Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-10-09

Rev. c. o. Day and Miss Stedman assisted
Rev. and Mrs. Grout in receiving. The
rooms were decorated with profusion of
flowers. At o'clock program of exer-
cises was begun, the first number being
the singing Of two verses of Aud Lang
Syne by l.. W. Hawley and j. Z. Hall.
DR.. u. d. Holton, acting as master of
ceremonies, then said few words Of well
come TO those present He spoke Of the
occasion as one of peculiar and exceptional
interest. 1t was exceptional because Mr..
and Mrs. Grout entered into the marriage
bond so years ago when such vows were
not lightly taken, and there had since been
no thought OF divorce. II was peculiar in
that, at the same time, upon the day of his
marriage, Mr.. Grout had been ordained TO
his work as a Christian missionary. In
the years following, while he was making
a written language for the African tribes,
his cousins, Edwin and Isaac Bliss, were
printing the Bible in the native dialect for
distribution throughout the Levant, while
their sister, Mrs. Van Lennep, died in the
service and her dust now lies in the soil of
distant Smyrna. Mr.. Grout chose the life
of a missionary because he was foreor-
dained TO 1t. 1t was in the blood and he
couldn't help it. DIR. Holton closed with a
few words Of pleasantly.
Mr.. Grout in reply said:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Kindred and Friends
In behalf Of Mrs. Grout, our daughter
and myself, it gives me great pleasure TO say
that we are much rejoiced TO see and have
you with us here at our house on this TO us,
most unique and memorable day. Just so
years ago, at just this hour, in the large
Congregational church in Springfield, VT,
and before throng of people, l was or
dained TO mission work in Africa, and then,
at the close of an eloquent ordaining dis
course by Prof. Park of Andovei, stepping
out with Miss Bates into the broad aisle,
in the words of another
"a young man and maiden.
With life's hopes and promise laden,
Full OF dreams and glorious visions
Such as only youth can know.
Stood before the bridal altar,
And with words that did not falter,
Took the VOWS of God upon them.
Hand in hand through life TO 20.
Thus their mutual love they plighted
And today with hands united,
Kindred and friends gathering round them,
Here before their God they stand
From that goal, whence thus they started,
Fifty winters have departed,
And the pilgrimage draws nearer
Nearer TO the border land.
Day by day their God has led them
Kept them through the storm and tempest.
Through the dangers OF the way.
Now their hearts, though tiuged with sadness
Lift on high their songs Of gladness
That kind heaven to them has granted
To behold this glorious day"
Yes, my friends, many, very many are
the facts, thoughts and feelings that come,
like a trimming river of commingled ro-
nance and reality, sweeping through our
minds at this glad hour. Upon some of
these experiences it would give me much
pleasure to dwell for a while did time al
low. AS IL is, and for the present, / can
only say, dear friends, please accept our
united and most hearty thanks for your
presence with us, for the kind greetings |
you bring us, your words of cheer, |
and for every warm expression of interest |
in our future welfare and happiness; for !
all which may our great and loving father
in heaven reward you with better good than
any human hand can bestow.
Miss Emma Gregg then sang "Darby |
and JOAN" Miss Mary Grout of Medford, |
Mass, read an original poem written for
the occasion by former parishioner of |
Mr.. Grout at Sudbury. This was followed |
by select reading by Mrs. S. Z. Lawton,
entitled "The prose and poetry in fifty |
years of welded life."
DNhAi 4hs OlOub VI uACulOIu, mdsS.t a /
younger brother of Mr.. Grout, said he re-
called wildly the interest which two boys
of 10 and IL took in the wedding of so |
years ago, that of their elder brother. The
older of the two boys now lies buried in
Sleepy Hollow cemetery in Concord, Mass,
but he believed he was present in spirit on
this occasion. For himself he could only
repeat the oft-quoted words of the poet
Men are but boys grown tall
Hearts don't change much after all"
While he could not in reason wish the
host many happy returns of the day he did
earnestly hope that they would cherish
pleasant memories of this occasion, which
would cheer them in all the days to come,
and that, by and by, they might join hands
in that country where men and women do
not grow old.
Mr.. Hawley and Mr.. Hall then sang
1.-THE ever youthful heart" following
which Mr. Babbitt presented purse
of gold-a purse each to Mr.. and Mrs
Grout-the gift of numerous friends, in a
rarely felicitOus manner.
The call which was then made up
on the Rev. Father Cunningham, pastor
of the Roman Catholic church at the East
village, was evidently entirely unexpected
to him, but in a very happy way he said
that in some respects so years seems a very
short time, but when we consider how
much has transpired in the last 90 years It
seems very long time. 1t is said that If