Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-29
BELLOWS FALLS.
TIE KEW PASTOR
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49, e. lrrla. After a. ~ a ths oouncil
- rufr.ietsl rrsYsF sas adsrsi ~ Rev
a. D q ssfaa q sariuua River. A hruth-
~ de- So paslaf, Rev David G. Red
~ ist.r rtar, Mass.. uaa made en- Honorary
al-sal-a II ths 0sunrd rhs fecurlis ~ ne
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uu-s, e. eel e. ne rscord sni papers q
NJ hsia hiulssif. slowing be previous
aniiati ne and history, we're presented b
ths ga icil and found b. b. satisfactory
thsolar ri lsliefs, and was clossiy qnes-
tioued and thoruughiy examined By The
dlncrel memhers 81 the council. after
which icy vsnt into private session ior a
time, r. .rorting later that they found him
In ever way worthy o. become pastor q
the chu % which b. was called. The
attends ce IN the afternoon was large for
such usincss meeting. but In the evening
the larr- church was filed b it. utmost ca
pacity, many coming in for the evening
from Surrounding villages.
The priI ipal features Of the evening ses-
sion were the installation sermon, preached
BY Rev David G. Reid, the prayer being
offered by Dr. A. McCord Of Keene The
charge 10 the pastor was given by Rev. G.
O. Day Of Brattleboro, and the address 10
the people by Rev. G. H. Merrill Of ST.
Johnsbury. The right hand Of fellowship
was extended by Rev. Mr. Chaplin of Sax
tons River, representing the nearest church
10 this, and the benediction at the close
was by the new pastor.
Among those present was a delegation
from the Whitfield church of Newbury-
port, Mass, from which church Mr.. Reid
comes, Rev. N. f. Carter of Concord, n.
H, who was the pastor of this church from
1874 to 1879, Rev. DIR. Davis of Springfield,
~
church in Nashua, G.. o. Henry of Provi-
dence r. L., who was a member of the
church from 1852 to 1866, and who came as
a delegate from Springfield, this state, in
which church he still retains his member
ship. ExMayor G. W. McDuffee was here
as a delegate from the Second church of
Keene, of which he is deacon.
The, First Congregational society of Bel
lows Falls was organized July 23, 1850, the
membership coming largely from the church
which bad been previously organized at
Saxtons River. This society was merged
into the First Congregational church of
Bellows Falls under which name it became
corporation under the new law in 1889.
Mr.. Reid makes the 18th pastor since or
ganization. Since Mr.. Carriers pastorate
closed in 1879 there have been only two
pastors, Rev. A. B. Dascomb from 1879 to
1890, and Rev. ]. Ellsworth Fullerton
from 1890 until his death last October
as the result of an accident. Since then
there has been no regular pastor until Mr..
Reid began his pastorate April 1.
The first regular services of this church
were held in the traditional hall over the
horse sheds in the wing of the American
House which stood where the F. B. F. Gro
Gerry company's store now stands, and was
burned in 1859. The congregation moved
later into the old schoolhouse that stood at
the corner of School and Cherry streets,
where the house of Mrs "A. Arms now stands.
This was brick building and was sold to
the Catholic society for a church after the
present Congregational church was erected.
1t was used by the Catholics until their
present elegant church building was erect
ed in about $780, The Congregational
church when first built, was one of the old
fashioned square churches, so common in
early days, with a spire in the centre of
the front The old building having become
too small or the use of the society in 1888
it was rebuilt and the seating capacity in
creased % per cent, commodious vestry
rooms and parlors being furnished.
The cost of these repairs was $500 be-
sides the organ, which was a gift of Hon.
VIM. A. Russell of Boston. The church
was rededicated Nov. 1, 1888, Rev. DIR.
j. l.. Withrow Of Boston preaching the ded-
ication sermon. During the time the
church was not used the Methodist church
generously shared their building, the two
churches alternating Sundays, but both
churches holding their Sunday schools, one
upstairs and the other in the vestry below.
The present membership of the Congre-
gational church is between 200 and 800.
The church seats 500 and its capacity is
now taxed to its utmost again, not being
able to furnish permanent sittings to all
who wish to take them this year, and al
ready there is talk of again enlarging the
building. The church is seemingly pros
porous in all ways, and Mr.. Reid's pasto-
rate opens under very encouraging circum-
stances. His people are enthusiastic in
his praise and he seems to be the right
man in the right place
TIE church is looking about now for g
parsonage, which they will either purchase
or build, in the immediate future. Mean.
time Mr.. Reid and his family are boarding
at Towns hotel