Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-03
PARISH REUNION.
Burlington Clergymen Extend Cor
dial Greetings Mt the Bnnquet.

by the woman y hllIdHft VI wv
church and all the details were care
fully worked out and executed by
committee appointed for the purpose
The church dining room being TOO
small for the purpose, the supper was
given in the Masonic Temple hall
where ten long tables. with another
on the platform for the invited guests
provided places for 236 people. vi
Dorm was the caterer and subs'a"-
tial menu was served with neathesS
and dispatch.
The Rev. c. !. Staples was the TOAST
master and presided In most graceful
manner IN his address OF weicome 10
the visitors and to the members OF inc
congregation. he spoke briefly upon '"e
| significance OF such gathering no.
only Of that particular one out OF N"
similar banqucts He said that IL SYM
bolized something deeper than tho mere
satisfying OF bodily needs. something VI
the spiritual side Of human nature III
the old days the highest manlesVatlo"
| Of sympathy. affection ana hospHn''S
was to break bread. IT often meant ue-
fense Of life. Something Of that senu-
ment had remained to the present Gay
and the gathering around the board had
|
service II went to create larger and
deeper feeling which worked for the
brotherhood Of man. lie regretted that
| the walls were not more elastic so that
the number of invitations could have
been even larger.
Mr. stap,es said that 26O invitations
had been extended to individuals and 30
to churches. He read several letters OF
inc n
former President Eliot OF Harvard. who
since the first of January has accepted
no invitations. because Of other work.
Two of the most interesting letters were
from the ministers of the First Unfair
ian Church Of Boston and the Unitarian
Church in Dorchester, Mass. Both Of
these churches sent delegates TO bur
uneton when the first minister was or
dained 100 years ago and when the jour-
nov occupied three days each way
Neither minister was able TO be present
but both EXPRESSED their sincere regrets
Another letter was from James hum
phrles OF Boston who is grandson of
one OF the delegates TO the first ordlna-
,io,. He said that nothing would afford
him q greater pleasure than 10 t''cho
the celebration but that he was now ~
]
when he made the trip He sent some in
terestng papers, one OF when was me
original autogra phic letter signed by the
prudential committee OF the churcn' IN
vi,irg the pastor and delegate from
Boston Several letters from former par
i.hioners were read including ono from
Mrs. Helen Holmes Lawrence of Oakland,
! Cal.
Upon the motion " Judge h. Z. Mower
expressions OF regret that several mem
bers of the parish We're unable 10 a'eH"
were sent the absent ones. me reSolu-
lions We're sent to Dr. j. NJ. 'larhe' WHO
ms chairman of the prudential cohlnI'tee
was in a great measure Instrumental oe-
fore he was taken Ill. in making the cele-
bratior n success; to Samuel c. Moore
and William Weston. two OF the Oldest
living members Of tho parish to MIS- d.
RI. Gates. Mr.. and Mrs. J. q, Reed' MIS-
G. II. Holden. MIR. and Mrs ~ r. Hl'h-
ards L. Mrs. Edward Wells Mss Dora
Whitcolnb. Mr. and Mrs. II. i. hIilpaH'
Henry Greene. Mrs. I. /. tNu"V' MIS-
Bennett Turk, Mrs. c. u. ordWaY' MISS
Antha Taft, MI and Mrs. q. a. i'al''
me Misses Richardson and Chahu"He''e'
Or and Mrs. Sam Sparhawk and others
on motion Of f.. Il. Taft the thahKs
of those present were rendered NV
ladies of the church, as represented
by the Alliance. for their important
share in making the anniversary
success.
GREETINGS FROM FIRST Clll RClt'
Mr.. staples introduced a. 'ho 'r1'
speaker OF the evening. the Kew Ia
G. Guthrie, pastor of the fust 'hur'n
Mr. Guthrie said that although tleTe
was much dispute as to the age or 'he
two churches and as to which was Tue
older. the 100 years had been spent III
good fellowship and the labors Of both
churches had been powers for Eoou
in the community. He likencd the
dispute to the rivalry % twins and
, said that It was often question as 10
which was born first. lie said that
the rivalry Of years ago couia not Do
remembered with bitterness as th'
feelings OF the stern fathers OF hoti
churches were honest and genuine and
tho struggle was the expression OIL
manly convictions.
Mr.. Guthrie spoke eoquently of the
work of both churches in Burlington and
. said that 1t was a great privilege Tor MN
TO be the guest Of tho First Unitarian
society after 100 years OF separation. ne
referred to the great men or DOM
denominations and said that each was
deeply indebted to the other. lie saio
that he had been deeply impressed when
reading the works OF Harriet Martineau
to md that the writer had acknowledge
the value and the power OF the
trinitarian doctrine. He said thai
neither church should wish T. absorb th'
, other as each was working in a vel
defined way toward the great truth ane
that. although they we're approachinR
each other. it was only as they nearec
the great goal. 1t was not best TO take
away from each other but to contribute
what each could to the others good.
The speaker acknowledged the grea
benefits which the Congregational thurci
had derived from the liberalizing influence
. Of tnitarianlsm and thought that III,
latter church had received like benefits
He humorously alluded to those. who II
tho changes which are taking place II
, the different creeds, see signs of tn
absorption OF the different sects "A,
found consolation In the fact that tn,
Jews. the Episcopalians and the Churcl
of Rome ali saw signs of his church
l entering their ranks, hut he knew tn,
church could not go into all three
Mr. Guthrie saiu that the glorious his
II tory of both the ministers and the mel
and women OF the Unitarian Church di,
hopor 10 the stand Of the church In IL
!, work Of reaching for the wider thing
tb.. het Relation ~ man m.