Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-07-29
The Memorials of n Century.

laid NV the noble band of heroic men
Who frat felled our forests and planted
the broad acres which now from their
fertile bosoms bring sustenanoe to sol
many thousands. We have great reason
Of thankfulness for the labors and de-
invitations of the fathers, who saved the
rich heritage which we possess at the
present hour, and it should be our proud
est emulation that it descend to future
generations improved by the march of the
dred years! What changes have been
wrought in the material aspects, moral
condition and progress of our State, and
what shall be- its condition century
hence, are suggestive inquiries that arise
in the mind when the memorials of past
century are reviewed.
These reflections are suggested by the
perusal of the memorials of a Century,"
a volume for which we are indebted to
the courtesy and kind remembrance of
Hon Trenor W. Park of Bennington.
The Memorials of a Century" is a
volume of 40S pages, recently issued from
the press of Messrs. Gould and Lincoln OF
Boston, and well written, by Rev. Isaac
Jennings, Pastor of the First Congrega-
tional Church in Bennington. 1t en-
braces a record of individuals and events
chiefly in Bennington, and its first
Church. The foundation of the volume
is the discourse delivered at the Centen-
NAL Celebration of the organization of the
Bennington First Church, the publication
Of which at the time was requested by the
leading citizens of that town. The dsi-
course is substantially embraced in the
first nine chapters. The writer, feeling
that several other subjects demanded a
more complete consideration, the work
was elaborated into volume instead OF
ending with the discourse alluded to.
The subjects elaborated are four, namely /:
The land-title controversy Bennington
Battle the individual men and women
of Bennington in past times the Seperat-
ist antecedehts of many of the first in
udDlldul~, tbStLilCI Win litii piOihDiiOi
of civil liberty as to public worship. The
work performed by the author is an i'm
portant one, and has been very excellent
ly done, evincing good taste and Judge
ment 1t is "A worthy tribute to the early
settlers and noble monument of the
ancient town of Bennington, the Mother
of Governors" as Virginia has been said
to be Mother of Presidents
The religious, side by side with the
secular life of Bennington, is present
ed on its pages, gathering up remarkable
incidents of both, extending careful re-
search in directions heretofore neglected
These are all combined in this work as
record of what the town has accomplished
in the past. The church history is the
most concise, Illustrative and complete Of
single church it has been our fortune to
have read. We do not hesitate to pro-
nounce it a model in style, arrangement
and compilation. No one can read it
without consciousness that he has an in
tellEent view, of the whole field of its la
bors, and the individuals that performed
them. In this respect, the author has
evinced peculiar adaptation in the prep
aration of historical narration
In the discussion of the land-title con-
..o'o.s,, great research Is apparent to
those who were conversant with the ques-
ton, and its presentation in this volume
is valuable addition to the history of
our State, and gives a view which should
be in the mind of every reader of Yer
mont history. In this portion of the
work Mr.. Jennings is undoubtedly in
debted to Ex-Governor Uiland Hall,
whose exhaustive ltbors in the same di-
rection, to ascertain and put ON record the
truth of history, was the browning act OF
his honored and useful life. This portion
of the volume will especially commend
itself to those who desire concise state
ment of this vexed question, for exam
pies are presented from the individual
experience of the citizens % Bennington.
The account of the bltty II Beuning-
ton, although III the main not new in its
general features, yet the personal incidents
and records aI! "a fresh supply Of details
drawn from reliable sources, assist in
making perfect record of thar memorA-
biz enga cement.
Among tn. most interesting features.
are the personal notices, 81 the citizens,
living and dead, OF BENNINGTON, which
embraces the Robinson, H,rwoJd. Fas-
sett, Satforl, Fay, iluhhtl, Hs>well,
Hall and Swift t.m'iir~. Al of whom are
familiar to rhos,. VIII, are conycr,aut at
all with Bennin,:otr or ia fact vit4 Yer
mont history The supplementary chapter
is also fall of interest. giving hrlrf sketch
es of the town ia olIeu time,
of political Partie, and the
essay. if we may 30 term
it, of The influence Of the early settlers of
Vermont Freedom OF public worship"
is well considered and valuable contri-
button to Vermont history, and we es-
pecially acknowledge our obligations to
Mr.. Jennings TOR this particular portion
of his work, for 1T j. labor that should
hove been done long ago, and had 1t not
been prepared now it is feared would
never have been done. The notes in the
form of an appendix to the volume are
valuable addition ~ its contents The
map of Bennington battle accompanies
the volume, aud is a great help in perus-
ing the account of the action, and in Civ
ing the reader an intelligent idea of the
arrangement of the forces, and details of
the engagement. The volume is farther
illustrated by cut OF the First Meeting
House erected in Vermont, at Benning-
ton in 1868.
The time has come when all of our
older towns should hasten to present its
memorials Of century" for soon the
records and materials for such labor will
be gone for the fathers who were cogni