Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-03-06
The Congregational Church in Iras-
if2fi l1foJ buygh. jioe -af u

burgh, consisting of three males and
three female members, was organized
Jan. %, 1913, by the Rev. Luther Lee
land Of Derby and the Rev. James
Hobart of Berlin. In the following
February Zadok Bloss was chosen
moderator and clerk, and, at a later
period, deacon also. Pastoral servi-
ces were rendered for terms of various
length by the Rev. Messrs. Luther
Leland, James Parker, David II. Will
liston, w. A. Chaplin, Lyman Case,
James Hobart, Elias W. Kellogg, Dan
lei Rockwell, Otis f. Curtis, and Buel
W.. Smith. no. .
A revival which took place in 1898
brought so much strength to the
church that it felt able to settle pas
tor, and a call was given to the Rev.
James Johnson, who accepted the in
vitation, and early in 1888, was duly
installed. For more than twenty
years the court house was The only
place of worship, but after many years
of struggles 6 house was completed,
which was dedicated Jan. Is, 1910.
In December 1912, a series of meet
ings was held on the evening of sever
al successive weeks, and a system of
visitation from house to house was
established. This was followed by a
general revival, as the result OF which
forty five were added to the church.
Most of these were from the Sabbath
School. In l843, the erysipelas ragged
fearfully in Orleans County, and in
many towns with great fatality; but,
as the records of the church say, " in
the commencement of the year God
visited this people with the outpour-
ings of his spirit, in consequence Of
which the attention Of the people was
called off from the disease, and thus
the mind being delivered from fear,
the disease was far less fatal, than in
other towns" Mr.. Johnson's pastor
ate continued nearly nln"o- J-e~te. -
The next pastor was the Rev. Joel
Fisk who was installed early in 1850
and, at his own request, was dismissed
in October 1854; but in compliance
with vote Of the church he continued
to officiate as pastor till March 1855
The Rev. John I'll. Beckwith was act
ing pastor for three years from Dec.
1855. In February 1859 the Rev
Thomas Bayne became acting pastor
and continued till Nov. 1868. The
Rev. James III. Woodward began tc
supply the pulpit June u, 1864, wa:
installed as pastor the next fall, and
still continues in the pastorate.
PASTORS.
|. The Rev. James Johnson was
born in Lynnfeld, Mass, July 18th
1779. His early life was a constant
but ultimately successful struggle will
adverse circumstances. He was grad
uated at Harvard University in 1908
at the mature age of twenty-nine, reaC
theology with the Rev. DR.. Ware, anC
was licensed in 1910. He was or
dained pastor of the Presbyterian
church in Potsdam, n. Y, March II
1872. The Rev. Amos Pettengill of
Champlain, preached the sermon, anc
it was printed. In 1917 he was dis
missed from that pastorate and wa;
installed, October 7th, 1918, over the
Congregational church in Williston
VT, where he remained pastor five
years to day, and was dismissed
Oct. 7, 1928. He was installed, Feb
%, 1927, over the first church in st
Johnsbury, and remained in that pas
torate till May 3, 1888, when the rela
ton was dissolved. His ministry a.
st. Johnsbury was eminently usefu
and the results of it are visible to thi:
day. Two revivals occurred, one of
which, in 1884, resulted in more thai
sixty additions to the church. Tn,
whole number added by profession du
ring his pastorate there was one hun
dred and seventy. His next and las
ID settlement was at Irasburgh, where h,
was installed Feb. Is, 1889. He wa
dismissed Nov. %, $40, and havin!
attained the age Of seventy years, b,
removed to st. Johnsbury, where h
resided, without pastoral charge, til
81 his death, which occurred October 81
"a 1856. He was an able and industri
Gus minister and had a special gift il
prayer. II His only published discours
was a sermon preached at masoni
celebration at st. Adams, June oath
smilo 10 H5m 9Gi sons a..
2. The Rev. Joel Fisk, son of Dea
Moses and Hannah (Bachelder) Fisl
was born in Waitsfeld, VT, Oct. &c
i917S6.d He was aGgfandson of Eben
ezer Fisk of Shelburne, Mass, a ma