Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-03-12
THE RUTLAND HER AID,
SATURDAY. MARCM :. ISIS.
r.e rpi,eopa, church i. Vermont.

the Episcopal church, but Is a subject a
general aud historical interest, aud a loos
backward may not he inappropriate al
this time, especially a 10 the position
RuilaA County occupied in the first CON
yention which has been suggested by tbs
publication Of the relations % Franklin
and Chittenlen counties in that body.
The State having been settled almost en-
tircly by emigrantS from the other State
oi New England whore the prcyalentrelis
ious views were different from a church
governed by Bishops, there We're but herr
and there individuals holding the faith
Of the Episcopal church, In October Of
the year 1903, the Rev. Samuel Peters
IL d., formerly known 10 early settler,
If Vermont, as Bishop Peters, came 4
Vermont. and who claimed in his life Of
Hugh Peters, 10 be the first who visited
"Verd Mont" as he named il. In com.
pany with number Of gentlemen he AZ
rendcd one Of thu Gregu Mountain peaks,
and there in sight of Lake Champlain on
the west, and Connecticut river on the
east, and stretching his view over inter
minable forests northwmd and south
ward. proclaimed the name of "yerd
Mont After this, as he states, he passed
through most Of the settlements. preach
ing and baptizing for the space of eigh,
weeks. The number baptized by him a,
that early period, Of adults and children,
is set down at nearly twelve hundred, So
far a. records or credible traditions 20,
these were the first labors of much i'm.
portance performed by clcrgymen of the
Episcopal church; DIR. Peters was an &C.
centric individual Us shown in an address
on his life delivered by Rev A. II. Bal
ley, ID. D., before the purmnt Historical
Society few years since. and had but lit
tie influence among the people after they
became acquainted with him.
The first parish was organized at Ar
lington, which was afterwards followed
by parishes at Manchester, SYNDICATE, Cas-
l,ton, Tinmouth, Wells. Fairfield, Bethel,
Weathersfeld and Rockingham. The
parishes at Sandgate, Tinmou,h and
are now extinct The first
church edifice was erected at Arlington
in 1880, but the interior was not COM
pleted until 1903. In the month OF Sep
Iembsr, 1890, the first ecclesiastical con-
vention was held at Arlington. which was
he first time Vermont could be called an
organized diocese. An application was
made to the Legislature for an act of in
which was unsuccessful. At
! convention held at Pawlet in 1893, a
was appointed to make appli-
alton to the Society in England, for
conveyance OF its property in Vermont to
uch Board. At this convention Rev.
edward Bass, DID, Rector Of st. Pauls .
'hurch, Newburyport, Mass, was elected
Bishop, and accepted, but the prospect
rowing unfavorable for his support, he
ever removed to the State or was conse-
rated Bishop. In the month of February
Glowing special session of tho conven-
ion was held, and Col John A. Graham
+ Rutland put in nomination for Bishop
Rev. Samuel Peters, Ii D., who was his
elative and intimate friend, and he was
lested. DIR. Peters was then in England,
nd Col. Graham was dispatched there to
procure his conservation, but this the
english bishops declined to do, having
.lready consecrated three bishops in
america, and then an application was
made to the American bishops, who de-
lined to do it because there was but one
clergyman in the State, and after this no
more is heard of DIR. Peters The plans /.
or supplying the diocese with a bishop
falling, and the General Convention hav- I
ng enacted canon that no diocese could /
elect bishop without six clergymen, in
1909 a plan was formed for confederating
The New England States, and on the 31st
lay of May, 1910, the Rev Mr. Bronson,
Hon. Daniel Chapman of Middlebury, /
DR. Samuel Cutler of Rockingham and
John Whitloek, Esq, of Castleton, with |
the delegates from the other States. met
At Boston and organized the Eastern Do
rese. The Rev. Alexander yiets Girls /
void, then clergyman in Rhode Island,
was elected Bishop. and eonseerated in |
New York, May Goth, 1911
At the Convention held on the last
Wednesday in August, 1881, measures
were taken to effect separation OF Ver-
mont from the Eastern diocese, no ohiec-
tion being made by the Bishop, consent
being given by the other members of the
Massachusetts, Nov. 2, 1881,
Maine, Feb. I, 1882; Rhode Island, March
s, 1882; New Hampshire, April 2. 1892.
AT this convention Bishop was elected
There were thirteen clerical ballots--of
these seven were for the Rev John Henry
Hopkins, and six for the Rev, John s.
Stone, both then Rectors in the city of
Boston, which vote was confirmed by the
laity by vote of thirty-one to nine
There were present at the convention
thirteen clergy from Manchester, Bur-
lington, Fellows Falls, Woodstock, St
Albans Shelburne, Berkshire, Mont
gomery, Arlington and Bethel. There were
also lay delegates present from the above
named towns also from Wells Pawlet,
Poultney, Vergennes, Milton, Fairfield,
Bethel, Perkinsvslle and Guilford.
Those who were present from Rutland
county and participated in the choice
were as follows: Rev. John A. Hicks
Rector of Trinity church, Rutland
Messrs. Porter Howe and Lueius NJ