St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1910-05-04
Among the Churches.
New Pastor at Free Baptist Church.
Reception to New Methodist Pas
tor and his Wife.-BiSh0p
HaIl'S Visitation TO ST.
Andrews Church.

the first time in nearly two years. al
though during that time neighboring
pastors have held frequent services. The
new pastor is Rev. Elmer E. Ellsworth
Phillips, who comes here from Sheffield,
accompanied by his wife and two
daughters, aged 10 and II years. They
expect to reside on Charles street.
Mr.. Phillips was born in Cuyler, New
York, Feb. ID, 1864. His father enlisted
in 1861 in the 44th N. Y Volunteers, 1.-THE
celebrated regiment enlisted as the Els
worth Avengers His mother was a
daughter of a Methodist local preacher.
He is descendent of the early New
Englanders, of English, German, and
Irish blood, typical Yankee. When he
was seven years old his parents became
Spiritualists. He was brought up with
out religious instruction and became an
infdel, but when 25 years of age he was
converted to Christianity, and later
united with the Freewill Baptist church.
He was licensed in February, 1891; be-
gan his first pastorate in Putnam, N. Y,
in April of the same year and was or
dained in March, 1892. He closed his
first pastorate at the end of his first
year, but meantime the little church had
been greatly encouraged and strengthen
ed. A considerable revival had been en-
joyed and it was able to call his success
or at a salary 91OO per year IN excess OF
what he had received.
May IS, 1892. he married Miss Bessie
Belle Miller, a daughter of the late Dr.
Theo. Dec. Miller. of New York City.
and a grand-niece of William Miller, the
prophet and founder of Adventism. She
was educated at Normal College, New
York City, and was a member OF st.
James Methodist church. A lady of
sterling Christian character and rare
musical ability, she has been help mate
indeed for her husband.
Mr. Phillips second pastorate was at
Murray, NJ Y He found this church
under the merciless domination of a
worldly church society. which had stihed
its growth for the Is years of its exist
tence. Although he knew that it would
mean another short pastor ate. he prompt
" set about the overthrow of the society,
which he accomplished. The church has
since continued to grow and prosper,
adding 60 members one year. The city
of Syracuse was his next field of labor,
but the jealousy of one or two of his
brethren in the ministry and the awful
hard times that followed the denonitiza-
ton of silver in 1898 made it impossible
to continue the work in the city for a
time and he resigned the pastorate.
A nearby pedobaptist church, knowing
of the unkind treatement he had received,
invited him, through their pastor who
had offered to resign in his behalf to the
pastorate of their flock at a salary of
$1,000. Although deeply grateful to the
clergyman and his good people, he
believed he heard the call of duty to a
discouraged church at Gilbert Mills, N.
Y, at salary of $3.50. Here he re-
sacrifice; but the church was greatly
helped spiritually, numerically, and
financially, so that his successor was put
in possession of this entire field at a
living salary.
About this time Kenka College was in
danger of losing its charter for lack of
endowment, and he did some very effec-
tive work for this institution, later being
asked to become it's secretary, but Rev. Z.
F. Griffin, a returned missionary from
India, was at liberty at that time and
was secured to fill that Office.
Mr. Phillips then accepted a call to the
pastorate of the Depanville church. This
church was bitterly divided into two al
most equal parts. He remained but a
year and half, but he had succeeded in
uniting the two factions of the church.
The Green Mountain Seminary of Wat
erbury Center, next appealed to his SYM
pathies, and he came to Vermont in April
1899, to see what could be done to free
foundation.
However the attitude of the denomina-
ton toward this school was such that
nothing could be done. A Mr.. King of
Tunbridge went so far as to dip his pen
in the ink to write the check that would
have relieved the institution from debt,
$4,000 but paused to inquire of the atti-
tude of the General Conference toward
the seminary. Learning what it was,
he allowed the ink to dry on his pen.
He now took the pastOrate of the West
a debt of $1,000, and sadly lacking the
sympathy of the townspeople. He left
the church restored to the favor of the
people and in possession of legacy
sufficient to free it from debt
Mr.. Phillips now returned to his native
state and became pastor of the Byron
church. where he remained for three
years. In March, 1905, he went to Nova
Scotia and took the Darlington and Port
La Tour paStorate. While there the
Free Baptists and the Close Baptists of
the Maritime Provinces united forming
the United Baptist body Realizing that
Christian harmony under these new rela-
tions demanded silence on the question
of open communion and the doctrine of
the freedom of the WILL he resigned his
pastorate and returned to Vermont and
the denomination of his choice taking
the pastorate of the churches at Sheffield
and Union House. which he has served
for three years last year he added the
Wheelock church to his field. A good
number of members have been added to
these churches by baptism and by letter;
the congregation at Sheffield has been in
creased. its Sunday school more than
doubled and its Christian Endeavor
society well sustained. The church has
remodeled the old Town Hall into a
vestry and secured considerable furniture
fer their parsonage.
Mr.. Phillips has ever been a supporter
of every good cause and an earnest
advocate of every reform. He early
united with the independent Order of
Good Templars. and is now Grand
Chaplain of the Order in this state. He
is also an Odd Fellow, a Forester and a