St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-05-30

subject, 1.-The Church of God to be a
growth from the family" The
speaker very ingeniously traced its
growth and development from earli-
est history to the present time and
showed how it had sprung from the
Divine relation of the family. The
family, ordained in Eden, was Gods
strange way of filling heaven. 1t
was ordained to reproduce a godly
seed. After the murder of Abel the
Lord sent Seth. The church was re-
cruited from the descendants of Seth
and the world from the descendants
of Cain. When the sons of Seth be-
gan to marry with the Cainites the
purity of the family was destroyed
and the church despoiled. Only eight
| faithful ones remained at the time of
the flood and they were all in one
family. Through Shem and his de-
scendants, Abraham, Isaac and ia
cob the family was made illustrious
The family altar was preserved and
Isaac and Jacob both revisited the
| altar built by Abraham and rekindled
it's sacred flames. Joseph gets the
inspiration of the family altar and
preserves it in an Egyptian palace.
Moses gets it by shrewdness and
piety. Pharaoh's daughter gave
Moses to the nurse to be raised for
Pharaoh. The mother took the boy
and raised him for God The Israel
itish piety was preserved in the
homes through all the Bible history
and we must still expect the church
to be recruited from the family.
Reports from the churches were
called for and few gave statistics
of the years work.
The South chnrch, st. Johnsbury,
reported a resident membership of
294, average attendance at morning
worship 336, at Sunday school 243.
The church has gained % members,
- on confession and o by letter, and
| lost by deaths and removals %
The Christian Endeavor society is
in fourishing condition, having an
average attendance of 100. The in
terest that the ladies take in the
work of the church is felt on all sides.
The North church, St. Johnsbury,
gave resident membership of 334,
nonresident 100. The church lost
81 last year by removals and deaths.
| The average attendance at the Sum
day school was 211. Eight united
with the church on confession and
five by letter in 1888
The church at East ST. Johnsbury,
though without a pastor for over a
year, has been acceptab1v supplied
by Elder Henderson of St. ,Johnsbury
and three have united with the church
The Sunday school has nearly 100
members and an average attendance
of rs. There have been two dismis-
sions and three deaths. Repairs on
the church and parsonage will be un-
dertaken this year. A fitting tribute
to the late Rev. ]. P. Humphrey was
paid at this time by Rev Edward T
Fairbanks.
The church at St. Johnbury Centre
is in its usual healthy and hopeful
condition. Its average attendance
has been increased by II and it's
present church membership is 6S.
Especial attention has been paid to
the subject of temperance in church
and Sunday school.
The church at East Hardwick re-
ported $50 members with Sc non
resident. Three have united with
the church, two have been dismissed
and five died. Average church at
tendance 123, average Sunday school
attendance II; contributions $1O6-
90; penny collections $50. Sc.
The church at Lyndon reports five
additions by letter, three removals
by death and three by letter The
Sunday school numbers rs, with an
average attendance of 60.
The church at East Burke reported
additions at almost every commun-
ion, the Peacham church were antici-
pating the ministry of their new pas
tor, the Waterford church reported
several additions, and encouraging
reports came from Barnet, McIndoes
and Kirby
The committee on assessment tax
ed each church five cents for each res
ident member, making the tax $50. 90.
The next convention will be held at
the South church, St. Johnsbury, and
the nominating committee made the
following assignments Preacher,
Rev. DR.. H. N. Burton, alternate,
Rev. Joseph Boardman; preacher at
communion, Rev. DIR. Hubert, alter
nate, Rev. c. M. Lamson; commit
tee of arrangements, Rev. Edward T.
Fairbanks, Rev. c. M. Lamson
Harvlin Paddock
The committee also made these
nominations Committee on minis
terial standing, Rev. c. M. Lamson,
Rev. J. c. Bodley; delegates to gen
era1 convention, Rev. Joseph Board
man, Rev. DR.. Burton, Harvlin Pad
dock, w. H. Gilchrist, Franklin Fair
banks, c. NJ Stone; alternates, Rev.
DR. Hubert, Rev Edward T. Fair