The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-09-03
ORDINATION AT PERU
Rev. Stephen S. Wood Becomes Pas.
tor of Congregational Church

Editor OF The Banner:-A a visi
| tor to Peru had the unique priv
! lege OF being present at the ordina
| ton of the pastor OF the Peru churcl
During the afternoon it was inter
esting to note the large number o
strangers who arrived mostly in au
| tomobiles from all parts OF Benning
| ton county; the advance guard. as i
were, of those who were to be pres
ent at the evening service At foul
O'Clock the ecclesiastical council
| met and elected Rev. George S. Mill:
of Bennington as moderator and Rev
James ID. King of Rupert as scribe
After the organization was complet
cd, the candidate read a paper in
which he told of his beliefs and
Christian experience. This was fol
lowed by questions on higher criti
cism, the authority OF the scriptures
and the final destination of the wick
ed. His answers met with applause
several times from the kind and
friendly inquisitors, who represented
the superior wisdom and character OF
the Christian ministry, into which
fold the candidate was about to en-
ter The council then voted to be by
itself and few minutes later an
nounced its unanimous vote to ordain
the candidate.
Mr.. Wood is a graduate of Pots.
dam, and also OF the Bangor Theolo-
gical seminary. He was principal of
the Patterson high school two years
and taught in the New York city
schools one year. lie also had sue
cessful business career in that city,
which adds to his qualifications for
the ministry.
The ordination service In the even
ing began in the midst OF a down
pour of rain which threatened to de-
plete the audience. but by O'Clock
the church was comfortably filled
with interested friends and neighbors
who listened to a well-played yolun.
tary by the organist, Mrs. l.. J. Whit.
ney.
An attractive program was handed
to each one present The moderator
then opened the service by giving
report OF the findings of the council.
He then presented Stephen S. Wood
for ordination. Ho called upon Rev.
James ID. King of Rupert for the in.
vocation, which was rendered In the
form of prayer for blessing upon
the service. The scripture was read
by the Rev. f. ID. Preston of London.
derry, who selected the second chap.
ter OF Titus, which emphasized the
Importance and dignity of the Chris
tian ministry. The congregation then
Joined heartily In the hymn "The
Church's One Foundation Is Jesus
Christ, Her Lord
When the solemn moment arrived
for the ordaining prayer, not sound
could be heard IN the building as
Rev. Isaac Jennings, ID. d., of Ben.
nington, began. The candidate knelt
humbly by the pulpit while Ave OF
the ordained ministers placed their
hands upon his head In the hush
that spread through the audience,
there could only be heard "the effec.
tual and fervant prayer of a right.
cous man" as the appeal was made
to God for strength and power to be
granted to this new minister of his
word.
When Rev George S. Mills the
moderator, arose to give the Charge
to tho Pastor" one felt the influence
of positive thought and action. lie
admonished the candidate to be an
organizer and an administrator as
well as preacher; to have the pro.
pheuc ideal which would put into his
sermons clear. powerful message
without the aid OF oratory. He then
outlined an excellent plan for self
culture, making use of the right
books and magazines, and especially
tho Word OF God Ones aim should
be. not so much to make as to give
the world push.
Rev. Sidney X. Perkins OF Man.
chester gave the right hand OF fellow
ship to Mr.. Wood. and thus welcomed
him as a minister. and not To forget
this In the contact with his people.
The next ON the program was a So
10 by Miss Lugene of Manchester. ac.
companied by William |. Whitney.
This was well rendered.
The ordination sermon was preach
I'D by Rev. Chas. X. Seymour, OF
Mount Vernon. in the New York as.
sociation. His text was, behold my
servant. whom uphold: in whom my
soul delighteth; ! have put my spirit
upon him" IL was a masterpiece.
lie showed how the prophet was the
mouth-piece of the great God. The
work for Christ has been done by his
church; and in spite of failure and
disloyalty and war. the church knows
the spirit 80 ~' lie will also come
to those people who are interested to
know him and HIS will.
The recognition service was open.
ed by Deacon Mark Is. Lyon, who
briefly reviewed the 107 years OF the
ehurch's history, and told how he
wished to welcome the present mes.
scnger, who had come with a wife
as good as gold"
The pastor then responded by
thanking avarv mo He thor, drau, q