Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-03-02

sequence was that in the fall OF
1Nf each faction engaged pas
tor, the committee of the church
engaging Daniel Haskell. while the
liberal party secured Samuel Clark. Mr..
Clark arrived first and began his candi-
dacy before the agent OF tho committeq
returned from II business trip to New
York. In due time Mr.. Haskell also ar
rived. but under the circumstances re-
fused to preach in Burlington for several
weeks On January /, 1910. both church
and society met to act upon the question
of a call to Mr.. Clark Mr.. Has kcl not
having been heard as yet in burlington,
|although some of the church members
had heard him in ST. Adams. where he
was preaching. The society by ii large
majority voted to call Mr.. Clark Tho
church voted two to one to decline to ac-
cept him and reaflirmed this vote on the
following day.
MEMORABLE DIVISION.
The town society forthwith dissolved by
an unanimous vote and Mr.. Clark's adj
herents at once proceeded to form "The
First Congregational Society in Burling-
ton" on the voluntary principle. This
held its first meeting on January 10. 1910,
and on March - gave Mr.. Clark unani-
nous call and arranged for his ordination
on the 18th of April. This was the begin
ming OF what is the present Unitarian
Church
Meanwhile Mr.. Haskell returned TO Bur-
linSton and preached for the church as
a candidate. In the course of this same
January articles of association were form
ed for another society which called itself
THE First Calvanstic Congregational So
cicty in Burlington Its first meeting
was held March and April . they voted
a unanimous call to Mr.. Haskell and asked
the church to concur. No little excitement
and some bitterness were stirred by the
enort on either side to secure the right
of certain land expressly reserved for the
first settled minister, but before the ordi-
nation of either candidate an afnicable
agreement was reached. Mr.. Ha Skel was
ordained and installed April 10. nine DAYS
before the ordination of Mr.. Clark. After
the settlement of the two pastors an at
tempt was made to arrange as to the use
of the court house on Sundays and to
cut long story short this church con.
tinued to worship in that building but
only Mt such hours as the first society
did not choose to occupy it. This incon-
venicnce fastened the erection of the first
meeting house and also led the church
to worship in the college chapel for Sun
day services for eight months preceding
the dedication of their church building.
FIRST MEETING HOUSE.
The society's records afford no light on
the building of the first meeting house.
hut it was dedicated in December, 1912. II
stood where the present editice now
stands. was built of wood and faced to-
ward the north. 1t was of the common
style of old New England church, con
tanned galleries, two rows of windows and
had IA porch supported by Doric columns.
1t came to be known as the White Meet
nig House and gave name to White street
now WinOoski avenue. Mr.. Haskell was n
good scholar. whose force as a preacher
lay in his matter and his sincerity rather
than IN any grace of Oratory. During the
IL years Of Mr.. Haskers ministry " werc
added by profession and 81 by letter. maxi
ing the total from the beginning l32 Mr..
Haskell closed his labors in 1899 to take
the leadership of the university
TWO MORE MINISTER'S.
Three years after MIR. Haskcls departure
the Rev. Willard Preston. who had
preached as a licentiate in 1900, was in
stalled as his successor He was tho
superior of his predecessor as an orator
hut not equal to him in learning Before
he had been quite a year in office he, too
was called to preside over the university
During his pastorate q were added to the
church by profession.
AS the fourth minister came the Rev
Reuben Smith. His efficiency lay I'm his
own intense conviction of the truths ne
proclaimed and in his power thereby To
stir the emotions and the conscience of
his nearer. An influential minority were
however, dissatisfied with his ministra
tons ana their opposition weighed heavily
OH his sensitive nature, causing hin, in
less than four years to seek a dismisslon
To this request the church dcmurred
strongly but finally yielded a reluctan.
A mutual council advised
against the dissolution OF the pastoral re-
latlon and he continued his labors two
years more, being finally released in May.
1881. The additions by profession during
Mr.. Smiths pastorate OF Il little less than
six years were 100. I'm the years interim
which Cnsued before Il new pastor was
settled % new members were added to the
church--a fact which seems ia nrovo that