The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-01-24

painted. This pastorate further saw
the dissolution Of the old First NJ f. I
Society," which was composed OF both
members and attendants not members
Of the church. The name OF }. r.
George was added to the list of stew
ards.
Oil on the Troubled Waters.
Dr.. Underwood's successor was the
Rev William II. Wight, who succeeded
to all of the disaifections lett by his
predecessor. But. Mr Wight was an
unusually wise man and knew not only
what to do and say but also what TO
leave undone and ignored. lie was quite
deaf, and if any one ever asked him
about any trouble the previous year be
would reply that he was a little deaf
and did not hear everything that was
said, and would then dexterously turn
the conversation to another subject.
He was very Kind and sympathetic and
so poured oil and balm into the wounds
made by his predecessor that they soon
healed. His pathetic stories in the pull
pit and his witty stories outside the
lpulpit are among the cherished tradi-
tioDs of the pastorate., While here his
little girl died and was buried on Wed
nesday, one Of MFR. and Mrs. X. K.
French's being buried the following sun
day.
Brought to Time.
While he was pastor il became nee
essary to raise money with which to
pay for the repairs made on the church
edifice during DIR. Underwood's regime.
At first Merrill Bassett, w. d. Hooker,
/ w. Ayers and Orrin Beckley were APP
pointed a committee to raise the funds.
They either failed or else did not try,
for w. A. Boyce, Esq, was later elect
ed committee to raise money by "a
ljoint note signed by the stewards" AT
an adjourned meeting Nathaniel Cham
berlain was added to the last named
Icommittee and was also instructed to
ascertain the amount Of Indebtedness
Three months later the committee re-
iported that they could not get the mon
sey for the reason that the stewards
would not sign the note. This report
was tabled and new deal was made,
| Orrin Beckley being appointed special
committee to see if he could not bring
the reluctant stewards to affix their
names. Evidently he succeeded, for this
seems TO have been the last Of the mat
ter. During this pastorate the board
voted that they desired no modification
in the presiding eldership, this question
being brought before all of the quar-
terly conferences. DR. j. C. Briggs,
now of the Pentecostal denomination,
was added to the board Of stewards
during this pastorate, which lasted
three years.
Another Webster.
The next preacher to serve Barre
Methodists was the Rev. Harvey Web
ster, whose brother, the Rev. Alonzo
Webster, former pastor, has been sew
eral times mentioned in this history.
Mr.. Webster remained here three years,
being the third man in recent years to
stay that length of time, the other two
being Peter Merrill and w. II. Wight.
During his stay peace prevailed within
the church, and between it and the Sis
ter denominations. All previous indebt-
, edness Of the church was hquidated at
, this time, the grounds around the ed
Iifice were turfed and beautified, repairs
were made on the parsonage, and pros
lperity generally prevailed. The average
attendance at the Sunday school had
grown to 1875 during his last year.
A journalistic Preacher.
q In 1881 the Bishop appointed the
! Rev. Joshua r. Bartlett TO the pastor
ate, Williamstown being the charge pre-
viously served. During this term Of
! three years the afternoon preaching SER
vice was discontinued, minor repairs
/ we're made on the church edifce, and
J The church street road was laid through
the society's land. The quarterly con-
, ference appointed Nathaniel Chamber
lain a committee to appeal to the coun-
!, ltv court from the decision Of the Sc
/ lectmen as to the damages awarded.
some thinking the sum far too small.
! | tt was not, however, increased. MIR.
J Bartlett was of a literary turn Of
mind, and ere long bought Of Mfr. Wheel
ock the Vermont Christian Messenger,
! the Methodist UNCONVENTIONAL organ for
J Vermont. This sheet had run down
) somewhat, as no particular effort had
lbeen made in the immediate past to
boom its circulation, and the other pa
pers were crowding it to the wall, Mr..
Bartlett was an enthusiastic partisan
Eof the Third Party Prohibitionists and
SikaiASNA ENH1A AVN
religious to temperance journal This
brought him some friends and lost him
some. Of the net results for good il
lis impossible to state. But he made a
very readable paper and brought to his
church certain sort OF prestige be-
cause Of his editorial duties.
The Boom Begins.
The church was served the next tire,
years BY the Rey. Abram NJ, Wheele
who came at a time when the village
was Just beginning to awaken from il.
shimber OF a hundred years. On ever,
hand the sound of the saw and hamme
indicated thrift and the stone sheds
and tenements and stores which wer
rising like magic indicated TINT neS
era had dawned for Barre. Mr.. Wheel
or proved to have been the right ma
for the place, as the growth Of tn
church kept pace with that of the plac'
cETTI z THE ttEyIMrs nEgEcTloN