Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-04-20

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The Free Congregational society Of Flor.
cnce Northampton has just Issued his
tory OF its past with its platform, bylaws
and extracts from its annual reports. This
society, 1t is claimed, was the FIRST RELIGIOUS
body in the world 10 organize on platform
OF entire freedom Of thought and speech.
It's germs may be said to have been planted
some thirty.hve years ago, when band Of
men and women organized themselves into
what was known as the "Oommunity." Their
purposes were noble, but their pecuuiary
means were quite limited and the enterprise
was soon given up. A number Of the asso.
citation, however, remained 10 Florence, and
public meetings we're frequently held on
Sunday afternoons, where the greatest free.
dom OF discussion was always maintained,
until May B, 1868, when the Free Congre.
gatonal society was formally organized.
Their articles Of agreement were brief and
mostly in the following, now cut in marble
over the main entrance 10 BOSNIAN hall !:
Respecting in each other aud in all the
right Of intellect aud conscience to be free.
aud holding it to be tho duty Of every one
to keep his mind aud heart at all times open
to receive the truth and follow its guidance,
We set up no theological condition Of mem.
bership, and neithsr demand nor expect uni.
formity Of doctrinal belief; asking only
unity Of purpose TO seek and accept the
right and true, and an honest aim and effort
to make these the rule Of life. Aud, recoQ.
MIXING the brotherhood Of the human race
and the equality of human rights, we make
no distinction as to the conditions and rights
of membership in this society on account Of
sex or color or nationality.
When the society was first organized the
meetings we're held in district school
house, bat in April, 1864, it began to hold
meetings in the new hall, built for the pur.
pose and called Florence hall. The use Of
the hall, chapel and library room was given
to. the society for ten years by President 8.
l.. Hill. 10 1874 the large and handsome
edifce known as Cosmian hall was finished,
having been built for the society by the sub.
scriptions Of members and others the larger
part being contributed by its liberal presi.
dent. This building cost about $4,000,
and contains large aud handsomely deco.
rated auditorium, and spacious stage we'll
finished. The basement contains slower
Cosmian hall" and suite Of rooms which
constitute the parlors and culinary depart
ment OF the "Ladies' Industrial Union" an
auxiliary of the society. The society hold
regular Sunday afternoon exercises, the exer-
cses varying according to the person who
conducts them.
1t is the aim Of the society TO have free
and open platform. II has been addressed
| k,yb okk
tives of Judaism, orthodox and heterodox
Christianity, spiritualists, scientists, theists,
and atheists. Among the many who have
addressed the society might be mentioned
Samuel Longfellow, Parker Pillsbury, Fred
erick Douglass, M. d. Conway. Rabbi
Schleisinger, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Dio
Lewis, DR.. Il. T. Trail, William Lloyd Gar
risou, A. Bronson Alcott, John Weiss, Geo.
Thompson, Susan Anthony, Lucy Stone, Mrs.
Frances ID. Gage, Mrs. Nellie t. Bingham
aud Horace Seaver. The society also us.
ually have resident speaker, who is open
ut all times to criticism by the members as
any other speaker. O. G. Burleigh occu.
pied this position from 1852 until 1873
In 1871, Miss Elizabeth NJ. Powell, now
Mrs. II. ii. Bond, was chosen resident
speaker, and continued in that capacity until
1872, when Rowland Connor was called, and
iu 1875, d. IL. Clark, the present incum.
bent, took the Office.
The society are earnestly endeavoriDg 10
instil into the minds of the young the priu-
ciples on which the society is founded. In
addition to the adult classes for general dis
cussions and the ohildren's classes for moral
instruction, are others tor the study OF natu.
raj history, French and German, botany,
political economy, aud Shakespeare, all Of
which are taught by able teachers. The So
ciety claims to represent the growing ten.
dency OF the human mind, in our age, TO
outStrip circumscribing ecclesIastical bar
riers; the conviction Of a possible fellow
ship Of spirit with diversity Of belief; aspir.
alton toward higher standard of culture
than the church represents. IL neither &C.
cspts any verbal statement Of faith nor seeks
to impose any on others. Its ideal is "the
most comprehensive aud practical service to
mankied the fullest and most perfect devel.
opment of the nature of each human being"
Springfield Republican.