The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-04-08
RSERVED 10TH ANNIVERSARY
!, Baptist Church Of This Town Held Exercises from
Sunday to Wednesday-Former Pastors Here.

~ less than year. During the year isos
The main part OF the prr,rnt church build
ing Mas erected and the yeslp ooeuplrd
a. plaec of worship. The last ssFsios
hrld Ia The old Church ga Ellioi sir--l
was an Jan, 70. lsss, The pr,cnt
ehnnh MAS dedicated D-c. -. 1870. Dr
Poster preached the historical sermon al
the dedication, Their arr living loda,
30 persons VIM Joined the church pm
Nious 10 Dcormher, 1870. With the year
OF their first reception they arr a. fol-
lowsI Mrs, Olive Sargent, 1885, Mir,
Mrs. abby Estey Fuller. 1850, Asa :,
Field. 1856, Mrs. ". 4. Banks. 1880,
Mrs. Abbie Estey Fuller. isoo, Asa :.
Field. 1860, Mrs. Elizabeth u. Davenport.
ls6s; George ". Fuller. is6i; 4. q.
Warren, lseS, Mrs. Lucy A. Cox. is6S
John \. Davis, lso0, Miss FRAMES Elliot.
$500: Mrs Sylvia Davis, 1861, Miss
Hattie Stearns, 1857, Mr., florncc
Gray Estcy, 1907, |. o. l.. smith. 1897 ,
Miss Cora Hatch. 1865, Mrs. 4. .. Boyn-
ton, 1869; Mrs Addic Bulteriirld. 1909 /,
Mrs. George ". Fuller. 1863, End 4.
White. 1863; 4. ". Bruce. 1863, 4. Z.
Boynton. 1870: Mrs. MARY 4. Howard.
1870; T.. II. Bingham. 1870, Mrs. ". 4.
Mixer, 1870, Mrs Frank L. Shepard.
$50; H. VI. Douglas, lsi0; Henry ID.
iiolion, 1870: Mrs. Laura J. Hudson.
1870.
The records of the secretary show
many interesting notes IN connection with
building the present church. The foun-
dation stone came from Frost's ledge on
Flat street and John Burnham silver
plated the lightning rod. The bell.
t5t5 pounds was east by Jones
q Co. Of Troy. y. T., and cost $500.
The bell was dedicated early In the pas
torate OF Rev. l.. j. Mattcson, who began
his labors in June. 1869. \ period of
great growth was experienced during this
pastorate. In July. ls72, the brick
church at West Brattleboro, having been
bought and repaired by Jacob EStey, l..
X. Fuller and J. J. Estey. was opened for
On April 10. 1874, letters of
dismissal were granted TO ~ members 10
form the West Brsttleboro Baptist
church, among the number being Mr.. and
Mrs. l.. X. Fuller and Miss Ida VI.
Holland, the latter better known Ia the
present generation as Mrs. T.. Il. Thayer.
Mr.. Matteson closed his paStorate April
Is. 1875. In September of that year
Rev. Horace Burchard was called. lie
filed the pulpit until October, 1919. when
the community was saddened by his
sudden death.
Rev. George Is. Cow filled the pulpit
from September, lss0, to Dec. 81. lss9,
md was followed by Rev. L. L. Tower.
who served from June, 1853, TO Noyem-
Der, 1856. Rev. +. j. Parry was the
pastor from Jan. ], 1881, until April,
1896. His was the second longest pas
torate in the history of the church.
During his pastorate the church was re
modelled and the chapel built. Rededica-
ion services were held Dec. Is. 1859,
The cost of the changes was about
vs., 900. OF this amount the women of
he church contributed about one-fourth.
n 1890 the church observed its fiftieth
Iniversary. Rev. l.. ID. Temple was pas
or from Sept. /, 1895, to Oct. !, ls9s.
lie was followed by Rev. +. i. Marble,
Who remained until September, 1902.
Rev. George B. Lawson became the pas
or the following month. II was during
lis pastorate that the Estey memorial
,rgan was installed. The present pastor,
Rev. John r. Cow. began his pastoratc
Iov /, 1908.
Probably one of the most interesting
eatures of the anniversary exercises was
he reminiscent talk given Monday even
ng by Mrs. Abby Fuller. The reading
# the historical sketch by W. b. Smith
lad put the large audience in receptive
mood for story of the early days OF
he church. Mrs. Fuller was escorted to
he platform in the chapel and after de-
,ositing a faded box upon chair pro-
Iuced cup of block tin which she ex-
,lained was one of the six communion
ups used in the first church on Elliot |
treet. She facetiously remarked that in
hose DAYS microbes were unheard OF and
he members of the Baptist church were
ot at all fearful of using the same cup
t the communion services. The cup was !
haped after the style of the goblet OF
alf century ago Mrs. Fuller ex-
,lained that she rescued it at an auction
ale MANY wears ago. Her description OF
elder Emerson Andrews, the first pastor,
vas of nature to excite the risibles OF
er listeners at times and again to bring
Moisture to many eyes. She told how
his good man advertised the hour OF
gliding his meetings. She told how he
ramped through the streets of the village
nnouncing that he would hold religious
ervices. Having finished his announce
nent he would turn to his daughter,
hon he held by the hand, and say, sing
Iaria, sing" And Maria would sing
18th her father that old familiar hymn,
Oh. turn We, Oh, turn ye." Mrs. Ful-
,r said that Elder Andrews always open
d his services with the words I'VE will
ing, "Blow We the trumpet. blow She
old of attending baptismal services on
he banks of the canal and the Connecti,
ut river. She said she always enjoyed
hose at the canal but never fanced hold
10 such services on the river bank.
ut wasn't popular to be a Baptist IN
hose days." said Mrs. Fuller. II
ewcomer wished to succeed In business
e was told that he had better atteha
mother church. | used to admire an
arly school teacher here who attended
he Baptist church. l believe | admired
i'm more than did the minister, for II
eemed strange to me that school
pacner should do such an unheard.o1
hing as attend our church" Mrs. Fuller
cad from time-worn subscription paper
he names of many persons who assisted
! securing church. singers during her
i; rlbood The list was headed by John
Woodbury.. who made the first melodeon
, Brattleboro and was the progenitor OF
10 organ industry of today. Her de,
rription of Rev. Paul 5. ADAMS cout"
OF help provoking her listeners to laugh
ar as She told how he used to call mem
IL .,.han they disagreed with