Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-02-03
THE LATE REV. DR.. STEVENS
"Reminiscences of His Lifelong Pastor"
ate nt VestmInster west.

"Reminiscences Of Ills Lifelong PASTOR
ate at Westminster west.
Westminster West, where DIR. Stevens
lived. kept the character of an original
New England parish, owing largely to his
influence and that of his predecessors,
more distinctly than any other place in the
county, and probably more so than any
other In the state or vicinity. 1t was
made a parish, in fact, for the support
of the ministry by taxation, by vote OF
the town in 1875, confirmed by an act OF
the legislature in 1897. Only one other,
the south part of Athens, now in Brook
line, was so made by law in this coun-
ty; and perhaps there were only those
of Dorset, Rupert and Woodstock in the
state. The Rev. Timothy Field, much
older brother of Cyrus W., David Dud-
ley, Justice Stephen j. and Rev. Hen
ry NJ. Field, was DIR. Stevens's prede-
cessor from 1906 to 1885; and the REV.
Jubilee Wellman was his immediate pred
ecessor from 1888 to 1912. He began his
pastoral work there. Each in his time, as
was the case with early New England
clergymen, was the first gentleman of the
place in all things, and held control in
most. They were leaders of public senti-
ment. interested in behalf of education,
and of all that was for the general good.
DR.. Stevens thought education there at
home, so far as it could be had, would be
better for the young people than going
abroad for it. He went himself and en-
gagged teacher for a select school there in
the fall of 1857, visited it often, always
addressing and encouraging the scholars,
and took great interest in its progress. He
was then in middle age, and fast approach
ing the height of his powers and influence.
The Westinghouse was built in 1929,
and had bell hung on it in 1853, after he
came. At the time of that school Still
man Thompson rang the bell for Sunday
services and weekday meetings, and every
weekday noon to tell people when to go TO
dinner, and every night at 9 o'clock to tell
them when to 60 to bed. Everybody that
was able went to meeting. If any one
was not there the cause of absence was
soon sought out. Services were held in the
forenoon at half-past ten, and in the after
noon at one, of each Sunday, with full
length sermon, and a Sabbath school be-
tween. Another meeting was held in the
evening, and others during the week. At
communion the congregation remained
and the members of the church sat in
their places among the rest. Stilman
| L
bell. Peyton Ranney played in the choir
on claIionet. Some of the young men
fingered on the steps about the doors, after
the first bell for the second service, while
the young ladies were passing in. DR..
Stevens rebuked them from the pulpit, and
said that was no place for them to look at
the young ladies; that the first bell rang to
call the congregation in and the second to
| call him in, and that all should be seated
| when he came in. No second yadmoniton
was necessary.
Horace and Ira Goodhue, elder brothers
of Hon. Homer Goodhue, lived there then.
1t was in Buchanan's administration
George w. Daniels, good Democrat, was
postmaster, and kept the Office in his
house by the bridge south of the brook, to
which the mail was brought twice week
from Saxtons River; Ephraim Wilcox
was the only merchant and had his store in
his house at the other end of the bridge.
No doctor or lawyer lived there, and the
people were almost all farmers and de-
scendants of the early settlers. Grant
Ranney, a descendant of one of the earli-
est of them, lived there north of the store.
Henry f. Severens, the learned Judge OF
the United States for the western district
of Michigan, married his daughter. Ira
OOouHue was long Judge OF TINS county
and his son, Rev. Henry A. Goodhue, has
succeeded DR.. Stevens as pastor of the
church. Homer Goodhue was a senator
from this county and has for long time
been state supervisor of the insane
Horace Goodhue, jr., professor in Garlic
ton college at Mortified, Mimi; Miss
Julia Durham, an experienced teacher
Miss Carrie Campbell, wife of G. Horace
Hubbard, and olher bright and talented
pupils attended that school.
There, among this people, to whom
above all others he was attached, Dr. Stev
ems did the work OF his lire. The Rev.
Mr.. Field was buried there in the cemetery
by the Westinghouse, In his sermon on
the 10th anniversary of his pastOrate, DR..
Stevens said to his people: "When you
wish my active pastorate to close l hope
you will frankly tell me. l shall receive il
kindly. | only ask you to let my pastor
ate formally remain, and let me have a
home with you and be of use to you as a
Christian and citizen. When | die let
me rest with your dead. l want to wait
with them for the morning of the resur.
rection." 1t has been as he wished.