St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-12-25
PAssu1PsIc cONG,L CLUB.
Annual Meeting and Banquet. -Addressb by Rev.
Or. Clark.

sumpsic Congregational club was held
with the North church at St. Johnsbury
on Forefather's day, Monday, Dec. 81.
The exercises opened with social greetings
in the Fairbanks museum, after which
the annual meeting was held in the lee
ture room Of the same building. DR..
Heath, as president OF the club, presided
and welcomed the club to st. Johnsbury
once more. The treasurer's report
showed a good balance in the treasury.
After this was read the following mem
bers proposed at the midsummer meeting
were elected: DR.. George f. Cheney, st.
Johnsbury Prof and Mrs. {. a. Bunker
Of Peacham; Rev. ! p. Marvin and DR..
C.. S. Human of West Charleston. The
membership committee proposed these
new names TO be voted upon at the next
meeting; Hon. Roswell Farnhamo of Brad
ford, Rev. r. f. Lewis of Hardwick,
Prof. D. Y Comstock of st. Johnsbury.
The president appointed a nominating
committee of three who brought in the
following list Of officers:
President, Rev. Henry Fairbanks, st.
Johnsbury.
First V. P, d. NJ. Camp, Newport.
Second V. P, Rev. C.S, Skinner, Haver-
hill, N. H.
Sec, Rev. J X. Fuller, Barton Landing.
Treas, Homer Z. Smith, St. Johnsbury.
Auditor, 6. H. Weeks, L%yndonviIle.
Executive committee, Rev. A. II. Heath,
St. Johnsbury, Rev. p. b. Fisk, Lyndon,
c. P. Carpenter, st, Johnsbury.
Membership committee, J. w. Sault,
St. Johnsbury, Rev. l.. Dodd, I%rasburg,
Rev. !. L. Merrill, Newbury, Rev. Z. 6.
French Johnson.
The report Of the committee was ac-
cepted and the above officers elected.
While the committee were preparing their
report the president very gracefully well
coined ex.Gov, Farnham into the club
and the latter happily responded. After
the officers were elected DR.. Heath called
the new president to the chair with a few
felicitons remarks and Prof. Fairbanks
briefly and cordially responded. The
meeting then adjourned to the North
church chapel where a collation. was
served by the ladies OF the church.
At a little after seven President Fair
I,nIe oollaJ 10 nrJar and eyteuJp6 he
greetings of the club. He then called
upon ex-Gov. Farnham to respond to
the toast Good Citizenship" Gov.
Farnham spoke OF the various attributes
of the good citizen, his love for his coun-
try, his interest in good politics, his de-
sire for a pure ballot and the duty that
he owed in rendering to the assessors a
true inventory of his property. He
spoke of the necessity that was forced
upon the previous generation OF being
called to take up arms to preserve the
nation and said every citizen should be
ready for just such an emergency.
Rev. r. 6. Bugbee of Wells River was
to have responded to the toast Social
Life among the Pilgrims" and Rev ]. c.
Bodwcll, of Lvndonville, to the toast
1.-THE Brahmin Caste, or Heredity among
the Pilgrims" Both OF these gentlemen
were absent and their places were not
supplied. The last speaker at the supper
was Mrs. Walter P. Smith Of St. Johns
bury. who responded to the toast "Our
Pilgrim Mothers" This was al eX-
tremely bright and brilliant paper inter
spersed with touches of fine humor and
pathos, and was a notable tribute to the
mothers who braved the hardships OF the
journey to the land of the free. In the
course of her address she recited a poem
written for the occasion by Rev. p. b,
Fisk of Lyndon, which was full Of humor
Gus touches and contrasts.
The selections by the organist, Miss
Gorham, the church choir and Mahogany
Quartette were a pleasing feature OF th(
evening. Prayer was offered by Rev. MIR
BdIudIu Vi DIdulOIu anu lHC spSthSl "
the evening, Rev. Edward l.. Clark o
the Central church, Boston, was intro
duced by Rev. Henry Fairbanks. DR.
Clark told in a most interesting and in
structive way the story of the Pilgrim
fathers. They landed on our shores 27t
years ago a long time it seems, though
really there is only one life between II.
and the Pilgrims. Hetold Of the trouble
of the voyage from the mother country
of their privations and sufferings in get
ting a colony started, of their JOY OF
witnessing the arrival of an EnglisI
boat and how afterwards they watched
it depart, not a man of the small colon,
returning with it Notwithstanding thei
many trials. The first democratic gov
eminent was founded in the Maytiowe
and the United States derived its govern
ment from the Pilgrim fathers, Chart.
and good will toward men was thei
platform and they faithfully carried on
its sentiments. Not one man was pur
ished for religious or political opinion
Their sterling character was OF the kin
that could be safely followed for all tim
to come. No people ever exceeded ther
in COURTESY A STRANGER never lett ther