The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-04-14
METHODISTS
TAKE BARRE
Annual Vermont Conference
is Being Held Here
THE OPENING TOMORROW
This Afternoon Examinations Were Held
and Tonight a Reception Will Be
Given to Bishop cranston,
Presiding.

The session which opens in the Hedding
church tomorrow is the eighth time that
q Methodist conference has met in Barre.
The first was ID 1928, SIS years ago, when
the New England conference held its an
nual session in the village Of Barre. AS
small as was the village at that time, it
was ample for the entertainment Of ali
the Methodist preachers in New England
This may furnish some idea Of the
growth Of the denomination in this Sec
tion Of the country since that time.
But its growth has been much more
rapid elsewhere, and the various branches
OF Methodism now have over 6.50O,O 900
memebrs throughout the country. Be-
yond all peradventiire, it Is the largest
Protestant denomination in this section
of the country since that time
But its growth has been much more
rapid elsewhere, and the various branches
of Methodism now have over 6.500000
members throughout the country. Be-
yond all peradventure, it is the largest
Protestant denomination in the country
al the present time. And, If it rec-
koned every member Of the family III
its constituency, as do the Catholics, it
would be nearly if not quite as large
as the mammoth Catholic church.
Seven years later New England Meth
odism had two conferences. the New Eng
land and the New Hampshire. And the
members of the latter held their annual
session in Barre. The New Hampshire
conference then included the two states
OF New Hampshire and Vermont Later
on. in 1874, the Vermont conference was
organized This conference does not in
clude the whole Of the state, as Il should,
as the Burlington district, containing the
entire area from Burlington to Afassa-
on the west side Of the Green
Mountain range, belongs to the Troy con-
ference Hence it Is that the conference
session which officially begins in Hedding
church to morrow morning, will repre-
sent not quite three-fourths Of the Meth
odists Of the Green Mountain state.
The first session of the Vermont con-
ference held in Barre was in lS4S, when
the conference was but three years Old.
Thus early in the history OF the confer
enne was the Barre church recognized as
one Of the principal societies, pre- emf
nenee which 1t has ever since maintained.
This session Of the conference was nm
der the presidency Of Bishop Elijah He'd
ding, who was 43 years previous the pas
cor of this church. The present church
ediiice was named after the bishop. who
was one OF the staIwart figures in early
IN America 1t is an honor
To this church To be- able to number him
among its pastors,
Conference During Civil War.
The next session Of the Vermont con.
ference held III Barre was III 1861, un-
der the presidency of Bishop Scott, and
at a time when the land was in the
threes of the great Civil war. The ses
sion in 1877 was presided over by Bishop
Potter, who address to the class joining
conference at that time will long be fe.
for its high standard OF nlius.
teiial life and achievement. and for The
fact that the Lord was Iust as apt to call
men out" of the ministry, as well as
'to1 the ministry. His auditors had no
doubt whatever as TO the good bishops
opinion that the Lord would speedily call
out OF the ministry every man who
failed to show both gifts and 'graces"
IN such Il manner as to effect large
degree OF usefulness" in the charges
assigned.
A Montpelier Sem. Crisis.
1t was at this conference that the af-
fairs Of Montpelier seminary reached one
of its crises, and the Institution was
eased. under certain terms, To Principal
J, b. sonthworth At this session, lion.
Paul Dillingham;, father Of Senator ". i. |
and an ex.congressman and
* governor, made an address, this being
one Of his last appearances before the
public in similar capacity. The writer |
well remembers his address. and the def
srence paid him by the bishop, as he !
introduced him to the conference, and /
ater insisted that lie shonld occupy
sent on the platform with himself
No more sessions of the conference !
we're held here until 1896, when two con
iecutiYe sessions were held here on that
md the following year. The reason for
.wo being held at this point so near to-
sether was that there was no place offer |
ng free entertainment in 1897, and He'd |
ling church made an offer Of paid en-
eftainment, which was accepted by the 1
presiding elders in behalf Of the confer
nee
At the session of 1896, the most mark
a features were the addresses, lecture
md sermon By Bishop Fowler The lee
ure was given in the old opera house,
which was given a larger crowd than had
lYer before thronged its aisles. Every /
ieat was occupied. and more tickets
would have been sold had there been
For two hours and
bree quarters, the bishop held that great
audience spelIbond by his matchless de-
cription Of the life and iabors Of that
,eerless American Abraham Lincoln.
that was as fine a specimen
# forensic oratory as was ever given
n Barre.
The present session of the conference
viii formally convene tomorrow morn
ng at nine o'clock. whe Bishop Earl
'fastan Of Washington, D. g, viii ad
minister the Eucharist and make his
Ipcnine address. The preliminaries Of
lie conference, however, began this az
enoon.
Examinations This Afternoon.
According to s custom prevailing in
.lefbodism from time immemoriai. and
larina its origin in a time when its
candidates had less scholas-