Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-09-07
The Methodist Church,
BRIEF RETRosPECT-A PINE BUILDING AND
ITS APPOINTMENTS.

| ''tHi"lt. Lust sunday they wOrShiDel IN
Tor the frst time, and Thursday will
witness It's dedication to the use for which
Il was erected. A brief retrospect of the.
growth OF the church to It's present fine
position, may not be out of place at this
time when it is rejoicing in ITS new house
oil worShlpand fine pros poets for the future
IN l'J9 preaching was begun in St.
! ilbanS, il. Dow, Heading. Van Nest and
Sabln, .lng amp"g the first circuit riders.
In September, 1850. jesse Lee, the great
Methodist apostle, preached in the house
lust north of the village. now occupied bv
IL. Z. Seymour, E,q Iu 1901 class was
formed at the Poinl, when IN the words of
Laben Clark, the minister, the first meet
ing was "a melting time" and soon after
"A regular organization was made. In 1909
Methodism began TO attract the attention
OF those this side of the Bay and a class
was formed at Georgia B AZ hy Nathan
Green, but soon after removed to the house
| about mile west of st. Albans VILLAGE
iately owned by Philip Dudos In lsl2,
while j Is. Straton travelled the circuit
one OF the large rooms on the lower floor
OF the old academy building (since burned)
was htted up by the Methodist society for
prayer and preaching. The quarterly
meetings were held IN the court house.
then occupied by the COngratlonalists
! During the fall OF 1915 Il camp meeting
Was held between the village and the bay.
/ alter which 10 were received on probation
and IN september, 1915, it was voted to
bnlld meeting house on St. Adams street.
The land where the church now stands
was purchased and the house finished in
| 1871. 1t was the first Methodist church
| Oullt in the district. In 1882 st. Albans
became station and has so remained ex.
cept in 1914 and 1858. In 1856 the Bay
parish became It separate church. The
church built in 1921, which the present
succeeds, was according to the old style of
church aren't ecture, with high box pu Dit
and galleries on three sides. The attic
was afterwards finished OFT into PRAYER and
ciass rooms. In 1854 it was remodeled
! lnto the sty.e it had until torn down. April
~, 1910, after several years of getting
ready, the work of taking dowu the old
church was begun, Rev. A. C. Stevens OF
Brooklyn, n. Y, being pastor, and on MAY
u digging for the foundation of the new
editice was undertaken. July } the corner
stone was laid. Bishop Wiley preaching the
sermon Operations were rapidly carried
op, SO that on December % of the same
year services were held in the vestry for
the first time by The pastor, Rev. II. A.
Spencer, now presiding elder of the Spring.
| field district.
| From this time work was continued for
two years, when the society became heavily
nurdened with debt, and in the spring OF
| 1873 the building OPERATIONS came to a
stand slill, some $4,000 being necessary
TO complete the church. April 18th a
meeting was held over which Bishop
| Wiley presided, at which great enthusiasm M
was shown and Sl2, 800 subscribed. paw
able IN three years. Since then, as the
money came in, the interior of the build
ing has slowly been made ready for occu-
! pancy, the society using every means TO
procure funds in the way of entertain
ments and festivals, all OF which have
been remarkably successful. Within the
past year light has been seen ahead, the
organ ordered and all things made ready
for.
The woodwork is Of western ash, with
black walnut trimmings, The panels
about the room and choir are particularly
fine specimens Of native wood, arranged
artistlcllly and requirnga close ms pection
| III W NANl " tlppl tClilt liltll DttulNs Ut
prws are arranged in six tiers. composing
50 slips, capable OF seating j25 people
upholstered in maroon md exceedingly
comfortable, with wide isles and aplenty o
rom between the seats, The carpet i;
woven especially for the church from tn,
famous Lowell mills 1t is of small figure
rather dark, and in harmony with the re-,
of the colUrng.
Light is furnished by one large chande
lier let down from the center OF the cell
ing. 1t consists OF ~ gas jets, over whict
) is a reflector of double corrugated glass
} seven feet in diameter, and Il ventilator t.
carry off the gases. This reflector is per
feet in It's operation, spreading mild ant
even light throughout the church an,
obviating the need of other artificial light
though jets are arranged on the organ fo
use in choir rehersals, etc, Ventilation il
secured by three openings into the attic
: the windows and drafts from the outside
through the vestry beneath.
: But the handSomeSt part is that abOu
the pulpit and organ Inside the altar raj
is communion table of Tennessee marb
; and ABOVE that the pulpit platform, whc
&. extends across the choir recess. 1t is 81!
: feet wide and II circular projection in til
i center affords room for the Olack walnu
4 pulpit. and elegant set of furniture. Blc
of this and four steps higher is the choir
d where is the organ ana ample room fo
s the singers. The organ was built espt
cially for the church, and is one of whlc
to be proud. 1t has a black walnut gothi
case with exposed pipes in front, fee
@ deep, IA feet wide and % feet high 1t ha
}. 9 stops in the great organ, in the sma
It organ and in the pedal organ, all incIut
e ing 769 pipes, of which all but ZIG Al
If of metal. Experts pronounce it "a splendi
n instrument and the greatest ornament I
h the building 1t was built by VIM. Stever
t. e. Co. of East Cambridge, Mass, who al
;, among the finest makers in the worl'
h their work being in such demand that la
IS month they sent magnificent instrumer
II to the Bishops cathedral at Honolulu.
;. Throughout, the i'm preston of a thorOug
I. built, comfortable and substantial stru
=. ture is strcngh hened by a careful examin
IT ton, In its every appointment, fro
,s kitchen. class rooms, plror, vestry, u
c through the audience room the church
b a credit to the architect, Mr. l.. j. Swea
? and to the steady perseverance and dev
x ton of'the society which has labored s
IN long and faithfully to erect house wOrtt
" of the purpose to which it is to be dedica
IS ed Among the churches of St. Adams
a is second TO none. With the introductiC
~ of the heating apparatus and u few min'
Or changes in he frescoing. the debt will o
of not more than $1,000, while the cost h
; been about $50 900. We congratula
- Rev. Mr.. McAnn and the society on
Y. fine a house, and the town upon Il
a completion of building which adds
D: materially TO its attractiveness. St Aba
in Messenger.
N THE FOURTEEN WoNDE sOF THEWoRL
be The seven wonders of the world, in II
III cient times, were the pyramids OF EgyI
er the Pharos of Alexandria, the walls n
hanging gardens of Btbylon, the Tenn