USA > Vermont > Washington County > Barre > One hundred fifty years of Methodism in Barre > Part 6
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The construction program took almost a year, and the result was a completely remodeled and beautified church. The pulpit recess was transformed into a chancel with an altar and memorial cross in the center beneath the Belle
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Moore Parks memorial window. On either side of this altar were placed the pulpit and lectern, giving balance to the setting. Lighting effects and rich coloring enhanced the beauty of arrangement. The cross and matching gold vases for the altar were gifts of Rev. and Mrs. B. G. Lipsky, in memory of their son Francis, who had died while still a student in college.
The basement as such ceased to be, and in its place was an attractive room with stained panelled walls, casement windows, linoleum floor, and modern lighting fixtures. On
Rev. Laurence H. Blackburn 1931-1937
Hedding Church was remodeled under his leadership.
one side was a fireplace made possible by a gift of George W. Perrin, with Dario Macchi's religious mural in oils above it. On the other side was a very up-to-date small theater. This room was appropriately christened Fellowship Hall.
The kitchen was modernized and became a source of continual satisfaction to the women. Much of its new equip- ment was furnished by A. A. Boyce. At the rear of Fellow- ship Hall, in the enclosed furnace room, an efficient stoker heating system was installed. New stairways were con-
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structed and the many other features of the renovation program carried out. Finally, the whole place was repaired to the smallest detail and thoroughly cleaned.
No record was preserved of the many individual gifts, large and small, but there is no question but that it was by everyone doing his share to the limit, and at considerable personal sacrifice, that this work was accomplished. It reflected great credit on the initiative and devotion of Hedding members.
An intensive rededication program was held at the church from Sunday, April 2, 1933, through the following Friday evening. Other churches of the city and several of the Methodist clergy from out of town joined with Hedding people on this happy occasion of reconsecration and rejoicing.
The other work of the church had not been lagging dur- ing these years of planning and building, and a number of innovations and changes had taken place. Time had also taken its inevitable toll.
In May, 1931, George B. Mills retired as head usher after a long and faithful period of service in this capacity. In his prime, Mr. Mills had been a tall, erect, very dignified man of whom the children of the parish stood in some awe and whom they regarded as no less a personage than the minister himself. His reserve and poise in the performance of his duties added dignity to the service itself.
A real advance was made in interdenominational effort when five of the city's Protestant Churches, the Baptist, Congregational, Presbyterian, Universalist and Methodist, united Sunday evening, October 25, 1931, in the first of a series of seven civic religious services held at the Barre Opera House. These programs as presented throughout the sea- son, were of wide variety,-literary, inspirational, musical and dramatic. Among those of national distinction brought to Barre in this connection was Edwin Markham who the following February was well received and read his poems to a rapt audience. The Barre Band contributed regularly to these services. The average attendance was between seven hundred and eight hundred. Hedding Church held evening services regularly except when these civic services were
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scheduled, and the mid-week prayer meeting was still a fea- ture of the weekly calendar.
The high school girls' choir was organized by Mrs. Blackburn in the fall, 1931, and the following January, the junior girls' choir made its first appearance. By Easter, vestments had been procured for both of these. Mrs. Blackburn also assembled a number of interested young women into a class which they christened Gamma Delta and which functioned in much the same way as the old Netop class-as both a Sunday school class and a social club.
A gift that was greatly appreciated by those in the con- gregation who were hard of hearing consisted of an earphone system with transmitter and six receivers. This was given in December by "Aunt Amelia" Farnsworth, and installed free of charge through the kindness of Mrs. C. K. Cole of the Barre Electric Company.
The little HEDDING HERALD which was still func- tioning efficiently called attention on January 8, 1932, to the poem by Francis J. Lipsky that had appeared on the front page of the week's ZION'S HERALD. Francis' pass- ing left the Lipskys bereft of all their children, the younger son having died in the Barre parsonage. Two weeks after the poem first appeared, it was reprinted on the cover of the HEDDING HERALD. At about this same time, North Barre Community House was invited to contribute notes to the church bulletin, and did so regularly after that, adding to the spirit of interest and unity between the two institu- tions.
After weeks of discussion, the Seekers' Circle, a new type of youth organization, was formally organized January 24, 1932, under the direction of the pastor and Miss Marion Stickney. This organization was later copyrighted.
The times were desperately hard now and a somber note crept into many of the church reports. In the previous De- cember, 1931, Dr. H. A. Drew, Mrs. Mae Counter, and Mrs. Eva Higgs had been appointed as a relief committee to help any in the church who were in need. In spite of hard times, though, when the spring roll call came around again, the pledges were stepped up $400 to make a total budget of over
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$4,000, and all current expenses except a $100 note had been met when the year closed. Of course the huge mortgage was still outstanding.
The Vermont Conference which met at Waterbury, 1932, decided to unite the St. Johnsbury and Montpelier dis- tricts, making St. Johnsbury the headquarters with B. G. Lipsky as district superintendent. For many years, the Barre Methodist Church had been in the St. Johnsbury dis- trict, despite its proximity to Montpelier. The use of the automobile was largely responsible now for placing one man over the territory originally included in two districts.
In May of this year, a call was issued for cars to carry shut-ins to Sunday service, and this project was carried on successfully for some time. In the summer, Hedding Church united with several other Protestant Churches, as was the custom, for union services, and a union Sunday school was also organized to meet at eleven o'clock on Sunday. Church was called at ten.
At about this same time, the Official Board protested the establishment of a filling station between the Methodist and Baptist Churches.
For a great many years now, the two missionary socie- ties, as part of the two corresponding national organizations, had been working hard in both fields of endeavor for those peoples who did not have the privileges many Americans take for granted. The Home Society concentrated its funds in this country,-in the great city slums, in the mountain districts of Tennessee, in the deep South, and many other places. The Foreign Society literally heeded these words "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." This Society recognized barriers of neither ocean, mountain, climate, race nor color in its efforts to have this gospel message and its attendant blessings of schools and hospitals reach-"all the world." It took courage and imagination for both these groups to quietly, persistently, carry on this type of crusading in the face of an oftentimes skeptical world which too often thought, and said, that "Charity begins at home", not realizing that to these Chris- tian women "home" was the whole world and every man their brother. During the early years of this history, the key-
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note of the times had been division. Now it had become union. In October, 1932, the two Societies voted to unite under one president, and the money raised was to be equally divided between the two. Since only sixty per cent of the Barre Methodist women belonged to these organizations, a drive was conducted for new members.
This same fall, 1932, an Italian minister of the Walden- sian Church, Professor Roberto A. Burattini, born in Florence, Italy, came to Barre to work with the Italian popu- lation.
Many times during the years, one program flourished while another fell by the wayside. The Boy Scouts of Hedding Church which had had such an auspicious beginning and such a creditable record, had been discontinued in the 1920's. Now a movement arose within the church to once more organize the boys between twelve and eighteen into a scout troop. This was successfully carried out, with Stephen Billings as the scoutmaster.
The first of the new year, 1933, found business condi- tions no better. HEDDING HERALD, which had been of such good service to both the church and community house, was discontinued because of a deficit. The Bank Holiday was announced in April, and increasing labor trouble made it necessary to lower the budget for the coming year. Also, many people had moved from Barre during the economic slump.
In the fall of 1933, Hedding Church, mindful of its history, sent a five dollar contribution toward a memorial for Jason Lee, the intrepid transcontinental missionary to the Oregon, who married the Barre girl, Lucy Thompson, and carried her name with his to fame.
The activities chart was placed in the vestibule of the church in December and filled a real need for getting informa- tion to the people, now that the news bulletin was discon- tinued.
In the spring, the Gamma Delta class, which had been very active since its organization, had the hymn books re- paired with an eye to the fact that their former state did not do justice to the newly decorated church, and possibly with
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due regard to the fact that Conference was to be held here in June.
The nineteenth session of the Vermont Annual Confer- ence met in Barre June 5-12, 1934, with Bishop Charles Wesley Burns presiding, and the visiting clergy were much impressed by the remodeled church. The local debt as re- ported at this time was $13,844.
Among the many features of this occasion was the Open House at the North Barre Community House, which gave many of the visiting clergy and their wives an opportunity to see at first hand this outstanding achievement in Ameri- canization.
On April 25, 1934, it had been voted that the old church which had been standing at the rear of Hedding all these years should be sold and torn down. In July the deed was executed whereby Eugene Stefanazzi and Constantino Jenini bought it for the sum of $50, with the understanding that they were to tear it down and clear the premises before November 1. Thus, one more old and honored landmark disappeared. A gavel, however, was made from some of the wood with the idea of preserving in tangible form some- thing from the building which held many sacred associa- tions for some of the older members.
Due to the depression and the changing tempo of the times, congregations had been decreasing for a time. In the fall, it seemed feasible to discontinue the midweek ser- vice. The pastor, realizing the burden the church was un- der, offered to take a ten per cent cut in salary, and this offer was regretfully accepted.
The little theater in Fellowship Hall was a joy to the people during these years, and was utilized again and again. It offered constructive entertainment to the young people, and the older members enjoyed its up-to-date facilities also.
In December of this year, Nora Lyon became church organist and has contributed materially to Hedding services ever since.
Inasmuch as the allowance for music has always been small, Hedding has been largely dependent on groups of devoted lay members, and it has been fortunate in having so
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many who were willing to devote time and effort to making possible a worthwhile service of music in conjunction with the rest of the church program. Few churches can boast of choir members with the records for loyalty and ability that Bertha and Mary Higgs and Gladys Olliver hold.
At the Fourth Quarterly Conference held in April, 1936, Mr. Blackburn reported that two hundred new members had been added to the roll in the five years of his pastorate. C. O. Granai, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Bonney, Gordon C. Newell, and Edgar Sabin were granted local preaching licenses. It was also good news to the members that $2,000 had been paid on the mortgage, reducing the total to $10,300. About a year later, this mortgage, held by the Granite Savings Bank, was transferred to the Vermont Annual Conference. It had been further reduced and was now $8,775.
In the summer of 1937, the Triers of Appeals of the Vermont Annual Conference were asked to hold a hearing in regard to a local controversy that had arisen. Mr. Burat- tini preferred charges against Mr. Blackburn as pastor of Hedding Church, stating that Mr. Blackburn had failed to live up to agreement in the matter of financing Mr. Burattini's work here. Dr. Eldon H. Martin, district super- intendent, presided at this hearing which, in accordance with the church law, was conducted in much the manner of a grand jury proceeding under secular law. It lasted seven and three-quarters hours. Then, on a motion of A. W. Hewitt, it was unanimously voted that the charges against Mr. Blackburn be not sustained and that he be completely exonerated.
In the fall of 1937, the pastor made known to the Official Board his decision to withdraw from the Methodist Episco- pal Church and to enter the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church. His pastorate terminated September 26, 1937. He served here during years that were full of changes and much that was constructive was accomplished, the re- modeled church being a testimony to his devoted endeavor.
Norman E. Moss came to Hedding Church in October, 1937 to complete the unexpired term and remained until the spring of 1942. All branches of church work took a forward step under the impetus of his leadership.
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One hundred new church hymnals were purchased dur- ing his first year by the Netop class. They were badly needed for the old ones, which the Gamma Deltas had had repaired in the spring of 1934, had had much use and were beyond further renovation.
The evangelistic program which had lagged in the past few years, was given new attention, and Mr. and Mrs. Gerald E. Bonney conducted a series of services throughout a period of two weeks.
Rev. Norman M. Moss 1937-1942 Prominent in Founding Barre Brotherhood.
Perhaps Mr. Moss' outstanding work in the church was with the boys. During the depression years and due to the times generally, it had become increasingly difficult to get leaders and workers for scout troops. Shortly after Mr. Moss' arrival here, a Cub Pack was formed. Two years later, with the invaluable help of Albert Snow, the pastor
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was instrumental in getting a Boy Scout troop organized. There was enthusiastic response to both these programs.
The Vermont Conference held its ninety-fifth session in Barre, May 31-June 4, 1939, and for some time previous the energies of the church membership had been bent toward making this Annual Session a success. This was the eleventh time that the local church entertained the Annual Confer- ence. On the first occasion it was the New England Confer- ence, on the second, the New Hampshire Conference. After that the Barre Methodist Church belonged to the Vermont Conference.
Just previous to this conference, at the Unifying Con- ference of Kansas City, three great branches of Methodism united. They were the Methodist Protestant Church, or- ganized in 1828 by a group of clergymen (among them Nicholas Snethen who came to Barre in 1796) protesting certain practices of the Methodist Episcopal Church; the Methodist Episcopal Church North and the Methodist Epis- copal Church South, which had formally split over the slavery issue in 1844. Henceforth, these three were known as the Methodist Church. This merger did not include all branches of Methodism but by merging the three largest, it was a far step in the right direction. Eldon H. Martin, district super- intendent at this time, had been one of the delegates to this important conference.
The Vermont Conference was one of the first in the country to convene under the new setup and it was con- sidered a very important meeting. Bishop Straughn, former president of the Methodist Protestant Church and newly ordained bishop, was assigned to preside over the Vermont Session as his first task, but due to illness, he was unable to attend. Bishop Flint was contacted in Florida where he was presiding over the Conference there, and he promised to come as soon as possible. He arrived a day late, however.
In the meantime, the members of the Vermont Con- ference, finding themselves without a presiding officer, fol- lowed the procedure set up for just such an emergency, and elected one of their own members, Eldon H. Martin, to pre- side until the arrival of Bishop Flint. This he did, and it was under his direction that the affairs of the Vermont Con-
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ference pertaining to the old Methodist Episcopal Church were wound up and the Vermont Annual Conference of THE METHODIST CHURCH called to order at eleven thirty-five A.M. When the Bishop arrived early the next morning, after a hurried trip by plane and train, he was somewhat chagrined to find completed the most important task for which he had come!
Not only was this week an exciting one for the Metho- dists of Barre, it was an event in the lives of all the towns- people. Coincident with this meeting of the Methodists, annual meetings were held here by the Congregational Con- ference, the Baptist State Convention, and the Vermont Church Council. These four groups united for several meetings and on Thursday afternoon at four o'clock they all gathered at the Congregational Church for the com- munion service. Dr. Oscar Maurer, the national head of the Congregationalists, gave the address and administered communion. Between seven hundred and eight hundred persons were present on this occasion.
There had been a slow increase in church attendance and at the April meeting, 1940, the pastor reported the aver- age attendance at Sunday morning worship as more than two hundred. At this same meeting, the minister's salary was raised to $2,200.
The Ladies' Aid Society was now reorganized, 1940, and became the Women's Society of Christian Service which a large number of the women joined. This organization was set up throughout the country.
Modern times were catching up with the church on every hand. At a winter meeting in 1941, the leader of the young people's division asked permission to use Fellowship Hall for dancing. After moving and seconding a motion that per- mission should not be given, the matter was discussed further and finally tabled. Apparently that was the last of it.
A Girl Scout troop and a Brownie Pack were sponsored by Hedding Church in the spring and were active for a num- ber of years. Also, a Men's Club was organized.
The Annual Vermont Conference met for the ninety- sixth and last time in Montpelier in 1940. For some time,
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at least as early as 1939, there had been discussion as to the feasibility of uniting with the Troy Conference. The Ver- mont Conference, as it was set up, was altogether too small to carry the burden of its work, for this Conference did not include much important territory on the west side of the Green Mountain range. That territory, including Burling- ton and Bennington, belonged to the Troy Conference. Many efforts had been made through the years to bring the entire state into one conference, but the west side deter- minedly opposed this, and the two occasions when it was actually tried were unsuccessful and led to much bitterness of feeling. So, in the end, since the west side would not capitulate, the Mountain came to Mahomet and the Vermont and Troy Conferences were merged at Saratoga in 1941 to be known henceforth as the Troy Conference.
Mr. Moss will be best remembered in Barre for taking a leading part in the founding of the Barre Brotherhood. This organization was several years in the making. Finally, at a meeting of the Ministers' Society in 1942, Mr. Moss sug- gested that the Protestant men's clubs hold a joint meeting. A little later came the proposal that Catholic and Jewish men be included in this meeting. Thus the Barre Brother- hood came into being. It held its first banquet and meeting - shortly after Easter, and this precedent has been followed ever since. Every man in Barre, regardless of race, color or creed is welcome. Speakers representing the three different branches of religion have been glad to come to Barre for these occasions, which have aroused interest throughout the state.
In Barre, as in every community, prejudice in the mat- ter of race, color and creed raises its ugly head every so often. Bringing together in harmonious social relationship all the different groups was a definite step forward in exposing pre- judice for exactly what it is-ignorance.
Mr. Moss left Barre this same spring, and a testimonial dinner was given him by a representative group of men be- longing to the Barre Brotherhood for his outstanding con- tribution to its organization.
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CHAPTER X NORTH BARRE COMMUNITY HOUSE
While the main events of the founding and early history of the North Barre Mission (as it was first called) are fairly clear, the details are lost in the shadows of those early years. Not until as late as 1917 were adequate records kept.
By 1900, following the boom in the granite industry, there was a large population of non-English speaking people centered in the northern part of the town. Most of these people were of Italian birth, and in coming to this country, had to a large extent severed connection with their ancestral faith and now had no church home. The attempts of pre- vious ministers to interest them in the Hedding Church had amounted to very little. They were strangers in an alien and cold land, and inevitably clung together and stayed by themselves.
At this time there was a very active Epworth League at Hedding Church composed of an energetic group of young people, who were, however, considerably older than the youth groups of a later date. When Mr. Lowe came to Barre, in the spring of 1902, he found them carrying on, among varied activities, "some open air meetings in and around North Barre." Mr. C. S. Andrews and Mr. Richard Moyle (later a Methodist clergyman) were among the leaders of this enterprise.
These open air meetings were the very first step in a series of events that led to the founding of the North Barre Mission. In the summer of 1903, this project was renewed and received new impetus from the pastor.
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There was at this time on North Main Street, next door to the Hotel Milano, a Castle Park open air theater, which sponsored vaudeville shows, traveling musical revues, and the like. The Texaco filling station now stands on this site next door to the Venetian restaurant. Both the hotel and theater were owned by Joe Ossola, and when he was ap- proached by Mr. Lowe, Mr. Ossola very courteously con- sented to allow services in this theater between four and five o'clock on Sunday afternoons since there was no Sunday entertainment. From this time on, these Sunday afternoon services seem to have been held regularly.
Mrs. Alice C. Curtis and Mrs. Bostrick, deaconesses, were leading figures in the founding of the Mission. Among Hedding laymen helping in this project were Dr. L. W. Hanson and his daughter Elizabeth, who was the Hedding deaconess, George Mills and Fred Page. Margaret and Bell Robertson, deaconesses stationed elsewhere, also helped in this activity when they were at home.
The Sunday afternoon program in the open air theater was a simple one led by the pastor and Mr. Andrews. It consisted of the singing of a few lively gospel songs, scrip- ture reading, prayer, and a few very brief remarks by Mr. Lowe. Following this, the children, some fifty to ninety of them, remained while the deaconesses told them stories, usually Bible stories. As a matter of fact, the audience was almost entirely made up of children, only a handful of adults attending besides the workers from Hedding.
As the summer wore on and the afternoons began to grow cool, the workers were confronted with the problem of finding an indoor place in which to continue the work. At this time, Mr. Lowe came to the definite conclusion that with the children lay their greatest opportunity for religious in- struction and organization, that with them the work was essential and could be made fruitful.
Near the railroad tracks, just north of the Smith Whit- comb & Cook foundry at North Barre, was the old Mont- pelier & Wells River station. This brick building had been given up as a station and rented as a dwelling. The last family had had several cases of diphtheria and had made a precipitate departure without attempting to clean it up.
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