The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-09-27
Golden Jubilee
Is Celebrated

"a SItCCCu Vic OOIlN CllllOu III TIC
name Of the St. Johnsbury church
es, expressing the pleasure of
the churches in entertaining the
visitors and voicing the fervent
wish that the unity of purpose of
the two societies be strengthened
in the coming years.
Miss Alice NJ. Kyle of Boston,
secretary of the Woman's Board
of Missions, brought the greetings
of the Woman's Board. She stres-
sed the far-famed and well-known
hospitality of Vermont always
recognized by the Board, whose
executive committee paid this tri-
butte to the Vermont Branch:
"Many daughters have done virtu-
ously but thou eXcellest them all"
The president Of the Vermont
Union, Mrs. E. D. Burditt of Bur
lington, offered congratulations on
80 years of work we'll done, spoke
OF the unity Of purpose of the two
societies whose work runs along
together The watchword, she
said for the past so years had been
faith, for the next 50 let US make
it courage.
Mrs. Henry Fairbanks, an hon
orary president of the Branch, its
efficient head for ten years and its
home secretary for another decade,
was warmly applauded as she was
presented by Mrs. Mills. Mrs.
Fairbanks gave the history of the
Branch covering the 80 years of
its existence.
"When in June, 1879, said Mrs.
Fairbanks, two hundred women,
attending state convention in Mid
dlebury, in response to a call pre-
viously issued decided to become
a Branch of the Woman's Board
OF Missions, history forus began!
Five years before the W. B. NJ
had been formed in Boston
Twelve societies in Vermont We're
already auxiliary to the parent
board. Just a word about condi-
tons In 1868 there were very
few women's societies of any
kind. Ministers looked coldly upon
every movement of women to>or-
ganize, with a few notable eXcep-
tons. Dr.. Richard S, Storrs was
one of these. He sent seventy-fve
dollars to constitute three "female
members of his household life
members of the w. B. NJ. wishing
the work of the women God speed.
One pastor did not want the
women left alone in his church for
"no one knew what they would
pray for if left alone.
In the earliest years Rutland
was headquarters. Later as the
residence of the Chief executive
changed, Branch headquarters also
moved. st. Johnsbury, during an
early period of ten years, became
the center of activities as did Bur
lington at later time. Rutland
entertained the twenty-ffth annu-
al meeting. In 1915 in connection
with our forty-third annual meet
ing Burlington entertained the w.
B. NJ. Rutland again comes to
the fore in 1918 when she enter
tains the first joint annual meeting
of the Branch and the Woman's
Homo Missionary Union. 1t is
the rare privilege of the st. Johns
bury women to bid you welcome
at the mature age of fifty. Dur
ing the half century of our history
we note that hospitality has been
extended to the Branch as fol-
lows. Rutland and St. Johnsbuly
have entertained seven times, Bur
lington five, and Montpelier -four.
Bellows Falls, Middlebury and
Bennington have been hostesses
three times each, and Brattleboro,
Barre, Newport, st. Adams and
Woodstock twice, while we have
been once to Brandon, Chester
Manchester, Morrisville, Spring
field, Wells River and Windsor.
The history went on to trace
the work of the fine leaders of the
woman's movement among whom
were several st. Johnsbury names
and closed with a tribute to the
women who did the early work at
the front, the representatives. of
the board in foreign lands. In
closing Mrs. Fairbanks said:
When you are in Constantinople
you will visit "The Home" BE
sure you look for tablet in the
dining room bearing the mscrip-
ton, "This Room dedicated to
Vermont" and also you will find
four rooms bearing Vermont
names, Merrill, Daniels, Eastman
and Page, as also two shelves in
the library furnished by Vermont
women. This back in 1874.
We became incorporated in
1894. We can legally receive and
disburse large sums of money.
Form of bequest is found in the
back of our Annual Report We
brought Miss Ellen NJ. Stone to
Vermont to speak to a crowded
house in Barre soon after her re-
lease from captivity.
The Woman's Board Of Missions
has once been entertained by Us
in Burlington in 1915.
Before the formation of the
Branch the Vermont auNillarics
had contributed direct to the ".