St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-06-22
Vermont Domestic Missionary Society.
Proceedings of its EIghty-sixsh Anni-
veFsary.

Vermont Domestic Missionary Society.
Proceedings of its Eighty-sixsh Anni-
versary.
| At ten O'Clock Wednesday morning the
| Congregational convention adjourned
until noon and the Vermont Domestic
Missionary Society held its annual
session with President Henry Fairbanks
in the chair. Rev. DIR. c. FL. Merrill, the
secretary, gave a brief resume of the
directors report and was followed by an
address by Rev. DR.. F. E. Enrich on ''The
Mission of the Country Church in New
England" He thought the church
is the little country village that has sent
the great men out into the world. In
Plain6eld, Mass, one pastor trained
sos boys for college for their life work,
and one of these boys was Marcus Whit
man. Another little town in the Berk-
shire hills has sent out 20 ministers.
It isn't the American gunboat that it re-
generating China, India and the Orient;
it is the American missionary, and he
comes from the country church. These
churches have a value in contributing
men and women to the larger towns and
cities of the state. The mission of the
country church is the same as that of the
city church, to reconcile men to God. It
also has mission in solving the prob
lens of immigration.
After a solo by Miss Auman, Rev. Oscar
F. Koch of Brattleboro spoke briefly of
the Swedish work in the state in which
he took occasion to thank the churches
for their help.
The next three speakers, Rev. William
c. Prentiss of Newbury, Rev. R. w. Roun-
dy OF Ludlow and Rev. Charles E. Hagar
of Hyde Park, all spoke of summer vaca-
ton work when they were in the semin-
airy. Mr.. Prentiss was located in
Weathersfeld for two summers and
spoke of the great benefit that came to
him in his training for pastoral, social
and religious work. Mr.. Roundy was
stationed first at Simonsvi1le and then
at Roxbury. He said such work was
helpful to the student, but the work of
any preacher had great value upon the
men and women who were still living
there. Mr.. Hagar paid tribute to DIR.
MerrilPs interest in the work, to the
high standard of the Congregational
clergy of the state, and said any preach
er was fortunate to have such an expe.
rience as summer vacation work afford
ed.
After solo by Miss Auman, Rev. C.. J.
Peterson of East Berkshire spoke of the
work that had been done in Franklin
county, paying a tribute to the faithful
work of Miss Auman who had been there
tor the last Is months. Rev. c. B. At
wood of Colchester told how his church
was brought to be a self-supporting
church. He said they began gradually
to reduce the amount of help from the
~.
surprise found they had a surplus. Later
they became self supporting by reaching
the men and getting everybody interested
in the work.
The last half hour of the meeting was
given to brief addresses by two of the
lady workers, Miss M. A. Brokaw and
Miss Theodore Auman. The former
said her work had been largely among
the pastorless churches. She emphasized
the value of personal work and also
spoke OF interesting the children. Miss
Arman said her remarks would be
sequel to what she said last year. She
spoke of some of the discouragements
that one encountered from the Catholics
especially in the border towns, and said
though she was leaving the society she
was going to keep on in the same general
line of work where her heart was.
The following officers were elected for
the ensuing year:
President, Rev. Henry Fairbanks, St.
Johnsbury.
Vice President, N. G. Williams, of
Bellows Falls.
Auditor, L. D. Hazen, St. Johnsbury.
Directors tor three years, term expir-
ing 1907, Rev. w. S. Hazen, Mortified,
Rev. John Barstow. Manchester, c. F.
Thompson, Brattleboro, Rev. c. II.
Smith, Pittsford.
The directors met later in the day and
reelected these officers:
Secretary. Rev. DR.. c. Fl. Merrill.
Treasurer, John T. Richie.
Asst. Treas, Harry M. Nelson.