Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-28
HOME MISSIONARY WORK
New England a Most Fertile
Field, Says Chicago Minister.
PRESIDENT of Theological Seminary
Fears American Civilization and Is
Not Worried about the Char
acter of Immigrants.

The 26th annual meeting of the Congre-
Eational Womans Home Missionary union
Vt Vermont began it's sessions Tuesday
afternoon at two O'Clock in the First
Church.
After the singing Of the opening hymn,
the scripture lesson was read by Mrs Re-
hecca 2. Fairbanks of St. Johnsbury
Prayer was offered by Mrs. j. Elizabeth
Swift of Woodstock.
Addresses of welcome were delivered by
Mrs. w. ]. Van Patten and Mrs. NJ. II.
Buckham, and responded to by Mrs. Ar
thur p. Pratt OF Bellows Falls.
Greetings from the American Missionary
association and from the Educational So
ciety Of the union were conveyed by Mrs.
F. w. Wilcox and Mrs. n. w. Hanken-
meyer. Greetings from the Federation In
Kansas City at the time Of the national
council were conveyed by Mrs. II. Z.
Harmed Of Jeffersonville.
The following 10 minutes were given
over to the successes and problems of the
Vermont branch as branch, as auxiliar-
les and as individuals. There were four
speakers, Mrs. NJ II. Buckham, Miss
Hemenway OF Brattleboro. secretary for
Junior work, Mrs. Kirkland of Bellows
Falls and Miss Deavitt of Montpelier.
Of the work OF the young people for the
year
Perhaps the most important event in
The afternoon program was an address
by Mrs. Hankemeyer on Spanish Am
orleans of the Southwest" Mrs. Hanke-
meyer spoke with especial reference to
the work In New Mexico. in which she
is engaged. She said that New Mex
IcO
etor. the politician and the priest. At
ter the three P's have got through
with them, the poor poems. she said.
have little left She spoke of the ire
mendously large estates Of the pro-
prietors and the demoralizing effect
which owners ship of large tracts of
land by few proprietors had upon
the mass of the inhabitants She gave
vivid picture of the educational con-
hitions of that region She told Of
finding one man who could neither read
nor write drawing pay as public school
teachef She asked him how he had
ever managed to pass the examinations
necessary to secure the position. He
answered that ii was not so difficult
since the first question had been: How
much will you pay?" She spoke of
the lack OF real religion among these
people and Of the way in which the
priest will sometimes visit a locality
as seldom as once in ten years. doing
IN lump job all the marrying preach
ing. and saying the masses which
might have been said during the in
terVening time. She spoke of the
value OF the industrial school which is
literally helped every year by the Yer
mont Union. and thanked the people
Tor their liberality, while reminding
them of the value OF further help.
AT four-thirty came the children's |
professional. The children of the First
and College Street Churches marched
IN with banners and the flag, and saluted
the flag and gave the Christian salute.
inc children were then addressed by
Mrs wilcox, who gave many anecdotes
drawn from her work among the negroes
ana the mountain whites in the South.
Seem Things in the Land of Cotton"
was the subject of this most instructive
talk. Mrs George c. Fabyan, secretary
Tor nome young peoples work, spoke
on the junior societies.
From five to six o'clock followed an
informal social hour a the parish house.
EVENING SESSION.
In the evening at 7:SO the second SEES
sion or the convention began The
scripture lesson was read by the Rev.
f. G. Guthrie, and prayer was offered
by The Rev. l. c. Smart. A solo, Fear
Not Ye o Israeli was sung by Mrs. c. s
Van Patten. The address of the evening
was delivered by the Rev Ozora S.
Davis, d. D.. president of the Chicago
Theological Seminary.
DR.. Davis had for his subject "A
Vision OF Service" In a very eloquent
way he pictured out the opportunity
onered American churches, and Con-
gregational Churches in particular, by |
present-day American problems The
chief OF the problems is that which |
comes to us with the immigrant