The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1908-01-03
West RiUer TOlUns
TOWNSHEND.
Annual Gathering Of Congregational
Church q Happy Year Beginning.

Church Happy Year Beginning.
The annual gathering Of the Congregu
tional church and society was held Wed
nesday. A good number were present a
the morning service to hear an earnest SCI
mon by Rev, A. I. Martin Of Yves
Townshend from the passage found il
Corinthians 30, For | am determines
not TO know anything among YOU saw
Jesus Christ and Him cruciied." Tn
preacher placed the emphasis ON the wor'
determined speaking OF the need o
the will IN exercising the JOY OF habit
We are creatures of habit as Is Otter
said, but he gave his second thought a
of supreme Importance habit OF Joy
This habit of JOY must be cultivated. h
happiest man who ever lived still has neeo
to do il.
The communion service followed til,
sermon. 1t was conducted by Rev. Mr.
Martin, assisted by Rev. Mr.. Mcintyre
Hugh Ilolbrook and +. T. Randall acting
as deacons in the absence of the regular
officers. The pastors report OF the yeai
was next given. Morning service has been
held every Sunday OF the year, the pastor
being absent four occasions. Two oil these
were his vacation days when Rev. Mr..
Wiswall of Newiane supplied and two
We're exchanges, one with Rev. Mr. Moore
bury of Brookline The church prayer
meeting has been held through the year
with AN attendance ranging from tive to
twenty. Three hundred and sixty-two pas.
toral calls were made. nine funerals at
tended and three marriages solemnlzcd.
Three members OF the church have died,
Mrs Laura Rand Feb. s. 1907; Mrs. Har-
rison Eddy, May 30, 1907, and Miss Han
nah Ross OF Worcester, Aug. !, 1907. -:
...taY tttar mi
the church events of the year. A busl'
ness meeting was next in order. The olii-
GERS elected We're: Sunday school super
intendent, +. I. Randall; clerk OF church,
Il. H. Allbee; treasurer OF church, Hugh
Holbrook.
The rollcal was a deeply interesting oc..
casion. Twenty-three responses were read
by the pastor in answer to the 30 letters
sent by him to absent members OF the
church. A few words from some OF these
will be of interest. Deacon j. .. Fol-
lett said that he was unable to be pres
ent as his work had reached a stage that
demanded his personal attention. lie
drew from the words of Christ an incen,,
tive to bring out the best in ourselves and
Others, especially the young. Mrs. Sarah
Il. Goodhue of Hyde Park, Mass, sent
a kindly word OF greeting inclosing a poem
by Hezekiah Butterworth as expressing
her feelings better than she was able to
do. The poem was entitled The Voice.
Arthur Toilette wrote that there being
no Congregational church in Gallitzin his
support was given to the Methodist
church He adds, "Gallitzin was found |
ed by a Catholic priest and as the IN.
coming population has been mostly OF
foreign element the Roman faith is the |
prevailing one. The Protestant churches |
have very little cooperation with each |
other which seems grave mistake IN
view of the rapidly changing conditions
wrote from st. Petersburg. Fla, that she
would be glad to send in rosesnand iassa-
mine to trim the church for the day but
being unable to do so would send the
warmth of the Florida sunshine in her
greeting. Arthur Bachelor sent word
that his thoughts and prayers would be
with the church on the day but he could
not be there in person. Mrs. A. b. Taft
sent her testimony from Brattleboro,
where she still remains. Many letters
contained only passage of Scripture to
be read. Some members in town were
unable to be present who are usually
there Those from out of town were Mrs.
Ann Carr of West Townshend, Mrs. Jud-
son Derry of Putney and Mrs. Mabel Al
len of Jamaica.
-.~Ihe meeting closed with the benediction
u Rev. Mr.. Martin and the company
INT to the hall to unite with the school
;lidren and others who had come in,
making large number to sit down to the
dinner, where chicken pie and other good
eatabes in abundance were served and a
merry social hour spent after which speech
making was INDUCED in, DR.. Osgood act L
ing as POSTMASTER. The first number was {
a Pansy Song, given by the little Frank s
lin sisters in very sweet way. Rev. Mr..
Martin was called as pastor of a neigh {
boring church. He replied that he was {
most happy to be present on the occasion {
which for its joyfulness reminded HIM i
was called to speak on The Relation of !
the Church to the School. He said he /,
would like to change about his subject
and spoke of the first settlers starting a 9
church in the very beginning of their his !
5ory' The school soon followed, it's train d
ing was in line of fitting the youth of the
and to support the church. Rev. Mr.. Nc |
[ntyre spoke on Pastoral Visitation. lie d
said he endeavored to call on his people t
Jour times year, sometimes IN an lnfor- q
nal way to be sure but he liked to step 5
IN their homes and to be welcome to do
20 even in questionable hours. j. H. b
Ware was called upon to speak as collec- b
or He replied that he was interested d
% compare the difference existing between \
he present time and few years ago. j
Then no one of the committee wished to
)e collector to answer the many questions A
md objections offered; there was strife to a
zee who could escape being collector. Now i
III was changed, all wanted to have the i
OBJ. Mr.. Holbrook wanted it, Mr. All III
zee wanted it and of course he wanted it ~
himself The people took the paper and "
igned without a word and some even
wanted to sign twice Enough had a.
,een raised to pay the expenses of the D
ear and leave a balance in the treasury. n
The superintendent not being present no
eport was had from the Sunday school. II
Mrs. Fl. V. Dale was given The Home m
Tub. Mrs. Dale said the club had been in OF
six years. 1t was the strong
I'm of the church. It's work the past TO
ear had been picking up stitches and til
roken threads. The outside of the par pc
Dnage showed by its appearance and the sl
lside by the added comfort some OF the Bt
esults Of their labors. Money raised by lii
ne club in connection with the guild was M
ill in the treasury to aid in completing
ne parsonage barn when strong arm re
ould be secured to drive home the of
bikes. Mrs. Dale stated that in future Be
leir efforts would be concentrated on the an
,w chapel soon to be built providing a wi
epe suitable room for hash and chicken. da
e suppers Mrs. Gale showed the good we
ork the guild had done the past year.
hey have accomplished much and have be
good sum for the expected new build or
NJ
Million Dollars in Assets VI