The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-09-15
THE CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE

THE CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE
Good Attendance Addresses by Secretarie
shelton, Gutterson and PuddefOrt TIL,
Ladies' Report.
The Windham county conference OF Con
gregational churches was held at the Centr
church here Wednesday and Thursday Will
a coed attendance at all the meetings. Wild
clematis,i daisies, golden rod and fem
were tastefully arranged around tht
the choir railing clematis was pref
ttly entwined. Wednesday mornings SCISSOR
was opened by James Harper of st. Louis
formerly Of this place, followed with prayer
BY Rev. Mr.. Thompson, singing of the hymn
"Refuge' by the congregation. The organ
was presided over by Fred l.ettzinger.
A sermon ut is good for US TO be here,'
" est rownshend and Il was very instructive
Mr.. Harper read briefly from the Book o
Chronicles and prayer was offered BY Dea. C
r. Thomps0n and several other delegates, fol
lowed with singing by the congregation
"Nearer NV God To Thee"
Rev. G. o. Day made few remarks vel
coming the delegates and friends to the con
vention. Rev. DR.. Thompson Of Westminis.
ter was chosen moderator, and Rev. Mr.
Hardy Of Townshend. scribe. Eucoursgine
reports were given from nearly all the towns
In Windham county, by the delegates. Many
societies have increased In membership, more
Sunday schools have been organized and the
coming year looks prosperous. The morning
Sc sion closed with prayer by Rev. Z. o. Day
The AFTERNOON exercises opened with sing.
Ing blythe congregation with Miss Georgianns
Cooke at the organ. Prayer by Rev G. o.
Day.
In the absence of Rev. H. A. Goodhue
the discussion ON the Estate of Religion
In Windham County" was omitted
Reports Of the condition of the churches
OF Windham county were given BY
the various delegates of the several towns
Rev. q. 0. Day explained the meaning Of a
conference, Its use and how much is gained
by 1t, how Christian workers are brought to.
gether and new Ideas formed 10 help the mis-
sion workers. Rev. C, H. Merrill delivered
an eloquent address on "Windham county g
part In Christianizng Vermont" He told
how between 1880 and 1910 there were five
churches In the hve largest towns In Wind
ham county with membership of 200 aud
today the total membership of each of these
towns is less than 30. showing how they are
dropping ot from the country towns and
going to the cities. He expressed his feeling
and opinion for the future prosperity OF Yer.
mont.
Mr.. Merrill said that while Christian work
could be done in our small townships
1t cannot be done alone in the churches
but must be done in the homes.
The union meeting of the Ladies' Mission
ary societies was opened by Mrs. J. H. Rab-
bltt with reading the missionary exercises
which was responded to by the congregation.
Her report notes the organization of two
new auxillaries, one at Can bridgeport and
the other at Jamaica.
In Mrs. Babbitt's report she said "Brattle.
b0ro was always to be depended upon for
prompt and generous contributions In money
and as the largest church In the county 1t
is an.example In good work. She read full
report from all the towns in the county. Miss
8. e. Clark in her report named eight aux.
illaries In the county by right OF
organ'z atoms and contributors; though of
this number three have held no meetings this
year and three others have held few and ir.
regular ones. The aggregate contributions
for the year from the auxilisries fall little
below that of last year; the los occasioneu
BY the falling off IN gifts from most Of the
auxlliaries being partly made up by an IN
mount Il Slc4 81 against SPOT 10 reported ln
90 and $256.65 in '9l. But this fs a time Of
manifold organizations and the deficiency
lmOpg the auxll!aries Is made up to our
reasury through the department, lately Or
.anized, OF the Junior work of which, In
county, Miss Emma Gregg has
barge, an additional $43 has been sent to our
tate treasurer by the Christian Endeavor
ociety's mission circles.
OF this $22 90 was designated for the build.
ng for the kindergarten Training School at
myrna, Turkey, towards which the Vermont
ranch appropriated and specified as "Junior
York." $3.50 90. There was also sent by
abbath school 800 90 towards the salary OF
iiss Bruce, Of which $500 was made a
art OF tho "Junior Work" Thus making a
otal, which Is not quite complete report, OF
249 p. against S2O7.7O reported in 1891, and
256 65 In 1892.
In the absence of Mrs. Gutterson, Mr.. Gut
ersOn gave a short address on Foreign Mis-.
Ion work. He explained how the word fol-
Ign had lost Its power, how the wheat mills
Japan effect the mills Of Minneapolis, aud
Ow the American missionaries have power
yer the Hindoos. He said 1t was no sn all
ask to change the modern and active life of
oreign people to the citizen and Christian
fe of most of our American citiz MS. Japan
fast becoming Christian country. China
J building railroads. digging iron, ETC., why |
ant we help her to become Christian |
ountry. He told how much could be done
y missionaries In Africa. how many of them |
'ould become COOL Christians il they could |
ave the word of God and bis church. He |
poke of the receipts of the American board |
f missions, the good condition 1t Is kept In
nd said it was due wholly to the work OF the
sdies Auxiliary.
Miss Hartig, Evangelist. gave brief but
,teresting description OF her mission work
lroughout Vermont. She told of the new
rganIzs.ions that have teen formed In small
,wnsh!ps IN the past year. OF The prosperous
,ndtion OF the Christian Enteavor societies
nd Sunday schools, prayer meetings and at
ndauces at church. Rv. W. G Puddefoot
IS the last on the afternoon program. He
,oke on Home Missions, and no lecturer
J. 1t was full Of bright points. His voice
full and peneti atIng He gave few simple
stements from the last census which wi
low the work that Is to be done. 1--WE have
the nation so large penitentiarles and 100
untv jiis The cost Of constructing these
as $500 000,0 900 and the interest at five per
mt Is S25 100000 annually, while the
led Is 300 900 annually. and crime is on
e increase. In 1882 there were over 1890
urders and suicides, and eight per cent. only
ire punished by the extreme penalty of the
W." He said the crime of murder had
'adiy risen, while the punishment had de- =,
essed so that In 1892 We find that by leaving
Il the Sundays. there was more than muir
+ and a suicide for every hour IN the year. ,
which two per cent. only were punished
the extreme penalty of the law, and yet
the time the churches were increasing
cir membership. Some Of the reasons for
is are first, he said, two worldwide move-
ants were going on, the rapid growth of the
y and the decrease of the rural populstions
h.ch was as marked In the best lands in the
,st, rs In the rocky farms In NeIm mt. In {
ct, he stated there were more abandoned
rms In Illinois, Wisconsin and lows than ,
New Hampshire. Vermont AMI Massachu-
tfs. while Michigan had over 1000 less farms {
1890 than IN 1880. "Auother thing" the /
CONTINUED on sth page)