Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1921-09-02
CONVENTION OF
UNIVERSALISTS
State Organizations Meet in
Brattleboro Church

Province of Quebec, which opened in the
vestry of the First Universalst church
ut Monday evening with pep
banquet The banquet was attended by
about 100 and was followed at 7.30
o'clock by a service. which included a
keynote address by Rey. Percy II. Smith
of Barnard.
That evenings session and that of the
next forenoon were of the Young Peoples
Christian Union of the district. The
vestry of the church was trimmed prettly
in blue and white, the union colors. Over
the platform was large "welcome" sign.
The state and local officers occupied a
banquet table just in front of the plat
form. During the banquet Miss Mae
Cook, pianist, and Miss Olga Scovell, vio-
linist, rendered selections. Appropriate
delegation songs and yells were given.
Devotional exercises opened the evening
service. in charge of Rev. Weston A. Cate
of st. Johnsbury. Miss f. Marion Knight
honorary president of the Brattleboro
union, then spoke briefly, welcoming the
delegates and visitors, and response was
made by Earl b. Smith of Rutland, presi-
dent of the y. p. G. U. of Vermont and
Quebec. Mr.. Smith gave a review of the
work of the year, mentioning both the
encouraging and discouraging things
which had happened and making recon-
mendations which will be of interest to
the unions the coming year.
Following Mr.. Smiths address Rev. G..
T.. Forticr of Morrisville, Universalist
state superintendent. asked for pledges
for the state convention. Enthusiasm was
soon aroused and after 10 minutes Mr.
Fortier announced that pledging would be
continued in the morning session.
The subject of the keynote address by
Rev. Mr.. Smith was Choosing Our Course
| in Life. He said in mart
"In our democratic government
choice determines leadership. Choice has
made men and it has broken them. At
no point. however, is it more important
than in the days of youth. Temptations
are sure to come and we must choose
| between the good and the bad. The
harder the temptation which is overcome
the stronger one becomes. 1t is the way
we act and what we say that makes us
| loved or dpspiScd.
A sunrise service was conducted ut 6
Tuesday morning by Willard b. San
ders president of the Morrsvlle Y. p.
| G. T.. and Jack Denison, president of the
! Life's Morning. At $50 o'clock a devo-
tional service was conducted by Earl S.
Heath of Derby Line, superintendent of
Onward Circulation.
| After the regular business of the Y. p.
y c. Z. had been transacted. at 1870 Rev.
I Stanley Manning of Boston, national di-
rector of the Universalst Young Peoples
society, gave an address which had as its
keynote these words: "This era is an
era of Christian progress in our denom-
nation" He emphasized especially the
fact that the best investment in the world
| is an Investment to safeguard the morals
of our young people" Interested Young
people are the life insurance policies of
the church." was the message he forcefully
put over to the convention.
Rev. Arthur G. Coxon of Rutland next
spoke. on, the subject Of habit with the
theme, Can an Ethiopian Change His
| lie brought out cOnvincingly that before
every evil deed there must be train of
evil thoughts, and that habitually good
thoughts lead to good, and habitually evil
thoughts to evil.
After the speaking the following off.
President. Earl r. Smith of Rutland
vice president Clarence Wiley of Bel
lows Falls: secretary. Elizabeth Walker
of Rutland: treasurer, Verne III. Win
chester of Brattleboro. The board al
large was also elected nnd crnsistc ri
Rev. Weston Cate of st. Johnsbury, Miss
Ruth Sargent of Brattleboro and Russell
Dawson of Barre. OF these three Miss
Sargent and Mr.. Dawson are new mem
bers.
The convention of the Universalis
Mission Circles of Vermont and PROVING,
of Quebec opened Tuesday afternoon al
. o'clock with Mrs George F.. Forter OF
Morrisville, president of the association
presiding.
After the many reports from the diff
ferent societies had been given and tn,
routine business had been transacted
Mrs. Fortier gave an address on thu
growth of the Univcrsalist women
movement in Vermont which led up t,
the formation of the Mission Circles.
After the presidents address. Mrs
Katherine Ii. Haskell, missionary work
er in North Carolina, gave a short out
line of the work of the Universais
church in North Carolina among thu
poor and ignorant
The next speaker was Rev. Nelson
Lobdell of Japan. who gave n short lee
; tnre on the Tnivcrsalist work in Japan
His lecture also included n report of tn,
fine work of Miss Hathaway and Mis-
sOnary representatives from this state
q. After the reports of the officers an,
committees the following officers wer'
elected: President, Mrs. George +
Fortier. Morrisville; vice pres. Mrs. +.
II. Akley; Brattlehoro: secretary, Mrs
nrer Miss Rena Paul. Granville. \. y
The trustees are Mrs. II. +. Johonnot
{ Bellows Falls; Mrs F. O. IIokerl;
Barre, and Mrs. \. n. Sherman, vii
Evansville.
Rev. Arthur G. Coxon of Rutland le,
, the evening devotional service, whicl
opened Mt Z O'Clock and which was tn,
opening of the convention proper of thu
Tnversalist Convention of Vermont. TIN
address of welcome on behalf of the Brat
tlcboro church was given by Ferris X
Vaughan. president of the parish. an,
this was responded to by George c
Felch of st. Johnsbury. president of tn
Universalist convention, who gave
brief annual address.
; After the appointments of sessions
committees had been made the meeting
was turned back TO the Missionary asso
citation, whose first speaker was Rev
E Fred III. Leining of Providence, r. J.
representing the Foreign Mission Boar'
+ of the Universalist church. Mr. LeninI
$ devoted little time to telling of the wori
of the missionaries in Japan, devoting hi
, energies particularly to the needs of tina
p country. and other countries where tn
: denomination has no workers..
At the close of Mr.. Jennings tall
, IInzcn II. StOckwell rendered voca
) solo Mrs. katherine B. Haskell.
worker of the Missionary association il