Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-03-04
MEMORIES OF GLOVER.
It's People Sixty-five Years Ago and
Since.
Letter No 6.
Letter No. 8.


In my early days in Glover there
we're some incidents in religious
directions that deem worthy of
special mention as each had its in
fiuence on later events.
The first incident was concerning a
funeral, at the death of a young
Mr.. French, a relative Of Deacon
Boardman think. This young Mr..
French had been a splendid young
man, said to have had no bad habits
and was certainly a very clean gen.
tlemanly man The body was brought
to Glover village, the funeral being
held in the only church in the place.
A large congregation was present.
A Rev. Mr.. Pearson, pastor at Barton,
preached the sermon and shocked the
whole congregation by the statement
that the deceased was not aChristi an f,
had not Joined the church and was
therefore in hell forever, and 80 force
fully preached the old doctrine that
many turned away from it. l re-
member that was horror stricken
and so were many others.
Shortly after this another incident
helped to make a turning point in a
religious movement. There was a
young man in the village who had
contracted the habit of using a great
amount of profane language. There
seemed to be nothing vicious about it
only perhaps he thought it was smart
to swear like his elders. Finally the
habit was go formed that he hardly
knew when he swore, like many a
young fellow even to-day. In 1912 an
intimate friend of his died. She was
soon to be the bride of one of his
nearest friends. At her death this
profane young man was 80 affected
that he ceased swearing and at night
earnestly prayed.i Rev. j. W. Ford
preached the sermon at her funeral
from the text, "She is not dead but
sleep:h. "This strengthened the young
man in his good resolution. So the
next Sunday evening he went to the
prayer meeting in Simonds' hall. 1t
was very formal and but six or eight
present. There was but one Animal
ed member present who took part.
That was VIM. B.tPalner,an enthusi-
astic Methodist. What he said NOV
ed the soul, Of. the young man to
speak in meeting, expressing a de-
sire to not only profess religion but
to practice it During the week
it was talked about that this
sweaoing young man protested reli-
gion. On the next Sunday evening at
the prayer meeting the hall was full,
perhaps IS people there. Meeting
was conducted as usual with rather
more animation and several more
spoke as we'll as the young man
Among those present was Rev. Mr.
Ford, the Universalist clergyman, his
talk was fine. There was no denomi-
nationalism in it at all. When Rev
Ford sat down Mr.. Strong arose very
slowly and in a dolorous voice said
that ''it was Just the same now as
was in Jesus time, that where the
children ofGod were gathered togeth
or Satan also appeared among them
The young man went directly up tc
Mr.. Ford and asked him If they
couldn't have a prayer meeting in thu
Universalist church. And he re
died in a spirited manner, eyes in
deed, we can and we lCill!" On tn
next Sunday evening a prayer meet
ing was held in the Uuiversalis
church with many present and fror
that night a real revival was had
many joining that church, and instea
of having meetings half of the tim
Rev. Mr.. Ford was engaged to preac
every Sunday and a religious spiri
pervaded the community more tina
commonly.
Rev. Nathan Scott, a Methods
minister from Greensboro, preache
at Glover occasionally. He was yer
candid man, but quiet and not il
clined to controversy. Howeve
there was a bitter sectarian feelir
in the community and the Congrt
gationalists felt that they were losin
ground with no preacher and I
church edifice. There was a Re-
Levi Stone in Cabot, live man ar
quite an eloquent speaker, and bite
opponent of Universalism. The
finally hired him to preach in tn
hall. All went we'll for a time, uni
Deacon Bliss died. He was a men
Der of that church and one of tt
finest, most upright men in the to W
and really had no enemy that an
one knew of. The funeral servic
were held in the Universalist churc
with Rev. Stone as preacher. Ju
here another incident tended to bel
f.