The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-11-07
ST. JAMES, ARLINGTON,

[The following is the greater portion of
sermon preached by the rector, the
Rev. Richard G. Soaring, Sunday morn
ing, Oct. 9th. in commemoration Of the
laying of the corner stone of st. James
Church, Oct. Goth, 1929. Several of the
Pensioners of Mr.. Soaring and others,
having expressed great desire for
copy of 1t, we take great pleasure in lay
ing the historical discourse before our
readers, through the courtesy of the
author.-ED.
Jesus Christ nimselfbeing the chiefeorner stone
Eph. ii, 20.
Sixty years ago, on the morning of Oc-
tober Goth, 1929, the Bishop of the East
ern Diocese, of which Vermont formed
part, made his visitation to the village
of Arlington, and laid the corner stone
OF the present handsome stone church.
The beginnings of the work of erecting
church building were in the spring or
early summer of thai year, for the cellar
walls were fully built at this date. The
parish of st. James had been in exist
ence for many years before this, as is
attested by the assembling of the first
convention of the clerical and lay rep
resentatives of the parishes of the State
at the church in this village, in Septem-
ber, 1880. The statistics, however, of
the parish at this early date are not giy-
en-, hence one basis for estimating the
age and prosperity of a parish is want
ing. We find, from the parish register,
that the Rec'or was the Rev. James
Nichols, who preached the sermon at
this convention and the lay delegates
were Mr.. Zadoc Hard, Mr. Nathan Can
field, Mr.. Caleb Dayton and Mr.. Luther
Stone, lat whose house the afternoon
session of the convention was held.)
The church in which this first conven-
tion assembled for divine service was
situated little north of the location of
the present building, but it was removed
when the growth of the parish and the
Christian energy and generosity of the
people decided upon erecting larger,
stone structure, which should the better
represent the position of the parish as
the first organized, and at this time the
largest in Vermont. The Rev. James
Tappan was the Rector with whom the
people united in this noble work, and
there appears to have been perfect una
nimity in the enterprise, both in contrib
uting money and in furnishing the ma
terial for the building. The following
account of an important step in the work
is taken from the November number, of
the year 1929, of the Episcopal Register /:
THE corner stone of st. James Church;
Arlington, was laid on the 26th of Octo-
Der by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Griswold.
A large congregation assembled to wit
ness the ceremony, and the Bishop, after
laying the corner stone, standing on the
wall, delivered very appropriate and
interesting address. The Rev. Abraham
Brownson and the Rev. James M. Tap
pan were present and aided in the relig-
ious services of the day. The church is
to be built strictly in the gothic style, of
beautiful dark blue lime stone, to be
found in great abundance in the imme-
diate vicinity. 1t to be 81 feet in length,
and 45 in breadth, with cellar under
the whole church, in which is to be the
robing room, a Sabbath school room,
and a furnace to warm the house. The
foundation is already laid and the wall
raised five feet, the door frames and
doors, the window frames and sash, are
completed, and a considerable quantity
of stone and other materials are upon
the ground. 1t is contemplated to finish
the church early next fall, and the esti-
mate expense is not far from six thou
sand dollars, which is to be borne wholly
by the members of the society. Sylves-
ter Deming has engaged to pay one-third
of the cost of the building, and to fur
nish the church, when finished. with an
organ and bell. In a cavity of the cor
ner stone was deposited leaden box,
containing a prayer book, and parch-
ment, with an inscription as follows /:
This Corner Stone
st, James Church
was LAID
by the Right
| Rev. Alexander Viets Griswold, ID. D.,
| Bishop of the
| Protestant Episcopal Church
| in the
| Eastern Diocese,
| October 10Th, A. ID. 1929,
Being the fifty.third year OF the Independence
The Rev. James M Tappan, the Minister
of the Parish being present
and assisting,
Noble Hard and Simeon Cole, being
Wardens
EnOs Canfeld, Samuel s. Baker, Anson Garfield
Zadoc Hard and Martin c, Deming.
Vestrymen.
Lewis Dyer, Clerk
Martin G. Deming, Samuel s. Garfield, Cyrus B.
Hills, Simeon Cole and Phinehas Smith,
building committee.
William Passwan. Of Aulston,
Yorkshire, England,
... Architect,
The Rev. VIM. S. Perkins. late of the
Theological Seminary of Virginia, has
accepted the charge of this interesting
station"
Now, we give this account in full be.
cause it ought to be preserved, and the
noble work of that day be kept in loving
remembrance. All of the men who are
named in this report as principals in the
work, as well as many others present al
that service, and contributing to its sue.
cess, have passed away. Some, howev'
er, especially those who We're children
then are still living, and must recall
with pleasure the presence fthe Bishop
as he made his address from the south
, west corner of the church walls. The
condition of the parish at that time may
= be seen by the report of the minister, the
Rev. Mr.. Tappan, who says
For several months before my en-
gagement with this people, the constant
services of the church had not been per
formed among them. found then
= quite anxious for the residence of {
clergyman who should be constant anC
!! faithful in breaking to them the bread o.
life, according to the practice and prin
ciples of our church. Their attentions
{ and exertions are now turned towarC
! the praiseworthy design of erecting I
. new house Of worship. A new building
for the accommodation of this congrega
a ton is considered necessary, and with
. out doubt will speedily be erected. TIL,
people of this parish generally are mucl
$ attached to the principles, doctrines ant
3 services of our church, and seem dis
T posed to contribute cheerfully for tn
It advantages which come to markint
}. through the gospel Of Christ. And upol
Il the whole, prospects are encouraging
: for the continued prosperity of this par
Z ish. A Sunday school of about 40 schol
e ars is in fourishing slate. The mum
4 ber of communicates is about l00.f
s This is the report made five month