Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-04
rhe piehn,onl ancic,x.

MeSSfS. Editors; Allow me a little space iii
your columns for the benefit of the members of
the above society and others of your readers
interested in the subject, concerning its name,
and some of the reasons why it was adopted
from among the many excellent ones which
were suggested for the Seventh Congregational
society, just formed in this city. by way of pre-
face it shoud he noticed that it is not the
Piedmont street, but simply The Piedmont soci-
ETY..
Years AGO, one of our scholarly townsmen
established upon the summit OF beautiful Hill
in our then southern suburb Il Young ladc 5
school, and appropriately named it the Dread
(mountain nymphl institute. The avenue lead
ing from the main tliOrOu@hlare and winding
around the base of this romantic height, with
equal good taste (too rare in naming either per-
sons OF thingS) was called Piedmont tmountain
toOtl street. This name equally if not better
applies to the site purchased for the new church
edliice at the intersection of the streets directly
in front of the principal emncnce, and possesses
this advantage over the other names, that it at
once points out and describes Enthusiastically the
exact location; also, so far us known it has
never been applied TO any other organization in
this country, while many of those mentioned
are already in use in one or more other places,
| and if chosen by this society would seem to be
copied from them. 1t is easily spoken and writ
ten, looks well and sounds well-features which
it is hoped may characterize all the possessions
and transactions of the society.
Besides its adaptedness for the situation, how
| ever, the historic associations connected with
this name, give it peculiar significance for such
| a religious society,"
The Piedmont valleys at the foot of the Swiss
| Alps, in northwestern Italy, have for ages been
| the home of an evangelical church Of the purest
faith and practice. Indeed it is claimed by some
| OF its own members, that it has existed from
| apostolic times, uneclipscd through the almost
| universal corruption of the middle and dark
| ages. Certainly so early As the twelfth century,
| Peter Waldo, a Lyonese merchant eXiled by the
| priesthood for daring to translate the gospels
| into the common tongue and assert the peoples
| right to read Them fed to this territory; and his
| followers (hence called the Wad9nses) through
| succeeding centuries maintained their faith with
n steadlast integrity scarcely inferior TO that of
| the primitive Christian confessors. They hailed
| with eager sympathy the beginning of the great
| religious reformation in Germany and were pre-
| pared TO adopt its principles. The thrilling mar
| rativeS of brave endurance, and heroic deiences
| under privatiOns and prosecutions from both
| civil and ecclesiastical powers, amid the Pied
| mont valleys are an unceasing source of insp-
| ration and enthusiasm throughout Protestant
| chrisendOm.
These considerations duly weighed by the
| members Of this society, it is believed will pro-
duce in their minds, as they did in those of the
| committee who selected the name, Il growing
conviction OF its special fitness and stimulate
| worthy ambition that the society now assuming
| the name, may likewise possess the virtues Of
| the earlier Piedmont church, and ever be known
| as pure, earnest and progressive Christians.
| ONE OF THE MEMBERS.
w orcester, June 3D., 1872