Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-02
FAVOR CONFERENCE
OF TWO DISTRICTS
The Methodist In Session at st.
Johnsbury Express Opinion
BY Close Vote

st. Johnbury. April 26.-The first bus
mess that came up for consideration at
the conference session Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church this morning was a
motion to redistrict the conference, to
make two districts instead of three.
Montpelier, st. Adams and st. Johns
bury now in being; that the bishop APP
point a committee of three to study the
plans: that the salaries Of the district
superintendent be equalized and paid
by the conference commission on
finance.
An attempt to shelve the question was
negatived Bishop Hughes asked for
an expression of opinion from the mem
bers of the conference. A ballot was
taken which resulted in a vote of 81
for three districts and "a for two dis
tricts.
The Rev. w. B. Dukeshire mentioned
the case of the Methodist Episcopal
Church property at North Fairfax where
no services had been held for some time.
The Protestant population has moved out
of the district. There is no legal title
to that church in writing nor is there
record Of it which can be found any
where. trustee. however. now we'll on in
years would like to aquire this building
''- - ''''iHe ~ 6iNC oOiICtuiHk IOT IL.
Methodists as such are not likely to re-
quire it again. He moved that the super.
fntendent of that district be given power
to sell the property. the purchaser know.
ing the circumstances Of the case The
matter was referred to the conference
trustees.
The following candidates were admitted
to the conference course on trial: w. C.
Arnold. David Hickland. Allen E. Schoff,
Mason White Sharpe and Russell Norris.
The Rev. E. w. Sharpe presented the re-
port of the campaign which was held last
year to raise 100000 as a conference en-
dowment fund for veteran preachers, thier
widows and orphans. Exceptional diff
culties had been experienced owing to the
campaigns for the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A.
war fund and Liberty Loans. However,
44O pledges had been received and eight
persons had given life anuities or Liberty
bonds. The total pledges secured to date
amount to $43,305. of which $500 are life
annuities and Liberty bonds. In addition
$4,000 has been willed to the fund and
there is also to be added the two per cent
on the salary of the members Of confer
ence. The report was accepted. Bishop
Hughes remarked that. considering the
stress Of the year. the result Of the cam
paign represented a very remarkable
achievement.
The candidates for ordination as elders
are: Robert Haseltine. Isaac Mellor and
George w. Turner: as deacons. Roy E.
Green. Stead Thornton and ]. @. Sails
as local deacons, F. H. Weed and ]. P.
Cordero; as local elder. c. B. Davis.
At the invitation Of the E. & T. Fair
banks Scale Co., the members Of the con-
ference in the afternoon were conducted
around the works. a courtesy which
was keenly appreciated.
The Women's Foreign Missionary So
ciety was addressed by Miss Clementina
Butler Of Boston, who urged that this was
not the time to relax their efforts on be-
half Of the foreign work.
In evening large audience heard
Bishop e. II. Hughes deliver hts lecture,
Children Of the Manse." which success
fully controverted the prevalent idea that
children Of ministers generally turn out
bad.
The audience was frequently confused
with laughter at the witty sallies of the
bishop.