Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-09-23

venerable Quincy had once uttered that you
ten to dance hornpipe as to make speech,
and proceeded to institute humorous inquiry
into the cause of his being called upon. 1t
had occurred to him that his wife's grand
father, Judge Chandler, had once been given
pew by the society in acknowledgment of
some material help. That pew was a share
of the family inheritance, and it was worth
while for him to look after the claim. So
the foxy agents of the church had thought by
this way to prevent him from prosecuting
that claim. lie continued in very interest
ing retrospect of the old church as he had
seen it, with its three porches, its old high
pulpit, its curious sounding board, and at the
foot of the pulpit the great pew where the dea-
cons were seated on Sunday, and the selectmen
collected votes on week days. with the great
square pews, with their hinged seats, which
shut with report like feu de jote OF
musketry. He described Rev. Samuel Aus
tin as an ecclesiastical boanerges, a man of
extraordinary eloquence and bold sentiment
and one of the most industrious and skill
full farmers. He also sketched the genial
Goodrich and alluded very pleasantly to Mr..
James who had been transferred from the
church militant to what will be the army
triumphant. He closed by offering his best
wishes for the prosperity and peace of the
| Old South parish of which he said, may it
be reverenced by those who have come out
from her.
The next sentiment was to the state of Con-
necticut, who, though supplying other states
SO literally, had always been careful to keep
a reserve; which, said the president, sup
pose means, in Yankee dialect, they know
how to save their bacon.
Rev. DIR. Bacon, in responding, said it was
an awkward thing to make dinner-table
speech. Being little weary himself he
called to mind the story of the Scotch minis
| ter, who had preached two hours. And were
you not weary? said his listener. No; but it
would have done your soul good to see how
weary the people were, was the reply. AL
luding to the boundary between Massachusetts
and Connecticut, as SO very difficult to per-
ceive, he closed with the toast-The state of
Massachusetts; there she stands, look at her!
The chairman spoke of the child of the
church of 1887, and in some very compliment
tary remarks gave as a sentment-The Sec
ond Parish in Worcester: may they long re-
joice in the light of their city set on hill.
Rev. DR.. Hill spoke of his personal knowl-
edge of all the pastors of the Old South ex-
cepting the first. He respected the men who
built that church, and he all the time felt that
it was our church. The modern improvements
the second church could not claim; but in
the timbers and all that was permanent they
claimed an interest. 1t was our church too.
He said there must in these times be a look
ing up, clinging interest in the fundamental
teachings of christianity. He welcomed the
larger charity of these days, .and concluded
with the hope that we all might have COM
mon and earnest faith which shall sustain in
trials.
Rev. DIR. Sweetser responded to n senti-
ment, alluding to the early benefactors of the
Central church, and reviewed the past, al
luding to the comparative modern origin of
most of our houses Of worship, nearly all of
which were less than forty years old. He
thought we needed more men of the Samuel
adams type.
Rev. Lemuel Moss, of the first Baptist
| church, in response to a toast said that his
| church was one half as old as the Old
South. He expressed the best of wishes for
the parish.
To sentiment to the Antiquarian Society,
Hon. Stephen Salisbury responded, reverenty
speaking of the structure which, after one
hundred years, still stood pointing with its
graceful spire to higher flights, with the spirit
of youth still animated its interior. After
complimenting the discourse of the day, he
closed with some happy illusions to the Anti
quarian Society
Hon. Isaac Davis was called up to respond
to sentiment complimentary to him as the
historian of the Baptist Society, who, by his
recent centennial address, had made a real
addition to church history. He INDUCED in
historical account of the various church build
ings of this city, and spoke of his great inter-
est in the occasion.
Rev. Mr.. Walker, pastor of the parish, next
spoke He said it was the first time in his life
he had addresseda Massachusetts, audience as
fellow citizens. In the great century that has
passed, which saw the first beginning of our
republic, and closed with freedom to all, he
saw the prophecy of the century to come, and
he urged all to be faithful to make the one to
come more splendid than the past. He said
our army life was going to do much to make
men more liberal, more tolerant.
To sentiment alluding to the probate Of
fee, Hon. Henry Chaplin responded delicious
ly, closing with a tribute to Puritanism.
Rev. Mr.. Cutler, of the Union church, re-
sponded to sentiment, noticing that society,
stating how, by union of members, three
f1fths of whom were from the Old South,
and twO-ffths from the Central, the Union was
formed. He drew a delightful picture of the
coming time, when steeples shall rise all over
the country, as thckly as in our county;
spoke of the progress of the anti-slavery sem
timent, and wished the Old South church ed
itice to stand ten times as long as it has-an
exponent of our piety and our faith.
The president said, that if we had no St.