St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-06-22
Congregational Convention.

Officers Efected.
Our report of the doings of the Con-
gregational Convention. which held its
109th session with the North church last
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, left
off with Tuesday evenings service. This
had been arranged by the Woman's
Home Missionary Union and was of an
interesting and helpful character, the
North church choir rendering material
assistance.
After a short devotional exercise, con-
Quoted by Rev. 6. 81. Beard, an address
on Picturesque Porto Rico was given
by Miss Jennie L. Blowers. This lady is
an entertaining speaker, very much inter-
ested in missionary work in Porto Rico,
and held the close attention of her audience
while SHE described social and religious
conditions as she found them in that
island. The hopelessness and shiftless-
ness and poverty of the people were
graphically set forth. Seventy per cent
of the people there live in oneroom
shacks without table or bed or chair.
These poems are eager for the gospel. and
there is an inviting opportunity for effect
i've missionary work among them.
The address by Rev. DR.. Richards of
the Church Building Society was an expo
sition of the work of that organization.
He belived that this country had been
discovered in the nick of time-that God
himself had settled the question as to
what race should occupy it, and what
sort of ideas should prevail in it. He
spoke of several great problems that
confronted us as a nation and regarded
the church as the force which would save
Already the society he represents has
built $500 churches and nearly a thou
sand parsonages. and cooperation
between the Home Missionary and
Church Building societies has increased
the UNCONVENTIONAL membership 200 per
cent.
The closing address, by Rev. DIR. F. E..
Enrich, Secretary of the Massachusetts
Home Missionary Society, was an ear
nest plea that Americans create a proper
our gates" the foreigners, who come to
this country for larger opportunities for
themselves and their children. More, !"
he said, depends on environment than
on your preaching." These foreigners
come here to help build up the country,
and if we are true they will take note of
US and themselves become true and help
full citizens.
Miss SomervilIe, Miss Abbott, Mrs.
Hazen and Miss Auman sang solos dur
ing the sessions of the convention; and
Miss Warden presided at the organ and
piano, according as occasion required.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Wednesdays session opened with a
devotional service, led by Rev. ]. K. Will
1iams of Peacham, and was followed by
the annual report of the condition of the
churches, by J. M. Comstock of Chelsea,
the conventions statistician. He began
by saying, "This is the sixth time this
body enjoys the hospitality of the people
of St. Johnsbury, the sessions of 1S49,
1868 and 1881 having been beld with
this church, and those of 1858 and
1894 with its younger sister, the South
church." In the neurology list he paid
deserved tribute to Rev. Samuel L. Bates,
for "a years an active pastor and for 10
years the secretary of the convention.
Others mentioned whose names are
familiar to our readers are Rev. Rev. S.
F. Drew and Rev. Henry w. Jones. The
number of churches remain the same,
though Kirby, Ripton and Worcester
have held no services the past year.
There is a gain in the number of pastors
installed, 80 in 1908 as against 20 in
1902. There were were 1887 additions
during the year, 600 on confession and
427 by letter, the total being larger than
any year since 1897. The total remov-
ais were 1O48, 436 by death, 467 by
letter and 145 by discipline and revision
of the roll. The additions by confession
were to 1872 churches, and those by letter
to Ill, leaving So churches with no
additions whatever. The absent list Of
5OS7 shows an increase of 81 from last
year and is the largest ever known.
There is loss in Sunday school member
ship OF $40 and of 1913 in average attend
ance. But there is an increase of 145 in
membership to the various young peo-
pies societies, and notable innovations
in work among the boys. Infant bap-
tisms, 335. is the largest ever reported
and the number of families, II, 1895, is
also the largest. The benevolent con-
tributions, amounting to $45, 4O7, show
shrinkage of $lO17 from the figures of
1902. The home expenditures have
increased $S142 over the previous year
and were $225,7SS in 1908. Notable
bequests received include $23 500 to the
church at Dandy. Rutland, Windsor and
Orange conferences have followed Orleans
and Washington in supporting an indi-
vidual missionary in the foreign field.
Thirty churches have introduced the
individual communion cup and Chitten-
den conference has recommended to its
churches the adoption OF the liturgical
form OF service prepared by Rev. Edward
Hungertod of Burlington.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS SESSION.