Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-08-18

Tuesday. August Sth. 1876, was an IN
teresting day in WesiiJrd 1t was the
seyenty-fi,h anniy ersary Of the organization
Of the Congregational Church. and was
made the occasion OF the reunion OF several
families that had been widely separated,
and Of the return Of many of the sons and
daughters OF the town that had long been ab-
sent. among these, We mention Noah
Tyler. School Master John Woodruff, Judge
T0rrey L Wales, Arasa OsgoOd. Slas
Beach, James Green, DR.. fairchild. John
aud Timothy S.bley. James Morse and
several of the family. j. r. Drury, y. p.
and Elliott Bowman, Chauncey Williams,
Mrs Elizabeth Hart daughter Of Dea. james
Taylor, L. L. Lawrence. d. IL. Mlcomber,
who led the choir at the church 20 years
ago and now recognizes only four who were
then in it Elder Slbin, of Georgia, who
was one of the first pastors Of the Bap-
fist Church and the surviving members
OF the Wood family mother, Hannibal. $50
Ion, George, and the sisters, with their
wives and husbands, gathering at the old
homestead, and sitting in the pews they
were formerly wont to occupy in the church:
Rev. Mr.. Woodward, the second pastor Of
the church, who, IN the overflow OF his Joy
at the unexpected meeting with this family.
followed the Apostolic injunction Greet
the sisters with a holy kiss :" the Holmes
family and many others who were formerly
residents of the town. The reunion OF these
4s.ft 4
joyous one.
The services were held in the chur ch,
which was crowded 10 Its utmost capacity
Rev. Messrs. Sibin, Chamberlain. aud By
ingtOn occupied the pulpit, which was
beautifully ornamented with Jacobs ladder
in full bloom, and adorned with several
neatly arranged Doquets in vases. The
choir. under the leadership of Deacon
lothian Rice, opened the exercises
with the anthem. Holy, Lord God of
Sabbath" Rev Mr. Chamberlain, pastor
OF the church two years. read the Scriptures;
Rev. Mr.. Sabin offered u very appropriate
PRAYER; the choir sung, " .. how lovely
Is Zion" and then followed the Historical,
address by Rev. Mr. Byington, the present
pastor. The church vas Ct missionary ORR
gin. the first missionaries having been sent
hither by the Connecticut Domestic Mission
airy Society. 10 1913. meetings were held
in the - Stuart " school house. then stand
ing near where Mrs. Samuel Rice now
lives. In this locality resided the ancestry
OF Hon. Alvan Stuart.w became 50 noted
a. an anti-slaverv nan in later years For
six years previous to the organization OF the
church, services were regularly held in this
school house On the 7th of August. 1901.
the church was organized by Rev Jedediah
Bushnell missionary, in II barn about three
miles south OF the village, with member
ship of IL. On the 5th, the Sacrament of
the Lords Supper was administered. Rev.
Mr. Bushnell preaching and administering
the ordinance Of baptism to M Wood
ruff's family, consisting OF six persons, the
youngest of whom, John. then an infant in
his mothers arms, was present on this
occasion, as the only survivor oil that fam
ily conservation in baptism to the Lord
God, found faithful to his covenant. They
are all in the Kingdom.
10 1905. Rev Simeon Parmalee was or
dained pastor Of the church, in barn, south
of the village, which is now standing. lie
was pastor 30 years Ia 1898, Rev. j. ii.
Woodward, now of Milton, became pastor.
then Rev. Peter Nu.ting. who died soon
after, then Revs. c. c Torrey, E. b Cham
berlain and Geo. 7. Byington. All the
pastors Of the church are living save one
The speaker paid Just and appropriate
tribute. especially to the earlier pastors, as
faithful workmen that need not be ashamed
of their labors and the results. The truth has
been faithfully preached in this pulpit
The Bible has been held up as searching
light to guide and instruct. No false doe
trines heve been preached. He then alluded
to the reyivals which the church had enjoyed
in 1901 in 1908, when sixty united with
the church; and among others to the great
revival, in 1881. which occurred in the |
summer, and spread generally throughout /
the town. Ia the course OF this busy season oil |
the year, sunrise and i've O'Clock prayer !