St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-06-21
vER10NT cONdREGATIONALIsTS.
A Successful Convention Held-Omccrs
Elected by Various Societies.

The annual convention of Congrega-
tional churches OF Vermont held a most
successful session in Barre last week and
over 300 delegates were in attendance.
The annual convention sermon was
preached by Rev. A. W. Dickens OF Mid
dlebury. Other speakers and their sub
jects were as follows. Rev. N. II. Whit
tlesy of New Haven, Conn, correspond
ing secretary of the national council of
the Ministerial Relief association,
Practical Comradeship;" S. F. Emerson
of Burlington, "The Relation OF the
Church to Children" Mrs. G. W. Patter-
son of East St. Johnsbury, Work OF the
Junior Christian Endeavor;" Rev. o. S.
Davis OF Springfield, place and Value of
Catechism Instruction" Rev. c. II. Mer-
rill of st. Johnsbury, "The Decline of Re-
ligion in Rural Districts" Rev. c. o..
Day of Boston, ministerial Education;"
Rev. George A. Hood Of Boston, Foreign
Missions" Rev. DR.. James L. Barton of
Boston, "Church Buildings"
The statistical report by the cores
ponding secretary, Principal ]. M. Com
stock of Chelsea attracted the usual in
terest. There are 209 churches with 21,-
904 members gain of II in the year
but offset by an addition of 104 to the
nonresident list. Only II Of the churches
are not supplied with pastors or stated
supplies. Twenty-eigbt pastors are
serving two or more parishes each. So
well supplied are the pulpits that no stu
dents will be employed this summer. The
figures for benevolence, home expenses,
Sunday schools, etc., are low, the. Sun
day school enrolment the lowest in "a
years. New church buildings are report
ed at Hyde Park, East Barre and Bristol;
extensive repairs at Cabot, North Ben
nington, Bakersfield and Hartland; also
four new parsonages are planned.
One of the principal topics before the
convention was the question of reviving
the Vermont Chronicle tor many years
the official publication Of the denomina-
ton in this state. 1t has been proposed
that the project be consigned to the hands
of an experienced newspaper man, and
the committee on the Chronicle was con-
tinued in Office for the purpose of looking
after the enterprise.
The following officers were elected :
Charles F. Thompson of Brattleboro.
president Rev. Charles R. Seymour OF
Bennington, vice president; ]. Henry
Jackson of Barre, secretary; Rev. S. l..
Bates of Burlington, treasurer; D. M.
Carnot of Newport, auditor: trustees,
Rev. Henry Fairbanks of st. Johnsbury
Deacon Z. w. Osgood of Bellows Falls,
Deacon w. ]. Van Patten and Rev. DR..
Edward Halves of Burlington, Deacon
lockwood Barrett OF Rutland.
A Central Vermont Congregational
club was formed with Rev. DR.. S. N
Jackson of Barre as president; Rev. L.
H. Elliott of Waterbury, vice president
Rev. George E. Ladd of Waterbury,
secretary; Frank McWhorter of Barre,
treasurer.
The receipts of the Vermont Domestic
Missionary society for the past year
have fallen off slightly. The amount ex.
pended was $39SS, and the society is in
debt $4,000. The officers elected for the
coming year are. president, Rev. Henry
Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury; vice presi
dent, N. G. Williams of Bellows Falls
auditor. L. D. Hazen of st. Johnsbury
directors, D. M. Camp of Newport, Rev
6. W. Phillips OF Rutland, Rev. Edward
Halves of Burlington, Rev. c. N. Thoma'
of Bristol, Rev. W. S. Hazen of North
field, Rev. c. R. Seymour and Rev. A. A
Smith Of Barre, c. F. Thompson Of Brat
tleboro, Rev. V. NJ. Hardy of Randolph
c. w. Osgood OF Bellows Falls and W. ]
Van Patten OF Burlington.