The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-11-23

tor of StOne-Ware In the surrounding
towns, having frequently heard min
listers of the Methodist faith, and be-
coming interested in their manner
and matter of discourse, invited To-
cal preached by the name of Bates to
hold services at his home. He was a
Jealous young man, full of enthusi-
assn for Christ and, not content with
preaching the Gospel and going his
way, he opened the door for church
membership and organized class OF
six members and probationers. there
by roofing the first of the Methodist
faith in Bennington soil. This or
ganization occurred on Thursday
May 6, 1927. The class consisted or
Theophilus Whitney, leader; Giles
HOLSTER, member; Lorenzo Hollis
ter, member; Rhoda Hollister, mem
Der; Clarrissa Hill, prob James
Pitts Godfrey, prob. These had been
connected previously with class in
other places with the exception OF
the probationers.
This class was organized only three
DAVIS before the New York Confer
ence which included this territory
and was held in the city of Troy, n.
Y. beginning May 9th. AT this ses-
sion. the young man Merritt Bates
was received as a probationer for
conference membership and at the
close of the conference was appoint
ed to the Pittstown Circuit with Buel
GoodseIl father of the now Bishop
Goodsell, and Cyrus Prindle.
Bennington class enjoyed the min
isterial services of these three men
in the first year of its existence and
a gracious revival resulted from their
services. One of those converted at
that time was Rev. Braman Ayres,
who joined the class April 10, 1928.
He gives some interesting incidents
of early Methodism at that time. In
letter written about 1895 he says.
"The Methodist met in the old
academy once in two weeks The
first circuit preachers were Bates and
Prindle. | was one of the first men,
bers. | well remember the day | was
baptised. | had a patch on the knee
of my pants, which greatly troubled
my brother Loren; so to cover 1t
wore a long white coat.
| worked at the furnace three miles
from the village and had much per
secution, being the only Christian who
worked there. If | reproved them for
swearing, they would threaten to
whip me. Il suffered much abuse in
many ways for sstanding square for
Cod | received much abuse. Often
while eating, a piece of bread or po-
tato would be thrown al my head or
in my face. | finally asked the priyi-
lege to eat alone in the wood-shed,
which was granted.
| used to go and ask my employer
if | could go to the prayer meeting
and he would say yes in a cross way
One time he was not home and |
went without asking and was turned
away for It. About that time the lit
tie class of fifteen or twenty rallied
and went to camp-meeting at Oak
Hill, near Kings Church. Under
sermon by Asa Kent. the Holy Ghost
came down in great power From
that time Methodism began to make
a great stir Some of us praised the
Lord aloud in church and often shout
ed victory. We were sometimes led
out Of church and severely lectured
for raising a shout in camp.
/ WAS lUt MOIot, 1 OuppOotf ici Wv
Elder Weaver was sent TO deal with
me. fell on my knees before him
and told him | had no wish to offend
my brethren in any way and would
go to church fully resolved to keep
still as a mouse, but some influence
would come on me and before / knew
it | would be shouting and praising
God. While | was telling him how II
was, the power came down and |
shouted the victory and could not
stop for some time. Brother Weaver
went and said Brother Ayres, do
the best you can. | don't believe you
can help It,
Many were converted, among them
a young man and his two sisters,
David and Desire Cushman 1.-THE 9TH
er sisters name is not given) from
an aristocratic family who wished to
join the Methodists. Their friends
raised great opposition, but they per
severed and joined. David became
a local preacher One OF the girls
married a deacon and one a Metho-
dist minister.
After this great revival, the Metho-
dists began to be respected. They
dubbed together and built stone
church. | quarried the stone with
great delight. l thought nothing OF
going two three, four, or even five
miles to attend prayer-meeting az
ter my days work was done-always
on foot. Once | wanted to go to a
quarterly-meeting twenty miles on.
| was late in getting started and ran
quite all the way and forded a stream
and thought it no hardship so l could
get there. | was so eager for relig-
ion | was not satisfied until got
the baptism of the Holy Ghost. | was
so filled and praised God so that a
man who came to borrow harrow
was afraid to come within twenty
rods of me; and it was noised abroad
that | was crazy"
The stone for this building was
taken from quarry on the road lead
ing from Bennington Centre to South
Salisbury. 1t is said that before
the work of quarrying the stone be-
gan this brother Ayres offered a
prayer from the quarry. in which he
asked God to give them as many con-.
varts as there were stones in the