Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-26

Troy Conference.
HISTORICAL NOTES, No. ".


HISTORICAL NOTES, No. ".
| The twenty fourth session of Troy Confer
ence was held in Burlington, June 1S, 1856.
Thomas A. Morris was the presiding bishop.
lie never presided over the conference again.
He was the last of the pioneer bishops. His
successors exchanged the saddle for railway
coaches and palace cars. Previous to his be-
ing elected bishop in 1896, he became ex-
tensively known as editor of the Western
Christian Adrocdte. His prudence and judi
cious exercise of episcopal authority gave
him large place in the affections of the
church.
Great changes in the Methodist church had
taken place since the session of Troy Con-
ference in Burlington in 1912
The separation of the Northern and South
ern Annual conferences had taken place.
Tne terrible moral conflict between the North
and South. on slavery had rent the church in
twain. Methodism, as well as every form of
the American church, felt the disturbance
that ensued in the moral and political life of
the Nation
Methodism, by its peculiar conneciional
system, felt the disturbance more than any
other church in the Union.
Many millions of church property and
hundreds of thousands of members were
Episcopal church.
Troy Conference, previous to the secession
Of the Southern conferences, had suffered
by the agitation of slavery within its bounds
Several churches were rent asunder
True Wcsleyans," as they styled them
selves, organized societies and built several
churches. The Champlain Annual Confer
ence of the Wesleyan church of America
was organized within the bounds of the con-
ference. Several disputes about church
property arose. Weybridge Methodist
church in Vermont tested their right to the
church property, against the forcibie posses
sion of the church edifice by the Wesleyans,
in the courts. The courts awarded the
church edifice to the Methodists
The reaction of the Mlleritc delusion was
also injurious TO Methodism, full as much as
to some other churches.
The Bible, in the estimation of some had
become as obsolete as an old almanac. The
period of 1913 ended in their calculations all
prophetic epochs, and hence no credence
could be placed in the sacred writings in re-
gard to prophetic visions, or precepts
founded on them. NIillerism exposed the
churches generally to the cavils and often to
the jeers of skeptics. Many slid back into
worldliness and irreligion.
Another cause of hindrance to the usual
success of Methodism in large part of the
Troy Conference was the discussion and con-
test in the General Conference between
the Vermont and Troy Annual
Conferences relating to conference
boundaries. The contest was. carried into
the quarterly conference in the churches in
volved in the controversy.
That portion Of Vermont lying between
the Green Mountains and the lake was
cherished portion of the Troy Conference.
Several leading members of the conference
were natives of Vermont They entered with
spirit into the contest. The social element
of the churches was largely intermingled
with Methodism across the lake, and hence
by common consent ministers and people
resisted the effort of the Vermont conference
to absorb the whole State within its bounds
The Vermont Conference, shut up within
thernarrow limits between the mountains
and the Connecticut river. requested and
importuned the General Conference to give
them the whole State, for it was necessary
to them, and the rich and powerful Troy
Conference ought and should willingly yield
to their request.
1t was in this manner that the rich, fertile,
picturesque Western Vermont became the
appl OF discord between the conferences,
and as a result the churches suffered and
the Christian graces lost much of their har-
monious beauty aud attractiveness.
The session of the conference in 1856 was
at that season of the year when the natural
scenery around Burlington was simply one
of luxurance and beauty. June was in the
fulness OF her fiorescent, outrageous and
verdant robes. The citizens seemed to vie
with each other in dispensing their royal
hospitality The courtesy of other churches
was so cordial that the millennium seemed to
have dawned. Burlington had become
famous for its railroads, and Vermont
ships" had mostly disappeared. 4 proyrcs-
sive spirit was evident ON every side
A great change was evident in the appear
anceot the conference, compared with the one
held in Burlington in 1872. Thirty members
had died during that time. some ot them were
il their time prominent and leading spirits.
Others had been retired from active work,
some had located and some had withdrawn.
New presiding elders and new men had come
to the front. and the leading men of 1912
had nearly if not quite ceased to be active.
The members in the list of supernumerary and
superannuated preachers had nearly doubled.
The appearance of the conference, however,
was that of body of men in the active,
resolute period of life. The excitement in
church and State had quickened and devel-
oped moral strength TO meet the the ext
gency of the times. The American church
at that time could but notice the rule or
ruin" motto of many divines and statesmen
of that period.
The shadow of coming events was already
upon the church and nation.
The session was harmonious. The usual
routine of conference business passed along
without interruption. But one member of
the conference had died during the year; that
one was an aged superannuate.
The membership of the church had de
creased within the bounds of the conference
not far from three thousand, since 1912.
This was owing to the differences that
arose out of Milerism, secession, slavery and
conference boundaries.
There was 4 gratifying increase, however,
in the number Of stations, circuits and
churches. The financial and material
strength OF the conference had been consid-
erably augmented. Nearly sixty new charges
had been formed, and the ministry had been
correspondingly increased.
There was also great revival ON the sub
ject of education. Troy Conference Aca-
denny, at West Poultney, Vt. WAS being
supplemented by Fort Edward Institute,
Jonesville Academy and Troy University.
The Institute and Academies were in sue
cessful operation and the University reported
sure of future success, rs already S20O,O 900
endowment had been secured and the plan
of the main college building completed.
On the subject of Sabbath schools, tenn
perance and slavery, the conference took
high ground, and voiced its will on those im-
portant themes in several reports and re-
solves.
A noticeable feature in Burlington Meth
odism was the new church on Pine street.
Several of the conference societies and COM
mittees found it convenient TO meet in; and
the young society was in very nourishing
condition.
Quite sensation was produced in the con-
ference and also among the citizens by the
outspoEen political sentiments of Rev. j. L.
Newman, in his address at the anniversary
of the conference missionary society. lie
had Just been transferred 10 the conference,
and it was new thing for the preachers 10
listen to a political address at a conference
anniversary. Subsequent events proved, how
ever, that the reverend gentleman's head
was level on politics as well as theology.
On the whole the session was one of profit
to preachers and people. The conference,
by Il rising vote, unanimously thanked the
citizens of Burlington for their abundant
liberality Bishop Morris gave a fatherly
address to the preachers, AS he assigned
them their fields of labor, and about two
hundred ministers started out for another
wear of toll and self-denial in the Masters 5
vineyard. T. ID. IL.
National Monuments.