The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-08-21

The records show Dr. Pratt's first
signature under date of February II
1856. We note under date OF Septem
Der 5, 1856 that Mr. Gilbert Sykes
was granted letter to the Essex st
CHURCH, Boston, Mass.
April 8, 1859, Mr.. Alanson Gray was
made superintendent of the Sunday
school. He was a strong man in ply
sique and in spiritual worth, and his
prayers carried our souls to the
throne of God
November 20, 1860 a committee was
appointed to arrange for the dedica-
ton of the church after 1t had been
Heightened twelve feet with extensive
repairs at a cost of $2500.
December II, 1860 at a special
meeting OF the cnurch held in the
new lecture room, DR.. Pratt was invit-
ed TO become the installed pastor at
an annual salary of $3.50 for the first
year with use Of the parsonage and
| 500 and use of the parsonage each
following year.
| December %, 1860 the church vot-
ed to request the council which con
vened to install Mr. Pratt to take
such action as would dissolve the pas
toral relations of Rev. Cyrus Hudson
and this cnurch. The relations in
the intervening years are not eX-
planned
January 20, 1861, Mr.. Gilbert NJ.
Sykes was unanimously chosen dea-
con of this church and has thus re
NAMED such honored officer for forty
eight years. We trust that he may
| live to celebrate his golden year with
rs During Mr.. Pratt's long pastor
ate of fifty years as pastor and pastor
emeritus. there were additions to tAe
church from time to time with sea
sons of revival. In 1884 the Centen-
NAL of the church was celebrated and
Or. Pratt delivered a centennial ad-
dress which is quite full of historical
reference to previous pastorates but
owing to his natural reticence, he
| tells us but little of his own personal
experience with his people.
His studious habits and his method
cal WAYS left his study full of the
records of the community There are
TENS of record connected with all of
he families of the parish still extant
among his papers.
My own personal acquaintance with
DR.. Pratt and my personal correspon-
dence with him gave my summer Wis
| is and life at Dorset an increased
zest and pleasure.
| There is extant letter written by
Simeon Pease Cheney to DR.. Pratt
which | think was read at the Centen-
nal services in regard to his choir in
his church when he first came to
| Dorset in 1S47. The church then
having Rev Cyrus Hudson as pastor
There were then galleries in the
church This letter gives the names
Of some of his choir and says that
| they numbered about sixty. There
are those living who remember this
time.
Later the Dorset cnoir invited the
singers of adjoining towns and at
! heir gathering they numbered two
hundred Increasing years. after an
active pastorate of forty years and six
months, led Dr. Pratt to offer his res
ignation June 30. 1896 and the same
was reluctantly accepted and he was
made pastor-emeritus. He died April
| s, 1906 and is buried here at Dorset
where he so long labored. The fol
lowing memoranda were found among
DR.. Pratt's papers;
Sept. 6, lS75-The new schoOlnouse
Dorset village opened today.
Jan. 6, 1S77-The old Methodist
church demolished. 1t stood on the
opposite side OF the street a few rods
east and was built about the time of
he rebuilding of the Congregational
church. Had not been in condition to
use for several years.
A list of pastors and their term of
service from record and tradition:
Rev Eliian Sill 17S4-17S9.
Rev. Dan Kent, 17S9-1790
Rev Seth Williams, 1795-l796.
Rev William Jackson. 1796-1S42.
Rev. Ezra Jones, 1S3S-1S41.
Rev. J. J. Gilbert.
Rev. Rowan, 1Si4-1S45. Six to
nine months
Rev. Moses C. Searle, fS45-lS46.
Rev Cyrus Hudson, 1S47-lS53.
Rev. Parsons S. Pratt, lS56-lS96.
Rev. William s. Walker. 1S96-l9OO.
Rev. Charles L. Carhart, 1900
Rev. William S. Walker succeeded
Or. Pratt as pastor. The call being
dated July 10. 1896 and he began his
ministry here August 9, 1896 and re-
NAMED with the church until October
800.
In December, 1900 Rev. Charles l..
Carhart came to the pastorate and
still remains WITH us, with the record
of his services yet to be written.
Early in the morning of Sunday,
November "a, 1907 the church was
al
contents destroyed. When the fire
was discovered it was too late to save
anything. Happily there was little il
any wind so that the fire was confined
to the church building.
Since the burning of the church the
congregation has worshipped in the
school hall with a usual good atten
dance After some delay in deciding
upon a plan for the new church edi-
flee a building similar to the old
wooden church was decided upon, to
be constructed of marble, and this
building is now under construction,
under contract with the celebrated
firm of Norcross Brothers Co., of
Worcester, Mass.
The church building committee con-
SlSLS VI III. r. y. i'iuuici NHdli man. VI
NJ. Sykes, II. p Gilbert, John Lille
and A. w. Phelan with Mr. Gordon
Green of New York as architect. The
property upon which the church late
ly stood was in part owned by Mr..
Charles Field, and was called in tne
deeds, the meeting house shed lot
When Mr. Field moved the sheds
across the street from where they for
merly stood, he decided individuals
zach q shed with certain restrictions.