Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-25
GEOGRAPHICAL.



We see in the St. Johnsbury (Vt) Caledo-
MAN an announcement of the death at that place
of Rev. LEONARD WORCESTER, who, for nearly
half century, was Pastor of the Congregational
Church in Peacham, Caledonia Co. Vt. In re-
peating this intelligence in The Tribune the
writer cannot withhold an expression of the re-
spect and veneration which in common with all
whose privilege it was to be trained under his
benignant and pariarchial ministrations, he feels
for his character and memory. He was man
of extraordinary qualities. both of head and heart,
and the influence of his pious example and ear
nest instructions, so potent while he was living,
will long be seen and felt by those among whom
he labored.
He was native, we believe, of Massachu-
sets, and was for several years Editor of the
Worcester Spy, having first served an appren-
ticeship in the Office of that paper while it was
conducted by the venerable ISAIAH THOMAS.
He left the editorial chair, for which he pos
sessed eminent qualifications, to become Min
lister of the Gospel. About the beginning of the
present century he went to Peacham, of which
only settled minister At the period of his set
Element the town was new and the people gen.
orally were quite poor but his simplicity of
manners and devotion to the duties of his calling
prepared him to struggle through difficulties
which would have discouraged an ordinary man.
From early manhood to old age he remained
with the people as their minister and only re-
linquished the active duties of his post when
compelled to do so by accumulated bodily in
frmities. For several years before his death he
resided with his son in the neighboring town of
St. Johnsbury, the chrch in Peacham having
settled a colleague, who relieved him from all
ministerial duty.
His funeral took place among the people to
whom he had so long and so faithfully minister
ed, and the throng that gathered on the occa-
sion bore witness to the ahectlonate veneraon
felt for his character and memory by those who
best knew his worth. His funeral discourse
was preached by Rev. David Sutherland OF Bath,
N, H. for many years his contemporary and the
oldest surviving minister in the region The
text was indicated by Mr.. Worcester himself
and the selection beautifully illustrates prom
inent trait in his character; God be mercifl
to me a sinner" How expressive of that hum
bic reliance on God so BETTING to the Christian
and which had sustained him through all the Vi
cissitudes of long and eventful life.
Mr. Worcester was brother of the late Rev.
SAMUEL WORCESTER, D. d. of Salem, Mass,
first Secretary of the American Board of Com
missioners for Foreign Missions, and also of the
late lamented Rev Moan WORCESTER, D. d. of
Brighton, Mass, whose labors in the cause of
Peace have endeared his memory TO thousands
both in this country and Europe and obtained
for him touching euloglum from the pen of the
late DR.. CLAIMING. For solid abilities he was
inferior to neither of his eminent brothers,
though from peculiar circumstances he was not
so widely known as they. He was the father of
Rev. SAMUEL A, WORCESTER, Missionary to the
Cherokees, whose Imprisonment in the Georgia
Penitentiary fifteen years ago created so much
excitement Two others of his surviving sons
are also ministers and highly esteemed fol their
usefulness and moral worth
He was a man of commanding presence and
| eXerted an almost unDOunueu influence among
his people. In his department as man and a
minister dignity and urbanity were happily blend
ed He was emphatically peacemaker, and
as such, his memory will live in the hearts Of
all who knew him. 1t is not too much to say
that, through his influence mainly, the town O
Peacham is eminent for the general intelligence
and moral worth of its inhabitants.
Although he never compromised the dignity
BETTING his station, he was man of keen wi
and relished joke quite as well as any of hi
parshioners We could tell many pleasant an
ecdotes illustrating this trait of his character
/ The people of the town were in the practice fol
many years of turning out on given day at tn,
. beginning of winter to provide from the parisl
| farm his needed supply of 6rewood Notice o
this was always given by some member of thu
! congregation at the close of the services on th'
preceding Sabbath. On these occasions thu
e venerable clergyman used to work in comPan,
e with his Pensioners One Saturday afternoon
], while thus engaged, wag in the company pro
i posed that Mr. Worcester should be excuse,
from farther labor, giving as reason that h