Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-05


! am satisfied that the brotherly words TO
which we have just listened are not kept
for such occasions as this, but the EXPIRES
sions find continual manifestation. / am
glad TO return to you and to your people
expressions of our regard for you. Across
the lines which divide us there may be
given the words of the holy spirit
Rev. II. H. Parry of Poultney pre-.
scented the report of the committee on
home missions, describing the needs of
mission work in our own country, what
is being done and appealing for aid in
carrying it forward
Rev. A. =. Mason, d. D., of Boston was
then introduced, speaking very pleasantly
and presenting the needs and works of the
society which he represents in an able
manner He said | have asked myself
many times since | have been here what
are all these proceedings for They are
for the advancement of the kingdom of
God, He has told us it is an everlasting
Kingdom. His purposes have never been
set forth, and they Will he fulfilled to the
uttermOst. The kingdom of God is only
of those redeemed by the blood of Christ.
He purposes that it shall widen until it
covers the whole earth, and our labors in
his service are to that one great end
There was single word uttered by our
king which will never change, all power
was given to me, therefore 90 forth and
preach. God chose human agency to eX-
tend his work. He employs you and me,
and believe one of the great agencies for
wrestling the kingdom from the hands of
the enemy is the Baptist Home Missionary
society. 1t has sent out IL. 522
missionaries into this field They
have preached O92, 19l sermons,
They have visited 2,727G5O families Tor
religious purposes, with an average of four
persons in each household. God has given
them the privilege of baptizing 1O6, 1O4
ySs
churches directly and gathered into the
Sunday-school millions of people, estab-
llshed Is training schools among he col
ored. This is enough to show that God ap-
proves our work.
Fifty years ago Ohio, Illinois and In.
diana were the fields of our home mission
work, at that time the far West But our
work has increased a thousand fold since
then. There has been no more important
part of our field than was given us when
four millions OF slaves were freed, which
have now nearly doubled. Other denomina-
tons have done well, but more than half
of the cOlored Christians to-day are Bap-
lists. But there is vast amount of work
among them still.
w nat of the millions of our foreign pop
ulatlon ? Its character has entirely
changed in the past 10 years. Many Of
them are of the vicious and socialistic
class, who come here to do as they please,
has been placed in their hands and they
have become great power
There Is but one way to make them good
citizens, and that is through the gospel of
Jesus Christ. We have l63 aboring
among the many nationalties, and God is
blessing their labors.
The only way to reach the masses is to
go to them. Many feel that they cannot
do this, but without it there cannot be
success. We have 145 laborers working
to-day among these fields. DR.. Mason
closed with stirring appeal for The liber-
al support of the church for the grand
work Of this society.
The secretary pre- scented a partial report
OF the committee on roll, showing there
were 32 ordained ministers, 25 delegates
and 40 visitors present at the convention
On motion of Rev. w. H. Randall the
convention approved the act of incorpora
ton and the constitution of the Baptist
Ministers Aid society and Guy c. Noble
esq, was instructed TO present the articles
OF incorporation to the Legislature.
Kew. Mr.. Pierce, for the committee or
higher education, appointed at the last
convention, made report, showing what
had been done by that committee, and the
report was accepted and adopted, and the
committee continued.
Rev. Mr.. Randall then presented the
Wori; OF the historical society of the
church, and what it is doing for the
church.
The moderator appointed as the frater-
nal delegate to the Vermont Methodist
conference the pastor at Johnson; to the
Free Will Baptist gathering, Rev. Mr.
Raymond, of Montpelier, and to the gen
eral congregational convention, Rev. +. q
Mctarlan, or alternate to be selected by
him.
Rev. DR.. Archibald presented a resolu.
ton of sympathy with Rev. c. a. Thomas
ID. d., the oldest Baptist pastor in Yer
mont, in mis- sickness, and the resolution
was adopted.
Rev. o. h. Stevens, who, with the exec D.
ton ola short period, has spent his en-
tire life in Upper Burmah, in the work of
the mission field. was presented Mr.. Ste
vens spoke rietly of his work in Upper
Bnrmah and the memorial CHI urch at Man
delai, in whose behalf he made a strong
appeal
In closing the moderator thanked the
convention for the Kindness extended TO
himself 10y the members, and eXhorted all
to stay through the meeting next year, as
the best intert SITS of the convention de-
manded. The moderator then read the
closing verses of Matt. viii. After singing
the hymn, "Must Jesus bear the cross
alone" the convent on adjourned with
the henediction pronounced by he moder
ator to meet at Brattleb oro in September,
1889
EVENING SESSION,