Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-09-14
THE wINpHAM CONFERENCE.
Speakers Of National Reputation Present
Hopeful Words from Vermont Minis
ters-Next Year In Townshend.

ters-Next Year In Townshend.
The windham conference of Congrega-
tlonal churches held its 65th annual meet
ing in the Centre church Wednesday and
yesterday forenoon, which was well at
tended. Rev L. M. Keneston Of West
Brattleboro was chosen moderator at the
organization Wednesday morning and
the conference sermon was preached by
Rev. j. e. Bowman Of Jamaica, followed
by a communion service conducted by
Rev. N. s. Moore of Newfane and Rev.
N. e. Martin of West Townshend. In
the afternoon Rev. II. A. Goodhue OF
Brattleboro gave an interesting report
of the churches In a historical vein. In
the consideration of Sunday school work
Rev. w. F. whitcomb of Westminster
spoke on 1.-THE preparation of the
teacher" and Rev. Alfred Cornell OF
Guilford spoke on Making the school OF
the country church a success" This was
| followed by a women's missionary meet
ing, the speakers and subjects being:
Foreign Work." by Miss Alice M. Kyle,
field secretary Of the Woman's Board
OF Missions; 1.-THE International College,
| Its History, Work and Present Condi-
| tlons," by Mrs. Fannie II. Eldredge of
| Springfield, Mass; "A Fresh Message
| from the A. NJ A. Field" by Miss d. Z.
Emerson. national secretary Of the
American Missionary association.
The evening session was attended by
about 100 people and was the session of
| particular interest. Miss Ida s. Hubbard
of Athens, Ca, gave an address on
Work Among the Negroes which took
up principally the work in her own
| school.
Rev. l. W. Stuart of Hartland was the
next speaker and his address, Making
| the County Church Reach the People"
was an account of the practical and
| systematic way in which he and his
/ Oh,
| Upon coming TO this church he found
that II was held in disrespect by nearly
| every one. He studied the individual
needs OF the people, revised the form OF
admission, and began plans for forward
movement. An old-fashioned revival was
| out OF the question, so Mr.. Stuart called
| together about Is members OF his church
and these met him at the parsonage each
| week to study the situation. In order to
1 get hold of the people, meetings were held
| every week in each of the six school
districts of the town. Such subjects as
| rs the Standard of Morals Rising or
Falling?" and What We Owe to the
Church" were discussed and demonstrated
by actual statistics on the blackboards.
| In the meantime the pastor personally
canvassed the men of the town. After
| nine weeks of this work. a series of
meetings was held in which Rev. II. r..
! Miles of Brattleboro assisted, and as a
result there were s. confessions. and the
| sentiment of the people toward the church
is entirely changed. What has been done
here can be done elsewhere.
The outlook In the State" vas the
| subject OF an address by Rev. c. II.
| Merrill Of st. Johnsbury, secretary OF the
Vermont Domestic Missionary society.
He said that the gain the past year
among Congregational churches was the
largest in decades, the main cause being
the organization OF three new churches.
In Randolph. He spoke OF the interest
throughout the state in uniting churches
where there were too many in one To-
cality. The most notable achievement in
this line was at Randolph. where the
two strongest churches I'm the villa &c
united with each other instead OF either
Joining with one of the weaker churches
The result has been a church which
promises great influence in the COM
munity. There was some discussion as
to how far IL would be wise to go in with
drawing missionary support in order tc
force the weak and struggling churches
to unite. The income the past year was
larger than for several years. due to a
large extent 10 legacies.
Yesterday forenoon's session was giver
up largely TO the consideration of mis-
sion work. Our Young People and Mis-.
sionary Giving was the theme of ar
address by Rev II. r. Miles of Brattle.
boro. Rev. Z. C. Fisher Of Westminster
West conducted mission study class al
II is conducted in his church. and Rev
l.. NJ Keneston OF West Brattlebor,
spoke on Evangelism and Missions IL
the Country Church." There was alst
interesting discussion of the subject b!
members of the audience
The conference elected Rev. f. c
Fisher and c. L. Hescock OF Newfan,
delegates to the national council Il
Cleveland. o., in October. 1907. and vote,
to ask the churches to pay for the dele
gates railroad tickets. II was voted Il
] ask the churches to pay for the dele
j.. gates railroad tickets. II was voted 4
: meet In Townshend next year and Rev
: w. F. Whitcomb of Westminster was Sc
lected to preach the conference sermon
The officers elected are: Registrar, Rev
. w. F. Whitcomb; treasurer. Rev. Georg
F. Chaplin of Saxtons River; reporter
Rev. ]. E. Bowman of Jamaica.