The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1894-04-27
The Conference.
ORGANIZATIoN OF THE VERMONT ANNUAL
CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST. EP1S



ORGANIZATION OF THE VERMONT ANNUAL
CONFERENCE OF THE METHODIST. EPIs-
CoPAL CHURCH.
Until the year 1924 all New England, with
the exception of the western part OF vermont
was in one Conference, and was called the
New England Conference. That year (lS24),
the state of Maine was set of as separate
Conference and held its first session at Gard
ner, July I, 1925.
The New Hampshire Conference was set
off from the New England Conterence IN
1929. For three years 1t was called the NeW
Hampshire and Vermont Conference. IL
embraced nearly all of New Hampshire ana
that part of Vermont east of the Green
Mountains. Its first session was held at
Barre VT, June %, 1880. After three years
Vermont was dropped from the name and II
was called simply the New Hampshire Con-
ference. Thus it remained till 18Th when
that part of Vermont which mad belonged 70
the New Hampshire Conference was set OH
and constituted an independent Conference,
with the expectation if not the POSITIVE
assurance that the whole state should De
united in one Conference.
At the time this separation took place
there was IN the New Hampshire Conference
1872 members or this number % fell to YER
mont Conference including probat1oners-49
of them were effective men in full member
ship: viz. John g. Dow, Alonzo Webster, J.
w. Perkins, A. G. Button, Daniel Field, Ieb.
Twtchell, r. H. Kimball, Hanes L. cushing
James H. Patterson, c. N: Smith, Andrew J.
Copeland, William j. Kidder, Arson G.
Smith, Leonard Austin, Otis NJ: Legate, W.
Blake, Wilder Heminway, Benz. Burnham,
F.Q. Barrows, Hanes Johnson, Homer T.
Jones, Sylvester T. Williams, SCHUYLER
ger, William NJ. Mann, Otis Dunbar, Eras-
tus Pettingill, David Parker, J. B. H. Morris
Chester w. Levings A. T. Gibson, Pinkney
Frost, zadoc s. Haynes, John Perrin, James
II. Stevens, A. V. Howard, Albert Carter,
Peres Mason, Lewis Hill, Moses Spencer,
John L. Smith, Elijah Gale, David Wilcox,
J. P. Prouty. Henry j. Wooley. j. Hayes,
Harvey Gurnsey, Ira Beard. Ofthis number
I think but three are living. Only one of
them is member, of this Conference, W. j.
Kidder, who is "a years old, G. NJ. Smith
superanuate in the NewEngland Conference
aged II wears and John Perrin, local
preacher 81 years old, living in Lebanon, n.
any others that have not gone over the
river. Y were probationers; We're on trial
es z. Wells, SOsias S. Morris. David ". Bar
Der, James S. Spinney, Ira Carter, William
Rankin. 5 were of the second year. Alonzo
Hitchcock. Isaac Smith, M. A, Herrick,
think but one is living, A. Hitchcock.
We're supernumerary: E: j. Scott and George
Putnam 3D. There we've were 10 n Sol
Eleazer Wells, Nathan How, Hubbard East |
man, Al. Aspenwall, w. Wickham, John |
CurrrieSr, Eleazer Jordan: Making total OF
districts, Montpelier, Danville and Spring
field. In these there were 81 circuits and
stations. Some of them were very large en-
bracing a number oftOwns-on the same ter
ritOry we have now So appointments an in
crease of26. We had then 63 preachers to
man the work. we have now 80 counting the
supplies. y more than then.
We had then l0,05S members and prOba-
tiOners-we have on the some territory now
The boundary of our Conference remained
unchanged for l6 years until 1860, though the
general Conference was asked at its session
in 1882 and again in 1856 to give us the whole
state, and though it acknowledged we ought
to have it, the opposition was so great on the
Burlington district that our request was not
granted until 1860, when il became so obvi-
ously right the general Conference could not
longer refuse to grant us our request and
gave us Burlington and st. Adams district
rom the Troy Conference. After eight
years of controversy Burlington district was
set back to the Troy Conference. Our bounds
hen remained unchanged for u years, until
$50. When the whole of Vermont with the
exception of Poultney, where the Troy Con-
en- ence seminary was located, was given to
VPrmont Conference. This gave great dis }
on the part of the preachers and
| few laymen on the Burlington district and
tter, four years of sharp and, to say the
east, unpleasant controversy, Burlington
because the general Conference thought it
Justly belonged there, but on the ground of
there being such bitter opposi-
ION (not among the Laity, to any great eX-
emit, put among the preachers on the dis
rtct. FThey represented the Green noun
ain as almost impossible and an INSURER |
lble obstacle in the way of union. When
,ur Conference was held at Ludlow some of
he preachers from that district visited il
una called on BlSnOp MERRILL. lie eng urea
If them when they left home, being told that {
hey left that morning, he feigned great sur
,rise and asked them if it was possible for
hem to cross the Mountain and get there the
anne day? After a war lasting twenty four -
ears, Burlington district came off conquer |
II over the general Conference and all.
From that time until the present we have
lived in peace and quietness. And while we 6
rave been doing as much or more for our
benevolent institutions aud for the support
f our ministry and building churches and \
'arsonages and the education of our child
en-, am sorry to say we have not, during
he last ten years, held our own in point of T
umbers. If have made no mistake there l.
as been falling off of nearly two hundred
MEMBERS. May our minutes, when they
hall be published, show that this decrease
as more than been made up. And may
here be a new conservation of the ministry
nd membership to the work of winning
)uls and may every appointment in the ]
difference be visited with gracious revi- q
al that shall bring hundreds. yea, thou
lnds to the church.