Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-02-08
VERMONT CONFERENCE.


| t's tOhtIu9 SESSION At NOntpcuef.
The Vermont Conference will begin Its
session at Montpelier, April 10th. The ses-
sion will he an important one in respect to
many of the interests Of Methodism In Yer
mont, and its appointment at Montpelier is
regarded as appropriate and timely in view
of its central location, and the interests
which are associated with the seminary in
| that town.
The venerable Bishop Simpson, who is
assigned to the presidency of the session, has
presided in the Vermont Conference on four
previous occasions At Barton In 1859 !;
at St. Adams In 1868 at Montpelier in 1866,
and at Springfield in 1870. 1t is interesting
to note that he was bern on June 81 1911,
when the first Methodist Conference in Yer
mont was in session at Barnard, and only
one day later than its commencement. If
he lives to preside in the coming session, he
will look upon the sixty.sixth conference In
the State, while reminded that he found his
voiceduring the first of this series. Although
now in his 73d year, Bishop Simpson Is still
vigorous in body and in mind, and gives no
indication of a near approach to superannu-
alton. lie was born in Cadiz, o., received
an academic education in his native town,
and attended Madison College, Pennsylvania,
(sincc merged into .Alleghany college,,
where he was elected tutor in his eighteenth
year. lie afterwards studied medicine and
commenced it's practice in 1888, about which
time he was licensed rs local preacher and
soon after was admitted on trial in the Pitts.
burg conference. In 1887 he was elected
vice president and to professorship in
Allegheny college In 1889 he became pres-
dent of Indiana Asbury University, in 1S4S
was elected editor of the Western Christian
AdUOcate, and in 1862 was made bishop,
since which time his services in his church
have been still more cminently useful and
widely known.
The first Methodist conference. in this
State convened in Barnard on June 20,
1911. This was the New England confer
ence, which then comprised all the territory
indicated by its name, and from which the
New England Southern, tknowr formerly as
the "Provdcnce'), the New Hampshire and
its offshoot the Vermont, and the Maine, and
East Maine conferences have since been sub
divided. The session of 1911 was the twelfth
in the history of the New England confer
ence, and the tTCnty-secOnd session conven-
ed at Barre, Vt, or June 90, 1921, and the
twenty-tifth session at Barnard VT, on June
%, 1924, which three sessions comprise the
entire record of the sessions of that confer
ence in this State.
On June %, 1880, the New Hampshire |
and Vermont conference convened for its
first session at Barre, and on the even years
until and including 1912, this body held its
sessions in Vermont, making fourteen prev
ious to the organization of the Vermont an.
nual conference, which occurred in 1916, at
Rochester, the session converting on June |
10. The sessions Of the Troy conference n'36, |
40, AZ, Al, sc, IS. 70, 70, and 80 have
also been held in this State giving the sum
mary of three sessions Of the New England |
fourteen of the New Hampshire |
conference, nine of the Troy conference, |
and thirty-nine of the Vermont conference |
making total Of sixty-flve Methodist con-
ferences in Vermont.
At all Of these sessions the mem.
bers and visitors have been entertained graf |
uitousy by the citizens where they have oc
CURED, Barre and Burllng on having pro-
vided entertainment for five sessions each,
Montpelier for four sessions, Bradford, |
sea, Danvle, Mddlcbury, Newbury, S.. |
Adams, s.. Johnsbrry Swahton and Wood |
stock two each, while twcnty-six other towns
have each provided for one session,
Since Methodist conferences have become |
larger in membership, and especially since
the establishment of the lay conference, which |
meets on each fourth year, thus increasing |
the number to be provided for by lay dele
gate from each station or circuit the enter
tanment problem has assumed difficulties of |
solution, and the time has now arrived when
even in Vermont where hospitality is car
dinal virtue of pronounced character, no un- |
qualified invitation awaits the session of |
1884. The Vermont conference will, there
fore, inGugurate qualified arrangement for |
the entertainment of attending members and |
visitors at the session next April; the mem
beis and visiting clcrgymen being provided |
with rooms for lodging by the citizens, and
providing meals at their own expense at the |
hotels. THIS arrangement is generally very |
satisfactory 70 the members of the confer |
encc, WHO recognize the changed crcun
stances of the time, and who like other men
enjoy their independence Of obligations
which carry any token Of a cumbersome ma,
turc