Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-01-14
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAZATEER PUBLISHED in
The YEAR 1862

Willard OF Lancaster, N. H., and his
brother, Rev. John Willard, above
mentioned, organized the church
9th of Dec. 1902. The church i'm
mediately united with the society in
extending call to Mr.. Willard, and
he was installed 31st of March, 1903.
The clerical members of the council
were Joseph Willard of Lancaster,
N. H., Nathaniel Lambert of New
bury, Vt, Sylvester Dana of Oxford,
N. H., and David Goodall of Little
ton, N. H. The names of the lay
members are not recorded. There
is no mention made in the order of
exercises of any address to the
people. The other parts are the
same as we have them now.
At its organization the church
numbered 16 half males. During
Mr.. Wizards ministry of 10 years,
144 united with the church, SO of
which were males. Two distinct re-
vivals of religion marked this period
in the history of the church. The
first was in 1910. Perez Chaplin,
then young man studying theology
with Rev Caleb Birge of Guildhall,
one day supplied Mr.. Wizards pull
pit. He preached what was called
"a hard doctrinal sermon" This,
says Mr.. julius A. Willard, son of
Rev. John Willard, in a recent letter,
recalling the incidents of his fathers
ministry, stirred up the latent gall
of many hearts, setting them to
thinking, till they sought peace to
their souls in sweet submission to
the Divine will" AS the immediate
result of this revival we find an ad-
dition to the church of 33 members
in 1910; IA more were added in 1911.
During the winter of 1890 Rev.
Daniel Hemenway assisted Mr.. Will
lard few weeks. A revival follow
ed, and we find an addition of AZ
persons in 1920.
The following sketch of Mr.. Will
lard's life was obtained through the
kindness Of Rev. P. H. White of
Coventry. 1t is from the American
Quarterly Register for May, 1841:
REV. JOHN WILLARD
was the son Of Rev. John Willard;D.
D., of Stafford, Ct, was born in
1859. His mother was Lydia, eldest
daughter of Gen. Dwight of Brook
field, Mass. He was great great
grandson of Rev. Samuel Willard,
vice-president of Harvard College,
and nephew of Rev. Joseph L. Will
lard, d. D., who was afterward
president of the same college. He
was graduated at Yale in 1882, or
dained at Meriden, Ct, June, 1856,
and dismissed May, 1902. He settled
at Lunenburgh March 81, 1902. In
1910 his Iabors were blessed by a
gracious visitation of the Divine
Spirit, a very general revival Of re-
ligion prevailed, and about 70 were
added to the church. Note. This
number must, we think, include
those added 10 years afterWard, and
it does not appear from the records
that more than 80 united with the
church at this time. As was said
. above, AZ united in 1920. w. ST.
There were several other partial re-
YiVaIs during his connection with
the church, which was dissolved in
February, 1922. His salary being
inadequate to his support, he per-
Drmed several missionary tours
through the northern settlements of
ermont and New Hampshire, under
he direction of theConnecticut, Mas
achusetts and Vermont Missionary
'ocieties. His mind naturally in
lined to the study of medicine, and
Turing his excursions among the
more scattered of the people he had
requent applications to administer
% the sick and infrm. His attention
"as thus necessarily directed to the
'ubJect, and an increasing weakness
at the stomach induced him finally
TO enter regularly into the practice
OF medicine. He did not wholly re-
llnqulsh preaching for several years
afterwards, but such was the state
OF his health, that it was deemed
necessary for him to do so sometime
before his pastoral relation was dis
solved He died in June, 1926"
his son thus briefly speaks of him
as preacher: my good father
was not 'Boanerges;' his manner
was always mild and kind, and his
preaching partook of like qualities.
He was soundly orthodox"
he is still remembered by many
with reverence, affection and graft
tude as the pioneer in the work of
eVangelization in this town.
REV. ANSoN HUBBARD
gnpRpp1a1 M.