The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-27
BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION
New Constitution Adopted and Off
cials Elected.

Sldio GtCSbCQs
Richford, Sept. 95.-The Rev. r. B.
Hughes of Bristol was the first speak
err at the devotional service at this
mornings session of the Baptist State
convention which opened here last
evening! AT the close OF that service
the Vermont Baptist Historical socie-
ty held its annual meeting with form
er Governor w w. Stickney of Lud-
low, vice-president, presiding in the
absence of the president the Rev.
Henry Crocker OF Chester. An inter-
esting paper on the Rev. Benjamin
Randall, the original founder of the
Free Baptist Church, was given by
the Rev j. W. Burgin of Lyndon
Center. Officers were elected as fol
lows: President, the Rev. Henry
Crocker of Chester: yice-president,
the Hon. W. w. Stickney of Ludlow;
ecretary-treasurer-l the Rev.
w. H. Despardine of Saxtons River;
board of managers, the Rev. ii. b.
Rankin of Newport, the Rev. ]. IL.
Benedict OF Montpelier, the Rev. Geo
d. Gould. D. d., of Groton, the Rev.
]. S. Brown of Manchester, the Rev.
c. r. Gould of Lyndon Center, j. A.
Greenwood of Chester, the Rev. J. w
Chesbro of Bellows Falls.
The business session opened short
ly before ten o'clock, President j. y
Barss of Vergennes presiding The
Rev f. S. Tolman of st. Johnsbury is
clerk of the convention. This ses
sion was marked by action upon the
most important business that has
come before the convention in halt
a century. the adoption of a new con
stitution which will revolutionize
much OF the work OF the convention
The report was presented by Chair
| man Henry Bond OF Brattleboro, O
| prominent layman OF the Baptist de
nomination and who with Col S. A
| Illsley of Middlebury made 1t pos
| sible for every Baptist clergyman Ii
the state to go to Boston last Decem
Der to hear Billy Sunday during his
campaign in that city and to attent
an important meeting Of Vernon
Baptists held at that time. Mr.
Barss called on Mr. Bond to presid,
during the consideration of this i'm
| portant matter. After a lengthy dis
cussion and with the adoption o
some amendments the report wal
adopted as presented. Serving witt
Mr. Bond on the committee were Ex
Governor Stickney and DR.. w. A
Dawson of Burlington.
The Rev. Robert L. Webb, Phi. d., o
Newton Center, Mass. gave an ad
dress on THE Church and the Pres
ent World Crisis" This afternoon
Sunday school session was held. TIL
Rev. c. A. Boyd of Burlington, sec
,retary of the Vermont Sunday Schoo
association. gave an address o
Teacher Training Mrs. F, l.. Smitl
of Brattleboro spoke on "Elementar
Work. and DR.. Frank o. Erb of Phi
adelphia gave an address on 9TH
| Teen-Age." DR.. Erb is editor of tn
Teen-age periodicals of the America
Baptist Publication society.
The session this evening was hel
at the Colonial theatre. The annuf
sermon was preached by the Re-
George w. Peck, Jr., of Rutland, an
an address was given by the Rev.
Y. Atchison, d. d., of Boston. TIL
closing prayer was offered by tn
Rev. DR.. ]. s. Braker of Burlington
who also pronounced the benedictiol
II At the evening service an enjoyab
feature was the violin solo by Mis-
Alma Wilcox. who played Kreisler
THE Old Refrain"