Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-17
H0LD SERVICES ON
MOUNT PLEASANT
Part of Program Of Vermont
Congregationalists' Con.
ference at Brandon.

ference and the Goth annual meeting of
the Vermont Domestic Missionary society
were held here to-day. In addition to
the regular program the conference had
the pleasure of hearing a short address
by the Rev Paul Dwight Moody, chaplain
Of the First Vermont regiment, now sta
toned at Fort Ethan Allen. The most
impressive event of the conference was
the sunset service conducted by Presi-
dent Thomas Of Middlebury College at
seven o'clock this evening on Mount
Pleasant, which is situated so as to give
an excellent view of the village of Bran
don. the Green Mountains to the north,
east and south. apd the lofty peaks of
the Adirondacks on the West. The pro-
gram for the final meetings of the con-
ference to-day follows: S:45. morning
devotional service; 900 o'clock, final busi-
ness and adjournment.
At this mornings session of the confer
ence the Vermont Domestic Missionary So
city, the Rev. c. II. Merrill, secretary,
held it's seth annual meeting The direc-
tors report contained the following items:
The funds now held by the society have
increased from $79.7S723 to ss6,19s.1s. The
current account for the year shows a to-
tai raised in the State for home missions
TO be $l2.757.66. OF this there came from
699.60 gifts from the living OF the 176
churches contributing. out Of our 215,
some 3 or 81 per cent gave the full
amount Of their apportionment. or more.
Forty missionaries have labored in 80
fields, slight shrinkage in the itinerant
and womens work. AS a result additions
have been made to the mission churches
during the year of 80 by confession, and
80 by letter, a total of 50, but this has
been counter-balanced by death and re.
movals so that the result Is that after a
work Of 80 years there has been no break
by loss to the membership Of our mission
churches. The small addition of the past
year is due to the fact that no special re-
vival efforts were made by any of the
churches. In many cases there have been
Improvements in parsonages and some
progress has been made towards an in
crease of salaries, At the last meeting
Of the board of directors the minimum was
raised from 500 to $500 and parsonage. In
connection with the report Of the direc-
tors, the secretary, the Rev. G. H. Mer-
rill, gave 80 years review Of his work,
some items of which are as follows:
During these 30 years the number Of
churches has increased from 1877 to 2l5,
and the membership from 1921 to %, 12S.
Twenty-six churches have been organized
and eight have been dropped, leaving a
net gain OF Is. At the beginning Of this
period there were 81 churches and six
mission fields under the care of the So
ciety. The list IS reduced this year to 80
and one mission. Only 10 OF the e. fields
now appear. Two causes have operated.
One is self-support and the other is en-.
dowment. At the beginning of the period
the treasurer reported funds to the amount
of $13,645.51.
At the close we report funds of
k6. 1873 Is. We have now d trust fund
OF $4o. 2o3.6 e.. permanent fund of $500.
an annuity account or conditional gifts Of
e3,700. memorial fund of $500. a general
fund or legacy reserve of $34,294.5S. This
shows in some measure the way in which
the society is becoming banking insti-
tuition for the church. The larger portion
Of this increase has come from legacies
For 20 years. up to 1887 there came from
st. Johnsbury alone more than 5000 a
year. One manufacturing company there
made frequently, in the name Of the
hrn. gifts Of 81 900. Some IS women work.
ers have been employed during this period
who have been sent out two by two into
destitute places and no one agency has
done more to resurrect old interests and
organize new ones than this. In closing
his review the Rev. Mr. Merrill makes a
Z personal statement in which he bears
testimony to the kindly treatment he has
received in all quarters. Few men, / am
convinced, in my position have been sub.
. 5ect to less unkind criticism in public or ir
private than has been my lot during these
years. Especially do l wish to record m,
gratitude for the more than generous way
IN which I have been treated in the tran
sition of responsibility now in progress
fra meta ntIo
other under happier auspices than l an
now permitted to do"
The address of the Rev. Charles H. Mer
. rill, associate secretary of the Domesti,
. Missionary society. given this evening
dealt with the theme, "A Practical Con
i, gregational Ideal in the Vermont Field.
, He said in part:
Vermont stands in position of excep
tional leadership" Who's who in Amer
: ~ for 19l5-l6 shows that of nearly 200
! men thought worthy to be included in tina
4 publication. 10 per cent were horn II
I, New England. Among the New Englan,
I: States Vermont is the first In tho numbe
Of men in Who's Who per 100000 of popu
!, lation. The figures are: Rhode Island 1
I the birthplace of SO per 10O, 900: Connect
lieut.. IS; Massachusetts. 50; Maine, 70; New
- Hampshire. So; and Vermont. 102.
THE Congregational Church also stand
ain the position Of leadership In Vermont
al In the number of churches in member
ship, In value Of church property. in locs
Il church expenses. In benevolent contribu
tions and in invested funds we are ahead
The question Is, what service shall tn
Congregationalists Of Vermont render tn
:, State, the nation and the world. with thei
-. 1b churches. their 1900 resident members
their expenditure Of $264.000 for home "a
y. penses, their contributions Of $4,000 10
benevolences. their property value Of s.
$4,000 and their invested funds of $500 0O
., The speaker outlined FIVE ways I
most effectually meet the issues Of tn
~, day. !. Each church definitely ninisterin
= to the entire life OF the community 6
fare as its constituency extends.
o.. There ought to be a more definite ar
a, plication of the principle of co-opera
:. tion. We are not out to Congregation
alice the State but to CHRISTIANS 1
The goal ought to be one Protestar
church in the small communities {
from 900 to 1000 people. 8. We ougt
:! to plan to care more fully for the town
:; and parts OF towns solely committe
. 20 our cars. There are 25 such towr
: for which we are wholly responsible
~ together with Go fields" or parts
y towns where that Is true. I. The for,
Eoing would help US in securing II
~ right men for our smaller and mo-
needy fields. Recognising the II
' creased cost OF living the time has con
when the society should see that /
missionaries should have not less ths
$1,000 q year. s. We must have Rrea
s.. or attention paid to organization. metl
-s cd. and administration. Armed ar
~ a01 g. fs Ia, ~,