Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-01-19
THE CENTRE CHURCH.
Its Interesting Annual Meeting.


| Church.
The annual meeting of the Centre church
was family gathering this year, all the
| friends of the society and congregation, as
well as church members, being invited. In
| spite of unfavorable weather a large audi
ence gathered and the occasion was of
marked interest. A collection of views
showing the growth of the village was
| grouped about the pulpit and was careful
| ly examined. 1t began with painting of
the town as it was about 1880, in the pos b
session of Gov. Holbrook; and another,
owned by Vim. S. Newton, Esq, Of the
old Blake mansion which stood upon the
present site of the Vermont national bank /;
and extended to the present time through
general and special pictures of the approx
! innate dates of 1916, 1858, 1860, 1865, 1875,
1885, with smaller views of the Valley Mill,
the Revere House. the old Vermont Tavern
on the present site of the Episcopal
church, and other features of the older
| Bratteboro
The annual business included the re-
election of S. w. Kimball as clerk, II. II
! Thompson as treasurer. and G. F. Thomp-
son as treasurer of benevolent gifts. The
| clerk reported heavy losses in membership,
but enough gain to keep the number good.
| The treasury of the church shows a ia
vorable balance, benevolences, so far as re-
| ported, sho y gains in some directions, and
| general maintenance of the high mark
| (about $4,000 of last year. The church
committee, Sunday school committee and
missionary reporters of last year were re-
! elected. Brief but excellent reports were
were given for the Sunday school by II. II.
| Thompson, the ladies' associ alton by Mrs.
w. F. Root the young peoples society by
| Miss Maud Emerson, and the Y. NJ c. A.,
with which the church is closely identified,
| by +. c. Crosby.
The main interest of the meeting cen
tered in the historical address of Deacon
c. F. Thompson, whose personal and Off
cial connection with the church for over
40 years enabled him to recall and narrate,
as no one else could, the leading events of
the past. To present a complete view of
the changing conditions of the church's
life, or to describe, or even mention, all of
the prominent workers, was impossible in
the time available; but careful summarize
ing, and strong and clear Characterization
gave an interesting and impressive account
of large part of the history. The main
portions of the address are as follows:
The Centre church was founded in July,
1916, with II members. Rev. DR.. VIM
Wells, a man of advanced views for his
day. but one of whose characteristic texts
was, "lf the righteous scarcely be saved,
where shall the ungodly and the sinner APP
pear was the first pastor until 1918.
Rev. Jonathan McGee, under whose min
lstry occurred the greatest revivals in the
history of the church, was minister until
1888. The records of other pastors are in
the lives of those they served.
Certain general facts about this church
are these: 1t was founded upon the prin-
ciples of conservation and prayer: it has
been a church very liberal in benevolent
and missionary giving; it has had on the
average unusually long pastorates, and has
not been seriously or permanently divided
since the formation of the Unitarian
church. Very few literally educated men
have been among its members, the strong
characters who laid the foundations and
built the walls having been mainly ener-
getic, practical, competent, self-m men.
RecOlIections of Dea. John HoIbrook.
Joseph Steen. and Others.
Coming to personal descriptions. the
first name, deservedly so for every reason,
is that of Dea. John Holbrook, the leader,
defender and supporter, the van and rear
guard of the young church, and its only
deacon until the appointment of Dea. Da-
vld Wood in 1888. Dea. Holbrook, with
Mr.. Hunt, whose name, or initial, with his
own, were inscribed upon il, gave the first
bell, always rung in the old times from mid
night until o'clock on New Years morn
ing. The second bell, the clock, in connec-
ton with Mr.. Joseph Fessenden, and fund
of $1,000 for support of preaching, were
also his gifts.
Dea. David Wood and his wife, both of
them reliable and devoted Christians, Join
ed the church in 1919. In their house the
first mid-weekly prayer meeting was held
La er on, and beginning now in the field
of personal recollection, comes the name
of Joseph Steen. He was born in 1907
and died in 1881 He Joined the church
at 20 years of age. He had pious mother,
and, although reckless as boy, became
rugged and earnest Christian early in life.
In his prime he had a fine figure, and a
strong, though hOmely face. He was a
rough diamond, stanch, efficient, loyal to
the church, naturally fond of controversy,
worker all his life in the Sunday school
as teacher and superintendent, always at
the Friday night meeting He was emf
nently man of prayer. His early educa-
ton was meagre, and his expressions both
in prayer and remark might not ALWAYS be
agreeable to those of more culture. but be-
hind all there was always genuine hon
esty, real and earnest piety. He was
liberal to the extent of his ability. His |
education became more complete as each
year rolled along, and as he was book !
seller and great reader, he came to be |
called walking encyclopedia. He was
great friend of missions-and with many |
personal eccentrcties about which stories
are still told, he was pillar of streng n in |
the church.
One incident reveals the man. The |
great revival of 1881 was preceded by a Sc |
rles of prayer meetings at the schoolhouse |
on the common, and as they grew in earn |
estness and seriousness, Mr.. Steen, then
about 80 years old arose on one occasion
and spoke in few words of his great de-
sire for revival of religion, and said if he
stood in the way of any, or had in any way
offended any one, he then and there beg
ged forgiveness. Mrs. John Holbrook, then
a woman of go years or more, rose in her
seat and repeated about the same words, and.
as she took her seat, said, "Amen." These
events simply showed that the Holy Spirit
had wrought upon these two hearts, and a
great revival began, resulting in the addition
to the church, before the year was out, of
81 persons.
Nathan B. Williston, who was born in
1897, and died in 1888, WAS one of the
strongest members the church has had: a
grand man ncppntrip in sOtna tb;po,