St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-05-30
COUNTY CONFERENCE.
Meeting of the Congregational Churches
at Lyndon.

The fifty-fourth conference of the
Congregational churches of this
county was held at Lyndon on Tues
day and Wednesday of this week.
Most of the churches in the county
were represented either by their pas
tor or delegates or both. The meet
ings were held in the Congregational
church which was profusely deco
rated with flowers and potted plants
for the occasion.
Rev DIR. H. n. Burton of Lyndon
opened the exercises with the read
ing of scriptures and prayer. The
opening sermon was delivered by
Rev S. F. Drew of McIndoes Falls
from the text found in Psalms 1876
He shall come down like rain upon
the mown grass: as showers that
water the earth" The theme of the
discourse was the power of little
things in accomplishing great results.
The conference organized with the
choice of Rev S. F. Drew, moderator,
and Rev Henry Fairbanks, clerk
These committees were then chosen:
Business, Rev. DR.. Burton, 6. H.
Weeks, Lyndonville, DIR. L. w. Hub
bard, Lyndon; nominations, Rev. N.
w. Grover, St. Johnsbury Center,
Harvlin Paddock, st. Johnsbury, 7.
w. Kelley, Kirby; assessment, Rev.
Henry P. Lamprey, Lower Water
ford, Alexander Stewart, Lyndon,
Rev. Henry Fairbanks, st. Johnsburv.
The afternoon session opened with
prayer by Rev. Joseph Board1nan of
Barnet The annual session of the
Sunday school was well attended
and addressed by Col. Franklin Fair
banks of ST. Johnsbury. The speak
er gave an interesting and practical
address, illustrated by a magnet and
embodying numerous scripture Sc
lections. Many lessons were drawn
from the magnet and its wonderful
power. The magnet of Christ's love
draws, but men will not let go of the
Christ is free. Our magnet will not
touch silver or gold. Christ has the
power to keep all who trust in him.
| The nearer we are to Christ the more
strongly we are held. The greatest
work for Christ has been done by in
dividuals. The drawing power of
Christ like the magnets power is un-
seen. After this meeting the ladies
held a missionary meeting at Mrs.
Eaton's. The meeting was led by
Mrs. M A. Gates of st. Johnsbury
and was an interesting and profta-
BILE session.
The general conference topic was,
"The family" and the afternoon ad-
dress was delivered by Rev Dr. Bur
ton. His subject was, ''Is the Sun
day school an unmixed benefit
to the family ?" The speaker said
there was a very great deficiency in
many homes of the influences that
tend to bring children to the Sunday
school. There are only few families
in every church that attend to the
religious instruction of their children
or send them where they can receive
any. Whom will God hold response
BILE for this lack? 1t will not be the
Sunday school but derelict parents
The Sunday school may fail to be an
unnixed benefit to the family owing
to the failures in the family. 1t fails
| because of the indifference of those
who control the children 1t was
not made to induce parents to shirk
their religious responsibilities Pro-
Tossing Christians exhibit a great
lack of Christian training and it is
difficult to get competent teachers
| Our Catholic brethren are more con-
sistenti in their persistency to educate
their children religously than Pro
testants. 1t is the imperfections in
the Christian homes more than in the
an unmixed benefit to the family.
The subject was thrown open for
discussion, and Harvlin Paddock
thought that every parent belonging
to the church should belong to the
| Sunday school.
Rev Henry Fairbanks said that
he noticed a decrease of household
instruction with the increase of the
Sunday schools There is less inter
est paid to the family altar and to
family instruction than there was SO
years ago. Sunday school work is
done at a disadvantage because the
same Christian parents who neglect
home religious instruction also neg
lect the Sunday school, In my
| church most of the members come
into the church from the Sunday
school.
Rev. N. w. Grover thought the de-
| linquencies of the Christian homes
were not attributable to the Sunday
schools. There are too many Christ
ian homes that have no family altar
and have no religious paper
Col. Fairbanks thought there was
need of a more thoroughly conse-
Grated church. A good, live school
means good, live church If there
is no church it will soon be formed.