USA > Vermont > History of the Baptists in Vermont > Part 6
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visit were most cordially welcomed, and each for himself expressed much gratification that the church had been thus remembered; and the Committee from information these brethren gave, in refer- ence to the condition of things there, are encouraged to believe the prospect is favorable to its early reinstatement into the fellowship of the Association. Upon this report, the Association voted to re- ceive the Pownal church, and the hand of fellowship was extended to its pastor, Rev. J. M. Batcheler. For a few years there was little sign of vitality. In 1879, Arthur Day was chosen pastor, and the membership reported was thirty-five. The house of worship was put in repair and the church began to show anxiety concerning its future.
A. H. Simons was pastor in 1883, and three were baptized, the first for many years. L. E. Scott followed, in 1888, and ten new members were added. Women's Mission Circles were organized.
In 1890, three hundred dollars were expended on their church property. McGeorge came to their help in 1892 and twenty-one new members were received. The next year the church entertained the Association for the first time in fifty-one years, and for the fifth time in its history, the other times being in 1808, 1828, 1837 and 1843. Rev. Thomas Cull, visited them in 1895, and seven new members were received. In 1897, Rev. B. F. Kellogg began a pastor- ate of seven years, during which Rev. W. A. Davison, State Superin- tendent of Missions, assisted in a series of meetings, resulting in the addition of twelve. Rev. F. W. Klein had a short pastorate, 1904. In 1907, State Evangelist Hafer held a ten days' meeting with the church and baptized fourteen and received three by letter. The help rendered at intervals thus by the State evangelists proved most fruitful and gave the church new hopefulness and influence.
Rev. C. E. VanSchaick was the next pastor, under whose ministry the church became greatly encouraged. In 1908, it invited the Association to hold its sessions with them the next year. In 1909, H. G. Mohl became pastor. The bright prospects of the church were greatly darkened January 11, when their church edifice, recently renovated, was destroyed by fire. The member- ship last reported was seventy-six. Under the energetic leader-
REV. S. H. ARCHIBALD The efficient Secretary of the State Convention for twenty-two years Born, 1848-Died, 1904
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ship of pastor Mohl, a new, substantial edifice was erected in place of the one destroyed by fire, and dedicated in 1912.
WALLINGFORD
After the resignation of Elder Henry Greene, in 1807, the church came to rely on Deacon Randall. He supplied the pulpit by exchange with neighboring pastors; by the use of his own talents, and in many ways, sought to maintain the institutions of the church. Some were not edified by the improvement of his gifts; others were doubtless jealous of his lead, and instead of doing what they could to secure a pastor, tried to weaken him in his labors. It was a long, dark time. Many were excluded and others were lost to the church for usefulness and christian growth. Still others removed, and the ranks were fearfully decimated by these causes, and by heresy, which came into the church; a preacher, named Lobdell, leading several from their love to the church. Political divisions entered, and it being the time of the war of 1812, some were excluded for being Federalists. But this danger passed and others were en- countered.
The meetings had been scattered, the church divided and re- duced, but there was a faithful remnant and, in 1816, there is ex- pressed in the records a desire for new life and power, and methods of attaining this end are sought and mentioned. In 1814, some steps had been taken looking to the securing of a pastor, and in this Dea- con Randall took the lead. In January, 1817, ten years after the departure of Rev. Henry Greene, they chose Sedgwick Rice, a licen- tiate from Connecticut, who labored about two years on a salary of one hundred dollars.
A long succession of brief pastorates follows : Lemon Andrews, 1821-1824; Gibbon Williams, 1826-1828, two years; Frederick Page, 1830-1834, four years; - Davis, 1837-1838, six months; Leland Huntley, 1838-1839, one year; Joseph H. Sherwin, 1839-1841, one and three-quarter years; Daniel Hascall, 1841- 1843, two years; Joseph Packer, 1843-1844, one year; A. A. Con- stantine, 1844-1845, one year; R. Meyers, 1845-1847, two years;
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Frederick Page, 1849-1850, one year; S. L. Elliott, 1851-1857, five and one-half years; Edwin M. Haynes, 1857-1859, two years; Edward Conover, 1859-1863, three and one-half years; James W. Grant, 1863-1864, one and one-half years; R. G. Johnson, 1865-1867, two years; Joshua Fletcher, D. D., 1869-1873, three and one-half years; Edward Conover, 1874-1876, two years; Henry S. Archibald, 1876.
Up to this date there had been twenty-one pastorates covering sixty-five years, giving an average of a little more than three years, or deducting that of Rev. Henry Greene, the remaining ones average two and one-fourth years. For thirty-five years, or more than one- third the history of the church at that time, the church had been without a pastor. The total number received into this church up to the time of its centennial, in 1880, was seven hundred and eighteen. There were on its roll at that time seventy-four.
Its present house of worship was erected in 1827, at a cost of $870.00. Recent renovations and improvements make it still a comely and convenient church home.
With Rev. S. Henry Archibald's pastorate, a new order of things began. As a wise, energetic, patient laborer, he devoted him- self to the interests of this church with genuine ardor and love. He was a genuine under-shepherd to them. Though his immediate parish was limited in extent, he became influential in all the enter- prises of the denomination, serving many years on the Board of the Convention, as secretary; he became intimately acquainted with the condition of the churches, generally, and his judgment was of much value. He retained his position as pastor of the Wallingford church twenty-two years. He was succeeded by Rev. S. F. Smith, four years; S. P. Perry, 1902-1903; S. F. Leathers, 1903-1905; C. R. B. Dodge, 1906-1910; S. D. Sykes, 1910.
The associational relationships of this church have been varied. In 1788, it withdrew from the Shaftsbury Association to unite with the Vermont Association, which was more conveniently near. In 1808, it withdrew from the Vermont Association and remained unassociated till 1824, when it united with the Man- chester Association, remaining in that body till it disbanded some
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five years later. In 1833, it again united with the Vermont As- sociation and has since been a member of that body, or its suc- cessor, the present Shaftsbury Association.
A name worthy of special mention and remembrance is that of Deacon Joseph Randall. For fifty-four years he served the church as clerk; for fifty-six years as deacon, and much of the time he filled the pulpit of the church, and ever interested himself in its welfare. He is most emphatically its hero and its greatest burden bearer. He filled an important place in civil life-Representative four years, Judge of Probate four years, and was also a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1793. He also filled other town offices-as town clerk, etc. Says the author of the biographical sketch in the Vermont Historical Gazeteer: "In addition to this, he bore his part in the war of the Revolution, and also in the war of 1812. An honorable man, a christian, a patriot, he was of very great benefit to the town and performed no inconsiderable service for the State." Says Mr. Archibald, "doubtless he had his faults, but time has covered these. His integrity, his virtues and his fidelity shine above the lapse of years. Having faithfully served his generation and well discharged the duties which belonged to him, he fell asleep in Christ, April 15, 1836, aged eighty years."
CHAPTER V
THE VERMONT ASSOCIATION
In May, 1785, the delegates from five little churches with four pastors met in Elder Joseph Cornell's barn in Manchester, and organized an association to which they gave the name of Vermont Association. The churches thus uniting were: Manchester, Clar- endon, Danby, Middleton, and Granville, N. Y., with a total men- bership of two hundred and thirteen. The pastors were: Joseph Cornell, Thomas Skeels, Isaac Beals and John R. Dodge. It is probable that their first published minutes were printed in 1789. There were then eleven churches, and six hundred and thirteen members. In 1791, there were fifteen churches and four hundred and eighty-four members. The territory then included in this body extended from Manchester on the south to Georgia on the north, and in addition to that covered when first organized, it included all now included in the Addison and the Lamoille Associations.
Little is known of the history of the Association during the first ten years. Of the three circular letters which have come down to us from this period, one is on the duty of searching the Scriptures, and trying ourselves constantly by that standard, both in respect to our doctrines and our practice; another sets forth christian fel- lowship as consisting, first, in fellowship with God the Father, and secondly, with those who are godly and walk in the truth.
The sentiments, as condensed in the preamble of a new Con- stitution, published in 1796, were these:
"We believe that the scriptures of the Old and the New Testa- ment are the word of God and the only rule of faith and practice,- that there is one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,-the doc- trine of eternal personal election,-total depravity,-the convey- ance of sin from Adam by natural generation to all his posterity,- of pardon and justification alone by the blood and righteousness of
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Christ,-the final perseverance of the saints,-resurrection of the dead and a general judgment,-that the punishment of the wicked will be endless, the happiness of the righteous eternal,-the sanctity of the Sabbath (otherwise the Lord's day),-immersion, the only mode of baptism and its necessity to the communion of the Lord's Supper; that none have a right to either ordinance but true be- lievers in Christ; that no person has any right to administer them but those who are called of God, and regularly set apart to the sacred office by a presbytery of ordained ministers of the gospel, appointed by the churches."
The first constitution was liberal, acknowledging the entire independence of the churches, but reserving to itself the right of rejecting or excluding churches and ministers who had become cor- rupt in sentiment or practice. But to some of the brethren the original provisions of the constitution did not sufficiently guard against a nominal and undesirable fellowship, and a Convention was called, in 1795, to revise the constitution or make a new one.
The committee on revision consisted of Isaac Beals, Caleb Blood and Obed Warren. The proposed Convention was held at Wallingford the 6th of January, 1796. The reading of the special provisions of the new constitution indicate that in the minds of its advocates, the dominant purpose of an Association was to guard from infringement the orthodoxy of the churches and its own doc- trinal purity.
By the provisions of the new Constitution, the churches were represented in the Association by two members only, the pastor and one delegate, or in the case of a pastorless church, by at most two delegates, and each delegate was to bring a letter, not only certifying to his appointment by the church, but also stating the esential doctrines of the gospel held by them, and the present state of their churches. If the church sent a minister as their messenger, who had not previously been a member of the Association, the As- sociation was to examine him respecting a work of grace upon his soul, ministerial qualifications, principles in the christian religion, etc. If the examination did not prove satisfactory the minister was to be refused a seat in the Association, his church informed of the objection, and unless the objection was removed by them or the
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pastor dismissed, the church would be refused the fellowship of the Association.
Two other lengthy articles provided for the settlement of difficulties between churches in the Association, and also between any church in this Association and one belonging to a correspond- ing association.
The Association practically reorganized itself into a standing council, to test the soundness of ministers and churches within its own constituency, and even, if need be, to pass judgment upon churches and associations with which they were in correspond- ence.
Naturally, this action caused serious disagreement and ulti- mately rent the Association into two parties. In 1799, two sets of delegates presented themselves at the Shaftsbury Association, both claiming to represent the Vermont Association. The Shaftsbury cautiously but kindly declined to receive either delegation officially, but invited both to seats individually; appointed a committee to investigate, and two years later, recognized as the Vermont As- sociation, the body which had adopted the new constitution.
Before 1805, however, another convention had been called by both parties in the Vermont Association, and their differences amicably adjusted and reunion effected. At the close of the second decade of its history, the Association numbered nineteen churches, ten ordained ministers, and one thousand three hundred and seven- ty-four members.
At this time it was in correspondence with eight other associa- tions, and was carefully providing for the supply of the pulpits of pastorless churches, each church giving its pastor occasional leave of absence to supply some other church, unable to support preach- ing. Now an incident occurred which opened the way for a broader work into which the Association heartily entered.
The record of it is: "As we understand, our beloved brother, William Harrington, contemplates a journey to preach in the new settlements the ensuing year, we take this opportunity to express our approbation, and do cheerfully recommend him to all who wish to hear the Word of Life dispensed, as a regularly ordained minister of the gospel in our fellowship."
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Mr. Harrington made two tours on the east side of Lake Cham- plain as far as the bounds of Canada, and spent a few days in that province, and from his mission he brought to the Association such encouraging reports that definite plans were adopted for the con- tinuance of the work. A standing committee of twelve was ap- pointed annually, half the number being ministers, the others lay- men. These were carefully organized as directors, for the appointing of missionaries, directing their labors and meeting their expenses.
Until 1820, the Association continued this important work. The men employed as missionaries were: Isaac Sawyer, William Harrington, Samuel Rowley, Solomon Brown, Abel Wood, Henry Chamberlain, Elisha Starkweather, J. W. Sawyer, Roswell Mears, Clark Kendrick, John Spaulding. Two or three tours were made annually. The most active in this work was Isaac Sawyer, who made at least seven tours. They journeyed along the east and the west side of Lake Champlain, into Canada, and along the St. Lawrence in northern New York, and into the valley of the Scroon. Their usual time was two months' absence, during which time they would preach upward of fifty sermons and perform other work. They re- ceived on an average five dollars a week, and returned to the As- sociation treasury all collections received on their tours, thus re- ducing considerably their expenses. The importance and blessed results of this mission work can never be estimated.
The visit to this Association, in 1814, of Luther Rice, the associate of Adoniram Judson, gave it a broader outlook and led it to engage in foreign mission work. A society was organized auxiliary to the Triennial Convention and the Association engaged at once in promoting, with praiseworthy liberality, the foreign work. In 1815, $381.00 are found in the foreign mission fund. At the close of this third decade of its history, the Association embraced twenty- two churches, twenty ministers, and one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six communicants, being an increase during the last ten years of three churches and four hundred and sixty-two members. The funds raised for domestic missions were given in charge of the Foreign Mission Society, and that society assuming the name of The Vermont Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, went for-
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ward in its useful work, making frequent appropriations to both foreign and domestic work. Its receipts, exclusive of legacies, are estimated to have averaged not much less than $150.00 a year. In 1826, this society was merged in the State Convention.
The year 1817 was one of remarkable ingathering. There were received that year, by baptism, eight hundred and sixty-six; and by letter, one hundred and seven. The Poultney church received ninety-nine by baptism; Addison, ninety-three; Ira, sixty-eight; Granville, sixty-nine; Middletown, fifty-eight; Ferris- burg, eighty-two. The total membership of the Association ad- vanced to the number of two thousand eight hundred and forty. The year 1809 was a remarkable one for the Middletown church, which received one hundred and twelve by baptism.
Twice the Vermont Association glanced over the mountains into the fold of the Woodstock Association, once troubled because of Elder Aaron Leland's interest in civil affairs, and once on ac- count of the departure from orthodoxy of Elders Manning and Higbee. In the first instance, failing to take all the preliminary steps, their complaint was tabled, and in the second it led to action on the part of the sister Association with good results.
A difference of sentiment grew up in the Association on the subject of Freemasonry. Some wished to act upon the subject and others refused to, in the capacity of an association. The feeling be- came strong and, in 1833, several of the churches asked and received dismission to form the Addison Association. Other churches in Addison County soon connected themselves with the new body, leaving the Vermont Association at half its former size. In 1835, it numbered fourteen churches, and one thousand one hundred and seventy-eight members.
In 1851, the Vermont Association made overtures to the Ad- dison Association, proposing a reunion of the two organizations, and for a time the prospect of this reunion was encouraging. A joint meeting was held at Brandon, in 1852, but the parties failed to agree on a basis of union. About the same time the Shaftsbury As- sociation invited the Vermont Association to unite with them, and the invitation was cheerfully accepted and the two bodies, in 1855, united under the name of The Vermont and Shaftsbury Associa-
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tion. The minutes of the body were published under this name until 1878, when it assumed the name, Shaftsbury Association-the dates of the origin of the two united bodies being printed under the name on the title page, thus preserving the historical connection.
At the time of the union this Association consisted of ten churches: Brandon, Hubbardton, Hydeville, Ira, Middletown, Pittsford, Poultney, Rutland, Wallingford, Westhaven. Total membership, seven hundred and seventy-five.
The Shaftsbury Association gave to this union five churches: The first Bennington, second Bennington, first Hoosick, N. Y., Man- chester, Shaftsbury; five pastors and five hundred and ninety-four members. Total membership of the union, one thousand three hundred and sixty-nine.
Concerning the ministers in the early period and even in later ones who founded and developed the Baptist churches in Vermont, the words of an old chronicler are true: "Few, if any of them, had received a liberal education, but they were men of strong minds, ardent piety, sound judgment, firm faith and untiring zeal. Their courage was unflinching and they were distinguished for great soundness in the doctrines of the Gospel. They were close students of the Bible, men of one book. They believed in what they preached and those that heard them believed that they believed it. They were chosen vessels,-apostles, on whom a necessity had been laid to preach the Gospel. To other natural and spiritual qualifications, there were added great physical constitutions. And thus furnished, they did the Master's work in heat and cold, by day and by night, threading the wilderness by marked trees, swimming the rivers, ex- posed to rain and snow, often with no guide and at the peril of their lives. And they were everywhere welcomed. The scattered settlers hungered for the bread of life, and these men dispensed it with great hearts and liberal hands. They had sought the wilder- ness for this very purpose, not called to the pastorates of churches,- not expecting settlements, not to live upon the people, but to preach the Gospel and to win souls. Even where they settled and became pastors, they had no salaries; they lived by the labor of their own hands. They took up farms, felled trees, rolled logs, made potash, put in seed and gathered the grateful harvests, and they were as
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good farmers as they were ministers. In short, they were great men, and God blessed their labors, giving them good success." (Conven- tion Hist. Add., 1875).
A vivid conception of an associational gathering in the early days calls for an exercise of imagination, assisted by something be- sides the formal minutes of the body. These anniversaries involved long journeys over bad mountainous roads. The hospitality of the entertaining churches were heavily taxed, though the burden was most cheerfully borne. Their accommodations were not ample and the delegates had to make the best of what they could find. Beds were made up on the floor and the men were sometimes compelled to sleep in the pews in the meeting-house. It was on one of these occasions that Elder Leland, who was a very fleshy man, snored loudly. One nervous minister, unable to sleep on account of Le- land's snoring, bore his trial as long as he could, and then, standing up full length in the pew he called out, "Elder Leland, Elder Leland, the glory of your nostrils is terrible."
But the serious features of these gatherings were far more in evidence than the mirthful. They were often genuinely evange- listic, the massing of the spiritual forces of the body upon the com- munity where the association was held. A notice of the Vermont Association published in the Vermont Telegraph in 1829 is sugges- tive of the evangelistic motive of an Association. The Association was to be holden in the new meeting-house in Bridport the first Thursday in June, and this was the call:
"The churches are requested to send active lay brethren to visit from house to house and hold meetings in different parts of the town on Wednesday preceding the Association. Brethren from Shoreham will be received and conducted in visiting by Dea. S. Converse; from Crown Point, by Bro. Frost and Bro. Wilcox; from Moriah, by Breth. Hiram Smith and J. C. Eldrige; from Panton and Ferrisburg, by Bro. Luther Smith; from Addison, by Bro. Hinds. Breth from Weybridge will visit in the northeast neighborhood, and call on Cap. W. Cory for entertainment and from Cornwall on Bro. Wm. Baldwin; from other churches will be directed by myself when they arrive.
Jonathan Merriam."
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This was, doubtless, a quarterly meeting of the Association as the regular session of the body was held in October that year at Rutland. It is interesting to turn to the statistical table of the Association and to find reported the next year twenty-two baptisms in the Bridport church. One can hardly refrain from connecting in thought the meeting in June, 1828, with the cheering report in 1830.
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CHAPTER VI
MANCHESTER ASSOCIATION
It was with the Manchester church that the Vermont Baptist Association was organized in Elder Cornell's barn in 1785. For some ten years this church remained a member of the Association it had been so influential in forming. By this time the Vermont Associa- tion had enlarged its borders far to the north, embracing the churches of Orwell and Shoreham sixty miles away, leaving Man- chester on the extreme southern limit. From their distance from the center of this body, and from their own depressed condition for years after Elder Cornell's removal, as well as on account of the distracted condition of the Association, they were discouraged, and failing to represent themselves were left off the minutes, and re- mained unassociated until 1818, when in the same barn where the Vermont Association had been organized, a new Association was formed under the name of The Manchester Association. The churches uniting with this body were: Arlington, Manchester, Dorset, Londonderry, Hebron, Rupert, and Winhall; Pawlet, and Wallingford afterward joined it. The largest number of members in this body at any time was six hundred and eighty. The prin- cipal ministers were Rev. C. M. Fuller, P. W. Reynolds, C. Cham- berlain and I. Beals.
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