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 14
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"his petition was read but not acted upon.
FleboOn the contrary the legislature at its session in October, 1786, re- Gosped that "in the opinion of this committee the lands formerly ned by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign li, in consequence of the Revolution, are now become the property le citizens of Vermont."
Another Act passed by the legislature in 1794 granted the Glebes ce orle respective towns in which they were situated for the support of Abraious worship, to be distributed among all and any religious teachers
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
in proportion to the number of rateable polls belonging to the respe congregations.
This legislation was opposed in Manchester where the Rev. D Barber was officiating, and a suit was carried into the Circuit Cou. the United States in October, 1798, which handed down a dec declaring the Act unconstitutional and void. It was then repeale the legislature.
At the same session of the legislature in 1794 a bill was passed viding that the lands of the Society for the Propagation of the G in Foreign Parts be granted to the respective towns in which they situated, the Selectmen being empowered to obtain possession by a of ejectment and then leasing the lands "as long as wood grows water runs," the rents to be derived therefrom to be paid into the re tive town treasuries and to be distributed pro rata to the several sı districts for the support of the schools. This Act was a logical 1 of the sentiment expressed by the committee of the legislature se years earlier, but it was a distinct setback to the progress of the EF pal Church in Vermont.
When the Rev. Abraham Bronson came into Vermont in 18( began to investigate the legality of this Act, and after consulting Mr. Anson J. Sperry, a law student in Manchester they were sat. that the Society's title remained good.
The first step then taken was to bring the subject before the CH State Convention, which they did in 1805, and obtained the passa a resolution directing the Standing Committee to take measure procuring a Conveyance of the trust.
A resolution was also passed requesting the Bishop of New Yo take the Church in Vermont under his jurisdiction.
Mr. Sperry also went to New York to explain the views o tec Convention to Bishop Moore.
In July, 1806 the petition for the conveyance of the trust fror Propagation Society to the representatives of the Church in Ver was transmitted by Bishop Moore to London.
No response was received to this petition from the authorities i Church of England.
In 1808 Mr. Bronson went to Canada and stated his case to the Dr. Charles Stewart who was about to visit London.
Dr. Stewart was one of the Scottish Nobility who had taken ( in the Church and had gone to the Province of Lower Canada to mote the cause of religion there. He was also a member of the P gation Society.
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THE GLEBE LANDS
est. Dr. Stewart became interested and finally as will be noted a little te was instrumental in the favorable decision of the Society in Eng-
Con 1808 Bishop Moore again appealed to the Society in London, and dy a year received the answer that they could not consistently make eneyance of the property until they had further information about euccess of a power of attorney which they had given for the recov- yof their lands in New Hampshire.
Tote .- The Church in New Hampshire, after receiving its notice of the inten- her of the Propagation Society to make over its lands to the use of the Episcopal uh in America had taken measures immediately to procure the lands belonging t: Society in that state. Soon after this they had procured from the Society in romand a Power of Attorney authorizing them to recover possession of the Lands in ame of the Society and to appropriate the rental and profits to the support of hurch in that state. This the Church in Vermont had failed to do. ]
At the General Convention in 1811 through the assistance of Hon. is King, of New York, a resolution passed the House of Deputies esting the Presiding Bishop to address a letter to the Society in on on behalf of the Church in Vermont.
Auch of the delay in these proceedings was caused undoubtedly by etrained relations between the two countries at the close of the war. n 1815 a more friendly attitude began and Dr. Stewart who had waiting for the favorable moment came to Vermont and offered ke charge of the petition.
eGAt a convention in Arlington these papers were prepared and after- asus sent to Dr. Stewart in Canada, who that same year went to Eng- sua and presented the petition to the Society for the Propagation of eGospel. The Society passed a resolution to grant the request.
Y There was a delay of a year owing to some legal matters that had to ttled and then in April, 1817 the Power of Attorney with affidavits vs received.
"he agents appointed to serve the Church in Vermont were Bishop wold, Abraham Bronson, Silas Spafford, Daniel Chipman and n J. Sperry.
"hey were authorized to recover the lands and give durable leases, appropriate such share of rents as they should think proper to the ort of the Bishop and the remainder, after paying expenses, to the f the Church.
t had been a long and tedious effort, and it was made unselfishly with none other than the spirit of fair-play in the interests of the re welfare of the Church in Vermont.
A short time after the decision the agents met at Middlebury and hized themselves as a corporation and appointed agents in different ties to look up and lease the lands.
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
More than half of the lands were recovered during the first The next year, however, some resistance was encountered whic again to much litigation.
Finally a suit was brought in 1818 by Land Agents of the Sc for the Propagation of the Gospel against the Town of New Have; William Wheeler, defendants, for the recovery of the lands grant the Society in the charter of the Town issued by Governor Wenty November 2, 1761.
The purpose of the Agents in bringing suit against the Tov New Haven in preference to any other town was that they had I to believe that the suit would be strongly defended and carried t Supreme Court for a final decision, and thus further litigation cease.
The suit was brought in the Circuit Court of the United S The judges were divided in opinion upon the question as to wł judgment should be rendered for the plaintiffs or the defendants.
The Town then made application to the legislature which app( an Agent to defend the suit, making a liberal appropriation fo expense.
The appeal was then made to the Supreme Court at the Feb term, 1823
There were three contentions by the counsel for the defendant
1. That the capacity of the plaintiffs to hold lands in Ver ceased as a consequence of the Revolution.
2. That the Society being a foreign corporation is incapal holding lands in Vermont and that its rights are not tected by the Treaty of Peace.
3. That if it was so protected, still the effect of the war was t an end to that treaty.
The contentions of the defendants were held to be not well fo and judgment was rendered for the plaintiffs by six Judges, one dissenting.
At the same time the Court rendered a decision in regard t Glebe lands which resulted in the loss of most of these lands t Church. This decision was based on the technical ground that parishes were not actually and legally organized and in possessi the glebes, the title remained vested in the Crown as an unfulfille quest, and this title was transferred by the Revolution to the These were test cases and subject to no appeal.
Mr. Kittridge Haskins in his address to the diocesan convent Arlington in 1890 said:
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The beneficial results growing out of the suit brought in the of the Propagation Society have been the securing to the use of Church in Vermont the lands so granted, which yield an annual esone of over $3,000.
lav Had the Church succeeded in the other suit the income added to rana we now have would extend the influence of the Church into many enwis and places now without it."
is to the propriety of the litigation so aggressively carried on by Church Mr. Bronson says in his Historical Letters:
It has been sometimes questioned whether the recovery of the ty's lands has not raised a prejudice against the Church such as will balance the benefits that may be derived from them. The prejudice ed fome quarters is indeed considerable; but in no instance as I am me is it so extensive or so great as to operate materially against the nistests of religion or the progress of the Church.
app Whereas by a little aid from that fund, some parishes have been his ined and built up, which apparently must have been dissolved, and new parishes have been formed where the friends of the Church Fond not otherwise have had resolution to make any effort. And ses, it must have been difficult to raise a suitable support for the dan copate without some assistance from this fund."
The Board of Land Agents after their appointment in 1823, made lowance of $1,000 to Mr. Anson Sperry for services and expendi- , and with the approval of the convention $1,200 was granted to Rev. Abraham Bronson.
Ar. Bronson explained in regard to this grant of money that the . business had been a subject of constant labor and expense to him nore than thirteen years, and had prevented his acceptance of a where his salary, instead of affording him a bare subsistence, might made his family more comfortable .*
rom 1839 the Bishop of the Diocese has been a member of the d of Land Agents ex-officio and its president.t
The other members are nominated to the Society by the diocesan ention. Sub-agents are appointed for the several counties of the who collect the rentals and forward. them to the treasurer.
At first perpetual leases were commonly granted "as long as wood 's and water runs," but from 1859 no leases for more than twenty 1; are permitted without confirmation by the Society.
rent Historical Letters of Abraham Bronson.
Bishop Hall on the Glebe Lands, Mountain Echo, June, 1914.
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
The disadvantage of perpetual leases was that many lands got 01 control of the Church unless surrendered or forfeited for non-pays of rent.
The income from the lands and from a general fund into w some savings have been placed amounts to about $3,000 a year.
The purposes of the Grants were declared to be in the first Pow Attorney:
1. The use and benefit of the Bishop and
2. The remaining income for the use and support of clergy in the several towns where the lands were situated.
The restriction to the particular towns was after a while remov the interest of greater usefulness, and the income became a fund : which grants were made at the discretion of the agents.
Soon after Bishop Hall came into the diocese he persuaded agents to make over whatever they assigned to that purpose in a ] sum to the Missionary Committee of the diocese so as to make responsible distributing board.
In 1914 the disbursements were made as follows:
One thousand four hundred dollars to the Episcopal Fund $1,800 for Diocesan Missions.
About this time in view of the election of a Bishop Coad these amounts were reversed and only $1,400 given to the Missic Committee .**
In the June, 1936 number of the Historical Magazine of Protestant Episcopal Church, Mr. Walter Herbert Stowe has an a) "Documentary History of the American Church" in which there summary given of the Glebe Lands in Vermont by Hon. John Sp Registrar of the Diocese of Vermont which may appropriately this article:
"The Diocese of Vermont still derives a not inconsiderable annually from these lands. From the beginning the Protestant EF pal Church was unpopular in the New Hampshire Grants, late State of Vermont.
"In some cases the 500 acres of land granted to the S. P. G. il charters were diverted to the other churches, principally Cong tionalist. There were no-or too few-local Epicopalians to prote
"There were other alienations also, the Legislature passing va acts directed to the end of eliminating the S. P. G. titles or rights.
"In part by litigation and in part by the local insistence of local groups and interested individuals, the S. P. G. rights were served and maintained in quite a number of instances.
* Bishop Hall on the Glebe Lands, Mountain Echo, June, 1914.
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ot "In 1823 the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the paoing of the lands by the S. P. G. was not invalidated by political higes in the country, but the revenues must be devoted to Vermont to uoses. Having established its rights to the lands in a number of r. kes, the S. P. G. held these lands for many years in trust for the Policese of Vermont through a Board of Land Grants in Vermont.
'This arrangement went on for a good many years, Bishop Hall eting a great deal of time and energy to the development of it and to ler. recovery of as much as possible of the old 'Gospel Lands.'
'In 1928, the S. P. G. finally and formally transferred them to the icese of Vermont, title being vested in the Trustees of the Diocese WVermont.
'Some $3,000 per year in rentals come from these lands, and in addi- c there is what is called the 'Permanent Fund' of $11,392 which has ad cumulated from the sale of timber as distinct from the rents of the
The parish Glebe Lands are four in number, as follows:
1. R. K. Miles' one hundred acres on Red Mountain.
2. Two one hundred-acre Guber lots in South Arlington.
3. Black Hole Hollow, eight miles from Cambridge.
4. Shakshober rent-lands south of Nichols' farm.
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts
1 TN view of the important relation which this Society had to growth and maintenance of the Episcopal Church in this coun during the Colonial period and later, it will be profitable to give account of the origin of the Society and its early work.
In the book entitled "The History of the Eastern Diocese" C. R. Batchelder there is a chapter devoted to the origin of 1 Society.
In this chapter the author quotes from the papers of the Rev. D. White Kennett, one time Lord Bishop of Peterborough, relating to 1; Society, published in London in 1706.
These papers state that owing to the disturbance and uncertainty the settlement of the English in the new world, no progress was m in converting the Indians, in fact religion was unpopular in plantations.
It would appear, therefore, that the evangelization of the Indi was an early objective among the early settlers in New England.
In 1649 an ordinance was passed for the promoting and propagat of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in New England.
This was accomplished by the formation of a corporation in F petual succession known as the "President and Society for the Propa tion of the Gospel in New England."
The purpose of this Corporation was (1) to preach the Gos among the natives and (2) to establish and maintain schools for children of the natives. This Society was under the auspices of Church of England and supported by it.
For this purpose a collection was appointed to be made through the cities and towns and parishes of England and Wales as the means accumulating a fund for this purpose.
In 1661 King Charles II further provided that this Society sho not only seek to evangelize the natives in New England, and adjac. parts, but should lay a foundation for "educating, clothing, civiliz
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instructing the Poor Natives, and also for the support and main- ince of such Ministers of the Gospel, Schoolmasters, and other hruments as have been, are or shall be set apart and employed for the ying on of so pious and Christian a work."
Unhappily New England and its adjoining parts was first inhabited persons who had become disaffected toward the Established Church England, in fact the reason of their presence in these parts was that had taken refuge here to escape suffering for non-conformity at le.
At first then the people in New England so far as their religion was (cerned were divided into independent congregations.
The Church of England had no representation at all in Boston till ut 1679 when after having heard the appeal from several of the zens of Boston, the Lord Bishop of London prevailed upon His esty "That a Church should be allowed in that Town for the exer- of Religion according to the Church of England."
An Order of King and Council was made to "commit to the Bishop London the Care and Pastoral Charge of sending over Ministers into Foreign Plantations, and having jurisdiction of them."
However, little resulted from this order as the Bishop of London, ing made an investigation as to how the several colonies were vided, found that there were only four Ministers of the Church of gland in America. This was in 1675.
The author further says: "At that time there was no Church of yland Minister either in Pennsylvania, the Jerseys, New York or New land, only the Chaplain to the fort at New York officiated in those ts till a church was opened at Boston; and soon after the People of ode Island built a Church to the same Purpose and Colonel Fletcher en Governor of New York procured the Assembly to set out six rches, with allowances from forty to fifty Pounds a year, for the ntenance of Ministers."
Some of the early transactions of the Society for the Propagation of Gospel in Foreign Parts under the revised Charter are thus described Bishop Kennett's Tract:
"Mr. Patrick Gourdon was sent a missionary to New York with a petent allowance of Fifty Pounds per Annum, or more if the iety should think fit.
"Mr. John Bartow, to Westchester in the same Province, with ty Pounds per annum, and a Benevolence of Thirty Pound.
"Mr. Samuel Thomas to South Carolina, with the yearly support Fifty Pound, with Ten Pound to be laid out in Stuffs, for the Use the wild Indian's in those parts of South Carolina where the said Mr.
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
Thomas was to reside, and Twenty Pounds for his further Encour ment.
"Mr. John Talbot, Rector of St. Mary's in Burlington in I Jersey, was allowed to be an Itinerant Companion and Assistant to Rev. Mr. George Keith, in his missions and Travels with an Allow: of Sixty Pound per annum.
"Mr. John Brook was appointed to serve at Shrewsbury, Am Elizabeth-Town and Freehold in East-Jersey, and was supported by Annual Pension of Fifty Pound.
"Mr. William Barclay, the Church of England Minister at Brair. in New England, had an Annual Encouragement of Fifty Pound, a: Gratuity of Twenty-Five Pounds for present occasions.
"Mr. Henry Nichols was settled as Minister in Uplands in Pe. vania with an Allowance of Fifty Pound per Annum from the Soc: "Mr. Thomas Crawford at Dover-Hundred in the same Prov had a like Annual allowance of Fifty pound and Mr. Andrew Rud had a Reward given to him for the supply of Oxford, or Frankfor the same county."
Of the fruits of their labors as missionaries there is no record bu general it may be said the foreign missionary work of the Church TI England under the direction and support of these early charters not as fruitful as might have been desired.
By means of the Society, however, the Bible had been printed in Indian language, and many in the American Colonies were aider the work of evangelization.
However, after a period of about fifty years of pioneer mission work done under many privations and in the face of much prejudic was decided for the spiritual welfare of the Colonists, as well as natives, that a missionary society of larger scope was necessary.
On March 13, 1700 a Committee of the Lower House of Parlian was appointed to prepare the papers for the enlargement of the C ter of the Old Society.
The charter of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospe Foreign Parts was signed and sealed on June 15, 1701.
The following are some of the important provisions of the Chai
1. Whereas We are credibly Informed that in many of Our Pla tions, Colonies and Factories beyond the Seas, belon; to our Kingdom of England, the Provision for Ministe: very mean, and many others of our said Plantations, Colc and Factories, are wholly Destitute and Unprovided ( Maintenance for Ministers and the Public Worship of and for lack of Support and Maintenance for such, man'
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THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS
our Loving Subjects do want the Administration of God's Word and Sacraments, and seem to be abandoned to Atheism and Infidelity; and also for want of Learned and Orthodox Ministers to instruct our said Loving Subjects in the Principles of True Religion, divers Romish Priests and Jesuits are the more encouraged to pervert and draw over Our said Loving Subjects to Popish Superstitition and Idolatry.
2. And whereas we think it our Duty, as much as in Us lies, to promote the Glory of God, by the Instruction of our Peo- ple in the Christian Religion; and that it will be highly con- ducive for accomplishing those Ends, that a Sufficient Main- tenance be provided for an Orthodox Clergy to live amongst them, and that such other Provision be made as may be necessary for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts."
Then follows the declaration of the appointment of the member- › of the Corporation to be known as the "Society for the Propagation buche Gospel in Foreign Parts."
The charter further provides that these members and their succes- s shall provide for the better Support and Maintenance of an Ortho- ‹ Clergy in Foreign Parts by the granting of Lands, Tenements, etc., a term of years.
The Society is empowered to take Subscriptions and to collect such nies as shall be contributed for the purposes aforesaid.
At the time of the formation of this Society, according to the dica ort of Governor Dudley there were in the Province of Maine, about as 00 people and no congregation of the Church of England.
In Massachusetts there were about 70,000 people supplied with iamingregationalist Ministers and Schools.
Ci There was one Episcopal Church in Boston, and the Rev. Samuel 'les was the rector. Six hundred persons attended divine service and spello the Holy Communion. In New Hampshire there was a popula- n of about 3,000, generally supplied with Congregationalist minis- hart s.
In what now constitutes Rhode Island there were about 10,000 ople, and there was an Episcopal Church at Newport.
The Rev. Mr. Lockyer was the minister.
About 150 people attended the services and 30 the Communion.
There were, however, in various towns many people attached to the f Church of England who would gladly have received its ministrations. any In 1702 the Society appointed the Rev. George Keith and the Rev.
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
Patrick Gordon to travel through the Colonies as their emissaries proclaiming the Orthodox faith.
The mission of these representatives from England was frau with difficulties that seemed almost insurmountable, owing to prejudice against the Church of England by Quakers and Separat who were largely represented in the communities and large centers New England. The attitude of the Clergy from the Propagat Society was hardly one of appeasement, as they met opposition to tl preaching of Anglican doctrines with unfaltering and uncompror. ing loyalty to the faith which they had been sent forth to propagate
However misguided these clergymen of those pre-revolutionary d were, they at any rate took a stand which ultimately commanded respect of those who sincerely desired the advancement of the best terests of the people.
The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts d ing the Colonial period was the beneficiary of many grants of land New York and New England, and the income from these lands la was transferred to the Church in the diocese where they were situated
The Society also furnished the salaries for many of those ea clergymen who were willing to face hardships and persecution to HT plant the Gospel of Christ as taught by the Church of England in 1: new land of liberty.
In the period of fifty or more years preceding the Revolution, Society for the Propagation of the Gospel paid the salaries of the ndrc sionaries who were sent from England and who first established : maintained congregations in various parts of New England.
Due to the dominance of Puritan and Separatist sentiment in N England communities, and also to the unfriendly attitude of Colonists toward England at this time these Church of England cler men, very many of them sympathetic to the Crown, were looked uj as ecclesiastical intruders and their progress in establishing the Angli faith was attended with hardships and persecutions.
Note .- See chapter on: "The History of the Glebe Lands."
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
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