St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1901-04-24
THE VERMONT CONFERENCE.
A successfuI Gathering lad LrndonvilIe.


ference closed Monday after a busy ar
successful session. The attendance
members was large and during the wee
many prominent laymen from differer
parts of the district were present. tt
people of Lyndonville, of the various d.
nominations, entertained the visitin
ministers and their was an effort, no
only among the members of the Meth
odist church, but among the people c
the three villages generally, to make tn
visitors stay pleasant one. 1t was
success in every way. The weathe
throughout the session was all tina
could be desired, and aside from the regu
lar business of the conference the weel
was rich in special features of exceptions
al interest. Bishop Earl Cranston, who
as presiding officer, made his first
official visit to Vermont, was of course
the prominent figure of the week. He at
once became popular with members and
laymen, and handled the business of the
conference in an admirable manner.
Special features of the work of the church
occupied the larger portion of the bus
mess sessions for the first three days and
threatened to seriously interfere with the
actual conference work. On the fourth
day of che session the ten minute limit
was applied to the addresses of official
visitors and representatives of various
society interests of official visitors.
There was an unusually large number
OF these representatives this year. The
previous week several eastern
conferences had been in session and it
was impossible for all of these visitors to
be at every session. But last week the
New Hampshire and Vermont conferences
were the only ones in session, and were
favored with the presence of them all,
which added greatly to the interest of
the week, but were a detriment to the
necessary work. Among the official
visitors were Rev. Charles Parkhurst,
D. D., editor of lions Herald; Rev. w.
I. Davidson, D. D., representing the
American University Movement; Rev. T.
Corwin Watkins, D. D., of Boston, Secy.
of the New England Deaconess' House
and Training School; Rev. A. A. Wright,
OF the Boston Correspondence School;
Rev. H. DIN Cady of the West China
Mission; Rev. J. M. King, D. D., of New
York, Secretary of the Board of Church
Extension; Rev. T. B. NeeIey, D. D.,
LII. d., OF New York, representing the
Sunday school Union; John Marshall
Barker OF the Boston University School
of Theology Miss Henrietta Bancroft of
Washington, Field Secretary OF the w.
H. NJ S. Deaconess' Movement; Rev E.
M. Mills, D. D., Sec'y. OF the Goth Cen.
fury Thank offering Commission; Rev.
W. F. Mcdowell, d. D., of New York,
Secretary Board Of Education Rev. H.
Starks, ID. d., representing Wesleyan
University; Rev. l.. H. Elliott OF the YER
mont Bible Society; Rev. Frank l.. Hart
ot the Church Insurance Company; Rev.
M. I. b. Mason, D. D., OF Cincinnati,
representing the Freed mans Aid Society;
Mss Miranda Croucher OF Tsun Hua,
1hlna; Miss Matte B. Prather of the
chicago Deaconess' Training School;
Mss Josephine Fiske and Miss Elizabeth c
Niles OF the Boston Deaconess branch )
THE DEAcoNEss' MOVEMENT. e
No special feature of the conference at. I
racted more attention or made deeper u
Impression on those in attendance than .
he presentation OF the work of the =
)eaconess' Movement. Wednesday y
tternoon was largely devoted to the Z, a
anniversary of its work, and the meet Il
1g closed with the conservation of g
ollie Mae Martin of White River Tunc- .
ion, deaconess, by Bishop Cranston. IL
his was the first service of this kind
cid in the Vermont conference, and the
harm of the simple and beautiful "
ltualistic ceremony is above discrip- f.
ion. a
The Deaconess' movement is OF more a,
han passing interest. Its intent is the p
establishment of the Deaconess order of =,
postolic times. The modern movement -
lad its originin Germany about 60 years -,
go. TWAS begun in this country about n
70 years ago by the Episcopal church
md is still helpful adjunct to that II
'ody. In the Methodist church it began e
5 years ago, and now there are about
10 deaconess institutions such as homes. d
hospitals, ETC., and the duty :,
II a deaconess is to work along lines sug- =
yested by these institutions In a degree, G
he deaconess order is to the Methodist i
hurch what the grand body OF Sisters of a
Charity is to the Catholic church. The =
ieaconess however takes no VOW and a
nay leave the order at any time. She c
erves without salary and her work is to r
earch out and care tor the suffering and +
the movement is yet in its in q
ancy, it has already noble record and h
las IN many places attained high place a
As practical charitable institution. n
Boston has training school, deaconess +
1ospltal and deaconess home. OF the +
after Miss Josephine S. Fisk, formerly Of :
dardwick, is superintendent. The work a
s yet young but it's foundation is the q
principles OF practical christianity, and =
is future is bound to be great in uplilt- 4
ng humanity -
MISSIONS. c
The subject of missions was given con. \
prominence in the arrangement :
ot the programs and the discussion of :,
his subject was the most notable feature :
Of the conference, At the anniversary of .,
The Womans Home Missionary Society g
Thursday afternoon Miss Henrietta F