The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-06-19
CONVENTION CLOSED
important Matters Considered by Yer
mont Episcopal Diocese.


a short business meeting was held.
The evening session was devoted
chiefly to a consideration OF the mis-
sionary work OF the diocese. The Rev.
ID. H. Sanford, diocesan missionary
spoke on exploration. work In the
mountain towns and the Rev. A. l..
Wood, OF Hardwick, told OF the work
In the Lamoille district.
The missionary committee Of the
diocese made It's report, saying that
the services OF the Rev. ID. l.. San
ford have been secured as diocesan
missionary for six months, beginning
May /. Mr.. Sanford is now doing ex-
ploration work and has already ac-
complished much. With his assis-
lance, the committee hope that this
year will show great advance In
this important missionary work.
The committee In this connection
repeated what was said last year re-
gathered the children Of their neigh
munities:
"A most serious problem confronts
| the Christian church In the condition
of the children in farming communi.
ties In the matter Of religious In.
struction. In many portions Of the
state such children are growing up
without any knowledge OF the Chris
| ton religion and the question arises
are we able to do anything for them?
Plans have been successfully tried In
certain places to meet the difficulty.
| Cd In some instances the plan adopt
ed by the public school authorities
of sending wagons through the coun-
| try districts to gather the scattered
pupils In the village schools has proved
eminently successful In dealing with
the problem Of religious instruction.
90 Earnest laymen and women liv-
ing in the farming districts have
gathered thechildren OF their neigh
borhood for instruction and we sug-
gest that the clergy doing explora-
ton work be on the watch 10 pro-
mote the formation OF such classes.
| 90 Some have gone out from parish
centers and have formed classes, us
ing week days as well as Sundays for
religious instruction. The church in
| his diocese cannot escape it's share
OF the responsibility for the prevail
ing ignorance until laymen as well as
clergy have tried every practical way
of meeting It,"
BY rising vote Of the convention
the salary of Bishop Hall was increas-
cd from $4,000 10 $4,000.
The following elections were made
last evening.
Delegates TO the missionary coun-
ell of the first department. which com.
prises the New England dioceses:
| rIspfcaf Ja1agat ag---Tba Datsg DhftfV
| Schuyler of Bennington, D. L. San.
ford. OF Burlington, Joseph Rey-
nolds, of Rutland S. Halsted Wat
kins, OF st. Adams; lay delegates,
c. l.. Marsh. of Enosburg Falls, Col.
II. W. Allen. OF Burlington, II. l. Nor
ton. OF Bennington, and +. p. Gibson,
of Rutland.
Missionary committee-The Revs.
W. T. Forsythe, of Enosburg Falls,
Philip Schuyler. of Bennington, Joseph
| Reynolds, of Rutland and Messrs.
Charles +. Parker OF Vergennes, S. w.
Hines of Burlington and Newman
X. Chaffee. OF Rutland
Trustees of the diocese-Newman
X Chaffee, of Rutland and C. F. Chap
man, OF Woodstock.
The reports Of the committee on the
Episcopal fund and convention ex-
penses were made and accepted. II
was voted TO raise $4,000 for mission
| AIRY work the coming year in addition
TO any other income for that purpose
which might be available.
In Bishop Halls address he gave
an account Of the general work in
the diocese for the past year Three
priests have died during the year, one
has been ordained, nine have been re-
ceived by letters dsmissory, and two
have been transferred.
Continuing, Bishop Hall said: Our
total number of clergymen is As, which
is larger number than we have ever
reported before. Ten of these. how
ever. are not holding any responsible
position in the diocese, though to some
of them we are greatly indebted for
occasional ministrations. and in par
ticular to Mr.. Randall for taking
charge of Poultney since the death
of c. T. Lewis at the beginning of
| November
Our really effective strength Is 80
clergymen, which is more than our to.
tai in 1894, but considerably less than
| We really httu. DtSlut the dCludi va
cancies at Bellows Falls, Poultney, and
Springfield. clergyman must be pro-
vided again for East Berkshire and
Montgomery, which cannot be indefi-
nitely cared for by the rector of
Richford, with regard either to their
interests or to his; Underhill, Essex
Junction. and Richmond should be
constituted missionary care.
Two churches have been built dur.
ing the year, one at St James parish,
Woodstock, which has been dedicated,
and one at st. Peters parish, Ben
nington, which will be ready next Sep
TENDER
The endowment fund for Bishop
Hopkins Hall, the girls school at Rock
Point was reported as having in
creased but little during the year eX.
cept by interest on investments. The
gifts have been mostly from friends
of the bishop outside of the diocese.
The fund now stands at SSS,721.75 with
= pledges of 1920, making a total of
$93,966.75 in hand and in sight 1t is
planned to reopen the school when the
endowment reaches 100000"
The address will be read in the
churches of the diocese next Sunday.
1t was referred to a committee con.
sisting of the Rev. w. r. Forsythe. of
Enosburg Falls, the Rev. II. A. Flint,
of Montpelier, the Rev. Alfred Taylor,