USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Dalton > History of Dalton Methodism > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
[30]
REMINISCENCES
I can well remember, When Dalton was so small, It had but just one meeting-house, And not even a town hall.
Then the Methodists met together, Near the center of the town, In that old, ancient schoolhouse, That the storms had painted brown.
Of course it was old-fashioned, And the poorest kind of seats; But the people did not seem to care, If they heard the parsons preach.
Such men as Billy Hibbard, And Parson Bigelow; And lots of others I might name, That of course you would not know.
For they were smart and earnest men; The preachers then talked loud, But it made no difference not at all, They always drew a crowd.
And when the parson knelt to pray, He would find no one asleep, And many a one would bow the head And silently would weep.
But that old schoolhouse now is gone And few remember its spot, Or even those that worshipped there, Their names are now forgot.
[31]
But fifty years has made a change; There is nothing now remains, Except these mountains and the hills, And rivers run the same.
They have built their churches and public halls, And many are moved away, And now they build of brick and stone, Expecting it to stay.
Just see the churches, so nice and fine, And that hall with welcome doors, And may they occupy those plants Until time shall be no more.
James D. Smith
The climax of the evening's exercises was reached when Mrs. Chloe Woodworth read an original poem, full of sen- timent and feeling, entitled "Farewell to the Old Church." Mrs. Woodworth, or "Aunt Chloe" as she is lovingly called by her many friends, who is now in her ninety-third year, vividly recalls that notable service and the spirit of devotion and enthusiasm in which the people worshipped within those sacred walls for the last time. Because of the beauty of the lines, which are especially appropriate to this chapter, her poem is here given in full.
[32]
A FAREWELL TO THE OLD CHURCH
We've gathered here to bid farewell To this old church so dear, "Twill cause us many a silent pang, And many a sacred tear.
For there are precious memories Connected with this place So deeply graven on our minds, That nothing can efface.
As we look back o'er vanished years, They pass in swift review, Parents and children, loved and gone, Brothers and sisters, too,
Who worshiped in this holy place, A faithful, trusting band, Whose voices long have been attuned In the bright spirit land.
Methinks I hear those voices now In happy tuneful lays, While shouts of joy went up to Heaven, Mingled with prayer and praise.
Those good old hymns so full of zeal, With pleasure I recall, "All hail the power of Jesus' name, And crown Him Lord of all."
Those voices filled this dear old church, For all the people sang; And oftentimes these sacred walls With hallelujahs rang.
[33]
At this dear altar many a soul Has sought the Saviour's face, And gone rejoicing to proclaim His wondrous love and grace.
And here the blushing bride and groom, Have stood with modest air, Until the pastor made them one, And blest the happy pair.
And up the aisles in sable robes, Have come with measured tread, The mourning ones with aching hearts, Beside their precious dead.
Could these old walls speak to us now, What wondrous words we'd hear; They'd tell of all the ministers Who've stood with godly fear
To preach the truth in loving words, To counsel and direct, Striving with all their given powers To comfort and protect.
They'd speak of earnest teachers, too, Who sought with tender care To lead the little ones to Christ, By faithful work and prayer.
They'd tell of many struggling souls Who strove to serve the Lord, And passed away triumphantly To reap their rich reward.
[34]
And there are many with us now Who cling to this dear spot, The many joyful meetings here Will never be forgot.
The greetings warm, the pleasant smile, The pressure of the hand, All these, though simple they may seem, The heart can understand.
These sacred memories cherished here, Will long as life abide, They'll comfort us in days to come, Whatever may betide.
The builders of this temple fair We would recall tonight, For they were men of brains and will And stood for truth and right.
"Twas not an easy thing for them, For self must be denied, And many a sacrifice, and still They worked with honest pride
To build this house unto the Lord, Where they might often meet To worship Him with humble hearts, And hold communion sweet.
And though this old church seems so plain To us who see the new, Yet in those early days to them 'Twas beautiful to view.
[351
They left this landmark with the hope That God would ever bless Their faithful efforts here below, And crown them with success.
Then let us as we leave this place Our vows of faith renew, In honor of their memory, And strive to live as true.
May we leave everything behind That tends to gender strife, Pressing with earnest efforts on To seek a higher life.
And though this landmark be removed It's sacredness shall last; We'll cherish in our inmost hearts The memory of the past.
We meet tonight for the last time Within this holy place; We speak our farewell to this church With tenderness and grace.
And though at a new shrine we kneel Beneath a costlier dome, Sweet thoughts will ever come to us Of this our lowly home.
And as we say farewell, our hearts With deep emotions swell,
The words seem lingering on our lips, Farewell, old church, farewell.
Mrs. Chloe Woodworth
[36]
V
The Present Edifice
HE DEDICATORY services of the new church were held November 3, 4, 5, and 6, 1894, and began with an Organ Recital by John J. Bishop of Springfield, Massa- chusetts, on Saturday evening. On Sunday there were present with the pastor, Presiding Elder Griffin, who gave the ser- mon of the evening and conducted the dedication exercises, former pastors: Rev. C. F. Noble, Rev. F. G. Rainey, and Rev. J. M. Edgerton; the pastors of the three Protestant churches in Dalton: Rev. G. W. Andrews, Congregational, Rev. H. E. Brady, Baptist, and Rev. R. LeBlanc Lynch, Episcopal; also two other Methodist clergymen: Rev. J. F. Clymer, D.D. of the Pittsfield church, and Rev. G. W. Love of Lanesboro. The Rev. B. I. Ives, D.D. of Auburn, N. Y. gave the sermon of the morning and conducted the finances during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday exercises. He succeeded in securing nearly enough pledges to cover the cost of building the church. At the time, the trustees were A. J. Reed, President, Homer Bicknell, Secretary, S. L. Young, A. F. Bentley, C. H. Groesbeck, H. W. Hitt, G. L. Cleveland, E. D. Aldrich, and F. O. Bliss. The Building Committee consisted of the Pastor, Rev. C. S. Robertson, T. G. Carson, S. L. Young, E. D. Aldrich, and A. F. Bentley, and the Finance Committee was composed of the Pastor, H. W. Hitt, W. W. Schofield, C. H. Groesbeck, G. L. Olds, and Frederick McCoy.
The church built in 1894 at a cost of $35,000 could not be duplicated today for more than twice that amount, and for the past few years an insurance on $70,000 has been carried by the trustees. It is not only a beautiful structure, made of brick with red stone trimmings, but the rooms are so ar- ranged and equipped that the building presents excellent conditions for all of the church activities. When the fact that
[37]
this edifice has been standing thirty-three years is taken into consideration, one marvels at the vision and insight which produced a church that today presents so modern an archi- tecture and so much promise for the future. The auditorium, with raised floor and semi-circular seating, accommodates three hundred and fifty comfortably and opens by sliding doors into the Sunday-school room which will seat two hun- dred additional. Aside from the library and four small class- rooms on this floor, there are two large rooms, one used by the Primary Department, and the other, known as the Con- ference Room, occupied on Sundays by the Fahola Bible Class and in general use at other times for all the smaller gatherings in the church. On the second floor are two small class alcoves and two large rooms which are used by the Kindergarten and the Brotherhood Bible Class. Much of the space on this floor may become a part of the auditorium by the use of the balcony. In the basement is a third large class- room, occupied by the Dorcas Bible Class and used as a Ladies Parlor for social occasions; also the kitchen with well- equipped pantries, the dining-room with movable partitions, separating four small class rooms, and the heating plant with electric organ motor in an adjoining room.
When the present church was erected, it seemed impossible to secure additional funds for a suitable organ, but some of the members especially interested in music worked whole- heartedly for the realization of the vision which they had and when the building was dedicated a fine Two-Manuale Steere organ was in place. This organ is still in use and has proved itself worthy throughout the years. In 1926, during Dr. H. C. Petty's pastorate, the choir adopted robes, adding much to the dignity and effectiveness of the service of song.
The Memorial windows were given by grateful sons and daughters in memory of the devoted Christian lives of their fathers and mothers. On the east side of the church are two windows, one to Rev. T. D. Thompson and wife, and the other to Cyrus Cleveland, while on the west, the two cor-
[38]
1
Anterior View-Carson Window
responding windows were placed, one in memory of Abner Smith and Mary Smith and David Smith and Permelia Smith, and the second to Elisha Day and Sarah Day. Three smaller Memorial windows occupy the space under the Car- son Memorial in the front, and bear the names of the Build- ing Committee on the first to the left, Gideon Bentley and Samantha Bentley on the center window, and James Reed and Fidelia Reed on the one to the right. The exceptionally fine, large, circular window at the front was the gift of Thomas G. Carson, who presented the memorial in loving recognition of his father and mother. It is a Doré represen- tation in colored glass of the Christ with Mary and Martha, and was placed in the church at an original cost of six hun- dred dollars.
The "Ladies' Social Aid Society," which was organized in 1878, purchased a bell for the old church belfry for seventy- five dollars in 1881, but when the new edifice was erected the old bell was disposed of, and the beautiful bell now in use was given to the Methodist people by Byron Weston.
At the first anniversary service held on Sunday, Novem- ber 3, 1895, it was announced that the indebtedness was then $7539.68. This was reduced so that when Rev. C. S. Robert- son left in 1896, the debt was reported as $6011. Great spir- itual blessing and prosperity were attendant on the ministry in the new house of worship and many were added to the membership, the largest number ever reported in one year being in Pastor Robertson's term, when there was an in- crease of one hundred new members and the next year thirty more. The Rev. C. F. Wilcox was appointed as pastor in 1896, and the work continued to prosper during his pastorate of five years. With untiring energy, he labored to remove the church indebtedness and succeeded. The last official act of Rev. T. A. Griffin, D.D. as Presiding Elder of Troy Dis- trict was to assist at the jubilee over the payment of the mortgage, which was burned at the public morning service on Easter Sunday, April 15, 1900. Rev. Mr. Wilcox reported
[39]
-
that the total amount contributed by the church for benevo- lence, current expenses, and cost of the new church since the corner-stone was laid six years before was $48,788. Following the reading of the reports, S. L. Young, the treasurer of the board of trustees, handed the mortgage and notes of the church to the pastor, showing all indebtedness canceled. The notes and mortgage were placed in a tin utensil and burned to ashes while the choir sang the doxology. This same date, April 15, 1900, marked the completion of the services of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Reed in the church choir, where Mr. Reed had served as director for twenty-three years and Mrs. Reed had been a valuable assistant. It was also in Dr. Wilcox's pastorate that electric lights were used for the first time in the church service, January 10, 1897.
The Tenth Anniversary of the Dedication of the church was held on Sunday, November 6, 1904, and was "a very profitable and pleasant occasion. It was a beautiful day and large congregations gathered at the morning and evening services," thus reported Rev. Edwin Genge, who was then pastor. He was assisted in the services by ex-Presiding Elder Griffin and former Pastor Rev. C. S. Robertson, who preached the sermon of the morning on "The Imitation of Christ." The addresses in the evening were for the greater part reminiscent, and led the people on to hope and work for the best things. In the Sunday-School, a Bible and resolutions were presented to Mrs. Helen Burr, thus honoring her comple- tion of fifty years of service as a teacher in the Bible School.
Early in 1905, the church officials were notified that David F. B. Carson of Newburgh, N. Y. had left to the church a bequest of $25,000 in memory of his father and mother, who during their lives had been strong and sturdy supporters of the church. The Quarterly Conference took fitting action and by unanimous vote assured the friends of the deceased benefactor of their appreciation of his generous gift. That part of the will which pertains to the legacy given to the Dalton Methodist Church is here inserted:
[40]
CARSON LEGACY
"I, David F. B. Carson, of the city of Newburgh, County of Orange, New York, being of sound mind and memory do hereby make, publish and declare the following as my last will and testament.
Item 14. I give and bequeath the sum of twenty thousand ($20,000) dollars to the Methodist Church of Dalton, Berk- shire County, Massachusetts. I wish the Trustees of this church to invest the said $20,000 in the manner in which trust funds are authorized by the laws of the state of Massa- chusetts to be invested, and to keep the same so invested, and to cause the church property to be insured against loss or damage by fire in an amount equal to two-thirds of its cost, and request them to use the annual income from such trust fund as follows:
I. To pay the annual premiums on the church prop- erty.
2. To use such portion of such income for Sunday School, Christmas and other Church celebra- tions as the Trustees deem proper.
3. To use the residue of said income for the benefit of the poor of the church and for repairs and run- ning expenses of the church. None of this bal- ance is to be used for missionary society pur- poses.
I wish the Trustees to consult my nephew John D. Car- son and my friend W. Murray Crane of Dalton as to the investment and re-investment of this trust fund.
December 15, 1903
David F. B. Carson
[41]
CODICIL
I give and bequeath the further sum of five thousand ($5,000) dollars to the Methodist church of Dalton, Massa- chusetts, the Legatee named in my last will and testament.
I wish said $5,000 to be invested in the same manner as the $20,000 mentioned in said item 14 of my last will and testament and the income used in the same manner. March 1, 1904."
Other special gifts, which have added greatly to the use- fulness of the church, have been made from time to time by members who were always faithful and loyal. Soon after the church was built, David Burr placed within the altar a beau- tiful oak baptismal font in memory of his wife, Jane Burr, who for many years cared for the communion service. Be- quests were left in the wills of Miss Mary Tyrrell, Mrs. Mary Van Deusen Wicks, Dr. W. W. Schofield, and Mr. Albert Van Buren. A Bausch & Lomb Dissolving Double-Lens Balopticon, with fire-proof screen built in over the pulpit, was presented to the church in 1925 in memory of Harry West Hitt. The individual communion cup was introduced October 19, 1904 and was given by the Ladies Friendly Aid Society. Back in 1852, the church records show that a similar gift came from a woman-"Mrs. Margaret Carson recently presented to the society an elegant sett of plaited com- munion service."
The Twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of the present church was observed in 1919 from October 19th to November 2d, when Rev. Walter Heisler was pastor. It was thought that a two-weeks' evangelistic observance would be an appropriate way of recalling the anniversary, and as far as possible former pastors were secured to come and preach at some of the special services. Thus Rev. A. J. Higgins and Rev. Eugene Wiseman, former superintendents, Rev. Edwin Genge, Rev. Leigh Diefendorf, and Rev. Chas. F. Noble, . former pastors, assisted with the exercises, and Rev. C. S.
[42]
Robertson preached the anniversary sermon on Sunday, November second, taking for his subject, "The Resurrection of the Body."
In the autumn of 1926, an important removal from the church property took place. From the earliest history of Dalton Methodism, sheds, humble but useful, have stood back of the church building. When the first meeting-house was erected, the horse sheds in the rear opened toward the street and were used at all hours of the day by members of the church and townspeople, especially those who came from the hills and desired a comfortable place to leave the team while they traded at the few stores then found in Dalton. Each shed was owned and cared for by individual church mem- bers, who considered this part of the property their own re- sponsibility, and people knew each shed by the name of the owner, just asinside the building the pews bore familiar family names. On the Sabbath, the sheds were filled to capacity, for many of the families were obliged to use horse and car- riage in order to attend "divine worship." Lunches were often brought, and especially in the early days, the time between the morning and afternoon services was passed in social and friendly visiting. The sheds were also a convenient place to leave the horses while the family attended the rare, and consequently much enjoyed, entertainment in the ad- joining town-hall. In those days when town-meeting was held, the North Street corner was most popular and inter- esting. On Saturdays the Dalton Public Library, in a small room on the first floor of the town hall, was opened and books were circulated, and Saturday evening was the time-honored hour for the choir rehearsals. When the new house of worship was built, the sheds were moved farther back and faced each other with an open space between the rows, but less and less were they used, as the automobile came to replace the horse. Many residents in Dalton recalled incidents of interest as they saw the razing of the Methodist sheds.
[43]
Seven years ago, in 1920, Troy Conference changed its five divisions to four and the Dalton appointment was placed in the Eastern District, which included part of the territory formerly known for years as the Troy District. At the Troy Conference assembly this spring, 1927, the name of this section was again changed and it is now called Rutland Dis- trict. The Superintendent of the Rutland District is at present Rev. Leigh Diefendorf, who was pastor of the Dalton Methodist church from 1914 to 1918 and who is the only local minister on record to return to this charge in the ad- vanced position. One other Dalton pastor, Rev. J. J. Noe, be- came Presiding Elder, as the office was then termed, but he was placed in charge of the Burlington District. The list of pastors covers a period of almost one hundred years, and in all that large number of leaders, only one has been called "from the church militant to the church triumphant" while serving actively as pastor in charge. Rev. William J. C. Wil- son died July 9, 1918, after only three months with the Dalton church. Back in 1860, Rev. Albinus Johnson, who was pastor in 1855, died at Saratoga Springs at the age of thirty- six years, and his body was interred in Dalton in about the center of the Main Street Cemetery, where the grave is marked by a plain shaft monument. He is the only Metho- dist minister known to be buried in Dalton.
[44]
Methodism in Dalton dates from 1788 to. 1927, a period of one hundred and thirty-nine years, and for ninety-three years it has been active as a church organization at its present location. During this time, the one motive which has dom- inated the preaching and all of the various church activities has been, and still may be, summed up in these lines:
"Christ for the world we sing; The world to Christ we bring With loving zeal."
The past has gone beyond recall and may not be lived over again, except as its memories and experiences enrich life today, serving as "stepping-stones to higher things." Con- tinually the present should be better than the past, and the future better than the present. When John Wesley was leaving this life, he said, "The best of all is, God is with us." A church which is conscious of the living presence of the Heavenly Father must grow day by day and the influence exerted among the members and friends will unfailingly lead to unselfish, noble, and Christlike lives.
As to the future, who would dare to say what the years hold? In answer to the call, which comes so loud and clear out of the echoes from the past:
"Watchman, tell us of the night, What its signs of promise are,"
the Dalton Methodist Episcopal Church, accepting the chal- lenge which every high endeavor proclaims, and with eyes turned toward the light as revealed in the face of Jesus Christ, joyously declares to all
"The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made; Our times are in his hand Who saith, 'A whole I planned, Youth shows but half; trust God : see all, nor be afraid!'"
[45]
VI
THE CHURCH
The Church's one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is His new creation By water and the word: From heaven he came and sought her To be his holy bride; With his own blood he bought her, And for her life he died.
Elect from every nation, Yet one o'er all the earth, Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses, With every grace endued.
'Mid toil and tribulation, And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation Of peace for evermore; Till, with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great church victorious Shall be the church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union With God the Three in One, And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won: O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we, Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with thee.
Samuel J. Stone
[46]
Name of Pastors With Years of Service
DALTON CIRCUIT
1831-Noah Bigelow, F. G. Hibbard 1832-Henry Burton 1833-A. S. Cooper, B. Isbell
1834-A. S. Cooper, J. H. Taylor
1835-1836-J. Ally, W. M. Chepp 1837-1838-Joseph Eames, Timothy Benedict 1839-E. B. Hubbard, E. Stover
STATIONED AT DALTON
1840-E. B. Hubbard, Amos Osborn 1841-Alfred Farr, Amos Osborn
1842-Alfred Farr, P. R. Stover, T. Benedict
1843-Asa C. Hand, P. R. Stover
1844-Samuel Stover
DALTON AND MIDDLEFIELD
1845-Wm. F. Hurd, Isaac Devoe, E. B. Haff 1846-P. P. Atwell, J. F. Crowl
DALTON
1847-1848-Timothy Benedict
1849-1850-Wm. Griffen
1851-1852-John Barnard
1853
-Wm. K. Gray
1854
-H. H. Smith
1855-1856-Albinus Johnson
1857-1858-Egbert H. Foster
1859-1860-J. Phillips 1861-1862-J. M. Edgerton
[47]
1863-1866-B. O. Meeker 1867-1868-R. F. Wade I869 -- A. Heath 1870-1871-H. D. Kimball
1872 -Robert Fox 1873-1874-Wm. J. Tilley
1875-1877-E. A. Blanchard
1878-1880-A. F. Bailey
1881-1883-F. G. Rainey
1884 -B. F. Livingston
1885-1886-M. Tator, S. McChesney (6 months) 1887-1888-J. J. Noe
1889-1892-C. F. Noble
1893-1895-Chas. S. Robertson
1896-1900-C. F. Wilcox
1901-1905-Edwin Genge
1906-1908-J. B. Armstrong
1909-1913-Alexander McKinlay
1914-1917-Leigh Diefendorf
1918 -Wm. Wilson (3 months)
1918-1921-Walter Heisler
1922-1926-Henry C. Petty
1927-1929-Wm. T. Wees
1930 - Rob. L. Thompson.
[48]
VII
Dates of Organization of Societies
Sunday School, First Organization-1826
Sunday School, Re-organization-1848
Brotherhood Bible Class-November, 1906
Fahola Bible Class-March 19, 1912
Dorcas Class-September 9, 1918
Woman's Home Missionary Society-December 16, 1887 Mite Box Circle (Foreign Missionary Soicety)-September 9, 1909
Ladies' Friendly Aid Society-March 8, 1894 Epworth League-January 8, 1894 Junior Epworth League-February 28, 1896
[49]
VIII
1927 Officials
TRUSTEES
S. L. Young L. P. Adams A. L. Allen
C. H. Groesbeck
D. W. Burr, Pres.
J. H. Neumeister
John Mack
W. R. Pratt John Warfield Treasurer, D. W. Burr
Financial Secretary, N. L. Smith
STEWARDS
D. J. Pratt
C. H. Benson
Philo Brownson
Joseph Brooks
F. E. Hillman
W. A. Dickinson
Mark Stevens
P. H. Emerson
C. H. Bentley
Norman Smith
Mrs. Cora Smith
Elmer Crosier
Frank Smith
Mrs. Allie Stevens
Maurice Magnin
L. W. Souther
Harold Oles
F. D. Bolster
A. E. Barnes
William Pike
Leroy Bartlett
N. H. Ransford
Francis Tower
J. H. Kerr
J. S. Crowe
Frank Dewey
H. J. Whitmarsh
Buel Silliman
M. P. Briggs
Rufus Hildreth
F. H. Ransford
CLASS LEADERS AND EXHORTERS
E. M. Scott W. A. Smith
A. J. Reed
J. H. Neumeister J. P. Reed
Superintendent of Sunday School-Albert L. Allen President, Ladies' Aid Society-Mrs. George Oles President, Epworth League-Ray Thompson Organist and Choir Director-Mrs. Eva Moulton
[50]
HECKMAN BINDERY INC.
APR 99 Bound -To-Pleas@ N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.