Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-02-01
improvements and moved to other


that of his son William for so many
years This farm was about two miles
south of the s'North Hill,'' which af-
terward becamg the commercial center
of the little settlement, but was only
about one mile south Of what in course
of time became Bloomington village.
Deacon Spencer must have lived on
the farm eighty years. His life work
was there and in the church of that
place. Farming and religion were the
two cardinal points of his belief. He
had no ambition for Office, and I am
office. AS farmer he was thrifty
and Industrious, studied the best meth
! DDS, raised good crops, and in fact,
was success.
But his great work was in the
church. He was converted and join
ed the Cong. church in 1929, was elect
ed deacon in 1885, position that he
held till his death, 50 years, though
for the past few years he was not in
active service. During these years
to him than will ever be told. Most
faithfully did he fulfill the vow he
took at confession. 1t became a rare
thing to have a meeting without his
presence to cheer and to help. Though
he lived mile from the church, he
was sure to be on hand in heat or
cold, rain or shine, if he was able
to be off from his bed; always bring
ing some if not all his family with
him. He was SO punctual that he &C
quired the name in our family of 'the
clock" Especially on Saturday night,
which was the evening for the mid
week prayer meeting Of that church,
one was always sure to meet Deacon
Spencer, ready to help, and take
charge of the meeting in the absence
of the pastor. It is we'll known that
it is everything to the life of our
small country churches to have some
one member who is faithful to the
appointments, who never tires of ser
vice and is converted to the bottom
of his pockets.
The deacon was sEset" in his ways,
as most good men are; he had his
likes and dislikes, and some pastors, it
may be, he did not like, but this new
er kept him from the meeting, though
close observer might detect from
his demeanor whether or not he was
fully in sympathy.
When the Methodists began to hold
services in town, upwards of fifty
years ago, it was thought by some of
the Congregationalists, the meetings
were not hardly the right kind for
them to attend. This feeling was got
rid Of many years ago, and it seems
strange now that it ever existed. 1t
would not be at all strange if Deacon
Spencer shared in this feeling for a
time, but he was always a growing
Christian. He ever adhered to the old
standard, but his sympathies widened
till he could fellowship Christians Of
every name.
I will close this brief sketch by men
tioning three characteristics: In the
first place, he was a man of prayer.
The length of his prayers might not
suit our modern idea, but they were
always fresh, hearty, and full Of the
Spirit. There was nothing perfuncto-
ry about the exercise To him
prayer was the Christian vital breath,
The Christians native air.
He was eminently Christian man.
One could see the truth of this if in
his presence but few minutes. His
words were few, but well chosen.
"Christ and His Cause" were written
on his heart. HZion the perfection of
beauty" was the burden Of his talk.
He was liberal man. Though for
goods, he was rich in faith. "The lib
eral soul shall be made fat'' proved |
literally true in his case. The more
he gave the more he had. Passing so
much over to the church was not Civ
ing; he was paying back what the
Lord had lent him.
And so it came about that this mod
est young man, without the advan-
tages of of the schools, without nat
ural endowment, or the advantage of |
not prepossessing in his per-
sonal appearance, became by the aid
of grace in the heart like Jacob Of old,
a grand old man, a veritable father in
Israel e. A. S.
Ossian Ray, noted lawyer andpol-
itician of Lancaster, N. H., died of
heart failure on Thursday last, aged
Sc years. He was born in Hinesburgh,
VT, but soon after came to Irasburgh,