The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-09-06
Vest RiUer IOIUns
TOWNSHEND.
CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE,
Many Delegates Present at Opening
Session in Spite Of Rain.

Session in Spite Of Rain,
Owing 10 the rain the outlook for the
Windham County conference Of Congre'
rational churches was dark "Wednesday
morning hut in spite OF the weather TIE
delegates began to arrive, one pastor com
ing In with four Of his flock after drive
of ~ miles ia the rain, and they Kept
coming in the afternoon and evening -
that there was a good delegation present,
Tho conference was opened "Wednesday
morning by a praise and prayer service
conducted by Rev. n. ;, Moore OF New
fame, After the reading OF the scripture
hy Rev 4. 4. Martin Of West Iownshend,
Rev. w, +, Whitcomb OF Westminster
preached a very able sermon from the text
90, | am with you Away, even unto
the end of the world Mr.. Whiteomb
snid that the presence of God was not
n subject of debate but that the manlles'
tations of his presence were debatahle,
Tho desire To see God led to representa-
tions of God in wood and stone. The ark
WAS a relief from this for, while II deli
niteN represented Jehovah, il made no
attempt to picture him to the people and
il disuppcatel after the building OF the
temple-God's promise to Moses, My
presence shall go with thee, was no new
promise for il had been given to men long
before his time but Moses understood ITS
significance better after his years of wan
dering We feel that we have new con
ceution OF God and of His plans, yet we
Sometimes fear that the doctrine viii be
shaken and are afraid of what scholarship
may do. We should cast aside fear and
be orcu to receive all the light that Is
opened to Us. Christ's presence Is more
truly with His people than when lie was
ON earth and the measure in which we
comprehend this presence is the measure
of Christian activity.
In the afternoon the program called for
a praise service conducted by Rev. Alfred
Cornell. business, and a report from the
churches by Rev. j. L. Bowman. Mr.
Bowman's report was full of interest and
encouragement. The convention then en-
loved a treat in solo, The Good Shep-
herd. 10y Mrs III. V. Dale, At 2.45 Rev.
II. Il. Miles of Brattleboro gave an adj
dress on The Tri-Unon Question. The
matter was brought up at this time as
il will be the duty of the delegates from
thi. conference who go to the meeting IN
Cleveland to vote upon this question. The
object of the union is greater economy and
more efficiency. Why. for instance, sup
port three publishing societies when one
could print all the quarterlies and helps!
The three churches which 1t Is proposed
to unite are the Congregational, the Unit
ed Brethren and the Free Methodist The
matter was sprung at the Des MONIES
convention so that there was no chance
for discussion. At Dayton last fall three
committees were appointed: One on doc
trine, one on polity, and one on business
administration. The committee on doc
trine reported at Chicago and their re,
port was not only unanimously accepted
but exultingly agreed in. The act OF
union contempates adopting a creed for
all the churches, as Cotton Mather would
say, las parallel as may be with the
terms of salvation" This creed will be
obligatory upon the churches while up to
this time each Congregational church has
formulated its own creed. The uniting OF
the benevolent societies presents many
knotty legal questions but it is proposed
to keep intact legally the organization of
each denomination, the funds to be adj
ministered by each but to be handed over
to the general board for distribution. I'm
de- the new plan there will be three or,
CARNATIONS: l, The national council
which will be the legislative body; .,
the annual convention which is state
body and elects delegates to the national
council 3, the district association which Is
a county body and elects delegates to the
annual convention. /
The gain of the plan is largely that of
sentiment. the example of three denomlna-
lions coming together and becoming one.
The result may be like that illustrated by
the story of the man and wife who had
been uuarrelling and who after the tray
sat watching the peaceful antics of cat
and dog. "Why cannot we live as peace. |
fully together as that cat and dog"
asked the husband. Tie them together
and see how they will act" replied his
Mr.. Miles at the end of his address
made the motion that the delegates OF
the Windham County conference to tine |
Cleveland convention be empowered to /
to assure local independence and as dl,
rect representation in the national council
as possible. This motion was carried |
unanimously. After the report of the
committee on nominations had been ac-
cepted. Mrs Park took the chair and
called upon Mrs. Goodhue to offer prayer |
After few remarks, brief and to the |
point. Mrs. Park introduced Mrs. j. X:
Browne of Harpoot Turkey, who told OF
the life of the foreign missionary in that
land After describing the location OF
Harpoot Mrs. Browne gave graphic ac-
count Of touring trips taken by the ms
sionaries. These are no pleasure trips but
the missionaries must pack the necessities
of life, from bed to, food, on horse
and ride over rough roads, often in in
clement weather, from town to town.
These trips must be taken in the winter
as from May to September the villagers /
are busy in the fields and too tired at
night to do anything but sleep. A woman
visitor goes about with the Bible reader
from house to house to see and help the
women while the male missionary stays
at his rooms and the men gather to hear
it is desirable that they should go home
a little Scripture is read, a hymn sung
and a prayer offered. This they regard
as a dismissal and one by one make their
adieus.
Mrs. G. H. Taintor, assistant field secre-