Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-04-24

cry subject properly preached ought
to lead to Christ and divine truth.
Why should we tire of this theme-this
living and all embracing Saviour? We
think of ourselves, or other people
think of us, but it does not change the
opinion of God concerning us. We
find the sermon, not only in the haunts
of vice, but up through every grade OF
condition to the palace. There are
people in our congregation that do
not care to be brought down to the
level of the common sinner; they are
what may be called nice, respectable
people; they were nice babies to be-
gin with; they grew up to be pet
ted and praised and when they became
men they were accounted honest, ana
people thought them almost Chris
tians-a little veneering would make
them entirely so. Alas, these things
will not avail!
Our faith must be light to our feet
and a guide to our path. 1t is foolish
and vain for those who profess to be-
lieve the Bible to cavil on the book Of
Job. or to trouble themselves over the
question of the swallowing Of Jonah
by the whale Better turn to Mat
thew and find what Christ said re-
speeding the case of Jonah. What
need of worrying over these things?
am prepared to swallow both Jonah
and the whale. We are to prea CHI the
Christ to all men. "There is none
righteous, no not one" But there
are preachers who search the B1 bic as
they would flower garden, to pick
chrysanthemums,r roses and heliotropes
to form a beautiful bouquet to hold up
for the admiration of the people. Do
they think that smell of these things
will cure the cancer or snake bite Of
sin?
The sermon closed with an earnest
appeal to the preachers to preach
the Word.
SATURDAY.
The prayer service Of the morning
was conducted by the bishop, and
pentecosta1 service indeed.
Inc OuSlu0SS OpCI1O0 cb1AO OIAO 1880
utes were read and approved. To the
question. Where shall the next Con-
ference be held, the answer came IN
an invitation from Bradford, and the
Conference accepted the invitation.
Board of trustees reported. r. L.
Bruce spoke of Sabbath observance,
and urged the church to awake in this
matter. committee was chosen to
report on the same, r. L. Bruce,
chairman.
THE SEMINARY.
w. r. Davenport, one of the trust
ees, reported on financial condition,
etc., Of the Vt. Methodist Seminary.
The nominal assets of the institution
in real and personal property were
$751;, 3O4; liabilities $40, 1872, of this
sum several thousand dollars are in
endowments, not yet matured, but on
which an interest of 6 per cent is paid,
entailing heavy interest expense. OF
late there has been an annual deficit
from fifteen to seventeen hundred
dollars. Means have already been
taken to decrease the. interest ac-
count and curtail expenses. The af-
fairs of the institution have been
carefully examined, and excellent
business men have been enlisted as
trustees, and the outlook in the di-
rection Of the management of the
! Seminary is favorable. The village
/ of Montpelier has laid concrete side
walks, put in sewerage and given the
Hill fire department. The citizens
of Montpelier are showing an in
creased interest in the patronage and
welfare of the school. The trustees
esteem themselves fortunate in hav-
ing secured II. A. Spencer as financial
agent Mr. Davenport spoke also of
the need of the moral support of the
pastors and the denomination in the
Conference. He referred with much
pleasure to the large number of use
full and prominent men in the state
and country, who had been graduates
of the Seminary. Rev. III. A. Spencer
was present, and in very timely and
touching manner addressed the Con
ference He spoke of his former
work in the Conference, his brief alb
sence from it and his invitation to re-
turn. His allusion to the death of his
son brought tears to many eyes. He
had come back, as he believed, at the
call of God, prepared to do His work.
He complimented Prof. Bishop on his
work for the last twelve years. Al
though affairs may not be what they
should be, we must enlarge our income
to meet the expenses, and Methodists
are able to do it, We must persevere