Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-09-21
Methodist Church In MarshlieId,

from the advance sheets of the Vermont
Historical Gazetteer, by Miss Hemenway
In May, 1926, Stephen Ptkin, Jr.. mar
ried the writer, Il daughter of Gen. Farley
Davis of Montpelier. A few months be-
fore she had been baptized by Rev. Wilbur
Fisk, and united with the NJ. +. church on
probation. Previous to their marriage
Mr. Pitkin had also experienced religion
In Jan. 1917. there being no Methodists in
Marshtield ut that time, they both united
with the Methodist church in Cabot; he as
probationer, being baptized by Rev. A.
ID. Sergeant of the N. E. conference, and
she. by letter, in full connection. In 1927,
the union meeting house was built at
Marshfield, and II committee appointed to
divide the time for occupying the house
between the different denominations own.
ing it. A few Sabbaths were set to the
Melhodists, though Mr.. Pitkin was the
only Methodist pew holder. Rev. N w.
Aspinwall, preacher in charge at Cabot,
appointed and attended meetings here on
these Sabbaths alternately with his col
league, Rev. Elisha j, Scott. In Feb
1928, the first quarterly meeting was held,
weather stormy. The meeting commenced
Saturday evening. Several ministers and
one minister wife were in attendance
and all were entertained at our own house
IA small frame house, never encountered
with claphoards.
The next year Sophronia and Sally Cate
were baptized by Rev. Hershal Foster
The former now Mrs. Guernsey of Mont
pelier These two, with Mr. Pitkin and
myself, and II Mrs Whittle, constituted
the first Methodist class in Marshfeld, or
ganizrd in the autumn Of 1929, Mr.. Pltkin
class leader and steward. What seasons
of interest were the class meetings and
prayer meetings of those days! The next
to Join we're Samuel &. Bent and wife.
Our numbers increased very gradually
at most, we occupied the church only one.
fourth the Sabbaths. Rev. Solomon Sias,
Stephen II. Cutler, Rev. E. J Scott and
others, spoke to us the words oflfe. About
1884, the first wife of Andrew English.
Esq, proposed to the writer, we should
get the children of the neighborhood to-
gether for II Sabbath school. As we had
preaching at the church 80 little, we met
al their homes alternately, at o'clock
This we did many months, 4il we had Il
good sized school, when it was proposed
to take our Sabbath school to the church,
where it was duly organized, Jeremiah
Carleton, Esq, first superintendent. A
library was procured and the school pros.
pered 1t was strictly union Sabbath
school The desk was supplied by minis
ters of different denominations, and our
Sabbath school went on. For number
of years the Methodsts were supplied with
preaching quarter the time, by preachers
who lived in Cabot. After that we were
united with Woodbury. and Calais, and
supplied in that way. Aifew united with
the little band from year to year, but
deaths and removals kept our number
small, Some of these death-bed scenes
were. however, remarkably happy. Es
pecally was the caae in the death oi
Loammi Sprague
The first preacher sent here by confer.
ence was Rev. David Packer, who died a
few years since in Chelsea, Mass. He re-
sided on East Hill in Calais.
At this time preachers received but a
very small salary and the members were
often scattering and poor. After being in
Calais a few weeks, Mr.. and Mrs. Packer
one morning ate their last food. Almost
an entire stranger, Mr. Packer did not fee
that he could beg. After uniting in family
prayer, he retired to an old barn on the
place, while she sought her closet, and
each alone committed their case to the
| Father of the stranger and the poor.
A mile away from them lived young
farmer, not professor of religion. AS he
started after breakfast for the hay telC
with his hired help, something seemed tc
impel him to stop. He must 90 back tc
the house and carry some provisions to the
new minister. 1t was of no use to say
''I'm not acquainted with them, | know
nothing of their needs" he must take them
some food. He told the men they might
90 TO moving, he must go back. He wen
back, told his wife his feelings, and t9ey
together put up meat, potatoes, flour, but
ter and sugar, and other things, a fail
wagon load, and he took it over, and founC
how blessed it was to give, and they, how
safe to trust in God
Slowly did the little church increase
never having preaching more than one
fourth of the time for many Yeas.
la 1851 the Congregatonallsts anC
Methodists agreed To unite and support
preaching First for two years they
would have Congregational preaching. ant
then Methodist for the next two. Rev
Mr. Marsh, Congregational was our min.
lister first after, and at the close of the two
years Rev. Lewis p Cushman was ap
pointed by conference,nud spent two years
with us. In those years II number were
added to the church Mr.. Cushman i.
now presiding elder in the Louisiana
conference. His little daughter, Clara, Sc
well remembered by us. Is now a mission
ary in Peking, China.
Before the close of Mr.. Cushman's frs
year Mr. Pilkin died, and us he had beer
very influential in procuring and sustain
ing preaching, and there was no one tC
then take his place, the effort was now
abandoned, and for a number Of years We
had no stated preaching. At length. ir
1859, a few concluded to make one more
effort, and Rev. Joshua Gill was stationed
with us. The Union church had passed
mostly into the hands of the Universalists
and we had no preaching place. We
needed II church, and one was put up ant
covered in 1859. and finished in 1860 The
house was the right size, well furnished
Our next IN mister was the Rev. George H
Bickiord, an excellent preacher and ont
of the very best of men He died some
years later ut Barton. His last words, his
hand upon his breast, closing his eyes
that grand old doxology, the gOria
"Gory he to the Father, the Son and th,
Holy Ghost. Rev. C. s. Buswel cam,
next Two years. Rev. James Robinson
was stationed here in 1865, Rev. JOSEPH
Hamilton in 1867; both years we hac
some additions. In 1869 Rev. jane
Spinney was appointed here. The churcl
at this time numbered seventy-five; mum
Der of volumes in Sunday school lbrar,
was four hundred and fifty
In 1871 Rev. James Hamilton was wit
us again, and stayed one year. In 1877