Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-09-27
9,944 BAPT|STS IN
STATE OF VERMONT
Largest Membership in 70 Years
Officers Report to State
Convention.

day for the Baptist State convention.
opening his morning with a meeting
of the Minister'S Conference n Aid
society. The report of the obituary
committee was given by the Rev. e.. NJ.
Fuller Of this place in the absence of
the Rev. Henry Crocker of Chester.
At the session this morning Guy B.
Horton of Burlington gave his report as
secretary of the social service commits
sion, and DR.. w. A. Dawson of Bur-
lington and Howard Crane, also Of that
city, presented their reports; DR.. Davi-
son as secretary and superintendent of
the convention and Mr.. Crane as treas"
urer
Addresses were given, by the Rev. H.
f. Hinkley of Randolph, who spoke on
Missionary Pastors" the Rev. c. l..
Ramsey of Montpelier. State evangel-
list, on "Colporter Work; and DR.. j. F.
piainfeld of Barre on The Foreign
Speaking Peoples"
Or. Dawson reported in detail the
work of the sixty churches over which
he has jurisdiction. Permanent pas
tors have been placed in some churches
not before supplied permanently and
others have temporary supplies. In
some towns federation has been effect
ed with other denominations, and such
action is recommended in some other
towns; repairs and improvements have
been made on church property; debts
have been reduced and in some IN
stances wiped out entirely; one pastor
has ~sign to enter the United states
navy, and one church which had been
receiving aid from the convention has
become sel%f-supporting through legacy:
Tribute was paid to the memory OF
the late DR.. H. ID. Holton of Brattle-
boro, a former president of the conven-
A. - aa,,hnr nf tha nYaCltiyA
committee.
During the veal the board of trust
tees has held three meetings with an
average attendance of Is. There are
81 members on the board. Sixty-six
churches have been aided directly be-
sides the missions to the foreign
speaking peoples and the missionaries
and evangelist.
The secretary delivered 1873 ermons
Or addresses and held ESQ conferences,
travelling by team or automobile. $3.50
miles, and by train 9,705 miles. The
Rev. C. l. Ramsey. colporter evangel-
list, has held evangelistic services in the
winter, travelling by train, n has
done missionary and colportage work
in the summer, travelling by automo-
bile. The Rev. n. c. Edwall. Swedish
missionary. has moved to Connecticut
and as some of the Baptist Swedish
people have left the field and very few
immigrants are coming to this country
1t has not been deemed wise to put an
other Swedish missionary into the
work at present. DR.. J. f. Plainfeld.
Italian missionary. has been doing ex-
cellent work among the Italians. AS
there were cases on i%nfantile paralysis
in Barre the school was closed and
since that time DR.. and Mrs. Plainfield
have been occupied in house to house
visitation.
The conference and school of meth
DDS in Boston early last December was
very successful. Every Baptist minis
ter and missionary in in ac-
tive service with three exceptions, was
present and enough others so that
about $50 people attended the confer
ence and Billy Sunday meetings. APP
probation was expressed to Col. s. A.
llsley of Middlebury and Henry Bond
# Brattleboro for making the trip pos
sible.
A large increase in the permanent and
trust funds was reported. The total re-
ceived during the year was SIS, 722. 46, which
Is only about 5000 less than was received
in this one year than there was in the per-
manent and trust funds together when
DR.. Dawson took his present position IS
years ago.
There have been GA additions to the
churches by baptism, which is the largest
number received in any one year since
1876, or in Al years and the church men,
bership is now 1914, the largest since 1874,
70 years.
1t was by Mr.. Dawson
hat during the coming year a special
worker be employed who shall give spe-
cial attention to the Sunday school and
young peoples work so that these may be
,An H. ,k~ .-J hnootnn vpnro
efficient in service and who shall also dc
evangelistic work when opportunity af-
fords. 1t was also recommend that In
view of the high cost of living the conven'
ton cooperate with the church in increas'
ing salaries on the basis of dollar for dol
lar SO that the minimum salary of any
pastor in the State should be 800 and
house and with this object in view that the
churches be asked for 81 per resident
member for convention work during the
year.
The report of the treasurer. Howard
Crane, of Burlington, showed total receipts
of s27, 529.SS and expenditures of $26, 1888. 70
leaving a balance Of $685.. Is on hand. tt
permanent fund amounts to 1921, 1895
OBITUARY REPORT.
The report of the obituary committe'
showed the following names:
Dr. II. -. HOltOn OF BrattleDOrO, Tor l
years a member of the board Of trustees
the Rev. Lockhart, who spent the frs
four years of his ministry at Danville an
st. Johnsbury. and who died at Plants
vile, Conn.,; the Rev. Brown e. Smitl
Of Providence. r. l.. a former pastor a
Randolph; the Rev. Charles A. Votey o
Detroit. Mich, who had held pastorate
at West Brattleboro. East Charlotte
SALISBURY, Fairfax and Windham; tn
Rev. DR.. w. Fl. II. Avery, d. D., Of Mid
dletown Springs. who once held a te
years pastorate in st. Albans and who's
death occurred In the Rutland hospita
at Rutland; the Rev. Lewis p. Bickfort
formerly pastor at Hardwick. but VIII
spent the last 81 years of his life a
librarian at Northampton. N. H.; the Re,
Samuel d. Church of Twin Mountain
n. H., a former pastor at Waterbur
Center
At the close of this report the conventio
was favored with a vocal solo by Mr..
c. II. Waldron of Windsor.
MINISTER'S CONFERENCE.
The Rev. E. NJ. Fuller OF Richford wa
elected president of the Minister'S Cor
ference and Aid society and the othe
officers elected were: Vice-president, tn
Rev. r. M. Derwacter Of North Bennins
ton; secretary. the Rev. w. $. Boardma
of Addison; treasurer. Arthur @. Crane {
Burlington; adviser to treasurer. the Re-
w. A. Dawson. ID. d., of Burlington.
For vice-president of Northern Bapti'
Education society. the Hon. Henry Bon