Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-01-15
Y. NJ. c. A. MORTGAGE BURNED
Went Up in Smoke while the
Doxology Was Sung.
BANQUET and Speeches Tuesday Even
ing Took Form OF Tribute to w.
J. Van Patten while History
Was Told.

ton building many years ago burned |
while the Doxology was sung, and many
inspiring speeches made to emphasize the
significance of the occasion. After the
excellent dinner, which was served by the
Womans Auxiliary. the large gathering
OF men pushed back their chairs and after
prayer by the Rev. Or. J. s. Braker lis
tened to speeches by G. ?. Smith, Pro-
lessor G.. H. Perkins, the Rev. George Y
Bliss. s. L. Platka. and w. J. Van Patten.
The president OF the association, NJ. d
Chittenden, was POSTMASTER.
The paying of of the last of the mort
gage was made possible by the maturing
OF a ten thousand dollar endowment poll
lev of life insurance which Mr. Van Pat
ten took out ears ago in favor Of the as
ISOLATION. The meeting resolved itself
into a tribute to Mr.. Van Patten and re-
cltal OF the history of the Y NJ. G. A. In
Burlington.
EARLY HISTORY OF ASSOCIATION.
G.. p. Smith was called upon to tell OF
the early history of the association. He
said his acquaintance with the organza-
ton went back only 4S years. When he
first became Interested in it, the Y. NJ c.
A. occupied quarters over what is now
Middlebrook's store. The quarters were
humble enough, but in those days there
was a great enthusiasm and interest In 1t
on the part Of young men Of the city and
if one got scat it was necessary to go
1 early.
Later, the association moved across the
square for a time. Later still n hall was
secured in the old Strong building which
stood where the present !. NJ. {. A
building stands. This hall was Old. but
the meetings held In It We're we'll attend
ed. In tho Strong building were y. G.
Strong's hardware store and Samuel
Huntington's book store now Shanley's.
The association hall was upstairs.
/ The speaker told how, 30 years ago, Mr..
Van Patten came to him with news that
the old Strong building could be bought
for $1,000 $4,000 down and the rest later,
and said he wished they could get it for
the Y. NJ c. A. Proceeding on this sug-
Restion, their first, plan was to purcha Sc
the building themselves. rent enough
stores In the building to make it carry
the Investment and allow the Y NJ. c. y.
the hall But before long Mr.. Van Pat
ten had interested enough peo-
pie and secured enough subscriptions
to make 1t possible to pay down the
initial 5000 toward the purchase Of the
| building for the association itself and
start on the rest. The undertaking was
going we'll when one night the old build
ing burned down. There was insurance
enough to liqudate the debt They had
the land and so set to work to build.
Gen William Wells, Prof V. G. Barbour
and G. p Smith were the building COM
nlittee. They had all kinds OF difficulties
to contend against. They had not only
to beg the money but to borrow before
the building was UP far enough to
mortgage it. Throughout all this time
the man who furnished unlimited en-
thusiasm and help was Mr. Van Patten,
He had bought for a handsome sum the
land where Gardner Brewers store now
stands and had built store there This
store he now gave to the association
= With that assistance they were able e
secure a mortgage OF $4,000.
MIR. VAN Patterns DEVOTION
The mortgage was signed by Genera
; Wells. Professor Barbour. George W
Wales, l.. b. Lord. the treasurer ant
c. P. Smith All this time Mr.. Van
: Patten supplied the needed devotion anC
r enthusiasm; in short, ne was a leader
Probably all Of them wondered durlns
, those difficult times when the building
was going UP on promise and expecta
tons. what would be the result if any
. thing happened to the man who Of al
= men most interested and was civ
ing most. They found years later tina
in his thoughtfulness for the cause h
loved. Mr.. Van Pattcn had insured hi
life for the benefit of the association
0 That policy now coming to maturit!
enables us to take up the last OF m
, mortgage.
The speaker paid a tribute to Mr.. Val
n Patten, concluding with the words: H
. saw the thing a little before we though
of it, and had a faculty OF throwing
himself into the work and intereatiai
others"
II BURNING OF TIE MORTGAGE.
d After these remarks Mr.. Smith hell
= up the mortgage so that all might Sc
i IT. placed it on a large metal ira
G which was produced, and touched
-, match to II and as the paper blazed ',
and slowly crumbled into ashes III
: whole room sang the devout words o
II the Doxoogy, Praise God from Whor
= II Blessings Flow"
After the burning OF tne floTtSdS'
Prof G. H. Perkins delivered IN
usually sympathetic and understandin
y appreciation of the guest OF the ever
e ing, Mr., Van Patten, He spoke of tn
II impos sibilty OF saying enough under IN
| circumstances. or of expressing all tina
his feelings prompted him to say. rhel
" very finely, he suggested what Mr. Va
o patten had done and what he had beef
q Then ne spoke Of the necessity OF II
best religious feeling being life an
manifesting itself by acts and sketcho
the good which such life may do. a !
= the rightful JOY which man should fee
In unusual powers granted him by NJ
| Creator In closing, he said II am sur
II that such Joy as may come from sue
ufe and from an appreciation of tn
rifts which God has given him must |
the experience Of our guest
SHOULD CELEBRATE VIRTUES O
THE LIVING
The Rev. Dr. George Y. Bliss was cal
ed to respond to the toast, "A Consistei
Layman" He spoke with rare feelin
and conviction. He said that it W.
well when we came together to celebra
the virtues Of a man for our own bench
to do 1t during the mans lifetime, ar
not wait until after he was dead, He Il
stanced the case OF President Buckhar
who served faithfully here for mar
years with all his remarkable ability bel
on something which gave him small r
turns except in the sense OF accomplisl