The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-07-02
STATE EPwORTH LEAGUE.

InlS Clty NeuHesuuy tNtulhB, uilO "a
ercises beginning at few minutes
past seven o. clock. The music by the
convention chorus, led by Rev L. X.
whitman, pastor of Trinity church,
consisted of five selections, well
known hymns, and their rendition
showed careful training. A sslo was
rendered by Mrs Richard Bradley of
Barre, with piano accompaniment by
Mrs. w. ID. Sutherland of Barre.
H. H. Morgan, president of the
League for the Montpelier district,
was the chairman of the evening and
introduced Rev. w. M. Newton, pre-
siding elder for the Montpelier dis
trict who prefaced his remarks by re-
ferring to his early life as a carpenter
saying that he made it a rule in those
days to know what the master build
err wished done before proceeding
with his work, drawing from his re.
marks the illustration that all
Leaguers should know what is re-
quired of them before embarking mp
on their different kinds of work.
He said they must become acquaint-
ed with the g essentials" of their
work. Mr.. Newton closed his re-
marks by invoking the Divine guild
ance.
Rev. L. X Wlillman's theme was
"What Is the Purpose of This Con-
vention?" He opened his remarks
with words of welcome from the people
of this city and of Trinity church to
the delegates and visitors to the con-
vention and showed that the purpose
of the convention was to do practical
work He said that there were prac
tical ends to be met, that the object of
the convention was bring the mem
bers of the League into closer COM
munion with each other and that it
was convention for inspirational
purposes He asked that the deliber-
ations and conferences during the
convention be heart to heart talks. y
The convention sermon by Rev. f.
| ]. Mcconnell, of Cambridge, Mass
was listened to with an interest that
was intense. Mr. Mcconnell took for
! his theme 1.-The Silence of Jesus, "
taking his text from John 9 10: " But
Jesus gave him no answer" In open
ing his discourse he said that the con-
versations of the Savior are punctuat-
ed by magnificent passages of silence.
He said that silence was the Savior S
contempt for the ignorance and sin of
Herod the King. He told his listen
ers that silence signified self control
and was the best weapon with which
to fight heretics During his remarks
he said, lit is not where we are to
spend eternity, but where the next
fifteen or twenty years of our life are
TO be passed, and how, that is a burn
ing question.
Mr. Mcconnell drew graphic de-
scriptions of the many turbulent
scenes in the life of Christ and was
intensely earnest as he drew an illus
tration each time, always keeping in
view the wonderful self control OF
the Savior during the trying scenes
in his ministry.
\ solo by Herbert Chapman OF
this city and the benedciction by
Rev r. F. Lowe of Barre closed the
first session of the convention.
The decorations of the church were
streamers of bunting in the national
colors with the emblem of the League
conspicuously displayed, large en-
blem in red and white covering near
ly the whole front of the organ. The
platform was banked with potted
ferns. Decorator Gates of Barre had
charge of the work.
Wednesdays session opened at Il;
a. m, after the district meetings hat
/, been held which were consolidated il
| 1IlnluN ClliICll. AL IOuI was SptA
in discussing methods for League
work.
Following the district meeting A
NJ Aseltine, president of the St. AL
bans district, called the convention tC
order and - An Hour of Inspiration
was the topic taken up by Rev. G. S
Nutter, presiding elder of the st. Al
bans district, who spoke of the trans
formation of men through their com
ing in contact with religion and salt
, that inspiration follows transforma
: ton. He said that all ideal forms o
= government were products of trans
2 formation, and closed his remark
with prayer. Upon motion of Rev
L. Olin Sherburn of Bellows Falls
9 general chairman, it was voted tina
! the chair appoint committees of tire
! each for nomionations and resolutions
: The chair appointed the presidin
: elders of the Montpelier, st. Johns
7 bury and st. Adams districts as com
mittee on nominations and Rev. r. /
: Lowe, ST. Johnsbury district, H. H
: Morgan, Montpelier district, Mis-
Pomeroy, St. Adams district, as com
mittee on resolutions and both com
= mittees were instructed to report t
7 the convention at three O. clock thi
afternoon.
Rev. r. f. Lowe of Barre wa
chosen secretary pro TEN. A servic
of music of fifteen minutes, followe
by the reading in concert of the hym
4 Take Time to Be Holy, was til
Y next upon the program after whic
t the chairman introduced Rev Guy {
Lamson, pastor of the First Baptis
: church Of this city, who extended
. welcome to the Leaguers in behalf {
/ the Vermont Baptist Young People
Union, In opening his remaks Nj
0 Lamson said he owed his introductio
5 to the ministry to the Epwort
4 League. He said that the work of tn
= League and Young Peoples Unto
+ were upon the same lines and wa
b earnest in his endeavor to instill int
: the minds of his listeners that a
5 workers must have a fixed purpose
He cited as examples Lincoln an
Grant, and said that purpose give
character" and that having such, on
becomes "a manipulation Of men. -