Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-10-17

PRAYER was then offered by the Rev. J. G..
Hale of Chester, followed by singing
My faith looks up for Thee,
Thou Lamb Of Calvary
Remarks of an earnest and practical charac-
ter were then made by large number OF
the clergy and brethren present.
Hon Franklin Fairbanks of St. Johns
bury. President Of the Association, having
arrived. now assumed tae chair and an
nounced that an address would be delivered
by the Rev. c. c. Torrey of Charlotte. Mr..
Torrev.came forward and gave as his theme,
The study of the Scriptures" He urged
the great importance Of more thorough
study of the Bible, and cited the 18th
Psalm: Teach me, o Lord, the way OF Thy
statutes, and shall keep it unto the end
and read from passages in Proverbs and
elsewhere, to show how we are taught that
this i our duty.
WEDNESDAY, Der. 5.
The convention assembled in the Congre-
rational Church The pulpit and sur
roundings had been tasteiully decorated
with choice flowers by the ladies OF Chester
The president then read several passages
of Scripture appropriate to the occasion,
and addressed the convention IN an earnest
and lorciblc manner. lie said that the
grandeur of our Sundy School work in the
nation Is beyond our comprehension. Think
of > .OO0 900 of pupils and teachers study
inr God : W ord on each Lord Day, study
lar the same passage in prayer and faith
with the best talent and pIety in the
nation turned weekly upon It to explain and
illustrate it, The barriers which separate
Christians into sects are in this work broken
down. and all meeting under the canopy OF
Gods blessing consider the mighty power
which Is welded againt the forces of Satan.
Such view Of the work must inspire Us at
this time with courage and quicken Us IL
new zeal and stronger resolutions. lie then
dwelt upon the best methods of sustaining
q Sabbath School by attention to a multi
tude of little things
The youth of this age are subjected
to great peculiar temptations. = Young
Amcricanism," is the popular cry, which
mans chasing the butterfly of amusement,
fashion and wealth or ruin. GOdlineSs is in
the background The Sunday school Is or
dained to be n grand breakwater against the
especial vices of our times. The motto OF
of the last class of Mt. Holyoke was mallet
and chisel crossed with the words, - The
marble waiteth.' Christian men and women
are the worlds best riches. Whoever gives
these to the world enriches it most The
Sabbath School is the right arm OF the
church and lays the corner stone. Let as
tors see to it that the fire upon this altar
is kept burning.
Passages of Scripturelwere then repeated
from memory by many different members OF
the convention.
The executive committee then announced
the following committees
IN ,..r.ipa rTar,.-Rav q & Iorrpg 90
Charlotte: Rev. A. L. Cooper of St. Johns
bury Rev Mr. Griffin; Rev. c. P. Smith
OF Randolph: Mr. E. 5 Dana of Cornwall.
On rcsolutionS-Rev Mr.. Holmes Rev. c.
llbbard, Rev. \. Seribner, Mr.. DEMO.
On place Of next mecting-Rev. {. p.
Smith, Randolph; Mr.. Frank Walker,
Windsor; Rev. l.. 5. Walker, Fairhaven ;
Mr.. George FOSs, St. Adams.
The delegates from the different Sabbath
schools in the State then reported to the
convention the condition Of their schools.
AFTERNOON.
The afternoon session commenced with a
promise and praise meeting, led by Rev. y .
1lson, Of bingham. Mass, which was gen
orally Joined in by all the delegates present.
President Fairbanks resumed the chair,
and announced as the topic for discussion
The Sunday School Teacher
This was ably discussed by Rev. \. /.
Cooper, Rev. c. c. Torrey, Rev. Mr.. Cobb
of;Springfeld. Rev. Jonathan Tils0n OF
Massachusetts,. Rev c. Hubbard, Mr.. Chap
man of Windham. J. l.. Barker Of Middle
bury, p. p Bliss of Chicago and others.
During this discussion a quartette. consist
ins of Mr. and Mrs Bliss and two assist
ants, sang in a splendid manner
RICK OF Ages cleft for me-
Questions which had been propounded on
paper by different delegates were then taken
up and discussed until the close of the ses-
sioa. About 40 delegates were present
during the day.
The MINISTRY OF TIE BEAUTHUL.-M We
find in the Rutland Herald a weIlwritten
essay by Rev. ". II. Ayers, lately of Wi
n.oski. now Of CaStleton, on the Minis
tries of the Beautiful in nature, art and
noble action. We copy portion Of it:
Nor has the beautiful, as revealed in art,
a les potent or less eleyating influence.
The trGc function Of art i to present to the
conception man Of perfect ideal. It, ami
mating ,,awer lies in keeping before him a
lofty standard of character, and thus caus-
lilL kl--t 4~aaNtlDu Will Ills Wv II pei
tious. and creating an aspiration for the
attainment of that which Is high and noble.
There Is in the human breast natural
yearning after perfection. The spirit often
loathe- its dark prison-house and longs for
the pure atmosphere Of a higher life. And
it Is the mission of the beautiful in art TO
quicken these heayen-b0rn instincts of hui
manity: to keep those lamps lighted within
the soul that will iiluminc its path to 4
glorious destiny.
Poetry. which is often said to deal main
" with the sentimental and unreal, has,
nevertheless. a controlling and moulding
influence upon actual life and character.
We are prone to underestimate the power
of the beautiful in poetry. because its work
ings are concealed and silent. Ii moves
with noiseess tread along the pathway of
the ayes. Its march TO conquest and to
triumph is unattended with the tramp of
soldiery. with the sound of trumpet, and
with garments rolled in blood" But al
though its influence Is. to some extent, I'M
seen, yet it Is no less deeply or widely felt.
There are Inducements in the ocean which
are more resistless than those upon its sur
face. There are, too, undercurrents of
thought and feeling, which move the hid
den springs of mind and heart, and these
sometimes tuttL IGSulAS EItdAtI III INT
worlds onward progress than those external
forces which move with clamor and confused
noise. We do not hesitate to assert that
some of the finest touches of poetic
genius have often been more lasting and
salutary in their effects upOn the mind
and character of the race than the most
bloody conflicts which have decided the
fate Of empires Who can believe that the
triumphs of Charlemagne were more glori-
Gus than those of Milton-the production
of whose genius have survived the ruins OF
the ages, have crossed oceans and deserts
with healing on their wings, have
brought Joy to many mourning heart,
illumined many a darkened soul, and will
continue to shed light upon the path of I'M
born millions long after the influence of one
Of earth'S greatest heroes shall cease to be
ielt
1t Is the mission Of the beautiful in poetry
to she'd sunshine and hope upon the worn
and beaten walks of life; to minister com
fort to the sorrowing; to lift the thoughts
into serener regions than actual LIE fur-
nishes; to create n growing love for virtue,
truth and holiness; and to inspire the soul
with confidence in those etsrnal realities in
comparison with which all of earth's pomp
and splendor sinks into nothingness. 1t
fingers alike above the couch OF health
and the sick pillow. to bless. to animate,
and to console.
The beauty of painting, too, has a most
purifying as well as inspiring influence.
Who can stand before one of the master
pieces of Michael Angelo, and not be stirred,
as if by some magic power. to higher
sense OF duty, and not 60 forth upon LIES
battle field animated with nobler aims and
purposes?
We have spoken only Of the ministry OF