The Republican journal., 1913-02-13

I SOiiiPo'>N
each week for the purpose of rendering
such aid as they could to the soldiers in
the field and hospitals, and did much eff
fective work At the close of the war,
when their services in that direction were
; no longer needed, the Unitarians formed
themselves into society styled the Uni
tartan Sewing Society, to work for the
interests of the church. Later on, it was
proposed to have some definite object to
work for as an incentive to our labors.
Three things presented themselves: A
parish house or paror, laying concrete
walk around the church and remodeling
the pulpit After great deal of earn
est discussion the parish house was de-
clded upon and we at once commenced
our Jealous efforts to earn money. Every
thing that could be devised to bring in a
few dollars was carried out, and nothing
was too great for US to undertake. We
became so infatuated with being in the
'llme-light' we actually went to church
AS the years passed by desire for
something different took possession Of
the people, and many plans were talked
over for remodeling the interior; to make
smaller pews, and more of them, was
the key note of the proposed change, for
strange as 1t may seem now, there was
not vacant pew in the house.
A meeting was called, and the pros
and cons had all been disposed of, and
with the other changes. altering the
peWs was foregone conclusion. Among
the pensioners was a worthy. but &C.
centric gentleman, a good tax payer,
who with his wife, a cultivated literary
lady (Who was nothing if not STOUT
were constant attendants at church.
The aforesaid gentleman arose and Wig
orously protested against the proposed
change. This was blow from an IN
expected quarter. After considerable dis,
cusslon the chairman, or moderator,
said. Squire Blank will you state your
objection?" q omit the explosives that
preceded his answer, as entirely out of
place here) Eyes Sir!' 81 will Sir! If
those pews are two inches smaller Sir,
my wife can't get H.. This closed the
argument, the motion was lost. and for
several years my WIFE got in on the
same old plan, so far as the pews were
concerned. The other changes were car
red out, | think
Finally the shabby appearance of the
church, and the increasing demand for
more seats, added to a strong desire for
something more modern, if not comfort
able, carried the day, and in 1868 the axe
of the modern mechanic leveled the old
square pews. The massive pillars, regret
to say, gave place to the present iron rods,
a furnace was put in, also gas, (Which
was lighted for the first time Christmas
Eve, 1869, the walls papered with the
coolest looking pearl colored paper you
can imagine, and a new carpet covered
the entire church. The pulpit had long
before been replaced by a smaller desk
In the rear of which hung a red brocade
curtain. A red velvet sofa and chairs
tconstit ted the needful accessories. In
the meantime, through the courtesy of
the Universalist Society. services were
held In this church every Sunday morn
ing.
During Rev. Mr.. Bixby's pastorate
another change was made. viz: building
the recess in the rear and placing in
front the large pillars which are repro
auctions on a smaller scale of those for
merly used under the gallery The old
red curtains, which had expanded and
contracted, been dyed and turned, were
considered unfit for service and were
, taken down.
The writer was one of the committee
and a most harmonious time we had. We
/
on the same side, and all voted the same
| way, living representation of Barnum' S
'Happy Family" But cloud no bigger
than a mans hand was rising, we were
| gradually drifting onto the rock on which
| we were to split; the disagreement being
the pulpit furniture. 1t was question
of the soft side of board or upholstered
chairs. After any amount of wasted
breath the majority ruled, as was right,
of course, and the writer found herself
in the helpless minority. The furniture
was ordered and came, and for several
winters the minister folded his overcoat
to keep from freezing onto his chair,
when the S. P. C. A. interfered (this
latter statement lacks authority and a
cushion was ordered for the one chair
that is occupied. A recent glance into
the pulpit shows the humane society
have done more good work.
At the close of Rev. Mr.. Utter's minis
try, while the pulpit was supplied each
week by strangers, somewhat ludicrous
incident occurred, which perhaps some
OF you may recall.
There was to pc an evening service.
At that time in place of the pulpit lights
(Which have just been removed) single
gas jet in the wall on each side of the
pulpit helped to make the darkness more
visible, and as they were not connected
with the other pipes, had to be lighted
separately by means of climbing short
ladder. In order to protect the wall
paper, the provident janitor had drawn
on the ends of the ladder huge pair of
blue wooden stockings which were de-
cided misfit.
On this particular evening, just before
the hour for commencing, some one dis
covered the lights had not been turned
on. What was to be done? At all events
they must be lighted, for the pulpit was
in utter darkness. The house was filled,
many strangers being present. A SEES
sion was held in the vestibule, and the
janitor was instructed to 20 in as quiet
ly as possible, light the gas and come
out. Under some circumstances the
thing might have been done, but this
was not the time. Invested with his
official authority he hoisted that ladder
with those stockings futtering from
the top to an almost perpendicular posi-
ton and started nm the centre aisle and