Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-10-10

two years there could have been no reg
uiar preaching. In March. 1877 the town
appropriated $50 ITO hire preaching the
ensuing season. but il does not appear
what was done in consequence of the
vote. In 17aS the town voted ''nOt to
hire preaching" In 1877 there re-
moved from ROyalton TO the farm on the
East Hill now owned by c. NJ. Blaisdell,
one Abal Jones, who had been some
years before licensed 70 preach, but who
was known here as farmer and surgeon.
lie is known to have preached OCCASION
ally.
In the spring of 1893 began the first
movement of which we have any knowl-
edge toward a settled pastorate. On the
Bird of June of that year the First Con-
gregational Society was organized, a
meeting for that purpose being warned,
according 10 the law of the time, by the
town clerk. The records show that for
several months negotiations were carried
on with the Rev. Lathrop Thompson. 1t
would seem that for some time there was
difficulty OF agreeing on terms of settle
ment, but an agreement was finally made,
Mr.. Thompson accepted the call of the
church and society, and was installed
Nov. 20, 1888. He was to receive 1884
annually, payable in wheat, rye, or In
dian corn at cash price upon the first day
of January, and was TO quitclaim TO the
Society the ministerial right, tract of
land set apart IN the charter of the town
for the first settled minister. 1t might
be said in passing that this ministerial
land was afterward the subject of a law
suit, being claimed by Samuel Hovev.
who, us ii appeared, had been ordained |
in June. 1898, ON the West Hill over |
Baptist society composed partly of inhab-
itants of this town, and compromise |
was effected whereby the Society decided |
Mr.. Hovey part of the land.
Lathrop Thompson was born i'm Farm
ington. Conn, in 1860. His father. Hez-
ekiah Thompson, early moved to Wind
sor, VT, and was a deacon of the church
there. The son graduated at Dartmouth
IN 1856, studied theology with Asa Bur-
ton at Thetf0rd. being, il Is said, the first
Of his many students, was pastor at Shar-
on from l1SS to 1888, then acting pastor
nc South Britain, Conn, for two years
from l796. His pastorate here can hard
ly be called "a successful one. The Soci-
~ records Indicate growing lack of har-
mony between pastor and congregation.
which resulted in mutual agreement
Tor dismissal from the pastOrate, and
the relation was dissolved ABR. 20. 1905,
|
from TO decide the merits of the contro-
versy, nor would it be worth our while.
The bare record of the fact is sufficient. ,
From 1910 to 1926 Mr.. Thompson was /,
settled at Southold, j.. l., and shortly af- ;
ter returned to Chelsea to live with his d
only daughter, the wife of his successor. [
Mr.. Noble. He died July 10TH 1913. at i
the age OF 81, in the house, now the home !
OF circuit BiXby, which he had built on l
coming here A years before. 1t is to be
hoped that some one here. who must have i
a vivid remembrance of Mr.. Thompson I
IN his later years, will favor us to-day {
with some account Of his recolleetions. 4
May p, 1850, The Society voted ''that d
the committee be directed to hire Mr.. d
Bascom or some other candidate as long n
as subscriptions can be procured to de- a
Tray the same. The Mr.. Bascom was s.
probably Samuel Bascom, a graduate of v
Dartmouth IN lS03, who was afterwards Ia
pastor at Sharon. 1t is to be presumed nj
that he preached here for time, for on in
the following 2nd of September, the So al
clety voted ito raise money sufficient ia
with the subscription now in circulation as
TO pay the Rev'd MIR. Bascom for one h,
years preaching" As in the warning of ne
a society meeting held Jan. 3rd. 1906. Is
There was an article ito see what sd So We
elety Will do relative to procuring preach
ing in SGT Society for the future" we in NJ
ter that either the subscriptions could not ch
De raised or Mr.. Bascom declined TO re- tiy
main. In the warning for meeting on ua
sept. 10 of the same year occurs this ar for
lcle: 10 see what the Society will do on
elatlVe to agreeing with Mr.. Experience Fo
'orter for supplying sd Society as a Can hel
luate Tor further Time" 1t would thus las
ppear that Mr. Porter, classmate of of
Ii. Bascom at Dartmouth, who was lat by
pastor at Winchester, n. H., and Belch- Der
town, Mass, had already been preach NJ
y as candidate, but his name does not freI
Dpear further. Col
IN nlarch, lo0I, however, came a new of q
ndidate, one Calvin Noble, Young par
an OF thirty who had graduated two mis-
ars oeioTe from Middlebury College, Ion,
a studied for year with Asa Burton stof
Ihetford, and had preached few Mic
)nths as a home missionary. He was tim
native of New Milford, Conn. hisffa- fror
er being Revolutionary captain, and som
mother sister of the mother of Pres. Min
" of Yale College. On the 9th of Los
ne the church voted to call Mr.. Noble lv h
the pastorate, and he was ordained sent
pc. z. His salary was to be 800. viii,
tn Mr.. Mobiles pastorate began the of Il
'speli.y Vi l1e ehurch' In 1909, AZ peoI
'sons were added to the church, more OF
thout doubt than the entire member will
p at the beginning of the year, of for /
ich number Mrs. Sophia Drew was tablf
last survivor. The unfortunate dis him
sions occ lsioned by the Christian fecti
yement in 1911 proved temporary for .
wback, but the sacrifices cheerfully GENE
iergone by the people in building the getb,
nmodious and beautiful house of God Old .
which we meet to-day, that they that
,ht no longer be dependent on the neon
N for their place of worship, proved bors.
curse of time great spiritual bless -
. Again in 1919 there was great
altering; we have the names of AZ
IN that year became connected with
church. none of whom now survive. TIL,
in 1881, 70 were added. some of