The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-04-03

Lady Chapel which will be used for
the daily Offices of the church.
At the west of the chancel is the
organ vault with openings provided
for banks of pipes on each side of the
chancel over the choir seats. Open
ing from the chancel is the sacristy
and there is also opening out of the
chapel a connection with the rectors
study. -
AS far as possible quartered oak
with heavy timbers and trusses, has
been used in the interior furnishings
of the structure. Both electricity
and gas are used in the lighting equip
ment Complete in every detail the
church will cost about 100000. The
architect is William Bull.
Some unusually beautiful memorials
have already been placed in the
church The chancel floor of marble
and mosaic is the gift of Col. Olin
Scott; the window over the alter, rep
resenting the "Te Deum', that of the
Squire family; the baptistry, that of
Mrs. George Graves. In the aisles
are three memorial windows, THE
Annunciation," presented by Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Dewey; THE Puriiica-
ton by Mr.. and Mrs. George Law
renee; Saints Gregory and Francis,
by Mrs Pauline Goldsmith and Rev.
Philip Schuyler. The screen separ-
ating the chapel from the church
comes from Mrs A. W. lockwood and
the arrangements for the organ and
choir stalls are by Mrs. S. Huling
Blackmer. The marble altar is the
gife of J II NortOn.-
The first Episcopal service, of
which there is any record, ever held
in Bennington was the baptism OF
five persons in October 1852, by Gid
con Bostwick, a travelling missionary
whose home was in Great Darlington,
Mass. The records OF the diocese
show that there were delegates from
Bennington to the so-called diocesan
convention at different periods
during the days of early set
tlement, but there is little know
ledge eXtant of the followerers of
previous to July S34, when St Peters
church was organized. At that time
there were but seven communicates
residing in town, all of whom with but
one exception, were women The wo-
men themselves could not organize a
society, but they were able to influ-
ence their husbands and others and
the articles of association adopted at
the meeting held at the old academy
were signed by Is persons.
Rev. n. O. Preston was the first of
the II rectors who have been in
charge of the parish. 1t was during
his pastorate that work was begun on
the old church, in the summer of 1885,
which was removed to make way for
the present structure Among the
later and better remembered rectors
are Rev. G B. Mansur. ID. d., who was
active in the diocese during the epis
copate OF DR. Hopkins. He died in
Bennington In 1861 after a rectorship
of twelve years Rev. d. S. Phillips,
now OF Kankakee H., prominent
clergyman in his diocese and editor
OF the Diosecan paper; Rev. J. lsham
Bliss, d. D., who went from Benning-
ton 10 Burlington; Rev. A. r.
Graves now the Bishop of Kearney,
Neb. and Rev. Geogre Lynde Richard
son, now of St. Mary's church Phil
adelphia
Rev Philip Schuyler is the present
rector Vestry of the church are:
Senior Warden, c. c. Kimballt Junior
Warden and secretary. II. o. Har
wood. Treasurer, IT. l. Norton, L. +.
Abbott. J. X Norton, George Worth
ington, j. A. Jubb, Charles Adams, O.
w. Harwood, f. II. Holden and F. f.
Howe.