Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-17
OBITUARY.
nev. NIark Cnrnsntcr.

'' NANEh carpenter
! Rev. Mark Carpenter, widely known and
honored in New England as an able and sue
| cessful pastor, died at bis residence in Towns
bend, Vt, on Monday, Nov. %, after n brief
illness OF two days Though he had passed
his eightieth birthday, he had retained the
vigor Of youth in remarkable degree. 1t
| was common thing until within a very short
time of his death to see him engaged in &c.
we're manual labor or riding horseback at full
canter with the erect and fine carriapo of n
military officer. During tho week before he
died be had written n sermon in expectation
OF supplying the pulpit of the Baptist church
IN Iownshend. But few weeks ago by the
breaking of limb of an apple tree into
which he had climbed, he was thrown violent
ly to the ground and badly injured He had
| apparently recovered from this injury, no as
TO be at work again out of doors, and he pro-
nounced himself, with his wonted courape. as
well as ever But on Saturday the effects of
internal injury showed themselves. and he
sank suddenly into a semi-comatose condition.
from which he did not rally. lie was buried
on Wednesday from the Baptist church in
Townshend. His neighbor aud greatly hon.
ored friend, Judge Stoddard, conducted the
funeral and six Baptist ministers of New
Hampshire and Vermont served as bearers.
Prayer was offered at the house by Rev. II.
q. Leavitt Of So. Londonderry. PRAYER was
offered at the church by Rev r. NJ Butler
late pastor of the church in Townshend of
which Mr.. Carpenter was member, who also
conducted the service at the grave. Rev. G..
Is. Cow ID. d., of Brattleboro preached the
sermon from Cor. 15:5t The accompany
ing sketch of his life is almost entirely by his
son, Rev. II. Carpenter. The summary of
his character is by the preacher OF the sermon
at his funeral
He was born in Guilford, Windham county.
Vt, Sept %, 1902. His ancestor joseph
Carpenter, came from England when a boy
with bis parents, grandfather and three broth
ers, in 1888. The family settled in Rehoboth.
Mass, in 1910, aud in 1Gi7, or near that date,
Joseph with six others united in forming the
Swansea Baptist church, tho Oldest Baptist
church in Massachusetts, and for many wears
under the pastoral caro- of Elder Myles, from
Swansea, in Wales. From that time the de-
scendants in that line seem for the most part
to have maintained the Baptist faith Col
Benjamin Carpenter, grandfather of Mark
was one Of the earliest settlers Of Guilford, a
Baptist lay-preacher, n member of the com
mittee OF safety during the war of the revou-
ton, a member of the constitutional conven
ton, and the first Lieutenant Governor of
Vermont
Before he became of age, Mark Carpenter
had had but three months of schooling On
attaining his majority however, he set TO work
in earnest to acquire an education. At the
age of ~ he experienced the renewing grace
of God. He was baptized by Rev. Elisha
Andrews in Pelham, Mass, in April, 1927.
and was licensed to preach not long after. by
the Baptist church in NORTHAMPTON, Mass.
Altogether he spent five years in the academy
and college ut Amherst taking his last wear
and graduating at Union college, Schenectady,
n. T., in 1880 After three yodrs course
at Newton theological institution, he settled
in Milford, N. H, whore be was ordained
Feb. 2G, 1884 After prosperous pastorate
in Milford of six and a half years, during
which ninety persons we're added to that
church, besides twenty-four at least baptized
by him into fellowship with churches ia
neighboring towns, he was induced to remove
to keene, where he labored nearly five years,
baptizing sixty aud receiving by letter over
thirty members His next settlement was in
New London, N. H., where he did his best to
overcome old difficulties, but with only par.
tial success. After four years he resigned
and entered the service of tho New Hampton
Institution, as financial agent for one year.
Near the close of 1919 he took charge of the
First Baptist church in Iolyoke, Mass, where
he spent nearly ten years in pleasant, useful
labor. This was followed by pastorate of
five years and ten months in Brattleboro Vi.
Here he labored with good degree of sue
cess, winning the esteem and confidence Of
the whole community. During his pastorate
ffty-hve persons were added to the church.
of whom he baptized thirty one He after
ward labored for two years in West Dummer-
ston, and seven years in South Windham In
March, 1875, being in his seventy third year,
and feeling that he could not with safety to
his health attend neighborhood evening meet
ings and do the full work of a pastor he
finally resigned his position and removed to
Townshend. For two years and half while
living in Townshend he again supplied the
church in West Dummerston, and from time
to time as opportunity offered he rcioiced to
preach that which he believed with his whole
heart to be ''the everlasting gospel"
Mr., Carpenters first wife, and the mother
of his seven sons, was Catherine A. Howard,
daughter of the late Chaplin Howard Of
Townshend His second wife, who survives
him, was Mrs. Sarah B. Jenkins for many
years a missionary connected with the Hanson
place Baptist church in Brooklyn, n. Y.