St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-07-01

true happiness are inseparably connected,
and that believers ought to be careful to
maintain order and practice good works; for
these things are good and profitable unto
men.
Among those who voted in favor of
this Profession of Belief were Rev. Joab
Young of Stratford, Rev. {. G. Person OF
Windsor, and Rev. William Farewell
then of Charlestown, N. H. but later,
and for many years, active in the work
in this state.
The Rev. Walter Ferriss of whom we
have spoken as the author of the Pro-
fession OF Belief adopted at Winchendon,
says in his journal that this convention
was the most numerous he had ever at
tended, and it was probably the largest
of any that had been held. l think it
some what strange that the name of
Hosea Ballou does not appear in the list
of those who were active in the adoption
| Of the Profession OF Belief. The records
are not at all complete, but from what
we know of Mr.. Ballou's ideas at the
time, it seems reasonable to suppose that
| it met his approval, and that he lent his
aid in its behalf. Mr.. Ballou's treatise
on Atonement," published soon after
this convention, seems to embody the
same general theory OF salvation as the
Profession of Belief.
This year, 1903, is significant in the
| history of Universallsm in Vermont, in
| that it was some time during this year
| that Hosea Ballou became a resident of
| the state as pastor at Barnard. He not
only preached here. but extended his
labors into other sections of the state,
frequently making long journeys for the
purpose of preaching. and spreading the
| knowledge of the gospel.
| And now we are arrived at the point
in otr history when this association be-
gan it's existence, which, as far as we are
/ able to tell, has been continuous ever
/ since. The Northern Association was
organized at Jericho in Chittenden county
in June, 1904, making it the oldest asso-
citation in our denomination. Techni-
cally, OF course, we are celebrating the
centennial at the end of SO years, but
still we are correct in counting this as
the Tooth annual session, and so our OBJ
servance is not out of place. Parties Of
believers in several sections of the state,
because of the difficulty of travelling long
distances, became DESTROYS of the forma-
ton of an association that should be less
expensive than the New England conven-
ton. These parties sought counsel from
the larger body to this end, and secured
the appointment of committee to assist
in this labor. The Rev. James Babbitt
was pastor of the church at Jericho at
the time, and the names of the clergymen
present, may easily be inferred to have
been Hosea Ballou, Zebulon Streeter,
Joab Young, and very possibly Others
not now known to US.
The territorial limits of the association
were somewhat indefinite, but seem to
have embraced the state of Vermont, a
part OF New Hampshire and small Sec
. ton OF New York state. What the
specific object of the new organization
, was, we cannot state, but it is reasona.
BILE to suppose that it accepted the Pro
fession and Belief adopted at Winchester
the year previous, and that it assumed
the government OF the churches and the
clergy within the territory embraced by
its membership. Such oversight, indeed
. became very necessary and continued TOT
many years thereafter. In common with
other associations the Northern associa
ton passed upon the standing OF the
. ministers within its borders, examined
, candidates for the ministry and ordained
them or authorized their ordination i
found worthy and counselled and encour
. aged the new or struggling or troubled
! churches. Most unfortunately there arr
, no records in existence from the year o
, organization in 1904 until the session o
f 1914, period of 40 years, but from thu
general history of the church we find herr
, other references to it and it's work, sc
that it seems probable that there have
| been few, if any, exceptions when thu
annual meeting has not been held.
q We know that the second meeting IL
, 1906 was held in Randolph. This, WI
learn from the diary of Rev. Hosea
: Ballou, who attended and participated
/ in it's deliberations and preached two
sermons. At this session of the associa
= ton occurred the ordination of Richart
! Carriuue, who was the son Of an office
! in the English army, and who had him
!, self been lieutenant in the same army
/ The next reference affecting our associa
+ ton is that in 1913 there were six or
: dained clergymen in the state of Vernon
and about a dozen places where some
4 | what regular pItaCulIlB was uSlus Oooi
+ after this, in 1919, there entered tn
a Universalist ministry a man who wa
! known to many of you, and who wa
4 destined to have long and useful caree
). as friend and counsellor for those of tn
4 faith in this vicinity, Rev. John E., or a
i he was usually known, Father Palmer
!" He was the pastor of the Baptist churcl
q in Danville, and when a young man il
{ the community was drowned it fell t.
n his lot to preach the funeral sermon, bu
9 as he could hold out no hopes to tn
= family, the young man not having bee
e converted, he found great trouble OF sou
e and when the hour arrived he did as hes
- he could, but sought relief in somethin
!. more comforting. He says: "The dot
l. trine | was set to preach was who'll
;. unable to comfort those bereaved friend
!. because it did not comfort me. wake
/. the house, read my Bible, prayed 70
o light, and never preached the doctrin
a of endless misery again." After his cor
r. version to Universalism Father Paine
+. settled over the new society at Barre
IS where he labored Is years, scattern
e the seed of truth over wide field, ia
d be was an indefatigable missionary a
e his lie. About 1910 he settled in til
t neighboring town of Waterford wher
d he lived, until his death in 1873, at tt
a. ripe and honorable age of 80 years.
\. is in the nature of misfortune thu
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