St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-07-01
,oprHERN ASSOCIATION OF UNI
VERSALISTS.
,.s ITS Annual Meeting at st. Johns
bury.

...oI session of the Northern ASsocla-
90, If Uniyersalsts opened at the
ns,.cb of the Messiah on Wednesday
,,;ro with two addresses, one by
nav r L. Leavitt of Woodsville, topic,
~. Religion Declining?" This was fol-
,,r,ed by an address by Rev. W. w.
Homer, topic, us it worth while to
try"
THE regular business session opened
rhrrsday morning. The welcome of the
ctnrch of the Messiah was extended by
4hs nastor, Rev. A. F. Wach, and was
rssnonded to by the president, F.
p Hooker. After the appointment
# session committees and the reports
# the several parishes had been given,
~, addresses were given, one the
.oo;c 1.-The other side" by Rev.
lain KinlbalI, and another on the topic
Hrbe vision and its realization" by Rev.
+ E. Margraff, president Vermont Uni
versaist State Convention.
The afternoon session was given up to
Abe historical address and to remlnis-
cences of past men and women and
events in the life of the association. The
communion of the Lords Supper closed
the afternoon meeting. In the evening
addresses were delivered by Rev. Effie K.
NJ tones Of Barre, on "Universalism,
mast and future" by Rev. Charles Conk-
lin of Boston, state missionary for Mas.
sacbusetts, on The Gospel that will
meet the demands of the day."
The meeting of Friday morning opened
with a business session, after which varl-
o,s matters of UNCONVENTIONAL interest
we're taken up. An address was deliv'
cred by Rev. l. P. Booth, D. D., of Nor.
risvie, on the topic, The responsibility
Of those who know" This was followed
by Rev. A. Nj. Smith of West Concord,
district missionary, on the opportunities
for missionary work IN this section OF
the state. The whole session was brought
to close in the afternoon by delight
fully fine address by Rev. l. M. Atwood
D. D., of Rochester, N. Y, general super
ntendent OF churches, who spoke elo.
ouently of the work being done, and the
opportunities opening before the Univer'
sallst church.
The attendance was the largest If
many years, over one hundred delegates
and visitors being present. TWAS votec
to publish the minutes of the association
with the historical address, that they
may be preserved in permanent form.
Below we give nearly in full the inter
esting and carefully prepared address BY
the pastor of the local church, Rev. A. F
Walch.
THE HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
1t would have been good if all wh'
have labored so faithfully for the organ
ization and development OF the Univer
saist church could have been possessed
Of the purpose OF Luke the evangelist
when he wrote to his excellent trien'
Theophilus. ut seemed good to m
also,' he says, having had periec
understanding of all things from the yer.
first, to write unto thee in order"
the fathers who wrought so devotedly il
The carly DAYS of this association ha,
been Ike minded, our story today woul'
be full of an interest and an inspiration
that it cannot have now. The torres
must be cleared before the cities are built
Theforerunner ofcivilizationis always tn
couoclast. So at the opening of the las
century, when the Northern associatio
of Universalists was organized it wa
necessary to clear away the primeva
forests Of opposition in the form OF estat
lished opinions, extreme and bitter PR
JUDGE, aud often active and aggresslv
interference. This work was carried o
by men and women, who gladly sacr
feed whatever seemed necessary, tina
the truth that had come to them as
great and beautiful comfort should b
declared everywhere. Following the e1
ample of Paul they felt that necessit
was laid upon them to preach thl
broadcast gospel of their Master. Tn
matter of concise and orderly arrang'
ment in the organization OF forces and
the recording of the progress made
actual accomplishment, was not COZ
sidered seriously at all. They were we
described in the book of Acts, where
tells the story of the persecution that b.
tell the followers OF Jesus immediatel
after the death of Stephen: Therefor
thev that were scattered abroad wer
everywhere preaching the word" Tha
was the principle task of the earl
preachers of Universallsm. There wei
no established churches, there were nc
even any organized societies; there wei
groups of believers in the doctrine OF
worlds salvation, and to these went tt
itinerant preachers of the day to contlrl
them ia their faith and proclaim the go
pei as they saw it, to any and all WI
would listen. Of these early journeye
through northern New England there
very meager record indeed. We kno'
however, that they were made. we kno
the names of many of the preachers, an
what is best OF all, we have the fruit
their sowing ia faith that has been
incalculable help and comfort to M
and women throughout this who
region.
In these days when we are as
denomination reasonably well organize
and when all our church bodies holdi'
property and administering legacies al
gifts of money or real estate are Ince
porated in accordance with various sta
laws, and protected by such laws, y
can hardly realize the conditions tn
produced the several associations OF t
early years of our existence. During t
Et.cH g.. ...--- II LIE. &c he lIuiuersI