The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-14
"reminiscences of the
Past.
A MUSCULAR CHRIS
TIAN OF THATTIME.
SERMONS AT BENNINGTON ON
SUNDAY.
Notes of the Celebration.

nSIolsm anu VICTORY which the fathers
gained on the field of Bennington. The
town was quiet, as tho ordinary Sab
bath-showing that the lessons and
principles inculcated by the fathers in refer
enco TO the observance of the Sabbath day
to keep 1t holy had not been forgotten, for
although a thousand strangers were within
ita gates, all was quiet and peaceful as If
no extraordinary event was about to be
| celebrated in their midst. | venture to say
that 1t was far more quiet than the Sab
bath preceding the battle of Bennington
when Parson Dewey, the pastor of the
| frat church, who was himself in the bat
| tie, preached war sermon that aroused
| and thrilled the Green mountain boys with
ardor and enthusiasm. Parson Dewey was
a man of stern force In the discharge of his
duty. according to his conscience. He told
the people on that Sabbath morning in the
church edifce, that then stood a few rods
from the present edifce, to take arms and
go and fight for their country. On the
nent Saturday the battle of Bennington was
| fought and won. Who knows at this date
but the example Of Parson Dewey, who
| shouldered musket and marched with bis
people to the battlefield, and his forcible ut
terances may have had much influence in
the splendid victory which was won. But
our purpose Is more to describe the GEN.
tennial Sabbath at Bennington and any
collateral matters pertaining thereto must
be alluded to further on. We gave, for
want of space and facility of communica-
ton but meagre description of the sun
day services, which deserve a more elabor-
ate description than appeared in Mondays
issue of The GLOBE. Let US turn our at
tention to this
FIRST CHURCH IN BENNINGTON.
The first meeting house in Bennington
was erected on three acre lot that stood
somewhere midway between the site of
the present one and the Wolloomsac house.
The precise date of its building is not
known. 1t was occupied before 1906. 1t
was built partly by subscription and partly
by tax upon the scveral rights of land of
the proprietors, and subsequently tax of
dix dollars on each right WOO raised Tor
that purpose, and 1884 was levied upon the
sixty-four rights of land for the meeting
house and school house. The size of the
meeting house was 80 by 40 with the addi-
ton of porch twenty feet square. There
was steeple. A porch was extended up
ward to roof. There were galleries upon
three sides OF the house, as in the present
edifice, and square pews ornamented with
little railing in the place of the top panel
Of the architecture of few years later.
An old fashioned sounding board was
above the pulpit three doors for entrance
and exit, one through the porch on the
east side toward the burying ground and
opposite the pulpit, which was In the mid
die, and two other doors opposite each
other on the north and south sides respec-
lively. The building stood north and
south; there was a main aisle through the
center from the pulpit to the porch, run
| ming east and west, and an aisle from the
north and south (end)doors gong round
and so arranged as to leave tier of wall
pews all round the house, and two tiers of
square pews on each side of the main aisle
in the body of tho house.
In this meeting houte the propretors
held their meetings. Here the people OF
Bennington met to worship God and give
thanks after the taking of Ticonderoga.
Ethan Allen, with his officers, being present
at the service, gave peculiar interest to the
occusion. From the pulpit under that old
fashioned sounding board Parson Dewey
preached his war sermon the Sunday pre-
cedipg the battle of Bennington. To thi,
m Getting house the Hessians and other per-
sons captured in the battle Of Bennington
were brought to be confined. In this same
meeting house the legislature of Vermont
the first legislature OF Vermont-met in
June, 177S; also in 1779 and 1880. Here,
too, the christian fathers and mothers as
sembled for religious instructions from
Sabbath to Sabbath, under the ministra
tions of Rev. Mr.. Dewey, Rev. Mr.. Avery
and Rev. Job Swift
This was the first organization within the
limits of Vermont, December 3, 1862. Tht
next church was organized in September
1884. During portion Of the time, dur
ing the ministry of Mr.. Dewey, Rev. It'll
amar Hibbard resided in the west part o.
the town and ministered to a congregation
at his house, which 10 known to this day
In those days he was considered ,
dissenter from the peculiar theology O.
Bennington. He was chaplain in the re
evolutionary army. He was the frat settled
minister Of Poultney. In 1903 he becam,
pastor Of the church In Hubbardton, ant
was buried in the quiet valley of that his
toric old town. He was member OF III,
general assembly from Wells in 1878 ant
1870.
Rev. Jedediah Dewey was settled as tn,
first pastor Of the church in Bennington
August IA, 1903, Zone of the present ami
vsrsary days.; died December 81, 177s
and his tomb is within a few feet at tn,
present church.
Rev. David Avery was installed May 8
1880 dismissed Juno IT, l7ss.