Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-24
SOLOMON GOODELL.


a LtbsraI Giver Of Former Days.
One OF the most remarkable oases Of Chris
tian liberalily on record is that OF Mr. Solo.
mon Goodell, who resided in the town OF ia.
maioa during long and lAborious life, and
died there in 1916 at the age Of 40 years. lie
was an obscure man Of plain habits, Of mod
crate means, retiring disposition and Sc
we're industry. lie lived In one Of the rug.
godest places among the Green Mountains,
was never rich, never speculated, but made
the money which he 80 generously gave for
missionary purposes from the products Of q
small dairy aud farm which was not worth
above $500, and his whole property at any
time would not have brought $500 His
house was small but comfortable, and his
dress OF the plainest kind and yet the do
nations which he made for benevolent pur
poses would be considered prinoely even in
in our day.
In 1900 Mr.. Goodell gave to the Connect.
out missionary society 800, which attracted
considerable attention, 1t being a SUN at that
time unprecedented in the history OF the So
oiety. Rev. Mr.. Eyarts, afterwards secreta-
~ Of the American board OF commissioners
for foreign missions, seeing the aoknowledg.
mont Of this donation IN the report Of the 80
oiety, said that probably some wealthy gen
tleman bad retired 10 the interior OF Yer
mont, and had made that society the channel
OF his benevolenOe. Mr.. Goodell made like
donation to the Connecticut society annually
for many years.
When the American Board Was organized
in 1910 he went so miles to visit one OF its
members, and paid over to him $500 for im-
mediate use aud subscribed $1,000 TO the
permanent fund OF the Board, which he did
by giving his note for the amount, securing
II by bonds and mortgages and paying the
interest annually till the whole sum was paid
up, and which, interest and all, amounted 10
81, 70S 81 This was done entirely withou /
solicitation from any one.
During the time this note was pending he
made yearly donations, besides paying the
interest on that. At one time he carried to
a member of the Board at Hatfield, Mass.
$4G5, which be said he intended should have
been $500, but he would soon make it that,
and did. His donations TO the American
BoaEd to carry the gospel TO foreign lands
during the space Of four years and nine
months, amounted to 81, GSGlG
This truly benevolent man gave, duIiug
this time, numerous smaller sums, amounting
frequently TO $50, 10 other societies TO send
preachers into new settlements, and employ
cd preachers at his own expense to preach in
the towns around him. He gave to various
young men who we're fitting for the ministry,
and IL Ia related that, At one time, he dliatrib-
uted the proceeds Of pair Of fat oxen for
such purposes.
Mr.. Goodell was Baptist himself, though
In making his donations he patronized other
denominations, and most OF his benefactions
were made through societies which we're un-
der Congregational or Presbyterian control.
The exact amount given by him during his
life for such purposes cannot be stated but
II could not have been less that $1,000, and at
the time Of his death. after making satisfac-
tory provisions for his wife, he made the
American Board his residuary legAtse, and
the property thus bequeathed amounted TO
about $1,000. And yet this man was far from
showing any ostentation by his religious
charities. He gave apparently from high
sense OF religions duty, and from that alone
Taking into consideration his circumstances
and the scarcity Of money at the times in
which he lived, his example is one OF the
most illustrious for hberality which this coun.
try has ever afforded. SmAs KErcHUM