Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-16
Rutland and Bennington Confer
ence.

The annual meeting of the Rutland
and Bennington Conference OF Congrega-
tional Churches was held in the Congre-
gational Church of Brandon, VT, Rev. Z.
Tuxbury pastor, on Tuesday and Wednes-
day. June 7th and Sth, 1870. Rev. Levi
II. Stone of Pawlet, preached the opening
sermon from James 1:15, after which the
Lords Supper was administered by Rev.
w. It. Herrick of Clarendon, and Rev. Z.
J. Carpenter of the Vermont Bible Society.
The Conference was organized by the
choice of Rev. o. Myrick of Middletown,
az Moderator Rev. r. J. Hall of Pitts
ford, as Scribe and Rev. P. S. Pratt OF
Dorset, as Register.
The afternoon session was chiefly occu-
pied with reports of the condition OF the
several churches, some of which, espeei-
ally that of Benson, Rev. FL. M. Holmes
pastor, reported large additions to their
membership and much general prosperity.
DR.. Thomas and Rev. Mr.. Heath OF the
Baptist and Methodist churches of Bran
don, respectively, and Rev. Mr.. Carpenter,
were invited to sit as corresponding mem
bers of the Conference. At the evening
meeting Mr.. Carpenter presented the
claims of the Vermont Bible Society upon
the churches, in introducing the question
of the evening which was: How can lib
eral and cheerful giving for benevolent
objects be best promoted in our churchesf
Remarks were made by several brethren
favoring as means to this end, faithful
giving on the part of the ministry, and
referring to the tithing system, not as a
thing to be enforced in any legal spirit,
but as useful measure of voluntary
benevolence.
A devotional meeting was held at $50
Wednesday morning, conducted by Rev.
Mr.. Holmes, after which several COM
mittees made their reports. Appoint
ments were made as follows:
Place of next meeting, Dandy. Preach
er, Rev. o. Myrick; substitute, Rev. L.
Tuxbury.
Delegates to State Convention Rev.
Charles Redfield, of Arlington, and Dea-
cons E. D. Selden and A. d. Smith SUBJ
stitutes, Rev. Mr.. Weston and Deacons
Henry Hall and Cheney.
The report on a narrative of the state OF
the Churches, by Rev. Mr.. Herrick, OF
Clarendon, was recommended for publ
cation, together with report of the Pro-
ceedings of the conference. in the but
land Herald.
Rev. R. S. Cushman, of Manchester,
read an able essay on The Proper Terms
of Communion, which was followed by an
interesting discussion of the subject.
At II o'clock the following question
was presented "How can our churches
best reach, with gospel influences, all the
people within the limits of the confer
ence?" DIR. A. Walker, of Wallingford,
opened the discussion, urging the impor-
lance of using social agencies to reach
these people, and was followed by others
in similar strain.
After the recess for dinner, an essay
was read by Rev. Lewis Francis, of Cas-
Teton, on Affords view of Total Alb
stinence in his comment on John, I'd chap.
In the essay and the following remarks
unqualified dissent from the anti-temper-
ance ideas of Dean Afford were express
ed. The Congregational, Methodist and
Baptist Sabbath Schools of Brandon met
for their anniversary at 3 pm, under the
charge of DIR. Wright, Assistant Super
intendant of the Congregational Sunday
School, and were addressed by Rev.
Messrs. Miner, Stone, Hall and Holmes,
and Deacon E. L. Barber.
After vote of thanks to the people of
Brandon for their hospitality, the confer
ence was adjourned to meet in June, 1871,
at Dandy.