The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-11-26
The Feast Of In9athering.
Irs OBSERVANCE IN pRArrLEBoRo.

~ Of religious than%ks-rendering for the
essings of the year. Though the OBJ
~Prvance Ia B%rattleboro was not so elab-
rate rs in some previous years. the dit
rent church services were fairly atten-
|, and the quiet family reunions were
earty and soul-flling as usual.
The union services held at the Metho-
st place of worship were literally at
nded. Rev. Mr.. Miller preached the
rmon, aided in the service by Nevs.
NTH, Ober, and the venerable Father
sh, now in mis- 93d year. The theme
Mr.. Miller's sermon was 'The Religious
spect of Civil Government" from Rom.
II: "The powers that be are ordained
God" He showed that the problem
4 which the nations of antiquity work
l was religion. And such has been the
lestion on which our nation has labor
!, as seen in the colonial and Revolu- |
onary periods, and as also seen in the
Official parties of the country. The
ames and central idea of each political
artv of the nations history was given,
nd it was shown that they had always
OF to deal with moral questions. An
|utlook for the future was made and the
peaker taught that the questions yet to
handle were also in the line of religion.
Ie mentioned social prejudice, popular
puuCullOH Viz tCuIpSIulCC, ITO lHC buItC
Iuestions which must be answered by
bur future. These he thought to be re-
igious questions, and urged a conscien-
tious Handling of them on high moral
grounds above party and sectional strife,
for the good of the whole country.
At West Brattleboro, the Union servi-
ces were held in the Congregational
church. Prayer was offered by Rev. II.
s. Davis. The sermon was by Rev. Geo.
B. Cow of B%rattleboro, from Col. 3;17.
The aim of the sermon was to show what
are the genuine feeling and proper ex-
preston of true thankfulness, especially
fnView of the goodness of God shown to
us in this land in our great material pros.
perity, our excellent political system
and the purity, freedom and power of
Christianity in this age of the world.
Services appropriate to Thanksgiving
were held in the Universalist church
last Sunday. The pastor, Rev. f. w.
Whitney preached from Neh. $40. "How
to Keep THANKSGIVING. The text fifty
describes a New England Thanksgiving.
1t is a day of feasting, joy, and heartfelt
gratitude; a time when the poor are re-
membered, scattered families united, and +,
God praised for his bounty. After re- !
counting ample re sons for Thanksgiving, :,
for abundant material blessings; health, l
friends, and home; liberty, education, '
and religion, he referred to the ways I
be a day of Joy. Sorrow for mistakes, q
adversely and sin is right, but on this a
day men should serve the Lord with a
gladness. Strangers, the poor and infirm II
should be remembered. The prosperous
should "send portions unto them for W
whom nothing is prepared" that all may
rejoice. But noble lives are the best ex- S:
preston of thanks. Gratitude to God in
will deter from sin, and inspire zeal in
the service of man and God. Thus CRATE 70
full feelings shall increase till every day "
becomes a day of Thanksgiving. Appro-
pirate music was finely rendered by the IN
choir. III
The congregation well illustrated the If
non.church going habit of the people of nj
New England on Thanksgiving day, hv
very small but very attentive. Vi,
The glad occasion at the Episcopal ali
church was observed by the usual morn in,
ing service, with the reading of appro-
pirate selections Of scripture, and music no
suited to the occasion. SUI
The Vermont Supreme Court adjourn sh'
ed without day Friday. No disposition In
was made of the Vermont Central rail Nh
road case, which it was anticipated would is
be decided this term. !
We regret to learn that Charlie Day is We.
ill. a S
Sara Bernhard has $4,000, of Insurance IN
upon her life. GO!
Last Friday was pay day OIL. the Central ne,
Vermont railroad. n
We have but little doubt that Vermont ino
will, before many years, pass a sensible ]
icense, local option, law, thus prohibiting thu
liquor traffic, perjury and villainy. las
1t is ''mitey hard work" for a legislator ter
illed with men who are stockholders. and los
in large corporations to pass an ]
vet to equalize taxation whereby the con- ha
,erns represented by them will be COM G.
,elled to pay a fair share of the taxes.
ditey hard. tn
In Memoriam. !.
AS announced in the obituary notices mr.
last week, the Town of Brattleboro has Sc
lost a useful and hono-ed citizen by the Or
lesth OF Dea. Asa Wheeler. In the me- an
mortal service at the Baptist church last tir
Sunday morning. a sketch of his life, dis
was given from which the following is tw
aiken He was born in johnson, VT, mi
March /, 1903, where he spent his youth be
nnder such circumstances of advantage an
and hardship as belonged to pioneer lite !,
the wilds of Vermont at the begin Id
ming of the century in the families of her h ha
energetic, God fearing citizens. AT the 20
of Is he went to Boston where he Ii
remained in the employ of Dea. Daniel wi
Safford. 80 eminent as a Christian phil 90
Rnthropist, until he was of age, when =,
he returned to johnson and began BUSH q,
meas as a blacksmith. He afterwards re- Su
moved to Hubbardston, Mass, where he n.
and thence to Wal wick in the bo
same State where he remained until he
came to Brattleboro. is
During his life in Warwick. he made
a profession of religion, joining a Bap- ;st
church in Royalston. Several years 20,
later he united with others in forming a do
Baptist church in Warwick of which he "
vss made deacon; and in building a
house of worship, of the cost of which
together with the support of the pastor
he bore much the larger part. While in an
Warwick, his shop was burned and his ag
business became somewhat embarrassed, su
but with characteristic energy. he re- W
established his business. turning his at III
tention especially to the manufacture Of
axes and other edged tools, and in due
time met all the claims of his former tn
creditors. In
He came to Bratdleboro in the spring
of lS49, and soon after began the manu-
facture of edge tools at Centreville. In -
1889. ne engaged in the manufacture OF "
skates with Tyler and Thompson. Fiv fn
Years later the firm of A. Wheeler Il !;
Son took the business. resuming the in
manufacture of edge tools after a few
Years. in which they continued until the
treat flood of 1869 swept away their
~fsctorv. Since that time, Dea. Wheeler, an az
then advanced in years. has been engag- "
al in no extensive business. An excel 81
ient mechanic, he found abundant occu. n
nstiou in various kinds of mechanical
work. n. TO
He was made q deacon OF the Baptist !"
church of which he became a member =.
Immediately upon coming to town, and !.
hsId the office from 1852 until he resigned III
r. in 1864. He was a sincere and ear
neat believer of the system OF religious 81 .
truth held by the churches to which he Il
|nsionoed and he advocated it with ener-
% and zeal, and honored it by a consist 2
ent life. In all the relations OF life he l.
manifested great strength OF character :.
.rd lief. TO those who survive him the y