The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-26
Laying OF the Corner Stone Of The
congregational Church NJ Bcn-
ningtOu.
HISTORY OF THE MOTHER CHURCH.

Sparks, in his American History,
says; The first settlements in Vermont,
not only In subduing wilderness but es-
tablishing all independent government,
afford some of the most remarkable events
in American history. This is not only
true of the state but also of its religious
life, and as the town Of Bennington was
the first chartered town, 80 its first churcl
which came Into existence, Dec. 8, 1762,
was the first church In the state. a slight
sketch of the same which for sixty-four
| years was the only one in town, furnishes II
subject second to none in interest in the
town. The first public meeting in town
was held Feb II, 1862, (at which time Dea
Joseph Stafford and five others were ap-
pointed committee to select site for q
meeting house, ..and adjourned to Feb. 90,
at which it was voted to set it on the north
east corner of sight of land No. 81. and
May IA, 1866. il was voted to give three
acres from the lot where the meeting
house then stood. for public use The pre-
Nio' Nt,N w INV bulhllhH vi tlit ihtttllls
house is not known it stood about midway
where the present one now stands and the
Walloomsac House. II was built in time
TO be occupied in 1866, and the cost of it
was met in part by tax, and partly by sub
scripiion. The size was fifty by forty feet
with the addition of porch twenty feet
sQuarc. There was no stecple. The gal
leries extended around three sides. and in
the front seats in the galleries ON either
side of the pulpit were occupied by the
singers. The pews were square and orna-
mentcd with little ratings in the place of Il
top panel There was sounding board
over the pulpit, three doors for entrance
and exit and the building stood lcngthwsc
north and south. In this meeting house
town meetings were frequently held here
the people met to give thanks to God for
the taking of 'riconderoga, Col. Allen an
several other officers having returned to be
present at the services From this pulpit
Rev. Mr.. Dewey preached war sermon
the Sunday preceding the Battle of Ben
nington and here the HIessians and other
prisoners captured at that battle were
/ brought for safe custody.
In this church, in 1878, the first lcgisla-
| ture of the state assembled. The general
assembly of the state also convened in it in
| 1ii9-'S0. Here also was conducted the IA
nous murder trial of Whitney and1Tibbetts.
! for tbn o1inund ,,,urIar of on Indian and
several other interesting events occurred
within its walls. The original members
consisted of thrty-two males and twenty
five females. The first pastor was Rev.
Jcdcdiah Dewey, who died Dec 81, 1878 ;
| besides whom there have been seven others
| Gncluding the Rev. Isaac Jennings, the
present PASTOR among whom are found the
names of job Swift, ID. d., J. J. Abbott
and Rev. Edward w. Hooker, ID. d., who
was pastor of the church twelve years.
The old meeting house was used until about
1903, when it was taken down and a larger
and more modern structure erected, which
is now used. Many of the most prominent
men in the early history of the state were
active members in this church. Among
them were Capt. Elisha Dewey (who com
manded the Bennington company in the
battle, where four of the active members
of the church and society were killed.
Col. Samuel Robinson, Col. Benjamin
Fassctt Ga commissary in the revolution
Elisha Field (the first tithing manin town,
| Eax+ Mneoe Dni,;nan, na,-il Dnl;,,-
! son, Stephen Fay, who was landlord of the
famous Catamount tavern, Gov Isaac
| Tichcnor, and many others In this church
Col. Allen, Gen. Stark and Seth Warner
have worshiped. Until 1927 this WINS the
only church in town. Since then other
churches, including two Congregational,
have been organized, the first members of
which were mostly taken from the men,
bers of the old society. Still its usefulness
has not been impaired, and it still stands a
bright and shining light in the vineyard of
the Lord. with a record and list of men,
bcrs equaled by only few churches in the
state,
PUBLIC EXERCISES.
The religious services, in connection
with laying the corner stone of the Second
Congregational church in Bennington, took
place on Monday evening at five o'clock.
The ceremonies We're witnessed by large
concourse of people, who gave attentive
audience to the several addresses delivered.
The exercises were opened with remarks
by the pastor, Rev. c. b. Hurlburi, vel
coming all who were present to assist in
the exercises of the hour.
Invocation and reading of the 27th and
122d psalm by Rev. r.. NJ. Luther, pastor
of the Baptist church
Singing, "Great is the Lord our God. .
by the choir.
Rev. G. b. lIurlburt then delivered the
following
The Old Testament is full of prophecies
concerning the coming Messiah. But one of
the most striking is that OF Daniel, when in
prophetic vision he saw the stone cut out of
the mountains without hands and which
filled the whole earth-cut out of
Mount Sinai-whence he gave us the law,
out of Mount Morlah where in figure he
was sacrificed out of the Mount whereon
he preached the Ordination Sermon of the
disciples; out of the Mount where he was
TRANSPORTED and out of Mount Calvary
where he was crucificd. Out of these
mountains the stone was cut and without
hands; stone perfigured by the rock smt-
ten in the wilderness and which gushing
with water followed the Israeltcs, and
which rock was Christ And this is the stone
of which it was written, a." Behold lay in
Zion a chief corner stone, that precious stone;
he that believcth on him shall not be con-
founded. But how does it come to pass
| that the stone cut from the mountains is to