Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-06
STATE CONVENTION COMING
Laymen's Missionary Movement
Will Convene Here in March.
Col. llalford Stirs Banaueters at Y. NJ
G. A.-State Committee Appointed
TO Act with Local Laymen-
Movement Spreads.

| THE impossible. not the possible, is
| the thing for a rea' man to achieve"
said Col T.. w. Halford of st. Adams
Tuesday at the banquet of the Lay
mems missionary movement held at six
o'clock in the Y c. NJ. A. rooms. He
was speaking of the slogan Of the move
ment and its meaning. The watchword
of the movement IL THE Evangelical ton
OF the World in This Generation" and
Colonel Halford says It means that every
man shall have a chance, in this gen
Grafton to accept Christianity.
Tho banquet was prepare tory to a con-
vention Of the state, TO be held in this
city later in the winter. ard about IS
! laymen and clergymen of this city. with
some from about the State were present
| Prof. NJ. d. Chittenden acted as toast
master and, with intervals OF singing
there were several short speeches. be-
side the address by Colonel Halford.
Professor Chittenden gave a short his
tory of the movement in this city and
said that II dated from the address given
by Colonel Halford at the College Street
! Church last fall There is now a city
cooperating committee of 65 members
about 70 delegates from this city went
to the great convention in Schenectady
and state convention. Is being planned
Professor Chittenden called on several
gentlemen who attended the Schenectady
| convention for a report OF their impress
sicns.
W. j. Van Patten was the first to
speak and he said that he wished he
could have brought some part OF the en-
L. cyul.
Burlington with him. Mr.. Van Patten
said that he was especially impressed
with the bigness OF the new movement
and the fact that the whole OF the Pro-
testant world Is engaged in 1t. The
Christian religion will he carried by
the movement. to fill the needs Of tho
whole world.
r. n. Clark was the next to give his
Impressions of the convention. He re-
ported that the first thing that impressed
him was the fact that he was going to
a mems meeting. distinctvely. He also
mentioned LIE greatness c: the under
taking and the fact that II concerned a
billion people.
+. S. Pease reported eloquently upon
the character of the men VINO spoke at
the convention and who were prominent
In the work Of the movement, he said
that they were all representative men Of
business and that they were more than
enthusiastic in their response to the call.
Colonel Halford began with short
resume Of the laymen's missionary move
ment for the three years Of its existence.
and ne dwelt upon the fact that II is not
an organization. but a movement, with
the object Of. through the already
organized missionary channels, OF carry
ing the gospel to the whole world In this
generation.
There is something about the laymen's
missionary movement which makes men
come to its meetings" said Colonel Hal
ford. you know how hard it is to get
them out. don't you?" he continued, turn
ing to Mr.. Van Patten. "Oh. its not so
very hard here in Burlington" replied
that loyal gentleman. and Colonel Hnlford
was forced to admit that another Jewel
was added to the diadem OF Vermont.
| AS an example of how the movement
really does take hold OF mon Colonel
Halford told a story about two delegates
who were going to the convention In
Ottawa from Kilgary. a little town a
thousand miles to the west. There was a
wreck on the track and their train was
stopped. They didn't want to be late for
that convention and their impatience led
them out to the boss OF the wrecking gang.
They asked him If they might help clear
the track, and with his permission went
to work with the men. who's them
felers?" he asked a passenger They're
delegates TO n missionary convention, "
: was the reply. We'll. that beats hell
said the boss medtatively.
1T surely does" continued Colonel
Halford "r'or that is the spirit with
which the movement inspires men" One
man said. my ambition used to be to
make million dollars, but now 1t is to
save a million men"
The last revival shall Chrlstianlze the
money power OF the world and then the
kingdom of God will have come" quoted
: Colonel Halford in mentioning some OF
the vast sums that have been given un-
der the new inspiration. Missionary
work. heretofore" he said, has been run
on ladies' aid and lemonade It's now
time for tho men to take hold"
Illustrative of the old methods of boil
STEERING up missionary work the speaker
told a story about the institution Of the
church socable and the oyster supper,
One oyster met another. How d we do
he said, where are WEI" AT church
, sociable," was the reply. The first oys-
=, | Ter EaSpeu Win ""' 20"
; claimed. Then why in the world are
there two of us?'
In all IS conventions Of the laymen's
missionary movement. throughout the
country were planned and less than 20
of them have already been held. The
rest are in the future, the movement is
spreading, and the evangelizaton OF the
world In this generation Is its goal.
At the conclusion OF Colonel Halfords
address delegates from about the State
were called upon for suggestions as to
the hest way to organize for the con
vention. Tho discussion resulted In the
choice of March and as the probable
dates for q State convention to be held
in Burlington. The following laymen,
together with the Burlington local com
mittee, are to arrange for county and
town meetins and will have general
charge of the plans for the convention;
Frank II. Brooks Of st. Johnsbury. Gen,
n G. williams Of Bellows Falls. Willis
N. Cady OF Middlebury, John r. Aiken
Of Newport, NJ. p. Perley OF Enosburg
Falls, p. r. II. Plerson Of Remington,
George f. Chalmers of Rutland and O.
w. Bosworth OF Island Pond.
| The committee requests that all Ver-
mont newspapers will give this State
convention liberal mention. The lay
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