Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-10-16
Vermont Historical Society.


Society was held yesterday afternoon, and fiiteer
new members were received The treasurer re
ported large donations TO the society Their,
were about the usual number in attendance Tn,
following are the officers chosen: President, Hon
f. p Walton OF Montpelier; vice-Presidents, Hon
James Barrett Of Woodstock Rev W. s. IIazen Of
Mortified and H. A. Sowes Of st. Adams; Re.
cording Secretary, Charles W. Porter of Mont
pelier; Corresponding Secretary, Hon. G. G. Ben.
edict of Burlington; Treasurer, J. w Page Of
Montpelier; Librarian, NJ. D. Gilman Of Mont
pelieri Curators, Hon. r. S. Taft Of Burlington,
II. A. Cutting OF Lunenburg, Hon. g. A. Davis Of
Reading, H. A. Huse Of Montpelier and Hon T..
p. Cotton of lrasburg; Printing and Publishing
Committee, Hon. Hand Hall OF Bennington. Hon.
f. 7. Walton and Hon. c. II. Heath of Montpelier.
The public meeting of the Historical Society,
in Representatives Hall last evening, was at
tended by large number of ladies and gentle
/ men. Hon. E. p. Walton, President of the So
ciety, called the meeting to order and introduced
Rev Mr. lIazen Of Mortified, who opened the
exercises of the evening with prayer.
The first speaker was President NJ. H. Bucbham
OF the Vermont University who spoke about forty
minutes concerning Rev. W. H. Lord, d. D., a
former president Of the society Directly in front
of the Speakers desk was placed Mr.. T. W.
Woods fine portrait of DR.. Lord We give an
abstract Of President Buckham's address:
PRESIDENT BuCKHAM's ADDRESS.
The speaker thought the subject of his address
merited this recognition by the society lie was
man who filled a large place in the hearts of
men and in the history OF the state-and this MS
preacher. lie did, as preacher, as really
shape the intelligent and pure ends of the state as
If he had acted directly for that purpose in some
more secular capacity
President Buckham went on to speak of the
birth and early experience of DR. Lord char
acterizing him as young man of great abil-
ity and promise, gaining his experience among
men whose influence had much to do with form
ing the strength Of mind and character which DR.
Lord possessed. While in his theological course he
was continually leaning toward literary career
for which he thirsted. and for which he ap-
peared to be so well adapted He was emphati-
cally preacher-not q pastor lie was not duh
in the pulpit and warm-hearted among his people
but he made the pulpit throne of power, and
possessed n royalty which was not easy of access
in social manner lie preached the gospel-not
his own doubts or guesses. For thirty years he
Christ, as he preached him, was the channel of n
new life-a Being acquainted with our own hu-
man life The merit of his preaching was com
blnation of the intensely evangelical and the
broadly human spirit All were attracted by it
all enjoyed listening to a man who knew so much
about the things of this life and of the life to come
All classes of people were helped in their life by
his preaching. Here was preacher who was also
man in the broadest sense; fully endowed with
everything which belongs to a real manhood. lie
fought appetite and pleasure, and found an ac.
tivty for all his powers in religion. He bound
his people to him by a three-fod cord-that of
admiration and affection. He made
his subjects attractive to his hearers His rhetoric
resembled that of Dr. Chalmers; it was glowing,
yet chaste and elegant. He kept clear of half
profane modes of expression so common to the
platform. lie WAS many times invited to other
fields, but refused all because, as he said, he |
" loved to dwell among his own people"
DIR. Lords ministry was not altogether smooth, |
but he overcame many difficulties which would |
have sundered common pastoral relations: al |
though he had inherited strong conservative |
opinions he did not intrude them in his sermons, |
nor allow them to interfere in any way with his |
pastoral work. lie loved Vermont and its demo- |
cratic institutions, His people were in Mont
pelier, but his audiences were scattered far and |
wide over the state and country
President Buckham referred to Dr. Lords edi
torial work on the VERMONT CHRoNIcLE and
other publications, and spoke of this part of his
fe-work with deep appreciation of its excellence.
As friend he was open-hearted and liberal
handed, His converse was always fruitful and
suggestive" "The brilancy of his parts was
almost dimmed by the grander nobility of his
soul"
In closing his address the speaker committed |
he memory Of DR.. Lord to the people in quota
ion from his last sermon, beginning; "There are
ZONE things which shall never willingly let die"
This entire address dwelt upon Dr. Lord mainly
as preacher, bringing to the minds of the audi
,nce the force of character and energy of soul that
lad been employed in effort for the best good of
he people of his own charge as well as of the
whole state.
At the close Of Mr.. Buckham's address, the
Hon. f. p. Walton was introduced to the as
'embly and spoke on 1.-The First Legislature of
Vermont Going back to the days of lang
'yne,' the speaker gave an interesting account
)f the first legislature organized in the state, and
he many things against which they had to legis-
ate-the encroachments Of other states etc.
Contrasting the modern and ancient legislature,
he speaker expressed the opinion that some
methods of procedure adopted by the latter
night with profit be adopted by the former.
The members of the first legislature were chosen
because OF their undoubted integrity and patriot
SIN, and because they had been tried and found
not wanting. The members of the first Council
were not surpassed in dignity by even the United
States Senate as the speaker remembered it in the
lays of Clay, Calhoun and Webster.
In the days of the first legislature there was no
state library judges to be appointed, but no
awyers to place upon the bench; lawyers were
20 few that they were needed at the bar, and the
decisions were for the most part left to the honest
armers of the day and to men Of other yocations
han that of a lawyer. The first real superior
'ourt was appointed by the second legislature.
hough the first provided for the inferior courts
Justice and probate courts. The first legislature
net and fulfilled its responsible duties in prompt
md energetic manner.
The address abounded in personal references,
md was in fact truly historical document-ex-
remedy interesting to all who desired to know
anything of the early legislative days of Vermont