Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1895-07-26

declining years, the racket OF letting down
the pew seats and would hastily leave the
church on such occasions.
And when at last the loud Amen
Fell from aloft, how quickly then
The seats came down with heavy rattle
Like musketry in tiercest battle"
Whatever discomfort the early settlers
experienced with hard seats during their
religious worship in the old Westinghouse,
there was still greater discomfort in gath
ering in it from Sunday to Sunday for 80
years without any means of warming the
building in cold weather. No chimney
was built in the church until about 1885;
but common box stove was used few
years previously, and from it long stretches
of pipe extended across the audience room
and through the north window. When
the fire was burning, more smoke escaped
into the room than passed through the
pipe.
True to the example of the fathers, the
early settlers in Dummerston built, about
1880, the first schoolhouse in town near
the church. 1t was, probably, built of
logs and occupied until 1901, when a new
framed one was built The town voted,
April ~, 1901, "that School District No.
set their new School House North of the
Old one on the Common and little far
JIl6T west lOWdTuS JDc BfOOK. Inc new
schoolhouse remained on the site where 1t
was built till about 1880, when it was re-
moved four or five rods farther west and
beyond the brook, where it now stands
on low moist land. In 1913 the district
had % scholars. At present it numbers
10. DR.. John Wilson, known as Thunder
bolt, the English highwayman, taught one
term of school in this schoolhouse about
1920. His ''rod of correction" was long
sweeping pole with which he would reach
from his desk and switch the unruly urch-
ms into obedience without leaving his
seat.
The early settlers accepted as a maxim
that religious teachings had a salutary and
restraining influence without which any
people will sooner or later relapse into bar
barism: hence, the building of meeting
house and the establishment of a church
stood first in Importance in the settlement
of township.
Many persons believed that the sale of
the ministerial lot by auction in 1904 was
a scheme planned deliberately to deprive
the church of town aid in supporting the
gospel; whereas, it had very little, if any
thing, to do with the abolition of taxation
imposed by the town for religious pur-
poses. So early as 1888 Baptist society
in school district No. 6, near West river,
was organized INTO church and held meet
lngs at private dwellings. 1t assessed and
collected sums to support the gospel"
announcer society existed on the west side of
west river IN w and joined the one on
Ihe east SIDE OF the river the same year.
Inc sums 10 support the gospel were not
oppressive, Tor Their minister, Elder josiah
stone resigned IN lIS9, because his mind
was much troubled about the ''perpleXing
necessltles OF llfe;' and yet, under the
compulsory system these societies were
suoJected 10 double taxation in support of
the gospel March ., lSO3, the Baptist
society bought OF EDen Merrlck spot OF
laha on whlch 10 set Westinghouse, for
Wnlcn ten dollars was PAID, the location
being near the site of the present Baptist
churcn IN west Dummerston. The house
was built in 1913 as town meeting was
held therein May II, 1904, at which place
and time vote was obtained to sell the
town tarm. ms was an additional eX
pense Tor that society which numbered 103
resident members in 1911, and 2l5 includ
ing absent ones.
AT the beginning of the present century,
Methodist society existed on Dummers-
ION west Hlll, and about 1872 built a
church. ms information is introduced
10 snow mat the number of inhabitants in
town IN lSO4, who did not agree in reli-
glous opinion with the Congregationalists
was quite large. Others made objection
10 paying town taxes to support the Cos
gel. Furthermore, there are recorded on
the town books IA pages of what may be
termed "Dissenters' certificates" each of
Whlch is dated March 30, 1902, and regis
tered May l, 1904 These certificates, 80
IN number, read as follows: 81 do not
agree IN religious Opinion with a majority
or the Inhabitants of this town." 1t has
peen claimed by many of the inhabitants
OF the town in years past that Judge sam
uel Porter, as town clerk, had a selfish
motive in registering these certificates.
The claim cannot be justly sustained
Similar certificates were registered on the
town books in Wardsboro so early as 1898.
In the town of Nottingham, in 1902, GER
tllcates were filed which read exactly
ike the one quoted from the Dunn
merston records. These certificates were
MED for the abatement of taxes by
the town for religious purpose. Wit
ness the same in Brattleboro as shown
IN the following certificate: "These may
certify that |, the subscriber, am a dissent
er from the Congregational mode of wor-
ship in this town, and hereby avail myself
OF the Law in that case made and provid- |
ed. Attest, j. p. Brattleboro, 10th of |
Jan'y, 1902. Evidently, then, it was law