St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-04-08
urday, April IL, at o'clock in the af-
ternoon. A lively meeting is prom
Used and there will be full turnout.
NORTH CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.
of the past sixty years,

The 6lst anniversary of the Organi.
cation of the North church was very
appropriately observed last evening,
the time being largely given up to the
recital of "reminiscences of the early
history of the church, of the pastors
and of the prominent events during
the 81 years just passed. The meet
ing was held in the vestry. At the
rear of the desk was sketch of the
first church. looking much like the
plainest of the old fashioned school
houses. To the right and left of this
picture were the portraits of the six
pastors that have been settled over
this church preceding Mr.. Lamson,
who was present in the flesh. There
were also shown plan of the interior
arrangement of the first church, and,
by way of contrast, model of the
present building. The North church
was formed April Z, 1925. None of
the original 10 persons who cOnstitut-
ed its first membership are living, the
oldest resident member being Miss
Sarah t. Crossman, who passed her
0Oth birthday last August and was
present at the meeting.
These are the pastors of the first
60 years: Rev. James Johnson, 1897
1888; Rev. John H. Worcester, 1889
1916; Rev. w. r. Bond, 1847-1956 ;
Rev. E. c. Cummings, I86O-l869 Rev.
C. M. Southgate, 187O-1075; Rev. H.
w. Jones, I875-1885.
EX-GOv. Fairbanks spoke of the first
church, of it's pastor, work, etc. For
two years the church was without a
settled pastor but at the end of that
time resolved "that they were too
weak to attempt to get on without a
settled minister" and called Rev. James
johnson. At his installation in Feb
ruary the church voted "that they
would on all such occasions" wholly
dispense with the use of ardent spirits
and wines, quite an innovation for
those days as rum was sold at all the
stores and generally used. The first
two years the church worshipped in the
small building referred to, which was
located on what is now the north cor
ner of Main and Maple streets. Gov.
Fairbanks gave many interesting facts
and figures concerning the Sunday
school, methods of worship and the
character of the first pastor, Rev. Mr..
johnson, a worthy man, but one of the
good old fashioned sort who thought
ball and checker playing sins, and it
was under his passionate that a church
meeting was called to discuss these
important questions. The speaker al
SO referred to the presentation to the
by j. G.. Tuckerman of Boston, to the
unusually strong stand for the early
days of 1928 taken by the church on
the temperance question and to the
faithfulness of the early membership
in the performance of duty, etc.
Deacon Spencer followed with some
very amusing illustrations of the Sc
verify and sternness of the Rev. John
son, who, having caught the Spencer
boy of those days playing ball, declar-
ed that 'bOys better stay out of the
church until they get through playing
ball"
A paper written by Mrs. Chadwick
on the ministry of Mr.. Worcester was
read, giving expression to the new
hope that sprang up in the hearts of
the people on his coming to the pas
torate in 1889, IA hope that was more
than satisfied with the rich work of
grace that followed his labOrs not only
in the church but in the Sunday school,
which at one time included in its mem
bership every young man in the viii
lage but one. Amusing reference was
made to the inevitable church choir
quarrel.
II. M. Howard spoke of Rev. Mr..
Bond, of the faithful and successful
work performed by him, and of the
attractive qualities of his mind and
heart. Feeling allusiOn was also made
to the death of Mrs. Bond and the
action of the church in relation to it.
Gov. Fairbanks and Mr.. LamsOn
spoke of Rev. E. G.. Cummings, who
left his impress for good upon the
Lamson referred particularly to the
strength of mind, ripe scholarship and
Christian spirit that characterized his
writings 1t is an item of interest that
to Mr.. Cummings is the church indebt
ed for the present arrangement of the
order of services in the Sunday cOngre-
CATION.
DR.. and Mrs. Brooks spoke for Rev.
G.. NJ. SOuthgate, the former alluding
to the impressive scenes at his install
latiOn, to his youth and to the strong
hold he had upon the church and the
people, and to his faithfulness and sue
cess as IL pastor, and the latter reading
a very bright and happy paper descrip-
tive of the man, his character and his
WOTk. III 10 HOCC"oiehy th"O w "Ai'
SOuthgate the church is largely in
debted for the present system of rails
ing the money for current expenses.
OF Rev. Ii. w. Jones and his work in
st. Johnsbury DR.. j. l.. Perkins spoke,
reading paper that very graphically
pictured the great work done by this
pastor during seasons of unusual re-
ligious interest and his remarkable ten