The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-13

Of regeneration was about double the
original cost Of the building.
The committee in charge of remodel
ing the church in 1856 was DR.. Charles
s. Clark, A. W. Stowe and w. II.
Fisher, all now deceased. and the con-
tract was given to Mr.. Stowe, who fol-
lowed plans of a New York architect.
The frame of the old building having
been retained for the new, the external
dimensions were essentially the same,
40 by 60 feet on the ground, with a choir
recess 8 by Is feet on the west side and
a chapel % by 40 feet on the rear. Tow
ers rise from both front Qrner that on
the east being surmounted by a steeple,
which rises to a height of 80 feet. The
seating capacity of the main room is
about $50. The windows are of cathod-
raj glass, and several of them are of n
memorial character. The lecture room
is - by - feet, separated from the.
audience room by sliding doors. Adj
joining the lecture room on the west is
the church parlor, % by 10 feet. The
entire outlay in recOnstructing and re
furnishing the church was about $4,000,
which was raised by voluntary subscrip-
ton. BY further subscription n town
clock was procured, which is in the
tower.
At the re-dedication exercises were
held Tuesday, Dee. IA, 1856. In the
afternoon the pastor, Rev. G. H. Merrill,
gave a historical address, and other pas
tors in the county had a part in the pro-
gram. Services also We're held in the
evening, when Rev. Charles O. Day, who
was pastor of the Centre Congregational
church in this village, preached the ser
mon. The ministers of the Windham as
ISOLATION met the following morning. lis
tened to reports of the churches and an
address by Rev. DR.. Stevens of Westmin-
stcr West and had dinner at Mrs. J. II.
Dnnklee's.
The second half-century. from 1920 to
1870, was covered in a sermon, The
Church of Our Fathers. last evening by
Rev. Joseph II. Chandler of Northamp-
ton. Mass. whose father, Rev. Joseph
Chandler. was pastor of the church from
1916 to 1872, preceding Rev. DR.. Merrill :
The praise service which preceded the
sermon included a vocal solo by Cap
tain {. o.. Tilton, and The Abiding Eel
iowShip, n hymn written by the younger
Rev. Mr.. Chandler. was sung, Mrs. w.
+. Stellman rendering the first two verses
rs a solo and the audience joining in the
last three verses.
Rev. Mr.. Chandler made fitting re
marks in reference to his father, and
spoke of the original covenants of the
church. He said he wanted to help the
people to understand the character of
this church of our fathers and the
character of the church is determined by
its faith. He referred to the faith that
actuatcd our fathers in building the
church and spoke of the Pilgrim faith
with its conditions. and the Puritan faith
to the fact that the Puritan faith called
upon others to suffer- while those of the
Pilgrim faith suffered and endured them
| selves. .
The reformation was touched upon and
the history of the church at large was
brought into the sermon in a way which
fitted appropriately into the history of
the church which was observing its an
niycrSary. fitting reference being made
to the missionaries who went out from
the church and of the welcome which
thev received when they came back.
And in this connection he spoke of re
membeTing an afternoon when the West
| BrattlehorO church was closed aud the
church people went out into the sur
rounding communities and did missionary
/ work~ Services .yvFre held oavEAmes~ hill.
] and IN Marlboro and at fines in the
d school house near MarlbaRf north pond,
In the course of his reminiscence Mr.,
Chandler spoke of remembering the evils
of the r~um"barrel and of seeing two bar
reIS rolled ont and a Mr.. Jacobs, who
was a church man. knock in the heads of
the barrels. and of .tIe meetings. IN Mari
boro when the women were in the church
and all the men were at the bar drink
ing.
The evening service closed with the
singing of a hymn. The Church of Our
Fathers, also written by Rev. Mr.. Chand-
Ter.