Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-30

crease, and nine report no change There
have been received this year 209 proba-
TONERS and 2S1 members in flll cunnec-
ton, net gain of 113
IF the reports are all correct, and
have no reason to think otherwise, this
IL the largest net gain of members in
full there has been made IN Montpelier
district since 90l. and then the gain was
precisely the same. =" If the 10 churches
thus reported a decrease and the nine
that reported no change" had kept step
with the % that reported an increase.
Montpelier district would have broken all
records of the present century by re-
porting more than eight per cent. gain
in members. "@'
The Epworth and Junior Leagues
have. as a whole, grown on the dis
trict. -"
The Ladies' Aid societies deserve great
praise for the activities IN the financial.
social and charitable work of the church.
They do more real hard work than any
other organization in the church, and
carry burdens that are not complimentary
to the highest type of Christian civiliza-
ton. Quite frequently the brethren in
financial perplexity look most appealing
ly to these women. and seldom in vain.
God bless these hard working, self
sacrificing women, and the men, too, II
He can.
1.-THE invested funds of the district have
been somewhat enlarged during the year,
five churches being especially remem-
bered by friends, Barnard with 500 in
the will of Mrs. Emma Cox, and East
Barnard with $1,000 by the will of Mr..
Ashburn Ashley. Rrattleboro has s2.oOo
invested, the income of which Is to be
used for the support of deaconness on
the field! Chelsea has 5000 in the will
Of the late Hilas f. Roberts, who left
Il like sum to the Congregational Church
If that place. the income OF which must
he used for repairs on church and par
sonage property and Randolph Center
has just received 5000 from the will Of
Mrs. Mary r. Porter. | very heartily
Commend this method.
The aggregate for improvements In
church and parsonage property has. this
ear amounted to about $500 -
beautiful art glass windows, part of
which are memorial, have been installed
in the church at Athens. $50
THE Federated Church at Fairlee has
lust completed a splendid new ed!ice
costing $3.50 This building was opened to
the people of Fairlee for the first time
on Faster Sunday and will be dedicated
some time during the summer.
Eleven churches have made some adj
vancements in their pastors salary.
THE increase in the cost Of living makes
it impossible to secure men for some Of
these small places who can build up the
church. We must have more help or the
young people who go from these places TO
the cities for their education will not come
from Methodist homes and will be lost 20
the church and to Methodism.
THE days of achievement are not past
The Claremont Junction union camp meet
ing which has been the cause Of long and
heated discussions in our preachers meet
ings as to the proper method OF burial,
face down or up. has taken on new life.
The introduction OF a new program which
places evangelism on q higher plane APP
Dealed TO the people in general and has
+ met a long felt need in this part of she
State.
The program for another year is al
ready being provided FOR. A boys
camp to have representatives, from all the
sunday schools and boys organizations in
each district, and a mems rally 10 be rep
resented by all the mems clubs, Bible
classes and hrotherhoods Of both districts
is one of the features OF the coming sea-
son 4 new preachers stand. new seats
for the auditorium and new chairs for the
dining room will be among the improve
ments that are to be made The probable
ity Is that instead OF lnmonting the alb
sence Of the Camp meeting crowds OF days
gone by, or to discuss the safest method.
cremate or bury, we will be embarrassed
in making provisions 70, the large number
who vii come =
Many OF our churches are undertaking
work for men through the literary clubs.
organized Bible classes, and the Method
ist Brotherhood, Springfield has large
and well equipped brotherhood, a child OF
one summer. with membership of more
han 100 and a Bible class with a member
ship OF 56. Al the Bible class on the
first Sunday in July these men discussed
tho advisa blllty and the possibility Of
erecting a hospital and having received
some announcement they started out i'm
mediately TO enlist all the churches, or
Ganizatlons and business plants in the
town, In the undertaking Of this great
enterprise. In less than eight months a nd
on a day appointed for the purpose more
than 100 people passed through the rooms
and inspected new and well equipped
hospital situated on high elevation over
looking the beautiful village far above
the fogs OF the river, the noise and smoke
OF the factories, where the sick are min
stered to, the weary are al rest, and the
poor have the gospel demonstrated to
them.
Governed by the report Of the
pastors it is safe to say that nearly
all the Sunday schools on the district
have made a decided gain both In
m embership and in attendance
"one of the three efficiency confer
ences In Bishop Hamilton's area was
held at Bellows Falls in January. =
sixteen churches on Montpelier district
have adopted the new financial plan
and others are preparing to take It
up after conference Wherever this