St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-02-17
VERMONT NEWS
Tercentenary Appeals for Funds.

The Tercentenary Commission has
issued the following appeal for funds and
will gladly receive any contributions
through the treasurer, Frank L. Fish.
Vermont is proud OF her history-proud
of the achievement of her torebears. She
would honor next July the name of the
man whose discoveries had so much to
do with the shaping of the history of
North America-the name OF Samuel
Champlain. When the program OF
pageants, parades, speeches, poems and
all that will form component parts
OF the celebration to honor the name of
the French explorer have passed, some
thing enduring as stone itself should
remain to recall the endeavor of all who
participate in observing the 30Oth ami
versary of Champlain's discovery of the
water which now bears his name
Vermont has made an appropriation
of $25, 900 for the celebration that will
take place from July to July TO- A
liberal amount of this appropriation
12,50O-has been designated as men,
orial fund 1t is expected that the state
of New York will participate in the menu
orial feature of the celebration, and it is
hoped to liberal amount. 1t is further
hoped the United States government
may also become interested But the
greater sum of money for this purpose,
the greater the more heroic and the
more commanding will be the memorial.
Therefore, this appeal for private con-
tributions and no matter how small the
individual contribution may be it will be
welcome.
The school children of Vermont will
become contributors to the Champlain
memorial through the purchase of Cham
plain medals, and the children will be
given credit for this part in the under
taking by the placing of tablet in the
memorial. Tablets likewise will be
placed in the memorial giving credit to
all contributors. 1t is hoped the contri-
buttons may reach liberal amount.
Such contributions essentially foster an
ideal sentiment OF reverence for heroic
past and the raising of a permanent
memorial by the two states, the nation
and individuals will help to develop a
sentiment essentially for happy future.
We believe it will be pleasure for you
to become a contributor and as the time
is now brief for decision as to the form
the memorial will take, we hope you will
make prompt reply to this appeal. Every
contributor will be mailed a handsome
souvenir medal of Champlain.
Rev. Ora S. Cray of Wheelock.
1t was a chance meeting with Russell
H. Conwell, the noted preacher, and the
hours conversation that followed, that
made the Rev. Ora Samuel Gray, of the
Everett group of meetings, an evangelist
instead of a farmer, working the old
homestead on which he was born, says
the the Boston Journal. 1t was Mr..
Conwell who inspired the young Green
Mr.. Gray comes from
the state of Vermont-wth the possibili-
tv of great service. The noted preacher
met him and liking his earnestness, saw
in him the latent qualities of an
evangelist. at is quite possible that
today might have been working with
my father in the sugar place on our Yer
mont farm, or, perhaps, preaching in
some small town, had it not been for
him." Dr. Gray says. II shall never
cease to thank God for his Acres of
Diamonds and his kind advice"
For young man-Mr. Gray is one of
the youngest evangelists in DR.. Chap
mans party-he has great deal of
experience. He has had the advantage
Of thorough university training, and |
for four years he was one of the exceed |
ngly busy lecturers of the International
Lyceum Association. Throughout these
tour years, busy though he was, he gave