Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-06-17

first sermon of the first rector, the late Kew
/ DIR. George I. Chapman. The commemora-
tive exercises included nj Morning Prayers
an historical address by the Rector, the Kev.
Edward Il. Atwill the exhaustive character
of which relieves us from the necessity ol
auy reference to the history OF the church
and parish. We may, however, refer 10 the
growth Of both AMI the standing they
have attained under the charge of the pre-
sent greatly esteemed rector, who, besides
is no small benefactor To both, in material
WAY. Rev. Mr.. Atwill took for his text the
verse from the Psalms. Il have remember
ed the days of old, the years of ancient
times, and delivered the following interest
| ing and valuable address:
THE SERMON.
Fifty years ago Bishop Griswold, during
his visitation in the State OF Vermont, Then
part of the Eastern Diocese, confirmed about
three hundred souls, ard nineteen thriving
parishes were reported, scattered ut wide in
icryals through The State But previous &c
1881 there had been no parish formed II
Burlington, nor las any record been found
of any service of the church, although 1t Il
barely possible that some missionary, passing
from one station to another, may have tar
ried for day and gathered for public wor
shin the few who had been trained In INT
| way of orr fathers Among those, however
who were attracted to Burlington by the
beauty and hcathfulness of its location, OIL
its advantages as n port and trading village
were few who loved the Prayer Book anc
the order of our historic church-a very few
nerhans dozen COMMITMENTS. These per
sons had attended the services OF the Con-
crecatioral communion, and dissatisfaction
In one of these societies fastened
an event which must soon have occurred
the formation Of an Episcopal society This
feeling of dissatisfaction eliminated In th'
latter part of the year 1880, when heV
Reuben Smith was dismissed by the Congrc
gational society, and quite number OF TIT
citizens of Burlington proposed TO the Epis
conalians 10 ioin them if they would organ
ize a society. There was no hesitation or
the part of the friends of the church. a
meeting was held in the building known az
Thomas's hotel and on the 9th of Deem
Der articles of association were signed; ano
before the following May $4,000 had beer
subscribed for the erection of church edl
flee and correspondence had been had will
Rev. DR.. Chapman of Pittsfeld, Mass, who
was soon after elected rector. Perhaps there
was no man in the church OF that day better
qualified to found parish. lie loved u
work as pioneer and could count before hi:
death Mt least cight thriving parishes which
he had organized and fostered until then
adolescence. lie OBLIGATED for the first tint
in Burlington at the old Court House, now
known as the Fletcher Free Library, ther
lin 1881 new building. Within the ba
sat the choir, under the charge OF Ten. Jus
tus Burdick, who was its leader until 1888
when he was succeeded by Mr.. X. u. Cole
who with his fine bass voice led the chou
for twenty-five years. The choir was &c
companied by an orchestra. Mr.. William
Griswold. father of the present treasurer O
the parish, played the first flute. Charles p
Allen son OF Hon Heman Allen, who live,
in the house now occupied as u rectory
played second flute, George Allen, his broth
cr. the violin and James Mansfield the bass
viol. The members of the choir were Gen
Durdick, Hiram Griswold, Addison Smith
julie Spoouer aftcrward a clergyman OF tn
church,, Vernon Harrington, Mrs. Follett
Miss Caroline Deming, Miss Eliza Strong
and Miss Kate Kendall whom We rejoice L
welcome among us Today.
At the first 5, rvicc III TIE court house
fifty years ago this morning, the communion
was administered to sixteen persons, some o
whom were members Of other religion
bodies So far as have been able TO ascer
tain all these have gone TO their rest excep
two ladies', who are present here to-day
Miss Ames and Mrs. Mills. Dun
ing the August following that first servic
Bishop Griswold confirmed in burlington
eleven persons, and at the next meeting o
convention, MAY 30, 1882, DIR. Chapman re
ported that he had officiated regularly sine
The second Sunday in June to full congregd
tons three times each Sunday. The numbe
of families connected with the parish wa
about eighty, and the number OF commun
cants iorty-eight. 4 Sunday school hal
been established, TO which lO3 pupils ha
been admitted. The library contained ~
books of instruction and l32 other BOOKS
luIIty four chlldr,r and fourteen adults ma
been confirmed, Il large class was waiting 4
opportunity to receive that rite, and the ne'
, church edifice was begun in September
1881, under contract TO be completed In Ser
TENDER, 1882 This building was erecte
upon land purchased of Joseph and Mar
T R.uua, Cspte1abor 0th. 1891. fn- considers
ton Of 5000, and having Il frontage o
St. Paul street corresponding with the pres
emf iron fence The lot extended back abot
one-half the block. Up2n the chart of III
village of Burlington it was designated as 10
. POS and zoo The architect of the fir
, building was Mr. Ammi Young, after who's
designs a number of residences in Burllngto
were constructed Mr. llerrick, the mastt
builder, was at the completion OF the edI!it
much complimented upon the manner
which he had executed his undertaking
and the progress in architecture Is indicate
: by the fact that this building with It's 10
: roof and flat ceiling was then regarded as
notable advance upon the designs known
, this part of America. This church, sa
the editor of the FREE Press in 1882, lis i
G tended to exhibit a specimen OF the prin'
+ pal features of Gothic architecture-a sly
:. of building difficult and complicated in itse
and which can not be studied TO any eXte
}. in this country (whcrc no proper originals a
o 10 be found, without having access 10 "a
and expensive works. 1t would be ungr
clous and unjust in us TO speak Of faults IN
work executed under such difficulties. v
n are much more pleasedtO join heartily IN |
J. general voice by which the need of praise
u been amply bestowed upon the properties
i and finish Of the whole, aud particularly up
h the graceful gallery and the elegant work
the chancel screens" The gallery REFER
~ to IS that now remaining in the church a
5. the screen was extended across, lew IL
g out from the rear wall, enclosing a robin
~ room. The dimensions Of the first chur
- editice were length SO feet, breadth 40 fe
l. height of cornice % feet and of tower
So There was no centre aisle, but two 81
u aisles. There were high doors, even with
IL tops of the pews The windows of SKI
re glass extended from the tops of the side pc
y to the height Of the present windows. Acr'
the west end of the church extended Il sore
of somewhat Gothic style, divided INTO IN
10 compartments and approached by three ste
III In the central compartment was the pun
e. elevated on high and entered from the r.
e hy a door in the screen. Below the pull
y, in front, was II long reading desk, IN VII
p the clergyman stood with his back to
rts pulpit. Below the reading desk was
as altar, and on either side OF the altar the
nd chairs still in use in the Sunday school roc
IN In each of the other compartments oil
Ia screen was door entering the rob-
10 room.
a. In 1882 the Diocese of Vermont was SCI
NJ atcd from the Eastern Diocese, and on \
u. 3lst of that year Rev. John Henry liopk
IS, was elected Bishop OF Vermont, with
.' understanding that he was TO relieve
on Chapman of the rectorship Of ST. Pa
nv church and the latter resigned Sept. j,
~ Early in November Bishop Hopkins arm
r with portion of his family, purchase
ny house and thirteen acres of land OF l.
VI Richardson, and on the 2lst took up his
~ manent residence in his new home. His
is episcopal act was the conservation OF
me new church by the name of st. Paul!
ne' Nov. 18th, assisted by Rev. Messrs. llar'
Hghgate, Mcdonald of Shelburn and Ci
~, of Middlcbury The first gift received
' 'ar the new society was neat and costly
W. vice of solid silver for use at the Holy I
; munion presented in 1881 by Mr.. Amb
,,s Atwater, who died in 1885, and was gri
-. " father TO one of the present vcsiry, DR.
So Ii. Atwater The first vestry consisted
N n" Heman Allen, Timothy Follett, Justus
W. W., dick, Andrew Thompson and Thomas ii
u ley; and among the parishoLcrs were
an; ani man Foote, John J. Langdon, William
ins Griswold, Dr. Moody, Carlos Baxter,
ino Atwaters and many other prominent me-
-, that day.
nv" What has been done in Improvement
10 extension Of the property OF the church
VI 1888 the parish received from Mrs. He