The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-01-23

two years were Of great use to the
church and town. During that time
there was a very gracious revival, and
the membership rose from lis to 161.
lie reported at one quarterly confer
ence s Teachers Journals, 40 Sunday
school Advocates and 80 Missionary Ad-
vocates as being taken by members of
the congregation. This may account,
in some measure. for the degree of pros
perity during his administration, as an
intelligent church is likely to be use
full church. The average attendance at
the Sunday school was 100, and all
branches of church work prospered.
During this pastorate the extensive re-
pairs which resulted in rem0delled
church edifice were begun. The old
lean-to which served as q vestry was
torn down from the rear of the church,
the whole building was raised up, and
the entire interior and exterior were
transformed at a cost variously esti-
mated from $4,000 to $4,000, no record
having been made Of the sums expend-
ed. While MIR. Hill was pastor the re-
pairs were sufficiently completed to al
low Of services being held in the yestry,
so that he preached once or twice there,
and held one funeral in the room be-
fore he left for Conference.
Lax Records.
Mr.. Hill was succeeded by Rev. Josh
ua Gill under whom the repairs were
completed. The quarterly conference
records make no mention of building
committee, that any repairs were au-
thorized, or that anything at all was
lone. There II lust one entry with re-
gard to the whole matter, and tnal is
that vote was taken authorizing the
sale of the pews. The ediice was
completed so as TO be dedicated in eth
err December or January, and the Rev.
Samuel +. Upham, d. d., for many
years a professor in Drew Theological
seminary, preached the sermon. Mr..
Gill was stirring, energetic sort Of a
man, and prosperity prevailed during
his administration. This was in 1868
and 90.
Father Sherburn's Ministry.
The next pastor was the Rev. Joseph
A. Sherburn, OF whom mention has al
ready been made. During his stay with
the church a deficit in the current ex-
penses which had been accommodating for
several years, and which then aggrega-
ted 5000 was paid The following per-
sons gave $4,000 each: 0rrin Beckley,
Nathaniel Chamberlain and William
Moves. Other members of the board
gave lesser sums. Then Mrs. Chamber
lain and Mrs Bassett, wife Of Merrill
Bassett, took paper and went after
the remainder Of the congregation until
the entire amount was raised. But for
the insistence of Mr.. SherbuIne in per-
sisting that amount could be raised and
should be raised, and his skill in Sc
curing subscriptions from those present
at the board meeting, the debt would
have dwindled long time. As it was,
it took but a short time to do the work,
and, when the amount was all raised
Mrs. Bassett went to the church and
rang the bell in token of deliveranee
from the thraldom of debt
Large Congregations.
During the first half Of the first year
OF this pastorate Merrill Bassett count
ed the people present. There were then
services both forenoon and afternoon
Putting the two services together and
dividing by two, and then by the num-
Der Of Sundays for six months, it was
| found that the average for that time
had been $50 service, most remark.
able record when it was considered that
Barre was then but small village, and
the later boom had not even been i'm
agined At the conclusion of Mr.. Sher-
burns passionate he was made the pre-
siding elder Of the district. This pro
motion was evidently because Of his
efficiency here.
ITO Be Continued