The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-10-09

narac hxcAfnt hclsshoId word Wherever
"Lieh, % The Dark River has been read
The afternoon serSson vas b. cue 81 ths
ministers raised 10 Dore,. Rev S. Virgil
EnblsAs 81 Manchester, Com. II Was Al
esrnesl Discourse upon The related inAu
ence q formsr aud later believers. from
Hebrews 1880. 10 the evening. an al
dress on the Bible for husdrcd years
was given by brother u the pastor.
Bos,cu man whose Bible Manis" is vel
hnoun in thai vicinity. II held the At
tention Of the large audience TO the clese
shen many came to the platform 10 exam
inc the rare sud beautiful manuscript
and other illustrations exhibited. Tn,
great day u the feast, however, was OF
Monday. September p A "elear. shin
Ing alter rain, was the token for good
Tor heavy shower the night before had
pu, a fresh, clean face on everything
From early morning there was great hur
rying 10 and fro between the church and
the village homes, young men aud maid
ems, old men aud children, all evidently
carrying tribute Of things material to the
house OF the Lord. Now and then des.
pendent one in flying errsnd home would
report that nothing was done and nobody
doing it. but when finally at III o'clock
the bell rang, and from far and near the
wagon and buck. boards aud buggies al
came to focus at the common center,
order bad come out OF chaos, aud al
things we're ready. The sweet white
church did not look like dame OF hun
bred years, calling together her children's
children, but rather like bride adorned
for her husband. II was made beautiful
with flowers and ferns. trailing vines and
autumn foliage, and . portrait Of Rev.
Dr. Jackson looked dswn approvingly on
the flock be had fed for forty-six years.
This church is no tickle lover, for the
present pastor. Rev. P. s. Pratt, kept his
silver wedding with them nearly four
years ago, the tive long pastOrates just
covering three quarters Of the century.
One notable feature Of the occasion was
the cluster Of venerable white heads
gathered on around and on the platform.
among them was the father OF the pastor,
Rev. Rufus Pratt, in his eighty. ssventh
year, causing one lady to remark that
their most beautiful church decorations
were century plants" This group Of
six gentlemen represented an aggregate
of 500 years. Another constrasting
ornament, and to strangers as remarkable,
was the number Of olive plants scat
tered profusely about the house; for,
whereas in city churches children have
gone out Of fashion, here they sbound.
In one pew was G. K, with his row Of
graded heads; in another was A. W., with
sunny haired boy and girl; F. Gs. pair Of
bright eyed boys were twisting their necks
like young colts to peer into the next pas
ture, and B. locked the model austis with
her sisters three little ones gathered nm.
der her wing.
The historical address by Mr.. Pratt
showed that not for naught had he genius
for storing up the annals Of the past and
the passing present. 1t was rich in facts
Of interest not alone to the local church
but to the town and state. No library
which values historical matter can afford
to be without it. The grand old hymns
were grandly sung by large choir led by
Prof. s. P. Cheney, composed in part OF
those whs for many years had there been
making melody unto the Lord, and who
came back only for the day. When at
noon the audience repaired to the vestry
for collation., they found the tables fair.
ly groaning under the weight Of such cakes
and goodies Ms you get nowhere else out
Of Dorset You who have SO often been
behind the scenes can easily imagine who
was "at the foro" doing good service.
The superintendent Of the Sunday school
was as usual power behind the throne,
while his coed wife marshalled her hosts
on to the battle. Mrs. s. X. was flying
about with her springing step like girl
Of sixteen; A. II. smiling so sweetly as she
passed the pickles that they forgot to DO
sour. But time would fail me to enumsr.
ate the names OF young men and maidens
who have found by long experience that
they also serve who only staad aud
wait y"
Ia the afternoon another feast OF fat
lhiugs was spread in the church above. |
The venerable DR.. Wickham OF Mxnches-
Ter carrying SO easily the weight Of SO
Years, ard DR.. Hsmlin, now president Of
College, gave graphic recsl.
ectioas, grave and gay OF the former pas
.or DIR. Jackson till the old portrait, be.
ny dead. seemed still speaking. Rev.
Quincy Blakely Of New Hampshire, who
,arried away one Of the Dorset girls To |
grace bis home, Rev. s, W. Robbins OF |
Connecticut, and Rev. NJ. l.. Severance OF
Burr and Burton Seminary, who "liked
III oil things but the old clothes OF his
,lder brother all added 10 the interest Of
he occasion. So did letters from the
.bscnt One was from the venerable Rev.
jephas H. Kent, "a grandson Of Dorset,
nd OF Dea. Cepbas Keut founder OF
his church. He was a son Of Rev. Dan
Kent. pastor Of Benson, and has son in the
ministry at Atlanta, Ga. A letter from DR..
'rcntiss OF New York Theol. Seminary
estlfed his warm personal attachment
nd that Of bis family TO the beloved old
hurch and its pastor. and Trusting that
be celebration would prove every way
uspicious and fraugh. with good inHu.
nee. Blu, the autumn afternoon WAS al
90 short Some OF the good things pre-