USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Arlington > St. James' Episcopal Church, Arlington, Vermont : a sketch of the birth and growth of Saint James' Parish, the oldest parish in the diocese of Vermont, together with brief sketches of the lives of the bishops of the diocese and of the rectors of St. James' Parish > Part 13
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A ministry of great fruitfulness and zeal came to its close in the e. 1939, when the Rector retired from active parochial work, and n his family moved from the Rectory.
Life for him had been enriched by his years in Arlington; the sh had been enriched and blessed by his ministrations, and the ble, with many of whom he shared deep personal sorrows as well as , were also blessed."
Note .- Sunderland has, since the rectorship of the Rev. Frederick A. Wadleigh .4-1864), received frequent ministrations from the Rectors of St. James' Parish.
Ir. Wadleigh during his long ministry at Arlington speaks in his annual reports le Convention of holding services there with good congregations, and also of ning a Sunday School. These services were probably held in a church building inderland borough which was taken down many years ago.
During the rectorship of the Rev. Richard C. Searing (1888-1893) a Union hech was built by the people of Sunderland, and Mr. Searing was active in this t, though at no time was there an Episcopal organization there.
The Rev. G. R. Brush in 1929 began a Sunday School which was held on Friday noons after school at the Sunderland school house. This school was maintained achatwo years with an attendance of about twelve scholars, but after the first year as conducted at the home of Miss Nettie Houghton since deceased.
From 1931 to 1937 Episcopal services were conducted both summer and winter at Union Church every Sunday, the Rev. W. J. Brown, of Zion Church, Manchester, Mr. Brush taking the services on alternate Sundays.
During 1937 the Rev. J. Elmer McKee, whose summer home is in Sunderland, had ge of the services. Mr. McKee is now Rector at Peterborough, New Hampshire.
Now that a review has been made of the life and work of the Rec- during Bishop Hall's episcopate it remains to record some impres- s as to the Bishop's relations to diocesan life and of his personal asso- ion with his clergy.
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Bishop Hall was impatient of inaccuracies and inconsistencies often bluntly rebuked those who were dilatory in making their rep or who fell short in some duty.
From time to time in annual conventions Bishop Hall made defi: pronouncements in formal discourses which he termed "Charg clearly defining the teaching of the Church in doctrine, discipline worship. These Charges, the fruit of the Bishop's ripe scholarship, v looked upon by his clergy as classics in theology, and gave him the p tion of a spiritual leader, not only in his own diocese but in Gen Convention where he was recognized as an authority on the doct: and polity of the Church.
His Conferences with the clergy at Rock Point for group study discussion were rare privileges to the clergy and gave opportunity a better understanding of the bishop's habits of thought and life, in particular his prayer-life was most edifying and convincing.
In his exegesis of the Bible the Bishop was very practical and help and in questions about the Prayer Book and its rubrics, and the canon the Church he was always direct and clear, and whether personally agreement with all of his conclusions or not the clergy always g him their respect and confidence.
Bishop Hall, though often called to speak and conduct missi without the diocese, yet often traveled in Vermont on country rc regardless of weather conditions, to hold services and preach simply small groups of a dozen persons or less.
In 1911 Bishop Hall, feeling that his health was being undermir and that he could no longer give the diocese the care which he it should have, especially in the rigors of winter, had offered to resi
The convention was much averse to this and, with the reluct consent of the Bishop, voted to elect a Bishop Coadjutor.
At the convention of 1912 the Rev. William Farrar Weeks, t. Rector of Trinity Church, Shelburne, was elected the first Bis Coadjutor of Vermont.
Mr. Weeks was a priest who had served in the diocese for m: years and was well known and beloved, being at this time Secretary the diocese.
In some respects he was like the present Bishop of the diocese, Rt. Rev. Vedder Van Dyck, D.D., a good administrator, most genial approachable and especially beloved in the country parishes.
He was a loyal supporter of Bishop Hall, a good pastor, and fr of fishing and outdoors.
His leadership was strong, but he was humble in spirit.
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'o the great sorrow of the diocese Bishop Weeks was stricken at the rertoutset of his labors as Coadjutor with cancer and lived only a few ohs after his consecration.
d His successor, the Rev. George Yemens Bliss, was another of the hasanding clergy of the diocese at that time, and when elected Bishop the Rector of St. Paul's, Burlington, his first and only rectorship. lip, the egan his ministry as Assistant to the Rev. J. Isham Bliss, his uncle, was Rector of St. Paul's, Burlington, for many years. After his Gaall the Rev. George Y. Bliss became Rector. Bishop Bliss was con- doited as Coadjutor of the Diocese of Vermont in 1915, and became a ted and efficient leader in the missionary work of the diocese of h Bishop Hall gave him complete charge.
ishop Bliss was an indefatigable worker. He would start out with of his missionary priests on his itinerary, traveling with him from morning until late in the evening, and after preaching and con- ing in three and sometimes four mission stations he seemed still and vigorous.
The Bishop did not drive an automobile, but was always ready to : trips with the missionary in his Model T Ford, however uncertain is in its movements.
Bishop Bliss was a graduate of the University of Vermont, and at mieime of his election as Bishop Coadjutor the University conferred ry i him the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.
impli Because of his scholarly equipment, his catholic churchmanship, and amiliarity with Vermont traditions, he was very valuable in his ermit: as Bishop Coadjutor.
His successful service for many years as parish priest in a large city h was fruitful in giving him wisdom and judgment in his wider of leadership.
But again the diocese suffered the loss of its Coadjutor. Bishop Bliss, nine years of strenuous work in the diocese, was stricken and in 1924.
These were trying years for the diocese, but most trying for Bishop who in his declining years had come to rely on the calm and ious counsel of his Coadjutor.
But the diocese must press on, and it soon became the general ng that the diocese must look outside its borders for help.
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
The Episcopate of the Right Reverend Samuel Babcock Booth, D.D.
S AMUEL BABCOCK BOOTH became the choice of the 1 special diocesan convention for the election of Bishop Coadj which met at St. Paul's Church, Burlington, in February, 192. A graduate of Harvard and of the Virginia Theological Semin Mr. Booth began his ministry as rural missionary in the diocese Pennsylvania. Here with his unusual intellectual gifts and his wins personality, together with his inexhaustible energy he had mac notable success, and his work became known throughout the dioces Pennsylvania.
When the diocese of Vermont began to look for a priest who m be peculiarly fitted for the problems of this rural diocese, the nam Samuel Babcock Booth was presented, and he became the choice of diocese.
Bishop Booth entered upon his work with enthusiasm, mal friends quickly among both the clergy and laity, and having from first the hearty cooperation of Bishop Hall who committed to charge unreservedly the missionary work of the diocese.
For seven years as Coadjutor, Bishop Booth loyally and aggressi· carried on the missionary work of the diocese, gaining the confide of clergy and people alike. Then he was called to assume the charge of the diocese by reason of the death of Bishop Hall.
Full of years, with his mental faculties clear and unabated, yet v physical infirmities, Bishop Hall had so far as his health permitted c tinued to make his visitations in the diocese for about twenty y after his health began to fail. His last visitation was at St. Lu Parish, St. Albans, where he had, while at the Rectory, made a mis and had fallen downstairs. Though he partially recovered from fall, it is believed that it hastened his death, for the end came a weeks later at his home at Rock Point.
After an Episcopate of thirty-five years, with the reputation ( scholar and a preacher, not only in the diocese, but throughout
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RIGHT REVEREND SAMUEL BABCOCK BOOTH, D.D. Bishop Coadjutor, 1925-1930 Bishop, 1930-1935
RIGHT REVEREND VEDDER VAN DYC D.D. 1936-
RIGHT REVEREND WILLIAM FARRAR WEEKS, D.D. Bishop Coadjutor, 1912-1913
RIGHT REVEREND GEORGE YEMEN BLISS, D.D. Bishop Coadjutor, 1915-1924
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ontry and in England, he laid down his work and entered into the mer life-February twenty-sixth, 1930.
After the burial service at St. Paul's Church, Burlington, on March r, attended by a large proportion of the clergy, and representatives rin the laity from all parts of the diocese, the mortal body of the i op was interred in the burial plot at Rock Point.
Bishop Booth, taking up the burden of the Episcopate, thus laid o'n by his Father in God, challenged both the clergy and the people f he diocese to a renewed and heightened manifestation of Christian erice. He was intensely devoted to what he felt was paramount, the uender of man's whole being, body, soul, and spirit to Christ's way fife through the acceptance of the teachings of the Catholic faith.
In his interpretation of this faith, he was an Anglo-Catholic, and evas convinced of the importance of this method of the interpretation fhe Christian faith, yet he was tolerant in his attitude towards those differed from him.
Bishop Booth cherished the plan of making Rock Point a diocesan eter where clergy and people, young and old, might come for confer- nes, for fellowship and for retreats.
This plan he was successful in developing during the years of his scopate, and he was ably assisted in the details of these conferences r Retreats, involving the entertainment of many groups, by Miss D'is K. Wright who, as secretary of the Church Mission of Help, was t: to enlist the aid of the girls of the school in helping to provide meals o the guests.
Bishop Booth was also instrumental in the building of the Outdoor pel in the grove at the Point where he initiated the custom of a cesan Rally Day each year for worship, inspiration and fellowship. On the day of Bishop Hall's death, several members of the clergy a: in conference at Rock Point to consider plans for the development the diocese.
As a result of this conference it was decided to plan for the raising a Centennial Memorial Endowment Fund.
It was regarded as a fitting time to enlist the interest of the diocese such an effort as the one hundredth anniversary of the setting apart Vermont as a separate diocese was at hand. The memorial character the Fund was defined as consisting in raising a living memorial to MEN. Bishops of yesterday by the extension of their labors and carrying the plans for which they made such sacrifices.
The Bishops who were named in this memorial were: The Rt. Rev. n Henry Hopkins, D.D., the first Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt. 7. William Henry Augustus Bissell, D.D., and the Rt. Rev. Arthur iwshay Alliston Hall, D.D.
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Bishop Booth, aided by the Executive Council, the Trustees of Episcopal Institute, and an Executive Committee with Hon. Willi H. Wills as chairman, were very efficient in this enterprise, supported a staff of diocesan workers.
The results of this effort for the raising of a Centennial Memo. Endowment Fund, though disappointing in the amount actually c tributed, owing to the financial depression, were large enough to w rant the undertaking and have aided materially in the furthering of missionary work of the diocese.
Bishop Booth, by his forcefulness as a preacher, and by reason of winsomeness and his sympathetic understanding of the spiritual pr lems of young people, became recognized as a spiritual leader not o in the diocese but beyond it; and for this reason the demands made up him to conduct Retreats, and to engage in conferences in addition his diocesan labors, were beyond his physical strength.
In 1934, the diocese granted him a leave of absence, and he went France for a rest and while there he was in charge of the Ameri Church in Paris. Returning after a few months and conscious of needs of the diocese, he at once began to undertake the strenuous du of diocesan life. Though far from well he did not spare himself, a while on a visitation at St. Peters', Bennington, he became ill dur the service and was taken to the hospital.
His sickness proved to be pneumonia, and after a heroic struggle about a week, upheld by the prayers of the diocese, the Bishop " unable to cope with the disease and was called to the higher life on Ji seventeenth, 1935. His death in the prime of his service, so valuable the diocese, and to the church at large, was a great shock to the dioce family by whom he was so greatly beloved, and a deep bereavement his wife and children.
The Burial Service took place at St. Paul's Church, Burlington, June nineteenth, where a solemn Requiem Eucharist was celebrat attended by the clergy and lay people of the diocese, and the Bishop ' laid to rest under the Chancel of the Outdoor Chapel, one of fruits of his labors.
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CHAPTER TWELVE
The History of the Glebe Lands in Vermont
N Stewart H. Holbrook's book on "Ethan Allen" there is a valuable chapter on "the Gods of the Hills" which gives a vivid picture of what the country known as the New Hampshire Grants was like." The country between Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River long been disputed hunting ground and was the highway for battles. First the territory was fought for by the Iroquois and the various onquin tribes.
Then the French claimed it, when in 1609 the French explorer domuel de Champlain discovered it and gained possession of it after a atle with the Iroquois.
Like Palestine the country was the highway over which enemies reled and fought.
The French and English fought in this land then a wilderness, but op CT often called "the Switzerland of America," but finally after nerses on each side the New Hampshire Grants were the outcome of victory of the English who claimed the territory in the name of the g, and as the pioneers sought to settle here lands were granted to n by the Governor of New Hampshire in the King's name.
Holbrook points out that the source of the bitterness and strife and cruel atrocities which occurred after the country became British itory was the fact that after being the center of dispute by two ons it became a matter of dispute between two English Governors. The Grants began, as generally accepted, on the east at the line of Connecticut River, but the boundary line on the west was vague. n the English King himself did not know the exact boundaries of Grants.
It was like the owner of Red Mountain selling portions of land on side of the mountain to various persons, making the deal in Boston, having no knowledge of the location and extent of the lands.
In the dividing of the property there would inevitably be an en- achment of the one upon the other.
"Ethan Allen," by Stewart H. Holbrook. Published by the MacMillan Co.
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This dispute arose because the western boundary had not 1 1 definitely described.
When Benning Wentworth, appointed Governor of New Had shire in 1741 by the King, was given the right to grant unsettled 1: within his jurisdiction he was guided in his distribution by the Mai chusetts line which extended west to an imaginary line twenty nc east of the Hudson River.
New Hampshire, the Governor claimed, should have the s boundaries. But New York objected, claiming its eastern bound as the Connecticut River.
This conflict of jurisdiction, occasioned by the overlapping of I Hampshire and New York titles, as Mr. Horace Abrams points out a recent article in the Bennington Evening Banner, "was not auspic for the growth of new settlements which had plenty of natural ficulties with which to contend."
The matter was referred to London and in 1764 the King acknc edged New York's claims, thus placing Wentworth's grant of Benn ton in New York. It is very likely that there was a personal, se. interest in the debate on the land question on the part of the gover. of New Hampshire and New York for they were punctilious in matter of their fees .*
Soon after the King's order the governor of New York, assun that Governor Wentworth had never possessed any rights to grant la in the disputed territory, proceeded to regrant certain lands on w] settlers with New Hampshire titles were already living .*
The people in Arlington and Bennington, much stirred up by arbitrary action chose two men, Samuel Robinson, of Bennington, had been active in the early settlements in the New Hampshire Gra and Jehiel Hawley, of Arlington, one of the leading settlers there, founder of the town and the Episcopal Church, to make a trip to E land and to present the grievances of the settlers to the King.
The result of this mission was that on July twenty-fourth, 1767 order of The King in Council was issued forbidding the Governo: New York to make grants of any lands already patented by I Hampshire.
* Note .- Governor Cadwallader Colden, of New York, on May twenty-first, made his first grant of lands within the present limits of Vermont, and this ¿ included a large number of farms already settled under the Wentworth Grants. This tract was patented as Princetown and covered most of the settlemen Arlington, all those in Manchester, and probably some in Sunderland.
Approximately fifty farms and the land on which Remember Baker was bui. a saw mill and grist mill, were taken summarily from the actual settlers .- Crocl History of Vermont, pages 288-289.
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This order issued by the King was ignored by his duly appointed gesentatives in the New York Colony. Had the order been recog- ad and obeyed the civil strife and uprisings of that period of the ers against their invaders might have been avoided.
it is not within the scope of this chapter to enter into the details of ty li controversy which is familiar to students of Vermont history.
he The history of the Glebe Lands, however, is one which has an tnate concern with the history of this parish and this diocese. A be in English ecclesiastical law is the land devoted to the main- of rnce of the incumbent of a church. In England every church of bimon right is entitled to a house and glebe and the assigning of ISp at the first was of such absolute necessity that without them no ch could be regularly consecrated. (Encyclopedia Britannica.) It lite likely that when the New Hampshire Grants were allotted by Crown to be distributed by Governor Wentworth in the King's Clt e it was his intention that the same law as prevailed in England t regard to the maintenance of the incumbent of a parish should be l, brved.
The procedure on the part of those who wished to obtain unsettled rs in this territory in the possession of the King was for the peti- gers to go to Governor Wentworth of New Hampshire (the terri- now constituting the State of Vermont was originally a part of nt 7 Hampshire), and make their requests for a grant of land in the axtion which they wished to occupy, and these grants were made by governor in the King's name for a specified fee.
After the conquest of Canada applications for grants became on.tuent.
Gr From January third, 1749, the date of the charter of Bennington, era November third, 1764, the date of the charter of Panton, Governor toWhitworth issued about 138 charters granting lands in this state .*
It is significant of the king's intention to institute the glebe system 10 onnection with the Grants that after the captions of these several rn:ters which are uniformly phrased, a description follows of the vari- provisions of the Grant, among which in most charters is found following:
"To his Excellency Benning Wentworth Esq., a certain tract of rst. hisal to contain 500 acres as marked 'B. W.' in the plan, which is to be anscounted two of the within shares; one share for the Incorporated
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Note .- Governor Wentworth, as a result of the granting of 138 charters of land ermont became a very large landed proprietor. The total amount of Governor tworth's grants to himself was 65,000 acres .- Crockett's History of Vermont, 1, p. 182.
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Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; one for a glebe for the Church of England as by law established; one for the first settled minister of the Gospel, and one share for the be of a school in said town."
It will be interesting to understand why these provisions in re to the Glebe lands were made and to explain the purpose of extensive Grants.
There is on record in the Diocesan Journal of the Conventic 1823 which was held at Middlebury, the report of a Prudential Com tee previously appointed by the convention to care for the tempora of the Church. This report indicates that the subject of the dist. tion of the Glebe lands had been carefully studied by Governor W worth under whose administration it took place.
The following are some extracts from this report:
"Governor Wentworth was an Episcopalian.
"But at that period the number who thought like him was small. They were emphatically a minor sect. Congregationalists 1 up a large body of the colonists. Indeed that denomination was by Colonial government considered and treated as the established reli 0
"In pursuing the reigning policy of the age to promote the se ment of new plantations, the government foresaw that they woul chiefly settled by the prevailing denomination.
"Whatever encouragement, therefore, was necessary in those pe for the introduction and support of religion was less necessary fo: reigning sect than for the minor ones.
"Their members constituted an obvious and sufficient reso But it was presumed that Episcopalians would not be easily induce remove back into the remote settlements without some reasonable and strong encouragement that they would be able to maintain ministry and service to which they were so strongly attached.
"What expectations were wanting from their numbers, needed supplied in some other way.
"Accordingly, whilst only one right of land was given to the settled minister, who it was foreseen would commonly be a cong tionalist, two rights were granted to Episcopalians, one for a Glebe the other for the benefit of the Society for Propagating the Gosp Foreign Parts."
Vermont is one of the few dioceses which still enjoys in any siderable measure the benefits of early Grants from the Crown to Church in this country.
For this our diocese is indebted to the zeal and perseverance 01 part of loyal Churchmen, and in particular to the Rev. Abr:
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nemson, who was almost alone in his struggle to retain for the use of Church the lands granted to the Society for the Propagation of the etoel in Foreign Parts.
Unfortunately, the lands which were granted for a Church Glebe for the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel came into the ession of the Episcopal Church at a time when the state was thinly ilated, and there were only a few churches actively cared for by glarly ordained ministers.
The school lands had been generally well managed for the public I, and the share for the settled minister was made available in most ships though none but the one in Arlington had come into the session of an Episcopal clergyman.
The Church glebes, however, in many townships had been for many neglected for want of churches to occupy them.
n view of this fact, and it may be, as a boon to educational enter- s, propositions were made to the Vermont legislature relative to was requestration for the use of Dartmouth College, and for the main- stsence of academies in this state, of the rights of land reserved in the she Hampshire charters for the Propagation Society, and for the pur- re of Glebes.
ne n 1785, apparently about the time that this proposition was being wowidered by the legislature, the Society for the Propagation of the Del in Foreign Parts in England declared in writing to members of ep Church of England in each of the states of America in which the fety had property, its intention to make over all the property it to the use of the Episcopal Church in this country, recognizing rese dentity of the Episcopal Church with the Church of England in duc Colonies.
able The Hon. Nathaniel Chipman, the Chief Justice of the state, tampted by the action of the Propagation Society, petitioned the ature, making the plea that a society be incorporated for the pur- dede of receiving a conveyance from the English Propagation Society of ands donated by them as provided in the grants, and to hold the for the uses as specified.
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