Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-06-01
CORRESpONDENCE
Universaiist Church in Chester

several papers commondatory Of the la
bors and success Of the Rev. f. S. Eos
ter in Chester, w., calculating to con-
yey wrong. impression as to the affairs
Of the UnlyersaIist Society in Chester,
1t is thought TO be very desirable that
the facts in the case should be made
known.
E. S~Foster commenced his second
pastorate with said society the first Of
May, 1868, under hattering circrmstm
ccs The first year passed with little or
no division in the society as to the at.
tendance upon public worship The
subscription to pay Foster was about
sixteen dollars per day for three founhs
of the time. The two years passed with
about the same FEELING in the society as
the first year except the subscription
which was reduced to some eleven dol
lars per Sabbath for thrce-foulths of the
time. About the 9th day of November
Of the second year, H. 5. Foster asked
Of one of the members of the society
an explanation for their absence from
meeting. The explanation was denied
Foster, but would explain the matter
before the society if desired An AZ
rangement was then made between Fos-
ter and the member that a notice should
be given in church on the next day
(Sunday), of a meetiug to be on the Sth
at said church. For some reason best
known to Foster and his friends, the
notice was not given but few invited
to the meeting, when the member re-
fused to cXplain,-as it was not the
meeting agreed upon-and no cXpIa-
nation was had. From this time things
grew worse, as the member was not al
lowed the meeting, as Trrangedbctw
him and Foster. At the end of the sec
ond year it looked hard to raise n sub
scription for Il third year. Foster con-
tinued to labor and Il subscription was
obtained TO the amount of three hundred
dollars or thereabouts, being about sew
eli dollars per day for three fourths Of
the time.
On the 9th day of October, 1870, L.
s. Foster closed his labors with the
Chester society, and on the 18th day OF
said October left Chester for Dowagiac,
Mich, arriving there on the 18th Of
said October, at 4 o'clock, p. NJ. lIo
preached in his accepted desk on the
10th, where he had previously accepted
a call, as may be seen in the Ne,c Core-
nnnt Of October 18th, printed at Chica-
90. On the 18th of said October Foster
wrote the Chairman of the Committee
at Chcster,-where he had left ON the
Thursday prcyious,-that he was dis
charged from the society in Dowagiac,
and desired to return to Chester STATING
as may be seen in certified copies, that
he was under no obligations to any one
in Connecticut about their missionary
work. but his son-in-law and daughter.
On the 18th of said October f. S. Fos
ter wrote the Committee of the Society
in Chester, that he was discharged from
the society in Dowagiac on his solicita
ton, on account of the peculiar situation
of his affairs III Vermont; that he knew
Of no way Of setting all the matters full
ly right in Chester without retaliation.
He further s,ates that Mr., Spaulding
has been doing all in his power against
him FcsteD, saying boldly that he
Foster had lied and he could prove it ;
so by my leaving Chester and saying
nothing about it-only with your Com
mittee-it is virtually owning it myself,
and is virtually accepting the same as
truth. The matter stated in this letter
of the 18th can be seen in certified
copy of the same. On the 25th of said
October, E. S. Foster wrote the Com
mittee at CHESTER may be seen by
a like certified copy--that at the time Of
the Association at Chester, Rev. Mr..
Guernsey and Rev. Mr.. Hammond
stopped with Mr. Spauding during oul
Association, and he filled them full Of
his false material, &c. 1t has often been
said by T.. S. Fosters friends that had
it not been for letters written by Spaul.
ding to the Committee at Dowagiac,
Foster would not have returned to Chcs
ter On the 18th and 18th Foster says
he is discharged. Sec what he says Oh
the 25th, which is a like certified copy
of his language used:
Dowagiac, Mich, Oct. 25th, 1870.
Dear Bro. RobbiaS:-I never for q
moment thought | should have Mr.
Spauding to deal with in this country,