Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-19
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAzATEER PUBLISHED in
The YEAR 1862
GUILDHALL.

This secession, however, was not
accomplished by rebellion, but peace
ably and according to the forms of
law, bat was a severe blow from
which the church has not recovered,
and perhaps never will.
Early in 1857, however, the church
and people, having been for some
time destitute of Congregational
preaching, began to feel the de-
mands of spiritual hunger, and COM
menced a new effort by raising a
subscription--the largest raised for
many years-and endeavoring to
find a man to settle with them. This
effort, though continued for some
time, did not prove successful; but
during its continuance we were ia
vored, for a few weeks or months at
time, with the services of Revs.
Henry Loomis, jr., George Dustan,
Mr.. Dye, Mr.. Jenkins, Mr.. Fellows,
Mr.. J. A. Blauvelt of New Jersey,
Mr.. Underwood of Hardwick, and
J. H. Beckwith. Some of these gen.
tlemen were invited by the society,
others were theological students, and
others sent by the Vermont Domestic
Missionary Society, it being hoped
that some one would prove a settler.
And some of these laborers were
quite successful, and II were added
to the church by profession, June 81,
1858, ard seven June 10, 1859
During the winter of 1890 Rev.
Josiah Morse, M. D. and Rev. Mr..
Adams, Methodist, supplied the desk
alternately. April 1860, DR. Morse
commenced to supply the society
constantly, and has continued to do
50 until the present time(Sept. 1862,
residing at MOI thumberland Depot,
and is also a practicing physician.
Whole, or aggregate number of
members, 318; average yearly adj
ditions, 5; greatest number admitted
on one day, Al; present number of
resident members, 40; present nam
Der Of resident male members, 10;
resident female members, 30.
CyyIJnnT
The frst\ efforts for Sabbath
School instruction appear to have
been made about 1916 or II.
Mrs. William Farrar, of Lancaster,
opened a school at her dwelling
house, and invited the young people
of the south part of GuildhalI to
join it, and they did so. At Or about
the same time, Mr.. Nathaniel Waldo
was again residing and preaching in
town, and Mrs. Waldo commenced a
like school at the Falls. About 1921
a school was commenced at the south
school-house, and, we believe, con-
tinued some years. This school had
not the regular organization and
classification Of later times, but was
a meeting for social, moral, and re-
ligious improvement; being conduct
ed by a competent person who
originated and proposed questions,
bringing forward such as were sug-
gested by whatever portion of Scrip.
ture they might have under contem-
plation, and inviting or requiring his
pupils to do the same; and occasion
ally to give written answer to some
question, or opinion upon the doc.
trinal or practical import of partic.
ular passage, and these efforts
appear to have been continued more
or less constantly until regular or
ganization was effected in 1880. The
Rev. James Tisdale was ordained
pastor the same year, the meeting
house had been rebuilt on the plain
as before mentioned, and this Sunday
School organization was, we believe
kept up, at least during each sum
mer season, as long as meetings
were continued at this house.
The Hon. Reuben W. Freeman
who, for nearly 80 years was an &C
tive and influential deacon of thu
church, was elected superintendent
of the sabbath school at its frs
regular organization, and held tina
office most of the time the same was
continued. And much credit is du
him in connection with deacons DaVi
Denison, Erastus Cutler and perhap
others, for sustaining worship on tn
Sabbath, during those intervals whe
we were destitute of a minister. A
times we have had several sabbat
schools in different parts of tn
town; at the village, south schoo
house and in several other schoc
districts.
At the time sabbath schools wer
first proposed, Dea. David Dennisor
one of the fathers of the church,
man of strong mind and sound sense
questioned their desirableness, on tn
Ground of the probability of the