Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-05-31
SUNDAY SCHOOL CONVENTION

The annual meetings of the Congrega-
tiOnal Sunday schools Of Wndlam county
are always delightfully."- social and informal
gatherings The Goth meeting, held with
the Congregational church in Brattleboro
ON Wednesday, the 29th, was not an ex-
ception 10 the rule. Perfect weather and
the favorable place of the meeting brought
out very large attendance which, how
ever did not seem at all TO exhaust the
hospitality of the Brattleboro church.
After devotional exercises, conducted by
Rev. &. w. Thompson, Rev j II. Rabbit
was chosen moderator and Rev F. f. Lew
is scribe. Rev. c. o. Day gave the con
vention Il cordial greeting, after which the
secretary's annual report was given by
Rev. II. A. Goodhue. He reported p Con
gregational Sunday schools in the county
with 2l22 members and an average attend
ance of 1850 About S4OO have been given
in benevolence and 500 spent by the
schools. Ten minute addresses followed.
Rev. g. f. Chaplin told What the minis
ter can do for the Sunday school" Mr. y.
q. Williams spoke upon the "Superintend-
ents part Dea. f. r. Cobb had paper
on What the teacher should be, and
Judge l. X. Batchelder outlined The duty
of the scholar introducing his remarks
with some very interesting "reminiscences
Of Sunday schools 20 years ago. A boun-
tiful dinner was served in the chapel to
about 1870 guests from out of town
The afternoon session opened with devo-
tional exercises led by Mr. II. II. Thomp-
son. Under the general head, The range
Of the work, Rev. G. w. Thompson spoke
upon the devotional element, Rev. +. +.
Lewis on the scriptural and Rev. c. II.
Smith ON the spiritual Rev. G. O. Day
spoke on reading aud Dea c. +. Thomp-
son ON giving, and Mrs. f. T. Housh on
moral reform. Under the head of bust
ness Messrs y g. Williams, g. l.. Durham
and Geo. c. Wright were appointed execu-
tive committee for the ensuing year. and il
was voted 10 recommend 10 the schools of
the county to keep a weekly record of the
attendance of each scholar, and that no
one be counted scholar who is not pres
ent at least four sundays in the year
Many knOtty questions were answered
pointedly by the moderator, after which
tea was served
In the evening there was young PEG
pies praise service, followed by a very in
teresting and instructive address by Miss
Grace +. Gilberth, who has for several
years been a teacher under the New West
Education Commission, an organization
which has for its watchword Conquest
through Christian education as Mr. Bah
bitt said in his happy introduction Of the
speaker Miss Gilberth spoke chiefly of the
work of the Commission among the Nor
mons in Utah, describing the difficulties
encountered and the gratifying results al
ready attained. Eastern people have little
conception of the pollution which exists
among these people, nor of the extent 10
which they are making proselytes in this
country and Europe. They have more
missionaries than the American Board, aud
most of them are laymen, who meet the
people face 10 face. In little town in New
York, where the speaker recently lectured,
two Mormons were at work in the shops
and making converts among the workmen.
They do not present what we are accustom-
ed to think of as their religious tenets but
make large promises of wealth and social
and political advancement. of course these
promises are seldom, il ever, realized vet
in many ways the condition of the prose
lytes-and especially those from foreign
countries-is better than in their old home.
Many would be good citizens if they knew
how, but they know nothing of our laws,
and are completely under the control Of the
Mormon leaders The Edmunds law, en-
forced as well as possible by faithful Off
cials, is doing much 10 bring about a more
hopeful state Of affairs in Utah but its
tendency is 10 arouse an antagonistic spirit
among the people, aud 1t must be supple