Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-24
General Convention.

The Congregationalsts Of the State held
their General Convention at st. Johnsbury
commencing on Tuesday and ending on Fri.
day of this week. In the absence of daily
reports, which were promised us, we gather
from other sorces some interesting facts from
its proceedings.
The number of churches connected with
the Convention is 1914. One hundred and
sixty churches are reported as supplied with
preaching, Thirty-lour are reported as dos.
tiutc, but many of them are supplied a part
of the time through the ltinerant Depart.
mout of the Missionary Society; aud others
which have no stated supply, are supplied
from Sabbath to Sabbath.
There are cighty-two pastors soycnty-six
stated supplies, and dfy-Gye ministers with.
out charge. making the whole number Of min.
listers two hundred and thirteen.
The pastors Of thirteen churches have been
dismissed, viz. Benson, West Rutland, Mid
dcbury, Bristol, Charlotte, Burlington lst
/ St. Abans, Morrstown, Waitsfeld, Wostfeld
Sralord, Woodstock aud Dummcrston
Pastors have bccuinstalcdoycr | 3 churches
viz. Benson, West Rutland, Bristol, Coru-
wall, Burlington lst, Bloomington, Newport,
st. Johnsbury 3D., Woodstock Chester, Graf
tom Bratteboro and Dummerston.
-Four new churches have been organized
during the year, viz: East Dorset, South
/ RoyaIton, West Dover and Cambrdgeport
These four have an aggregate membership of
scyenty-iour.
The Corresponding Secretary, in his report,
says-1he net increase Of our church mcm-
bcrship is over 100, or "a ON the average to
every church to which there have been add.
tions. Many churches have been greatly cdi.
fed--a few doubled their membership. The
whole number added to the churches of the
State is 2.037. OF these ,l5S have Joined
/ by profession Of faith, and the exact net
gain is LII. Our churches have 1868
communicates, or nearly 1000 less than there
were thirty years ago 3Sl have died Three
ministers have also died, viz: Nelson Bar.
bour, Alvah Spaulding, and Joseph Torrey
The report of the Treasurer Of the Yer
mont Domestic Missionary Society showed
that the receipts of the year had been, includ'
ing what was in the treasury year ago, 81 g..
5000
Phe report Of the directors by their cor.
responding Secretary, Rev c. 5, Smith, rep
resented that during the yearpast, the churche.
aided by the Society, have enjoyed an unusu.
al measure of the Holy Spirit
Forty-four churches have been assisted in
the Ordinary Department. larger number
than at any time during the last ten years
Isl conversions have been reported, 1865 ad.
ditious to the churches by profession, "A by
letter Net increase l43 Five churches re.
port eight young men preparing for the min
istry. In the Itinerary Department 80 mis-.
sionaries have been employed rendering ia
all 237 weeks labor
On Wednesday forenoon Rev. II. n. Bur.
ton delivered, before the W. Domestic Mis-
sionary Society, an historical discourse
reviewing the Missionary work in the State
for the past fifty years. Many facts Of great
interest were presented The discourse wa.
an able production and will be printed.
Very interesting "reminiscences of the past
were then given by the venerable Rev DR.
Walker of Pittsford Rev. Amm Nichols OF
Braintree, and Rev. II. F. Leayitt Of Ferris.
burgh Mr.. Nichols is the patriarch of Yer.
mont ministers, and has preached the gospel
in this State most Of the time for about sixty
years.
In the afternoon the sacrament Of the Lord.
Supper was observed by large assembly
This was followed by a thanksgiving prayer.
meeting Of forty minutes, for the gift of the
[ Holy Spirit which has been so abundantly
bestowed on our churches during the year
Prayers and remarks were limited to three
minutes each 1t was most delightful oc.
cason Several pastors who had come from
seasons of revival, in few words spoke VI
the wonderful works Of God while Others
poured out their hearts in praise for mereie,
received, ana duplicated similar blessing.
upon those churches which had been less ia
yored
The afternoon exercises closed with an es-
say by Rev Lewis Grout, on The duty of
the church to its baptized children Mr..
Grout took the ground that baptized children
were really members of the church, though.
like minors in the State, not entitled to full
privileges Though some of the positions
taken may be questioned, the discussion was
well fitted to lead Christian parents to value
the ordinance more, and to be more faithful
in training up their offspring ia the nurture
Of the Lord.
The evening session was occupied by a
spirited discussion Of the question, What j.
the Christian rule concerning amusements'
The leading disputants were Rev. III. n. Bur.
ton, and Hon E. p. Walton. Several others
/ followed. The sentiments of the meeting
against certain forms of amusement, such as
card and billiard playing, dancing and thea.
tre-gong, We're embodied in a resolution drawn
up by DIR. Kitchel, which was unanimously
adopted.
On Thursday morning the VT Education
Society held its anniversary. 1t appeared
from the report of the Treasurer, (Mr j. r.
rhurston) that but few of the churches in
the State had taken any collection for this oh.
ject. Why is it when young men from
Vermont are receiving large sum every year
from the parent society to enable them to 90
on with their studies, that the Vermont
churches end Christians give so little to help
them Shall the Vermont churches leave il
to Massachusetts, and other States to fur
nish the funds to educate her sons, or will she
do it herself?
The closing exercise on Thursday after
noon was an Essay by Rev. A. b. Dascomb
on 1.-The rights and duties of women in the
church" The essay took decided ground
against women's taking part in public meet
ings.
The meetings were all well attended and of
more than usual interest The weather was
pleasant, the place of meeting one of the most
beautiful in Vermont, and the hospitality of
the inhabitants unbounded.
" A correspondent at Plainfeld desires