USA > Vermont > Chittenden County > Jericho > Centennial anniversary of the First Congregational Church of Jericho, Vermont, at Jericho Centre, June 17, 1891 > Part 3
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He was chosen first selectman at the first town meeting in 1786. In November of the same year he and Esq. Farnsworth were chosen a committee for the purpose of providing preaching for the ensuing season. March 20th, 1788, the town chose Dea. A. Rood and Esq. James Farnsworth a committee to hire a can- ' didate, and voted to raise money to pay a candidate for preaching two months.
We are not told whether they succeeded, but September 28th, 1789, "a town tax was granted to pay Rev. Mr. Parmelee for preaching the past season, £6 5s. 10 pence." This was Reverend Reuben Parmelee, a graduate of Yale, afterward first pastor of the Congregational church in Hinesburgh : probably he would have settled here if the people had been ready. The first religious service I find record of was at the house of Mr. Lewis Chapin, 25th of May, 1789, a log house near the corner of the cemetery. " At a lecture preached by Rev. Nathan Perkins of Hartford, Conn., were baptized by him Delana and Christiana, daughters of Capt. Benjamin Bartlett, and Hitty, daughter of Lewis Cha- pin." Mr. Perkins labored in many places in the State as a missionary from the Connecticut Missionary Society, and five days before this had assisted in forming the church in Hinesburgh. It may be he hoped to form one here also, but did not find the people prepared.
March 15th, 1790, the town chose Dea. Rood, Noah Chitten- den and Lewis Chapin a committee to hire a candidate to preach on probation, for settlement. They procured in a short time Ebenezer Kingsbury, who preached most of the season.
September 7th, 1790, the inhabitants of the town voted to give him a call to settle in the work of the ministry, and voted ,two hundred pounds lawful money settlement, including the first minister's right of land, and thirty-five pounds lawful money salary for the first year, and to rise with the list until it amounted to eighty pounds, which was to be the stated salary. March 31st, 1791, the church was formed by Rev. Reuben Parmelee, of Hines- burgh ; the members were Azariah Rood, Lewis Chapin, Dudley Stone, Reuben Lee, Lydia Rood, Lucy Lee, Esther Chapin, Ra- chel Stone, Phebe Lee. Where it was formed is not now known,
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Vermont was on the 4th of that very month admitted to the Union. Thomas Chittenden was Governor, George Washington was President.
The church in Hinesburgh, formed nearly two years before, was the only one in all northern Vermont, of any kind. There were then over forty Congregational churches in the State, and about thirty-five Baptist churches, mostly confined to the southern counties. There was no Methodist church or class in the Vermont Conference until five years later, at Vershire, one was organized. In what is now comprised in the eight northern counties there was then no church of any denomination except the solitary one in Hinesburgh, and that had no meeting house till many years after this
June 22d, 1791, the church voted to give Mr. Ebenezer Kingsbury a call to settle with us in the gospel ministry. The Council met and ordained him the same day. It was composed of Rev. David Collins of Lanesboro, Mass., whence Dea. Rood and others had come, Rev. John Barnet of Middlebury, Rev. Reuben Parmelee of Hinesburgh, Rev. Chauncey Lee of Sunder- land, and lay delegates. Mr. Lee preached the sermon, Mr. Collins made the consecrating prayer and gave the charge. No record shows where this ordination took place, but I have been told it was in Mr. Messenger's barn, on Winooski river, near where Hosea Wright now lives. November 14th, 1791, the town " Voted that Mr. Messenger be allowed three pounds lawful money for providing for the Ordaining Council last June."
There were at this time 381 people in town ; other towns had none. Two years later Congress established nine post offices in Vermont, one of which was at Burlington. It was no small effort for a new town, thus isolated and thinly settled, to settle and support a pastor. April 16th, 1792, the town voted to meet in Lewis Chapin's barn for worship. March 4th, 1793, voted to meet for public worship at Elon Lee's in cold weather, and in William Smith's barn in warm weather, for one year from this date. Elon Lee's was where Oliver Brown now lives, and William Smith's barn was one now owned by Gordon Smith, and not long ago repaired by him. October 2d, 1794, in town meeting voted to build a meeting house. They could not agree where to set it
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until they chose a committee, who were to be legalized by the County Court, who set the stake, and it was agreed to ; got a plan of the house, and sold the pews at vendue 9th December, 1795. It was a large square structure, of choice pine lumber, placed in the centre of a common of four acres. It was one of the first public buildings in all the region ; in it large congrega- tions worshiped for forty years. It was cold ; for a long time it had no fires in it ; when it was proposed to put in stoves one wo- man opposing said, " If their hearts were only right their bodies would be warm enough," Dea. Rood was the first deacon.
September 11th, 1801, Thomas Rood, son of Azariah, and Reuben Lee were chosen deacons. May 17th, 1808, Mr. Kings- bury was dismissed for want of proper support. He was born in North Coventry, Conn. ; graduated at Yale in 1783. He was a man of influence among the ministers of the State in those early days. He was chosen by the General Convention in 1805 to preach the annual sermon at the Commencement of Middlebury College. He built the house where G. C. Bicknell now lives, on land given by Mr. Chapin ; his lot from the town was on the opposite side of the road, extending to the road east.
The church grew to over fifty members during his ministry- the longest, with one exception, it has ever had. His wife Mary died in 1792, and was buried here. His second wife, Hannah, was very useful in the parish. August 4th, 1810, he was installed over a Congregational church in Harford, Penn., and dismissed September 19th, 1827. He died there March 22d, 1842, at a good old age.
The first Society for the support of preaching was formed in October, 1808. December 20th they met at Moses Billings' Inn, and " Voted to give Mr. Denison a call, and for his encourage- ment to give him annually $400, to be annually paid by January 1st in good merchantable grain, pork, or beef cattle, to be fully paid on or before the first of March, or delinquents to be holden to pay money without further delay."
February 9th, 1809, the church voted to give Mr. John Denison a call to settle with us and take the pastoral charge of the church ; he was ordained March 1st ; the Council met at the house of Lewis Chapin ; Rev. Lemuel Haynes, the colored pastor of West Rutland, was Moderator, and offered the consecrating
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prayer ; Rev. Holland Weeks preached ; Rev. Simeon Parmelee, ordained at Westford the year before, gave the right hand of fellowship. It being not always easy to raise the full salary they voted at one time " to accept Mr. Denison's proposal to mission- ate thirteen weeks and deduct fifty dollars from his salary."
Mr. Denison was a young man of fine talents and earnest piety, and the church grew during his short- ministry ; there was a wonderful work of grace in the time. He died March 28th, 1812, of consumption : his grave is in the cemetery here-the only pastor who has died in town. He was born in Lyme, Conn .. May 3d, 1793 ; studied theology with Rev. Holland Weeks of Pittsford. He left one son ; Rev. John H. Denison of Williams- town, Mass., is a grandson. Mrs. Denison afterward married Rev. E. H. Dorman of Swanton.
May 6th, 1812, Lewis Chapin was chosen church clerk ; Mr. Kingsbury kept the records while he was here.
July 5th, 1814, a Council again met at the house of Lewis Chapin, and after due examination Rev. Joseph Labaree was or- dained pastor ; Rev. Thomas A. Merrill of Middlebury preached, and Father Lyon, the sage of Grand Isle, gave the charge. It was sometimes hard to raise the salary, and at one time they voted "that if there are not $400 annually raised for Mr. Labaree, he have leave to missionate a part of the time each year, not to exceed eight weeks in one year." They also organized a Society for his support "to be governed by the majority in all meetings, except in this particular, if one fourth shall choose that Mr. L. be dismissed, and risk getting another minister, the majority agree to comply."
October 7th, 1818, a council met to consider the matter, and voted that the pastoral relation ought not to be dissolved. They gave three months to raise his support, and adjourned. "At the end of that time no adequate provision being made, and it being impossible that a minister should abide with a people, and be useful unsupported," they advised his dismission.
They say, "We are distressed to leave this people in such a state of melancholy bereavement ; we hope our fears will be dis- appointed, and their sorrow may be turned into joy." Mr. La- baree was born in Charlestown, N. HI., June 11th, 1783, gradn- ted at Middlebury 1811. He was a cousin of President Benjamin
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Labaree ; his wife was Huldah, sister of Daniel and John Lyman. He died in Ohio October 18th, 1852.
August 9th, 1819, the Society gave Rev. L. P. Blodgett a call, and voted $500 for his support, to be paid in neat cattle in October, or in good merchantable grain in January following. September 19th he was installed. The first three pastors began their work here ; but Mr. Blodgett came after a successful pasto- rate of a dozen years at Rochester. The church grew largely during his ministry, but all did not go smoothly in the parish. In 1824 they debated whether to meet for worship part of the time at the Corners. This made trouble, and division.
March 29th, 1826, a council was called to consider matters, and advise the church. They appointed a committee to confer, and see whether measures could be adopted to heal their difficul- ties. "We do hope that all parties concerned will, if possible, lay aside all unprofitable reflections on what is past, and come into measures and so terminate this long agitated and distressful transaction." The Council adjourned to May 9th, when it came together, and, finding the two Societies could not agree, dismissed Mr. Blodgett. He then was pastor at the Corners.
Luther Palmer Blodgett was born in Cornwall, March 19th, 1783 ; graduated at Middlebury in 1805 ; was ordained at Roch- ester, Vermont, April 24th, 1807, Rev. Lemuel Haynes preaching the sermon. After leaving Jericho he preached in several places in New York ; he died January 26th, 1862. His wife was Mary Jefferson daughter of Joseph Jefferson, a cousin of Thomas Jefferson, and his Secretary when Minister to France-one of the party famous by throwing the tea into Boston harbor.
June 16th, 1826, the brethren and sisters living near the Corners requested letters of their regular standing in this church to form a church at the Corners. The church objected, for seve- ral reasons ; some of them were "Because we need them, and they are not needed there ;" " because they can be better accom- modated with christian privileges in this church than in the one to which they wish to be dismissed : there they cannot have preaching more than half the time ;" "some are nearer this church than the Corners : they must go much out of the way or remain at home, or worship with us half the time ; we cannot think that these brethren ought to divest themselves of one half
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of their christian privileges ;" " their reasons are insufficient, and some of them manifest improper feelings towards this church."
A large Council was at length called, for advice. After con- sideration, they said, " A visit from the Holy Comforter would soon remove those mountains which seem to arise in your path, and banish the clouds which hang over you. It would melt your hearts into one mind and lead you to the same course. Then let your prayer be unceasing, and give God no rest until He come and establish you and build you up." The church at the Corners was finally formed that year, and the brick meeting house built there, in which the Second Church and the Baptists worshipped until 1858.
September 2d, 1822, Lewis Chapin, Jr., was chosen church clerk. July 10th, 1828, Rev. Hervey Smith was installed pastor. He was one of the best of men, a faithful and judicious minister. There are a few persons living who united with the church while he was pastor. His ministry was prosperous, but they could not raise the salary, and he was dismissed October 22d, 1833. He was born in Granby, Massachusetts, January 6th, 1794, ordained in Weybridge in 1825. He died in Sacketts Harbor, New York, in 1850.
In 1834 John Lyman, Jr., was chosen church clerk ; he kept the records for about forty years. He led the singing for twenty five years ; was absent in the time only two half days, from sick- ness in his family.
In 1834 fifteen members asked "leave to withdraw, and organize into a church according to the gospel." The church declined to give these letters, and were justified in it by vote of the Council, as the following extract from the records will show. " The Council have no confidence in the soundness of the prin- ciples, or the purity of the motives of those whom the petitioners wish to follow as leaders. They do not come to the church in any authorized character ; they do not come to the church as a friend comes to reform a friend, but rather to pluck up and de- stroy. Their professed object is the diffusion of peace, but it is seen that everywhere the result of their efforts is dissension. They strangely propose to promote the union of different denom- inations of christians by adding yet another party with a silenced, deposed and excommunicated man at their head. Their whole
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scheme, in the view of the Council, is unscriptural, chimerical, subversive of all gospel order, and fraught with innumerable evils."
The members withdrew and formed the Union Church, without any creed except the Bible. It did not prosper. The church labored with these brethren over two years ; sent letters of admonition ; suspended them ; and finally voted their excom- munication because they "departed from the faith and order of this church, and united with a church not in fellowship with this." Most of them afterwards came back, confessing that they had done wrong in forming the Union church, and in having unkind feelings toward their brethren. The leader of this re- markable movement was Rev. John Truair. He was ordained pastor of the church in Cambridge November 21st, 1810, and dismissed in 1813. He then settled over a Presbyterian church in Sherburne, New York. He went to New York city and labored among seamen, and edited a paper. While there he was deposed from the ministry by Presbytery. He preached in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and in Cambridge, Jericho, and other towns, "known as the head of a new sect who style themselves the Union Church." Some churches were "greatly convulsed and divided by the efforts of John Truair and his followers." He is described as a large, powerful man, a good singer, and impres- sive speaker. Many followers were devotedly attached to him, and enthusiastic in his praise. He was bitter toward existing churches and tried to draw people from them, and was regarded by many as an enemy of good order and a herald of divisions. One now venerable brother who worked with him says, " He told me I should go to ruin if I did n't come out of the church and join his ; I told him I would run the risk." The passing years have witnessed more growth and usefulness in the brother who stayed in the church than in those who left it.
Between 1830 and 1840 the church numbered over two hun- dred members. January 25th, 1837, Rev. Elias Wells Kellogg was installed pastor ; he had preached some months previous. The new brick meeting house, begun in 1835, was dedicated the same day. President Wheeler, of Burlington, preached the ser- inon. The year its foundations were laid two men were born who were to preach in it half of its first half century. Mr. Kel-
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logg was dismissed July 7th, 1840. He afterward preached in Highgate. He died at Ringwood, Illinois.
Rev. Samuel Kingsbury, a teacher in the Academy, preached for a while in 1840 and in 1841. Rev. Zenas Bliss preached about two years. He was a man of more than usual depth and origi- nality, of fine character, and profound scholarship ; perhaps his preaching was sometimes above the mass of the people. When he preached six sermons upon one text the thoughtful feasted- the many thought he was too deep.
Zenas Bliss was born in Randolph, November 24th, 1808 ; his mother was a woman of marked character and metaphysical mind. We need not wonder to find the son a man of uncommon powers. He graduated at the University of Vermont in 1831 ; studied two years at Andover ; was ordained at Sheridan, N. Y., October 28th, 1835 ; preached two years at Qneechee ; after leav- ing Jericho, one year at Winooski. In 1844 he went to Alabama and taught four years. In 1848 he went to Richmond and preach- ed six years. The church and parsonage there were built through his efforts. He died at Amherst, Mass., December 9th, 1865. Rev. J. Henry Bliss of New Hampshire is his son ; a daughter is teacher in the Huguenot Seminary in South Africa.
Simeon Bicknell, another teacher in the Academy, was the next preacher for a year.
In 1844 the church called Mr. Francis Brown Wheeler ; he was ordained pastor January 23d, 1845; Rev. O. S. Hoyt of Ilinesburgh preached the sermon ; Rev. Simeon Parmelee, father of Mrs. Wheeler, gave the charge.
September 18th, 1846, Albert Lee and Ezra Elliot were chosen deacons. Mr. Elliot was excused at his request, but was twice chosen afterward, and in 1856 he accepted. Deacon Lee died in 1863, much lamented ; he was a man of talent and piety, and for some years superintendent of the Sunday school. Dea. Elliot was also a faithful and beloved officer of the church until his death in 1880, and left a legacy for the support of preaching.
March 31st, 1849, the church celebrated its fifty-eighth anniversary. A large choir rendered much of the ancient music "in a manner that elicited universal admiration." An address was delivered by Rev. George W. Ranslow, and a sermon by Rev. Simeon Parmelee. " With joy we recounted the mercies of
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God to us and our fathers ; with gratitude we inscribed on our hearts ' Hitherto hath the Lord helped us'; with confidence in God we looked into the future, feeling that the same goodness which had been extended to us, and to those who had preceded us, would not be wanting to our children in coming time, if they made the God of their fathers their God. The church is God's, and He will care for it. We commend its interests to His gra- cious care. Leave not this people, neither forsake them, O God of our salvation." The record of the proceedings asks " When the year 1891 shall come, if this church is in existence will not its members celebrate the one hundredth anniversary, and set up another Ebenezer ?"
The young pastor won the hearts of the people, and they were reluctant to give him up, but he was dismissed January 2d, 1850. The Council gave the people some wholesome advice upon liberal giving, and the support of the ministry, "in order to prevent a like sad separation in the future." They said "The salary paid is not enough to command the best talent or help to the best work, and God's blessing cannot be expected."
The people resented this advice of Council as an imperti- nence, and declared they would not settle another minister and have a council meddling with their affairs,-and they have kept their word. Since that time they have had no Council and no settled pastor.
Mr. Wheeler was born at North Adams, Mass., September 9th, 1819 ; graduated at the University of Vermont in 1842; studied one year at Andover, and afterward privately. He has been pastor at Brandon, Saco, in Maine, and of the First Presbyte- rian Church at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he still continues. He received the degree of D. D. from his Alma Mater in 1887, also from Hamilton College previously.
Rev. George Butterfield next supplied the pulpit one year. In 1853 Rev. John W. Pierce became acting pastor for four years. In this time there was marked religious interest, and a goodly number was added to the church-among them some of its pre- sent active members. Mr. Pierce was born in Sutton, Mass., July 11th, 1811 ; graduated at Bangor Seminary in 1840 ; was ordained at Sutton, Mass., October 20th, 1840. He was a Home Missionary at the West for a time, and then gave up the ministry
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for some years on account of ill health. In 1851 he preached at Westminster, later at Highgate and St. Albans Bay : also in Maine. He died at Highgate, of consumption, March 2d, 1872.
In 1857 and '8 Rev. Charles Scott was acting pastor. He was earnest, active and successful in his work, and the church was much quickened : the people were greatly attached to him, and wished to retain him longer. He was not strong, and gave as a reason for not staying, the difficulty of speaking in the old church and the liability of taking cold in it in winter-a reason all who preached in the old church, and some who used to wor- ship there, can fully appreciate. Nevertheless, that house con- tinued to hurt ministers and keep away worshipers for many years. Mr. Scott was born in Halifax, Vermont, and educated at Hartford Seminary ; has preached in many places in Vermont and other States, always with acceptance and usefulness. IIe now resides in Reading, Mass.
After him Rev. Wilson Barlow Parmelee, son of Dr. Simeon, preached six months ; was much liked, and wanted longer. He was a native of Westford ; graduated at the University of Ver- mont in 1853, and at Auburn Seminary. He was settled over a large Presbyterian church at Little Falls, N. Y., but on account of impaired health has not preached all the time for some years ; he now lives in Oswego, New York.
In 1860 Rev. Caleb Branch Tracy became acting pastor, and continued four years. He was born in New Marlboro, Mass., July 11th, 1799 ; graduated at Williams College in 1826, and at Andover Seminary in 1829 ; was ordained February 10th, 1830, at Colebrook, Conn. In 1837 he was settled in Boscawen, New Hampshire, where he remained fourteen years. He supplied two or three years each at St. Johnsbury Centre, Northfield and Rochester. In 1866 he went to Bennington, N. H., where he preached until 1868, when he went to Wilmot and labored there nine years. He died of pneumonia at Potter Place in Andover January 14th, 1881.
After Mr. Tracy left Rev. A. D. Barber supplied the pulpit with acceptance for some months.
September 1st, 1864, Rev. Austin Hazen became acting pas- tor, and continued twenty years. The people were in a discour- aged state ; the church was old style and uncomfortable ; the
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parsonage out of repair-the parsonage was repaired the next year, the church not until fourteen years after ; in 1878 it was thoroughly repaired, and made one of the best in the region. It was again dedicated in February, Rev. George B. Safford of Bur- lington preaching the sermon. In 1875 and '6 there was a great awakening in town ; the prayers of years seemed answered in the quickening of christians and conversion of sinners. Great chan- ges in the church and congregation took place in those years- one generation passed away, and another grew up.
Austin Hazen was born in Hartford, Vermont, February 14th, 1835, son of Rev. Austin Hazen, long pastor at Hartford and Berlin ; graduated at the University of Vermont in 1855, and at Andover Seminary in 1857. In August of that year he began preaching in Norwich ; was ordained pastor there March 29th, 1860, and dismissed in 1864. In 1875 he began to supply the church at Richmond, in addition to his labors here, and on leav- ing this field removed there. His wife, Mary Carleton, died in 1880, and was buried on the hill-side where sleeps the dust of so many good men and women. Mr. Hazen afterward married Mira F. Elliot of Jericho.
In 1866 Charles H. Lyman was chosen deacon ; in 1874 he was dismissed to the church at the Corners. Ile gave fifty dollars toward the organ, as a token of his continued love for the church of his youth.
July 8th, 1876, Isaac C. Stone and Milo Hoyt Chapin were chosen deacons ; they still hold the office.
After Mr. Hazen left, the people were very fortunate in ob- taining at once Rev. John Kilbourn Williams. He came in the full maturity of his powers, and with a successful experience in former pastorates. Although he lived at Underhill and was pas- tor also there, his work was successful here. In 1887 there was a remarkable awakening, and the church received one of its largest accessions afterwards. Mr. Williams was born at Char- lotte February 21st, 1835 ; graduated at Middlebury College in 1860 : he was afterward tutor there ; he spent two years at All- burn Seminary, but graduated at Andover in 1866.
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