The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-04-06
The Morgan Spring.
by REV. G. Il. HUBERT.

| sITtuIl Vi gOOu size. III is ne1tDpf 4
brook nor river, but in its magnitude
about midway between the two. II
drains the mountain towns of Woodford
and Glastonbury on the east, and flow
ing westward, forms with other tribula-
ries the beautiful Waloomsac, which,
skirting the famous battlefield of the
Revolution, finds its way into the Hoos-
ick river. Bennington village is located
in valley and yet upon plain gently
inclining to the west. 1t is owing in
main to this mountain stream and the
plain through which it passes, that Ben
nington asserts the claim of being the
largest manufacturing town in the state.
The stream so runs as to be easily util-
lied, and probably no other stream of
its size in the state can be compared
with 1t i'll the service il does in running
machinery. Ii is characterized by one
popularity. II is forbidden to touch the
soil. 1t flows on foundation and in
an enclosure of stone. Its channel is
paved, know not how many feet deep,
with what thepeople denominate ''hard-
heads ii is also walled in between en-
bankmenis constructed of these huge
powders interspersed. AS these facts
may suggest, this stream has all the
conditions required for the formation,
during our cold winters, of anchor-ice
in its bed. Diverted as the water of
this stream is to propel machinery at
different points in the village and to
supply large race, its volume is so di-
minished that its rocky bed, brought by
the exceeding cold TO a lower than
freezing temperature, so gains the mas
terry over ii as to cause ice to form on
the stones beneath to such an extent as
to compel The stream to flow OH q
grooved layer of ice which, in some Sec
tons, more than fills the winding chan
mel. When this is the condition of the
stream, we can well imagine the plight
the village is in when a sudden thaw
comes: A sweeping torrent pours down
from the mountains TO find for its use
no channel through the village. The
eagerness of the citizens to make one
for ii can well be conceived. At large
among the dwellings, pouring through
the streets, and filling the cellars, it is
thing of doubtful utility. Easier to
clear the old than to form new chan-
mel, you see line of men at work with
every form of appliance, assaulting and
loosening the anchor-ice, which, disen-
gagged, is borne down the stream by the
water that may chance to continue to
flow in the old course. ga place for
everything, and everything in its place."
is law of fitness which the Bennington
people seek to enforce upon their gener-
ally well-belovcd and bcncticent noun
tain stream.
But here attention Is called to an in
teresting phenomenon. A short distance
to the north of this stream, as ii enters
the village, there bursts from tine earth
in maple grove the famous "Morgan
Spring Its volume of water does not
vary materially through the year. In
summer and in winter it retains uni
form temperature ofabout forty-two de-
grees Fahrenheit. 1t forms brook of
considerable magnitude. After running
two-thirds of mile at an angle with
the stream we have considered, il forms
a junction with il in the midst of the
village. and from This point 0funion
wiih he n,0in stream d0wnwdrds, IN
chor-ice IS neren hno,cn to form. Ii is
an Interesting spectacle to stand at this
iuncture in mid-winter and mark the
dominion which the Morgan spring as
serts over the hitherto ice-lmpeded and
battled stream, II warns il into life and
sends il on its way rejoicing. "rhus
far shall the icy bed descend-lnd no far
ther." is the authoritative decree which
il issues with silence hardly inierrup-
ted by the murmur of Il ripple. Hence
forward, seemingly homogeneous in
temperature with the spring that has
released il from its captivity, il flows
on, eXhaling from its own bosom as a
grateful Incense 2 long line OF warm
vapor like that which lies upon and
marks the course of its unohirusive and
generous henefactor,
Obviously, attention j. moi called 10
these facts for their own sake; hich
things are an allegory.' Under this
imagery important and striking resem-
blances may be traced. A painful like
ness is quickly discovered between the
stream, chilled, aud choked, and strue-
Cling through impedments, and the
course of the Christian life often in the
heart of the individual believer, and also
in the heart of the individual church.
Not only IN our mountain streams is
anchor-iee found, "The cares of this
world and the deceititIlness Of riches,
and the lusts of other things entering
in, choke he r0id," "That the word
of the Lord may have free course and
be glorilied," II is required that the
channels through which IL is TO flow be
kept open. But ii is a melancholy fact
that the Christian heart often loses its
warmth; subsidies into cold state;
sinks 10 such temperature that anchor
lee forms in all the streams of its life.
Sometimes a church gets filled and
ehoked in this WAY, 'Wf are united
church, we are .fi'ozen fogefher,' is a
form On unity of which many church
can boast Obviously in such a case n
Mdm is needed This representation oil
Christians, under the figure of being
chilled, and congealed even, is famil-
lar one. Few will complain of the iu-
agery as oyerdrawn az exirayagant,
when we find In the bennington stream
the appropriate symbol of many heart
and many church.
But where Is the remedy for this cold
condition; the appliance for the removal
of this mchor-ioe? Remember the be-
neiicent and kindly service OF Tho Nor
gan spring. In the ncighborhood of our
cold hearts there is u fountain open and
flowing toward ~, and ilom that iden-
teal point downward where its waters
enter the current of our affections the
ice loses its anchorage and is carried
captive, We have no longer cold heart
Nhch olitc wv lhNc hhoWn anu no-
lieyed the love that God hath TO us"
I'VE love God" says DIR. Bushnell,
"when we let God love us" The open
ing,of our hearts to the inflow of the di-
vine love In Christ works u r',ange In us
which is but feebly shadowed forth in
the change wrought in the ice-choked
stream by the inflow of the Morgan
spring. The conclusion of the whole
matter Is, TO get rid of our spiritual
GOODNESS, TO eyince the gladdening sem
sibility ofa warm Christian heart, let
us take in the divine breath which was
breathed upon us, when he who is our
life, with hands of benediciiOn over us,
exclaimed, "Receive We the Holy
Ghost, ,'-tVt. Chronicle.
Two little girls were lately prailling
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