The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-10-12
Vermont Baptist State Con-
vention.

The Vermont Baptists held their an
nual convention at St. Adams last wcok,
commencing on Tuesday evening. Itwas
the fiftieth annual session. Tuesday eve.
ming nothing was done but tho holding Of
meeting Of the trustees at which the
necessary appropriations were made, in.
Guiding $500 to the Vergennes church
and $50 to the Monkton church, and
some other preliminary work.
The convention proper assembled
Wednesday morning, organized by the
election of Rev. Dr. Goadby OF Yer
gennes as moderator, Rev. 9. 2.
Freryear as clerk and Rev. W. II Rugg
assistant clerk.
The annual sermon was preached by
Rev. Foster Henry of North Bennington.
Subject The aims and methods of Christie
ministry as foreshadowed by the tempta.
tions of Christ.
The following board Of officers were
elected for the ensuing year: President,
Rev. W. N. Wilbur; vice presidents.
Rev. 7. ii. Archibald, d. D., and Dea
Il. A. Fuller; secretary, Rev. Charles
Hibbard treasurer, l.. K. Fuller; au.
ditor, George f. Davis.
TRUSTEES.
Hon Ira G. Allen, A. G. Mitchell,
0ea Mial Davis, J. j. Esty, Rev. S. f
Brown, Rev. l.. Hayden, d. D., Dea.
E. W. Horner, Hon, j. NJ. Hotchkiss,
Row. L. Henry. Rev NJ Carrentor. ]
w. Pettigrew, Dea. G. E. Foss, Rev. j
Goadby, d. D., Rev, C. p. Frenyear.
Tho report Of the treasurer was pre-
scented and accepted.
The report of the board was read by
Rev. Charles Hubbard, the secretary.
The report made fitting allusion to the SC.
rious illness of the missionary agent, Rev.
Nj. q. Smith, who, as the result of his ex-
haustive labor, was laid aside from hia
work, and prayer was offered in his be.
half.
Rev. A. Ii. Ball of Windsor was APP
pointed delegate to the Methodist Episco.
pal annual conference. Rev. N. N. ella.
zier was appointed delegate to the Con
gregational body. Rev j. X. Richard.
son. delegate to the New York State Con.
vention.
Wednesday evening Rev. Charles Hib-
bard of Chester delivered an address en-.
titled The History of the Vermont Bap.
fist State Convention, from its origin to
the present time with a sketch OF the
early history Of the denomination in the
state from the beginning"
From this address may be gathered
much interesting matter. The first Bap.
fist church was planted in Salisbury
in 176S, from the Separatists who came
out from the Congrs gationalists The sec.
ond church was formed in Guilford in
ITO. By the close of the last century
there wero over one hundred churches
planted in all parts of the state and in
the borders of Canada.
From 1875, the increase was less rap
id, tide Of emigration having set in.
In $500 only eighty Of the one hundred
churches remained In 1912 there were
seventy churches, fifty ministers, and %,
1S5 members. In 1910 there was only q
membership of 11,l01. The next ten
years was period Of gloom and disaster
and the membership of the churches con.
tinued to decline until about 1850, when
il commenced to gain, and the decade
from 1860 to 1870 was q still moro pros
porous period Since 1870 an endow.
invuv 'Iuu ~loe,ooo Dvou .aissu
for the Vermont Academy; 1.29S con.
verts have been baptized. During the
half century over one hundred church es
have been aided, including Burlington
Brattleboro, Bennington, Manchester and
Rutland S94,43S has been received
and expended 2l,77l have been bap.
tized.
Thursday morning the committee dis.
cussed the Vermont Academy at Saxton',
River and considerable sum was raised
to add to the funds of the institution.
Then Rev. Mr.. Rugg presented a report
on ministerial education Rev. G.. B.
Farrar reported on foreign missions
Rev. e. ii. Parker reported on the
American Baptist publication society.
Committee on obituaries reported Rev,
j. X. Wright died, aged seventy -four
years. lie was ordained in West Corn
wall. His labors we're confined to Add
son county. The committee on resolu.
tons reported aud the convention adop.
ted resolutions affirming interest in the
temperance movement disappearing eff.
forts to secure portions of the public
school money for the support of ecclesias.
tical schools and expressing their rejoic.
ing in the success of every effort TO preach
the gospel of Christ by any aud all chris
tian organizations.