Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1901-03-15

1879 q NH4AAhAAtfF h4 Alif NA-af IS atiAA
Church addressed a ieltrr % Rev. ". AZ.
Pufier. Presiding Elder Of the -. Johns
bury District. asking II the Conference
could send them a Methods minister.
The membership 81 the Congregational
Church Was Al this time quite small aud.
as has already been stated. the religion,
life OF the community was at low ehh.
Those who We're Interested IN the work
We're DESTROYS Of seeing better conditions
aud took this step la tn. hope that some /
good might result. la answer 10 the .
letter received lay him Mr.. pufier visited j
Island Pond To look into the conditions /
here. No plan of action Was decided I
upon AT that time hut further cores 1
pondencr took place both with Mr. /
Puffer aud with Rev. Edwin =. Locke. /.
/ the pastor of the Methodist Church at
/ Newport. Mr.. Locke also visited Island
Pond and preached one Sunday ia the
Congregational Church. The Presiding
Elder stated that it would he impossible
for the conference To drtach one of its
men from the regular work To supp Y the
pulpit of another denomination temper
arily, but if Island Pond was ready to
welcome not only Methodist minister
but Methodism as we'll, he would bring
the matter before the Bishop ard see
what could he done. These conditions
were agreed to aud with the understand
ing that the minister sent should be
free. if opportunity offered. to establish
Methodism as Il permanent Church,
Bishop Gilbert Haven appointed Rev.
Edwin :. Locke te .Island Pond charge"
Mr. Locke entered upon his work in
May. lie was most kindly received by
all the people. Throughout the summer
9 Sunday School was largely attended. In
q the fall and winter of the same year q
( most remarkable religious revival took
!. place As the interest increased. il wa,
= thought best to hold services every even
Il ing in the week, aud this was done iol
5 a period of eight weeks. The town wa,
thoroughly stirred. \ great number o.
ii conversions took place many of them re
a markable for their clearness and for tn,
he positive and radical Transformation o
d the life That this revival was not TIN
,t result of human excitement but rea
r. work of Divine Grace is evidenced h.
H. the fact that most of those who Her
rs converted and joined the Church at tina
" time continued to be loyal and faithful
Is to the VOWS then tax en-.
or On Saturday March 10, 1876, Rev. W
r. Putfer, the Presiding Elder. aided b
Mr.. Locke the pastor, organized Meth,
u dist Episcopal Church with thirty-thre
) members, all of them adults aud most G
them heads of families Several Other
I joined soon, few by letter, but mo,
a' upon confession of faith.
At the conference in May 1876 NJ
Locke was reappointed to this charg,
E. His second year was y prosperous on
s y" resulting in several accessions to tn
pal Church, The congregations were e,
cellent and the Sunday School in hou
In ishing condition. In the spring Of ISL
ny Mr., Locke was returned to Island Ron
10 for third year. This was also a SUI
i'd cessful year \ good work was done
ie- East Brighton where good many fam
zee lies then resided. Services were held i
Ike the school house and a class was forme
ny under the leadership of 5. ID. ilohson.
on Near the close of Mr. Locke's thir
Tot year the members of the Congregation
MS Church decided to resume services
II their Church beginning with May i
le- 1873 and the stewards of the Methods
Die Church were notified accordingly. Tn
TO Church, at that time numbering
fly members, Immediately set about to =,
we what arrangeme Mt could be made for
ny place to continue its services II W;
lat seen that it would be difficult to hui
ay and pay for a church but it was -four
M that money could be secured to build
hal h., al f,. L..
ofe purposes through the week but occupit
lot by the Methodist Church on Suuda
hu Some action was necessary at once al
en-. this seemed to be the wisest cours
10 Accordingly stock company was forint
're and steps Immediately taken toward Il
ply erection of a hall. Meanwhile the tin
nd for conference had arrived and NJ
The Locke had apparently come to the Ell
bic of his Passionate. The "time limit
go which has now been abolished alt
the gether, was then in force. Three yea
III was then the limit. When that peri,
IN was completed the Methodist minist
not knew that it was time for him to mo
the on. Rare indeed We're the cases whe
sht that rule was not enforced. But in ii
ere case it seemed almost essential that
fourth year be added to the pastorate
IN Mr. Locke in order that he might sup
tile intend the work which seemed to be il
rec critical condition. The facts We're