinsNllle
Mass. Mr., keneston has received tvs
unanimous calls from the church within
the last five years and believes the helc
oifcrs wider opportunities for his work
IL is a manufacturing village OF 1000 IA
habliants, with church membership o
comparatively small Per cent. HIS psis
nation comes with regret TO his parish
toners and the townspeople, although II
was not unexpected, ~ lac announced a
few weeks ago that the call had come Il
him In his sermon ON the Invitation u
the Gospel Feast he said:
II am all the more urgent IN this IN
yitation because | shall have but few
more times, as your pastor, 10 repeat ~,
/ mean by this that | hereby ask you "a
relieve me OF my present engagement
Sept LIST, for this Is my final resigna'
ton. IL is a hard thing 10 do, but II
must be so. II may mean less to You
than TO Us, for better men than myself
are available, and the change touches
NOu az ~ niiAt w. ~ -
different. Our home Is here, our friends
are here, our work is here; we have
some financial interests here; | had hoped
10 remain here; but an all-wisc Proyl'
dence disposes all things concerning Ills
children, and they who make the inter
ests OF His kingdom first may rest in
His universal immanence and INFINITE
love. Many OF you remember that five
years ago we expected to accept the ur.
gent call OF a small church in Massa.
chusetts. Among the reasons for our re
naming here (tor there were seyerall
were these: Church repairs, the saloon
question and the grading OF our Sunday
school and the public schools. The
bills paid; the Sunday school is carefully
graded; my work in the public schools
j. done, and the saloon is dead and
buried. None OF these things are TO my
sole credit. but in them all have found
an opportunity to help. My successor
will doubtless ind other special work,
but for me the future work Of this
church would be routine rather than spe.
cial and urgent, and however delightful
the place or dear the surroundings l
should always feel that | ought TO make
place for minister who could lead you
along some line OF progress.
HIS DusAOidlt VI NNNNH anu Univ
fourths years has not been altogether un.
fruitful. as the following will show
Eighty.two additions to the church, max
ing the present membership larger than
for more than sixty years; gifts to regu-
lar benevolence nearly $500 primary
department of the Sunday school organ
lied and school graded, the various la
dies societies united to form the
Womans Association, with efficient de
partments for local, home missionary and
foreign missionary work, the church
building improved by two additions, be-
sides the extended roof, new decorations
throughout, electric lights, a new carpet,
individual communion service and pipe
organ, the parsonage painted and
plumbed and new veranda built and
spring water furnished, and $3.50 added
to the invested fund.
''These things do not represent the
pastors work alone. We have tried to
help, and God has been very good to us.
What you have done should be a prom
Use for the future. The field is still wide
and the harvest great. The reapers may
be many, but their leadership must fall
to another, for now this same church.
with the nnsolved problems OF many
years, repeats the earnest appeal OF five
years ago, that we come to them. With |
in the last fourteen months | have posi- |
lively declined to consider three posi- |
lions, each paying larger salary than |
this one which | feel it my duty to ac- |
cept as soon as you kindly accept my |
Whether the character and |
quality OF my sermons, and the general |
work of this pastorate, have been worthy |
Of the Christian ministry or not, 1t is
now too late to change The record is
WITH God, and He judges rightly, par
loning our failings and giving credit for
I'll good intentions. To Him | commend
you, and pray that He may guide you in
,our choice of a spiritual leader in whom
,ou all may have the greatest confidence
md toward whom you may show as
many and great tokens of good will as
,ou have shown to us. May God lead us
III into green pastures and beside still
waters, and make us useful in spread
ng the gospel of salvation to the ends of
he earth"
The work accomplished during his pas
crate is largely due to the united eff
orts of Rev and Mrs. Keneston, who
re ever ready to work with heart and
lands for the betterment of people,
lace or property. Mrs. keneston has
een president Of the Woman's associa-
ion since its organization, shortly after
hey came here and has proven herself
fficient in the office.
Mr.. Keneston was born in Wilmot, N.
l., Aug. q, 1885, and lived there in his
oyhood He attended the public schools
his native town and Colby academy
New London. N. II. He became
eacher in private school in 1874 and
aught II years. He was ordained to the
church in New Boston, Jan
D, 1889, and the following year he went
D Ashburnham, where he remained
hree years On July l., 1898, he went to
helton, Conn, and was there ~ years
he society had no church building or
arsonage when he went there, but in
ew church. The church and parsonage '
,st $4,000, and when Mr.. Keneston left s
L, 900 had been paid or provided for. /
ixteen people united with the church s
n the last Sunday Of his pastorate max.
lg 245 additions to the membership
lille he was pastor. While pastor in
helton he did work at the Yale divinity 7
.hool. !
He came here Dec. l, 1890, and won his !
ay quickly to a position of prominence
public affairs. He was chairman of
lie town school directors six years and a
iperintendent of schools four years t
unty committees on benevoence and J
scribe of the Windham association of d
ministers. In 1904 he
as a member of the triennial national
uncil at Des Moines as delegate from {
e county, and in 1907 he was delegate :,
ON the state to the trennial national y
uncil in Cleveland He is strong :
'eacher and is jealous and fearless in i
pport of every good work.
Rev. Mr.. Keneston married Miss M. t.
lice Philbrick of East Andover, N. H., Ii
ay %, 1879. They have two children, S
lroline Mae, wife of Jesse G. johnson a
Brattleboro, and Shelton Egbert Ken a
ton, who lives at home.