Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-10
CALL TO OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
News Years Letter from Off.
GERS Of State Conference.
Pastors ana Members Urged 10 vikor-
ous Activity in View Of War Finer
gency, with Largest Possible
Fellowship.


Congregational conference. The letter
suggests vigorous activity by the churches
in view of the war emergency, calls for
Increased cooperation with the churcheS
Of other denominations in view of the fuel
conservation demands, and outlines
strong program of evangelism. 1t Is signed
by the Hon. Charles w. Gates Of Franklin,
president of the Vermont Congregational
conference. the Rev. Charles c. Merrill OF
Burlington, secretary. the Rev. Chauncey
G. Adams Of Burlington, chairman board
Of directors. and the Rev. Donald Fraser
of Wells River. chairman committee on
evangelism. The letter is as follows:
To the pastors. officers. and members Of
the Vermont Congregational Churches
To wish man or a group of men a
Happy New Year for 1918, can only mean
to wish him year Of unremitting, in
telligent, fruitful service. For no one can
be truly happy during this particular year
Of our Lord who does not give himself
SCIENTIFICALLY In service to his fellows. In
this sense. from the depths of our hearts,
we wish and pray for your happiness
throughout the exceedingly difficult but
nightly significant twelve months ahead.
A CALL TO THE COLORs.
And we have in mind not merely the kind
Of service to the nation and the world in
which every citizen ought now to share
to the limit Of his opportunity. but
especially the very definite service which
Christian men and Christian churches
alone can render and for which there Is
SO urgent need. For the winning Of the
war we have a task that no other can do
as we'll IL they can do it at all. Most
clearly than any one else we ought to be
able to point out the real issue at stake
and with particular success we ought to
! strengthen and maintain the essential
morale of the people. Ours it is to comfort,
! TO hearten. to give courage for holding on.
1t is not strange. therefore. that President
| Wilson should seem to desire SO strongly
the vigorous maintenance Of the churches
at this crisis.
But there is a farther-reaching work for
US than this. Says a leading educator
after a visit to France: do not let the
needs Of the hour, however heavily they
| fall upon the men and women of to-day.
permit neglect Of the defences of to-mor-
row." The chief defence of tomorrow is
| that the world shall become more really
Christian. Unless this shall take place
the war will have been won in vain. The
churches, then, should pursue this main
task Of practicing and preaching the
religion of Jesus with a new genuineness.
with unparalleled vigor and with a keener
intelligence. 1t ought to be such a winter
as our churches have not known for long
years. 1t can be such a winter, II we will
pay the price In prayer and in we'll
directed work to have it SO. Our gather
ings for worship should be more vital
and more largely attended. our meetings
for prayer and conference should be re-
vived and strengthened. our Sunday
schools should come to closer quarters
with their basic task. Into every depart
ment. including the pulpit. there should
come the pulse Of a deeper and more
abundant life. Are we Of the church any
thing lass than moral slackers II we allow
to slip by ungrasped the opportunity OF
the present hour for bringing a Christian
message that shall really transform the
modern world?
SAVING FUEL AND ENLARGING
| COOPERATION.
From this angle we believe the question
of combining or curtailing church gather
ings In order to save fuel should be ap-
preached. When worship is combined with
other churches. let the advantage be
seized for rendering a larger service to
the common Christianity for which both
churches stand Let the community really
see that the churches are fundamentally
"One in hope and doctrine
One in charity"
Let the ministers plan their work co.
operatively as they have never been able
to do before. Let the week when minister
Is free from sermon preparation the plan
OF union involving that he preach every
other Sunday be used for work for in.
dividuals or young people or pastors
class or mems forum, or something else
he has wanted to do before but for which
he has never found the time. Let each
minister do the particular work for the
combined congregations that he is better
fitted to do. Let the Sunday when q
minister Is free from preaching be used
for holding service in another part Of the
town or for helping out a church in a
nearby town. In short, at the end of the
winter, let stronger piece of work have
been done for the spiritual life of the
community than il each church had held
its own services alone. In the church
as in the nation the time has come fol
us ito think. act and serve together" L
may be that in conserving fuel, we shall
also be conserving a vital Christianity.
Where there is no combination will
other churches, but the number of gather
endeavor be to make the gatherings re
tanned OF enough deeper quality and will
a sufficiently increased attendance to pre-
vent any loss In church life. The ques
tion here Is not. How many? but. how
much?
In communities where these adjustment.
have been made in order to carry out tn,
suggestions Of the fuel administration
1t will be simple justice If other organiza
tons, like lodges. clubs. theatres. be asked
10 make similar combination and cur
taiiment and we advise that in all case.
this be brought to the attention of tn,
local fuel administration, unless he ha
already taken action In this direction.
EVANGELISM.
!. The challenge for renewed vitality il
every phase of church activity Is especial,
stern with reference to winning men t
personal Christian discipleship. A Chris
tan world is made such by Christian mel
and women and every individual you cal
attach to Jesus Christ In IA real way be
comes a source of far-reaching influence
without question. the universal need 70
men who are genuinely swayed by thu
leadership of Jesus was never NOR
clear.
You remember the national tercentenar
goal of 100000 new members. by con
, fession and by letter. In our churches be
fore January 1. 1921. II this means any
thing for Vermont, II means the follow
ing AS a minimum: u Not one churc
that does not have additions In 1918
, (O not less than 2.4OO additions to all on