The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-09-06
ANNIVERSARY
OF CONG. CHURCH
AT DANVlLLE
Former Pastors Present ;
Historical Papers
Read


church fittingly observed the 2oth
anniversary of the dedication of
their church Sunday with all the
former pastors since the dedlca-
ton participating in the three ser
vices Of the day. The exercises
were in charge of the pastor of the
church, Rev. Chauncey A. Adams,
who made all the arrangements for
the notable occasion. The former
pastors attending were Rev. George
H. Cummings of Dracut, Mass,
Rev. J. f. SNYDER of Concord,
Mass, and Rev. Edward G. French
of Sawyerville, Z. @. Mrs. Cum
mings and Mrs. French accom-
panied their husbands, while Mrs.
SNYDER was kept at home by i'll
ness. The church which has seat
ing capacity of 300 was we'll filled
at all the services. At noon a boun-
teous lunch was served in the YES
try after which the former pastors
and their wives had an informal re-
ception. At the morning and even
ing service the music was furnished
bv the church choir, while the Verd
Monte trio of S.. Johnsbury-the
Misses Lola and Marjorie French
and Mrs. H. N. Tolman furnished
instrumental music in the after
noon.s,.
At the morning service the scrip
lures were read by Rev. Chauncey
A. Adams, the prayer was offered
by Rev. Edward G. French, the re-
sponsive reading was conducted by
Rev. J. F. Snyder and the sermon
was given by Rev. Georre II. Cum
mings. Taking his text from Eph
1:22 and %, his theme was The
Church which IS His (ChrSts)
Body" and he spoke upon the ma
ture and function of the church.
Religion has been defined as the
souls inevitable response to God.
The place where God reveals him
self to man becomes sacred SPOT
it may be JACOB pillar, the tab
ernacle of the wilderness, Solo
mons temple, the stately cathedral
or the Puritan meeting house. 1t IS
always a Bethel, d meeting pace OF
God and man.
This day commentaries the dedl
cation of such a meeting house,
twenty five wears ago, which arose
from the ashes of its predecessor.
The church is more than a meet
ing place-it is a spiritual house
built up of living stones (as Peter
declares) of men and women
wrought upon by the master build
er though the toll, trial and trag-
edy of human life.
AS one of the three primary in
stitutions with functions interwov-
en- yet distinct, if the Family Is
called the home of the affections.
and the State the institute of com
mon rights, the Church is rightly
named the home of the soul-the
fellowship of faith and service, of
vision and hope.
The church exists to save souls
here and now from the pitfalls and
false ideals of life; to show the
way of life and furnish the dyna
mic for it; to win members in or
der to Christionize them.
FINALLY the chufch Is an organ
ism, not merely an organization,
the living body of which Christ is
the head through whom there is
vital fellowship with God the Faith
er and fellowship, no less of man
with man.
Through the members Jesus
Christ the head from the first has
been working in human heart and
institutions for their redemption
and is destined in the final event to
Judge the world.
The sermon was followed by the
communion service conducted 'OY
Rev. J. F. Snyder and Rev. Ed
ward G.. French.
An interesting feature of the
Continued on page 5