Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-07-05

ported collections" at esch quarterly
meeting OF the circuit. the amounts vary.
Ing in these early reports from S5 cents to
SS.54, the las: named being the report on
April 10 1906. at the last quarterly meet
ing in the conference year.
July .. 1903. collections from two
classes in Montpelier were reported, indi-
eating that another class was formed about
this time, subsequent reports showing the
continuation Of the arrangement. The
first receipt Of "p1Aic money" reported
from Montpelier was at quarterly meet
ing held at Plsiniield October Is, 1907
the amount being Sl.60 The name Of
the first class leader was Ansel Patterson.
who afterwards removed to Barre, and
was eventually expelled from member
ship.
The number in society az reported to
The annual conference Of 1912 was $50
upon the circuit, aud Of this number 25
were in the two classes in Montpelier.
David Harris and Elias Kingsley being
the leaders, aud having 10 and IL in their
respective classes, and three "on trial" in
the class Of Mr.. Kingsley. The records
are very meagre during these intervening
years. but there is evidence OF steady
growth in numbers and increase Of infu-
ence for the church in the community.
August ), 1920, the quarterly meeting
was held in Montpelier, being the first en-
record as held in this town. It is not cer-
tain, however, that quarterly meeting,
we're now held here for the first time. as
some of the records in former years are
incomplete and il is obvious that such
meetings were held. of which no record
is now extant, or at least known to exist.
The record OF this meeting is very meagre,
being only st,tement OF the time and
place and the amount Of the collections
and Disbursements as follows:
Quarterly meeting. held at Montpelier
for Barre circuit, August ), 1870;
Public collection, $500.
Paid Ella Dlnam expense, 600
Squire B. Hsrskell DO. 2.G2
sS.S2
This brief record is suggestive, how.
ever. OF meeting which was probably
one Of impressive and solemn interest in
the community. A Methodist Quarterly
meeting" in 1920 was likely to be an event
Of great public interest. Barre circuit
comprised at this time some y or more
towns within its bounds, and, in accord.
ance with the custom in these olden times,
there would be likely to be in attendance
at the quarterly meeting some from every
preaching station on the circuit, and a
general attendance OF the members and
frieni Is OF the Methodist church in towns
convenient Of access 70 the place Of meet
ing. Il is. therefore, probable that this
meeting was one OF considerable local
importance Mr.. Henry Mutt remem bers
the occasion, aud that the meeting was
held in the grove at the Center" and
very largely attended by the people from
al, adjoining and some other towns.
Rev. E.lhu Scott, who is now living in
Hampton, y. H., writes;
" In June, 1928. received my first ap.
pointmeut in the New England conference
on old Barre circuit, Vermont, one OF the
Oldest and best a. that time in the state.
John Lord was preacher in charge, David
Leslie second, Z. Scott third; and because
we had not help enough. we took on Hor,
ace Spaulding foT the fourth "a school
teacher aud local preacher o! good abili-
ties). The following is list of the towns
then embraced in the circuit-a name that
meant something in those days-namely:
Barre. Montpelier, Calais, Plainield,
Marshtield, Orange, Washington, Will
iamstown, Brookdeli. Randolph. Bethel,
Roxbury, Mortified and Berlin. | think
we had preaching every Sabbath only in
Barre; in 4 few other places once in two
weeks, in others ouee IN four weeks, snd
in others once iu eight weeks. But with
lectures, as we called them-that is,
preaching on week days, afternoon or
evening, in al our outlying neighbo rhoods
where We had classes, four or five times
week three weeks ou! Of four, summer
and winter. in private houses or school
houses ard visiting all our members fre-
Quently, we found plenty Of hard work 10
Keep US on, OF illeness and mischief
Previous to 1928 the Mctho6ists had no
church, but during this year one was bnilt
1t the Center OF the town. in which meet
ings were then held alternately with serv.
ices in the old Safe House in tie village.
At the first quarterly meeting held in the
church, WiIbur Fisk preached upon the
theme OF Enlless misery"-a memorable
sermon, which was much discussed in the
community.
In l>2S, Montpelier WAS made station,
and lheuceforward lost its identity with
Barre circuit, bat gained one OF It's own.
The appointments OF preachers for Barre
circuit from lis formation to this time, (all
OF whom were Of course regular visitors to
Montpelier at stated ppointmentsl, were
as follows: In 1904, Oliver Beadle; lSOj,
Elijah Hedding and Daniel Young; 1906.
Philip Munger and Jonathan Clancy
1907, Sam'l Thompson aud Eleazer Wells
lls0S. Solomon Sias; 1900, Warren Banis-
T ter and George Gary: $50, Eleazer Wells
and Squire S.reeter; 1911. Nathaniel
Sternes and John Jewet'; 1872. Ebenezer
F. Newell and Joseph bennett; 1915 and
Il, David kilburn, Jason Walker being
his colleague in II; ISIS aud 'l6. Joel
Steele, Thomas Pierce being colleague
in 'lG; lSl7 and Is. Leonard Frost; 1919
Thomas c. Pierce; 1920, Squire 3 Haskell
and Ella Dlnham; 1921, John +. Adams
and Abraham Holway; lS22, J. +. Adams
and D. Leslie; 1928, Samuel Norris AM
Haskell Wheelock; 1924, D. Kilburn. II
Wheeloca and A. II. Hou. .hton; 1925, John
Lord, d. Leslie aud Elihu Scott; 1926 A
D. Merrill and J. Templeton; 1927. j. B
White, Z Jordan and K. L. Harvey.
1uelc uIu "'SO hppedtcd amouS Tue
Methods. preachers in the town the fol-
lowing men who had occupied the office o
presiding elder upon the district Of which
Barre circuit was part: Jesse Lee, Geo
Pickering, Shadrack Bostwick, John Brod
head, Joseph Crawford. Elijah Sabn
Thomas Branch, Eleazer Wells, JOSEPH
A. Merrill, John Lindsey, John G. Dow
Wilbur Fisk.
Among the names that of Wilbur FisL
is no. the leas. prominent, and to tht
present geneEation Is household name il
memory of a man who made his impres!
in society as but few men are able to do
The sermon Of Mr.. Fisk before the Yer
mont legislature of 1926 is now preserved
having been printed in pamphlet form
; Mr.. Fisk has been called the "founder o
! Methodism in Montpelier" but although
his influence was OF great value to Meth
odism in Montpelier, his work was Incl
, dental to It's history rather than the found
; alton of it. He was strong man in tn
denomination, and doubtless exercised al
influence which served in great measure
to dispel the opposition and the prejudice