The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-31
CHURCH OPTIMISM
WAS PROPOSED
Supt. Lowe Of ST. Johnsbury District
Urged Methodists to Talk Up Their
Church and Not Talk 1t
nown

church conference being held IN Montpe
lier was almost entirely devoted to the
reading of the annual reports of Super
intendents Lowe and Dukeshire of the
st. Johnsbury and st. Adams districts
Bishop Hamilton presided at the open
, ing of the session and followed out the
custom which was adopted the opening
day, of giving l0-minute talk TO the
members.
Yesterday afternoon Miss Grace Rora-
back of Canaan. Conn, addressed the
conference on the Woman's Home Mis-
sionary society explaining in detail the
work which has been accomplished by the
society during the past year. her knowl-
edge being intimate because OF her actiy-
ity in ConGecticut.
She was followed by Rev Ward Platt,
ID. d. of Philadelphia, who discussed the
work of the board of home missions and
church extension work. Chancellor
Franklin Hamilton, LII. d., of Washing
ton, ID. c., and Rev. Edgar Beake, d. d.,
of Chicago, were last evenings speakers
and their remarks were confined to edu-
cational branches of the church work, the
talks being especially directed TO Mont
pelier seminary students, who attended
in a body. Chancellor Hamilton spoke on
the duties of the board of education and
the advances being made by Methodist
schools throughout the country and DIR.
Beake spoke on Sunday school work.
Tonight Bishop Hamilton will lecture
in the city hall auditorium on Some
Persons of Quality in Boston"
The meeting OF the laymen's associa-
tion and lay electoral conference of the
church opened at 10 o'clock this forenoon
in Bethany church, delegates to the con
ference having arrived in the city last
evening and this forenoon.
The following officers We're elected by |
the association: President, Senator W. p. |
Dillingham;; first vice president, Hon. I
Frank Plumley of Northield; second I
vice president, R. n AIillett of Spring /
field; third vice president, b. f. Moore of /
Newport; secretary and treasurer, San
ford A. Daniels of Brattleboro. Resolu
tions were adopted by the association
asking for representation at the general
conference, the election OF delegates to
be hedged about with such safeguards as
the conference saw fit. Resolutions were
adopted thanking Bethany church. where
the laymen met, for the courtesy extend
ed and to the people of Montpelier for
their courtesy. Principal j. W. Hatch of
Montpelier seminary was also given sup I
port in resolutions. II
Senator Dillingham; was unable to be
present and take his part in the pro- ]
gram, sending his regrets in a telegram. /,
Miss Gladys Preston Of Granville and !
Rev. Percval Hewitt of Hondsville spoke
upon "The Rural Church and Its Prob {
Iem"; W. B. Lance of Plainfeld on the !
general subject of district division, and q
Frank Plumley on the same subject. The |
last two speakers expressed the opinion =
that the general conference would be n
asked to change the title of district SUI !,
back to that Of presiding :
,lder. They also favored dividing the 4
conference into two districts instead of /
hree. arguing for the change largely on =
he ground of economy and that the
work would not be impaired thereby In =
Mr. Lance's remarks, Mr.. :,
said the visits of the district .
uperintendent could in many instances
'e supplied by sending out blanks to the
hurches.
Supt. loves Report M
In his report, Supt. r. f. Lowe of the
I. Johnsbury district characterized the
asst year as time of unusual minis OF
eria stringency" and period of 'un 4,
xpected victories" Under the heading ht
t material improvements the superin dc
sndent refers to the construction of VI
10000 edifce for Grace church in st. lC
repairs to the church at New
ort Center, changes at Holland, Island Is
ond, South Albany, Albany Lowell, s.
lest Burke, Lyndonville, East Lyndon, NJ
asburg, Plainfeld. Danville, Peaeham he
I'd Greensboro Bend; and also a new Sc
pc organ at Orleans. Ii,
Some of the churches have slightly in ist
eased their ministers salaries and fire. th
lently the ministers are paid weekly. Ju
ndowments are generally well invested. pl,
he debt on the district parsonage has ist
en wiped out The ladies' aid societies
e given great commentator by the Fe
perintendent. Eyangellstic work has hu
It been allowed to suffer amid the other six
tivities, and Superintendent Lowe re- ais
rts considerable progress along that w
ie in many OF the towns. pei
In closing his report, Superintendent {
I'VE made two suggestions. the first of err
tlcN WIS 10 nave the minister ana lue WI
ty get together and determine to de- ch,
roy the bad habit of talking down the Nc
sthodst church, of picking flaws and
king on the dark side of things. and
e second of which is to have a definite
iective for the conference and for each
lividual church. "The church is not Gei
re to save itself but TO save the world.
e pastor is not here to save a little
erie of people called saints or church - :
mbers. We must either earnestly at ~ ~
npt to save the community and the l''e
rid or to spend our lives fruitlessly." pie
At the session yesterday a resolution ion
Iorsing national prohibition was adopt con
and signed by the presiding officer SSs Ses
the conference. Bishop Hamilton. and lo'
listers The Rev. c. II. Smith of the ~,
ti-Saloon league spoke briefly of that an,'
anization's plans for the next few -, -
rs. education, and an effort 20 de-
{ any legislation favorable 20 the sa- ~
n. He said he had just emerged from e.a.. la
ryclone cellar. 90