St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-04-15
METHODIST CLERGY1EN AT
NORTHFlELD.
Annual Conference in Session


The seth conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church opened at Mortified
last Wednesday afternoon, when the can
didates for advancement in orders took
their examinations. These candidates
from the St. Johnsbury district were F.
B. BIodgett, c. w. Kelley, ". E. Newton,
G. ". Manning, G. c. McDougall, {. D
Lance and G. c. Gorse This is he fifth
time in the history Of the Mortified
society the conference has been held there,
the other dates and names Of the presid-
ing bishops being: June "a. 1852, Bishop
Scott; April 16, 1862, Bishop Baker;
April 20. 1871, Bishop James; April %,
1891, Bishop Mallalieu.
After the roll call Thursday morning
the conference officers were elected. F. W.
Lewis was re elected secretary and chose
as his assistants L K. Whitman of Mont
pelier, 7. A. Dixon, Hardwick. and R J.
Cbrystie, Waterville. l. S. Yerks was
elected statistical secretary and chose as
his ASSISTANTS, F. A. Woodruff, A. c. Dem
nett, William Shaw, NJ. H. Smith, 0. E.
Aiken, c. B. Kelley and 0. B. Wells. L.
treasurer and he was elected to succeed
Mr.. Sherburne. MIR. Smith named as
his assistants F. II. Smith and W. NJ
Shaw. Mr.. Shaw declined and X. Nd.
Fowler was nominated instead. DR.. A.
l.. Cooper was reelected biographical
secretary and W. NJ. Roberts railroad
secretary.
Among the standing committees chosen
were P. n. Granger one of the stewards
and on temperance committee; J. D. Bee
man one OF the stewards; J. A. Dixon
on the educational committee; H. G.
Mclaughlin on he Sunday school and
American Bible Society committee; Joseph
Hamilton on church extension; S. DON
aldson on memoirs and resolutions; w. P.
Johnson on memoirs; W. S Smithers and
A. H. Webb on conference relations A. !.
Hough on resolutions. The organiza-
lions having been perfected Frank Plum.
ley was introduced, and welcomed the
conference, and was responded 10 by
Bishop Warren.
On Friday these were reported as eligi-
BILE to election as deacons: Fred Daniels
and Carroll D. Lance: those eligible to
election as local elders: F. Nd. Barnes, W
Nd. Shaw; those local pastors eligible to
election as deacons: E. c. Wells, G. F.
Wells, w. Miller, A. NJ. Walker and F.
l.. Metcalf, the last two named being
eligible to election and ordination by vr-
tue OF presentation of proper credentials
under he seminary rule; those eligible to
election as travelling preachers: G. w.
r A
C. bennett, 5. Yerks.
During the afternoon the anniversary
of the W. H. M. S , was held, an address
being delivered by Mrs. Dtla L. Williams
OF Delaware, Ohio; the meeting of the
Pastors Wives Association was also
held, and the anniversary of the W. F.
Nj. 5. This meeting was addressed by
Miss Anna '. Bing OF Sapporo, Japan.
In the evening the anniversary of the
Church Extension Society was held.
At the meeting OF the trustees of Mont
ptler Seminary Friday evening Rev. w.
K Davenport announced that be appre-
cated the honor of the reelection as
principal; that the principal reason for
his forwarding his resignation was his
health, VIII CHI was not the best, but
under the circumstances be could not
insist upon the acceptance of his resigna
ton and would stay for the present.
Rev. Joseph Avery Sherburne was pres
ent ar this conference tor the seth time
and has not missed being present to ans
wer the first roll call during all these
years. He JOINED the conference in 1S47
at the session held at Irasburg, Bishop
Hedding presiding. He was four years
presiding elder OF Montpe Ter district and
was delegate to the general conference in
1872. Two other members of this con-
terence, bear the herburne name, L. 0 in,
son OF Joel o, a nephew Of Rev. / A.
Sherburne, and allrank well as preachers
pastors and presiding elders, and all have
been members OF the general conference
Rev. Peter Merrill is the oldest living
member of the Vermont conference. He
served in the pastorate and presiding ell
dership 40 years. His last appointment
was Mortified.
The examining board is composed Of
q. W. Hunt, of Enosburgh Falls, chair.
man; Charles F. Partridge, Of Wood
stock, registrar, W. S. Smlthers, R. H.
Baker, W. c. Johnson, S. H. Smith, F.
W. Lewis, M. S. Eddy, W. c. Newell, 7.
A. Dixon, F. T. Clark, L. N. Moody, P.
A. Smith, R. F. Lowe, F. E. Currier R.
{, 7. Mckenzie and E. L. NJ. Barnes.
At Fridays session M. L. Beardsley
OF Montpelier invited the conference to
meet at Montpelier next year, and an in
vltation was also extended bv Rev. |. T.
Johnson of Johnson to meet at that place,
but the former invitation was accepted
after some little discussion.
Supernumerary preachers were called
and passed in character and continued in
the same condition as follows: S. S.
Brigham, ]. H. Wallace, 0. D. Clapp. A.
Blake, S. c. Vail, G. O. Howe. Ii. w.
Worthen, w. A. Evans, E. H. Bartlett.
Superannuated pastors were continued
IN that relation as follows: A. NJ.
Wheeler, Peter Merrill W. H. Wright, G.
L. Wells, W. D. Malcolm, H A. Bushnell
I, W. Morse, John Thurston, John Nc.
Donald, N. W. Wilder, W. H. Dean L. S.
Morse, Isaac McAnn, S. B. Currier and
J. A. Sherburne. The last named ad-
dressed conference, this being the 57th
consecutive session OF conference at
which he has responded at the first roll
call
ST JoHNsBI RY DISTRICT REPORT.
Rev J. o. Sher burne, presiding elder Of
the st. Johnsbury district, in his report
said in part,
The teri DRY and general arrange
lnent OF the charge has remained prac.
t'caIly unchanged Forty two men have
oeen engaged part or all of the year in
pastoral work. thirtY.hve all The time