Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-09-15
THE County CONFERENCE
OF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES
Held with the Church i'm Brattleboro
wednesday and Thursday.


Wednesday and Thursday.
The conference opened at 1890 A. NJ.
Wednesday morning with half-hour pray
er meeting led by James E. Harper, who
has just come from work i'm the Memorial
Tabernacle church in st. Louis. The CEN
trail thought of the meeting was the inn
portance of beginning the conference in
the spirit of God. Hence this was in a
certain degree the most important meeting
of all, furnishing the spirit which was the
keynote of all. The half-hour closed with
brief prayers from several of the ministers
and delegates present. AT IL o'clock the
conference sermon was preached by Rev.
S. l.. Vincent of Jamaica from the text, at
is good for us to be here" words of Peter
found in Matthew XVII, 4, and may be
briefly summed up in the following ques-
ton and its answers: Why is it good for
us to be here? list. Because we are in the
very best company. I'd. Because we get
a clearer vision of Christ. Sd. Because
our thoughts are turned to things above.
4th. Because 1t gives us courage and
strength and zeal for the real work of life.
At the close of this sermon brief prayer
was offered, and then Rev. G. o. Day, rs
longest settled pastor in the conference,
conducted the election of a moderator,
Rev. DIR. Thompson of Westminster receiv-
ing a unanimous election. Mr.. Lewis, the
registrar, was not present. After the cleo
ton of moderator the conference proceed
ed to business, appointing Rev. Mr.. Hardy
of Townshend scribe. After roll-call of
the various towns for delegates present,
two committees were appointed, one on
business, Rev. c. o. Day, chairman, Rev.
Mr.. Hardy and Mrs. Alfred Ranney of
Westminster West; the other on nomina-
tions, Rev. p. f. Barnard, chairman, Rev.
S. L. Vincent and Mrs. L. o. Fisher of
Westminster.
The meeting then adjourned till 40,
when it opened with song service con-
Quoted by Rev. G. o. Day. The next on
the program was an address by Rev. II. A.
Goodhue, "a narrative of the state of re-
ligion in Windham county," and in his alb
sence individual reports were given by the
different pastors and delegates of the state
of progress in their own communities. Re
ports showed a steady progress in most
places, especially in Christian Endeavor
work. Rev. Mr.. Day brought in a very in
teresting account of the first conference
ever held, with the topics brought under
discussion.
floor and gave a brief but extremely inter
esting survey of the outlook in Vermont
mission fields, citing the work at West
more, where the famous Yale athlete, c.
o. Gill, for four years a member of the
foot ball team and university crew, has
been doing such grand work. At the open
ing of his talk, Mr. Merrill spoke of DR..
Strong's book, THE new era recon-
mending it for a future ministerial discus
sion, and he spoke at some length on the
present movement toward the cities, de-
manding so much attention throughout the
country.
Then came the union meeting of the la
dies missionary societies, Mrs. j. Fl. Bah
bitt and Miss Susan f. Clark presiding.
After the opening hymn, "Our country
by j. G. Whittier, came responsive Scrip
ture reading led by Mrs. Babbitt, follow
ed by prayer. The first report was on the
home missionary work of the past year in
the county, given by Mrs. Babbitt, which
showed very encouraging progress, three
new auXiliaries sending greeting this year.
This was followed by a very interesting
report of the sister work in the county,
that of the foreign missionary societies
These were followed by mastery addresses
by Secretaries Gutterson and Puddefoot
and our own state evangelist, Miss Hartig
Mr.. Gutterson dwelt on the close bond be-
tween the foreign and home missionary
work, analogous to the allied mercantile
interests between widely separated coun-
tries, and spoke on the important bearing
of the work in China, Japan, Siam, Afri-
ca and India, citing the various lines of
progress in each, and over all the import
ant influence of our own, the Anglo-SaX-
on, people. After Miss Hartig had given a
delightful picture of her work here in our
own little state, Mr.. Puddefoot closed the
addresses of the afternoon with one of his
characteristic ringing speeches, taking us
with the emigrant from his arrival at Cas-
tie Garden till he reaches the swift-advanc-
ing fields of the West, with touch of hui
NOR here and a pathetic scene there and
closing with touching little tale, given as
only Mr.. Puddefoot knows how to give it,
of missionary life on the frontier. Miss
Clark closed the meeting, calling upon
Rev. DIR. Walker for prayer and benedic-
ton.
The evening service opened with a mis-
sionary praise service, conducted by Prof
II. II. Shaw of West Brattleboro, followed
by grand home missionary rally, with ad-
dresses by Secretaries Shelton, Gutterson
anu uuueIOOl, secretary HOOu Delng una
BILE to attend. Secretary Shelton led, de-
scribing his life in Dakota as member of
the famous Yale Dakota band. People are
accustomed TO pity the missionary, but he
doesn't need pity. The great cry of the
missionary is not for pity, but for aid to
heed the constant Macedonian cries, Come
over and help us" After another hymn
Secretary Gutterson followed with bril-
liant appeal for the Indian, the poor south
ern white, and the negro, 10 all of whom,
leaving out the society question, we, as
Christians, ought to present the spelling
book and the ten commandments IL costs
a million dollars to kill one of the poor
down-trodden Indians and only Sl60 TO ed
ucate him. After this came another of
Secretary Puddefoot's ringing talks, bear
ing with singing criticism upon the mod
ern churches and people who hold them
selves aloof in naughty pride from the
very people they pretend to be trying to
save, providing dingy, unattractive mission
g. Es- - - - -------