St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-06-17
The General Convention.

and vice presidents, convention was
called to order by Secretary Merrill
of Brattleboro, and organized by
choice of Rev. F. w. Olmsted of Will
liston, moderator, who led the cOnven-
ton in prayer. Revs. Lawrence Phelps
of Barton and ii. ID. Hall of Vergennes,
were elected scribes, and Geo. May of
st. Johnsbury auditor of accounts.
Reports of committees were called
up in order. Rev. E. L. Fairbanks
made a brief verbal report on the Yer
mont Chronicle. He said the list of
subscribers had not materially changed
during the year. The printing of the
New Hampshire Journal in connection
with the Chronicle was very satisfac-
tory both to the committee and the n.
II. churches. This report was supple
mented by few remarks from Editor
Barber, who spoke particularly of the
enthusiasm with which the n. II. breth-
rem took hold of the matter. The re-
port was laid on the table.
The report of the committee on a
change in the constitution was read
by Professor Henry Fairbanks. The
change proposed was mainly i'll the
composition of the convention, giving
more lay members and less ministers,
keeping the total number about the
same as at present. The following ar
ticle gives the substance of the change
Every Association of ministers in the
state, or partly i'll the state, receiving
these doctrines, is entitled to one dele
gate i'll the Convention each Associa-
ton having eight or more resident or
dained ministers, two delegates, and
each of sixteen, three delegates. Every
County Conference of churches, receiv-
ing the same faith, is entitled to two
delegates each Conference of six OF
more churches, three delegates, and fOT
each additional three churches, or ma
jOr fraction of three, an additional del
egate. From each Conference one dele
gate may be a minister, or two if six
or more delegates are sent, or three If
nine.
Persons elected to any office or hold
ing appointment by this Convention,
shall be members thereof until such
office or appointment shall expire also
officers of the Vermont Domestic Mis-
sionary Society, the editor of the Yer
mont Chronicle, the organ of the Con-
ventiOn, and the minister of the parish
where the MEETING is held
Persons recommended by the Bust
ness committee may be received as
honorary members, and participate in
all deliberations, but may not vote.
After considerable discussion the
above change was incorporated into
the constitution by a vote of Al to ,,
several declining to vote.
A memorial was presented by Rev.
A. w. Wild of Peacham, for the Gale
donia Conference, touching the matter
of proper credentials for the standing
of ministers not settled pastors, to
guard against imposition. The fact
was shown that from the year 1900 to
1865 such committee had been APP
pointed, but since that time the matter
had been dropped. This memorial was
referred to the Business committee
The committees were then announced
as follows: Business committee
Revs. DIR. Hubert, A. b. Lambert, Aus
tin Hazen. Nominating committee
Rev. DR.. A. Stevens, Rev. G. G. Lyon,
C.. NJ. Stone. On Finance-Franklin
Fairbanks, G. II. Clapp, II. II. Frary
Devotional eXercises-Revs. II. w
Jones, II. Cummings, Richard Hicks.
EVENING SESSION.
In the evening the convention ser
mon was delivered by Rev. f. G. Reed
of Bennington. There was n large an
dience present, and music was furnish
ed by the North and South church
choirs united. The speaker took fOI
his text the passage found in Isaiah
viii 10, 30, and announced as his sub
ject "Spiritualism.n He dwelt at con-
siderable length on the various tricks
and devices of the advocates of Spirit
ualism, and endeavOred to portray the
ignorance and delusiOn to which the
doctrine cOnduccd. This attempted
communication with the world of spir-
its, he said, is as old as history itself,
and this occult art has been with many
nations a part of their religion; and in
fho III lilo ifCn1f
to this assertion. But nowhere in the
Bible are these things spoken of APP
provingly; they are inconsistent with
true service of God. Modern Spiritual
ism is nothing new; it is simply an
adoption of something ancient. There
is Il great deal of humbug about it it
is species of swindling. Speaking of
mediums, he said their peculiar cOndi-
tiOns are due mainly to disease and
nervous arrangement. SOmnambulism
throws a good deal of light on the con-
ditiOns of Spiritualism there is abso-
lutely nothing supernatural about it.
The Christian may believe in super
natural things, and yet refuse to be-
lieve there is anything supernatural
about Spiritualism. He believes in the
former because he sees the reasonable
ness of Gods making use of such agen-
cies but he does not believe in Spirit
ualism because he sees nothing God
like in it or its results. The Christian
must take this position. Because he
believes in the miracles of the Bible,
he is not obliged to believe in the sham
miracles of Spiritualism and other de-
lusive doctrines.