Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-16
PROBLEM IS To
FIND PASTORSFOR
RURAL CHURCHES
District superintendent at Troy
Conference Report Increase
Benton Bible Class
Largest.

Saratoga. y. " April 15.-The income !
of more than $4,000 is now available Tor
the support OF aged ministers and their
families i'm the Troy Methodist CONFER
ence, according to a report submitted
to-day by the treasurer, Charles Gibson, |
of Albany.
The conference adopted resolution
favoring nationwide prohibition and au-
thorlzlng Superintendent Anderson oil
the New York State Anti-Saloon League
to represent the clergy at hearings be
fore Congress.
Reports from district superintendents'
which comprised the principal business
at to-day's session. indicated an increase
in membership Many of the speakers
declared that their greatest problem is
10 secure pastors for small country
churches which pay a salary Of $500 or
under.
| Young preachers from the colleges are
unwilling to take these pastorates, they
said, because the salaries are regarded
as inadequate.
| The anniversary of the board of nome
missions and churches extension was OBJ
served tonight with an address by the
Rev. c. NJ. Boswell. D. u.
THE BURLINGTON DISTRICT.
| The Rev j. II. Coleman. superintendent
of the Burlington district in his report
said:
My duty as district superintendent
| first of all, Is to make certain the success
of the local church. The local church Is
| the key to the situation And the local
church cannot exist without a pastor ana
the pastor cannot live without a salary
If the pastor is led to believe that the
| chief work of the churcn Is financial rath-
cr than spiritual. in that moment he Is
changed man. lie then thinks he Is re-
sponsible to man and not to God.
The year in the Burlington district
has been remarkable in that no minis
ter's home has been invaded by death.
The district stewards meeting was held
in Rutland April 30. Between 50 and GO
aYmcn and ministers We're present.
resolution inviting the whole district to
unite in church attendance campaign
was unanimously adopted. go to
Church" Sunday was also observed in
nearly every community.
THE annual camp meeting at Spring
Grove was held in June The religious
interest was quite remarkable, but the
attendance was very small
"Principal G. l.. Leonard reports great
progress in all departments of the Troy
Conference Academy. The attendance is
more than 80. The high intellectual
standard of past years Is being maintain
ed BY a strong faculty of II specialists.
Religion among the students has taken on
the practca! form of a high order of hon
esty and honor.
EPWORTH LEAGUE GAINING.
The Epworth League chapters and the
Junior League are increasing in number
and influence. The Sunday schools in
many places are doing most remarkable
work. Bible classes are multiplying rap
idly. The Bible class of the Burlington
Sunday school numbers 175. The attend
lance at one session has been as high rs
l52 and there the Word of God is taught.
Discussions a s to the tariff. the wisdom or
folly Of political parties are not tolerated.
Even discussion Of how to raise apples
I'm Vermont is thought unworthy Of such
AN occasion. There the Word of God is
taught. The teacher is the Rev. Dr.. Guy
Potter Benton. president of the University
of Vermont. This church is reported to he
the largest of any Protestant church in
Vermont as regards membership and Sun
day school.
DR.. Coleman said that the material
improvements are as follows: East Ar
llngton, church painted, cost $50; Ben
ninGton, church repaired, expense 800,
paid on debt $500 Benson church re-
paired cost sl32; Brandon, parsonage re-
paired, expense 800: Bristol. church i'm
proved cost $257; Burlington, repaired,
$500; Cambridge. parsonage improved,
500; Fair Haven. sunday school room
improved, 500; Granville, new church
project, amount pledged. 5000; Hines
burg, church repaired. 500; Pawlet,
church repaired, s275o; Pownal, paid on
old debt, 800; Racevile, on church and
parsonage, $50; North Granville, $40;
Dewey's Bridge, s25; Rupert. improve
ment of sheds, $3.50; Rutland, new parson-
age purchased cost $500, paid $500 re-
malnder to be paid within three years;
Salem church, general Improvement and
beautifyine, s11O0 Shelburne, church re-
: paired, $50, electricity installed 500;
Shushan, paid on organ, $50; South
SALISBURY. paid on old debt, sl65, inn
proved parsonage, S75; Weybridge church
and sheds repaired, $500; Wiliston, re-
: pairs on parsonage, $40
Practitioners have been received. salo
DIR. Coleman, as follows: East Arlington
md Sandgate %, Bennington 49, Brandon
:, Burlington 90 Cambridge 4. Fair HaVer
10, Granville 20, Hlnesburg g. Mendon IL
Monkton TO- North Ferrlsburg II. Notf
; IIoosick 3, Pawlet 70, Wells 5, Pittsford 3
Racevillc Is. Rupert IL, Rutland 7, salem
n 10 Salisbury >, Shelburne 3, Shushan .
o South SALISBURY g. Weybridge ., White
n Creek %, Wiliston g.