Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1915-12-24

town abundantly justifies the remark of
Judge Samuel Phelps, who as lawyer
in Middlebury had abundant oppor-
tunities of knowing, that the men of
Cornwall were remarkable for the I'M
usual independence of their judgment.
A town OF church made up of such
men is apt to consider a unanimous vote
reflection upon their intelligence.
Undoubtedly the character of their
ministers had much to do with the
standing of the town and especially
with its distinction as the birthplace of
men of eminence. Of the first pastor.
Rev. Thomas Tolman, not much is
known except that after ministry of
less than three years he got away with
the title of the lot of land set apart by
the charter for the first settled min
lister. 1t was perhaps this experience
that led the church to make a prudent
stipulation in the settlement of Rev.
Benjamin Wooster, the next pastor:-
eff the said Benjamin Wooster shall
die Tor decease) within four years from
the time of his settlement with us, he
shall be entitled to one half of his settle
ment and no more. If he live four
years. and die between that and six
years from the time of his settlement,
then he shall be entitled to three quar-
tiers of his settlement and no more.
If he live six years, and die between
that and eight years. he shall be entitled
to all his settlement, provided in the
foregoing cases, he die our minister.
Mr.. Wooster had served some four
years in the Revolutionary army, had
wintered with Washington at Valley
Forge and was not the man to be
daunted by the solemn terms of the
proposed settlement. He accepted the
call and left the stamp of his vigorous
personality upon the early community,
alth ough his ministry continued less
than three years and the church was
still without Westinghouse. 1t was
the same Benjamin Wooster who in 1914
adjourned preparatory service at Fair
field, organized company, and marched
at their head to Plattsburg, where he
took part in the battle, for which he re-
ceived letter and the gift of a Bible
: from the Governor of New York. This
Bible is still in possession of one of his
descendants, a resident of st. Adams.
But the most fruitful ministry of the
early Cornwall church was that of Rev.
Jedidiah Bushnell, Father Bushnell,
which begun in 1903 and continued for
thirty-three years, when he was dis
missed by the church because he dis
approved of the evangelistic methods
of a Mr.. Burchard, the same revivalist
whose labors were the cause of a serious
dissension among the supporters of Mid
dlebury College. From all can learn,
MIR. Bushnell's position on the subject
was wise and sensible, as it was I'M
doubtedly conscientious and sincere.
The unfortunate termination of his
pastorate did not remove his influence
from Cornwall, where he continued to
reside until his death, respected by all,
graciousy cooperating with his sue
cessors, and continuing his special gift
of leading promising youth to consider
the advantages of higher education.
This quiet work with few individuals
we can now see to have been the most
fruitful part of ministry valuable to
this town in many other ways as we'll.
The number of young men from Corn
well who went to college during the
passionate of Mr.. Bushnell, apparently
many of them because of his influence,
is quite remarkable, and the number of
them who became notably distinguished
is more remarkable still. Without re-
stricting mention to those who may
have felt his influence, but with no at
tempt to include all those of marked
distinction, let me name few.
First, Joseph R. Andrus, son of one
of the first settlers, graduate of Mid
dlebury in the class of 1872 and the
first American martyr to the cause of
anti-slavery. At thirty years of age he
sailed with band of negroes for
Africa, as the first colonizing agent of
the American Colonization Society.
Doubtless the attempt was misguided,
but we cannot refuse our honor to that
pure young spirit who was the first to
give his life for the freedom of the
negro in America. How many came
after him after many days, Cornwall
remembers"
Luther G. Bingham, of the class of
1921, while pastor of the Congrega-
tianal church of Marietta, Ohio, was
one of the principal founders of
Marietta College. an institution which
has had noble and useful history
1t was perhaps through the influence
of Mr.. Bingham that Joel H. Linsley,
after Dastorates of two of the most i'm