Vermont Telegraph

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.
From the N. Y. Baptist Register.

[The following letter from Brother S. S. Whitman, late a professor in the Institution at Hamilton, to the editor of the Pioneer, will be a pleasant epistle to many of his friends in this State. Ed. Reg.]

To the Editor of the Pioneer:

Dear Sir—It may not be uninteresting to you and some of your readers to be informed of the organization of a Baptist church at Rockford, especially as Dr. Haskell, and some others from your place, are among its members. It is not yet three years since there were but two houses in the place, and those made of logs. But even now its society of intelligent and enterprising citizens, combined with its religious and other privileges, makes it a desirable place of residence.— Situated, as it is, upon one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, and surrounded by a country that is second to none in the health of its climate, and in the beauty and fertility of its soil, it is destined to be one of the most important places in northern Illinois. Three houses for public worship are already begun, and will soon be completed. Indeed, we could ourselves hardly imagine that these fine prairies and woodlands were so recently the abode only of savages, were it not that their deep and frequent trails are still fresh, and their wigwam frames still standing among us.

The Baptist church in this place (Belvidere) was the first that was formed in this region, and already numbers about forty members. The church at Rockford is twelve miles west of this, and begins with only sixteen members; but they are of one heart and one soul, and will, no doubt, be an important church in, what we hope will soon be, the Rock River Association. It begins upon the right foundation—that those "who preach the gospel should live by the gospel," so that, untrammelled by worldly cares, they may attend to the duties of their holy calling; and farther—that the burdens of the church shall be borne by the individual members, according to the ability which God has given them. This will appear from the following extracts from the articles of the church, which were unanimously adopted:

"It is the duty of those who are called of God to preach the gospel, to devote themselves wholly to the work, and it is the duty of the church to sustain them, by their prayers, and by contributing to their support; so as to render it unnecessary to entangle themselves with the cares of this world."

Every member should feel bound to bear a just and equal proportion of the burdens of the church; and in all cases where means are to be raised by the church for the support of the ministry, or any other purpose, the same, unless otherwise ordered, shall be assessed among the members thereof, according to their ability to pay, which shall be determined in the manner directed by the church."

I am, indeed, a stranger in many parts of this State, but have often heard of the condition of the Baptist ministry throughout it; and I cannot believe, that, if our churches had been constituted upon the above foundation, it would have been so often asserted that there are not more than two Baptist ministers in the whole State of Illinois who are fully supported by the several churches to which they preach the gospel.

Very respectfully, your brother,
S. S. WHITMAN.