St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-08-23

we lnlS udy Ieah0H thO fONS VI OON ~
on US
These are the names: James Bailey,
Jonathan Elkins, James Bailey, Jr.,
Ephraim Foster, Reuben Minor, William
Varnum, James Abbott, Mary Bailey,
Mary Bailey, I'd, Mary Walker, Phebe
SkeeI, Anna Bailey.
Peacham, VT, April IA, 1874,
JAMES BAILEY,
Church Clerk.
And six days later we find this rec
ord:
The church this day renewed their COW
ennant and received in addition Mrs.
Hannah Foster, Mrs. Sarah Varnum,
Mrs. Mehita BILE Abbott, Mrs. Dolly Var
mum.
Peacham, VT, April 20. 1894,
JAMES BAILEY,
Church Clerk.
The records of this church for the
first sixty-hve years, which [ have
examined, show that they were not
only godlv men which composed it,
but clear-headed business men.
We cannot fail to be impressed,
however, in reading these records
that there was a good deal of hui
man nature in those men ola century
ago, after all, But a great effort
was made on the part of the church
to make that nature divine as far as
discipline could accomplish the result,
not, of course, to make their MEM
bers less like man, but only more like
God, by turning the energies into
their true channels.
These records incidentally show
the close association of religious
with civil and even military affairs.
The selectmen were a committee OF
supply. And proof of the intimate
connection of our early church
fathers with military matters is
spread all over the old society rec
ords, by great punctiliousness in ac-
cording to persons their military
titles. Cen" Col" Capt"
Lieut." appear constantly in the
entries, and point to the Importance
of military drills and reviews. In
early times these reviews were made
religious by being opened with pray
er and psalm singing.
The influence of this town and
church and Academy then, is to be
measured by the man who have liv-
ed and died here, and those who have
been nurtured here, but whose lot
has been cast in other places. And
when | say men | mean wOmeu-
a1sO-not women Of both sexes
as Mr. Beecher once characterized a
certain mpany-but women in the
best sense.
The men talked Of the points Of
the sermon, of the doctrines of pre-
destination, anti-pedo-baptism and
pedobaptism, OF original sin and
that most charming mystery-the
objectionable sin :; and then IN lower
voices, of wolf and bear killing, o
the town meeting, the taxes, the
| crops and cattle, and they examined
with keen interest one another's
horses and many a sly bargain il
horsehesh or exchange Of COWS anC
pigs was suggested under the shell
tering horse sheds. Many piece o
village electioneering was also dis
cussed and "worked' between the
! services. The women discOursed II
low voices of their spinning anc
weaving, of their candle-dipping OF
candle-running, of their success Of
failure in the yearly trial Of patienct
and skill-their soap making, 0
their patterns in quilt piecing, anC
sometimes they slyly exchanged
quilt patterns.
The speaker used some time ii
paying deserved tribute TO the son
and daughters of the church ant
Academy who had made their in
fuence felt throughout the country
! fa, 70
gentleman, an earnest Christian AM
a general, and making special men
ton Of his work as a preacher AM
the value of his life to the cause O
collegiate and Christian education
Then followed page after page Q
reference to the work Of the pastor
who succeeded Mr.. Worcester, tn
full text of which we cannot fin
space for. In closing he drew al
interesting picture Of what could b
seen ii all the active forces of thi
church could be msrshalled and mad
to pass in revieW-the little ban
of twelve who organized the church
the three men of God, Worcester
Merrill and Boutelle; the six faithful
pastors who followed them; the Of
fcers of the church; the 1900 person
who have been members; the lon;
line of Sabbath school superir
tendents and teachers al the head c
thousands of children; those me
who have held the important an
delicate position of leaders in song
the pioneers in slavery and temper
ance reform, the long line of youn
people organized in active societies
and the godlv men and women VIII
have been teachers in the academ
and have gone out to do simila
work else where.
This church which is just crossin
the threshold of its second centur
has record which many churche
might envy-a rich inheritance Blu
it must not be forgotten that an ir