Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-05-12
THE RUTLAND HERALD.
size Was "a Good Man,,

more than forty years as q prominent
CLERGYMAN of the Baptist church. His
long residence in our community and his
Identification with the religious interests
of his denomination in the State, demands
an extended notice of the life of this use
fol and pious man. We know of no more
expressive heading than words descriptive
of Barnabas, which go aptly apply to the
subject of our notice. "For he was a good
man, and full of the Holy Ghost, and of
faith" .......
Leland Howard, son of Calvin and Han
nah (Wellmau) Howard, was born in ia
rnaica, Windham county, Vermont, 18th
of October, 1893. His grandfather, Ben
iamin Howard, came from Mendon, Mass,
to Jamaica in 1880, accompanied by seven
of his sixteen sons. He had IS children,
16 sons and two daughters. Calvin, the
father of Leland, had twelve children,
seven sons and five daughters, viz: Purify
married Joel Gagel, Betsy married John
Stocker), Calvin, Leland, Mary married
- Blanchard), Erial Kendrick, Pbilena
married Alexander Miller, Porter s.,
Sarah married Dea. Peleg Seamans), Joel
Manning, Susan married Rev. Mr.. Ha-
vens), Ursula Ann. He was the second
son. A brother, Joel NJ, was also cler-
gyman. Hon. Jacob M. Howard, United
States Senator from Michigan, was a son
of Otis Howard and is a cousin of Leland.
Harrison Stevens, well-known, wealthy
gentleman of Montreal, is a grandson of
Paul Howard and also a cousin.
His parents were in ordinary circum-
stances for the times in which they lived
and were unable to give him an educa-
ton. In his earlier years he was COM
PEELED like most boys of those days to
work upon the farm. From April to Oc-
SALISBURY, Vermont. While at Shafts
bury the most important event in his life
occurred, his conversion to religious life
A widespread revival occurred in that
vicinity, and he was among those who
were awakened. He wrote letter to his
father of his experiences, and his father
was 30 reioiced that he read the letter at
q religious meeting, and it made deep
impression upon the minds of his youth
full companions. He soon after visited
his father, then residing at Winhall, and
on the Sabbath he attended the meeting
at the center of the town, and at the re-
quest of a gentleman present. he with
great want of confidence addressed the
audience, exhorting them to repentance
and the same evening he again spoke to
the people upon the subject of religion. On
his return to Salisbury he was baptized
by the Rev. Isaiah Mattison in June, being
then about II years of age. In the fall he
returned home again, and the revival
spread throughout all the surrounding
towns, except Manchester. From this
time he commenced preaching. He
preached his first sermon at his sisters
house in Jamaica, on a Sabbath evening
in February, 1912, from the text, Now il
any man have not the spirit of Christ, be
is none of his" Romans s, 8. The next
Thursday evening he preached his second
sermon at Jamaica Center, from these
words, "Verily, verify say unto you. the
hour is coming and now il, when the
dead shall hear the voice of the Son OF
God, and they that hear shall live" On
the Friday evening following he preached
in another part of the town at the house
of his sister, his third sermon, from the
text, Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God, through our Lord
Jesus Christ, "-Romans, 81. On the fol
lowing Sunday he preached his first Sab
bath-day discourse at Jamaica Center
Upon This sermon he had given his first
weeks study. He then returned to Win
hall and commenced preaching in the
school.houses and in Londonderry, accom-
panied by his father, and had rich resulte
from his itinerant tours about the vicin-
ity. He soon after preached to the peo-
pie of Winhall in his fathers barn, he
having fixed some seats for his congrega-
ton. Here he preached from spring I'M
til the autumn to large congregations,
and on week days he worked on the farm
In the fall he walked to Clarendon, dis.
lance of forty miles, ON visit to his
father, who was in the employ of Judge
Theopolis Harrington, arriving on Satur.
day evening and with his father he went
to Ira and preached the next day and sew.
eral times during the following week and
the next Sabbath. During this visit his
father told him that he had "let him to
the church in Ira to preach for them q
year.; and the church advanced to his
father a sleigh-load of provision and sew.
enty silver dollars, and furnished a team
for their young preacher to take the pro-
vision home to his fathers house in Win
hall, in payment for his first years ser.
vices. He remained in Ira two years,
In September, 1914, he went to Wind.
sor to study having been invited there by
Gen. Abner Forbes, a wealthy citizen Of
that town. He placed him under the
tuition of Rev. Joshua Bradley, pastor Of
the Baptist church, boarding with Sewau
cutting, OeD' IoroeS paying MS DOafu
and tuition. He commenced the study OF
English Grammar, Latin, Greek and
Theology. He iremained their until
October, 1915, preaching every Sabbath
mostly at Hartland. In 1915 he accom-.
panied Gen. Forbes to Boston, his friend
hoping he would receive aid in completing
his education for the ministry. The first
Sabbath he spent in Boston he preached
at the first Baptist church, Rev. James III
Winchell, pastor. He commenced hi;
studies with this gentleman, boarding in
his family, the members of the church
paying for his board and no charge was
made for his tuition. He remained there
from October, 1916, to June 1917. He
preached every Sabbath, often supply ing
the pulpits of DIR. Winchell, DR.. Baldwin,
and DIR. Sharp, but mostly at Lynn and
Canton. During this period the frs,
Baptist church at Lynn was organized