Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-03

the Legislature 1890 an address before
| the literary societies Of the university,
1897 and sermons on fast days, Thanks
giving ard Christmas) show a flowing
and easy manner, good thought and
careful painstaking. He was. besides.
lovable man, large in frame and benig-
nant In face. most jealous and tender
| in the pastoral relation The pictures
| which are preserved OF him, taken In
later life are full of character and so Is
his handwriting In the minter's book.
His Christian spirit, his earnest labors,
resulting In the failure of his health.
his lively sympathies, his simple and
| consistent faith declare him notable
instance Of those older liberal ministers
of whom 1t has been said by one who
knew, II am apt to think that Chris
| tianity in all It's stages of evolution and
in all It's nuinberless forms, has never
taken n type at once so free from &C.
| cleslastical pressure. and In Itself so
| manly. sweet and noble"
| When we look over the pages that
deal with DR.. lnEersoll's pastorate new
names that represent honorable service
and true fidelity. Warren LOOMS was
the first society clerk, James T.. Saw
yer served long In the Same capacity.
John y. Pomeroy appears in 1924, Alvato
Foote served many years, Edward a.
! Stansbury finished the first volume and
! began the second. Col. Nathan Pice
| Joined soon after the beginning OF the
society removing here from bingham.
| Mass. strong supporter and for IL
! years deacon He Ged at n full age in
! 1854 lie WIS a patriot of the Rovolu-
| ton a mar of sobrety and sense. Other
men prominent In affairs were John
| Howard, Samuel Reed. r. II. Demlng
Moses Bliss. John Van Scklen. Lemuel
| Page The records contain many quaint
! items of expenditure. For long time
| every article purchased Is entered in
| the prudential committees report. Three
| or four hrooms are bought In every
year Tie price Of wood is carefully
kept beginning with dollar and a.
| half a cord delivered. The first mon
| ton o: a committee on singing occurs
! in 1870. In which year also Mark Rice
is paid $40 for playing the organ, and
. curious charge Is made in ISL for re-
| pairing the skeleton Door" nave
known family skeletons but never
| church one. In 1928 there Is a new bell
and In 1891 the collector Is allowed the
amount OF n counterfeit bill which he
has taken or rather with which he was
| taken In. A new street was opened In
! 1882 west Of the meeting house the pre-
sent Eimwood avenue then Locust street.
| showing the condition % our church's
| surroundings. even at that date twenty
years after its building, ~ Locust trees
are sold from the grounds six years
| later. There is a bridge at The west
| entrance as late as 1862. DR.. 1ngersoll
was an earnest friend Of temperance.
| outspoken in his condemnation Of the sin
| of slavery and deeply interested in the
religious training of the children. He
was the founder of our Sunday school
and it is n pleasant picture we have
o. him gathering the children OF the
| church on wooden benches on Sunday
| afternoon after the second service In the
| little square room OF the telfrJ, tho
| room behind the present organ. He was
| for some years the only ties cher. but
| on his return from a voyage to cuba III
1893. taken for the restoration of his
| health. he organized the school into a
| number of classes with separate teachers.
Some of the happiest moments OF my
Ministerial engaSenents we're thus
| spent" he declares in his farewell. His
| interest was also warm In the parish
library to which he gave its present
form and which his daughter. Miss Car
| oline lngersoll of keene. y. H.. he
membered by her will at his request.
| This library was the successor Of the
| Religious Book society established by
| him as an association of individuals
with an annual subscription. Its pur-
pose was the purchase and circulation
of books calculated ITO promote pure
| faith and n good life 1t has GER
tainly been through all these years ~
| source of constant education. enlight-
| ment and pleasure. In 1899 it was trans
| ferred to the care Of the society. then
| numbering 49, volumes.
About iN2; there was agitation in re
gard to a carpet. Probably there had
| been none up TO that date. one was
| obtained by that ever ready and willing
| resource the sef-sacrincc of a woman
| and in the annual meeting Miss Ellen
| u. Ioons Is publicly thanked FOR her
| voluntary and generous services in
playing the organ for several years past
which has enabled the society to carpet
and Otherwise embcllish their meeting
house" For long time the building
| IL used for commencement exercises
| though there ia a vote refusing 1t after
wards repealed. There is a bill for
| cleaning the meeting house after tho
Fourth of July which Is perhaps signif-
cant George P. Marsh is noted as
| paying IL pew assessment in 1886 but
| afterwards | understand he attended
what was then known the White ST.
| church. OIL is purchased In 1899, 2ia
gallons for S3l3; the price may possibly
mitigate something % the feeling
against the present company handling
that commodity. 1t shows III" time
| when lamps were first used and evening
| services inaugurated This is the right
| place 10 speak of the man behind the
| gun which in this case is the woman
For IN ,s9S was started the ladies society
| which, succeeded III name by the al
| lance, has IN all these years quietly
| stood back OF all that the church has
done. 1t has been a sslf-eitacing body.
| There is little note on the church books
of its activities yet not q nook Of the
| dear old church but has received
| touch Of its thoughtful care and social
| occasions and charities have grown and
| nourished under its administration times
leyond counting. Dr. lngersoll $ health
continued to be impaired by his exer-
| tions. He had literally given of his life
! t. This church. The reluctantly asked
dismissal In 1Sii after several seasons
| of absence. \ purse was presented him
and the relation was dissolved with a
| genuine feeling of pain on both sides.