USA > Vermont > History of the Baptists in Vermont > Part 25
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in numbers and resources. In the decade, 1870-1880, its member- ship more than doubled. In the next decade, it increased fifty per cent, attaining the membership of one hundred and forty-three. Careful revision of the roll at intervals has kept the total number reported reasonably near the number of resident members. The church has a fine house of worship, pleasantly located, and has an important mission in the Capital city of the State.
Bearing upon the early religious history of Montpelier and indicating how strong was Baptist influence there as early as 1817, is an extract of a letter from "a respectable minister in Vermont to one of the editors of the American Baptist Missionary Maga- zine," dated, Montpelier, November 5, 1818. The fact that this letter was sent to the Baptist Magazine is the ground of the in- ference that the pastor referred to was either Mr. Wheeler or Mr. Woodworth.
"Rev. and dear Sir :- Having occasion to be present at the meeting of the legislature on the eighth ult., I send you the follow- ing account. The day the assembly met was remarkably pleasant, the concourse great, and during the usual religious solemnities the audience was solemn and attentive. In the evening, a large as- sembly convened in the State House to hear a discourse from Bro- ther E. of Rockingham. After the exercises, Rev. Mc. W., the worthy minister of the place, arose, and noticed the great advan- tages his people derived two years ago (a time of reformation in his parish, in which he had more than a hundred added to his church), from the faithful labors of his christian friends on the legislature, in conferences and other meetings during the session; and he solicited the same faithful services during their continuance in the place.
"Mr. W. has a number of conference and prayer meetings es- tablished, in the course of a week in the village, which are well attended by his own people, and by many of the legislature. On Sabbath evening, conference is attended in the State House and even since the legislature has been in session, on that evening the house has been crowded. Men of various ranks come forward, and pray and exhort with great fervor. On one of these evenings, when gentlemen from every part of the State were gathered, the scene
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became highly interesting, although a time of no special revival of religion. I was filled with admiration to hear the prayers and exhortations of Councillors, Representatives, Secretary of State, Judges of Courts and from some of the ablest attorneys in the State. None appeared to speak for the sake of making a vain show, but from the heart, with great solemnity and in gospel simplicity. There, then, was the cross of Christ, the dangerous state of the unregenerate man, the necessity of a new heart and of a holy life; the great obligation of professors to live as examples to others, and the importance of all being prepared for a day of judgment. I said to myself, can these be members of a State Legislature where the intrigues of worldly policy and a contempt of the humiliating doctrines of Christ are supposed to prevail? His Excellency, the Governor, and his Honor, the Lieutenant-Gov- ernor (J. Galusha and Paul Brigham), appear to be men of christian sobriety, who instead of effecting a kind of courtly hauteur are punctual when official duties will permit, in attending these devo- tional meetings as well as the regular worship on the Lord's Day. In this venerable body a person is not under necessity of con- cealing his religion to be respected, but such is the happy in- fluence of the Gospel in this Legislature that a man of undoubted piety is sure to be esteemed on that account."
RANDOLPH
This church is emphatically a child of the Convention. In 1874, Rev. J. H. Parmelee, under the direction of the Board, began his labors in Central Vermont and in June, of that year, began to preach in West Randolph. Meetings were held in Academy Hall. Mr. Parmelee closed his work, January 1, 1876, and April 1, Rev. D. C. Bixby took up the work. At a meeting of the Baptists of the place, May 8, 1876, the First Baptist church of West Ran- dolph, was organized, with twenty-five members. It was recognized as a regular Baptist church by a council held in June, and the next day was formally received into the Association, which met at Sharon. In 1877, a lot was secured, under the lead of Col. J. J. Estey, and a chapel was completed and the property deeded to
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the church in June, 1880, with a mortgage of one thousand dollars on the lot. Mr. Robert J. Kimball, of Brooklyn, N. Y., now came to the assistance of the church and offered to complete the edifice and let the members put in their efforts to clear off the mortgage. Mrs. Kimball put in the baptistery. Mrs. A. R. Lounsbury gave the chandelier. Deacon W. B. Chandler gave the pulpit. Mrs. E. R. DuBois gave the Bible. A memorial bell was given by Wm. H. DuBois for his wife, a member. The dedication services took place September 1, 1881.
The pastors have been as follows: J. S. Goodall, 1878-1882; J. A. Pierce, 1883-1891; S. Robson, 1891-1896; T. A. Howard, 1897-1901; Brown E. Smith, 1902-1903; Samuel Knowles, 1904- 1906; W. H. Hamilton, 1908; J. Wallace Chesboro, 1910-1911.
In 1810, this church federated with the Methodist church in the place.
SOME EXTINCT CHURCHES .- VERMONT CENTRAL ASSOCIATION BRAINTREE
Church organized March 5, 1799. First pastor, Rev. Elijah Huntington, who was ordained June 18, 1800, and labored here till his death in 1828. The meeting-house was built in the summer of 1815. After the death of Mr. Huntington, the church had no pastor for over twenty years and preaching only occasionally. The church became much reduced, and in a poor condition, when Rev. J. Tilson, who was born in Randolph and spent his early days in this vicinity, came on to the field and began to work for the upbuilding of the church. This was in 1859. The church, encouraged by his efforts, called as pastor, Rev. H. D. Hodge, who remained seven years. The church increased from sixteen to seventy-six. This is the largest number in the history of the church. The Sunday school was organized in 1859, when the church was revived. For a number of years, this was the strong- est church in the Association. But in the seventies, a decline set in from which the church never rallied. The report from the church in 1904 showed four members remaining.
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The name of the church disappeared from the minutes from this time till 1812. During the year previous, Rev. J. W. Chesboro, of Randolph, conducted services nearly every Sunday, and was assisted by Colporteur Watt in a series of meetings. Eight were baptized, and the name of the church is again enrolled with eleven members, under the pastoral care of Mr. Chesboro.
The influence of the little church is not confined to the town of Braintree, for there have gone out from it a number of strong preachers, among whom are Rev. Joseph Huntington, Rev. Ado- niram J. Huntington, D. D., Professor in Columbia College, Jona- than Tilson, and Wheelock Parmelee, D. D., once pastor at Jersey City, N. J.
CALAIS
A Baptist church was organized here in 1810. A reference to it, in an account of a visit by one of the Massachusetts Mission- ary Society missionaries in 1810, says it had a membership of about twenty-eight at that time. We have no further knowledge of it.
CORINTH
Organized in 1783. In 1795, Thomas West was pastor and the membership was eighty-eight. It was not in the list of the Association in 1810.
BARRE AND PLAINFIELD
A record book is perserved of a church organized August 30, 1838, at the home of Elder Lyman Culver. Three ministers were present, James Parker, Lyman Culver and Friend Blood. The chief point in the examination of members seems to have been the communion question. The Articles of Faith of the Danville Association were adopted. The original members of this church were Barnabas Webb, Jacob Perkins, Elijah Perry, Reuben Nichols, David Reed, Rhoda Reed, Hannah Peck, Sarah Webb, Abigail Stone. Besides these nine original members, the record contains
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the names of eleven men and eleven women. In the twelve meet- ings recorded, delegates were chosen to represent the church in the Association, three different years. In 1851, one of these delegates was Rev. Friend Blood. As there is only one Plainfield church reported in the minutes, this church must have been a successor to, or a reorganization of, the Plainfield church, organized at a school- house in 1809.
MARSHFIELD
The Baptist church was organized in Marshfield in 1833. For several years it is reported. In 1834, it had thirty-four mem- bers. The membership remained about the same for some years. There was another Baptist church in the town of Plainfield and in 1852, the two united under the name of Plainfield and Marsh- field church. Thus ended the separate existence of the Marshfield church.
PLAINFIELD
The Baptist church was organized October 17, 1809, at the schoolhouse near Deacon James Perry's (south district).
The members were James Boutwell and wife, who withdrew from the Congregational church for that purpose, Jacob Perkins, Stephen Perkins, and his wife, Nancy; John Bancroft, and his wife. Phoebe. Elder Jabes Cottle and Elder Elijah Huntington were the clergymen present. At the next meeting Philip Wheeler made a profession of religion, and joined the church. He became pastor afterward, living near the center of Montpelier, but in 1826. sold his farm, and a house was built for him near the Plainfield Springs. In a few years after this, Stephen Perkins refused to commune for the reason that Elder Wheeler had said, "that he would not baptize a person that he knew intended to join another church." Soon after this, he and his brother, Jonathan, withdrew from the church. The result of this dissension was that Elder Wheeler soon closed his pastoral labor with this church, and re- moved into Marshfield, one-half mile east of Plainfield village,
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where he died. After Elder Wheeler's dismissal they were sup- plied at intervals by different clergymen, none of them living in town but Friend Blood. In 1840, the church had twenty-eight members, but the numbers decreased until there were only sixteen left, when the church united with the Marshfield church, in 1852, to form the Plainfield and Marshfield church. Walton's Vermont Register gives Rev. Jonathan Kinne, as residing in Plainfield in 1819, 1821, and 1827-1829.
PLAINFIELD AND MARSHFIELD
This church was organized in 1852 by a union of the Marsh-' field with the Plainfield church. Abram Bedell became pastor and resided in Plainfield. The Methodist church edifice was pur- chased, removed toward the depot on the lot once owned by Emmons Taft, and repaired. Three years later the report to the Convention showed an attendance at the services of forty-five to seventy-five, and a Sunday school of fifty members. They also report at this time that they are settling up the last of their debt. In 1856, this was the strongest church in the Association. Other ministers preaching here are Elder Kelton, S. A. Blake, N. W. Smith and Theron Clement. The church was reported to the Association until 1897, when there were three members. These were Mr. James Perry, of Barre; Mr. Jeremy Chamberlain, and Mrs. A. Betsy Taft, of Plainfield village. The pastor of the Barre church held a service with them in the home of Mrs. Taft in the fall of 1906.
ROXBURY, EAST AND WEST
There have been two Baptist churches in this town, one in the east and one in the west part of the town. The East Roxbury church was organized in 1834, and reported to the Association in 1835, that it had eighteen members. It seems never to have flourished, but gradually decreased, until in 1846, it had only twelve members, after which there is no report from them.
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In the west part of the town, Baptists began to settle very early. Deacon Samuel Richardson came into town in 1790. He was a deacon in the Congregational church and his wife was a Baptist. One reason assigned for his coming into this town was that when the bass viol was carried into the church in Randolph, it was more than his orthodox nerves could stand and he preferred primeval forests, "God's own temple", with the birds to sing anthems of praises, and no profane, new fangled instruments, made by the hand of man, with which to worship God for him. Another early settler was William Gold, a deacon of a Baptist church, who came to Roxbury in 1801. We find no evidence that a Baptist church was organized here till 1830. Five years later it reported twenty-five members, which is the largest number shown in the reports. Rev. S. Willard, a missionary of the State Con- vention, visited the church in 1835 and baptized two young married couples, and broke bread to fifteen members and an equal number of visitors. At his suggestion, a deacon was elected and arrange- ments made to settle a pastor. Rev. Lyman Culver was called and soon after was ordained. Other ministers, who preached here were Rev. Friend Blood, and Rev. Jehiel Claflin. A strife arose between the Baptists and the Congregationalists concerning the ministerial land, the result of which was injury to the Baptist church.
This was only one of the causes. Another may have been the fact, that a good, old Baptist lady was "churched " for commun- ing with the Methodists, and with several others soon left the Baptists and united with the Congregationalists, which church was organized in 1837, and included in its membership what remained of the Methodists, along with this group of Baptists. The last report from this church in the Convention minutes is in 1846, when it had twenty-four members. In 1849, those members re- maining joined with the Baptists of Northfield, in an organization known as the Northfield and Roxbury church, which continued in existence until 1863.
The following incident is on record concerning the Roxbury church. One great revival was brought about in this manner. A little girl overheard her mother and a neighbor talking of the necessity for a christian life and the beauty and purity of a true
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christian character, and was so deeply impressed that she went to praying earnestly in secret, and came out a shining light, lead- ing others of her companions to go and do likewise, until it spread into the most extended revival ever known in town.
TOPSHAM
The Baptist church in West Topsham is nearly contemporary with the first settlements in that town, and was organized in 1801, with six members. The next two years were years of prosperity to the church, and at the close of 1803 there were about sixty members. They remained without a pastor till August 13, 1806, when Elder Ebenezer Sanborn was ordained and settled over the church, becoming their pastor, which relation he held till 1823. During the latter part of Elder Sanborn's ministry, owing to out- side influences, the church gradually diminished in numbers until it became nearly extinct, although there were some influential mem- bers of the church remaining, who, in 1834, met and reorganized, at which time Rev. Friend Blood became their pastor, and re- mained as such ten years, after which the church was supplied with preaching by Rev. J. Clement and Rev. John Kyle, until Jan- uary, 1858. Rev. N. W. Smith then became their pastor, in which capacity he remained until his death in July, 1863, after which time they had no pastor but were supplied with preaching from different sources for some years. The number of members gradu- ally decreased until, in 1880, the church disappeared from the Association records.
EAST TOPSHAM
There was also a Baptist church in East Topsham for a few years. It was first reported in the Convention minutes in 1859, when it had twenty-one members. For the next five years, the report shows that the membership remained stationary at twenty, and then for three years it was given as sixteen, after which there is no further report.
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BROOKFIELD
The Convention minutes of 1835 report, "two other new socie- ties have been organized in Chelsea and Brookfield, which are doing well. At the growing village of Brookfield, your missionary spent two Lord's days. On the last he administered the ordinances of baptism, under very encouraging circumstances. Brethren from the adjoining towns were present, and the Lord was with us. Thirty-two dollars is subseribed, on condition of having monthly preaching on Lord's days in this place." This church is reported in the Convention minutes from 1842 to 1867. The largest number of members is in 1843, when thirty-nine were reported. There was a gradual decrease until the last report, in 1867, which showed only four. Brookfield has given at least two men to the Baptist ministry; Elder Samuel Hovey, who was ordained at Chelsea, in 1798, and Rev. Horace N. Hovey.
BRADFORD
A Congregational church was organized in 1795 or 1796. About the same time a Calvinistic Baptist church was formed and built a meeting-house and were supporting a minister entirely at their own expense. There was much diseussion who should have the ministerial lands. It was compromised by giving two hundred acres to the Congregational pastor and one hundred acres to the committee of the Baptist church. Both deeds were made out by the selectmen on the same day, August 4, 1796. This society, in the course of a few years, became extinct. Their meeting-house, which stood in close proximity to the cemetery on the upper plain, on the north side of the same, after standing for a long time desolate, was taken down, and the land which had been apportioned, or rather the consideration for which it was sold, is now in possession of another society called Christian Baptists, or Christians in quite a different part of the town, and used for the support of their ministry.
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ROYALTON
Organized in 1784. In 1810, it reported fourteen members. It was given in the list of the Woodstock Association in 1791, with fifty-seven members. The membership remains the same in the 1800 report, but in 1801 and 1802 it is reduced to twenty-nine members; and in 1804, to sixteen members. Regarded as extinct in 1807.
ROCHESTER
The Convention minutes of 1830 tell us that, "In Rochester a new church has been formed out of the remains of an old one, which had lost its visibility." This church is reported in the Convention minutes in 1835, with twenty-four members, in 1836; with thirty-two, in 1839; and 1841, with twenty-seven. It is not reported again and is regarded as extinct in 1843. Rev. Artemas Arnold preached here in 1836.
STOCKBRIDGE
Organized in 1820, received in the Barre Association in 1822. Reported in Convention minutes from 1836-1846, with member- ship varying from twenty-seven to twenty-four. Became extinct about 1847.
WARREN
As early as 1810, there was a Baptist church in Warren. That year it reported fifteen members. No further information available.
RANDOLPH AND BETHEL
Organized November, 1800, and composed of members re- siding in Randolph, Tunbridge and East Bethel. The church never had a meeting-house, but their public meetings were held in
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Randolph and mostly at what is now called Painesville, in the house or barn of Samuel Benedict. Among the members residing in Randolph were, S. Benedict, Deacon Bezaleel Davis, William Ramsay, John Evans, William and Thomas Perkins. In June, 1801, W. Ramsay was ordained pastor. In the course of a few years, however, he proved himself unworthy his position as a preacher, and even as a church member. He became publicly vicious, and finally absconded and was never afterwards heard from by the friends here. Previous to leaving, however, he had not failed to create such division in the church as resulted in its dissolution, after an existence of less than seven years. The pres- ent church in East Bethel embraced in its origin in 1812, many of the former members of the Randolph and Bethel church.
NORTHFIELD
A Baptist church was organized in Northfield, in 1794. Little information can be gathered concerning it. In 1844 and 1845, it reported a membership of seventeen. It reorganized, in connection with the Roxbury church, in 1849. The membership, with the two fields combined, was then but twenty-five, and seems never to have exceeded twenty-eight. It gradually decreased, till in 1863 it was but thirteen. Its name then disappeared from the records.
MCINDOES FALLS
Organized in 1853, came into the Barre Association that year with sixteen members. In their report to the Convention the next year, they say that they have preaching half the time by Brother Renfrew, a licentiate of the church, and that the congrega- tions are from fifty to seventy-five, with a Sunday school of about forty. They had no meeting-house. They are reported in the Convention minutes for five years and then disappear. The largest membership was twenty-one, in 1854.
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WASHINGTON
In 1804, a church, under the name of The Washington church, united with the Woodstock Association, with twenty- three members. Delegates were sent in 1807, 1808 and 1810. These were Thomas Murdough, Benjamin Smith, Fisher Gay, William Ayer, Abel Severance and Caleb Woodward. The name disappears from the minutes after 1810.
LYME
The minutes of 1810, give the Lyme church as belonging to the Barre Association. It was dropped in 1814, to join the Mere- dith, N. H., Association.
Kingston was added to the Barre Association in 1819 and dropped in 1830.
WILLIAMSTOWN
The first ecclesiastical organization in this town was the Baptists, as shown from the Town Records: "October 2, 1794. This certifieth that Abner Wise, James Paul, Seth Jones, Ezeliel Robinson, Amos Robinson, James Thwing, Waterman Gould, Benson Jones, Samuel Pierce, Enos Briggs, Moses Jeffords, and Calvin Briggs belongeth to the Baptist Society in Williamstown and Northfield. Cornelius Lynd, Town Clerk." The first Bap- tist sermon is said to have been preached by Samuel Hovey, an itinerant preacher. In 1816, they built a meeting-house in the east part of the town, on what is still known as Baptist street. For a time, the society was in a flourishing condition, being as large as any in town. The pulpit was supplied by men who labored zealously; but after more than thirty years from its organization, the society became so broken and divided in views, that it was dropped from the Association in 1824. It reappears in 1833, and is reported to be in a prosperous condition. In 1835, Rev. Ben- jamin Willard, an evangelist, employed by the State Convention,
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labored on this field and a spiritual interest developed, and fifteen were baptized. There were sixty-six members at that time. In 1839, they built a new meeting-house and Joseph Huntington was ordained as pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. Friend Blood. At least two other ministers were ordained by this church, Rev, Sherburn Dearbourn and Rev. Joseph S. Small.
The largest membership ever reported was in 1842, which was ninety-seven. After this the church gradually declined till it dropped from the reports in 1880.
CHELSEA AND TUNBRIDGE
A Baptist church was organized in the town of Chelsea in 1795, and united with the Woodstock Association in 1797, with sixteen members. As early as 1800, it was known as the Chelsea and Tunbridge church and at that date had a membership of fifty-one. It was dropped from the Barre Association in 1819, for "having lost its former visibility." It reappears in 1823, but soon became disorganized again. The Convention minutes report in 1835, "Two other new churches have been organized in Chelsea and Brookfield." Probably the one in Chelsea was a reorganization of the old Chelsea and Tunbridge church, for in the statistical tables for that and the succeeding years, it appears under the name of the Chelsea and Tunbridge church. It never gained much strength. In 1846, it reported thirteen members.
The town of Tunbridge had a meeting-house, concerning the building of which two curious votes appear in the town records. One was directing a committee to clear a spot for the meeting- house by making a bee, and to find rum at the town's expense; the other, "Voted to raise the house at the expense of the town, only the committee were to find two barrels of rum out of the meeting-house fund." The rum project failed and it was a hard and long struggle before the house was completed.
STRAFFORD
About 1790, a farm hand, named Robert Dickey, began to exhort the people in his neighborhood, in the town of Strafford,
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and soon thirty people were converted. Calvinistic articles of faith were presented and tacitly received and a church organized. The following year there was a contest between the Calvinistic Baptists and the Free Baptists, which divided the church; ten going with the Calvinistics and fifteen with the Free Baptists. The former organization was soon dissolved, and the Free Bap- tists have occupied the field since and have there a flourishing church.
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