The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
SUNDAY SERVICES.
BENNINGTON VILLAGE,

The observance of the anniversary of
the Battle began Sunday morning with
elaborate services in all the churches.
ST. PETERS CHURCH.
At st. Peters church there were COM
munion services at and 9:45 o'clock in
the morning. At 1920 the church was
filled to its utmost capacity with inter
ested listeners. Rev. William Bogert
Walker preached practical discourse
upon the subject Gods Providential In
tentions: or the Dangers and Safeguards
of our Country" His text was taken
from Deut. xxx, 81. He spoke of the
dangers to our country from immigration;
the difficulties between capital and labor,
appearing thus early in our nations his
tory; from dishonesty, political intrigue
and legislation for the few against the
many; in the overwhelming quantity of
vicious literature The safeguards Of our
country is an open Bible and living
church. Add to patriotism, which is 10y
atty to country. loyalty to God and His
laws, and God will bless this land and
make it great.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Baptist church was very lastly
decorated. Shields of the national col
ors with trimmings of flags, covered the
lower front of the organ, and the choir
rail was drapod with bunting. Small
flags stood upright at each seat on the
main aiSleS. Rev. u. Marten preached
from the text Joshua iv, I, "These stones
shall be tul memorial unto the children
of Israel for, v3r." He spoke of the en-
during character Of the monument and
that it was fit reminder of the sturdy
piety and devotion to duty which char
fl,a 70 tlat.c That tbio ,nnt ut
| ism may be impressed upon our hearts
in grateful remembrance should he our
constant effort. We need as preserva-
tive against the ills of our republic un=
wavering faith in God, confidence in and
loyalty to the principles which have made
us what we are. Ard above all a nation
al sense of honor that shall preserve us
both as individuals and as nation from
dishonesty, subterfuge, injustice and
atheism. ~ IL .g..asF - Pr I.r g.
r. a.. f.. METHODIST CHURCH.. I-....
The decorations in the Methodist
church were very elaborate. especially
when the evergreen was added for the
evening concert. Streamers of bunting
hung from the center of the ceiling to
the four corners of the room. A life-size
portrait of Gen. Washington held in the
| place of centerpiece above the platform
| The motto "rhe date the battle was
fought was above the portrait, surround
ed by flags. There was also a center
| piece of flags on the wall at the rear OF
| the room, and sashes of bunting in al
| the windows. Rev. A. ID. Heaxt preach.
| ed a sermon of much power and elo.
quence, which, we understand is to pub
| lished in pamphlet form. by request OF
| the church. His text was Joshua 4:21-
"A, and the subject lessons Fl th9Day.'
4 SECOND CoNGREG ATIoNALi CHURCH.
The pulpit and clevis-rail at the Sec
ond Congregational church were draped
in the national colors, and at the rear OF
the audience-room was the Motto, "Oul
4 fathers trusted in thee; they trusted
and thou didst deliver them" Rev,
Charles r. Seymour preached from
Psalm xviii 34-"He teacheth my hands
/ to war" He showed that al
though the Christian religion was a re.
/ ligion of peace, yet there were also times
when war was stern necessity. God
! taught our fathers to war when they
| fought in the cause of humanity. He
also taught those who fought in the
civil war to fight in the cause of right
| The speaker gave a brief account of the
battle and closed with an eloquent tri.
/ butte to Vermont as one of the foremost
| States in all the sisterhood for excellence
in education, growth in religion and
faithfulness in patriotism, in spite OF
/ the drain upon her resources by the
emigration to other States" yl- ~ r14i
! Gov. Page and several mem bers of his
staff were attendance. 1'11f'J. 5
! I'D. w. H.. EVENING SERVICES. ,.' ! Is
The choral service at st. Peters
church was inavoidabIy curtailed OF
account of illness of some prominent
ones concerned therein. AT the SeeonC
Congregational Church there was {
union service of this and the Baptis
Churches, with music as a special feat
ure and speaking by the two pastors
Messrs. L, j. Hall, Col. Olin Scott, Rey
&C. Cooke, and others. At the Metho
dist Church there was patriotic con
cert by the Sunday school There were
elaborate floral decorations, prominen
among them a miniature movement O.
pansies, built nearly four feet high
The young peoples orchestra rendered
several selections, and the music was al
ola patriotic character, l.r.D s'uzrf
5l9l,F THE MEMORIAL SERVICE. 'far,fst
A union memorial service was held al
the Old First church ION the, hill'' or
Sunday afternoon at O'clock goodly
number ofpeople participating g4r
sPhe interioro of. this ancient meeting
house was appropriately decorated fOl
the Centennial services The galleries
were decked with the flags of all nations
and patriotic emblenis. Above the pull
pit hung a large and beautiful silk flag
which was for many years owned b,
Thomas Chittenden, governor of Ner
mont from 1f77 to 1886 The ground
work is white silk with life-sized eagE
on one side and9a union shield ON TIL
other side 'The pulpit was decorate'
with the continental flag Of l775and tn
first State flag adopted by Vermont
These two flags are the property of tn
Society Of the Sons of the Numerical
revolution. The galleries We're orna
mented with flags of all nations. Rest
ing on a flag on the table in front of tn
pulpit was the sword captured from Col
Baum. ,.., ....., a., LAD. ....5....'.. 80.
Music was furnished by a chorus choi
made up of voices from the Baptist
: Methodist and Congregational churc
choirs, under the direction of Prof. Ere
N. Squire, R. S. Bahan presiding at til
organ. ,t r9.f.gI ts.. @
Among those present at this serYic
were Gov. Page and members of hi
staff, Gen. Gilmore, Gen. Peck, Chaplai