Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-06-15
THE OLD NEETING HDi'SE
AT w WESTM1NSTER


This building was commenced in 100 and
was completed in the year following The
/ superintendent Of the work wa. given T.,
"a man named Brown. who dNrlt at West
/ mureland y H., aud who fulfilled his con.
/ tract tu the satisfaction Of hi, employers.
| The church was formerly placed as was the
| custom Of the times, in the middle Of the
/ high road, but it was afterward removed.
and now stands ON the line Of the street.
/ For many years the people Of the village,
/ united in faith aud doctrine, we're accus-
| toned to assemble within its walls for the
| purpose Of wurshiping in conformity with
| the usages of the New England Congrrga
/ tlunali,ts - huC when. in the lapse of time.
some uf the people had embraced AN up.
/ pugnant belief, vcXatiuus disputes arose us
| tu which of the two denominations should
| have possession Of the building. In the
end IA new edilce was erected hy the Con
| gregationali-t,, and their opponents after
retaining possession Of the church for few
/ years. left it tenautlps, Thu, it remained
for years undisturbed, except on town
meeting and election days aud by the oc
casiona visits Of the peering antiquarian
the summer loiterer, or the leisurely going
traveller. Although lately used for elu
catioual purposes. it still stands. a model Of
its kind, a monument Of former DAYS, The
architecture is simple. and the ,oundnpss
Of its timbers bears witness to the excel
leuce Of the materials which were used in
its construction.
Within, all is strange to the eye Of a
modern. The minister's desk placed iii
recty in front Of the huge bow window. j.,
overshadoWed hy the umbrella like sound
ing board, from which. in former days.
/ 4
vrrberated our ancestors were "a frugal
people They regarded the air, not a- am
element in which to waste words but as "A
medium 10y which ideas were to be convey
ed and in order that nothing. especially of
a sacred character, should be lost. they fell
upon this contrivance, designed to give to
the hearer the full benefit Of all that the
preacher might chouse tu utter As one
stands beneath thi, impending projection. "A
Sitting sensation will steal over the senses.
and ludicruus dread lest it, na,sivenr,,
may descend and crush him a. he salrs. !,
mot entirely absent from the mind Oue
might also feel like comparing II. in ~ltua
tom with the sword Of Damocle- But
otherwise the comparison fails for the hair
which holds it is bar Of iron. aud the
structure itself bears "a striking resemblance
To- a struIrss tnal.tnu Modern theulo.inu,
might find in it personitcatipu of the
'I"ul "hl'h Ih ancient times "NefhuhE The
mercy seat, aud this, perhaps is the most
orthodox view ia which it can be- regarded.
Underneath tAe pulpit i, small apart
mrut in which the powder aud lead b-
longing to the village we're usually stored
b" can deNcrih" the feelings which now
ana then must have shot across the mind of
the preacher, or imagine the natur" Of hi,
secret thoughts, As SUNDAY after SUNDAY bee
warned hls hearers "i the dangers "i TIN,
"nrId' ana hr-hrht them q" seek for safety
iu The next "hiIr latent death lay harr"lIri
beneath hls lert Immediately iu front OF
ana h~l"" the de.h are arranged the iehchr-
"here once sat th" hrh,"h,. Beside them
stood long WHIPS. Wth winch they Wrr'
wont To- dtiNe IRON the temple the farmers
dogs winch would sometimes nirudr during
the pr"tra'ted service. Terrible instr
lnehlN were THESE long "hps L" the little
boys ana tne least "rlS-ie "i tief utmost
UP athoush 'au'tl" 10y 'he breathing "i N'inr
h'H' hh'u'e'l "ePnHr' was more potent Z"
tHe'h thail ume mos, P"ihted 'ehun'iitl,",
"'hse" WIN "re ana sulphur anu lulptNed
pS the "reh'h "I hIaHeh iuhIs AhoNt
Tue deacons 'eatN' ON couple "i mails
IeSte" Poie' at tue en-" uI "hi'h was al
.a,"I'' S.lhtI lII'" i"'> was .ht , ole, Que
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'lh''rinE tN,'l-" 'i' h''"'f KEY
Always afforded MINNIE amusement To- the
Young 'hliHreh' ana were regarded "N the
"Id men "N necessary evils l." hr endured
Pai'tn'lE anu without '"InPlaihl lhth
""ulH succeed moment "t silence I" ne
nr"keh 10y the dlScnrHant harmony "i ear
Herc'hs 'a''e''"N' prl'hIlE nass''s' ana airs
10y Il" means aS gentle a. Those "hl'h Hoat
from Araoy tine heSt
hut the music Was lnspirlting, II not To the
listeners, yet to the performers and when
the excited hddler, who was also the leader,
hrcaine wholly penetrated with the melodies
which his vocal followers were eNhaling,
regardless "l the injunction OF the minister
to 'umit the last stanza in singing. he
would WITH am extra shake oi ms ho" and
a Resonant, "ung America put her
/ ns lA
intended 1t should end, winding up with a
grand flourish. the intensity of which was
sure to excite, even in the breasts of the
oldest fosies' the most ecstatic fervor.
For years every old lady usel regularly
to bring her foot stove to meeting, and the
warmth Of her feet was of great service.
no doubt, IN increasing the warmth OF her
heart But when new fashioned square
box IRON stove WAS introduced WITHIN those
sacred precincts with labyrinth ot pipe,
bending ana cracking III every direction,
the elect was fearful Two or three ialnt
eel from the heat 1t occasioned and shutters
sufficient would not have been found Ia
convey the expectant swooners Ia more
airy places, had not an old deacon gravely
informed the congregation that the stove
was destitute OF both fire and fuel
Just beyond the meeting house lies the
old hurying ground crowded with the 81
lent dwellers Of the last hundred years,
These tenants pay no rent for their ludg
ings, and shall never know any reckoning
day but the last. The paradises oi the
dead which are found today in the suburbs
OF almost every American city, speak well
for the taste aud refinement Of the age
but beautiful as they may he, there is a
/ GOODNESS around them of which the marble
/ piles that adorn them are iitly emhematlc.
/ More acceptable to "A chastened taste Is the
'I"'Se Si"NvnaI" Nl'Ii i'S I"I'""'"eNN ana
simplicity. The humble stone, with IL,
simple story simply told CONVEYS To the
. Il . ,l..,,,,. ;,..,,,...; 40,
P'"''' ''''''i l't'"9"''S' '"'l'' ''''''
thah the monument with ITS weary length