St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-07-07
Addresses and Discussion at Mis-
SiOnarY Anniversary.


Rev. w. r. Stewart, state missionary
gave an amusing account of some OF his
experiences as state missionary and also
spoke very earnestly of the deplorable
condition of some parts Of the Vermont
field. During the past year he has visit
ed all kinds of hurches-churches with
out pastors, without deacons, without
buildings, without means and even with
out members. He has served in every
capacity except that of deacon and some
times it seemed almost necessary tor nm
to fill that Office, too. He has Travelled
| 5515 miles, been in every county except
Essex, preached 143 sermons and made
| 500 calls. No new churches have been
organized but those of Alburg and
Bridgewater have been revived. He con-
siders Vermont good home missionary
ground and her mountain population,
while less illiterate, are not so many re-
moves in civilization from the mountain
whites of the South They need to have
the truths of the gospel presented to
them and some new work has been
started for their benefit through Sunday
schools organized in the outlying dis
tricts. The supreme effort in the future
should be to draw the rural communities
and the large centers of church life into
closer contact so that the big church will
feel personal responsibility for, and
take a personal interest in, the little
mission. ~
Rev. w. J. Ballou of Ludlow, who fol-
lowed Mr.. Stewart, carried on his line of
thought by suggesting that the we'll
established church should, with the help
of the missionary society perhaps, sup
port an assistant pastor to work in the
outlying rural districts under the direc-
ton of the church and with the advice OF
its regular pastor Mr.. Ballou has been
cultivating the mission field in Tyson
with most gratifying results and his
description of his methods in reaching
the people revealed the wisdom of the
serpent and the harmlessness of the dove.
His story of a poor mountain family
brought into the light of true faith
moved many of his hearers to tears.
Mrs. Isabelle Even gave a delightful
little history of her work in the mission
pastorate of South Woodbury., whose
church building has been shingled, paint
ed on the exterior, cleaned and made
attractive on the interior, given new
steps and fixed up generally-all without
a cent of debt. AS great a change has
been wrought in the spiritual life of the
community that looks with less and less
hostility on the church it formerly re-
1oI 81 NJ
with womanly wit, makes her funeral
discourses serve double purpose. Per-
ceiving that funerals are always largely
attended by those who never entered the
church, she frames her remarks" with
more reference to the living than to the
dead.
Rev. c: H. Smith of Pittsford read a
paper prepared by Rev. E. P. Treat of
Richmond on the subject of Assistant
Pastors for Missionary Circuits" and
supplemented it by ptactical suggestions
of his own. He thought the small fields
should be brought INTO close relation
with the large and that prosperous
church, like the one in Rutland, might |
take under its wing some one or two
struggling missions and care for them bv |
means of an assistant pastor This |
would establish vital relationship be- |
tween the two and would lead to an
increase of interest and the solving of
many pcrplexing difficulties. The assist
ant would feel that he had the backing
of the big church and its pastor, could
turn to them for advice and draw from
them strength and encouragement for
his work.
Rev. F. A. Poole of Barre handled the
subject of an increase in pastors sa aries
in vigorous way and the clergy were
wideawake during the discussion.I Mr..
Poole said that the salaries of all the
Congregational ministers in the state
should be increased and especially the
salaries of those in the smaller faces.
1t is blemish upon Congregatio ialism
in Vermont that the average salaT is SO
low and, in many instances, so veE low.
We ask men to do the work pf the
Christian ministry and then crea con-
ditions which make it impossible fir any
thing but genius in finance to d that
work. Eight hundred dollars shI uld be
the minimum amount paid Iastor.
There are very few, if any, mini tiers in
Vermont whose services are notworth
$500 and if they should receive th[t sum-
they would still be the hardest worked
and poorest paid men in their cohmuni-
ties. Some salaries, now ove] $500,
should be increased. Some d those
pastors who are receiving $500, or
$1,000, should have $500 and$18OO.
When clerk in the employ of alayman
|, Il f.. Il cl |
his salary is increased and why couldn't
the faithful pastor have his ser les thus
substantially recognized? SEQ
A lively discussion was arc sed, and
one pastor declared that he ould not
stay where he was if he did notEultivate
small piece of land to help o on his
expenses. He cleared SIS offthe land
last year and felt certain that bne of his
farmer parishioners had don as we'll
with an equal extent of acrhge. He
plans to extend his agricultural pur-
suits and means to become the best
farmer in his town.
Another clergyman is also obliged to
depend upon his farming ably to make
both ends meet, but regfted that J
working in a potato patch lit him less
strength and time to labor the fields
of the Lord.
Rev. Mr.. Ballou pointed BIT that the
cost of living has increased 4 in the last
10 years that if church raI led its pas
tors salary 20 per cent, it Iould still be 7
paying him practically jus what it did t
10 years ago as far as til purchasing s
power of the money is contned. 6
Dea. R. H. Holmes of Shteham spoke