Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-23
VOICE OF THE PEWS
Congregationalists of Wester,
Vermont Discuss Ministers.
Pr"f. Emerson Says Men Of To-da1
Want DennIteness from the Pull
pit-Nnnchester Pre- ncher Finds
That New Faith Is Needed.

Dehnitness lis the first thing that tho
men of to-day want from the MIMI.
said Prof S. r. Emerson Of the t-niver.
sity OF Vermont IN speaking Monday AZ
the College Street Church on N. eersra,
subject. What the Layman Wlshes IN
His Minister" The occasion WAS iii.
rail- meeting Of the Congregational cluh
or Western Vermont. which held session,
yesterday afternoon and evening at ths
college street Church. The afternoon 4
meeting opened at three O'Clock vyi.sA
business, followed by a discussion on 4
topic mentioned above The discussi
was opened by Prof G. B. Wright Of MI
dlebury College and was participated
by Professor Emerson. President NJ
buckham OF the university II. O. Wheel
er and others. In the evening at 7.30 III
Rev. B. w. Lockhart, d. b.. Of Manches
ter, N H.. spoke on the subject. "NVhy
People Do Not Go to Church"
At the business session. which preceded
the discussion the following gentlemen
were voted In as members Of the club,
The Revs. Samuel Rose of Cornwall. w.
H. Wright Of Brandon. G H. Young Of
Brandon and the Rev ". a Mcintyre of
Dandy. p. +. r. Pierson Of bennington,
Prof. S. F.. Bassett and the Rev. Joseph
Torro, p. t,tg o,+,. -. ~
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rroicssoi Emerson was one oi .he
"r9' 70 io'io" III ''e senerai uise.''sioA
IN" was AT inc opening OF MS re-
iharhs 'har salo 'nA' oe''hi'e,'eSS
uhe krea' iacN 'n''' 'he ordinary "Sinen
mos IN 'ne u''erances from .ne pu'pi!
me expression ana terms or theo'osy
anu VI ieHs'e" nave "ecoihe "io'e anu
more inoei'ni'e III .he ias' century UT
X
ma" means low ~"en II. "'"s a.ou.
heaVen ana Heh' ou' TWO huhoreo
things.
You can't move men unless they know
definitely what you're talking about"
said Professor Emerson. The pew does
not now demand authority from the pub
pit but 1t does demand reality. And thit
reality can only be secured by the
abnegation of authority and the sub
stitutlon Of real experience. There never
was a time when 1t was so hard to lis
ten or to preach as now. but II Ia also q
time of grand opportunity for preaching
by the man OF experience
The life OF to-day is organized about
the self, both IN and out OF church an
our salvation must come by losing SELF
for thus only shall we And ourselves|
II Is the business OF the church to res
organize the whole of modern life
President Buckham delineated In his
usual clear-cut and beautiful eenten ces
the two opposed types Of ministerial
character, the Anglican priest and thu
great preacher He said that the lay
man wants both types in one but he
seldom or never gets his desire Thu
one is ever present in the affairs q,
every day life with q rich sympathy and
the other. from the pulpit appeals "a
the intellect
lH"S'
'Why People DO Not Go to Church,
was the subject OF DR.. lockharts address
in the evening. he said that the out
standing characteristic of the modern era
is the alienation OF the community from
the church and there Is therefore some
thing wrong with the modern Zeitselst'
. That trouble he characterized as laci
or faith' lie ala not agree with INT
, Christian socialists that socialism mish
furnish solution or society's modern
ailments, ana he said that nothing II
1 more certain than that CHRIST was not
socialist.
DR.. l"ckhart said that tine loose an'
: low religioslty that is so OFTEN prevalen
| In churches does not excuse the man VIII
! does not so at all ana makes that faul
U his ground Tor staying away Peop
are inclined TO SEQ the faults OF the churc'
u more clearly than they 40 the divine trutl
$ within 1t. The higher criticism has des
o troyed the old implicit faith without Civ