Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-04-28
CONFERENCE APPOINTMENTS.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

Westneld and Troy--Io be supplied.
The conference is in Furnishing
condition. Spiritually, numerically and
financially the Vermont conference
reports gains and for the first time
in many years Montpelier seminary,
in sense charge of the conference,
reports balance instead of a deficit
A plan is on foot for new buildings at
the seminary and the completion of
the raising of large endowment.
Conference will meet at Montpelier
next year.
REPORT OF DIST. SUPT. R. F.LOWE
In presenting his fourth annual
report. District Superintendent Ralph
F. Lowe of st. Johnsbury said that
more attention than ever had been
given to the weaker churches and that
relatively the district had had a good
year. He reported the organization of
society in Calais which has secured a
church building and bought bell and
other appurtenances.
In Bloomfield where the parsonage
was burned a year ago, farmhouse
and four acres of land have been
bought near the church. Newport is
now in the proud possession of property
valued at $4,000. The edifce is prac-
tically new and the entire property is
in excellent condition. Plans have
been approved and work will be begun
at once on a stone structure to replace
Grace church in st. Johnsbury, which
was burned in January. South Albany
has bought the building fromerly owned
by the Wesleyan Methodists and con-
verted it into a well-adapted vestry.
Other material development is noted
Not for many years have the people
been so responsive to spiritual appeal
as during the past few months. At
Newport, Newport Center. Craftsbury,
East Concord, Concord, Beecher Falls,
St. Johnsbury, Barre and Bloomfield
large numbers have united with the
church. There probably has been a
substantial net gain in the district.
Despite the perennial rumor that the
Lyndonville camp meeting was to be
discontinued. one of the best meetings
in recent years was held there last
summer.
A good number of churches have
some endowment. MIR. Lowe said:
cit would be a good thing if the
trustees in their annual statement had
to report the essential facts about
invested funds. It might also be we'll
it complete list were printed every
year in the annual minutes of our con-
ference" Mr.. Lowe urged the exer-
else of more care to avoid the possibil-
ity of fire and the carrying of
adequate insurance.
About 80 of the Sc charges use the
new financial plan, but not more than
eight or nine use it so as to include the
henevolences in the weekly offering.
The plan works we'll where it is
properly handled. Wherever the pastor
takes deep interest it is more likely
to succeed. In a certain class of
churches that are living at poor
dying rate the people miss the spur of
the old.fashioned sermons on missions
or benevolences. Another financial
difficulty is that the churches to a
large degree depend upon many non
Christians for support. Such support
ers do not care for the weekly system
and they usually put off turning in
their contributions till a half hour
before the preacher starts for confer
ence. The entire matter of church and
benevolent support will be largely
solved when the fundamental subject
of Christian stewardship has been
lifted from the obscure, petty place
where it has been suffered to lie by an
unframed or timid ministry and. an
unframed laity.
The district continues to be well
served by the we'll known deaconess,
Alice e. Foster. Since last October
she has given her exclusive attention
to Woodbury. where she has shown
good organizing ability. Rev. W. J.
Atkinson, field worker for the board
| e al,
received and his work has produced
good results. The new graded lessons
have been introduced in many schools
and in most cases they are we'll liked
Several junior leagues have beer
established and all apparently are
doing well. The speaker commented
upon the rural betterment movement
and said that Of all men in the worlC
the preacher ought to take a firm anC
intelligent grasp of the movement, not
primarily because it will help hi!
church but because the idealizing
spiritualizing quality that is best seer
in the church lives very near the hear
Of the entire question of rural i'm
prouement.
During the past winter number of
representative Methodists met DR.. ]
B. Hingely at MONTPELIER and agreed
to enter into the united campaign o
the year 1915 for the interests of tht
retired preacher.
Five years have passed since tn,
birth of the sustentatioE society, bu
without endowment yet. Withou
sustentation it would have been i'm
possible to have done what has alread.
become permanently enlarged work.
with the passing of the years
Montpelier seminary has proven itsel
to be not luxury. but necessity t.
our work" said the speaker. Within
a month $4,000 has been added to tn
endowment and spirit of optimism
prevails. Mr.. Lowe thought tina
evangelism ought to be urged as ha
not been done in a long time AM
suggested that this was the best tim
to plan comprehensive and vigorou
campaign for the ensuing year Every
where throughout the conference thi
should be known as the year Of evan