Vermont Chronicle from Bellows Falls, Vermont • 1

L. J. "Wit ran bo nothing against tbt xiii, 8 Uev. NELSON BISHOP, Editor, a 0,. VOLUME XL, NCMBEU 3, WHOLE NUMBER, 2001.

WINDSORrSATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 18, 1865. Terms 53 $3,00 PER PAID IN ADVANCE, 1 fathers evidently drew iniiiiy of their notions years, we think that it is obvious that such base, so far as New England is concerned, should be in Boston rather than in New York. We shall look with interest for the resolt of the adjourned meeting. EEPOHT OF THB HELIGIOTJ3 CONDITION OF COLLEGES. in Shoreham gratefully acknowledges a pleas- ant gathering of bis people, young and old, at the parsonage, and a donation of $100 in cash, and other gifts amounting to $60.

The parishioners and friends of Rev. Chas. W. Clark, of Hartland, have visited the par- sotiage and made donations in money and val- uiibles to the amount of some $60. i-Rcv.

II. M. Grout, of West Rutland, has received from his people gifts in cash, fuel and sundries to the amount of $200. The parishioners of Rev. 1.

G. Hale, who assembled at hjs residence for a donation visit, numbered GO instead of 600. The Directors of the American Foreign Christian Union have elected Rev; Joseph Scud- der, late of the Arcot Mission, Secretary of but sin. There is not one pure, sweet joy you will have to give op by coming to Christ now, not one. Even fifteen years are enough to spend out of the fold of Christ.

You have run risks of lieing lost, enough of tbem already. It would be a lovely sight to witness you, a bright boy, Btanding there, in the presence of i young and old, in a frank and manly, but mod- est manner, saying to all, as for me, I dedicate my life, from this bright hour, to the service of Him, who has dune more for me, than men and angels can ever repay I Christ can get along without you, my boy. I don't wish you to think you are doing Him a favor by enlisting in his service; It is all for l.you: He loved you, and therefore died to save you. He loves you, and therefore sbolda, out churches could not fellowship as such, and whose pastorship over them, in the judgment i the denomination in Portland, would do general barm. And having called a Council ol sister churches, by their delegates, to advise them in this particular case according to God's ordinance, by which he givcth wisdom through counselors they were bound to presume that the Master spoke to them through that result, and to listen to his The only consideration which could release them from the moral obligation of compliance with the result (faulty as we I reel con tens that result was, in form,) would be an absolute bar of conscience standing in the way, and making thcin feel that they could not comply with it without doing wrong.

If, therefore, the Third Parish Church means to be, a Congregational church, it will not press its right to govern itself, to the felt detriment, and against the earnest remonstrance of those eliurel.es with which it has heretofore been in fellowship and who, from the necessity of their position, cannot but be helped, or on baptism from his example), though that peculiar tendency to attach efficacy to outward forms was derived the practice of immersion in connection with while the rite as symbolic of spiritual life was administered, by affusion. Tbat there was in tbe early church this duplex form of baptism is Cyp rian speaks of it lie calls the rite a saeramenlum a double sacrament. Hence be says in his memorable reply to ths enquiry whether sprinkling only was sufficient Io the sacraments of salvatiou-r-the Idivine service, abridged confers, its whole efficacy on the He speaks of baptism under the plural sacraments implying that it was composed of two parts, one of which was sprinkling, in which its whole efficacy resided, even when the immersion did not precede as at that dny was nsually the fact. And it is a fact worthy of note that in the Abysinian church, where tbe example of Philip naturally prevailed, the practice of immersion before bipUsm is retained to the present time, It appears also from a quotation from Deylingins made by Mr. Booth, that the Greek church in his day practiced it.

"They added a kind of affusion," ile. after immersion, such as' the Greeks practice at the present day oler performing the trine im. mention." "3 'i -J That this was the generally received opinion as to the rite of baptism for six or eight centuries from the fourth upward we have a testimony which speaks to the eye I refor to the ancient medals, which represent the mods of baptism as then understood. have in Apostolic baptism by C. Taylor, editor of Calinet, published copies of twelve different medals by artists living al different' and widely separated from each other.

Some of them have been" pronounced by good jddges; the work of the fourth century. i These twelve are Only a few out of many. Now it is a notorious feet tiiat in every one baptism is represented as performed by affusion. Io most instances there is ao immersion but the consecrating act is done by affusion. Jesus is represented as standing in the water, wbicb was immersion, and John on the shore baptizes bim by affusion.

So the King snd Queen of tbe Longibardi are seen in the fount up to their waist, and the person officiating baptises them by affusion. Here is a witness tbat cannot be misunderstood, In view of it, we involuntary, ask, what shalj be thought of the bold affirmation that there Is no trace of baptism by affusion during the first eleven centuriessome say What confidence can be placed in such assertions when facts like these are before us And perfectly in accordance are these facts with the testimony of Luke that Jesus, and Under bim his' church should baptise tcith water -5. vi, It has also been affirmed that every branch of the Greek church baptize by immersion only. Whether this is true of the main body of tbst church, or whether the declaration of Deylin-gius, as noted above, is to be accepted, I need not decide. But it is probable that so eminent a writer did not make tlie aeelarution without some good evidence.

But it certainly is not true of every branch of that church that immersion is the only thing in baptism. The Syriao Christians of India who have in all probability retained the ancient mode as delivered to tbem by Thomas the Apostle, have from time immemorial practiced effusion. With a brief summary of the argument in my next, I shall close these letters on the mode ol baptism. I may, if Providence permit, give my views of infant baptism, at future time. "I 7 Abridged" Is iliuincant word hr.

It don sot mean to wkn to mmwu. Bat singly to pr lota a part ol lb luul srrrtos f'-'- Tas Wist is. PaKSBmauii, is a newspaper started at Danville, edited by Edward A. Humphrey and Rev. Stephen Foster, who promise to make it an old fashioned Presbyterian fsmily newspaper, loyal to tlie country and the Such a paper In Kentucky is needed, and will doubtless do great good.

1 1 Prof. M. H. Freeman, having arrived io Liberia, writes back As for myself, I know tbat the old proverb, Caelum, non animum mutant, qui trans mare currant," Is not tras In my case. I bars changed the animura." I am not the same misanthropic, miserable mortal that I was two months sgo.

I era a man, for the Drat time in my life, invested with all the rights, privileges, duties and immunities that pertain to man- buod. Mr. F'a misanthropic feelings very likely colored his views while in this country, as such, feelings are very apt to. "mini Silt-Gsatilatiox. Speaking of bis retire-ment from after twenty-one years of sd-Itorlal life, Dr.

Campbell, of England, It it to me an occasioo of real, settled, unmixed satisfketkta. 1 am glad tbat I bsrs existed. I am glad that to my saistanca ben there is to be aa snd I am glad that I bars spent tlie prims portion ol my manhood in this, city and in this work. I am glad tint I bsrs become connected with the Congregational body. 1 rrjutos la ths position I bavc bwnjed In Providence to All a source of joy and glsdntsa.

My friends has gnno Into starv fity. I therefor anticipate with plsassra th Uad of friwdshiB, purs, psifeoi, asd. svr-a-during. 1 ses nothing, nts, bat Wimiy.twrtaadpeaos.'V,-,.,, -Otr Second Pack. We know not bow gen- trail our second page is read, but if it is over-'looked readers will tuiss some of out best This week we would call attention to the of E.

D. D. B. and others. The article on church music should be read by THE CASE 8i! November 1864, the Congregatbnalist -said The Portland church have the same right lto install the Rev.

'Mr. Walton how, that they bad before the Council acted, if they please to "exercise it. The Council only advised Unit it not be done." vi 01 To this we repliwl. Nov. 19 ''According to Congregational principles what right had' the church in Portland to or-' dain Mr.

Walton, or any other minister, with-' Cut the advice ol a Council of sister cluircheeT yWe had supposed tliat from the day of John Cotton and other lathers, it has been a settled ol our church polity that church affaire of common conctriiwent, such as the ordination of elders, should be transacted by the advice of sister churobes and if this' be so, then the church jn Portland had no right as a CongrettalumJl church toordain Mr. Walton brjurt tlie Council acted." Of course it had the same right" to do so after. '11 this is not so, will the Congregationalist enlighten 'US." Our language was carefully chosen, and we desire to have its marked. The 3d church in Portland is a Congregational church, in fellow-' ship with other churches, and we asked what light according to Congregational principles, i acting according, to the principles which i ought to govern a Congregational church while I remaining such, such a church bad to ordain its own pastor without the advioe of a Council of sister churches. We had nothing to say about what a church may do under Christ, which is independent, or not Congregational we were not talking about the right of a church to change its denominational relation but about what it and any Congregational church may, of right, do, and not infringe up- on the principles of our church polity.

i we held that such a church had no right to or- dain a pastor without the advice of sister churches. I t- To oor positkm Ko takctit tuo tionalist replied krgc quotations from tho iatbers, prefacing them with the following con plimentary paragraph We must be permitted to express our surprise that the Vermont Chronicle should be So ignorant of what Congrcgntionaliem is, both in its principles and precedent, as to have published such a paragraph as toe above." We expired the onesidedness of the Congregational ist's quotations, showing its position to be contrary to the views of tho best Congregational writers, including most of those which it bad quoted, aud stated our views of Congregational isua to be, that an individual or local church while unconnected with any particular body of may ordain its own minister, if it chooses yet if a Confre gatimal church does this without the advice o( sister churches, It resort to the principle of revolution, rebels against the order of the churches whose advice it is bound by the principles of church communion to seek and respect in such cases, and virtually takes itself out of the denomination, and goes, as it were, into a state of nature, or strict Io our issue of January 14, we enlarged upon these two points, vis that company of believers United in covenant to watch over each other and maintain divine ordinances, are a church of Christ, and assuch may ordain their own pastor, if they choose, sud do all their own business without tho advice of any other church but that if such church unite itself with the Congregational denomination, its right to ordain it own pastor, without Advice of Council, ceases, and that while it remains a CoHfrrgaltonnl church. It puts itself under a polity which forbids it to ordain its own pas tor without tho advice of sister churches To this the Cohgrcgationalist of January 24, If tli is is the Congregationalism of the Chronicle wo certainly do differ from it." Says the Scripture knows nothing about ordi nation by Councils, fto." But in its issue of February AO, in commenting on the doings of the Third church in Portland, it says The church were at liberty to feel they wet bound to know that, notwithstanding the refusal of the Council to install Mr. Wat- toft, as they bad requested theaS to do, the right to make him their pastor remained with thetn, and could not be taken from tbem. They, therefore, had the right to lay the result on the table, and.

to proceed, in disregard of it, to make Mr. Walton tlicir acting pastor. Nay, they had the right to go further, and themselves formally install bin in that position. This, abstractly. But, on ths other band, they Were eousllv bound to observe tha obligations which rested them from the fraternity of tna churches.

As a Congregational church they had no. right to cirreise their power to aks any man their pastor whom the other Prepared by the 8ociety of Inquiry, AndoVer Theological Z. rE3c-5 8 5-5 s-3 5 53 8 2. ciP! a 3 I I oa- cc cc I 1 5 d4 I 3 5 Si, 1 ft 5 -Z a 1 S'atwtienof 1W3. Thf as C'ollerea failed to answer ur inuui to Uieir rehiuua couditiou in season for publication.

Asiierst. The Freshman Class which has entered since the religious interest has a smaller proportion of candidates for the ministry than any class in the whole history of the Col- Harvard. Five have joined the College church, and several other churches! Many of the moet devout' young men in College such men as a few years ago would have thought of no other profession do not intend to become ministers. At the request ol many students a series of weekly meetings have been instituted, largely attended and with manifestly increas ing interest. Of three religious societies in College, one has gained greatly in vitality, while the others have been conducted with unabated religious rucccss.

UsivERsiTr or Pennsylvania. Students dwell at home. For the first time in many years a religious meeting is held at the College Hall once a fortnight, which is well attended by the students, and with great apparent interest. Williams Collegc. The first general awakening for several years begun in the Senior Class, about the time of tbe College Fast.

The feeling was much increased by the solemnities of that occasion, and the whole College was deeply affected. Yals. A few conversions during the year. The proportion of those intending to enter the ministry is small. J.

Wright. MINISTERS AJSD CHUBCHE3. Special religious interest is stated to exist in the Congregational churches of Will is ton and Castle ton. We bope to hear from the pastors in those places respecting the good work in due time. Interesting revivals are reported to be in progress in Conway and Chester, Mass.

The Presbyterian says that the number of revivals reported in progress in' Presbyterian churches is increasing rapidly. Rev. Jacob Idc, D. of WcstMedway has asked for the assistance of a colleague. Ret.

WI J. Harris, pastor ef the Congregational church at Brandon, Vt, has become an Episcopalian. So say Boston papers. If be docs nut stay Episcopalian longer than a predecessor in the Sams church it will oot amount to much. Rev.

R. V. Hall, of Newport, would ten der his thanks to Lis friends who visited him snd bis family the last week in January, and for their gmerous donation of one hundred and twelve dollars. Rev. Gcorgo B.

Tolman, of Swanton, ac knowledge the reception recently from his people of a donation to the amount of $110. Also during the year of presents in money and other things as good, to ths amount of $125, or $30 i The Congregational Society of Newbury have roomily raised tbe salary ol their pastor Rtv.i H. N. Burton, one hundred dollars. May other societies to and do likewise.

Tbe pastor of ths Congregational church bis hands to fold you in his arms to-day. The love of what a beautiful thing that would be to have thrown into your unfolding nature to be worked into your advancing manhood to mingle with and sweetly temper your youthful joys to keep you from temptation to nourish all manly virtues -to grow with your growth, and strengthen with your Strength, so that when you attain the age of your brother, who is already a man, you will have. acquired mueh pure, Christian power, and will have done much good, without having lost a single pure, youthful joy. Another thing you may never be anything but a boy I hope you will. It would be a sad thing to see that form, now so full of life, laid in the grave.

But we know not what God's intentions are respecting you. If you should neglect your Saviour and refuse Him now, He may never stretch out to you those loving arms I do not wish to sadden you, but I want you to be Father draw this boy to Christ. o. o. w.

LETTERS ON BAPTISM-No. XL The question has been raised as to what was the practice of the primitive churchceJ Some Baptist writers have very eagerly and confidently seized on the argument drawn from tradition, although as a body they have ever been forward in decrying it. One writer who even gives us fourteen pages to prove that the testimony of the Christian fathers is Worthless-unworthy of credit, in another part of bis book gives twenty pages of traditional argument drawn from the testimony of those same fathers, as he affirms, io favor of plunging, in which be shows not the slightest distrust If in the one case bis argument against tbe validity ot their testimony is to be admitted, how his argument founded on that testimony should be received, all can judge. It is admitted that immersion was practiced in the early churches, and sometimes plunging. But historians do not seem to have investigated this point philosophically.

They find tbat immersion is spoken of in connection with baptism, and have taken it for granted that it was in itself baptism, i Hence it is common for those to affirm tbat the rite was administered by immersion. If we admit that to be true, there are some things which they ought to account for some facts, which I shall name. But before I do this, let ns consider whether the churches were the more likely to go from the easy to the severe from the simple form to the showy, or vice versa. Some affirm the latter. But if they are honest in such an assertion, they have not undcrstandisgly read tbe history of the church.

For there is nothing more notorious as manifest in the whole system of manicheism that there was early developed a tendency to substitute for the simple forms of Christianity those which disciplined the body. A superstitious notion early prevailed that whatever was crossing to tlie flesh literally bad peculiar virtue. And in the matter of baptism this prevailed, as may be seen by consulting Ncander, Christianity and pp. 201. Hence in process of time some churches brought into practice, and have continued it to the present tiuio, trine Immersion, I have therefore no doubt tbat the corruption proceeded from the simple to the showy.

In a former letter, I alluded to the fact that immersion, Dot plunging, was mentioned in connection with baptism by the sacred writers. Jesus evidently went into ths water Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water. But the act of going into the water, although it wss an immersion, is admitted by Baptist writers not to involve baptism. And yet it was closely connected with it as a pre paratnry strp. Especially was it so in tbe ease of John's baptism, which was performed under ths Jewish Ths subjects ol it must be crremmious1y cleansed, Ilcnos ha cbosa tlie vicinity of running waters, which ss a purifying element was by lls Jews prrferrd to pools.

And from the fact, that Luke carefully states that both Philip and ths Eunuch went down Into the wrtcr, we karn that Csns- fiun baptism was some times precedrd by this errmonial oU-anaing, called by Peter ths putting away of lbs filth of ths flesh." This, how-cvar, was Dot ucisidtrrd iodispensil.W, sukss In no other cass Is aroua mad of it. from ths circumstances of the cases ws bars every rra- I Son to believe thst simple affjaioa was regard td by tbe apostles as sufficient. Now from tiiia practios Jobs (and ths that Society, to fill the place vacated by the death of Dr. Baird. The Congregational church in Brattle-b(iro' having been enlarged and extensively re-pared, was re-opened for worship on the first Sabbath in February, with' appropriate ser- lvioes.1 The 'new house contains, it is stated.

122 pews, all of which have been rented to de-' fray the current expenses of the Society. The prices at which they were apprised ranged from $3 to 37.50, some were taken at a somewhat i higher rate, making the income from the same over $2000. I FIFTEEN. Fresh from your play, with your bright eyes, red cheeks, and red hands that have just been making valiant fight with snow-balls, you are a pleasant to look upon. Now, while you are resting, let me talk with you of Christ.

Do not turn away, my boy, as if I was about to rob you of the brightness and joy of life. That love of play which enables you to enjoy your sports so much, was given you by God. He made yon. He pnt into you that wonderful susceptibility, that power of enjoying what you call fun. I do not suppose that your play is more offensive to your heavenly Father than it is to your earthly parent no more offensive than the song of birds, or the gambols of the lamb.

I do not propose to Interfere with any of your innocent amusements. I do not intend to put a cold hand on that throbbing heart, or check the Sow of that warm blood. I would not iron out the laughing dimples of your glowing- cheeks. I solemnly believe our Saviour would not doit. But fifteen very hap.

pjrtstri nave gone. During these years you have been in great peril. A great proportion of the human race die: before reaching your age. You have seen a great many children burried. When you have visited the graveyard, you have seen a great number of short graves and small tomb-stones.

Through all the dangers attending infancy and early childhood, you have passed safely, my boy, and who has protected you? Who has saved you from threatened death, when those dreadful diseases to which children are peculiarly exposed, were carrying so many of your playfellows to ths grave Who sent an angel to be your loving guardian, during these defenceless years Will you tell me? You have bad religious instruction at home, and you have been, and still are a Sabbath School scholar. If you should die without being saved, or should live on and get to be a bard, unfeeling sinner, you cannot say that yon have never been taught ths importance of becoming a a Christian, and only fifteen surely yon don't propose to make a solemn old Christian of me, when I am so young? Ah, yes, my boy, I do propose to you to become a Christian now, not what you mean by those naughty words, solemn old but a young, happy, joyful, lively, pure boy Christian. I want you to give Up sinful things. I waut' you to come to Christ and learn how sweet a thing it is for a buy heart to trust in, and love the Saviour. I want you to do' this because it will please Sunso.

It delights you to please your parents, and your playmates, and yet nobody in this world no not even that darling mother of yours who has gone to boaven, ever loved you well, or did so much for you as Jesus has done. I do nut know but Jour mother would have died to save you, if it could have been done iu no other way, but she never did. Christ has done just this thing fur you, my boy hss died to save you- Perhaps you have never thought bow much our Saviour has dons for you. Did you aver think that Christ mads you Tat ho fashioned that body through which you enjoy so much that Ue made the wonderful ryes through which the light flows, and carries with it so many beautiful images that lis formed those ears into which musio floats so sweetly that He made all the beautiful sweet thing around you, whleh yo love so dearly, the leaves, grasses, flowers, and fruits of summer, and the pure white snow of winter that He arched the sky, and put those stars in their plsces? God did this. Yss and Christ made all these things.

I ran prove It to you from ths ItiMe. Ark your father or nmebody tkw to show you the passages which prove what say, il you cannot find them yourself. Is It hot curious Christ suffering and dying to savs lbs creatures lie made 1 want you to ba a Christian, because yon will loss nothing by beginning now not a thing hindered, by its And. sooner or later it will become convinced that peace in the family is the law of right and prosperity in the spiritual, as in the temporal household. Two things are needful to make an Independent pastor; three to make a Congregational one 1 (1.) A vote of the church and parish to that effect, followed by his acceptance.

(2 Some formality of investment with the responsibilities of the place. (3.) To which, Congregationally, must lie added the expression of the public fellowship of the nefghboring churches as a part of that formality. On the consistency in saying that the Third ciiurch in ortkmd, Congregational as it is, is bound to know that it had, notwithstanding the advice of Council to the contrary, the right to install Mr. Walton, and at the same time saying that it had no right to exercise its power in this respect that it was bound to presume that the Master spoke to them through the result of that Council and that the public fellowship of sister churches is necessary to make a Congregational pastor, we will oot comment. -We will only call attention to the fact that the Congregational ist Beems either to have obtained new light on the subject, or else it has fallen into the same profound ignorance that it attributed to os in its article of Dec.

9. Notwithstanding what it says about the abstract'' right of a church, under Christ, we are bound to believe from its utterance, as above quoted, that it now holds with ourselves, that a Congregational church cannot walk orderly according tojjur ecclesiattical polity and jet ordain a pastor without the advice of a Council vf sfcT ohtavalMiA Let us Ihen stick a.atak here, and let nil our churclie ttx. that on this point, all New England is agreed. Any attempt to obtain a pastor in any ther way is walking disorderly. That a church strictly Independent, like llaptist churches for example has a right not only abstractly" but concretely ordain its own pastor, or that a Congregational church has not only an abstract" right but a concrete right to withdraw from the denomination, no one doubts.

But how a church can have a right to do an act which it ought not to do, is to us a little mysterious, and hence bow the 3d church in Portland were bound to foci that as a Congregational cbureh it has the right to install Mr. Walton and yet has not the right to exercise that right we do not see. Perhaps a little more' interchange of views will make the matter plain. We are certainly hopeful in regard to it. At least we think the very lucid articles in the Christian Mirror on the matter must serve to enlighten the churches of Maine generally if not the 3d church in Portland.

Nor can the articles in the last Con gregational ist encourage tbem very much to persist in holding on to Mr. alton, or to attempt, while they remain Congregational, to obtain a pastor without, or against the advice of Council, let their rod" righto be what they may. All that uch an obsraci" right amounts to, a it seems to us, is a right to cease to be a Congregational church. MOVEMENT FOR A CONGREGATIONAL I HOUSE, i Thursday afternoon at 3 P. Feb.

2, at the Old South Chapel in this city, an important meeting was held at the call of the Committee of the American Congregational Association. There was a large attendance of merchants, business men and clergymen from Boston and the immediate vicinity. Dca. Stoddard was called to the chair, and Dr. Rufus Anderson presented to the meeting the condition of the Congregational Association, and the aid it most immediately have io order to accomplish the object for which it was organised, WhICD 01'joct ne snpwea or growing inorvanu more important and pressing.

A burdensome debt remains upon the house in Chauncy white the house proves to be neither in the right place, nor what it should be to meet the wants and feelings nf the denomination. After listening to 'Interesting remarks from Dr. A. Thompson, Kdward 8. Tobry, Uon.

Linus Child and others, a resolution was offered expressing the sense of the meeting that a hundred thousand dollars should be raised for the establishment of a suitable Congregational house. The meeting was then adjourned for two weeks, that a larger meeting might be gathered, and the resolution be thoroughly dis-Catmei. 'Boston liecorder. The above is an Important motemcnt. New England Congregationalism ahould have a centra within Itself which will eiert an appmprl-at Influence on Congregationalism its bounds.

As the success of an army depends much upon Its base of operations, so weds a good bass of optration, and after ao eiperiment of soma twenty-five 1 0 .1 a til I i 0 I il a. i'j.