The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-04-09
CONFER ENCE IN SESSION.


Mortified, April s. -The first ses-
sion of the 59th Annual Conference
of the Vermont Methodists was held
in the Methodist church vestry this
afternoon at 1. 80 O'Clock when exami-
nations were given to those in the
different classes. The undergradu-
ates whose names are on the list of
those being examined for advance
ment are:
Montpelier district W. S. Dunn,
W. f. Hill, 1. S. Yerks, Fred Daniels,
f. A. Woodwork, L. K. Whitman.
st. Adams district William Shaw,
@. D. Pierce, F. M. Barnes, G. E.
Deuel., o. B. Wells. A. @. bennett.
st. Johnsbury district: F. B. Blod-
gett, G. W. Kelley, W. E. Newton,
G. W. Manning, G. @. MoDougall,
G. d. Lance and G. G Corse.
Evangeli site services will be held
at the church this evening conducted
by the Rev. E. S. Durham, ID. D., of
Delaware Ohio. Bishop Warren ar
rived last evening and was present at
the afternoon service.
Mortified, April Preparations
for the 59th session of the Vermont
Methodist Conference are completed
and the advance guard is beginning
to arrive. The r;t session occu rs to-
night but it will consist only Of a
prayer and praise service, the regular
business sessions opening on Thur sday
conference will be entertained as fol-
lows:
Bishop N. W. Warren, at the Hon.
Farnk Plumley's; Rev. E. S. Dun
ham, by Mrs. Mary Gould at the
hotel; Miss Anna V. Bling, Mrs. Della
M. Williams, at DR.. Gould's; Rev.
T. O. Tiff, Rev. E. M. Fuller, Rev.
O. Parkhurst, Rev. w. P. Thirkield,
at @. A. Edgerton's; Miss Josephine
Fiske, Miss Mae Chisholm, Rev. E.
N. Taylor, Rev. M. l. Buell., by Mrs.
Mary Gould at the hotel; George E.
Whitaker, at Rev. e. W. Sharp's:
Miss M. M. Martin, Miss H. R.
Knapp, at Mrs. M. Howes' Rev. L.
H. Elliott, at Rev. W. S. Hazen's
Miss S. E. Wiles, at Mis- Jones'; g.
r. Magee at the hotel.
The hi story of Methodism in North
field and of the church with which
the conference meets this year is an
interesting one, and review of it is
of particular significance just now,
inasmuch as the centennial of the
first service held by the denomination
in town occurs next year.
The Methodists of Northfield began
worshipping in the days of circuit
riders and Oliver Beal, who began
preaching here in 1904, was the first
minister. From that date to the pres
ent year there have been ninety six
different pastors of the Northfield So
ciety. In 1920 or Whereabouts the So
ciety held it, meetings in the vel,
low IN 9eting house" at the Center
village, and Northfield was in the
Barre circuit. In 1884 the Mortified
society purchased parsonage and
the Mortified circuit was organized.
In 1910 Governor Paine gave the
society the use of the church now oc.
cupied by the Congregationalists and
they continued to occupy it until
about 1854, when, upon the death OF
Governor Paine, the church building
was sold at auction by his heirs ant
the Congregationalists bought it ant
have continued to occupy it since
Thereupon the Method SITS built thu
church which they now occupy ant
in December 1854 it was formally
dedicated. Since that date it ha
been several times remodelled and en-
larged and its exterior beautified b,
the placing therein Of memorial win
dows. The interior Of both audienc,
room and vestry is sheathed with 6
metal ceiling and finely frescoed. Ii
1902 the society, under the pastorat
OF Rev. L. W. Sharp, built new
parsonage at cost Of about 5000