Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-06-13
Rev. Mr.. Flint's address was as fol.

Z One hundred years have passed int
history since this church was organ
: Ized, and little did those early found
| ers realize what q single centur,
= would bring forth.
A hundred years is long time, bu
s When it has been the years Of the ex
). 'stence of sacred institution it seem
! much longer and more interesting.
1t was vast undertaking which
led the early settlers of Braintree tt
establish a place of worship where
J they could meet together and worship
God according to the dictates of theil
own consciences.
They could with strong hearts and
stronger faith in the providence OF
God cast their bread upon the wa
tiers in order that they might gather
it after many days, or that Others
might, in times to come, reap the
fruits Of their toll in new land in a
| Christian undertaking. There were
eight original members and from that
small beginning there has been an in
crease until the present time.
The membership has never been
large, but there have been as devoted
Christians as ever entered the sanctu-
airy OF any city or hamlet of this broad
land.
Many of those sainted men and
women are gone, and their last rest
ing place is yonder churchyard, in
sight OF the church where they have
loved to worship from Sunday to Sun
day.
Fathers and mothers are there,
children and grandchildren, friends
many, who have been checked in the
journey of life.
They are gone and tombstones
mark their last resting places. But
they are not; the temporal and NOR
tai part is gone but the soul still lives
and to this it was but the transition
to better life, to heavenly home.
Their memory remains and their beau
tiful characters are as bright as the
fixed stars in the heavens and not in
the least obscured by the lapse of time
but are grand examples of noble liv-
ing.
Their memories have kept pace
with the roll of the centuries and to-
day they call us to visit the old
church, changed, perhaps, and re-
modelled since those early days, but
still the place to which our childhood
steps were guided. 1t is the place
which we loved then, and we love it
still.
Oh. the memories that cluster
around the mind and stir the soul
memories of the dear ones that have
gone but we believe Wen meet again.
As we look out on the fields this
beautiful June day and see nature at
its best, the fertile farms and pleas
ant homes, let us remember that II
our eyes could have seen the picture
Of century ago it would have been
far different. Then these hills were
forest and the traveller was guided by
marked trees as he journeyed from
place to place. The beech, birch and
maple 1.-THE glory Of our Green Noun
tain State) were cut from their native |
soil and were carried on to busy the
leyer-ceasing wheels Of industry, but {
he scene has ever been changing as
;he worlds prospects have widened.
Men and women have left the hill. 3
Some have located in the New Eng s
and States, some in the sunny South !
md others-yes, many-have accepted |
he large opportunities of those West I
I'm states which stretch toward the
etting sun.
When the rumble of the iron horse
vas heard in its journeyings up and a
lown this beautiful Vermont valley, |
many people left the hill to locate t
lear the larger business centers. '
The loaded teams ceased to make d
heir regular trips to Boston, and the 3
loors of the country taverns were i
losed and this was no longer pros
porous business place, but it has t
yer been happy community OF good f
nen and women. $
| believe many young man and il
maiden has left this place thinking to ?
eturn again as the morning sun of a
life should approach its horizon, that t
n the old town where they were born d
hey would have their last resting
lace. II
During their absence years have sue a
eeded years, new acquaintance have Il
,een made and new homes established. S;
All this transit and continued NOV II
ng into larger fields has seriously at
ected the church, but what the church e.
las lost has been the gain of many Il
theirs. And shall we not remember d
hat there is living debt of gratitude n
which we owe our ancestors and the 81
hurch which they organized and "
truggled long and earnestly to main y
ain that its doors might never be q
losed to those who, on the Lords 81
av, desired to enter and commune al
nth their God by word, song and a
rayer?
Those early days were not all pleas h
Mt and there were many difficulties n
) contend with, but with men and al
yomen of the noblest and truest Chris b,
ION cbaracters and puided by that d