Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-09-09
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Rev. Dr.. Foster Repeats at the Baptist
Church the First Sermon Preached by
Him there i'm 1912.

Rev. Dr. Foster Repeats at the Baptist
Church the First Sermon Preached by
Him there i'm 1912.
Sunday, Sept 4, 1892, was the 5Oth an
niversary of the day on which Rev. j. c.
Foster ID. D., now an editor of The
Waterman of Boston, preached his first
sermon before the Baptist church of Brat
teboro. With knowledge of this fact the
pastor. Rev. T. j. Parry, arranged with
DIR. Foster to perform the unique service
of preaching again on the same day of the
week and month, Just 80 years after, the
same sermon. Such an event is very rare,
if, indeed, it has ever before occurred and
it attracted a large audience, many of
whom remembered part of the pastorate
to which the venerable speaker referred.
1t was especially fitting and interesting
that DR.. Foster should preface his sermon
as follows:
Dr. Fosters PREDATORY Remarks.
In the early Saturday evening Of Sept. 3, 1912.
while iouneyng down the valley Of the Connec-
tcut river by private conveyance. arrived in
BrattebOrO and stopped at hotel. After supper
l sought thu house occupied by the Baptist minis
ter Rev Moses Field, who resided on Green street.
He and every person in town were entr. strang-
certained that he was out, but was expected in
ere long ! entered u wait for him When he
came in and learned that was a licensed preach
er detained in town over Sunday, he said that
surely the Lord had sent me, for he really I'M
able 10 preach on the following day. aud must
take his place in the pulpit. This consented to
do, and in the morning Of Sunday. Sept T. 1872
30 years ago this morning. preached one Of sew
eral written sermons which had with me. It
was substantially the same sermon which am
now about TO repeat with some verbal changes
but unaltere1 in substance. In the afternoon
preached from Rev. 1. Il. Is. In the evening !
preached third TIM, from Rev. xxi. L.. And
the Spirit aud the bride say come" At the close
Of the evening service Mr.. Field and jacob Estey
conferred with me as 70 temporarily taking Mr.
Field place as a supply, he wishing 10 be reliev
ed from service for which he felt himself unified
on account Of impaired health his position being
that OF acting pastor. the church formed about
two years previously having never had a
settled pastor. The result of that interview was
that returned IN two weeks, and remained near
ly 10 years, becoming the first settled pastor Of
the church. Those 10 whom preached my first
sermon herr have mostly passed from among the
living. Indeed. ] know Of only two then adult
persons, who probably then heard me. namely
Royal G. Wood and Mrs. VI. 7. Van Doom With
others memory is very busy al this moment
such was the state ~ things with the infant
church that ;e lichIuefs and all Unidentified with
them, were exceedingly well-known to me. New
er have had to do with people who have been TO
me what those, who at the beginning belonged to
my congregation, were in many respects They
ara all now before me in my deeply stirred mind
and their names could readily be- called one by
one. ] have outlived nearly all Of them and am
permitted 70 stand today before thos.. who have
succeeded them and entered into their labors l
esteem 1t a very great privilege 10 look once NOR.
upon the occupants OF the field which / entered
IN the early days OF my ministerial life as well as
the early days of this church life and in which
] was permitted TO have helpers Of endeared
memory, with whom expect to associate again
when We shall have much 70 recount OF our mu-
tual struggles in the first years of the history Of
this church.
The sermon was based upon the text.
Phil. II, 3, Let nothing be done through
strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of
mind let each esteem other better than
themselves. 1t was a plain, kindly, but
vigorous, setting forth of the doctrine of
"lowliness of mind, and abounded in ex-
cellent points, which were as well enjoyed
and appreciated by his hearers of last Sun
day, doubtless, as by those of half a cen
fury ago.
Our space is exceedingly crowded this
week or we should be glad to give large
place TO this most excellent discourse from
one whom Brattleboro has always revered
and been pleased TO entertain. While his
first parishioners have passed on, their
sons and daughters have learned TO honor
him