Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-06-19
EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.

Episcopal diocese was opened at St.
Stephens Episcopal church in this vii
lage Wednesday morning at nine o'clock
with an unusually large attendance.
About so clergymen and 100 delegates
from all over the State were present.
Holy communion was celebrated by
Bishop A. C. A. Hall, assisted by the
Rev. D. L. Sanford of Hardwick and
the Rev. George Y. Bliss of Burlington.
Bishop Hall made his annual address
at eleven O'Clock at the town hall,
where a good-sized audience greeted
him. He spoke of the pension fund of
the clergy, the financial administration
If the missionary organization, and the
convention of the diocese, particularly
referring to the sound method of the
church's finances. At the noon hour
recess was taken for dinner until two
o'clock.
During the morning session a resolu-
tion authorizing the social service COM
mittee to prepare and cause to be pre-
sented to the Legislature a bill pro-
viding for a reasonable delay and pub
licity between the issuance of mar
rage license and the performance of
the marriage ceremony.
At the afternoon session the Rev.
DR.. A. P. Grint of st. Johnsbury pre-
sented the following resolution to the
convention: "This convention views
with gravest concern the grievous prev
alence of divorce in the State and in
the name of God calls upon our citizens
to try to arouse a public conscience to
remove if possible this awful blot on
civilization
The principal business of the after
noon was the presentation of Secretary
Morrell Sayre of the church pension
fund of its proposed plan for pensioning
clergy. His address was followed by
discussion by clergy and laymen, the
Hon. j. A. DeBoer pointing out what
he thought were certain weaknesses.
A committee was appointed to consider
the plan and report at the next conven-
ton.
The following officers were elected:
secretary, the Rev. Walter c. Bernard
OF Newport; assistant secretary, the
Rev. George l.. Brush of Shelburne,
and treasurer, S. w. Hines of Bur-
lington.
The following members of the stand
ing committee for one year were ap-
pointed: The Rev. George y. Bliss of
Burlington, the Rev. D. S. Stone of
Swanton, the Rev. A. P. Grint of St.
Johnsbury, George Briggs of Mont
pelier C. E. Parker of Nergennes, the
Hon. +. J. Ormsbee of Brandon, also
the following delegates to the pro-
vincal synod in the autumn at Spring
field, Mass. The Rev. Day c. Wilson of
Bellows Falls, the Rev. George Y.
Bliss of Burlington, the Rev. Joseph
Reynolds of Rutland, the Rev. w. c.
Bernard of Newport the Hon. j. A.
DeBoer of Montpelier, A. P. Gibson of
Rutland, s. w. Hindes and J. T.
Stearns of Burlington.
At the evening session a missionary
address was given by the Rev. D. L.
Sanford of Hardwick. Bishop-coad-
jutor w. F. Weeks gave an address on
the work of the past year.
The resolution presented was read
Wednesday and again Thursday morn
ing and then acted upon.
At the morning session the Rev. c.
C. Wilson of Burlington read report
of the social survey commission and
spoke highly of the work being done
by State Inspector Allan Calhoun of
this village.
Thursday was the closing day of the
convention and it is said by those in at
tendance to have been one of the most
successful ever held. The convention
was called to order by Bishop A. c.
Hall of Burlington as celebrant at nine
O'Clock and after short session to
close up a few unfinished affairs that
had been left open the convention ad-
journed without date. The next meet
ing will be held at Burlington in June.
Tuesday evening services were held
in st. Stephens church, the rector, the
Rev. John Evans Bold, in charge.
After the service the clergy and dele
gates, rs, were entertained at the resi-
dence of the Hon. and Mrs. John E.
Weeks. Mr.. and Mrs. Weeks and the
wives of the vestrymen, Mrs. Leroy C.
Russell, Mrs. Charles R. Cheney, Mrs.
William Bentley, Mrs. A. D. Vittum
and Mrs. Nelson Goss, received. Mrs.
Gushing Hill and Mrs. Fred W. Beck
with assisted by Mrs. William w. Nc
Clifton were at the table in the dining
room; college girls serving.