St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-06-30


SECRETARIES, HELD AT NEW HAVEN,
CONN, JUNE I'll, 1882.
1t is not an easy thing to give sat
isfactOry report of such company
composed of over two hundred devoted
christian men; any one looking into
their faces and listening to their earn
est words, would receive that inspira-
ton which cannot be described. These
men came from as far north as Winni-
peg, Manitoba; New Orleans at the
south Portland, Oregon, at the west,
and st. Johns, n. B., at the east, while
| Glasgow, Scotland, sent her Secretary
across the ocean to join hand and heart
with Americas workers in talking
about the best methods for reaching
and saving the young men.
On Wednesday eve. we first met in
the New Haven Y. NJ. c. A. Hall. As
we entered we found about $50 gath
cred there, singing as the opening
| hymn, ''Come we that love the Lord" ="
with such enthusiasm as must be felt
to be appreciated. After prayer and
the reading of Scripture-and the lat
ter was especially impressive as the
words " So we, being many, are one
body in Christ and every one members
one of another" fell upon the ears of
those gathered there in His name
another hymn was sung with such
power, that a drum corps marching by,
drumming Justify, could not be heard
in most parts of the hall, though the
windows were open. Then came the
choice for a President, Secretary, etc.
One of the interesting incidents of the
evening was the manner of introducing
the Secretaries to each other. 1t was
impossible to follow the usual custom,
and in order to work as fast as posi-
ble each man was asked to rise, begin
ming with the first man on the front
seat, turn and face the others and then
give his name, where he was located,
in this way very delightful hour was
spent i'll becoming acquainted. Before
closing, the greetings sent to the
American brethren from the London,
Eng, and Glasgow, Scotland, Associa-
tions, We're extended to us by Secreta-
| ry Oats of Glasgow. On Thursday
morning the regular work of the Con
ference began in the Athen9um, one
of the opera houses of the city. | can
give no better account of the manner
in which the sessions were conducted,
than by quoting from one of the New
! Haven papers and it is worthy of note
that this same paper is constantly find
ing faurft with those who are working
i'll Christ's name:
The sessions to-day have been OF
great interest. Some 200 earnest men,
mostly young and middle-aged, have
been seriously discussing the best
methods of executing the work they
feel called upon to do. There is GER
tainly no denying the fact that the
Young Mems Christian Associations
have done IA great work since their in
auguratiOns in England i'll 1874. The
gathering to-day was a representative
one, and as such deserves special no.
tice. The men composing it have a
highly respectable exterior, and GO
about the thoroughly important matter
of religion in business like way that
is very refreshing. 1t is not stained
| Il II
that they desire no churches of the
Heavenly Rest; but hard work, any
where, everywhere, so long as there
are souls to save. In this way the
gospel is made living force. At the
AthenHum to-day there has been the
sparkle of unaffected enthusiasm and 4
little of the Yankee "push" of the
nineteenth century. The meetings art
not open to the public in general, but
there were Il few ladies and outsiders
in the seats. One privileged to enter
would observe that the seats in til,
parquette have been rearranged so IA
to give Il more social aspect to the con
vention. TO the left of the center aisl,
tables have been arranged. Each del
egate has Il dozen or two ruled sheet
gathered together at the top on whicl
the topics are printed with sutficien
space between for notes. When tn,
) topic is called up and the speaker read
his paper, pencils and pens fly rapid,
as outlines of his thought are jottet
down. These jottings fasten th
thought in the mind, and the secreta
ries, when they return home can hav
them for handy reference. After tin
paper is read, half an hour is devote,
to discussion, which is confined t.
brief questions and answers. Whe
the time is up the president announce
l. devotional meeting of fifteen minute
y and calls to the desk the brother VIII
:. is appointed to take charge of it. Thi
t brother announces hymn, one vers
= of which is sung. A brother accom-
|. panies on the piano, and the stron
voices of the rank and file make ex
Il cellent music. Then the leader an
d nounces a topic and calls for scriptur
texts upon it.
t Let each brother speak so that h
= can be heard at the PLATFORM is tn
II admOnitiOn.
Then ensues IA quick fire of shOI
II teXts-each a few words Only-whic
e are sometimes run into each other, bu
: as one speaker has a tenor, another
u bass voice, and third something be
i 1 tween them, it is not difficult to distin
guish each passage. After brief in
terval of this kind of worship, praye
-"let it be only thirty seconds long,
is called for. There is no delay.
brother hastily rises and improvises
|, prayer, which is offered earnestly, wit
no flourish of trumpets and with
strict obedience to originality. The
!, another verse of the song first al
nOunced is fervently given. Followin
this another topic meets with "A heav