The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-01-07
Officers OF State COngrega-
/ tiOnal Conference Make
Suggestions
VIGOROUS ACTIVITY
IN WAR EMERGENCY
Calls for Increased Co operation with
Other Denominations Tor Fuel Con-
gram of Evangelism.

Yesterday in many Of the Congrc9a |
TONED churches of the date 4 New
Years letter was read from the officers |
Of the Vermont Congregational con
ference. The letter suggests vigorous
activity by the ehurchc, in view of tue
war emergency. calls for increased go
operation with the churches Of other
denominations in view Of the fuel con
scrvation demands, ANA outlines .
,tton. program Of evangelism. 1t is
~ilued by Charles w Gates Of Frank
liza. president TT the Vermont tnngrc
eatioual conference; Rev. Charles G.
Merrill Of Darlington, secretary; Rev.
Cnauneey c. Adam, of Darlington.
chairman of the board ot directors. and
Rev. Donald Fraser Of Wells River,
chairman OF tine committee Of cvan@e-
lisn. From the letter the following
paragraphs are taken:
70 wish 4 man or Il group Of men Il
Happy New Year for 1915, can only
mean to wish him n year OF unremit-
ting, intelligent. fruitful service. for
no one can lie truly happy during this
particular year Of our Lord who does
not give himself specifically in service
to his fellows. In this sense, from the
depths of our hearts, we wish and pray
for your happiness throughout the es-
,redin4ly difficult hut mighty Si9nt-
icaut twelve months ahead.
And we have in mimi not merely
| the kind Of service to the nation and
! the world ia which every citizen ought
! now to share Ia the limit III his opPor
| tuuitv. but especially the very definite
! service which Christian men and Chris
| tiau churches alone can render and toI
! which there rs - urgent a need. for
! the winning OF the war we have Il TASK
! thar no other can do as Well If they
can do it nj all More clearly than any
I one else w ought 10 be able To point
uuI. LLe real issue ut stake and with
! particular >urrcss We ought tC
strengthen and maintain the essential
morale Of the people. Oars il is 70 com
fort 10 hcarteu, 10 give courage f"l
holding on IT j. not strange, there
fore. that President Wilson should seen
60 desire So strongly the vjgor"u,
maintenance Of the churches ut thi.
crisis.
..rut there i \ farthcr-reachlue
v.orl. fa, ms than this Saw. = lcadiut
rdpratof after . visit to France: -,
nat l..t thu, n,.sd4 of the hopr. howcvpl
iboayiiy fhr,. fan npon the men an,
,,.n,,,a,, - tad.., limit NEGLECT al IN,
iefencca al tomorrow The chief Il,
fence of tomorrow is that the worl,
l,..' ~. Nh tal-a Mac thn war vii
have Lrap won ia vain The churches
l,n., sio,,ld ,,,,..,a thia main task g.
,......r;..i,,,. ,nJ ,,o,cb;po mo rnliofo
~ -. - q ,n,. rrrnircnn.a Vii
.,u,'.,ollaI,J ,iooy ana with Leen.
.,,t.,l;ren.. /, onoht IA No such
winter rs our churches have not know
, for lone wears. II can he such n win
ter ii we viii pay the price in praye
. and in weIl-directcd work to have II >s
/ oar gatherings for worship should u
more vital and more largely attende,
p our meetings for PRAYER aud conterene
should be revived and streu9 thcncd. ou
sunday schools should come TO close
. quarters with their basic task. lat
Every department, including the pulpi
there should come the pulse Of q dcel
" - and more abundant life. Are we
he church aavthing less than NOR;
Z, hackers if we allow to slip hv IA
%raspcd the opportunity Of the presrl
-, aour for bringing a Christian me-,al
" That hail really transform the modcl
world.
Prom this angle. we believe II
question ef comhinino or rnrtailir
.harch gatherings in order to save IN
should be approached. When worsh
is combined with other churches, |
;hc advantage hr seized for renderii
n larger service to the common Chri
tianitg for which both churches stan
Let the community really see that I
~ churches are Fundamentally
.One in hope and doctrine
- One in charity
!, ..ro+ .e,o ,,;n;.+a,e Nan +l,oir VA
=, ororot;,.ol,. 80 +bo, ha,a nava, "a
=" XXX - horouo ~ +ho val. III