St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-08-26
UNIvERsALIsT CONVENTION.
Tuesday Evening and Wednesdays ses-
siOns.

Tuesday Evening and Wednesdays SEES.
siOns.
The SD annual session of the Uni.
versalist convention of Vermont anG
Province of Quebec convened at the
church of the Messiah Tuesday even
ing. Though all the delegates were
not present there was good atten-
dance. The convention was called to
order by President A. Il. Foster OF
Derby Line. Prayer was offered by
Rev. S. A. Parker of Bethel. Rev. j
F. Emery of Bellows Falls was chosen
secretary and Rev. E. w. Pierce OF
Glover assistant secretary. After the
appointment of the various committees
the address of welcome was delivered
by Rev. En- A. HOyt with an earnest
ness that left no question in the minds
of the visiting friends that they were
warmly and cordially welcomed to ST.
JOhnsbury. To this A. T. Foster re-
sponded in behalf of the convention,
specially emphasizing the pleasure felt
at the privilege of meeting in such a
pleasant church when it was not many
years ago that the members of the con-
ventiOn remembered when no church
edifice of this denomination was to be
found in st. Johnsbury.
The regular service began at 7.3O
o'clock. After prayer by Rev. E. w.
Whitney of Brattleboro the sermon
was preached by Rev. G.. L. Demarest,
ID. D., of Manchester, N. H. His text
was from 1 John 3, L: "Behold what
manner of love the Father hath be-
slowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God" 1t was an
able sermon presenting the boundless
love of God for his children, closing
with the thought that we are too littl e
like the Father now because we fail of
a right estimate of his love.
Wednesday morning a conference
meeting was held at o'clock conduct
ed by Rev. 1. w. Mclaughlin and at 9
o'clock communion service was held
conducted by Rev. E. Smiley and Rev.
j. p. Eastman. At 10 came the re-
ports of the secretary, treasurer, etc.
All the reports showed a hopeful con-
dition of the church in this state.
There have been during the year four
ordinations, two transfers to other
states Zone of these being Rev. Mr..
Jenkins of st. Johnsbury), three min
listers have been received from other
states and one has been dismissed.
During the year there has been one
new parish received into fellowship,
at SwantOn. Rev. Frederick Miller,
pastor of the Free Baptist church at
No. Hatley, P. O., with about a dozen
of his parishiOners came out last week
as Universalists and were accepted in
to fellowship by the convention. The
treasurer's report showed that $1375
had been received during the year and
nearly that amount was in the treas
ury at the beginning of the year. Ma
terial help has been given churches in
Rutland, Plainfield and West Ran
dolph.
At ii o'clock the occasional sermon
was preached by Rev. G. w. Perry of
Rutland from Ps. 1897. "Whither
shall go from thy Spirit or whittier
shall flee from thy presence" The
central thought of the sermon was
that the material results of this world
are the outcome of spiritual causes.
After the business of the convention
in the afternoon addresses were deliv-
cred by Rev. F. E. Healey and Rev. B.
M. TillOtsOn on "Our Schools" Mr..
Healey spoke effectively in favor of a
broad education. Mr.. Tillotson spoke
briefly but in Il very interesting man
ner on the Universalist schools of the
state. One of the ablest addresses of
the convention was 10y Rev. 1. M. At
wood, d. D., on "What constitutes q
call to the ministry" At $50 the WO-
mans Centenary association, presided
over by Mrs. l.. NJ. Smiley, was held
and an address delivered by Rev. g..
w. Perry of Rutland. In the evening
a crowded house listened to addresses
on "The grounds of the Universalist
faith" by Rev. J. F. Rhoades "The
indictments of the Universalist faith"
by Rev. |. M. Atwood "The outlook
of the Universalist faith," by Rev. E.
w. Whitney.
The convention is one of the most
successful ever held in the history of
the association.
This afternoon at 2.30 addresses on
"Our Literature" will be delivered by
Rev. O. M. Hilton and Rev. 1. p.
Booth !; Sunday school meeting at 2.30,
with addresses by Rev. l.. F. Fortney,
Rev. A. j. Aubrey and Rev. G. L..
Demarest. This evening comes the
sermon by Rev. A. A. Miner, D. D., of
Boston.
ID