The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-05
| MEMORIES
CALLED UP
-------------
BY ySemi-centennialof Univer-
SaliSt Ladies Union
WAS HELD LAST NIGHT
History Of the Useful Works Of This
Organization Was Told to Appre-
eiative Listeners-Those Who
Participated.
WAS HELD LAST NIGHT


Fifty years ago The Ladies Union Of
the Barre Uniyersalist church was first
organized in the home Of the then off.
ciating clergyman, the Rev. Franklin S.
Bliss, and in commemoration of tnat
event and Of the half century of faith
ful labor which has followed the present
members Of the union, with invited
guests, to the number Of 140 gathered ID
the yestry last evening and added to
the history OF the union for the first
quarter century the records for the last
twenty-five years. A fitting recogni-
ton WAS paid to the event, and renewed
courage and enthusiasm was inspired for
the continuation Of the work for tie
next FIVE score years.
The supper which was served at 8
O'Clock was made to correspond with the
fast suppers given fifty years ago and
1t was the unanimous opinion Of all
present last evening that fifty years nas
iaade no improvement III Shippers. The
menu which recalled the supper OF half
a century ago 60 many who were pres.
ent last evening was as follows oyster
stew, cold meat, rolls, custsrd, cup cakes,
pie, cheese and coffee.
AT each plate was a fitting souvenir
card Of the seini-ccntennial. containing
pictures OF the church and Of the Rev.
Mr.. Bliss who was pastor from 1857 to
al Af .a4.t ktt4s
Key. G. G. Conner; also short intro
euctory concerning the inception Of the
union. closing with the following:
"How strange the prospect to MY
sight appears,
Changed by the busy hands Of fifty
years"
AT The conclusion Of the supper the
president 81 tile nnion, Mrs. j. Il. Tas
Vie, called the company to order and
with brief remarks, in which she called
attention 10 the significance OF the oe
casi0n and stated that the ladies had
tried TO make the standard Of the cela
hFAtion ID keeping with The record of
The past iifty years. introduced Miss
blanche j Tilden as tie toastmistress
uf tie evening. For over two hours the
company thon listened 70 most Interest
irg remarks and 10 the reading Of mum
troRs letters sent by former pastors and
old friends of the church
Mrs Lizzie Robinson was first called
upon tc give Tire history Of the union
flom its beginning, which she had pre-
pared IN q very interesting paper The
records Of the union for the first twenty
9itya tsaafsz 4ag4 t,to4o al sac tfsa ~, ~.
century celebration by tAe late Mrs.
Sarah A. Mower and by Miss Fannie
A West and in addition 60 those records
Mrs. Robinson read the history for the
last five years
Many Interesting incidents and facts !
were toll concerning the erection and /
of the present church. in /
the building of which, It appears, the I
ladies' took a leading part
Sixty years ago the few UNIVERSAL /
st people in this vicinity were holding I
their meeting ID a little brick church II |
South Barre when it was decided to at
tempt the erection OF church in the \
ltwer village, as this city was then call K
Ell Four thousand dollars was raised 1
by subscription, and the lot where the /
church now stands was purchased for I
$500. In 1851 The work on the build
ing was commenced and was finished and (
aedieatea IL 1882 The total cost was
S4,400 and il was dedicated free from
lcbt.
In 1855 the ladies circle a It was then
Gamed was started at the home of che
pastor, Mr. Bliss. ANA Mrs Roxanna
Dodge was the first president. Two of
the first officers Of the circle are still
living, Mis-. Maria Tilden and Mrs Ell
mira smith The circle at once began o
aold festivals for the raising Of funds
and when the need came for a parson
lge the circle purchased tie Silas Town
on Elm street and paid for il
II four years.
NOT only were the ladies doing their
,emarkabie work for the church but in
ne early years Of Goddard seminary
hey held festivals and raisea money for
he bell. furnished rooms and sewed car
lets for the building besides giving ST.,
100 ia money. The church needing re-
in 1875, the ladies' to get the
Money for tie work sold their parson
lge for S1400 In 1870 The ladies' cir
le was changed to the ladies union. In
losing. the historian stated that IN the
lify years tie ladies society nad raised
he sum of S21,33s17, exclusive Of the
] arity committee.
A poem written for the occasion hy
'rof c. II. Stone, a former teacher at
GODDARD. WAS read by Mrs. J. Z. Dix.
rhe pastor, the Rev. c. G. Conner spoke
Ia The union and the minister The
Irion he said was an indispensable on
anization to the church @Woman has
fon renown among Us. She makes d
lace bf our side and we let her take
& Last at the cross and first at the
,mb has been written IN Aer honor
he first person committed to Christ in
.fope was woman. The union has
aade history IN The past haif century
nd viii continue to make history IN the
ouang fifty years The society IL an {
aspiration and help to he ministers $
Greetings from tie churches were ex-
ended 81 the Rev +. a. Poole Of the
oaereRaiional church who congraiu
ited the ladies' on their honorable and
emarkable history A. compared with
fty wears ago. be said. It seems queer
5ai an orthodox minister should BE-
tsnainr here tonight extending sim
lrs congratulations 70 this society Bur 2
sosc were the DAYS. lie declared. of in