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 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
It was the devout wish of Bishop Bissell that he might comple the twenty-fifth anniversary of his episcopate, but his health began o fail in 1888, and for several years before his death he was unable to o his work with the vigor to which he had been accustomed.
At the Convention of 1888 the clergy and laity of the diocese g e him a word of congratulation on the completion of his twentieth an - versary, a part of which follows:
"It is just twenty years that you have gone in and out among us s our loved and esteemed Bishop.
"Your name throughout the diocese is as familiar as househ i words; your presence has always and everywhere been welcome.
"For these two decades during which you have administered e affairs of the diocese, harmony has prevailed in its councils, and pe e in all its borders. There has been a unity of feeling and purpose tween the Bishop, the clergy and the laity. Parties have been uttely unknown; to your wisdom and prudence much is due for all this, : 1 we cannot but be thankful for what we have so long witnessed."
Bishop Bissell entered into rest at Burlington, May fourteenth, 18 .
The Rev. Dr. Flanders of St. Luke's Church, St. Albans, preac. a memorial sermon at St. Paul's Church, Burlington on June twen - first, 1893 on the death of the Right Rev. William H. A. Bissell, D., the occasion being a special Convention for the election of a Bishop.
In this sermon there are interesting facts which help to explain : strange hold which the Bishop had on the affections of the people of diocese. Bishop Bissell was educated a Congregationalist of the strict t school of Calvinism. However, he was too generously molded to : swayed by prejudice, and after careful study of the history and pol of the Church he became convinced of the justice of her claims, :1 after struggling with the prepossessed teachings of his early life, ? became a Candidate for Holy Orders, was ordained Deacon in 18, made a Priest the year following and consecrated second Bishop of V mont in 1868.
As to his character there was about him a certain dignity of bear and reticence of manner that at first gave people an unfavorable i pression. He was, too, a man of decided opinions and expressed hi self with a directness that was challenging to those who disagreed w him and were of like independent nature.
But he yielded readily his position when there was proof enough carry conviction, and in this he always commanded respect. A Churchman and theologian he was sound and conservative. He
73
EPISCOPATE OF BISHOP BISSELL
the old school that was called "advanced" twenty-five years ago 865).
He believed in the fact and idea of the church, and in the Divine gatigin and Mission of the Episcopate; tolerated no innovations of the tojtegrity of the Prayer Book, but he was not disturbed by a ceremony the color of a stole. This was his common remark "The church is egload and flexible enough to entertain with charity all schools of at ¿ought so long as essential principles are not interfered with."
This judicious attitude helped to avoid friction in the diocese. He w.dom spoke in the house of Bishops; he devoted no time to the work of thorship.
seh : He was effective as a preacher; people were convinced by his earnest- ass and sincerity. There was gentleness in his nature and though d smewhat undemonstrative his soul answered to the cry of sorrow. He padd nothing for effect.
Few men possessed a richer sense of humor. His home life was Ittslightful; he was generous in his hospitality.
When Bishop Bissell came to Vermont he entered upon no easy "1sk as successor of a bishop who was a lawyer, a musician, a painter, an chitect as well as a scholar and theologian. The two characters Ilresented a strange contrast. The one was raised up for a special crisis, eatad was bold in resources; the other took the work as it was left; was werciet and undemonstrative and did his work faithfully and with satis- Dfstory results.
ed
ns, life 1 10
of bea ble d B
ug
He
mpel
hop of trio
ose
ıs,
CHAPTER EIGHT
The Contribution of Laymen to the Work of the Church
F OR the most part the preceding chapters in this history have det with the lives and the activities of the clergy who were inst. mental in the guidance and the growth of this mother par through periods of difficulty and discouragement, through lean ye and those of prosperity.
Surely, as a body of men, they were faithful to their great tr and they are worthy of being remembered in the annals of the pari
But it would be an unpardonable omission not to mention part the laymen have taken through the years in the problems and burdens that inevitably were the responsibility of those who by th painstaking labors and planning and financial aid contributed to · growth and prosperity of the parish and diocesan life.
#
Mention has been made of Captain Jehiel Hawley, who for ma years gathered together the early settlers at his home on Sunday moi ings and conducted the service of morning prayer. He earned for hi self the right to be called the founder of the parish.
Then came the names of Nathan Canfield, Zadock Hard, Ca Dayton and Luther Stone who were delegates from this parish to convention of 1790.
This convention was held at the home of Dr. Luther Stone for 1
transaction of business after services had been held at the church.
For one hundred years the Canfields, Hawleys, Bucks, Holde and the Hards have been identified with the church in this parish.
Nathan Hawley and Lemuel Buck were the building committee the first church. Nathan Canfield was also one of the Selectmen the Town. Abel and Andrew Hawley were wardens soon after 1 organization of the parish and Noble Hard, Zadock Hard, Curt Hawley, William S. Holden and Orin Hard are the names of a few those who were active on the Vestry during the first half century of 1 parish life.
Many laymen entered the ranks of the clergy from this pari Among them: The Rev. Eli Hawley Canfield, D.D., the Rev. Fletch J. Hawley, D.D., the Rev. Anson B. Hard who was born and broug up here, whose sister was the mother of the Rev. Dr. Coit, the found of St. Paul's school, Concord, New Hampshire; the Rev. Dr. Jord Gray who was drowned in Berkshire, Franklin county, in crossi
H
D
PO
le
75
CONTRIBUTION OF LAYMEN
lout Creek on his way to church, and his brother, the Rev. Nelson Gay who was rector of Christ Church, Georgetown, D. D., were born ad brought up in Arlington. Abijah Hawley, son of Captain Jehiel hwley, and Gould Buck, son of Lemuel Buck of Arlington, two f mers, left Arlington in 1790 and went to Fairfax, Franklin county, ad laid the foundations of the church there at Buck Hollow. They ad their descendants have been the mainstay of the church in that community from that time to within recent years.
The original founders of the parish were succeeded by Sylvester Iming, Enos Canfield, Anson Canfield, Samuel Canfield, Galen Can- fld, Cyrus B. Hills, John B. Lathrop, Noble Hard, Zadock Hard, Sneon Cole, John Holden, Sylvanus Hard, Martin C. Deming, Curtis Fwley, Asahel Hurd, and Harmon Canfield in a later generation. Of Frmon Canfield, Bishop Bissell said: "He was a man of great ability, einent legal attainments, devoted loyalty to the church, a valuable n'mber of the Standing Committee, legal advisor of the Ecclesiastical cart, member of the board of Land Agents, and trustee of Vermont Fiscopal Institute."
Sylvester Deming, second, was another outstanding laymen who is tis commended by the late Thomas H. Canfield: "He was a zealous curchman, no layman ever in the diocese being better informed as to te principles and doctrines of the Holy Catholic Church and able to gre a clear reason for the Faith that was in him."
In the early days of "Father Bronson" there was another layman, Ethuel Chittenden, who entered the ranks of the clergy in middle life ad was a leader in the councils of the church in Vermont in the early dys. Bethuel Chittenden, a younger brother of Governor Chittenden, cne from Connecticut in 1773, and settled in Tinmouth.
He was a man of rare qualities and was respected and often con- sted, because of his integrity, good judgment and common sense.
During the years he was at Tinmouth, he, like Captain Hawley, g:hered his neighbors together and read the service and a sermon to t:m. Father Chittenden, as he was called, had at first no intention o entering the ministry.
He was a man of limited education, but he was so impressed by the sercity of the clergy and the need of men to come to the rescue of the Ourch, particularly in connection with the Land Grants, that he d'ided to devote the rest of his life to the work of the Church.
And so, at the age of forty-nine he left his farm, went to Con- n:ticut, and was ordained Deacon by Bishop Seabury, June first, 1787, ad Priest in New London, June twentieth, 1794.
In 1790 he went to Shelburne where he labored for nearly twenty yırs. He was President of the Convention from 1784 to 1808, and h voice was always heard with attention and interest.
fer
Pa
er
for h
I
on nc
to
e
76
ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
The descriptions of his sacrifices and hardships in conscientiou y. fulfilling his ministry are most absorbing in interest.
Upon horseback he visited the scattered members of the Church n Northern Vermont, going from town to town, baptizing and admi! ;-. tering Holy Communion.
The Rev. Abraham Bronson and he were for ten years about le only clergymen in the state, and at the time of his death in 1810, the had been no increase in numbers since 1790.
However, the seeds sown by him while a farmer in Tinmouth, : d later as Priest and Missionary, were so fruitful that in almost ev y parish there are traces of his work.
Thomas Hawley Canfield, Secretary of the Diocese in 1890, wa a descendent of the fourth generation of both the eminent men whe name he bears. He was baptized in St. James' Church Dec. twelf , 1824 by the Rev. Abraham Bronson. He later became a communic t of St. Paul's Church, Burlington. He was also Secretary of the Dioce a Convention for thirty-four years.
For thirty-five years he was a Trustee of the Vermont Episco l Institute, serving for the most of that time as Treasurer.
At the Centennial Convention of the Diocese held in St. Jat, s Church, Arlington in 1890, Mr. Canfield made an address taking r his subject "The Part taken by Laymen in the Formation of Paris st and in Founding and Maintaining the Church in Vermont."
(The author is largely indebted to Mr. Canfield for the data of ts chapter. )
"In looking back," he said, "from 1817 to the time when Capt 1 Jehiel Hawley first commenced services in Arlington in 1764, a perd of about fifty years, it will be seen that there had been but five residet clergymen, three of whom abandoned the ministry of the Church."
"Is it not a wonder, then, that with such feeble help from : clergy; with all the prejudice against the Church of England; amid ! the difficulties arising out of the conflicting claims of New Hampsh and New York concerning the Land Grants, and the exigencies of 1; Revolutionary War, the lay members of the church, 'a fee : folk,' should have been so true to their faith and should so manfur have resisted the attempts made by the legislature to sequester th lands? And how much we are indebted to their good judgment, fo ; sight and firmness in maintaining their rights, for the benefits we : receiving in various ways; and especially from the Land Grants of 1 Venerable Society.
"We of the present day can hardly imagine the difficulties of the days, and as the late Bishop Philander Chase has said: 'I confess w: unfeigned satisfaction my admiration of those excellent and steadf: men-clergymen a few, laymen many-who shoulder to shoulder, the help of God, kept alive the cause of the Church when it seemed
77
CONTRIBUTION OF LAYMEN
ouje hopeless, from becoming utterly extinct, thus preserving it to better mes.''
ch Thomas H. Canfield was a successful business man and the main ninuilder and promoter of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
In later days may be named the following laymen who were leaders tff the parish: Samuel Benedict, William S. Holden, Albert D. Canfield, thevine Hard, Frank N. Canfield, Fred S. Canfield, Jesse Burdett, Martin [. Deming, John Lathrop Burdett, Richard B. Leake, Albert E. Buck, ,deuben H. Andrew and Clarence Dyer Gilchrist.
eva: The following are the names of the present Vestry: George A. ussell, M.D., Senior Warden; Herbert Wheaton Congdon, Junior wanyTarden and Clerk; Lawrence A. Cole, William J. Bevis, Robert Wil- whyams, Orange R. Baker, Walter E. Squiers, Gordon M. Hard and elfrederick H. Brush, Treasurer, son of the Rev. G. R. Brush. These ichien have manifested the same devotion to the Church as their fathers cellefore them.
Today there are two laymen living who have been communicants cof the parish for over sixty years, Edward Canfield Woodworth and harles Hawley Crofut, both descendants of pioneer families. Edward Tarpanfield Woodworth was baptized in St. James Church and confirmed gy Bishop John Henry Hopkins. He was Vestryman of the parish for ris fty years and treasurer for fifty-five years.
The Vestry of the parish on the occasion of Mr. Woodworth's re- forement as Treasurer of the parish in 1928, presented him with the allowing testimonial:
"To Edward Canfield Woodworth: Faithful Churchman, devoted worship and service, for fifty years Vestryman of St. James' Parish; instaking and accurate in the duties of his office, an upright and norable citizen:
We, his associates, the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of St. James' irish, as a mark of our esteem and appreciation of his remarkable and ficient service present him this simple yet heartfelt testimonial of our ve and confidence.
GEORGE ROBERT BRUSH,
Rector.
REUBEN H. ANDREW,
ROBERT WILLIAMS,
L. A. COLE,
A. E. BUCK,
R. B. LEAKE,
P. B. LATHROP,
B. L. HARD,
HERBERT WHEATON CONGDON,
Vestrymen.
er
.
id p f
re
78
ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
Mr. Charles Hawley Crofut has been a life-long resident of Arlir. ton and a highly respected citizen.
During his long life he has been much interested in the history the town and parish, and has been of much assistance to the writer the preparation of this book.
At the Sesquicentennial commemorating the entrance of Vermc: into the Union, held at East Arlington on Memorial Day, 1941, Hc Frank E. Howe, of Bennington, delivered an address in which he quot at some length passages on the history of Arlington that had been pi pared by Mr. Crofut.
It is fitting to observe that on this occasion, attended by appro: mately a thousand people, one of the first citizens of Arlington w honored.
A marker with its bronze plaque, presented by the Veterans Arlington, as a memorial to Remember Baker, pioneer of Arlington a Revolutionary hero, was unveiled.
The inscription on the marker written by Mrs. Dorothy Canfie Fisher, is as follows:
"To Remember Baker, Vermont patriot.
Defender of the New Hampshire Grants,
Captain of the Green Mountain Boys, under Ethan Allen.
Born in Roxbury, Connecticut, he came to Arlington in 1764. Vital, energetic, young, like all those who settled this town.
Near this spot he built his home and was millwright of the first grist and saw mills in the new settlement.
He was killed by Indians while scouting near St. John's Canada.
Brave, life-loving, high-spirited, he risked all he had in the service of Vermont,
Giving an example of devotion to his community which will never be forgotten by the men and women of Arlington."
CHAPTER NINE
Woman's Work in St. James' Parish
T would be an unpardonable omission to leave unchronicled the part which women have played in the growth and progress of this old parish, for certainly no one would wish to intimate that there ever as a time when woman's energies have not been a decisive factor, hether it be in the home, the Church, or the community.
Expressed in terms of anatomy, women might very fitly be termed e "backbone" of the parish, for they have individually and through eir parish organizations been instrumental in furnishing much of the nancial support of the Church.
More important than this has been the whole-hearted support which e women have given with intelligence and sacrificial effort to the iritual activities of the parish. The attendance of the women at the rvices of the Church, which has uniformly exceeded that of the men r three to one, has always attested to their loyalty and devotion as a oup, and their assistance in the choir, the Church School and in mis- nary activities, have all greatly advanced the spiritual life of the trish.
Though women have not yet been accorded by diocesan enactment Vermont the privilege of serving on the Vestry, yet this delay in thus cognizing women by the Church is largely due to the fact that the ate has only recently given them recognition.
It is for this reason chiefly that early historical records, so far as ive been discovered, make no mention of the wives and the mothers of te Green Mountain Boys, nor do they mention the thrift, the courage, le grace, beauty and virtues of those mothers who reared and trained teir children with such patience and prudence that they left as their ritage families strong to endure.
To come from Vermont stock is quite generally a favorable intro- iction, and in many of our cities there are "Societies of Vermonters" ho take pride in rallying together for fellowship, and to voice their yalty to the state that gave them birth.
While it would be impossible to make special mention of all the ithful women who labored and bore the brunt of the difficulties and scouragements, and conquered the obstacles such as arise through the ming and going of the years, a few of the outstanding leaders in the eneration that is past have been chosen as representative of that period
-
, H qu n p pr in ans on
Arlin tory riter
80
ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
of the simple life when the Church was more nearly than it is now center of community life. But first a word should be said of women's organizations.
The Woman's Auxiliary
It is probable that in the early days, say from 1830 to 1860, missionary work done by the women was not regularly organized, 1 it is clear from the records of the parish that there were in those d missionary offerings as a part of the Church program.
There is no record at hand of the date of the organization of 1 Woman's Auxiliary of this parish, but it is quite likely that a grc had been formed in the early seventies.
At the Diocesan Convention of 1877, which met at Rutland in Ju a group of women from the parishes met to consider the advisabil. of organizing a Diocesan Woman's Auxiliary.
They sent a petition to the convention of the diocese asking 1 delegates to take such steps as would enable them to cooperate with t convention in its missionary work.
One of the signatures to this petition was that of Mrs. Jesse Burde of St. James', Arlington.
At the diocesan convention of 1878, which met at Burlingto Bishop Bissell spoke in approval of the efforts of the women to form Diocesan Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary to work in connection wi the national Woman's Auxiliary.
He felt that with the burden resting upon the men to raise mon for the extension of the Church outside the parishes, the men cou very properly invoke the assistance of the women of the Church.
From the year 1878 dates the organization of the Diocesan Bran of the Woman's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions, and the pari branch was undoubtedly then active. The semi-centennial of the o ganization of the Diocesan Branch of the Woman's Auxiliary was he at St. James Church in June, 1928.
The parish branch numbered among its early members the following
Mrs. Ernest Lathrop, Mrs. May Lathrop, Mrs. Charles Canfiel Mrs. Charles Buck, Mrs. Henry Farnham, Mrs. Jesse Burdett, Mr William MacAuley, Mrs. Zadok Hard, the Misses Libbie and Abb Hard, Mrs. J. R. Judson, Mrs. David Crofut, Mrs. Mary Houghton Mrs. George Whitten, Mrs. Reuben Andrew, Mrs. Fred Bronson, Mr Ida Bronson, Mrs. Frank Canfield, Mrs. Warren Bixby, Mrs. Georg Holden, and Mrs. Jerome Gault. More recent members have beer. Mrs. Maria S. Goewey, Mrs. Fanny M. Hard, Mrs. Emily M. Wood worth, Mrs. Nellie Lawrence, Mrs. Jerome Viault, Miss Lauretta Marble Mrs. Walter Noyes, Mrs. Louise Bump, Mrs. G. R. Brush, Miss Sara A Stone, and Mrs. C. E. Burbank.
L E
or Thi
parish toW its ar
Dur
This
81
WOMAN'S WORK
This for many years was the only organization of women in the of ish. They were diligent in their activities, both for the support of parish, and in contributing through their own labor at sewing meet- rs towards missionary boxes which they filled with quilts and gar- ints and other clothing.
St. James' Guild
During the 90's the young women of the parish organized the Eughters of the King. This society was organized during the rector- b of the Rev. Richard C. Searing.
St. James' Guild was the successor of the Daughters of the King and ws organized under the advice of the Rector, the Rev. S. Halsted Vitkins who came to Arlington in 1900.
This Guild was also composed of the young women of the parish al it was originally intended that as adults they would become "members of the Woman's Auxiliary which had been established for ith or twenty-five years and was a devoted and earnest body of women.
Many of the members did this, but St. James' Guild proved to be a stong and healthy child and as time has gone on the "Girls," as they cl each other have become a valuable asset in the life of the parish and b ingenious planning they each year earn a substantial amount for the suport of the church.
The Guild has also of late years welcomed women whose affiliations hye been with churches not represented in Arlington.
In 1938 the Woman's Auxiliary and St. James' Guild became one o anization, the status of the Woman's Auxiliary remaining the same, tt is, to cooperate with the Diocesan Branch in missionary work; so tilt now the work of St. James' Guild is two-fold: (1) to plan and wrk for the support of the parish, and (2) to carry on the work of Woman's Auxiliary as in the past and as outlined by the officers o the Diocesan Branch.
List of Members of the St. James' Guild:
oh. M. Elizabeth Bradley
M. Clifford Atkins
Miss Sadie F. Hard
Mrs. George Howard
Mrs. E. Orvis Hogbin
Mrs. Burton Immen
Mrs. Frank White
Mrs. Clifford Wilcox Mrs. Andrew Wilcox Mrs. Mary Willson
Mrs. E. C. Woodworth
Mrs. Arthur Wood, Sr.
Mrs. Arthur Wood, Jr.
Mrs. Melvin King Mrs. Philip Fifer
Mrs. Norman Rockwell
Mrs. Clyde Putnam
Miss Maude Smith
AN. O. R. Baker
N .. Elizabeth Bettridge h: N. William Bevis .N. Harold Bottum ec N. Paul Benjamin
. N :. Helene Benjamin Mi. Lawrence Cole ON. Jacob Cole ant N ;. C. E. Burbank Ni. Harry Grout
Mrs. C. D. Gilchrist
Mrs. Alfred Coe Mrs. Meade Shaeffer Mrs. J. A. Rockwell Mrs. William Young Mrs. Fred McGuire
Mrs. Dorothy Squiers
he t .:
ng
n
n sab
Sun
m
of
60, ed, ose
DOW
82
ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ARLINGTON
Women in Church Music
Though it is recorded in the Minutes of the Vestry in the ea; years of the 19th century that three or four men were elected annua as choristers to lead the singing at the services, yet for at least sevent five years past the services of women in the choir and at the organ ha : been the chief factor in the music of this Vermont rural parish, they undoubtedly have been elsewhere.
Mrs. Jesse Burdett must have been one of the most active wom in the parish in the sixties for in addition to her work in the varic projects of the women to help in the parish support she was for number of years the organist. Mrs. Sarah Rogers, mother of M Frank N. Canfield, was the organist and leader of the choir in t seventies.
Then came Mrs. Clara Louise Stewart of whom extended mention made later in this chapter.
Since the time when Mr. Clarence E. Hard severed his connecti with this parish as organist in 1917 after a faithful service of ov seventeen years, the following women have served as organists a choir directors:
Miss Grace Buck (1919-1927), Mrs. Dorothy Russell (1918 a 1927-1930) and Mrs. Annie Grout (1930-).
Each of these musicians labored devotedly, and the present :. cumbent is no less diligent, to bring the music of the service to a hil standard of efficiency.
The Altar Guild
The holy women who very early on Easter morning went togetl to the sepulchre bringing spices and ointment for the burial of c Lord, have been an inspiring example through the Christian ages to 1 devoted women of the Church, of the Christian vocation of women ministering to prepare the altar and the sanctuary for the administ tion of the Holy Sacraments.
The reverence, care and studied accuracy that is so essential to 1 performance of these sacred duties has been most generally understo and appreciated by faithful women who themselves have perceived 1 meaning and blessing of the sacraments.
Because of the peculiar fitness of women for this work the bisho and the clergy have for a generation or more given attention in varic dioceses to the formation of Altar Guilds.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.