Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-06-11
The Keynote of Yesterdays sos.
sion of the State Congrega-
tional Convention.
MANY VALUABLE PAPERS
Secretary COmstOck's Annual Report
Shows but slight Progress in
Church Work During the Year
Convention Opposed to
the Open saloon.

A feature of yesterday mornings scs-
sion of the Congregational convention
was the full attendance. The OPEN
ing devotional exercises were con-
Quoted by the Rev q. Glenn Atkins,
after which "A half hour was devoted
to unfinished business. The minutes Of
the previous day were read by the secre-
tary and accepted and the report of the
treasurer, ID. NJ. Camp, showed the con-
vention to be on firm financial basis
with surplus of about $500. DR.. Smart
chairman of the business committee, pre-
scntcd the following resolutions which
were adopted:
Resolved, That the Congregational
Churches of Vermont, in convention as
seinbled. refuse to regard the open saloon
licensed for private gain as a satisfaC-
tory or final solution of the liquor prob
lem We believe the only fruit of the
present so far apparent is a marked in
crease in the Incorporate consumption of
liquor: nevertheless we believe that the
statute should be fairly tested, and that
all laws. whatever they may be, should
be enforced.
We therefore call for a strict obser-
vance of the instructive features of this
law and study open-mindedly The result.
We seek to create, by all influences in
our power the extension of personal tenn
pcrancc and by investigation and agita-
ton to prepare the way for legislative
enactments which shall more fairly rep
resent the conscience of our churches.
Resolved. That a committee of inquiry
consisting of five members, Wlth power
to enlarge their number, be appointed
to investigate the subject of temperance
legislation in the light of the latest facts
and the needs of our State, to report
their conclusion at the next meeting of
of this body
The Rev. f, NJ. Chapman of St. Johns
bury, the Rev. John Barnston of Man
chester and the Rev. +. A. Poole of
Earre were appointed a committee of
arrangements.
The annual report Of the corresponding
secretary, J. NJ. Comstock, was listened
to with a great deal of interest. Mr..
Comstock said that the convention had
met in Burlington eight times since its
organization and he compared these
different sessions with an idea OF showing
the remarkable growth. The University
has furnished to ConEreGationalism in
the State 81 workers, nine of whom are
now in the field During the past year
there have been no deaths among the
active Vermont Congregational clergy
men but the following who have bcon
in some way identified with the work
uui '"H r,'',t uNN' navy p''U. - ~,
,"'' ~ ''"' 'v'' - ~ r"''iUH - =, ~
.,'Nt,' -, -NU9'"'' IL it'7-H - VI
~ 49,, tii'' + - Nr.I ~" - NI".'
VI. F. Parmalco and c. T.. Ile. DuriuS
the year there has been no change in the
number of churches in the State but there
are E'cdt'r H""l"'' "' !"uHE P''p''
E"'l'N'0 '"t" rEct '"I'rr' me t.' ~
fheiiiperSii' Is -H''4 ana slI'e IN" 4'S'
in'eunG 'h're nave poem h'i "ahiSH'o"S
ny 'omlpSS'"il "l idHn ana - ny Iett'r'
WIN o,o pca.hS' t'' niSihISSl"nS pE I''-
Ter ana l5' hN disclphnc' leaving net
gam "i l'n m"inoerS over iast year Inc
total membership IN the sunday schools
is ',l4l' an increase OF III" over lV2. The
hu1nper OF ldmlllos under the lnilucnte
OF the church IS r"ckon"d at 'ln'. n"
nome expenditures for the year have hocn
$3l'o6 and the benevolent offerings S'G'-
4?i' much less than those of last ye1r.
No new house of worship has been built
but considerable has been done in the
way OF ropairinT both churches and pr
sonaEes. The report closed with a sketch
OF the forward movement and of the
improving social conditions of tn" church.
After this report had been accented tn"
meeting adjourned for the annual meet
ing oI me Vermont Domestic Missionary
society. The report or the treasurer was
given and accepted, after which Secre-
tary Merrill OF the board OF directors,
gave his report. lie emphasized tn" fact
that the men should give more attention
to tins branch OF the work which would
soon die out were 1t not for the earnest
and conscientious work of the women.
during me year the society mas mad %
men in the field of whom nine We're stu
dents. There has heen gain IN the mis-
sion churches of ~ the largest IN years.
The Improvement In church property has
been marked. indicating like improve
ment IN the financial condition There
are In the state hVe churchcs where the
gospel is preached in a foreign tongue
ard colony of 30 llungarians at Proc
tor have asked that church he estah-
lished there He closed with remarks on
the forward movement and the relations
of the state society to the national So
cicty.
The speakers at tho morning session
were Miss Winifred Eddy, Miss Theodore
Auman, the Rev. j. l." Scwall, the Rev.
G. II. Morse and Miss Marie Zoltak.
The nominating committee reported
through their chairman, the Rev. r. NJ
Chapman, as follows and these officers
were elected to serve for the coming
year: President, Henry Fairbanks of St
Johnsbury; vice president, N. q. Williams
of Bellows Falls; auditor. /. d. Ha2en