The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-04-15
THE VERMONT CONFERENCE
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CLOSING
DAYs---THE APPOINTMENTS.

may be found on page two.
SATURDAY.
Devotional exercises were conducted by
Rev. s. Donaldson. Bishop Fowler took
the chair at nine o'clock. Rev. j. A. Sher
burDe was transferred from the effective to
the supernumerary list and Rev. G. L.
Story was made effective. Bishop Fowler
was requested to reappoint Rev. DR.. e. M.
Smith as principal of the Montpelier Sem
mary. James III. Wills, W. j. Mcneil and
w M. Morrow were elected to local deacon's
orders. II. A. Spencer reported for the
committee on temperance, III. +. Forrest for
education and G. +. Stebbins for the Bible
cause. The following were continued in
the supernumerary relations; N III. Wilder,
II. e. Howard, W. H. Dean, A. H. Hon.
singer, e. s. Morse, G. p. Flanders, Isaac
McAnn, S. b. Currier, W. s. Jenn,, Church
B. Truax,. G.. B. Hyde, G. W. Morse,
Harvey Webster, II. f. Reynolds, Thomas
Trevillian and g. L. Wells.
r. ID. Goodrich was located at his own re.
quest. The following standing committees
were appointed; Stewards, A. L. Cooper,
s. s. Brigham and j. d. Beeman; Bible
cause, W. P. Stanley, W. S. smithers and
K W. Sharp; memoirs, s. Donaldson, A.
j. Hough and A B. Blake; Conference re-
lations, j. d. Beemsn, o. M. Boutwell, and
j. H. Wallace; church literature, Thomas
lyric, L P. Tucker and @. w. Edgworth;
pastoral address, r. b. Handy, w. 1. Todd
and j. III. Wallace; education. Andrew
Gllies, G. s. Nutter and g. o. Howe; Sun
day-school, A. l.. Blake, j.. w. Naramore
and A. e. Atwaterr; church extension, A.
| G. W. Anderson, A. G. Austin and l.. P.
Tucker; Freedman's Aid Fl. #. Forrest, j,
A. Dixon and G. L. Story; temperance,
f. W. Lewis, w. M. Newton and W. Q.
Johnson; Tract Society, W. E. Douglass,
League, W. M. Newton, A. Gillies and I.
P. Chase; triers of appeals, HI. f. Forrest,
j. O.. Sherburne, P. N. Granger, Il. w.
Worthen, q. Edgeworth, j. d. Beeman and
tension, Rev. A. Il. Webb, w. P: Dilling-
ham, w. R. Davenport and A. K. Niles.
Rev, p. N. Granger was reelected trustee
of the Montpelier Seminary.
Rev. W. r. Davenport, the Conference
scl 80 airy, made his report, which showed a
60, surplus from the sale of the official
NnG es. For the previous four years there
l.n! en- deficit. The following fraternal
dee ,ates and visitors to literary institutions
we're elected: To the State Convention of
| Congregational Ministers and Churches,
Thomas lyric; to the Baptist State Con-
vention, L. P. Tucker; Baptist Yearly
Meeting, w. E. Douglass; Montpelier Sem
mary, W. S. Smithers and wife, q. s. Nutter
and wife and Miss Mary Pomeroy; Boston
University, w. M. Newton; Wesleyan As
ISOLATION, George o. Howe; Women's Col
1 WIFE. Oh DA'''"0's' H. T. M 'm''n anu
The place of meeting for the next Confer
ence was left with the presiding elders
The Conference voted its disapproval Of
any Sunday trains that may be run between
Montpelier and Barre. The anniversary of
the Montpelier Seminary was held Satur-
day morning. Hon. w. P. Dillingham;,
president of the board of trustees, Rev. III.
A. Spencer, the retiring financial agent, and
Principal E. M. Smith addressed the Con-
ference in the interests of that institution.
Principal Smith offered the following reso-
luton, which was adopted: Resolved, That
the presiding elders be and are hereby in
structed to secure the appointment in each
Quarterly Conference of this and several
districts of some suitable person in such
church, their special duty to be to cooperate
with the principal of the Seminary and
with the pastors of the church in the dis
semination of information concerning the
Seminary and in directing the attention of
young people to its advantages The pre-
siding elders hall also cause the names OF
the persons so appointed to be reported to
the principal Of the Seminary"
| At two O'Clock the anniversary of the
Womans Home Missionary Society was
held Mrs. A. H. Webb presided. Mrs. o.
| ID. Clapp of Windsor read the Scriptures,
and Mrs. @. s. Nutter Of St. Adams offered
prayer. The address was by Mrs. I. j.
| Everett of New Bedford, Mass. Following
this business meeting of the executive
committee of this society was held in the
Baptist church. at which Mrs w. r, Daven-
port read an original poem entitled "Who
Is My Neighbour"
AT four o'clock a memorial service was
held, at which obituary notices of Revs.
Joseph Enright, r. W. Hamblin and Austin
Scribner, members of the Conference who
have died curing the year, were read.
In the evening the anniversary OF the
| Freedmen's Aid Society was held The
first half hour was taken up with an adj
| dress by Rev. DR.. j. G. Breckenridge, su-
perintendent of the Methodist General Hos
pital in Brooklyn, N. Y, on the work and
needs of that institution. Rev. j. W. Ham
| ilton of Cincinnati, secretary of the Freed
mems Aid Soci4ty, then delivered an elo-
quent address, in which he pointed out the
difference between an inferior race and a
race under inferior conditions, and drew
several pictures of the work this society is
doing. 1t was announced at the close of the
meeting that Charles r. MCGEE, financial
agent, had that day deposited in Barre
banks $4,000 brought to Conference by the
ministers for the various benevolences OF the
church.
1t was a great day for Methodism in
Barre. The weather was balmy and spring
like, and a special train from Montpelier
over the Central Vermont railroad swelled
the GRO wd in attendance at the church SER
vices. The various pulpits in the city were
occupied by members Of the Conference or
visiting cergymen, but the main attraction
was at Hedding Church, where Bishop
Fowler was announced to preach sermon
never before delivered Rev. j. W. Ham
ilton read the Scriptures and Rev. o. M.
Boutwell, offered prayer. The bishops text
was from Deuteronomy xxi: 81" For this
rock is not as our rock, even our enemies
themselves being judges" The scholarly
trained mind Of the speaker was given full
play as he spoke an hour and forty.ive
minutes, closing with an outburst of elo-
quenoe that will long be remembered. He
first considered some Of the statements that
can be extorted from the enemies of the
Bible. He referred in detail to the uncer-
tainty that attends all science, and that in
no field has 1t been exposed to more blum
ders than In the field of higher criticism.
But the Bible has anticipated our best sci
ence of to-day. 1t is in favor of integrity,
and teaches economy, industry, virtue and
faithfulness Its enemies have never and
can never prevail against it, and for all
time it has left trail of light proving its
divine authority.
Following the morning sermon those ad-
mitted to deacOn's orders were ordained.
| Raw I w Hamilton nraachad at Haddinp