The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-10-18

The 139th anniversary Of the Con
gregational church of Putney, which
has been a bulwark of strength in the
community and has numbered in It's
membership many of the well-knovn
people of the town for several genera
| tions, was observed Saturday and YES
terday with fitting commemorative
services. They were largely attended
and fine spirit of fellowship was
manifested.
A public birthday celebration was
held in the church Saturday evening.
the anniversary of the organization of
the church, when a concert was given
by local talent, followed by refresh
ments in the vestry, served by the
Ladies' Aid society, and a Symposium
on The Mission, the Message and the
Ministry of the Country Church.
The concert program was as follows:
Flute, violin and organ, Rev. Villa i
Sparhawk, Hollis Cobb, il, and Mrs
II. II. Lawrence; reading, Miss Char
lotte Eaton; duet, Mrs. II. l.. Bailey
and Miss Emma Lord; flute, violin and
organ; monologue, Miss Bessie T..
Braley; flute, violin and organ. Each
number was much enjoyed.
The symposium was conducted BIZ the
pastor, Rev. Mr.. Sparhawk, and those
who spoke were the pastor, Rev A. f.
b. Ward of Westminster, Rev. Mr..
Couch of Westmoreland, \. H., and
r. +. lands of Mt ffcrmon,- Mass,
who formerly supplied the pulpit. The
symposium brought out many ancc-
dOtes of ancestors and what they stood
for. Howard Stafford presented to
Mr.. Lands a purse in expression of ap-
probation of the citizens for the good
work done by him in Putney along
spiritual, social, civic and athletic lines
The observance Sunday morning in
Guided scripture reading by MIR. Ian
dis, prayer by the pastor, historical
sketch by Mrs. Laura NJ. Plantz, NJ.
D., who is in her S7th year, and g ser
mon by Rev. Mr.. Sparhawk on The
Message of the Old Church to the
Present Day, from the text / Kings
S:13, ] have surely built thee ar house
to dwell in, a settled place for thee to
abide in forever. 1t amplifed along
spiritual lines the paper by Mrs.
Plantz DIR. Plants paper was as
! follows:
My friends, it seems fitting at this
time to recall something IF the his
tory of this church we are now rededi-
| eating as the house of the Lord.
| The town of Putney was organized
May s, 1870, by people who were in
tensely religious--a noble. hardy race,
who feared God and kept His com
mandments. From the first they assem-
bled together in private houses, often
in barns, for divine worship. led by
some one of the settlers. These gath
erings were kept up for three years,
when a "pubEc meeting was held Jan.
10, 1913, and it was voted that a
house of worship to be built, should be
20 feet long, 25 feet wide and 40
feet post. The spot of ground fer the said
building to be erected, and set on, be
upon the northerly side of the road
locking towards Townshend. -
This was on the hill near where the
little red schoolhouse now stands. But
they had no settled minister unit
three years after, when a meeting wa,
. called, agreeable to covenant, and i
was voted to give Rev. Josiah GoodhuC
a call, his salary to be $50 the frs
year, lawful money, and rise 65 eacl
! year until it gets to 500 and thel
, stop"
Mr.. Goodhue accepted and thre,
. months later council was called 70
! Oct. 10, 1776, when the church was or
5 ganized with four male members, viz
+ Rev: Josiah Goodhue, Joshua Parker
=