Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-07-30
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Of Emmanuel Church, Bellows Falls,
Held Thursday, July Bishop
Hall, Prominent Clergymen of the
Diocese and Former Pensioners
Present-HiStOrical Address by
Rev. Samuel H. Webb of PrOvi-
dence, R. l.
July %, 1898, was held the first parish
meeting of the Episcopal church in Bellows
Falls, and on Thursday, July %, 1898, the
one hundredth anniversary Of that impor-
tant event was celebrated by the present
parish in a manner at once impressive and
deeply interesting.
The founding Of the Episcopal church in
the town Of Rockingham in 1889 is accred-
tied to Samuel Cutler, physician who
came in that year from Hartford, Conn.,,
and in memory Of this faithful founder and
lay reader a marble tablet has just been
presented to the church by his descendants
as centennial gift.
Previous to 1898 services were held at
Rockingham Centre and it was not until
1900 that the name Of "The Episcopal
Society of Rockingham was formally
changed to Emmanuel church.
The first church building, which stood
very nearly where the rectory now is, was
erected in 1917, and about 1867 was torn
down to make way for the handsome stone
edifce, which at present bears the name Of
Emmanuel church.
An interesting fact in this connection is
that all the land now belonging to the
church, except that presented in later
years by Mrs. Frances Williams, was the
gift of the late John Atkinson, for whom
Atkinson street is named and whose de-
scendants have been and are among the
most active parish workers.
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The first service was held Wednesday
evening when there were present in the
chancel, besides the rector, Rev. D. L.
Sanford, Bishop Hall, Rev. F. M. Banfl
Of Providence, R. L., Rev. j. 0. Davis Of
Chester, Rev. H. P LEI Grabau of Yer
gennes and Rev. Theodore B. Foster Of
Rutland.
The music, which throughout the cele-
bration was under the direction of S. B.
Whitney, organist of the Church Of the
Advent, Boston, was rendered by chorus
of about 20 voices, assisted by two tenors,
Messrs. Greves and Whitcomb of Mr..
Whitney's choir at the Church of the Ad-
vent. The music, which was quite elabo-
rate and rather difficult in character, was
of high order Of merit and showed not
only careful training but judicious selection.
A class of nine candidates were pre-
sented to the bishop for confirmation as
follows: Elmer Porter, Mrs. Mary Jane
Porter, Clarence Ryan from St. Peters
church, Drewsville, Mrs. Annie (Bissell)
Cook, Alice Andrews, Mary Furino, Alice
Frost and Mrs. Richardson of Greenfield,
Mass.
The bishop took his text from Exodu.
8: 15-"The Lord God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God OF Isaac and
the God Of Jacob hath sent me unto you
this is my name forever and this Is my
my memorial unto all generations"
His sermon though addressed primarily
to those whom he had just confirmed ye,
embraced the centennial significance of the
occasion which was adroitly interviewer il
his remarks. He spoke Of the beauty and
strength of the ties that bind us to the
past; what a rich heritage has been handed
down to us, to which in turn we must ado
and transmit to those that shall come afte,
us. He pointed out in what close ard sym
pathetic touch the church has always KEEP
with the past by her Apostolic succession
her orders of the. ministry and her contin
ual use of the same prayers and praise,
that have been falling from the lips o