The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-04-04
NEW PASTOR TELLS
OF HIS PURPOSES
Rev John W. Barnett Delivered His
First Sermon as Pastor Of the
Congregational Church
Yesterday.

Congregational Church
Yesterday.
Rev. John w. Barnett, Ph. D., delivered
his first sermon as pastor Of the Congre-
gational church yesterday morning, and
was greeted with AN audience that well
filled the large auditorium @Lifes No.
bier Purposes" was the subject Of his
sermon, which, he said, would be an
expression Of the purpose which he
should endeavor to pursue as pastor Of
the church Dr. Barnett is a pleasing
speaker He Is deliberate and speaks
with an earnestness that carries convic-
tion.
His text was John 10; 10, j have
His extent was John 10: 10, u am
come that ye might have life; and that
yc might have it abundantly" lie said
in part when we are electine a man
20 a high Office, he is expected to make
a statement Of his purpose and the
policy which he Intends to pursue while
in the office, and it seems TO me that
some expression Of my purpose is due
you, who have chosen me to assume the
pastorate Of your church. / can think Of
nothing better that will express my pur-
pose that these words Of the Master, and
think | may use them without pre-
sumption: 4 have come that ye might
have life: and that ye might have it
abundantly.'
There we're the words Of Jesus, spok-
en 70 His disciples, though not intended
for His disciples alone, but for the whole
world. lie came That we might have the
fullest possible life. Think Of the things
that 1 might have come here for
might have come 70 amuse you, or to
tell you how 10 become famous, or
lot Of other things that belong solely
60 present life; but ii was not for these
things that came ! might have come
TO teach you science and philosophy;
but not sp ] may use these things to
elothe and garnish my ideas, but / hope
that my real message will not be lost
and that | win be able to make you
feel the message Of Jesus as He dwells in
my heart.
He came that we might have life, and
SO must we come, for ii we are to do
Els work we must have abundance Of
life. Ills purpose is our purpose. We
are here 70 get life and to give life. II
IS, then, to teach men how to live and
what living Is, to see to the establishing
of that relationship which should exist
between God and man. We are here, not
to get Just enough Of religion to be
sure Of heaven, or just enough Of life
to exist, but 70 be life Of abundance;
life that makes everyone when they
come into the presence Of the possessor,
feel that i good to be there
1T seems. then. that life and religion
are the things that We should strive for.
They have a place in the home, IN bust
ness and ii every walk 81 life. 10 you
know that This IS q religion Tor menY
DO you know that we are passing by that
day when church ean I've when kup.
ported only hy women ara ehiidren1 Re-
aieion is hainp taken more aeriouslv II
she practical eide of life and IS entering
into all Eha acts of life to-day The IN
divdUal life "a what We want 70 stand
ont. want you to stand ont III v0ur
own individuality But that cannot Be
if you stand alone Nou can do that
only Al your individuality i concerned
with the lives 81 others.
Z have come that there may be a
larger Intellectual life. and deeper
stronger and purer spiritual life But
tina Is not All; that Is simply getting
ready. We are here as citizens az tie
kingdom Of God, and we must affiliate
ourselves with that kingdom.
Now how are these things to be real
lied We can accomplish nothing al0ns.
bnt together can do nothing alone,
and you eannot. We must work to-
gether And to do this we must have
first of all, sincerity, and secondly, earn
estnesa Of purpose, and thirdly, wisdom
1.-The highest wisdom for there are prob
lems which are beyond you or I and
which will send us down on our knees
for assistance from on high. We must
remember that at heart we are one. no
matter who our opinions differ on certain
things There is something else that we
need and that il love. for without love
nothing Is possible Still, again, we want
great patience. We must always re-
member That the kingdom Of God does
not come hy observation. We must not
become discouraged, but keep on and on
until at last we win. We must forget
al these things, and above all we must
open our lives to the great and infinite
life Of God and let il come in. Then
We shall begin to see things Alright and
in the glow Of the heavenly light"