Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-06-21

WIN the congregational cnurcn OF hutlauu
Tuesday afternoon, June Ilth. Rev. l.. c
Partridge, of North bennington, was elect
ed scribe, and Rev. l. II. Ellict. of Brad
ford, assistant scribe. Deacon j. Nj. Haver
was chosen auditor. The following are th'
oihcers of the convention President, ID
NJ. Camp. Esq Newport Nice-President
Rev q. b. Saffnrd. Burlington; Secretary
Rev. Z. ii. Merrill. West Brattleboro
Corresponding Secretary, Rev. p. 5. Pratt
Dorset; Treasurer. j. G. Emery. Esq
Montpelier Trustees. Thaddeus Fairbanks
Ed. St Johnsbury Rev. Aldaee Walker
d. d., Rutland; Hon. John A. Page,
Montpelier Rev. A. Stevens, ID. d. West
minister, and James W. lIickok. ED,
Burlington.
The following committees were appoint
ed Business. Rev. X. T. Hall, Rev. j G.
Hale. Rev. &. Burnham. Nominations,
Rev j. ii. Babbitt, Rev. l.. d. Mesrs, Rev
\. HolbrOok. Finance, Dea. L. +. Thomp-
son, 4. A. Laue, Dea. Jonathan Warner.
Devotional Exercises, Rev. j. &. johnson,
Rev. Il. s. Butler. Rev. Austin Hazen.
The committee on resolutions in respect
to terminating church membership. report
ed through the Chairman. Rev. c. S. Smith,
their report making the following points ::
When an individual mites with church
he publicly TAKES upon himself II two fold
1
the local church.
The first covenant, between God and the
individual, is the basis of the second, but
tho church is not q party to it except as a
witness.
| The second covenant, between the local
church and the individual, IL for the pres
ent lie. and may be terminated. first. BY
death; secondly. hy mutual agreement, be-
tween the church and the individual and
thirdly, when member knowingly and
persistently violates or refuses to fulfil his
covenant obligations; it then becomes the
duty OF the church to labor to persuade
! him to return to the path of duty. But if
f., without success, and in their judgment the
honor OF Christ, the purity of the church or
the good OF the offender requires it. they
are authorized. in the name OF Christ. to
prcceei-not to absolve him from his VOWS,
but to exclude him from all participation
in the rights and privileges OF membership,
and withheld from him their fellowship as
disciple
The church has authority to separate Il
member from its fellowship only for serious
violation of, or continued refusal to comply
with, his covenant obligations. Every
church should use great caution in admit
ting new converts to membership before q
reasonable time has been given them to
learn their own hearts, ana give to others
credible vidtEce ei their being in T, low
ship with Christ The churches should
spare no pains to instruct, watch over, en-
list in Christian duty and help forward in
the divine life thuse who have newly enter
ed upon Christian course The spirit Of
Christian love and watchiulntsS should be
so cultivated es to be an ever-preSent and
living force in the church, embracing all,
stimulating all to fidelity and reaching forth
promptly but tenderly to save the erring
in the very first steps of his going astray.
Our churches should keep such careful
watch over their members as to know when
ono removes from them. and follow him !
with their Christian solicitude.
This question Of terminating church mem- |
bership. was discussed at great length. ANA |
finally Rev. McsSrs u l. Walker, f. p, |
Hooker and l. II. Bates we're added to the |
committee, who were instructed to prepare a |
more practical minute to meet exceptional |
cases.
a large Con- regatian assembled in the
evening to listen to the convention sermon
by Rev. George l.. Walker, ID. D., Of Brat
tlebnro. The venerable DIR. Stevens read
the scriptures and Offered prayer. Or.
Wslker preached an eloquent sermon from
Matthew xiii 52-"Ticn said he unto
them, therefore every scribe instructed unto
the kingdom of heaven l. like unto man
that is u householder, who bringcth forth
out Of his treasure things new and old.
WEDNESDAYS PROCEEDINGS
The following committee of arrangements
for the next annual meeting was appointed
Rev. q. u. Stafford. Rev : l.. Bates, Rev
II. 7 Fuller.
The following resolutions wric presented,
viz:
Resided, FIRST, that We hail with thanksgiving
the Temperance reformation which has blessed the
State and rejoice that Christian workers have done
80 much TO promote it, and hope that II will receive
the hearty support and active .thy of pastors
and churches; second that in the interest Of this
good work is recommended to the churches OF Yer
mont which We represent the use Of unfermented
ruit of wine for sacramen,al purposes
The first resolution was then adopted and
pending action on the second the conven-
lion adjourned for the annual meeting Of
the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society.
Hon. Franklin Fairbanks, president OF
The society, called the meeting to order.
The tr,asur.r, j. c. Emery, Esq, made
MS report. from which il appeared that the
receipts OF the society have been nearly
81 100, a little less than last year.
The report of the directors was read by
Rev. &. ). Smith, the secretary. The work
If the society during the year was resiew
ID and the immense Importance OF extend
ng its work was urged with great earnest
Icss.
Rev. +. b. Cham bcrlain spoke briefly in
'eferenee TO the work at Essex junction,
shich had resulted in establishing church
\ hich recently entertained the conference
inring its annual meeting.
Rev. h. q Reed drew comparison BE-
we-n the narrow work here In the decay
NJ communities Of Vermont. and the work
n the new and growing sections OF the
Vest.
President Buekham spoke Of tho great
arietV OF unevangellstic sects in this State.
n small community on the line of the /
there are the remnants Ui nine OF
hese stcts. This state, he said, is the
birthplace OF Mormonism, blileri-m, eic. l
Lhesc sects have their Origi in native
'uwer IN the people not reached by reveal
Il truth. They spring up in the absence
Il the gospel. They arc :he weeds and mil
lew, foul grOWths which flourish IN daIk
nd uncuitivattd fields. In part they are
heir own hntidote, as they are 50 much
more dismal than the gospel that they soon ,
epcl sensitive and reflective minds But {
he remedy for them is til!age, tho open {
bible and the genuine revival. The '
hurches should be 80 near together that d
hey will cover all the ground, 50 that there :
he state should be covered with EvangC l
lstic influences. This Is u missionary
tate. lts influence IN the nation, ITS char
ctcr Tor moral and political integrity are
ue more to these missionary churches than
o itS representatives IN Congress. Eiuca-
ION lauguI-hes where there are no churches.
ivery thing We value depends upon the sue I
'css of tins work
Tho nominating committee then recon-
neEdCd the reelection Of the old board OF 7
hctrs and their report was adopted.
AFTERNOON.
The following resolution wa adopted
R'soir'd, That in order to carry out tho apostolic
llunction that no man put a stumbling block an {
ccasion to fall in his brothers way, We reccOmend
o the churches III" careful avoidance in the com
iunion service of impure or Intoxicating wine
The corresponding secretary, rev. Z. ).
'ratt, read the report on the State of tine =
hurches. The seventeen churches of Chit :
enden county, report II, O,9ll members, III |
y profession and letter IN 1877. There
re ,0So III - reporting schools But ~
ct less than s., 200 benevolent cOntrlbu-
ions from this conference. All bat two Of
he twelve churches OF Franklin and Grand
sic conference enjoy ministerial services,
nd their appreciation OF the Gospel IL De
lonstrated IN some cases by sell denying c
Hort IN sustaining the ordinances. A
marked example Of this Is reyea ed IN the !
ulldIng Oi tho pastOrage at AlDurgh. a
In Orleans county there are evidences of
much faithful work, with expectation OF ;
ruit in due time The church odiiice ut a
Newport has been enlarged and beautiiicd II
heir schools are earnestly and successfully
that at Derby being named aS !;
{ special excellence. :
A gratifying view ~ present ID by Gale
onia conference. The principal towns
ave each ono or more Congregational
hurches each chu rch n minister, Gig ht OF I
hesc settled pastors. SJod report ~ mnde {
I the Sabbath schools, which have nearly
500 members with an average attendance I
1 sixteen hundred. The cohtr,butiJns from {
his county, approaching Sl3,OOO, arc, as Il
sual, larger than from any other conici- q
nco The meeting hnuao AT lt.hnt hs {. h..r | i