The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-02-14
GRACE CHURCH RoLL-CALL.

The reunion and roll call of the MethC
dist Episcopal church Friday evening, Fel
7th, fell on a very unfavorable time both a
to weather and travelling; but notwltf
| standing this, it was well attended and wa
pronounced an unqualified success AbOu
one hundred and fifty sat down to the eX
cellent supper which had been provided
and some two hundred and fifty listened +
the exercises which followed in the mai
audience room of the church. These eX
ercises opened with singing, Miss GeOrgi
l.. Erwin presiding at the piano, and Free
L.. Cummings assisting with cOrnet; famil
lar hymns were interSpersed later on, an
vocal solo was rendered in an admirabl
manner by Miss FL renee E. Garfield wher
her name was reached in the calling of tn
roll. Prayer was offered by the Rev. H. A
Spencer of Montpelier, formerly Presiding
Elder on the district, and whose preSenc,
added much to the interest of the occasion
In connection with few words of wei
come, the pastor affirmed that the roll-cal
had been an institution of MethOdiSm fol
more than hundred years, having beer
held in such esteem formerly that it occur
red weekly instead of annually. Mrs. III
@. McDuffee read very interesting histor
zeal sketch of MethOdiSm IN the town, the
result of a great deal of painstaking re
search on the part of Mr. .McDuffee. This
sketch appears elsewhere in our columns
and among other things brings out the fact
that this is the centennial year of Metho
dist preaching in the town. though the cen
tennial of the organization of the chul ch
here will occur a couple of years later.
Other papers were read, briefly outlining
the history and work of the different or
ganizations connected with Grace church,
as follows: The Sunday School, by l.. j.
Heath superintendent; Ladies Aid Society
by Mrs. George Brooks, president; Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society, by Mrs. Harriet
Dickey, president; Woman's Home Mis-
sionary Society, by Mrs. Jennie E. Garfield,
president; PR: 69; Kings p3augh.ers, by Mrs. rs
by Mrs. F. W. Lewis, president; Ju MOI
League, by Miss Florence E. Garfield, su-
perintendent; and the Junior Mission Band
by Mrs. Fl. G. McDutfee, superintendent
The earliest records of the Sunday
School indicates its existence in 1881 and
its organization either at that or some pre-
vious time, but just how early is not posi-
lively known.
The Ladies Aid Society has rendered eff
ticlent service along various lines, raising
as high an amount as 1859 for church pur-
poses in single year. Grace church aux
iliary of the w. f. NJ. S. has contributed
an average of over $50 per annum for the
past eighteen years to the specific work of
the Society. At the present time, in addi-
ton to its contributions to the other work,
this auxiliary is supporting and educating
in one of our schools in Mutra India, a lit
tie girl who has been given the name of the
president of the auxiliary, Harriet Dickey,
and who gives promise of developing into
An efficient Christian worker among the
women of her own country. The w II.
NJ. ). has raised a somewhat smaller amount
N cash, but has sent out large amounts in
supplies for the work in our land. The
Kings Daughters, besides other excellent
work, have recently put fine memorial
window into the church. The Epworth
League has had total of ninety different
members, the present membership being
about fifty. The Junior League has about
hirty members, and was reported as in
,reasing in attendance and interest. The
Junior Mission Band manifestS good de-
,ree of interest and is doing good work.
The roll-call was conducted by the pas
or; over one hundred responded personal
y to their names; some had sent verbal re-
pOnses by friends, and over fifty letters
we're read from those who could not be
present. A shade of sadness was cast
'ver the gathering by the announcement of
liz death of one of the venerable and high
} esteemed members of the church, Mrs.
'runella Celley, who had suddenly and un-
xpectedly passed away that afternoon, in
he eighty-sixth year of her age; and an
incident was the reading of an
Unfinished letter, intended by Sister Celley |
s her response to the roll call, but the COM |
etion of which had been interrupted by |
he summons of the death angel. Among
he letters received was one from Ernest b. |
ic cDuffee of Boston, containing his 'sub |
titute" as he called it,-a five dollar bill; |
lso one from N. r. Doe of New York City |
nclOsing check for S25 A recapitulatiOn |
ave the following statistical information:
,esldent members connected with Grace |
hurch, 1874; membership at West Bradford, |
4; membership at Fairlee, q; nonresident |
43, total 29S. This is exclusive of |
The pastor voiced the Senti- |
lent of the church in expressing apprecia- !
on of, and gratitude for, assistance and /
lpport in various ways from those who
re not members of the church, and whose
ames it would be practically impossible to
all in detail.
A number of very interesting letters were
lad from former pastors, including DIR.
arkhurst of Zion's Herald, Boston, DR..
rost of Baltimore, and Rev. K. l.. Bruce
/ Helena, Montana. One was also read
'Om Presiding Elder Beeman; and another
ON Alfred Bliss of Effingham, Illinois.
IT. Bliss was at one time prominent men,
pr of this church, and afterwards went
Test and entered the ministry.
The Rev. Ii. T. Barnard of the Congre-
ltiOnal church was called upon, and re-
rred facetiously TO his enjoyment of the
hOHrs' he had sat there, but was not too
tigued to give an interesting address, nor
as the audience too weary to applaud IL
armly. The Rev. III. A. Spencer made
'ief but well chosen remarks, and a part
& hymn and the benedictiOn closed what
me have termed 1.-The most successful
ItherIng ever held in the church,
In 1850 there was no preaching of any
nd in town, but shortly after a Baptist |
urch was formed and built church edi-
e on the upper plain just north of the
metery. The society fOurished for time '
lit a church near Mr.. Arthur Peters I
use, and Rev. Gordon Kellogg became &