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 7
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From 1864-1869 he was secretary of the Vermont Clerical Co. vocation, and member of the Diocesan Board of Missions.
Mr. Graves' oldest daughter, the late Mrs. John Henry Hopkins w a woman of unusual talents, who was a leader in the diocesan branch the Woman's Auxiliary of Chicago, where for twenty years her hu band was Rector of the Church of the Redeemer.
At the semi-centennial anniversary of the Vermont branch of t Woman's Auxiliary held in Arlington in 1928, Mrs. Hopkins w present and spoke of her childhood days in St. James' Church, and her experiences in the parish private school of which her father w Rector. Among her school mates were: Frank N. Canfield, Edward Woodworth, Charles H. Crofut, Alice Canfield Hoyt, and Hermio. Canfield.
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On July thirty-first, 1875, the Rev. Gemont Graves tendered 1 resignation to the Vestry in the following letter:
"To the Wardens and Vestrymen of St. James' Parish, Arlington:
"Dear Brethren: Having received an invitation to a mission fie in the northern part of the diocese, it seems my duty in the financi embarrassment of the parish to accept the same.
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EPISCOPATE OF BISHOP BISSELL
"I, therefore, with the Bishop's consent, resign the rectorship of 1 .. James' Church, the resignation to take effect on September first, as is important that the mission field be occupied at once.
"I ask the privilege of the use of the Rectory and premises during ich part of the month of September as the convenient removal of my mily may require.
"After a ministry among you of three and a half years, I sincerely gret the need of our separation.
"Praying God to bless the parish and to direct you in the choice of successor who can be of more benefit to you than has been my lot, remain your friend in the ministry,
GEMONT GRAVES."
On April fifth, 1877, the Vestry extended a call to the Rev. John andall, of West Randolph, offering him the rectorship of the parish ith a salary of $800 and the use of the parsonage and the land apper- ining to it. This call was accepted and the Rev. John Randall entered pon his duties as Rector, June third, 1877.
During the rectorship of Mr. Randall a steam heating plant was stalled in the church, and this heating system remains here at the resent time. This period would seem to mark the transition from the d way to the new so far as heating is concerned.
Miss Hermione Canfield who has a remarkable store of parish folk re, tells us that she can remember that her grandmother Pauline Can- eld about this time still continued to carry with her to church her dividual foot stove. These foot stoves were quite commonly used at at time, and a few of them are to be found in the Historical Museum Bennington.
The Rev. John Randall, whose body lies in the Churchyard next to le church, was born in Bayfield, Nova Scotia, September twenty- venth, 1823. He was of loyalist stock and his forefathers emigrated om Massachusetts in 1776 at the time of Gen. Howe's evacuation from oston. He graduated from Kings' College, Windsor, Nova Scotia, ith highest honors in 1855.
He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Binney, of Nova Scotia, Septem- er twenty-third, 1855, and on September twenty-first 1856, he was dained to the Priesthood by the same bishop.
After holding one or more Cures in Nova Scotia, he removed to this untry and became Rector of St. Peter's Church, Brushton, New York. e was also Rector at Randolph, Vermont, from 1875 to 1877, after hich he became Rector of St. James' Church, Arlington, also officiat- g at Manchester, where he remained until his death April twenty-
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eighth, 1883. Bishop Bissell, in his address to the diocesan convention in 1883, gave the following tribute to him:
"One of the most respected of our clergy, the Rev. John Randall has been removed from the strife and toil of the Church Militant. H came to us from the diocese of Albany in 1875. He had charge firs of Grace Church and St. John's, Randolph. After a successful pas torate of some two years, he left, greatly to the regret of his people, te take the rectorship of St. James' Church, Arlington. Here he labored most diligently for something over four years, to the great benefit o: that ancient parish, winning the respect and confidence of all.
"Beside his work in Arlington he gave many acceptable services ir Zion Church, Manchester, where he was much beloved.
"He was one of the learned clergy of the Church; a class growing small, it is to be feared, amidst the hurry and urgent demands of ou: modern life. But he was laboriously applying himself to those studie which help to the right knowledge and the exposition of God's Holy Word and the happy fruit which he had gathered in those fields of sacred study was shown in the fullness and richness of his sermons anc instructions. For the last year and a half his life was one of great suffer. ing. His long illness was borne with most complete submission to God's will, and considerateness for those about him.
"On Tuesday, the Festival of St. Philip and St. James, with six off our clergy and full attendance of his mourning parishioners, we paid the last tribute to our brother, and laid his remains in the shadow of that venerable church where he had ministered.
"He was a man of simple manners, of affections rather deep thar demonstrative, very modest about his rather rare attainments.
"His earnest preaching and good life made what we trust will be ar. abiding impression upon his people, and he has left to his family and to his brethren, clerical and lay, a bright example of what the clergymar in the Church, the minister of Christ, should be."
On January seventeenth, 1884, the Vestry extended a call to the Rev. Francis Gilliat, of Lowell, Massachusetts, to become Rector of the parish. The call was accepted and Mr. Gilliat is remembered by many in the parish as a faithful priest. He and his wife endeared themselves to the parishioners by planning frequently for social activities at the Rectory.
Mrs. Gilliat is now living in Detroit at the age of seventy-six, anc in a letter recently received she says: "It was indeed a great surprise anc a real pleasure to receive your letter recently containing inquiries about my husband, Francis Gilliat. I have collected what records I have or. hand and am enclosing them with this letter. It is nearly forty years since Dr. Gilliat died and for twenty-five years, I have lived with my
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THE REVEREND CHARLES STUART HALE 1865-1868
THE REVEREND FRANCIS W. SMITH 1869-1871
THE REVEREND GEMONT GRAVES 1872-1875
THE REVEREND JOHN RANDALL 1877-1883
THE REVEREND FRANCIS GILLIAT 1884-1886
RECTORS
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laughter Mrs. Paul Wheeler Thompson here in Detroit. My elder son John Henry Gilliat, was born in Arlington and is now a dentist living it 2164 Bailey Avenue, Buffalo, New York. My second son Robert Fulton Gilliat was born in Fulton, Florida, and died in Buffalo twenty- ix years ago."
The records enclosed by Mrs. Gilliat are as follows: Francis Gilliat was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on July twelfth, 1839. He was graduated from Berkeley Divinity School, Middletown, Connecticut, with the degree of Bachelor of Divinity. The Right Rev. John Wil- iams, D.D., Assistant Bishop of Connecticut ordained Mr. Gilliat to he Diaconate on May twenty-fifth, 1864, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, at Middletown, Connecticut; and on October ninth, 1867, he vas ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Williams in St. Luke's Chapel, Middletown. His first call was as Assistant to the Rev. D. F. Banks, Lector of Christ Church, Norwich, Connecticut, where he remained or one year. He then accepted a call to South Adams, Massachusetts, October eleventh, 1868. In 1872 Mr. Gilliat resigned the rectorship of this parish and became Rector of Zion Church, Avon, New York, November twenty-second, 1872. In January, 1881, he accepted a call o the rectorship of Grace Church, Washington, D. C., and from there le went to Lowell, Massachusetts, on October twenty-fourth, 1882, to e Assistant to the Rev. Dr. Edson. From Lowell, Massachusetts, he vas called on January seventeenth, 1884 to St. James' Church, Arling- on, Vermont, with charge of Zion Church, Factory Point. In the pring of 1886 he resigned the rectorship at Arlington and on July first, 886, took charge of Grace Mission, Everett, Massachusetts.
On January, 1888 he became Rector of the Church of the Redeemer, Addison, New York, and in 1891, he was called to be Rector of Trinity Church, Canaseraga, New York.
His last parish was St. John's Church, Ellicottville, New York, here he went in 1898. On December seventh, 1900, he died in St. ohn's Rectory. On August eighteenth, 1880, Mr. Gilliat married Lachel Estella Hall, of Brooklyn, New York.
The Rev. Eli Hawley Canfield, D.D.," was born in Arlington, une eighth, 1817. His father was a tanner by trade, although he * Note .- During the illness of the Reverend John Randall, and at other times, the ervices were very acceptably conducted by the Rev. Eli H. Canfield, D.D. The fol- wing resolutions of thanks for Dr. Canfield's services were adopted by the Vestry at s meeting, April twenty-third, 1883.
"Resolved, that the Vestry of St. James' Church hereby extend to the Rev. Eli H. anfield, D.D. in behalf of the parish a vote of thanks for the services he has ren- ered, voluntarily officiating at St. James' Church the past year during the continued Iness of the Rector, the Rev. John Randall.
"And further resolved, that a copy thereof be printed in the county papers and also igrossed in the records of the Church.
E. C. Woodworth, Clerk."
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combined with this the work of shoemaker, and also cultivated a sm farm. His mother, whose maiden name he bore, was one of the Haw] family so well and favorably known in Connecticut.
He was educated in the district school of the village, and to tl schooling was added special instruction by the minister of the pari (probably the Rev. William S. Perkins), who maintained a priva school at his house in the village. He also attended for a short time t Burr and Burton Seminary at Manchester and the Union Academy East Bennington. In 1835 he taught the village school in Arlingto and his work in this school is described as being "marked with indust enthusiasm and unusual power."
In 1841 he entered the Alexandria (Virginia) Theological Semina from which he graduated in 1844, and was ordained by Bishop Mea His life was a very active one. He was first called to St. Peter's Churc Delaware, Ohio, in October, 1844.
In the fall of 1849 he took charge of the Church of the Epiphar Philadelphia, during the absence of the Rector. He was then called St. Peter's, New York. There he remained until his call to Chr Church, Brooklyn, January, 1853. In January, 1870 on account failing health he withdrew from the settled pastorate of any church.
His desire was to do what he could as long as he could, and wherev his strength permitted and opportunity offered he accepted work; mc often than otherwise without remuneration.
During this period of retirement he preached at North Adan Massachusetts, at Hoosick, New York, at Arlington, Bennington al Manchester.
In the fall of 1890 he was stricken with paralysis and during t years of suffering that followed he exercised a wonderful patiend His death came on June third, 1898.
He was a man of much usefulness in the ministry and he was alwa interested and ready to minister in the venerable parish in which he w born and reared.
After the resignation of the Rev. Francis Gilliat as Rector of t parish in 1886, there was a vacancy of nearly two years during whi time the Rev. Dr. Canfield again gave his acceptable and faithf ministrations.
The Rev. George S. Pratt was ordained Deacon on December fourt 1887, and then became Minister in Charge of St. James' Church. Aft a stay of less than a year Mr. Pratt tendered his resignation and it m be of interest to record it here in full:
"To the Wardens and Vestrymen of St. James' Church:
It is with great reluctance that I am moved to ask your consent th I may resign my office as Minister in Charge of this parish in order th
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may accept the position as Assistant Minister of St. Michael's Church, ew York,
"And in doing so, I wish to record my grateful appreciation of the yal support and cooperation in the office which I have received, not ily from you but from the entire parish.
"The circumstance of this being my first ministry in the Church d marked by some consequent crudeness and uncertainty makes me e more deeply sensible of that generous consideration and sympathy hich has saved me from embarrassment and made my pastorate here so ppy that I shall ever look back upon it with unqualified pleasure.
"In the broadest sense I am convinced it is best that I should enter is door that has providentially opened before me, and while I regret " I am sure you must, the sundering of relations so pleasant, I am t convinced that no permanent injury can come of this either to you to me. Praying that you may have the divine guidance and blessing the discharge of your responsible office.
I am Most Truly Your Servant in the Church, GEORGE S. PRATT."
On November eleventh, 1888 the Rev. Richard C. Searing became ector of St. James' Church.
It was during his rectorship that this parish had the honor of being le host of the Diocesan Convention which met here to commemorate le Centennial of the first convention of the Church in Vermont in '90. This was a notable gathering.
The Rev. Joseph Carey, D.D., Rector of Bethesda Church, Sara- 1ga Springs, New York, was present and conveyed the fraternal greet- igs of the Diocese of Albany.
The Rev. William S. Langford, D.D., Secretary of the Domestic ad Foreign Missionary Society, came from New York City, to share i the centennial exercises. He spoke of the fact that one hundred ars had witnessed a remarkable expansion of the Church, and that ermont had had its share in this growth.
"Besides your own Bishops Griswold and Hopkins," he said, "both whom became Presiding Bishops, Philander Chase who reached that «tinction was a candidate for orders in the diocese, and Benjamin Isworth Smith, who held the same exalted office, spent the first years A chis ministry as Rector of St. Stephen's Parish in Middlebury.
"The first Bishop of New Hampshire, Carlton Chase, went out from te green hills of Vermont to the white hills of the Granite State. The pneer Bishops of Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky were trained in Ver- font, and some of your hardy sons went out to nurture the Church in rte wilderness of Ohio more than a half century ago.
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"The spirit of self-reliance which has characterized this Dioce, is worthy to be held up as an example, for never has the Diocese of r- sc mont applied for or received help from the General Board of Missi Is. 00 There is nothing more romantic in our later missionary history than he he example of your John W. Chapman going to the extreme outpos at % Anvik, Alaska.
"Shut up there alone through the long, rigorous winters with natives, learning their language, and imparting to them his own, he been teaching them God's love and mercy.
"A year ago we sent to Mr. Chapman a saw-mill to serve hin ne cutting lumber to construct buildings. Some travelers noticed it ne the deck of the vessel and remarked: "What are they going to do with: that up there? Have they any mechanics?" "No," said another. 'I. guess not; but, don't you see, that missionary is a Vermont boy."
(The Rev. Dr. Chapman died in 1939 in New York City where,lecz spent his last few years in active and faithful service in the City Ni- sion. )
The Rev. A. H. Bailey, D.D., one of the clergy of the Diocese mene one of the principal addresses at this centennial gathering. He gaven historical review of the first century of the Church in Vermont af r its partial organization as a diocese in Arlington, September twen - fifth, 1790. This historical review has been preserved in the archi s of the diocese and the present writer has made large use of it in - cumulating his historical data.
Other historical addresses were made by Mr. Thomas H. Canfie, to whom the writer is also indebted, who spoke particularly of the co- tributions of the laymen to the growth of the Diocese; and by 1 Kittridge Haskins who gave a summary of the history of the Gle lands.
Bishop Bissell in his address said: "We are at the close of a centu . As we look back, there is little to meet our eyes except a line of faith servants of our Lord. And of them we see but little of that which vi once of deep interest to them. Their successes and their failures, 1: lights and shadows of their earthly life have passed away from me sight.
"Only what they did for Christ and for His Kingdom remains, 1 living stones which they helped to fashion for His spiritual temple.
"But when we look to the future, the most that we can see with a certainty is the same Church, with the same faith, the same sacramen the same historic ministry, still preaching the everlasting Gospel, ha ing learned perhaps better than we knew, how to meet the wants of t American people of the future."
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ocesE On account of the importance of this centennial in the history of of Ve parish and of the diocese, it will be of interest to record in full the lissigolutions of the Convention that were adopted on this occasion: han Whereas, for more than a century Christ's Church in this Diocese post; been blessed by the favor of God and the labors of many faithful n and women; and
ich Whereas, this Convention is at this time enabled to celebrate the , hele hundredth anniversary of its first meeting; we deem it becoming it we should express our appreciation of what has been wrought him- us:
d it Therefore, Resolved that we as a convention, representing the differ- do wy: orders of the clergy and laity of the Church in Vermont, do re- cher ently acknowledge Almighty God to be the Author and Source of y." . the blessings this Diocese has received; and that we offer Him our herrout thanksgiving and praise for that goodness and mercy that has ty Mlowed it all the days of its life.
Resolved, that we gratefully recall the memories of those early se morers, clergymen and laymen, who in this part of Christ's vineyard gavel'e the burden and heat of the day, and by whose wisdom and self- at ahaying efforts this branch of the Lord's planting at length became werk noveably rooted in an unpropitious soil.
Resolved, that we thankfully recognize the great debt due from Church in this Diocese to the provident care and generous aid of the nerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, lough which for many years it has been greatly relieved in the sup- t of its bishop and in the maintenance of its missionary work.
Resolved, That by God's help, we will ourselves endeavor to be chful stewards of the sacred treasures transmitted to us, and to pass Im on to the generations that come after us.
J. ISHAM BLISS, HOMER WHITE, EDWARD H. RANDALL, ALBERT CHAPMAN, THOMAS H. CANFIELD, KITTRIDGE HASKINS,
Committee.
nple. In 1892 the Rev. Mr. Searing commemorated the sixtieth anniver- vithar of the laying of the cornerstone of the church in 1829, by preach- ramen a sermon from Ephesians: "Being built upon the foundation of the el, læstles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone." s of In this sermon the following facts are given concerning the erection the building in which we now worship: "The beginnings of the work
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ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
of erecting a church building were in the spring or early summer that year (1829) for the cellar walls were fully built at this date.
"The parish had been in existence for many years before that d: as is attested by the assembling of the first convention of representatil; of the parishes of the state in this village in September, 1790. 1 Rev. James Nichols preached the sermon at this convention. M. Nichols was the last man of the early Connecticut clergy to be ordair ! overseas."
This sermon of Mr. Searing's has been preserved in the archives the parish.
Many of the active workers of the parish, both men and women, fact those who have "borne the burden and heat of the day" for past forty years and are now obliged to turn to others, were under training of Mr. Searing, and some have spoken of the fact that he g them the foundations of their instruction in the ways of the church
Richard Clinton Searing was born on April thirteenth, 1851 Saratoga Springs, New York, son of Colonel William Marsh Sear and Caroline Melissa Huling.
He entered St. Stephen's College, Annandale, New York, in 11 and graduated with the degree of B.A. June tenth, 1873.
In September of the same year he studied at the Albany Nor: 1 School and in the same year was a teacher in the Grammar School Saratoga. In October, 1874, he entered the General Theolog Seminary and graduated in the class of 1877.
In June of that year he was ordained Deacon by the Right P William Croswell Doane, D.D., at Bethesda Church, Saratoga Spri On August twenty-seventh, 1877, he was called to be Rector of Ch Church, Walton, New York. Mr. Searing was ordained Priest on cember twenty-first, 1877, at All Saints' Cathedral, in Albany. became Rector of St. Paul's Church, Columbia, Pennsylvania, December sixth, 1879 where he ministered for four years.
He was also Rector of the following parishes: Christ Church, M dle Haddam, Connecticut, 1883-1884; St. Paul's Church, Willimar. Connecticut, 1884-1886; Christ Church, Unionville, Connecti 1886-1888; St. James' Church, Arlington, 1888-1893; Christ Chu Walton, New York, 1893-1896; Grace Church, Scottsville, New Y 1897-1909; Ascension Church, West Park, New York, 1909-1919
On January fifteenth, 1880, Mr. Searing married Lizzie Chris Seeley. The marriage was solemnized at Christ Church, Walton, I Th York. Mr. Searing was the author of the "History of Christ Chu Walton, New York. In June, 1929, Mr. Searing entered the H The for the Aged and Infirm in New York. He died at the Home Nov
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b: sixth, 1933, and was buried in the family plot at Saratoga Springs, T:w York.
The rectorship of the Rev. Richard C. Searing was the last of the rnistries at St. James,' Arlington, during the Episcopate of Bishop E sell.
It will be interesting to note from the diocesan records the condi- tns of the diocese at the beginning and at the close of this period.
When Bishop Bissell came to the diocese in 1868, there were thirty- oe churches, thirteen rectories, the Vermont Episcopal Institute prop- ey and Trust funds, the total value of which was $333,092, total in- dotedness of the parishes was $20,330.
The number of parishes and missions in 1868 was forty; clergy, tenty-four; families, 11,668; individuals, 6,278; communicants, 2 61; Sunday School scholars and teachers, 1,809; offerings (exclusive o salaries ) $5,254. At the close of Bishop Bissell's episcopate there pre fifty churches, twenty-five rectories, the Vermont Episcopal In- skute property and Bishop Hopkins' Hall; episcopal residence in Erlington with a total value of $602,173; total indebtedness of the Prishes $10,773.
The foregoing figures show that in twenty-two years, nineteen curches were built; twelve rectories had been acquired, Bishop Hop- kis' Hall was built and the Episcopal residence in Burlington had been aquired.
The value of church property was increased $268,081. Trust funds wre increased $59,190; and the indebtedness of the parishes had de- c.ased $9,557.
Financially the diocese was richer by $278,638 than in 1868. The number of parishes had increased thirteen; increase of clergy, ten; in- oncase of families, 486; increase of individuals, 2,022; increase of com- Fm.nicants, 1,617; increase of Sunday School scholars and teachers, 01:43; the amount of offerings, exclusive of salaries, was $10,213 more tln in 1868. Seventeen deacons and fifteen priests were ordained.
In 1879 the diocese received the gift of an episcopal residence from maM. John D. Jones of New York.
ect Bishop Hopkins Hall, Burlington, named in honor of the first chBhop of Vermont, was completed and opened as a School for Girls in x138. This was made possible by a legacy of $20,000 from the late 19juin P. Howard and by the liberal gifts and energetic efforts of Mr. hejomas H. Canfield and others.
on, The Episcopal Fund had its beginnings in 1868 and in 1890 Chuounted to $36,000.
e FThe foregoing figures show that much progress was made in the Non cese in the Episcopate of Bishop Bissell, although the increase in the
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number of communicants was counteracted by the removal from e state during that period of many families.
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