Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-06-27
Notes on the late Religious COu'
VentiOns,

Notes on the late Religious Con-
VentiOns,
With respect to the two annual conyen-
tions which have been he'd at st. AL
bans during the current month, a few
thoughts are suggested which may
properly be jottsd down asln addendum
to the reports recently printed in the
HERALD. The convention Of the Episco-
pal Church is holden by constitution on
the first Wednesday Of Jun9. In 1866,
it voted to hold its session out of Bur
lington, where it had been held for eleven
wears and until it had become an old
story, and the entertaining Of its mem
bers, clerical and lay, year after year,
had become more Of blrden than
pleasure. The Episcopal Convention is
composed of the Bishop, who presides,
every Episcopalian clergyman who has
resided one year in the DNCese previous
to the meeting of the Convention and is
regularly connected with some parish,
or being a Professor in some college or
incorporated seminary of learning, or
being a Missionary or Theological Pro-
fessor, and ay-delegates from each parish
according to the following ratio Of rep
resentation, viz: If they count three
male communicate, the parishes shall
be entitled to one delegate; if ten male
communicates thin they shall be en-
titled to two; if twenty, to three dele
gates; if forty than to four if eighty
to five; if $50, mae communicates, to
delegates ant if 300 or more
they shall be emitted to seven delegates,
in which case the wardens and vestry
can all attend.
The lay elemert in the Episcopal
Church Is an important and potential
one, and often the most distinguished
members of the body and those who
hold controlling voice in debate are
leading professional laymen. In days
gone by the presence in convention and
active co operation of Daniel Chapman,
Truman Squier, Martin c. Deming, An
son j, Sperry, Charles K. Williams,
Alexander Fleming, DR.. Artemas Rob-
bins, Henry T. Greene, j. H. Hubbard
Simeon Ide, D. Amherst Willoughby,
John Richardson, D. Dana Hyde, Edward
R. Campbell, Geoge T. Hodges, Doras-
tus Wooster, Charhs Linsey, and in more
recent times the presence of Daniel KEEL.
logg, Richard G. Cole, George B. Shaw,
Isaac F. Redfeld and his brother Timothy
P. Redfeld, JOhnC. Roberts, Altman l.
Miner, Dudley {. Denson, Asa Owen
Adds Roderick Richardson, and many
Others of talent and high social position
added great interest to its action and
debates
This year the Episcopal Convention
at st, Adams vas composed Of about
eighty members, some twenty-five
clergymen, andthe lay delegates wer'
from nearly every parish in the Dio
cese, representing over fifteer hundred
families and over twenty-five hundred
communicates.
The Congregational General Conven
ton of Vernon, meets annually on tn
third Tuesday il June. The assembly
shorter Catechisn is its doctrinal stand
ard. 1t is constituted as follows; Eacl
county conference may send three dele
gates, one minister and two laymen
each association may send two delegate
and if it have eight ordained residen
ministers, it may send three and an ad
ditiOnal delegate for every four ordaine
ministers. TIE permanent officers c
the Convention, the preacher, ministe
OF the parish, delegates to and from fol
eign bodies, chairman of the cOmmitte
who have to report, the Secretaries {
the Vermont Domestic Missionary Sc
ciety and Vermont Education Society
the persons appointed to prepare essay
and to lead in discussions, are also men
bers e. o6seio. The officers of the Cor
vention are chosen annually.
At the seventy second annual meeting
just held at St. klbaus, there were owe
one hundred clergymen and perhaps fit
lay delegates present. One great pecr
liarity Of of the Congregational CONVEX
tion, was the almost total silence of th
laity. Only one layman spoke, viz.