St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-07-29
Bethany Centennial.
Montpelier Church Observed Its Tooth Ami
versary with Success on July 10 and 20.

BY series OF meetings beginning with
the mid-week service. Thursday, July l6,
and occupying full days on Sunday and
Monday, July 10 and 20, Bethany
church tittin9ly celebrated it's completion
of 100 years. Under the lead of the
pastor, Rev. l.. F. Reed, careful prepara-
tions had been made and in response to
invitations sent out many friends OF for
mer days returned to enjoy the occasion.
The service on Thursday evening was
an occasion of Renaissance, the anec-
dotes related going back largely to the
days of the old brick church. Most
interesting among them were those
given by Rev. George b. Spaulding, D. D.,
of Syracuse, n Y, son of the church,
who had returned to preach the sermon
on Sunday morning. DR.. Spaulding said
that at his installation at Vergennes, the
Rev. B. M. Smith, pastor at Montpelier
from 1886 to 1910, told of an incident
which was up to that time unknown to
him. During Mr.. Smiths ministry in
Montpelier he was called upon to
baptize an infant. AS the parents
brought the child down the aisle the
mother gave a card containing the name,
and one corner written: PLEASE turn
over" On the reverse was read This
child is consecrated to the Christian
ministry" The child thus consecrated.
Mr.. Smith said, was the pastor to be
installed that day. "reminiscences also
were given of Moses Cheney, choir
master of the Brick church, of DR..
Wright, the first pastor, and of Samuel
Goss the first clerk.
Sunday was day wholly given to the
anniversary celebration. In the morning
Dr. Spaulding preached from the text,
Acts Ill, 10: "The God of our Fathers.
The sermon bore fitting tribute to the
two pastors whose combined service
covered more than half the century, DR..
Chester Wright and DR.. William H.
Lord, and in language which recalled
memories Of the sermons which made
Bethany pulpit notable in the days of
Dr. Lords ministry, he drew lessons from
the past and inspiration for the future.
Special preparation had been made for
the music, which was under the lead of
II. D. Hopkins. son of Hermon d. Hop
kins, choir master for 81 years, and
himself at one time an incumbent of the
office. The quartet was chosen from
singers in the past, and the music was
from the repertoire which has given fame
to this part of the service in all the
years past. They were accompanied by
organ and orchestra.
At noon the Sunday school held an
anniversary, at which a historical paper
was read by D. S. Wheatley for 43
years connected with the school, 30 as
secretary and treasurer and seven as
librarian, having joined the school in
1866 as a member of the class of Hon.
John c. Page Among the superintend-
ents have been Gen. E. P. Walton, Hon.
c. w. Willard, Col. H. D. Hopkins,
Joseph Poland, Judge Hiram Carleton,
and A. J. Howe. At 4 O'Clock in the
afternoon there was an administration
of the Lords Supper for members and
friends.
In the evening, before an audience that
filled the large auditorium, the congre-
cations of other churches uniting, two
addresses were given, one by Rev. J.
Edward Wright, D. D., on THE Flock
and the Folds" and the other by Rev.
Norman Seaver, D. D., on THE Church
in its Past and Future as Related to the
Community" Dr.. Wright, pastor
emeritus of the Unitarian church of
Montpelier, is grandson of the first
pastor of Bethany, Rev. Chester Wright,
He spoke on the unity underlying the
diversities OF the sects, which he
characterized as a unity of spirit rather
than belief, and one that should be cult
waited rather than the attempt to be
made to secure unity of organization.
1t was largely a plea for diversity of
organization and of ritual in order to
give liberty of expression of belief, to
stimulate to activity by reasonable emu
lation and to represent the varying
minds and types of thought.
DR.. Seaver who followed had supplied
the pulpit for several years before the
coming of Mr. Reed, and is descendant
of Col. Timothy Bigelow, who was
given the first grant of land in Mont
pelier by Gov Chittenden lin the year
1881 and who was instrumental in
naming the place at the suggestion of
friend of his, French officer who sug-
gested the name of his native place. The
speakers were happily introduced by
Mr.. Reed, and the musical program was
especially elaborate. The boy choir and
chorus of the best vocalists in the city
under the direction of Mr.. Hopkins par
ticipated Orchestra, organ, cornet solo