The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1901-08-16

hrst service he took for his text,
Come, for all things are now
ready" Laban Clark, young man
IS or 19 years old, was converted at
this service and afterwards became a
great preacher, being also one of
the founders of Wesleyan University.
In 1900 Joseph Crawford left his
charge with 80 members. From this
the membership of our church has
steadily increased until now it is
about 800.
Laban Clark, Joseph Clark, Mar
tin Ruter, VIM. Aspinwa11, Joseph
c. Aspinwa1l and William Pickett
are six young men who re-
ceived their first religious instruc-
tion in Mrs. Peckett's house, this
place serving not only as a home for
Methodist ministers but as a theo-
logical seminary as we'll. This
splendid Christian woman gave the
young men access to her books, and
encouraged them in their work.
They all became ministers. Three
of them were famous preachers and
educators.
Vermont as a state is small, but
its influence cannot be measured by
it's size. 1t has sent forth many
men who have become famous, and
of these Bradford has had her share.
Few villages have turned out so
many distinguished sons and
daughters.
The speaker here paid splendid
tribute to DR.. Silas McKeen, for so
rIong pasrSrto OF ftne CSagregatiohal
church, speaking of his vast influ-
ence and ability and wondering that
he had been willing to spend years
here that might have made him a
distinguished preacher in larger
field.
The son who has perpetuated the
memory of his parents with that
window, DR.. D. X. Pearsons of Chi
cago, has taught the world a lesson
it will never forget-that man had
better be his own executor. He has
spent his millions so the poor have
the privilege of the highest training
and children yet unborn will thank
God for that boy born in Bradford so
long ago.
Martin Ruter, though not a native
of Bradford, was brought up and
conve1 ted here. He went forth to
occupy one of the most important
New England pulpits. He became
president of Augusta college in 1923
and in 1888 was president of Allie
ghany college. He next went as a
missionary to Texas and the lasting
good of the work he accomplished
cannot be estimated.
The speaker referred to the Won
derful trip of the Oregon with Capt.
Charles Clark, born in a Bradford
cottage, in command and how glad
all would be to go to the train Tues
day and do him honor.
All who come back to Bradford to
be refreshed and gaze on the scenes
of childhood will find a glad well
come. 1t is the only place where
bright Opinions are sold outside of
a law office-an Opinion published
here IS years or more and growing
better every year.
The benefits to result from Old
Home Week will be many but best
of all it will lead our people to think
of the fathers home where the joys
of reunited love are never broken,
where music never ceases and the
banquet never ends.
CONGREGATIONAL.
The evening service in the Con-
gregational Church opened with an
organ voluntary and the anthem,
"To Thee o Country" splendidly
rendered by the chorus choir. Rev.
Henry ]. Kilbourn took for his text
Leviticus IS: Is, "In the year of
this jubilee We shall return, every
man to his possessions. In the
5Oth year after the institution of the
Hebrew jubilee God had ordained
that the children of Israel should re-
turn to their possessions and fami-
lies. 1t was a day of glad reunions.
a call has gone out from this state
to a small nation of wanderers to re-
turn to the acres of their fathers.
In early days King George the Srd
made a grant of this district upon
the west side of the Connecticut
river, but reserving to himself all
pine trees thereon of a certain size
to be preserved for masts for his
maiesty's navy and also all mines
of gold and silver. This land was
named Moretown, now Bradford.
The masts were never used for any
save the ships of a free people and
the gold mines have not as yet been