Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-01-20
FIRST CHURCH BROTHERHOOD
Former Pastor Addresses Organ
ization at It's Annual Meeting.
In eloquent Address Rev. DIR. Atkins
Spcnt,s of Four Great Needs In the
Life and Service of the
Church.

Thc Rev. Or. G.. Glenn Atkins, minister |
of the Central Church of Providence, |
r. l., and Il former pastor of the First |
Church of this city, delivered an eloquent
address on the subject of "What Is
Enduring in the Life and Service of the
church," hcfor" u large audience in the
parish house of the First Church Monday
evening, at the thirteenth annual meet |
inS of the Mems brotherhood % the
church. Dr. Atkins emphasized intcrpreta-
ton. worship, brotherhood and sacr,fcial
love us the qualities of the church which
would meet the enduring needs of the
ages. He also spoke briefly concerning
tn" cNcry-membor canvass which will
soon be inauCuratcd in the First Church,
and which has Just been successfully
completed by the Central Church of
Providence. The ovation with which DR..
Atkins was greeted by his audience left
no doubt as to the regard and esteem
in which he is held by his former
palishioncrs.
The following officers worc elected at
the meeting: President. W. \. Gage;
treasurer, Gardner I}rewcr; secretary, r.
+. Tilcy. Tho following standing COM
WittcrS were also elected: Membership
H. $. Howard, T.. *. Allen and L. L.
Rand; boys Bible class G. +. Pulington
w. j. Van Patten and j. T.. Colburn
missions. W. T.. Howe, r. w. Nash and
II. u. Howe; Sunday evening services
G. T.. Smith, :. l.. Platka, \. s Gallup,
r. d. Lewis and e. T.. Young. After the
business meeting Il bounteous turkey sup
per was served by the ladies of the
church, for which they were given a
rising vote Of thanks by the mon.
In responding to his welcome Dr. Atkins
spoke of his pleasure at again addressing
the Mems Brotherhood which was form
ed during his passionate of the church.
Tie mentioned the evidences of continued
growth and prosperity of the church
which could he noted ON every hand but
spoke of the sadness caused by the
absence Of the old familiar faces which
h" had been accustomed to greet ut the
brotherhood meetings.
/ Dr. Atkins then spoke Of the every
/ member canvass which is soon to be
/ undertaken lay the First Church as a
/ means of rcadiusting the church's 1inan-
cial basis. He told of the success of a
similar campaign just completed by his
church in Providence and said that its
finest result was not the increased revc-
nuo. but the development of an ESPRIT
Il" corps among church workers and the
bringing Of many families into closer
touch with the church and its work
In his opening remarks concerning
what Is Enduring in the Life and
Service of the Church," the speaker en-
phaszed the fact that there always had
been and always would be certain ele-
mental enduring needs. occupations and
inst' utous. and that. in order to en-
durc, the church mist stand prepared to
! meet these needs of all ages
Tho first great need was that of in
depreciation of the practice and mean
ing Of life, which cannot he explained in
terms of mechanism, but neccssitates a
higher Interpretation of the spirit, which
eventually leads to the Cross of Christ.
Dr. Atkins said that Christianity stood
as The last high interpretation Of life
in the terms of divine love. and that
the church must ever stand ready to an
sWcr this need
Worship was described as the second
great enduring need. since the desire
for worship is a continuing need for
our lives and the capacity for It lifts
us above ourselves. The church should
always be better able than any other
institution to fill this great need.
brotherhood is the third great need
which was characterized by Dr.. Atkins
as the necessary personal relation be-
tween man and man consecrated, and
which was never more sorely needed
than to-day. 1T is because they have
lost all sense of brotherhood that the
people of Europe are fighting to-day
said tho speaker, who also dwelt upor
the fact that nowhere should brother.