The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-04-29
The Vermont Conference.

The annual session of the Vermont Meth
odist Conference began at Mortified on last
week Wednesday at ten o'clock in the morn
ing The devotional exerciees were con-
Quoted by Rev. w. ID. Malcom of Highgate,
after which the examination of classes be-
gan. The examination continued through
the afternoon. In the evening the ami
versary of the Epworth League was OBJ
served, and large audience was present.
Rev. DIR. j. l.. Hulburt of New York and
Rev. w. |. Haven of Boston gave inter-
esting addresses.
Thursday morning the session opened at
eight O'Clock with prayer-meeting led by
Presiding Elder A. b. Truax. This was fol-
lowed by the Lords supper, administered
by Bishop w. f. Mallaieu, who was as
sisted by the presiding elders. The confer
ence proceeded to business at ten o'clock.
The roll-call showed seventy-seven mem
bers present. r. Morgan of Bellows Falls
was elected recording secretary for the
twenty-fourth time. He nominated George
f. Smith and George l.. Story as his assist
ants, and they we're elected. +. w. Lewis
was elected statistical secretary, and w. 1.
Todd, w S. Smithers and G. o. Howe, as
sistants. Rev. l.. l.. Beeman was elected
treasurer, with X. l.. Bruce f. f.. Reynolds,
G.. f. Partridge and r. w. Hamblin, assist
ants. The usual standing committees were
then elected. w. N. Roberts was elected
agent for the Methodist ReUie1o and GospeLtn
All Lands A II Webb, w. II. Davenport, 7.
N. Granger and W. G. Robinson, committee
to canvass votes on admission of women to
the general conference; w. N Roberts, secre-
tsry; r. l.. Bruce, p. n Granger, VS.. Smith
ers and s. S. Brigham, committee on church
records. DR.. Hurlburt, who is secretary OF
the Sunday School union and the Trust So
ciety, spoke, saying that this branch of
Methodism has q 900 Sundayschools, 1885,
900 officers and teachers and 2,313 900 schol-
ars of all ages, and twenty-one new schools
are organized every Sunday. There were
during the past year 100000 conversions.
There were 1000 schools added last year by
the Sunday School union Special effort is
being made to establish schools among our
French-speaking people. He asked for $780,
900 for each of the societies he represented.
Rev. DIR. Homer Eaton, representative of
the Methodist book establishment presented
the conference check for 1878, as a divi-
dend to the old preachers Rev. DR.. j. M.
Buckley, editor of the Christian ADVOCATE,
made a brief address in which he said that
the profits on the paper in the past year had
been $4,000. Rev. N. w. Wilder of the
New England Conference, Rev. Mr. Clarke
of the New Brunswick and Prince Edward
Island Conference, Rev. Homer White, rec
tor of the Episcopal church at Northfield
and Rev. W. s. Hazen of the Congrega-
tional church, were introduced and gave
greetings, to which the bishop responded.
Presiding Elder Truax read his report for
the Montpelier district. Many conversions
and increased interest in spiritual things
were reported. The Epworth leagues
which had been established were doing
good work. A new union church had been
established at East Orange, and nearly &c.,
600 had been secured toward a new church
at Waterbury. At three o'clock in the
afternoon the conference sermon was
preached by Rev. G. A. Smith of Fairfax,
whose text was After this manner pray
ye." At seven o'clock in the evening Rev.
Dr. j. W. Hamilton of Boston gave an adj
dress on the work of the Freedmen's Aid
and Southern Education society.
Friday morning at halfpast eight o'clock
prayer-meeting was held, led by Rev. A.
L. Cooper. At the regular conference ses-
sion the presiding elders of the St. Adams,
made their reports. A committee was ap-
pointed to hear charges against Dyer Willis
a supernumerary member of the conference
Rev. w. 8. Smithers made partial report
for the committee on resolutions present
ing resolutions relative TO the conference
course of study for travelling preachers,
which were referred to G. A. Smith, G.. M.
Curl, w. r. Davenport and H. E. Forrest
as special committee. Rev. DR.. Q. III.
Payne, secretary of the Board of Education,
spoke of the work of the board. Last year
it had assisted 1874 persons, of whom 121
were women. Rev. DR.. Charles Parkhurst,
editor of Zion's Herald spoke of Vermont as
his old home, his first appointment being
at Hyde Park. He said church papers are
taken to less extent in Vermont than in
any other part of New England. Rev. w.
I. Todd of Bellows Falls and Hon. Frank
Plumley were elected delegates to the
Wesleyan Association. The roll was called
and ballots collected from each member
present on the question, "Shall women be
eligible as lay delegates to conferences of
the Methodist church," and it was voted
that the polls be left often until near the
close of the conference. A resolution was
adopted that all expressions be reserved to
future and more favorable occasion.
Rev. G. 7. Raymond, of Montpelier, pre-
sented the greetings of the Vermont Bap-
lists. Rev L. II. Elliot, secretary of the
Vermont Bible Society, spoke of the So
ciety's canvassers, who last year visited
1000 homes in this state and found $50
homes, or one family in twelve, without
any Bible. There are $4,000 people in the
state who do not attend church. Deducting
the Roman Catholic population, about one.
half the inhabitants of the state attend
church. In Washington county thirty-five
per cent attend church and twenty per cent
Sunday-school Franklin, twenty-four and
eighteen and one-half; Orleans, forty-six
and twenty-seyen; Orange. ffty;nine and
thirty-three; Caledonia, sixty-three and
thirty-seven. At two o'clock in the after
noon began the anniversary of the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society, Mrs. w. D.
Malcolm of Highgate presiding. The ad
of the New England Epworth League
Prayer was offered by Rev. DR.. T. p. Eros
Of Brooklyn, N Y. Remarks were alsC
made by Mrs. A. l.. Bailey of St. Johns
bury. At half-past three o'clock prayer
was offered by Rev L. Dodd of Lyndon
and Rev. g. M. Curl of st. Johnsbury CAV,
very interesting missionary sermon
After the sermon a praise service was con
Quoted by Rev. w, A. Spencer. The ladies
of the foreign Missionary Society held al
adjourned meeting in the vestry. Their re
port showed in the Vermont Conference
fifty annex societies with a membership o
S75, four young ladies' US" with sixty
four members, eleven mission bands will
$50 members. In the evening Rev. w. A
Spencer gave an address on the work o.
church extension.
Saturday morning Rev. Elihu Snow o
Swanton led the prayer-meeting at half-pas
eight o'clock. AT the conference session tn
ministers of the conference were passed il
character and the collections were reported
The name of W. II. Wight was entered al
withdrawn from the Springfield district
and that of G. II. Arms as transferred from
the same district to the Cincinnati Confer
ence. There were no local deacons re
ported to be elected elders, and Josiah War
OF St. Johnsbury was the only loca
preacher elected local deacon These mem