The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-06-19
North Pownal.

Almost an Accident:-One of our young
men a few evenings since, was out rid
ing with his lady, when stepping out of
his vehicle to adjust something about
the harness, his horse took fright, and
running over the driver, passed on with
the young lady in the carriage. She
however, soon jumped from the carriage
and the horse was stopped near his own
barn, with the carriage upset. Although
somewhat bruised, we are glad to learn,
that the young gentleman and his LADY
are nearly recovered from the injuries
which they then received. In view of a
passion for fast horses. which seems at
present to prevail among our young folks,
we would recommend for their use an
other kind of horse, and thereby avoid
these accidents. The horse we recon-
mend is not likely to run away without
the owner so desires it. He is some
times called "shdnkS-hOrSe," and will
carry its owner up hill and down hill,
much safer than any quadruped will be
likely to do.
The exercises at the Congregational
church on Children's Day, were both APP
propriate and interesting. They con-
sisted mostly of Rotations and singing
by the younger members of the Sabbath
School. In the evening the pastor
preached an appropriate sermon from
Zach. 4:10. For who hath despised the
day of small things" This text should
have awakened some interest in the
minds of the older members of the con-
pregation, on account of it being also the
text chosen by the Rev. A. Peters, D. D.,
who preached the sermon when the
church was organized, May 21st, 1851,
forty wears ago. At that time the house
was crowded with an audience both
curious and interested in the CONVEX.
sions. In this part of the town at that
time, house Of worship was really a
novelty hitherto. There had been al
first only the church at the Center
which was built in 1889, for the whole
town, and later two church edifices at the
''South Corners" so that the only place
of public worship in this locality had
been the school house. No wonder then
that the people were generally interested
| in such ceremony. Nearly all who par.
ticipated in those exercises are dead.
Rev. r. C. Hand was moderator of that
meeting, Deacon Samuel Chandler dele
gate from the First Congregational
| Church, Bennington, Rev. G. II. Hub
bard being then its stated supply, and
Deacon Stephen Bingham represented
the Second Congregational church OF
Bennington. The singing for this oc.
casion was conducted by 1.-THE late
Seymour Merrill (of Bennington Centre,
then a noted teacher of singing schools
The church at its organization consisted
of tl,Asollowing persons: David Brown
DaviVp carpenter, Joshua Laid, Abigail
| prowpaIl Polly Spencer Ellen Iadd
Fanny Grayton, Lydia M. Paddock
Margaret A. Carpenter and Sarah A,
Carpenter. OF this number, four only
are living. The house had been dedi.
Gated nearly year before, President
Hopkins of Williams College preaching
the dedicatOry sermon. That occasion
too. had been noted meeting. At this
meeting there was an incident, which in
some places might have made the event
memorable. Two ladies sang in the
choir dressed in bridal costumes. One OF
them had been recently married to the
man who was afiianced to the other, a
circumstance which in many places need
not ordinarily excite even comment; but
in town like POwnal in those days, on
the eve of such religious volcanic
eruption as followed these events, the
presence of man with two wives would
not have caused greater scandal. Dur
ing this period of forty years there have
been many similar seasons Of Joy among
the Young like the one Of last Sabbath
morning, and to him who was present at
them all the inquiry naturally suggests
itself, who Of us, forty years hence shall
be able to recall any thing that happened
on this day.