The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-28
Rededication, OF the COngrex atiOnal
Meeting House In Cabot.

For the past two or three years 1t had
been evident that some changes were neces-
and warming. The matter was brought be-
fore the society by the pastor, Rev. IL. l.
Hartwell, meeting was called and com
mittee appointed to make estimates, and, at
following meeting. reported that $1,000
would be the cost of the work proposed.
A COMMITTEES was appointed to solicit sub
scriptions and in a short time reported that
the required sum had been pledged.
A meeting OF the building assocationlwas
then called and Mrs. s. l.. Wiswell, DIR. @.
W. Fisher and Henry Hill were elected to
supervise the work. They called to their
assistance an experienced builder, Hiram
b. Woodward OF Montpelier, and visited
several churches Of modern build. At
length they decided upon more extensive
alterations than were first contemplated, in
the way of steel ceiling, hardwood floor,
memorial windows, furnace, etc. The work
was begun the middle of June. The cell
ing was put on by Martin Wheeler of Cabot,
assisted by Mr.. Gould, the piinting and
de corating was done by George Taylor
from the Fairbanks Company of st. Johns
bury, assisted by Messrs. Bartlett & Son.
The soft tints and beautiful blending proves
them to be masters of their profession The
new circular pews are of oak and were
made at Grand Rapids, Mich. Some of the
old pews were placed in the gallery, fur
nishing seats for fifty persons.
The window castings and wainscotting are
finished in natural wood The pulpit is
black walnut. Besides the new stained
glass windows in the vestibule, eight me-
mortal windows and circular Christian
Eudeavor window have been placed in the
audience room and cathedral glass in light
tints has been placed in the vestry.
The memorial windows back of the chan
eel are in memory Of Hector Mclean and
Lucretia Elkns Mclean, and were placed
there by their daughter, Mrs. e. A. Kimbsll
of Washington, ID. g. The one at the right
is in memory OF Cornelius Smith and wife,
and was contributed by Mrs. Smith, their
children, and grandchildren. The one in
the CENTER in memory of w. G. Swan and
Lois Orcutt Swan, was contributed by Hon.
and Mrs. j. p. Lamson. The third, in MEM
DRY of former pastor, Rev. Levi III. Stone,
by his loving children. Mr.. Stone was pas
tor of this church from 1889 to 1915.
The first window on the left OF the chan
eel is in memory lof Dea. Marcus o.
Fisher and Fanny Hall Fisher, and was
contributed by their children and grand
children. The one in the center bears the
inscription, "Haines, 1885," and is from the
children and granddaughter 9h ., OF MI , and
Mrs. 8 L. Wiswell and bears no inscription.
The beautiful circular window in front was
contributed by the Christian Endeavor So
ciety and contains the we'll known letters,
q. z. This society has been power in this
work, not only by lUS COnlrlDutlOnb DuJ ny
its labors and encouragement.
These windows were made by Redding q
Baird, Boston, and while they have been
contributed to the memory OF departed
friends others have given largely to the
funds for repairs, aud will ever be held in
grateful remembrance. The furnace was
contributed by the Young Peoples Society
of Christian Endeavor. 1t is Boynton
furnace and was put in by j. T. Drew of
this town, and gives excellent satisfaction.
November 20, 1898, was the day fixed for
the rededication OF this house OF worship.
A social hour, from eleven to twelve, was
passed in the vestry and plentiful dinner
was served by the ladies of which one hum
dred partook. At one o'clock all assembled
in the audience room and the services
opened with an organ voluntary, followed
by an anthem by the choir and invocation
by Rev. I. P. Chase, pastor OF the Metho'
dist church, scripture reading, Genesis
xviii 1922, solo by Mrs. E. V. Spencer.
The literary exercises began with the
reading of historical paper by Hon. j. M.
Fisher, in which he said in part, that this
church was organized at the Center school
house in 1901, with thirteen members. For
the first four or five years meetings were
held at the Center school house, or in the
dwelling house near by and often in Squire
Morses barn. In 1904 and 1905, the ques-
ton of building nesting house began to
be agitated, and IL was voted to build
mousse 10 Do kuOWu DIS INC OOHRttRdblOHdl
Meeting House, and locate the same south
of the pound, opposite where Stephen Nell
son now lives, at the center of the town,
and here was located the cattle pound, a
store and the whipping post. The frame
was raised September %, 1906, but stood in
an unfinished condition for four years. In
1910 strong effort was made to raise funds
to finish it. The pew ground was sold on
the following conditions: One-fourth to be
paid in cash, the remainder in two yearly
payments either in materials for the house
or neat stock, the stock to be delivered and
appraised in the month OF October of 1ach
year. Sufficient funds were raised in this
way to board the frame, lath the walls, lay
the floor and set up some Of the pews. This
was all that was ever done to the house at
the center of the town. 1t was used in
this condition for eighteen years, in the
summer months.
In 1925 the village had undergone quite
growth, and it was strongly urged that in
stead of finishing the house at the Center
that it should bs moved to the village A
long and hard controversy ensued, but at
length it was voted by the society to take
down the house and move 1t to the village.
In 1926. this vote was carried into effect and
the house was built on the site where the
school house now stands. 1t was voted to
build it like the meeting house at Mont
pelier Center. Anyone wishing to know
how the first meeting house in Cabot looked
cam 10 grhtlneu ny taxing iooh-a 1hat
church building as it now stands.
The first bell in town was hung in the
tower of this meeting house in 1889. 1t
wei yhed ! 100 pounds and cost $500. 1t was
said to be one of the finest toned bells in
this section Of the State. 1t being new
thing 1t was rung on all occasions. One
was the receipt of news Of an important POI
litical event, the cannon was fired, the bell
rung. The cannon stood the strain, but the
bell cracked and hung silent in the tower
until 1848, when it was taken down, recast,
and now does duty in the tower of this
church.
This house that we have met to rededi-
cate to-day was built by John Brown and
Roswell Farr, two experienced meeting
house builders. 1t was completed in the
spring of 1849 and dedicated the following
Fourth of July. The sermon was preached
by Rev. Mr.. Merrill of Peacham, the dedi-
eating prayer was by Rev. Mr.. Underwood