St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-17
VERMONT CONFERENCE.
The TlethodlSts Spend a Profitable
Week In Barre.

| Appointments tof the ~ Johnsbafy Utetct. /
The members OF the Methodist |
conference convened in Barre last
week Monday. Monday evening the
preliminary examinations were be-
gun in the Hedding church and were
continued Tuesday. Nearly all the
candidates this year are college
graduates. and are said 10 be young
men OF a very high order of intellec-
tual ability.
All of the official sessions OF the
conference were held in the Hedding
church, aud the other churches OF the
city opened their doors for the
meetings of affiliated societies. The
UNCONVENTIONAL societies OF the city
kindly assisted in the entertainment
OF conference guests.
The Hedding is the largest and
finest church in Barre, on one of the
prettiest corners in the city and
very desirable location for church
work. The cost of the church and
furnishings, exclusive of the site. was
$4,000. The audience room is in
the form of an amphitheatre, having
sloping floor every part radiating
toward the rostrum, thus giving
every pew an equally good view OF
the speaker. 1t has a seating capac.
ity oil 900 within easy range Of the
speakers voice. The church has
chapel, Sunday School rooms and
ladies parlor. 1t is finely finished
throughout and great credit to the
, town.
Rev. A. E. Schell was on the pro-
gramme for Tuesday evening, but
was unable to meet his appointment.
Rev. c. H. Paine of New York was
pressed into the service, and made
: an eloquent, witty and instructive
r address.
The first days session of the con-
= ference opened Wednesday morning.
The sacrament of the Lords supper
was administered by Bishop Fowler,
, assisted by several presiding elders.
u Following this Mayor Gordon deliv-
cred a brief address of welcome,
/. which was responded to by the
I. Bishop. The reports from the vari-
: Gus districts were full of encourage
e ment. The St. Johnsbury district
r reported 40 churches and II stations.
a The pastors at Barre, ST. Johnsbury,
Island Pond and Hardwick each
made 500 visits the past year. Barre
6 has the largest Epworth League and
S Sunday School. New church build
o ings have been erected at Lowell,
S Woodbury., Williamstown, Newport
Il and Sheffield, and Albany. Barre,
If Barton, Guildhall, Lyndon, West
field, Danville, Derby, West Burke
and West Concord have made many
% improvements on their church prop
erty. Forty charges report 400 con-
D. versions, 275 taken on probation,
5. and over 200 taken into full connec.
't ton. Last year the district lacked
y only $11 of reaching the million and
lie a half line for missions.
y The St. Albans district reported
le the church building at Swanton
), burned July 16 and another will
!, soon be ready for dedication. ST.
:. Albans has paid a church debt o
% 81, 100, Enosburg Falls has cancelled
e. debt OF $4,000. Worcester, Stowe
l. Isle La Motto. East Franklin and
r. Johnson all improved church prop
lie erty. During the year 490 were con
Of verted, 170 admitted on probation
SO died, 32 had withdrawn; net
i. gain, S5.
a Addresses were delivered Thursda :
~ ~ by Rev. Charles Parkhurst, editor O
'e the Zion's Herald of Boston, anc
r Bishop Fowler. DR.. Parkhurst rep
resented the paper and the Wesleyan
n association, which is responsible fol
he it's publication. The building owned
IN by the association on Bromfielc
street is valued at $5OO,000, and tn,
indebtedness on the same has beer
,s reduced to $4,000. Last yea,
l. $4,000 was paid on the debt. Th'
:" = annual rentals now amount to
- $4,000. The building and tn,
o' paper, which never cost the church
ne one dollar, are the property of th'
Mt ministers of the six patronizing con
is terences in New England, and arr
e- administered as sacred trust by q
st representative laymen for the benefi
rv of the superannuatcd preachers con
"a nected with these conferences Whei
= the indebtedness on the Wesleyan
- - building is fully paid, the rental o
III the property and the profits from
nc the paper must be divided annual,
Y, among the worn out preachers ant
re their families. In the eight years o
ed DR.. Parkhurst's editorship, there ha
as been divided among the six confer
as ences, as portion Of the profit
i'll accruing from the publication of tn
ill paper, nearly $24 600.
r. Friday and Saturday were mostl
n. devoted to conference business
~ Sunday the church was crowded, al
or audience OF 1900 listening to one G
Is the best sermons ever heard at
~ " f.~...