Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-08-22


Rev. Fraser Metzger, pastor OF Bethany
church, responded 10 Colonel Chandler
In the following words;-
Mr., Chandler, Ladies and Gentlemen;-
1t is with peculiar pleasure that
undertake the response 10 this most elo-
quent address, and yet It's with fear
that MI the part OF a novice in the pres
enee OF hallowed associations. My pleas
ure, however, lies in the fact that l adj
dress myself TO fine spirit of phllan-
thropy and remarkable opportunity Of
untried good, About these two things
must center all that ] can have 10 say to-
night,
II is fact patent 10 all, that the world
has never known time when men were
SO greas-hearted aud so thoroughly en-
dued with affection for their iellowmen
as in these privileged days in which our
lives are cast. Cynics speak bitterly OF
the dominance of the commercial spirit
and Of money madness, but underneath
all there lies the true heart OF humanity
filled with kindness and gentleness that
still prove that men are Yet made In the
image OF God. All of the sordid selfish
ness OF the world east into the balances
cannot outweigh the goodness OF the no.
BILE men OF our time.
We stand today in the place which
marks now, and will mark for many years
to come, evidence OF this better part OF the
human heart, created of God aud nour-
ished OF Christ. Monuments are built for
the sake OF remembrance. but the wood
and stone play part in memory only as
they are covered by the halo OF righteous
life and noble purpose, whose gift brings
forth our sineerest thanks. While this
building win be monument TO the do
nor, still our gratitude is more truly in
spired by the spirit of the man, which
has enshrined him in the hearts OF his fell
low citizens.
II is ever hard to say "thank you" and
say il as il should be said, but il becomes
the easier when one recognizes that the
man to whom il Is said is a brother,
whose sympathies are with us and whose
heart is touched by our needs, and SO,
Colonel Chandler, l speak through the
beggarly means OF words the heartfelt
gratitude OF the church and community,
which represent, for the muniflcent gift
of this beautiful hall.
We fully recognize that the best expires
sion of gratitude lies in the spirit with
which the gift is received, and that can
show itself only in the use to which that
gift is put. Thus do come 10 the sec
ond source of my pleasure in this address.
You have opened for us an opportunity
which is larger than any OF us can know,
and which we sincerely hope may be
made to prove a blessing to both the
church and community. We fully appre-
aia 20 hot This hall IL for ba tAnhlfn mood
and we earnestly desire that here and now
this building may be dedicated to the
largest usefulness and the most beneficent
influence possible. We accept the trust
| imposed in the hope that we may ever
prove ourselves worthy Of the blessing
that this night lies latent within these
walls.
And so do we pray in the words, which
you have already so aptly used, that "the
Giver of all good grant us wisdom and
grace and strength so to use our advan-
tages and opportunities as to bring about
the greatest good to the greatest num-
ber.n
Description Of the Hall.
Chandler Music hall, noble structure
built on the simple lines of strength that
form the highest type of architectural
grace and beauty, stands completed. 1t
is grand expression of that deep attach
ment which time does not dull, neither
absence nor the cares Of busy life oblit-
crate from the heart of the man born
among the green hills of Vermont, and
who counts in the sweetest privileges Of a
successful career the power to confer a
lasting benefit on the place of his nativ-
ity.
Col. Albert B. Chandler was born in
Randolph and began his acquaintance
with the RS in the little stone school
house that it is now his pleasure to keep
4 in state of preservation. Here he pur-
sued his academical course and took the
first lessons in telegraphy that laid the
foundation for a knowledge of the sub
iect which enabled him to render signal
service as cipher dispatcher in the Civil
war and afterwards to become president
and general manager Of the Postal Tele-
graph Cable company, whose wires encir-
Gle the globe.
The ties of youth and early association
have held firmly through all the passing
years, drawing the colonel back to his
old home to erect beautiful summer res
idence among the hills so dear to his eyes
as the scenes of his childhood, and to
take citizens interest in the place where
he played as boy.
| That interest has been manifested in
many ways and notably in the mainte-
nance of extensive private grounds, known
as Mari-Csstle park, whose drives and
walks and pleasant groves are open to the
full enjoyment of the public
Now, largely under his personal super
vision, he has seen what may, perhaps,
have been an air castle of other days, take
on the form and substance of solid ma
sonry, rising on firm and ample base"
to the fair proportions of splendid au-
ditorium, complete in all details. This
building, reared at the cost of infinite
pains and an expenditure of $4,000,
Colonel Chandler formally transferred to
the keeping of Bethany church Tuesday,
on his 9th birthday anniversary.
The hall, 81 feet front and 100 feet
deep, is constructed of cement brick, in
rough finish for about six feet from the
foundation and of smooth surface
above. For "a feet in the center the
49,,