The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-02-27
@atrSman 4 SOmrnaL.
ARTHUR RoP Es. General EDITOR.
Rev, DIR. Goodwin.

Rdtlpudl CuuIOu VI OhlOhBOS uiSN va
Friday evening, February 10. DIR.
Goodwin was at the home OF neigh
Dor, and suddenly expired while sitting
at table conversing with the family.
A writer in the Springfield Repubh-
can expresses wonder that the eastern
papers have not mentioned the death
of DR.. Goodwin, being man of ma
tional reputation, a graduate of Am
herst College, and the head of church
that raised, under his leadership,
81 900 900 for building churches, be-
sides large amounts for missionary pur-
poses and charitable work among the
poor of Chicago.
DIR. Goodwin earned national fame
as preacher, as man OF Unborn prac-
tical love of his fellowmen and tire
less self-exhausting laborer for their
welfare. Perhaps he is not better
known in the East because he was ever
too busy in the arduous duties and la
bors of his mission to blow his trumpet
into the ears of "the madding crowd"
He was better known in the West and
DR.. Goodwin was essentially western
man-western in instinct, in the swing
and sweep of his oratory. The pent up
Utica OF an eastern community was not
adapted to his powers. In the vigor of
speech and action, in his earlier years,
he was prairie fire. But there the
similitude ended. Speech and actor
were bene6cence personified. With
force and energy there were also the
wisdom of the serpent and the gentle
ness of the dove. A man of finer grain,
of higher purpose pervading all his
speech and activities, never lived. Few
men 30 tireless, 80 regardless of self,
have lived and labored for mankind
and died on the hither side of life's al
lotted span.
Two notable clergymen who have
won national and worldwide reputa-
tions in the present times began their
ministerial careers in Vermont-Mr.
Goodwin and Mr. Sheldon. Both went
west, after an initiatory baptism and
service among the Green Mountains
planted new churches and 10, the re.
sultl After his graduation from the
theological seminary Mr.. Goodwin went
to East Burke, in Caledonia county, and
for some two years in the early sixties
preached there. He was the orator al
Fourth of July celebrations and or
other public occasions, and was occs
sionally heard in the pulpits of the
larger communities. More pretentious
pastorates were offered him, but he
preferred the quiet and seclusion of the
field among the hills for its better op-
portunities for further study, reflection
and recuperation from the labors Incl
dent to "paying his way" through col
lege and seminary. Mr.. Goodwin's
ministrations in the little mountain
parish to this day are cherished remin-
iscence. The little country church
rang with such presentations of truth,
such exhortations to the higher life, as
never before walked its echoes or stirred
its rustic congregations, and probably
have never since.
Having won the heart OF Vermont
girl, Miss Ellen Chamberlain of East
Burke, young woman of many &C
complishments, whom the students of
st. Johnsbury Academy Of that day
and generation very pleasantly re,
member, Mr.. Goodwin sought new
fields and pastures green in Columbus,
Ohio. While Mr.. Goodwin was min.
istering to the spiritual welfare of the
people of East Burke the writer was
laboring to instil some of the princi
pies of fundamental knowledge-anC
incidentally some of the rules of gooC
order - into the young ideas of that
community. Some years later he was
one of a party of civil engineers en-
gagged in surveying line for railway
Michigan, to the iron. mines. Mr.
Goodwin appeared one day in Mar.
quette, seeker of rest from his toe
arduous labors in Columbus. The &C,
quaintance in Vermont was renewed
and the parson became member OF
the surveying party. He carried thu
rod for the leveller, and though hi
sometimes reversed the instrument ant
made havoc with the engineers' calcu
lations, he showed his wonderful ca
pacity for adapting himself to circum-
stances. The most popular man il
that company was the Columbu
preacher.
In the little settlement by the lax
which was headquarters for the survey
ing party was rude school building
and there on Sundays the Marquette
ministers were wont to do missionar,