Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-09-27

d
Read az Tho rcopniag Of the Congregational.
Church M Psoham, Sept %, 1871
Br OLIVER JOHNSON.
The following extracts from Mr., johnson i'd
dress, at Peacham advance slips Of which he has
kindly furnished u.s. contain So much that is prac-
teal as TO the duties and privileges of the citizens.
not only OF Peacbam, but Of every town in the
state that we gladly give space to them
come now to a topic on which no one will
question my right to speak on this occasion,
viz. Your duty and privilege, as citizens OF
this town, to labor earnestly, and with wise
forecast to develop its physical, intellectual,
social, and moral advantages and resources, so
as to make it goodly heritage" for your
selves and all whose lot may hereafter be cast
here As a small rural town, with a hard
soil aud a cold climate, it mag be said, with.
out boasting, that Peacham has an honorable
record, The early settlers Of the town gen.
orally appreciated the need Of intelligence,
morality, aud religion as conditions Of a pros.
perous and happy community The church
aud the school were institutions which they
/ thought hardly less necessary than food and
clothing, and which, therefore, they took
measures to found at the earliest possible
moment, taxing themselves in their poverty to
an extent in contrast with which. | fear. the
liberality Of their more prosperous descend.
ants might almost seem like parsimopy.-
The boys and girls Of the present time have
but feeble conception of the hardships and
privations Of that early day, when much of
the town was dense wilderness, and when
the tillers OF the soil dwet for the most part
in log cabins, which now would hardly be
thought fit for barns when pewter platters
were sign Of aristocracy, and people we're
content to take their simple fare on plates
fashioned in the turning lathe when the
= mothers and their daughters spun aud woyc
= the cloth not only for their own garments.
but those of their husbands. sons and broth.
e ers when all trade took the form of barter
an" 'AVh"Hg0i Nuu ~ was uncut 10 get
money enough even to pay the government
tax. And yet it was in those days that a
commodious Westinghouse was erected and
= minister settled aud school-bousos we're
built in every neighborhood. If we could
now summon from their graves The Ekinses,
, the Chamberlins the Miners, the Baieys,
the Merrills, the Blanchards the Crossmans,
the Walkers, and others too numerous to men.
ton, who wrought so successfully in laying
the foundations on which you are building at
this day what tales of primitive and pioneer
life might VIC not hear
Two things early gave Peacham an honor.
able pro-eminencc among the towns in this
part of the State The first was the settle.
ment of a minister Of rare ability, catholic.
ity, and worth a man, taking him for all in
all, such as is not often found il the pulpit of
a small frontier town. The second was the
e establishment here of the Caledonia County
Grammar School an institution which has
3 been of unspeakabe value to each successive
generation of the boys and girls of the town,
to say nothing of the hundreds who came
from other places to avail themselves of its
advantages. This school was an object of
constant solcitude to Mr.. Worcester during
i the long period of his ministry, and it was
c probably owing to him, more than to any one
= else, that 1t was generally 80 fortunate in the
4 character aud capacity Of its teachers.
The effect Of such ministry and such a
school was seen in the high standard of NOR.
ais that prevailed here, in thirst for knowl-
edge on the part of the young aud in the
fixed habit on the part of the people of at.
l. tending public worship. doubt if there is
y another town in the whole State, in which.
fifty or sixty years ago, there was so small a
fraction of the inhabitants who did not 90 to
n meeting on Sunday as there was in peacham.
In that day carriages of any kind were rare.
Il In summer, those who did not come to church
on foot rode on horseback; the wife unless
she happened 10 possess the luxury of a side.
saddle, riding behind her husband, and the
sister behind her brother, while the little bow
b or girl was perched on the pommel in front.
The gathering of a country congregation on
. Sunday morning, in those days, was sight
= alike animatiug and picturesque; men from
, the outlying hills trudging on foot over the
dusty highways, or crossing the green fields
to shorten the distance, their coats hanging
on their arms, and their sunburut faces Gov.
cred with perspiration shy boys and shyer
. maldens walking in close proximity hardly
daring to speak to each other others coming
nom every quarter on horseback, young colts
3 by the dozen following their dams, their re.
sponsiye whinnyings making music, less sci.
D entihc, il must be confessed, than that of the
] organ, but sometimes more pleasant to the
+. keeny sensitive ear than the nasal discords
! OF the church choir. la winter the scene
T was different but not less animating. The
r snowdriits OF those days were hard to beat,
e hut they were rarely so deep that the people
5 did not contrive to go through, over, or
t around them in order to get to the meeting.
D house, and that, too, though it stood on one
! Of the bleakest hills in the town, and was in.