The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-10-02

Vi TWO ITOU edCn OF Ln6 C0UTC0eS WAS
with instructions to draft a con-
nominate all officers and commit
tees, and present the same to the adjourned
meeting next Friday evening All are earn
estly invited to be present and enroll their
names as members of this organization.
money basis Is not to constitute member
ship. The meeting will be at Z 80 o'clock in
the Bethany church parlor.
COLONEL FRED E. SMITH goes to New
York this week to attend the General Con-
vention of the Episcopal Church in the
United States, which meets once in three
years and generally continues for three
weeks. The Diocese OF Vermont is repre-
sented in the convention this year by the
Rt Rev Bishop Bissell Rev. j. Isham
Bliss, DID,, of Burlington, Rev. William
II. Collins of Brattleboro, Rev. A. b. Fland-
ers of St. Albans, Rev. II. f. Hill of Mont
pelier, and by the following lay delegates:
Fred Il. Smith of Montpelier, e. p ellison
of Rutland, X. Haskns of Brattleboro and
G. f. Parker of Vergennes. From New
York Mr. Smith will accompany the Gettys-
burg monument commissioners, of which
he is one, to Gettysburg on October Sth,
where the celebration and meeting will take
place October 9th,
REV. HOWARD F. HILL preached his fare
well discourse at Christ Church last Sun
day from Psalms cxxi: 6, 7, 8. Pray for
the peace of Jerusalem" etc. His sermon
was plea for the mission cause, conclud-
ing with a tender benediction on the congre-
cation in accordance with the spirit of the
text. There was very large attendance
and the number OF communicates who par
took Of the Lords Supper has never been
equaled in the history of the church. Mr.
Hill has accepted the rectorship OF ST.
James church, Amesbury, Mass, and will
enter upon the duties of his new parish at
the close of the convention in New York to
which he is delegate. Mr.. and Mrs. Hill
have made many friends in Montpelier and
they are not bounded by denominational
lines. Many hearty good wishes go with
them, and probably the heartiest are from
the hum mblest, who found.an easy access to
the heart and home of pastor and wife.
THE state curator, Mr. George w. Perry,
has added this year large number of ami
mails of the state to the cabinet. He has
just added eighty specimens of birds, many
of them rare, and all finely mounted by w.
A. Balch of Lunenburg. He has relabeled
the whole collection of birds in conformity
to SamuePs Birds of New England" and
has checked them in the copy of that work
in the state library. The cabinet now con-
tains $50 specimens of birds, comprising 80
species, all but two or three being natives
of the state MIR. Perry has in preparation
an entirely new line of specimens of marble
and granite, each to be an eight-inch cube,
and each face being finished differently.
Ten of these blocks have already been
placed on the shelves. These, together
with the new birds and all the animals,
have been arranged in the old Historical
Society room, which will be hereafter an
annex to the cabinet. 1t is already, to the
majority of the visitors, the more attractive
room.
The Vermont Methodist Seminary has
the best campus of any school OF its grade in
New England. So say many competent
judges, but up to this time very little at
tempt has been made to beautify il. For
several years there has been feeling on
the part of the friends of the school that a
fountain would be an attractive addition
and 50 when the present engraving of the
seminary was made fountain was placed
in it. Not until this year, however has the
undertaking assumed definite shape. The
class of 80, one of the largest ever graduated,
determined to take the matter in hand. Its
members propose to place on the campus,
early in the spring, fountain costing from
five to six hundred dollars, and at Com
mencement, next June, present it to the
school in behalf of the class and the friends
of the institution. This will certainly be a
good thing for the school, and all who are
interested will doubtless have an oppor-
tunity to assist in the work, as the money
will be nearly all raised outside the class.
The grounds in the vicinity will be graded
and walks laid out, and it is hoped that this
will form the nucleus around which will
large public fountain in the village, and all
such improvements tend to make the place
more attractive, it is for the interest of the
community that the undertaking go for.
ward. The assurance given TO the commit.
tee by prominent men in the place and
throughout the state gives them great con-
hdence in pursuing the work.
REV. j. EDWARD WRIGHT preached or
Sunday morning last a sermon having ref
/
twentieth anniversary of his work with the
Church of the Messiah. There was an un
usually large congregation present Th,
text chosen by the speaker was Genesis
XXI: 3S-" This twenty years have beer
with thee" The discourse referred to the
| that have been in progress in the country
| during this period. A widening accept
ance of the theory of evolution has involved
the adjustment OF other beliefs to harmon
ize with it, There has been more libera
tendency in religious thought and more
sympathy and cooperation between de
nominations, while in education tn,
most notable fact has been the attention
| given to manual training Locally the pas
| twenty years have seen many changes
Montpelier has suffered once from tloot
and twice from contiagrations Yet, on tn,
whole, the gains have outweighed the losses
These twenty years have seen improved
railroad facilities and hotel accommOda
tions, "A new church, parochial school, al
opera house, better sewerage, an eXcellen
! system of water works, telephone com
muncation with neighboring towns, an in
increase in the plants of the manufacturing
establishments already here the introduc
ton of new industries and electric lighting
If the wealth of the people of the com
munity has not greatly increased, an en-
larged share of that wealth has been useC
for the public good. The financial sound
ness and business integrity of the towl
have been maintained at high standard
Mr.. Wright mentioned the literary and be
nevolent organizations that have existed
here at some time during the past twent,
years, referring to the as yet unnamed so
ciety for securing better attendance a
school as the latest of these. Turning Il
the church itself, Mr.. Wright noted TIN
fact that there had been no change in its or
ganization or statement of faith in the tim
of his pastorate. The attendance of the las
year at the Sunday morning service and a
the Sunday-school has been larger than tina
OF any previous year. The changes in tn
personnel of the church in this time wer
briefly and feelingly referred to. Mr.
Wright discussed the advantages and dis
advantages OF long pastorates, affirming tha
in his case they seemed to 80 nearly bal
ance that he felt it better to leave the de
cision TO others. During the past twent.
wears he said he has preached and lecturel