CIVIL HISTORY OP VERMONT. 



Part II. 



METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 



SEMINARIES AT NEWBURY AND POULTNET. 



ernors, and the councils of state, as the 

 deletrates of the people, are the rulers of 

 the United States of America, according 

 to the division of power made to them by 

 the constitution of the United States, and 

 by the constitutions of their respective 

 states. And the said states are a sove- 

 reign and independent nation, and ought 

 not to be subject to any foreign jurisdic- 

 tion. 



XXIV. Of Christian Men s Goods. The 

 riches and goods of Clirlstians are not 

 common, as touching the right, title, and 

 possession of the same, as some do falsely 

 boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, 

 of such things as he possesseth, liberally 

 to give alms to the poor, according to his 

 ability. 



XXV. Of a Christian Man s Oath. As 

 we confess that vain and rash swearing is 

 forbidden Christian men by our Lord Je- 

 sus Christ and James his apostle ; so we 

 judge that the Christian religion doth not 

 prohibit, but that a man may swear when 

 the matristrate requireth, in a cause of 

 faith and charity, so it be done according 

 to tlie prophet'steaching, in justice, judg- 

 ment, and truth."* 



According to the statistical returns for 



1841, the following exhibit will present 



the reader with the present condition of 

 Methodism in Vermont : 



Members, 16,039 



Traveling ministers, 128 



Local do. 112 



Total, 16,279 



From the best returns that could be ob- 

 tained, it appears there are 92 churches 

 owned exclusively by the Methodist Epis- 

 copal Church in Vermont, and some 40 

 or 50 others, in which the right of occu- 

 pancy belongs to them a part of the time. 

 There are also about 40 church parson- 

 ages ; and these, as well as churches, are 

 yearly multiplying. 



From an early period in the history of 

 the Methodist Episcopal Church, the ne- 

 cessity of founding institutions of learn- 

 ing was deeply felt, and vigorous efforts 

 were made to carry into effect these pro- 

 visions for the education of youth. But 

 the destruction of their buildings twice 

 by fire, near Baltimore, Md., tended for a 

 season to dishearten the friends of this 

 enterprise. Within a few years past, 

 however, a revival of this spirit has mani- 

 fested itself, and a plan of liberal educa- 



* These articles, with the exception of the XXIII, 

 ■which lelates to civil rulers, are in the language of 

 the XXXIX articles of the Church of England, from 

 which they are selocled and abridged, and, as far as 

 liiey go, they arc the same as the articles of tho Pro- 

 tectant Episcopal Chuich in the United Slates. 



tion, comprehending to some extent every 

 state in the Union, is now being carried 

 into effect. The Methodists have two 

 institutions in this state, of a high rank, 

 where nearly all the branches of classical 

 education are taught that appertain to a 

 collegiate course. 



The first of these is located at New- 

 bury, upon the Connecticut river ; and is 

 surrounded by the charms of nature and 

 art, to attract the youth of eastern Ver- 

 mont and those parts of New Hampshire, 

 for whose benefit it was establislied. Tho 

 cost of the buildings and a farm connect- 

 ed with the institution, has been from 

 $20,000 to .|;30,000. The number of stu- 

 dents, male and female, during the year, 

 will range from 300 to 390. The name 

 of this institution is, the JVewburij Semi- 

 nary. 



Tlie other institution is located at West 

 Poultne3% Rutland county, bordering up- 

 on the state of New York, and is called 

 tlie Troy Conference Academij. Tho build- 

 ings are splendid and spacious, sufficient 

 to accommodate 200 students in the board- 

 ing department, and an additional hun- 

 dred would find room in the dejiartment 

 of instruction, of those boarding with tho 

 inhabitants in the vicinity. Tlie cost of 

 the buildings, farm, &c., has been about 

 $40,000. And perhaps there is no insti- 

 tution of the professed grade of this, 

 which ranks higher in literary merit, or 

 any whose location promises better secu- 

 rity to the health and morals of youth. 

 The scenery around is such as will pleaso 

 the taste, and improve the intellect. The 

 number of students instructed in this in- 

 stitution yearly will range from 300 to 

 400. 



The above results are the fruits of the 

 forty five years last past; and consider- 

 ing the disadvantages under which this 

 branch of the church has labored in that 

 time, and the comparatively feeble instru- 

 mentalities that have been employed, they 

 furnish strong reasons for gratitude to 

 God, by whose free grace the ministry 

 of reconciliation have not ' labored in 

 vain,nor spent their strength for naught.'* 



* An account of the Methodist Protestant Church 

 in this state was expected from a clergyman ofthat 

 denomination in season to he inserted here, hnt it 

 has not been received, and we have not in our reach 

 the means of preparing one of our own. From the 

 minutes of the annual conference of this church held 

 at Richmond in 18-10, it appears that the Vermont 

 District embraced at that time, 10 circuits, and four 

 missions in which were 20 ministers and 1107 mem- 

 bers. But as the Vermont District embraces a con- 

 siderable section of the state of New York, we are 

 unable to say how many of these are within our own 

 state. The Protestant Methodist are believed to 

 differ from the Episcopal Methodists chiefly in their 

 rrjection of the Episcopal form of church govern- 

 ment. 



