The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-04
PAST0RATE
WITH BARRE CHURCH
Rev. Edward c. Downey Preached His
First Sermon for the UniveraaIists
Yesterday.

The Rev. Edward G. Downey, who
was recently called To the paatorate of
the Universalist church, delivered his
first sermon as pastor Of the church yes
terday. A large audience greeted Mr.,
Downey. Instead Of preaching regular
sermon, he gave n talk on IAN Efficient
Church" He defined the purpose OF the
church to be the saving Of men, and
said that church that failed to keep
clearly in mind this purpose was des-
tined to be- d failure. The essential
elements Of an efficient church, he said,
are twofold a church Of faith and a
church Of prayer.
Faith he defined as not simply believ-
ing, but it appears only when the con-
cepts Of God and Of man and of thu
spiritual laws Of the universe are buried
in the subconsciousness and there guide
the impulse, direct tho thought and
mould the action Of man.
Prayer Is that which summons to the
aid Of man the power Of the Almighty.
Prayer is the souls sincere desire. 1t
is desire becoming mighty. h burden To
the soul, passion consuming man with
its fire, lingering ever In the shadow OF
ones thought and expressing itself upon
the lips Of man at every opportune hour.
Faith summons the mightiest in man
and prayer taps the resources Of the
Almighty to the same end, the saving
Of men. He defined salvation and the
development and putting To the right
use all the faculties and powers Of mans
nature.
Al large part Of the success Of the
church lie said, rests with Its people,
and it is for them 20 determine whether
the church shall 70 ahead or retreat A
pastor is but a helper We live together
In love and fellowship and build our
selves up in faith. The address was in
part an outline of what the church may
expect Of the pastofate Of Mr.. Downey,
and ii was well received BY those pres
ent.
The Rev. Mr.. Downey was horn in
Fort jackson, nj Y., on April Q, 1870
HI received his education n the com
mon schools and at the state normal
school at Portsaam, nj T He studied
for the ministry at St. Lawrence uni
yersity and has since taken special
courses in Harvard. He was ordained
in Northfeid, March II, 1895, where he
served nearly thress years. He then
accepted call to Spencer, Mass, and
remained there two years. He was called
from there by the missionary board Of
the Uniyersaiist general convention to
take d mission at Spokane, Wash
He found there a parish Of some thir-
teen families worshiping in q hall Mr..
Downey left il u parish cf LOO families,
d church of TOT members. and prop
crty costing $2I 900, independent of any
aid and paying its pastor sltS00 4 year.
NH. DoWney resigned ttis charge Sept.
At, i0OT, Oh account of III health, and
for a year was engaQs In business la
ssfpolrare His health ragained, be re-
turned To the work to which he was or1
dained,
While IN North6eld. he married Miss
Grace Laura Shaw Of Rochester, N. X.
They have two children, Norman, aged
4, and Edward Stafford, aged i've
months. Mr.. Downey and family are
stopping at the Otis hotel until the par
ssonage can be made ready for occu-
pancy.
In lodge affiliations, The Rev. Mr.
Downey is an ardent Mason, being
3cd degree man. He has spent milch
time studying the history of Masonry
and the meaning of its synabolisms. For
d number Of years he was lecturer Of
his home consistory, and he brought
from Washington riany tokens of the
esteem OF his brother Masons. He is
also member of the Shrine and the
Eastern Star.
The church banquet and annual meet
ing will be held next Friday evening,
and the occasion will afford the mem
bers and adherents OF the church an OPP
portunity to meet their new pastor and
his wife.