The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-28
Permission Of Eaton u Mains.

were taken up wien the examination OF can
ddates in the various courses of study.
Rev. j. o. Sherburne OF Williamstown was
chairman OF the examining board, and the
work was done thoroughly and well. The
examinations included those who desired
admission to the Conference on trial, as well
as the candidates for local deacons' and To-
cal elders orders.
On Wednesday evening Rev. DIR. W. A.
Spencer of Philadelphia, general secretary
Of the Church Extension Society, addressed
large audience in Hedding church. His
subject was, 1.-THE church of tomorrow,
where shall we find it, and what shall we
do with it?" No abstract could do any JUS
tice to DR.. Spencer's eloquent address,
which was an earnest appeal to cultivate,
train and inspire the young men and women
of the country, who are to be the church of
the coming century.
The first session OF the conference was
held Thursday morning at nine o'clock.
The Sacrament of the Holy Communion was
administered by the Bishop and Presiding
Elders assisted by Revs. w r. Davenport,
A. L. Cooper, j. A. Sherburne, I'll. A. Spen-
Ger and Sylvester Donaldson. A cordial
address of welcome was delivered by Mayor
j. w. Gordon to which Bishop Walden APP
propriately responded.
Mayor Gordon said in part " For the sec.
ond time | have the honor and pleasure of
extending you cordial welcome to our
city. Those who were here year ago will
that the policemen would not make any ar
rests while you were in session. have ar
ranged that matter this time so that you may
be at your ease No arrests will be made
until after you adjourn.
The conference Of so important denom-
ination as you represent is an event to which
we are not indifferent, for which we ought
to be grateful, and by which we should
profit. This is the seventh gathering of the
kind that has been held here. The voices
that will speak and the ears that will listen
have all changed since the first gathering
through the ages, binding the eternities
together. Its constancy here is but an il
lustration Of its vitality. The hills are an
cient, the stars are old; but older than
either are the power and purpose. of God.
Mans history is but an unfinished page in
the continuity and antiquity OF human
affairs. The past is sepulchre at whose
door the voice is hushed and the footstep
softened. Age is sacred and will clothe
even pile OF stone with reverential awe.
This beautiful temple is visible mani
festation Of the Christian worker. Like the
old belfry, it has thrice been rebuilded, al
though not thrice consumed. Three differ
ent structures have been erected by the
local society, all OF which are in existence
to-day, and in measure devoted to the
same purpose. Each new one has been'an
may be said in truth that you have never
had to break through the roof to get a
glimpse of heaven. But what are these
manifestations compared with the invisible
Presence on which rest the foundations of
the world! They are temporal, transient
even as the storm that beats against the
door.
Build thee more stately mansions, oh my sonll
As the swift seasons roll
Leave thy low vaulted past,
Shut thee from heaven with dome more vast,
Till thou at length are free,
Leaving thy outgrown shell by lifes unrestng sea-
How far we shall follow this command
is matter of individual concern. But as
sistance is condition of success No man
by himself worketh best. To the ministra-
tons of your able and earnest representa-
tives, are we largely indebted for whatso-
ever is of good repute. They have not
made us perfect. Here are tares with the
wheat; tents of the wicked for mansions OF
the soul, and some Of the mansions are de-
serted or rented for pieces OF silver. But
let not discouragement wait upon your en-
deavors. Man." says Pascal, is "the
glory and the scandal of the universe"
May you increase the glory and reduce the
scandal. And thrice happy may our wei,
come be with the hope that you will send
us goodly servants in the future as in the
past and that as the years increase, your
conference will gather here not only seven
tlmeS, Dut seventy times SeVen,'
In his response the Bishop pleasantly
referred to the fact that both he and Mayor
Gordon represented an official capacity,
that the Mayor represented law and gov
eminent and the bishop the church; that
these two can never be separated, that they
must always dwell together, and yet be dis
tinct 1t may be stated in passing that
Bishop Walden's official residence is In Gin
cinnati, o. He was elected Bishop by the
General Conference in 1884 and is every
were recognized as one OF the most efficient
members of the board. He has travelled ex-
tensively and has visited nearly every
Methodist Conference in this country and
in foreign lands. He presided at the SEES.
sion OF Vermont Conference in st. Johns
bury in 1886. For many years before his
election to the bishopric, he was at the head
OF the Western American Book Concern.
Rev. w. II. Davenport was unanimously
reelected secretary OF the Conference, with
lected Rev. l.. p. Tucker Of Mortified and
Rev. w. M. Newton of Waterbury. Rev
III. G. Mclaughlin was elected statistical
secretary, and chose as his assistants Revs
Q. o. Judkins, j. A, Jackson and G. ii
Sisson. Rev. A. j. Hough was reelected
treasurer, but he asked to be excused and
Rev. A. e. Atwater was elected in his place
During the roll.call of the Conference
when the name of Rev. j. A. Sherburne
was reached he rose and said that this was
the fiftieth consecutive Conference that he
had attended and been present at roll-call
He was cordially congratulated by Bishop
Walden and the words Of the Bishop were
received by a chorus OF "amens from the
brethren. 1t was voted that the Confer.
ence meet at half past eight each morning