The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-07-29
J.F. MCCLELLAN, Printer.


"A committee was appointed, on applica-
1 ton being made, 1873, that the town might
= be divided into two societies, and uron their
4 report, the General Assembly, at the next
, session, October, 1876, ordered that the town
e BE divided into two distinct ecclesiastical
} socletles, with powers and privileges Of socie-
ties, and that the division line between them,
; be established at the dug way"
But this decision, like all former ones, cave
great dissatisfaction to a large portion Of the
Inhabitants. Instead Of allaying the spirit Of
discord,it served only to increase it still high
err The people of the north society, eng
separated into distinct and remote settlements,
and having no common center, desired to be
incorporated into tco societies land the south
society were strongly opposed to the division
al line being established at the dug way
contending that it ought to be fixed at Sax
toms brook.
A meeting of the south society was held.
which was very fully attended, eighty-two
voters being present On the question,
" whether they acanted a meeting house, or
not" the vote stood, forty-one in the aIlirma-'
tive, and the same number in the negative
The society also refused to make any pro-
vision for the support Of the ministry The
north sOcisag voted, by large majority, that
| The next session of the General Assembly,
held in May, 1886, was troubled more than
usual with petitions from every section Of the
town. all complainingo of injustice, and asking
for relief Mr.. Woodbridge, too, found it
necessary to make another application for tbe
lnterposition of the Assembly, to enable him
to obtain his salary in which petition, allud-
ing to their difficulties generally, he speaks
of class as entertaining "a secret design Of
| injustice, or hope Of holding themselves up,
as the head Of a party, to pcrpetuatc our
present miseries."
| Upon report of a committee of three. an
pointed by the Assembly, WintonUury socie-
ty was formed, to which was annexed The iu-
habitants residing in the southeast section Of
the town, and three other societies the South,
Salmon brook, and Turkey hills, by bounda-
ries as they at present Xist,eXcepting the last
named society, to which at a subsequent peri
cd, was annexed a small part Of Windsor
and Sufficld.
The question, 50 far as it regarded the for
nation Of separate societies, was thus settled,
but the one not less important, to wit, the lot
cation Of the respective meeting houses was
left undecided. Nor does it appear that any
movement was made for a considerable time,
in reference to a settlement of this NATTER
In May, 1888, the Assembly, on report Of It
committee previously appointed, fixed the
sites Of the meeting houses Of the three socic-,
ties.
Thus was terminated controversy which,
for the bitter feelings it engendcred, and tho
length of time it continued, has no parallel in
this State, upon any similar subject Tie
q larrcl was general If not universal, destroy
ing social intercourse, breaking up churches,
and in a great measure preventing public
worship. Daring three years Of this time,
the legislature deemed it inexpcdient to APP
point any Justices Of the Peace in the town.
The excitement did not Immediately sub
side But in process of time, when bridges
were bG.lt across the riyer-roads improved
and settlements had extended westerly in
the town, all parties, if not exactly suited,
chcerlulIy aeluesccd in the final decision Of
the controversy.
Each society Immediately took measures
to erect its house for public worship.
After the division Of the town into three
societies, all ecclesiastical affairs, instead OF
being managed as up to that time they had
been by the town, were conducted by the
several societies. The old society was there
after known by the name of the south soci-
ETY..
In 1880, the old meeting house, which had
stood nearly ninety years, was taken down,
and new one erected in its place. The
new ediIice is a spacious handsome and we'll
constructed building, having a tower and
bell When this house was built, several
stately oaks, bearing the marks of great age,
and adding beauty and comfort to the place,
were cut down. 1t is 4 pity that the progress
Of modern improvements has advanced SO far
as to require the destruction Of such useful
and Il 10,
as private buildings The new house WAS
dedicated Dee, 1880.
st. Andrews parish ofEpiscopalans is ono
of the oldest in the state. 1t owes its estab-
lisMmcnt to the unhappy controversy before
relating to ecclesiastical affairs in
the town. In 1740, six persons, and in
l 7I3, twcnty-sevon others, nearly all Of whom
resided at the settlement called Scotland, sep
lrated from the old society, and connected
themselves with the Episcopal church, then
called the Church of England" Timber
or church edilice was procured in 1910,
md the building was erected soon after 1t
ood at the northcrly side Of the buryine
ground in Scotland. The Rev.Wlliam Gibbs
vas the first preacher to this CONGREGATIONS
The Rev. Roger Viets was his successor, and
he next was the Rev. Ambrose Todd.
A new church was erected in 1906. 1t was
placed nearly two miles south of the old one.
This location, however, operating against the
interests of the parish, as it was supposed,
vas afterwards changed, and the building
ras taken down, and removed back to the
Id site, where the present church was re-
uilt in 1880.
The Methodists commenced holding rclig-
ous meetings in the town, moro than forty
ears ago Until within few years, these
ba1 in, coho
rivate dwellings,. In 1910 they erected
eat church, which was dedicated in Septem-
or of that year.
The Daptists have small congregation at
which meets at present for divine
.rvinn in The second story Of q lnrrn hnill.