History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 97

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336


USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 97


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).


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Elders elected since the first are Nathaniel Akerly,


James Hunter, Cornelius Decker, William Houston, Hugh Milliken, Peter B. Cromwell, Sidney Kidd, James Waugh, Peter Brett, Robert Dill, R. B. Innis, Robert Hall, Joseph Lawson, William Crowell, and William Crowell, Jr.


The financial affairs of the church were managed by a board of trustees until Aug. 29, 1880, when the following persons were ordained deacons: George McCartney, William I. Whigam, James Finley, and John E. Kidd.


The present organization is as follows: Rev. Peter H. Milliken, pastor; elders, Sidney Kidd, Joseph Lawson, William Crowell, Robert Hall, and William Crowell, Jr .; deacons, George McCartney, William I. Whigam, James Finley, and Johu E. Kidd.


The congregation is composed of 61 families and 118 members.


THE FIRST REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH, WALDEN,


executed a certificate of incorporation Feb. 14, 1870. The pastor of the church was Rev. M. V. Schoon- maker; the elders, William M. Snyder, William J. Bradley, and J. G. Millspaugh ; the deacons, T. L. Millspaugh, Robert H. Sutcliff, John V. Tears, Joseph Millspaugh. This recent date of the incorporation does not indicate the age of the church, as shown by the following sketch furnished by the pastor.


Two churches preceded it,-the Protestant Epis- copal, which was the first established church in Walden, and afterwards a small Seceder Church, which, failing in numbers and strength, fell into the hands of the Methodist Society.


In the year 1830 the matter of building a Presby- terian church was talked of. Grounds were selected as a suitable site at the junction of the properties owned by Jesse Scofield, David Parshall, and Jacob T. Walden, after whom the place is named. A deed was executed to Cyrus Lyon and Cornelius Neaffie as trustees. On soliciting subscriptions for the building of a church, it was found that the community was divided as to whether it should be a Presbyterian or a Dutch Church, as ours was then called. It was de- cided to build a church, and the name to be desig- nated hereafter. The plot of ground comprised about four acres, supposed to be sufficient for church, parsonage, and burial-ground. A building committee was appointed, composed of Jesse Scofield, A. F. Scofield, Peter Neatlie, and Cornelius Neafhie.


In the summer of 1835 the foundation was laid. In the fall of 1836 the building was inclosed, and the basement so far finished as to be used for religious service. In the year 1838 the building was completed, and was solemnly dedicated to the worship of Almighty God. The sermon on the occasion was preached by Rev. Thomas Dewitt, D.D., of New York City. Previous to this it had been decided by a majority of votes that it should be a Reformed Dutch Church, under the care of the Classis of Orange. The church is located on an eminence, and is designated from


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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


others in the village as " the church on the hill." It is well and substantially built. Proportions, 70 feet in length, 50 in breadth. Cost, 812,000, and will com- fortably seat 500 persons.


The next year after the building of the church steps were taken for building a parsonage on the pur- chased grounds adjoining the church on the north. Its cost was $3000. In the year 1871 an addition was made to the parsonage, making it a double house, at an additional cost of $2000.


The church was organized with a membership of twenty persons. The first consistory was composed of Jesse Scofield and Barent Van Buren, elders; Al- exander Kidd and Peter Clearwater, deacons.


January, 1839, a call was presented to Rev. Jacob C. Sears, but was deelined. July, 1839, a call was made upon Rev. John M. Scribner and accepted. Mr. Scribner was pastor about two years and resigned.


April, 1842, a call was made upon Rev. Charles Whitehead and accepted. Mr. Whitehead remained pastor for seven years, under whose ministry the church grew and was multiplied. He resigned March, 1849. June, 1849, a call was presented to Rev. Wil- liam Brush and declined. August, 1849, a call was made upon Rev. M. V. Schoonmaker, then settled at East New York, Long Island. After due considera- tion this call was accepted, and on the 28th day of August, 1849, Rev. M. V. Schoonmaker was duly in- stalled as pastor of said church. He is pastor still, having served the church for a period of thirty-one years.


The following are the names of consistory at the time of his call : P. B. Cromwell, T. T. Storm, J. D. Coe, and Moses Smith, elders; Robert Laird, J. G. Wooley, and G. Van Arsdale, deacons. All of the former have passed away.


The following are the present acting consistory : E. W. Knapp, J. V. Tears, H. Suydam, A. Bateman, elders ; Robt. Moore, J. Lefevre, P. Millspaugh, J. Millspaugh, deacons.


The congregation numbers about 100 families and 200 communicants, with a Sabbath-school of 150 scholars.


THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MONT- GOMERY


executed a certificate of incorporation July 7, 1832. The proceedings were signed by Joshua Conger and Benjamin Van Keuren. The trustees chosen were Nathaniel P. Hill, Gideon Pelton, John C. Wilkin, Robert S. Crawford, Charles Borland, Jr., and George Eager. The corner-stone of the Presbyterian church in the village of Montgomery was laid July 19, 1831, by the Hon. Charles Borland, and an impressive ad- dress was delivered on the occasion by the Rev. Ezra Fisk, D.D., of Goshen, accompanied with other solemn religious services.


Aug. 27, 1832, the congregation voted to invite the Rev. James O. Stokes to become their pastor. The


Presbytery refused to install him, and furthermore the church at this time was not under the care of the Presbytery. Ile served the church as temporary sup- ply one year.


Oct. 2, 1832, a committee of the Presbytery of Hud- son, viz. : Rev. Charles Cummins, D.D., Rev. William Timlow, and Rev. Daniel T. Wood proceeded to or- ganize the Presbyterian Church in the village of Montgomery. It consisted of 30 individuals, viz. : Cyrus Lyon, Walter Mead, Saml. T. Scott, Benjamin Van Keuren, Joshua Conger, Elizabeth Van Keuren, Eve Miller, Isabella H. Borland, Mary Preston, Rhoda Neaffie, Margaret Gridley, Rachel Chandler, Matilda C. Hill, Jemima Parshall, Sarah Pelton, Sarah Mc- Neal, Emily Weller, Ann Eliza MeNeal, Hiram E. Conger, John Boak, Jr., Samuel Bookstaver, John Peache, Hiram Hays, John Kelly, Sarah Ann Conger, Esther Hunter, Jane Lawson, Elizabeth Eager, Stephen Gillespie. On the day of the organi- zation, after sermon by the Rev. C. Cummins, D.D., the above 30 persons, having presented their certifi- cates of good standing and dismission from their re- spective churches, were in due form constituted a church of Jesus Christ, under the name of the Mont- gomery (village) Presbyterian Church.


The following persons were elected ruling elders on the same occasion, viz. : Cyrus Lyon, Walter Mead, S. T. Scott, John Kelly, and John Boak, Jr. The three last were ordained, the two first having held othee in other churches were not re-ordained.


The church and congregation were addressed on the occasion by the Rev. W. Timlow, and the newly elected elders by the Rev. D. T. Wood, after which, by prayer and the imposition of hands, they were duly constituted and installed over the flock which the great Head of the church had appointed them to superintend.


In March, 1834, Rev. Sheridan Guiteau was elected pastor of the church, and was soon after installed ; resigned his charge June 9, 1835. Ile was succeeded by the Rev. Benj. B. Stockton, late of Leroy, N. Y .; he was installed July 28, 1835, and resigned April, 1838.


April 26, 1838, the church extended a unanimons call to the Rev. Elias R. Fairchild, of Hardyston, N. J. He accepted, and was installed June 26, 1838. His pastorate was brief-one and a half years ; dis- missed by the Presbytery Oet. 3, 1839.


Dec. 14, 1839, the Rev. Robt. G. Armstrong, of Fishkill, N. Y., was elected pastor; he was installed Feb. 5, 1840, and dismissed May, 1841.


The Rev. William W. Newell, D.D., of Boston, was unanimously elected Mr. Armstrong's successor.


Mr. Newell received the call Nov. 21, 1841; en- tered upon his labors Jan. 4, 1842, and was installed Feb. 2, 1842.


Rev. Mr. Newell's ministry was signalized by a re- markable outpouring of the Spirit,-102 received into the church at one time, 92 by profession and 10 by


·


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MONTGOMERY.


letter, and subsequently 48 by profession and 15 by letter, making in the aggregate 165 as the crowning glory of his ministry.


In August, 1842, Messrs. II. E. Conger, Abraham Vail, and Theo. L. Jackson were inducted into the ruling eldership of the church.


In April, 1848, the people with one voice invited the Rev. Dr. Fairchild to re-accept the pastorate of the church. The unanimity and cordiality was such, and his principal object being removed now in our having a parsonage, the doctor accepted the call with the clear and acknowledged understanding that the congregation would wipe out their church debt. This debt had run along from the foundation of the church, -increased by $600 with the building of the parson- age,-till now, with accumulated interest, it had risen to the large sum of $2300. The debt was extinguished. In the fall of 1849, Dr. Fairchild's health failing, he spent the winter at the West to recuperate, hoping to' resume his ministry in the spring.


The congregation meanwhile at his suggestion had employed Rev. Gideon N. Judd, D.D., of Catskill, N. Y., as temporary supply. Dr. Judd labored with great acceptance during the winter, and when the spring came, and Dr. Fairchild reported himself as no better prepared to resume his labors, the congre- gation saw the way open to secure the services of Dr. Judd as their future pastor. The call was made and accepted, and he was installed Sept. 4, 1850.


Dr. Judd continued in his labors-" Warning every man, and teaching every man, that he might be able to present every man perfect before Christ Jesus"- until the midnight cry came on March 3, 1860, to come up higher.


In April, 1860, Dr. Fairchild undertook to resume his labors, but his former indisposition returned upon him, and he was obliged to resign his charge October, 1861.


Messrs. Alexander Beattie and Miller Van Keuren were added to the bench of elders at this time. April 7, 1862, Rev. Joseph M. MeNulty was elected pastor ; after having served the church for six years, during the troublous period of the war, he was dismissed by the Presbytery at his own request, April 22, 1868.


Rev. Richard Bentley accepted the call of the con- gregation July 8, 1868; he was installed Nov. 10, 1868, and dismissed by Presbytery November, 1871.


In January, 1873, Rev. John Ward, of Bloomfield, N. J., accepted the unanimous call of the congrega- tion, and commenced his ministry. He was installed May 22, 1873. Messrs. Ahial Decker, Alexander T. Russell, D. M. Wade, F. Bodine, and Peter E. Miller were inducted into the ruling eldership at this time.


Presbytery dissolved the pastoral relation between Mr. Ward and the congregation April 19, 1875.


The present pastor, Rev. J. C. Forsythe, was in- stalled Oct. 14, 1875.


The trustees (1880) are H. V. McNeal, Esq., George


Senior, Esq., John I. Decker, Esq., Samuel W. Eager, Esq., John J. Van Keuren, James Vanderoef.


The elders are Ahial Decker, Theo. L. Jackson, Daniel M. Wade, Fred. R. Bodine, Peter E. Miller.


The Sabbath-school of the Presbyterian Church when first organized, in May, 1832, was distinctively Rev. Mr. Newell resigned his charge Oct. 10, 1847. 1 a village union school, all the evangelical Christians of the village sustaining and being identified with this benevolent home work. Its sessions were held in the Academy Hall, and Dr. Peter A. Millspaugh was its first superintendent. After a few years the Meth- odist element was withdrawn to form a church and society of their own. The sessions of the school were removed to the auditorium of the church, and thence- forth the complexion and identification of the school was with the church, within whose hallowed walls its sacred assemblages were held.


Hiram E. Conger, Esq., was the next superin- tendent. He was followed by Elder B. Perkins, H. B. Bull, Esq., Electus Douglass, Esq., and the present incumbent, since 1872, is Elder F. Bodine. The school averages 100 scholars, with 12 teachers.


The present officers are F. Bodine, superintendent; P. E. Miller, vice-superintendent; B. B. Johnston, librarian ; Daniel M. Wade, treasurer.


THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHE OF MONT- GOMERY


effected a legal organization April 25, 1829. The proceedings were signed by Samuel Wait, chairman, and the trustees chosen were Samuel Wait, Samuel Birdsall, Stephen Woolsey, Joshua Marston, and Edward Hanlon.


The church filed another certificate Oct. 8, 1831. The proceedings are verified by Samuel Wait and Edward Hanlon. The trustees chosen were Samuel Wait, Edward Hanlon, John Knapp, Thomas Graham, and Silas R. Goodale.


In the year 1824 a new " two weeks' circuit" was constituted of portions set off from the Newburgh and New Windsor Circuits, and called Blooming- burgh Circuit. Noah Bigelow was appointed preacher in charge, Daniel Ostrander at the time being pre- siding elder. The stewards were William Wiggins, James Rumsey, and Daniel Wilson. The ensuing year T. Kennedy was the preacher in charge, and John Loughhead was ordained a local deacon. The next year, 1826, Jarvis T. Nichols was appointed to this eircuit. There were then nine classes, as fol- lows: Bethel First Class, Aaron Palmer, leader; Bethel Second Class, Daniel C. Palmer, leader ; Deerpark, William Wiggins, leader; Middletown, Charles Woolsey, leader; Outlet, I. Denton, leader ; Bloomingburgh, J. Loughhead, leader ; Burlingham, -; Old Shawangunk, E. Niver, leader; Sam's Point, R. Mance, leader.


During the session of Conference in 1826, James Kennedy, one of the stewards, died, and Charles Wooley, of Middletown, was appointed in his stead.


Y


398


HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


The first mention of Montgomery found in the records is in the minutes of a Quarterly Conference held at Bethel Oct. 14, 1826, where, in the account of moueys received, Montgomery is credited with one dollar. It may be mentioned, however, that at the next Quar- terly Meeting Montgomery was credited with $6.50, and at the meeting of March 24, 1827, Montgomery is credited with the largest amount on the list. The first Quarterly Meeting for the year 1827 is recorded as being held at Burlingham, in Mr. Todd's barn, July 21, 1827, Rev. Phineas Rice, president; J. T. Nichols, circuit preacher ; Isaac Ferris, missionary. This year the Conference collections from the whole circuit amounted to $6.50. In 1828, Bezaliel Howe and Hiram Wing were the preachers. The first men- tion of Walden and Coldenham as preaching-places occurs during this year.


In 1829, B. Howe and J. W. Lefevre were the preachers. The "table expenses" of the former were estimated at $100, and of the latter at $50, which was probably in addition to the disciplinary allowance of $200 to married and $100 to single men.


The great event of the year was the building of the church at Montgomery. At the first Quarterly Con- ference for the year, held at Bethel church July 4th, a committee, consisting of " Brothers Birdsall, Todd, and Couch," was appointed to make an estimate of the expenses of building a church in the village of Montgomery. The deed conveying the site bears date Aug. 15, 1829. It is from Stephen Preston and Mary Preston to Samuel Wait, Samuel Birdsall, Stephen Woolsey, Edward Hanlon, and Joshua Marston, trustees. Samuel Wait was the leading man in this enterprise.


In 1831 the preachers were E. Smith and Mr. Lefevre. Conference that year resolved itself into a "Sabbath-school Society." P. Rice was chosen president, Rev. E. Smith vice-president, E. Todd treasurer, and a board of managers consisting of R. additional sums were raised.


Westlake, E. Miers, A. Palmer, J. Walker, S. B. Os- trander, J. Bushfield, N. Sullivan, R. Mance, N. Todd, S. Martinus, P. Coleman, I. Denton.


At the Annual Conference of 1831 the name was changed to Montgomery Circuit. Noah Sullivan was this year recommended as a traveling preacher, and Samuel Wait was chosen a steward. E. Smith and H. Humphreys were the preachers.


J. Law and D. Holmes were the preachers in 1832. A "Circuit Missionary Tract and Sunday-school So- ciety" was formed this year, of which Samuel Wait was secretary. In 1833, J. Law and D. B. Ostrander were appointed to this circuit. Johnson Young was elected a steward. The next year Hiram Wing and Sylvester H. Clark were appointed preachers.


The parsonage at Montgomery was built in the fall of this year.


These interesting details of the first work of Meth- odism in this vicinity are taken from a sketch recorded in a book now iu possession of the pastor.


The present organization (December, 1880) consists of Rev. H. C. Earl, pastor; Wm. H. Felter, leader ; George Overheiser, Thomas H. Senior, J. B. Lawsou, Daniel Jewell, Wm. MeWhorter, James Laughlin, Edward Knapp, stewards ; George Overheiser, Thomas H. Senior, J. B. Lawson, Andrew Morehouse, John A. Powell, Wm. H. Felter. The Sunday-school is under the charge of the pastor. The members of the church number about 100; Sunday-school attendance about 140, with 500 volumes in the library.


THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF WALDEN executed a certificate of incorporation April 15, 1850. The proceedings were signed by John T. Booth- royd and Christopher Briggs. The trustees named in the instrument were Christopher S. Briggs, John T. Boothroyd, Lyman Fairchild, Philip B. Evans, Henry H. McElheny.


Mr. A. H. Saxe furnishes the following account : .


Previous to the year 1850 the Methodist Episcopal Society of Walden comprised one or two "classes," which were wont to meet for public service in a school- house. They were under the pastoral care of the preacher in charge of Montgomery, an adjoining vil- lage. In the year above named, under the pastorate of Rev. Humphrey Humphreys, the building known as Beattie's church was bought, and the first trustees were elected. It continued in connection with Mont- gomery until 1866, when by the action of Conference it became an independent charge. In this year a par- sonage was built, one of the most neat and substantial in the district.


In 1870, under the pastorate of Rev. E. E. Pinney, the church was greatly enlarged and beautified at an expense of about $6000, and was rededicated, substan- tially free from debt, Dec. 21, 1870, Dr. C. D. Foss (now bishop) preaching the dedicatory sermon. After the evening service, conducted by Rev. W. P. Abbott,


Below is a tabular statement of pastors from 1850, while connected with Montgomery : 1850, Rev. Hum- phrey Humphreys ; 1852, Rev. J. C. Washburn ; 1854, Rev. - Stout ; 1856, Rev. J. Millard; 1858, Rev. D. B. Turner ; 1859, Rev. A. C. Fields ; 1861, Rev. J. W. Jones; 1863, Rev. J. W. Breakey ; 1865, Rev. M. Van Deusen.


As an independent station : 1866, Rev. A. H. Saxe ; 1868, Rev. I. Croft ; 1870, Rev. E. E. Pinney ; 1873, Rev. David Phillips; 1876, Rev. J. Millard; 1879, Rev. Z. N. Lewis (present incumbent, 1880).


The present organization consists of Rev. Z. N. Lewis, pastor; Wm. H. Dawson, Caleb Birch, George Root, Henry Matthews, Philip Van Buren, John Whitehead, A. S. Tears, John S. Taylor, stewards; Wm. W. Snyder, James M. Walker, John S. Taylor, A. H. Saxe, Jacob Brodwell, J. Thomas Andrews, Samuel Robinson, trustees; James M. Walker, super- intendent of Sunday-school.


The church numbers 230 members.


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MONTGOMERY.


The Sunday-school attendance is nearly as large, ; the work being very interesting and well sustained. There is a library of about 500 volumes.


THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY NAME OF MARY (Catholic), in the village of Montgomery, was in- corporated Oct. 1, 1870. The trustees who executed the certificate were Rev. John McCloskey, arch- bishop; Rev. William Starr, vicar-general ; Rev. Hugh S. O'Hare, pastor; and two laymen, Owen Early and Patrick Gannon.


No statistics have been received from this church in reply to our inquiries before going to press. The society has a house of worship of convenient size and arrangement. The congregation is efficiently led by the pastor, and the church doubtless has a future of great success before it.


VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.


If an entire volume for this town were being written instead of a single chapter in a county history, the old burial-places could be drawn upon for many in- teresting data. We can only briefly mention the lo- cation of some of them as a clue to such further study as any one may desire to make.


The old burial-place of St. Andrew's Church is in the neighborhood where the house of worship for- merly stood, and the ownership of the ground is re- tained by the church. It is cared for to some extent as a place of sacred memories.


At Goodwill Church the old burial-place should furnish many important dates, settlement at that point dating back to 1725-30 beyond any doubt. This ground is also owned by the church, which is able to give to it that loving care for the memory of the early families that mere public grounds without special ownership too often fail to receive.


The Coldenham burial-ground dates back to about the same period.


The old ground of the Reformed Church, Mont- gomery village, must also be considered about as early a place of burial, for the church dates from 1732.


Other burial-places are as follows: the remains of one near the Reformed Church in Walden village, the one known as the Methodist Cemetery in the same village, the Berea graveyard, the new one of the Reformed Church, Montgomery, the Presby- terian at Montgomery, and there are doubtless many other places where one or more of the dead were buried in the old times, when private burial was so common on farms here and there throughout a new country.


THE WALLKILL VALLEY CEMETERY ASSOCIATION, at Wałden, was organized at a meeting held Sept. 9, 1865, at the office of Scofield, Capron & Co. Egbert Millspaugh was appointed chairman, and Augustus F. Scofield secretary. The trustees chosen were James Todd, Henry Bergen, William J. Embler, Egbert


Millspaugh, Stephen Rapalye, Augustus F. Scofield, Levi L. Gowdy, Henry Snydam, and Seth M. Capron. The proceedings were verified by the officers before John L. Hart, justice of the peace, September 9th, and recorded September 15th.


This association have a handsomely-situated ceme- tery a mile southwest of old St. Andrew's burying- ground. The grounds have been laid out with care, many fine monuments are erected, and much care is evidently being given to the proper adornmient of the grounds.


IX .- TOWN SOCIETIES, BANKS, INCORPORA- TIONS, Etc.


MASONIC.


It is understood that there was an early lodge, dating back to 1800; that it was removed afterwards to Tuthilltown, Ulster Co., and was there dissolved. (See General History.)


COURT ORANGE, No. 6231, A. O. F.


This organization was formed June 1, 1876, and now numbers about 70 members, and is in a very prosperous condition. This order is beneficial and benevolent, and is said to have been instituted about the middle of the eighteenth century (1745), and is now established in many parts of the world. Its uni- versal character, together with its superior financial system of management under one central government, with subsidiary districts and subordinate controlling bodies, has secured its stability of character and maintained its continuous growth in wealth and mem- bership until it has reached the following conditions :


There are 541,509 benefit or regularly contributing members, and 12,531 honorary members; in all, 554,040. The different branches are styled "courts." There is one High Court of the order, two subsidiary High Courts (the one in the United States now located in the city of New York), 290 district courts, and 4514 subordinate courts, situate in the United States, Canadas, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Austra- lia, Bermuda, East and West Indies, Gibraltar, Malta, New Zealand, St. Helena, South Africa, Peru, and in other parts of the world.


The benefits disbursed for the year ending Dec. 31, 1879, were as follows: Sick benefits, 81,602,379.06 ; funeral allowances, $440,478.27 ; benevolence to dis- tressed members, $68,265.08; total, 82,111,122.41.


The subordinate court funds at the end of the year 1879 amounted to $12,387,775, and the district (an intermediate governing body) court funds, $1,570,140 ; total, $13,957,915.


The primary objects of a court of Ancient Foresters are to guarantee its members, I, a weekly allowance in sickness ; 2, to furnish medicine and the services of a physician without cost; 3, to the comfort of members when sick or in affliction ; 4, to provide re- lief in time of adversity and distress; 5, to supply a specific sum for the burial of members and members'


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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.


wives ; 6, an endowment for the widow and orphan or nearest of kin. The fulfillment of these objects has won the gratitude and appreciation of a vast number of members, their families, and relatives during the existence of the order, many of whom least expected to require or realize its advantages when joining the fraternity.




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