The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-04-11
On Preliminary Day Of YER
mont Methodist Conference
AT WATERBURY TODAY
This Is the Third Time That the Meth
odists Have Assembled In Wa
terbury--Some Probable
Changes to be Made

Waterbury, April 1.-THE 9th SEES.
sion of the Vermont annual conference
OF the Methodist Episcopal church meets
at this place at ten o'clock tomorrow
morning. Twice before, the same body
has assembled in this beautiful village;
in 1868, when the 25th session was
conducted by the lamented Bishop
Thomson. and in 1895, when Bishop Foss
gracefully welded the gavel over the
5lst session. At the first time, Rev.
Richard Morgan, who held that office
for 25 consecutive years, was elected
secretary. at the second session, Rev.
Walter r. Davenport was given that
position, and this year, Rev. William
Shaw of St. Adams can doubtless have
a reelection as secretary If he wishes.
The presiding bishop is Rev, Thomas
B. Neeiey. D. D., of New Orleans, who
was elected to the bishopric from the
secretaryship of the Sunday school I'M
ion of the denomination. Bishop
Neeley is said to be one of the
best parliamentarians in the country,
and has written one or more works
which are now recognized as an author
ity on points of law for deliberatiye
assemblies.
During the forenoon and afternoon to-
dav, occurred the annual examination Of
the various conference classes In Meth
odism every preacher joining conference
has to pass an examination, whatever
his previous scholastic attachments, and
these examinations occur at intervals
of year for four years thereafter.
Latterly however. credits may be al.
lowed on all examinations subsequent
to the first, when the same or equivalent
studies have been taken in some Meth
odist institution.
1t is not expected that the class en-
tering the conference will be very large
this year, but the denomination as a
whole has been much more fortunate
than others in maintaining its supply
of preachers of late years The men
scheduled to take the first years studies
are Rev. Orlo f. Barnard, Rev. Thomas
II. Cresey of Alburg, Rev. George II.
Lock of Georgia Rev. Charles NJ. Red
stone Of Sheffield. Rev. William L. Si2er
of Waterbury Center and Rev. Arthur
i. Jopson of Union Village. But Rev.
Mr.. Barnard left his charge at Holland
in the early part Of the year for bet
ter place in Maine, and is not likely
to be present.
The second years class is as follows.
Rev. John Q. Angel of Stowe. Rev. Will
liam C.. Christie of Evansville, Rev
James NJ. Seayer OF Boston, Rev, Chris
topher S. Quimby of st. Adams Bay,
and Rev. Guy f. Crawford of More
town Mr.. Seaver has not been preach
ing in the conference, but has been taxi
ing college work in Boston university.
The men in the third year are Rev.
f. Ransom Currier of West Enosburg,
Rev Glenn W. Douglass Of West Berk-
shire. Rev. John G. Hazelton of Pitts
field. Rev. Arthur W. Hewitt of Plain
field. Rev. Urban H. Leighton OF Bos-
ton aud Rev. Arthur A. Mandigo OF
Cambridge Mr.. Leighton has also been
away attending school, having taken his
first two years at Dartmouth and now
being in Boston university.
But three men are in the fourth
years work; Rev. g. Leon Wells OF
Wardsboro Rev Fred Williams of West
Burke and Rev George c. Wescott Of
Franklin Mr.. Wells has the dlstinc-
ton of being the only probationer in
the conference to have ever been elect
ed member Of the legislature. having
ably representa- Wardbsboro in the gen
eral assembly last fall
However, Rev. J Wesley Miller, who
is not even probationer, simply a
Supply" can claim an even more no
table record than that, as he has twice
represented Bethel in the Legislative
body at Montpelier, and was one OF
the most influential members of the re.
cent session. Mr.. Miller is now round
ing out his ninth year in the Bethel
pastorate, and bids fair to be returned
there again and again at the request
of his devoted parishioners for whom
he has built church. Indeed, he is
nearly. if not quite, entitled to the
credit of being the founder OF the SO