Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-06-30
u,i;y;ous Intelligence.

Religious IntelnsenCcs
The Congregational Convention OF Vermont
held its annual session at st. Alsans COM
mencng on Tuesday last and continuing
through Thursday. The attendance was
unusually full. Delegates were present from
the Presbyterian General Assemblies, both
Old school and New School, from tha Congre-
pational church of Canada, from the Congre-
gatonal Convention Of Maine, &c, &c.
The question of Slavery had place in the
discussions A series of resolutions asserting
the rights of Ministers of the Gospel, denoun-
cling the Nebraska bill and thanking Messrs.
Seward, Meacham. Sumner, and others, for
their defence of the n. E. clergy, in Con-
gress. were offered and a warm discussion
followed The resolutions were opposed by
Prof Torrey, Rev. Messrs Wickham. Lord,
Dougherty, Banks of Ark, and others, who
were disposed to avoid mingling OF religion
and politics, believed that the rights OF the
clergy needed no assertion, and were disln-
cined to notice unfounded attacks which
injured only the maker of them. A resolution
to the effect that the Convention viewed with
horror the recent movements towards Slavery
extension and were resolved to oppose all such
extension, until the evil should be removed
was finally substituted and passed unanimous
IN. The report upon the state of the church
in Vermont, showed on the whole decrease
in the number of members, the deaths having
been about $50 and the dismissions upon
change of residence numerous, while the ad-
ditions fell short of last year by some 30 or
CO. The Convention, after an unusually in
teresting session, marked on the whole by
great propriety and harmony, closed on Thurs
day, P NJ, with the usual communion SER
vice and sermon.
Revivals have recently been experienced in
Whitehall and Norwich, n Y. and in Mid
dleton and North Greenwich. Conn.
The Episcopal Convention in Rhode Island
adjourned without electing a Bishop for the
Diocese. Rev. DR.. Williams, Assistant
Bishop of Connecticut, was invited to per-
form episcopate duties in the Diocese until
the meeting of another Convention, special or
annual.
A "Colporteur Convention, of great inter-
est, closed at St Louis on the 9th, after a ses-
sion of six days. Though the convention was
composed Of less than forty members, they
were connected with eleren different dcnomi-
nations, yet, while the Interchange of opin-
ion was perfectly free, and the intercourse of
the members was most intimate, the fact was
repeatedly stated by members, that they had
been unable to ascertain the denominational
preferences or relations of their association.
The average age of the members of the con-
vention is iorty-three years-men in the vigor
of lile-prudent, pious, self-denying men,
Thirteen of the colportcurs were Germans
tailoring among their countrymen.
The General Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church (South) made considerable
changes in the church government In the
report on episcopacy, the committee say that
one reason for increasing the number of their
Bishops, Is that one of them may, during the
greatest portion Of the time travel and also
preach extensively within the bounds Of the
Pacific conference. Another is, that the col
ored population may enjoy more of the servi-
ces OF Bishop than they have heretofore
done.
The last number of the Shepherd If The
VALLEY" (St. Louis) was issued Saturday
the editor announcing that he could no long
or continue ITS publication at a loss. This
the paper which had such bitter article, on
the Protestants. The " N,tr York Rudgot -
q proscripti,c anti-Roman Catholic Journal
has also been starved out