Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-09-21
RECEPTION TO REV. GILL
People and Preachers in Camp at
Westmore Honor Famous Divine

WeStmOre Honor Famous Divine
A reception was given at the church
to Rev. and Mrs. Charles Otis Gill
and family on Tuesday evening, Au-
gust 30. Supper was served from
$50 o'clock on, the proceeds of which
went for electric lights. In the even-
ing brief addresses were made in ap-
probation of and in honor of the pas
torate of Mr.. Gill, the founder of
the church. Rev. A. P. Record, pas
tor of the First Unitarian church,
Detroit, Mich, presided and his re-
marks at various times in introduc-
ton of the speakers were most happy
and effective. Before introducing the
other speakers, Mr.. Record spoke
in part as follows:
'There is no danger in OVERRIDING
the tribute to this man tonight.
feel what it is to be the oldest living
inhabitant. Twenty seven years ago
came to Westmore. Mr.. Gill came
the year before. AS a student preach
er to a nearby town spent one week
at Willoughby lake. 1t seemed then
as it seems now, that this is one of
the most beautiful and inspiring
scenes, and it grows more so. Some
part of about every summer I have
been here. I have watched the effect
in this parish of Mr.. Gilps activity
/ can remember his scholarship, his
earnestness and the fearlessness with
which he approached the various prob
lens. No one missed him more than
l did when the call came to him to
go to larger field. You have fol-
lowed him these years with sympathy
and with good will and you have well
coined him back with a friendship
that has endured"
Mr.. Marshall E. Calkins spoke as
follows for the church.
''Mr. Gill not only founded the
church but prepared the way to build
this beautiful church building. For
it is a beautiful church buildng-a
beautiful church in which to worship.
We owe also to him the parsonage. /
can say for all the members of the
church that we can join in with what
Mr.. Record has said. He is the IA
ther of the church. We have had
good pastors but to Mr.. Gill belongs
the place of preeminence. We, as
townspeople can thank Mr.. and Mrs.
Gill for the spirit of sociability that
has grown from their work"
Dean H. E. Hawkes. of Columbia
University, New York, spoke in part
as follows:
"This is a rare chance we have to
tell Mr.. Gill what we think of him
without great danger of embarrass-
ment. / never met Mr.. Gill until last
Saturday afternoon. / entered Yale
in 1892, three years after Mr.. Gill's
graduation. The place was still re-
sounding with the fame of Charlie
Gill. / asked why it was he had the
hold he did. The answer was, He
has a certain quiet power and self
effacing ability to make everybody
work together for common cause
Also that he was a respectable gentle
man. / often thought would like
to meet him. I have been on his trail
for 80 years, never caught up to
him till last Saturday. During a col
lege vacation three or four of US
college mates were out on a camping
trip. About o'clock a. m. we passed
through Westmore and having learn
ed that Charlie Gill was staying at
the hotel, we halted at the hotel
and gave three cheers for Gill with
three "Gills" at the end. He did not
appear. We always wondered wheth-
er he heard those cheers. He told me
Saturday that he had no recollection
of the incident. Concerning Mr..
GilPs work since college days, the
same qualities have characterized it.
No satisfaction deeper or more slgni-
ficant can come to a man than to
have left behind him the loyal friends
Mr.. Gill had here and the Institution
that did not exist before he came
Here he set up his Ebenezer, signify
ing that hitherto the Lord hath been
with him and through these inter.
vening years God has been with him
This church is his monument. 80
Prof. VIM. Rockwell of Union Theo-
logical seminary, New York, then
spoke in part as follows: v,
81 knew about Mr.. Gill before l
knew about Westmore. The problem
of the church is a national problem.
Some of the boys in our country
churches will be in our city churches.
Mr.. Gill has written about this prob
Iem.. In the college days of Mr.. Gill
and before and after the Yale foot
ball team was for ten years impreg-
nable. Mr.. Gill is known outside
Westmore as an authority on the
country church. We must bear. in
mind that his pastorate here is but
the beginning of a whole series of
activities in which he has been inter-
ested."
Professor Rockwell then went on to
speak of the changed conditions in
Westmore and in, American life and
of some of the problems before Amer
lea today from the viewpoint of cit
izenship."
Rev. George H. Toop, D.. D., rec
tor of the Church of the Holy Apos-
ties, Philadelphia, then gave a brief
and very witty address. In closing
he said, "I want to pay my token OF
respect, not only to your first minis
ter, but also to the community. There
is something of virtue that comes
from these hills. No one here ever
seems to get old any more than these
splendid hills that surround us. We
ministers get more from the people
than we give. New England has been
something to the country that no 9TH
er section has been. I was brought
up but not born in New England. /
am glad to come back and to pay my
tribute. Among the host of earnest
and able men New England has pro-
duced your own first pastor has been
splendid representative"
DR.. Howard Vernon of Elizabeth,
N. j., then paid glowing tribute to
Mr.. Gill as a Yale football player
and captain. DIR. Vernon was grad