Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-05-24
CHURCH CONVENTION
Annual Meeting of Congregation
alists in This Village

The 117th annual convention of the
Congregational churches of Vermont
was held in Middlebury this week, be-
ginning Tuesday afternoon and closing
Thursday forenoon. The sessions,
which were in the auditorium of the
local Congregational church, were eff
ciently presided over by Clarks c. Fits
of Brattleboro, Rev. William c. Clark
of Barnet acting as secretary. Rev.
G. W. C. Hill of st. Johnsbury was
elected conference president for the en-
suing year.
The membership of the convention in
cluded 70 pastors, 81 delegates and 18
members ex-officio. The attendance at
several of the sessions numbered be-
tween $50 and 300. An enthusiastic
spirit was manifest. In the discussions
of the convention emphasis was laid on
civic activity and social service as
functions of the Christian life. Signifi
cant resolutions dealing with vital pub
lie problems were unanimously adopted.
1t was noticeable fact that an in
creasingly large number of the pastor
ates in the state are filled by energetic,
efficient young men who are leaders in
the work of civic uplift in their respec-
tive communities.
The convention organized Tuesday
afternoon with the choice of Rev. E. P
Treat of Pittsford as scribe and Rev.
S. H. Barnum of Jericho Center as
assistant scribe. President Fits ap-
pointed the following committees: Com
mite on business, Rev. G. c. Adams
of Essex Junction, Frank A. Morse of
West Rutland and Rev. J. J. Hutchin-
son of Lyndonville; committee of nomi-
nations, Rev. w. P. Jackson of st.
Albans, F. M. Bristol of Vergennes and
Rev. S. X. Perkins of Manchester;
finance committee, Rev. j. S. Clark of
North Bennington, C. F. Ranney of
Newport and Rev. C. ]. Peterson of
East Berkshire. Fraternal greetings
from the Middlebury churches were
presented by Rev. Richard B. Esten.
President Fits responded. The con-
ference sermon, "The Church an Organ
ization to Fight Evil" was preached
by Rev. H. L. Ballou of Chester. Rev.
S. K. Perkins of Manchester and Rev.
Chauncey Adams of Irasburg admins
tered the Sacrament of the Lords
Supper.
The addresses of the convention were
as follows: Tuesday evening, ''The
Efficiency of Gongregationalism, by
Rev. Benjamin Swift of Woodstock,
c. |. Button of Middlebury and Prof.
Williston Walker of the Yale Divinity
school. Wednesday morning, MATTERS
for Comment in the State" by Rev. c.
H. Smith of Burlington. Wednesday
afternoon, Successful Schemes in the
Churches of the State" by Rev. S. H.
Barnum of Jericho Center, Rev. S. Rose
of Cornwall, Rev. S. F. Bloomfield of
Montpelier, Rev. w. L. Boicourt of
Waterbury and Rev. A. P. Pratt of
Bellows Falls; "The Sunday School,"
by A. F. Stone of st. Johnsbury and
c. d. Howe of Essex Junction; 1.-The
Young People" by Rev. F. w. Ray
mond of Proctor, Rev. A. P Pratt of
Bellows Falls and Rev. w. P. Jackson
of st. Albans. Wednesday evening,
"Men and Religion" by S. S. Gushing
of st. Albans and F. H. Brooks of St.
Johnsbury; Federation Among the
Denominations, by Pres. j. M. Thomas
of Middlebury. Thursday morning,
"The Country Pageant" by Rev. Wal
ter Thorpe of Wallingford; "Social