CHAPTER XXX.

SOUTH ROYALTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

At the request of twenty-two residents of South Royalton, by the direction of the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society represented by its secretary, Rev. C. S. Smith, a council was called to meet at the schoolhouse in South Royalton, at 11 a. m., Jan. 16, 1868. There were present from Bethel, Rev. T. H. Johnson and Dea. D. Tolles; from Royalton, Rev. C. B. Drake, D. D., and Dea. Daniel Rix; from Sharon, Rev. Philetus Clark and Dea. Simeon Nott; from Tunbridge, Dea. H. Farnham; from Chelsea, Franklin Dearborn; and from the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society, Montpelier, Rev. C. S. Smith.

Rev. T. H. Johnson was chosen moderator and Rev. C. S. Smith scribe. After the need of a church had been presented by residents of South Royalton, and the probable effect it would have upon the church in Royalton village had been shown by members of that church, the council withdrew, and after consultation decided almost unanimously to organize a church.

At this time there were received into the church by Rev. C. S. Smith, William Smith, Mrs. William Smith, Charles Carr, Mrs. Charles Carr, John B. Durkee, Mrs. Arlotta Durkee, Mrs. Ellen A. Adams, Frederick B. Adams, Miss Emily Lamb, Mrs. Laura Foster, Mrs. Asenath Lathrop, Stephen Simmons, Miss M. Hoyt, all by letter, and on profession of faith, Silas Doubleday, Mrs. Silas Doubleday, Martin S. Adams, John F. Nute, Miss Lotta Lougee, Miss Susan Lamb, Miss Alma Foster, Miss Susan Newton, and Miss Laura Foster.

The first special meeting was held Feb. 1, 1868. Rev. C. S. Smith preached a preparatory sermon, and the following officers were elected: M. S. Adams, clerk, who has held the office to the present time; John B. Durkee and Frederick B. Adams, deacons. Through the kind thought of Oel Billings of Woodstock, the Congregational church of that village presented the South Royalton church with a communion service.

On May 10 a call was extended to Rev. Daniel W. Fox. He accepted the call, and he and his wife were the first names added to the list of charter members. Mr. Fox was a man of ability, but his health was impaired, and he resigned and was dismissed

Mar. 10, 1870. He was so much improved that he assumed another pastorate in November, and he and his wife took letters of dismissal to the First Presbyterian church of Flanders, N. J.

The South Royalton church at once took steps to build a suitable house of worship. Just what these were cannot be stated, because the books of the Society were burned in 1886, and there is no other record. The money was raised by subscription. A lot was purchased of Martin S. Adams on June 16, 1868, on which to set the new church. While this was being built, meetings were held in the schoolhouse.

This continued through the winter and until April 1 of the next year. A council was called for that date to dedicate the new church, which was now fully completed and furnished. The pastor was to be installed the next day. Pastors and delegates were present from the churches in Royalton village, Bethel, Chelsea, Tunbridge, Woodstock, Hartford, Montpelier, Brattleboro.

At the dedicatory services the house was crowded, and the exercises were very impressive. The order of exercises was as follows: Organ voluntary by Prof. H. C. Eddy of the Bethany church, Montpelier; Invocation, Rev. Daniel W. Fox; Voluntary by the choir; Prayer, Rev. J. C. Caldwell; Sermon, Rev. W. H. Lord, D. D.; Dedicatory prayer and benediction, Rev. C. S. Smith.

The next day the installation of the pastor, Mr. Fox, took place. The sermon was preached by Rev. N. Mighill of Brattleboro; charge to the pastor was given by Rev. C. S. Smith; address to the people by Rev. B. F. Ray of Hartford. In connection with these exercises two grand vocal and instrumental concerts were given by the Congregational society. Mr. James S. Abbott of Boston was the conductor, assisted by Prof. Eddy and a full chorus of fine voices. The proceeds of the concerts were to go for a new organ for the church. The church building cost $5,600.

The pulpit was not at once supplied after Mr. Fox left town. The church was somewhat disheartened at the loss of its pastor, and it was not until April, 1871, that it voted to ask Rev. S. F. Drew to serve as acting pastor for one year, at a salary of $800. Stephen Folsom Drew was a graduate of Dartmouth in 1848; in Lane Theo. Sem. in 1855; a native of Tunbridge; pastor at Stowe before coming to South Royalton. He remained with the South Royalton church one year only, until May, 1872. He was followed by Elisha W. Miller, a licentiate, who served the church until Jan. 1, 1873.

At the annual church meeting this year it was voted to change the name of the church to the Congregational Church of Christ in South Royalton.

The next year a Rev. Mr. Hemenway supplied the pulpit. He was a missionary, and a man of more than ordinary ability. Rev. A. B. Lyon was the acting pastor from Jan. 1, 1874, to Jan. 1, 1875. The next year there were several supplies.

Rev. S. K. B. Perkins was engaged as acting pastor in 1876, and began his work November 14th of that year. Mr. Perkins was the son of Rev. Jonas and Mrs. Rhoda Perkins. He was born in Braintree, Mass., April 14, 1830; graduated at Monson, Mass., 1847, and from Amherst College in 1851; principal of Hollis Institute two years; studied theology at Bangor Theo. Sem.; pastor, Hartford, one year; Glover, eighteen years; South Royalton, six years; Middleton, Mass., four years; Raynham, Mass., thirteen years; Perry, Me., four years, in all forty-eight years. He received into the church 206 members, married 354, attended 516 funerals. Served seven years as superintendent of schools in Glover and South Royalton. Mr. Perkins tendered his resignation after a pastorate of six years in South Royalton, and it was accepted Aug. 7, 1882. While here he had charge of the Congregational church in Tunbridge one and one-half years.

Mr. Perkins married May 14, 1862, Miss Laura L. Brocklebank of Meriden, N. H. Two children, Mary E. and Henry M. A., were born to them, both of whom attended the grammar school while he was in South Royalton. Mary E. married, June 3, 1885, Dea. Charles G. Sheppard, and has one son, a graduate of Harvard College, cum laude. Henry married, Sep. 3, 1891, Ella Louise Severance, and has three daughters, one of them in the high school. No doubt many of Rev. Mr. Perkins' old friends will be pleased to see his face in one of the cuts. Mr. Perkins is still living in Raynham, Mass., at the age of eighty.

Mr. Perkins was universally liked both as pastor and citizen. He was ready to join with any movement for the betterment of the social and religious life of the community, and was often the leading spirit. Though the church did not increase its membership by any leaps or bounds, it had a steady spiritual growth.

At the time he severed his connection with the church, it testified to his worth in these recorded words: "His character as a citizen, neighbor, and friend has ever been one of uniform courtesy and kindness, true to his principles and profession, always reliable and ready for every good work."

Mr. Perkins was succeeded by William Denison Smith, a licentiate. He was the son of Nathan T. and Alzina (Button) Smith, born in Clarendon, Sep. 3, 1855. He graduated from Middlebury College, 1878, and from Union Theo. Sem., 1881; preached for Presbyterian churches at Glassboro and Elmer, N. J., 1881-82; at South Royalton, Sep. 1, 1882, to Sep. 1, 1883; Presbyterian church, Fulton, Ill., 1883-84; State Center, Iowa,

1884-87; ordained Oct. 20, 1885; Mt. Sterling, Ill., 1887-90; Normal, Ill., 1890. Mr. Smith preached a part of the year 1883 for the Royalton Congregational church. He had many of the qualifications of a pulpit orator.

Rev. William Sewall acted as pastor from Jan., 1884, to Jan., 1885. He was a devout, spiritually-minded man, and gave excellent satisfaction.

Prof. Campbell of Dartmouth supplied the pulpit much of the time in 1885 and a part of 1886. The latter part of 1886 Charles H. Dutton, the son of Rev. Albert I. Dutton, occupied the pulpit at South Royalton. His father was located at that time in Royalton, preaching for the church at the other village. Mr. Charles Dutton was then a student, and could only temporarily be secured. He later married a daughter of S. C. Drew, and his record will be found with the record of that family.

Rev. James Ramage began his work as acting pastor Oct. 8, 1886. Mr. Ramage was born at Lasswade, Scotland, Aug. 11, 1855; educated in the public schools and New College, Edinburgh, Scotland; took a special course in Bangor, Me., Theo. Sem., 1893-95; ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational church, So. Woodbury, Oct. 18, 1885, and closed his work there in 1886. He remained in So. Royalton until July 1, 1893. From here he went to So. Brewer, Me., where he remained until 1901, since which time he has been preaching in N. Troy.

Mr. Ramage preached at Tunbridge Sunday afternoons from Oct., 1891, to June 19, 1892. By this added labor voluntarily assumed by Mr. Ramage, the church in South Royalton was able to dispense with aid from the Vermont Domestic Missionary Society, from which it had drawn aid ever since its organization. Arrangements were made with the church at Royalton village, by which Mr. Ramage was to preach for them Sunday afternoons, alternating with So. Royalton Sunday evenings. While preaching in Tunbridge Mr. Ramage had a centennial address to prepare there and a pamphlet to work up.

Perhaps Mr. Ramage became more widely acquainted with the people of the town than any other resident clergyman since Dr. Drake died. When he resigned, the church expressed its confidence in him and its appreciation of his labor in a letter recommending him to the churches. It read in part: "You have received into the church forty-eight members, thirty-two on confession of faith, forty being received into this church, three into Tunbridge church and five into the Royalton church. During all this time you have been earnest, active, and faithful to every duty. You have adorned the doctrine you have preached by a pure, devoted, unselfish Christian life. You found us with our village in ashes, our people discouraged, our church

in need of extensive repairs. You leave us with a village restored, the church in splendid repair, and our people prosperous. We voice the universal regret that you are to leave us.

The pulpit was supplied by different ones a few months until Rev. Henry Martin Goddard began his work as acting pastor Dec. 28, 1893. Mr. Goddard was born May 3, 1869, in Ludlow. He graduated from Black River Academy, 1886; from Middlebury College, 1890; from Yale Divinity School, 1893; pastor at Royalton and So. Royalton, 1893-99; West Congregational church, Concord, N. H., 1899-1907; First Congregational church, Essex, Mass., 1907 to the present time. He married, October 2, 1895, in Ludlow, Lena A. Sargent, daughter of Darwin R. Sargent. They have three children, Paul Marlin, born in So. Royalton, Sep. 25, 1896; Helen Verona, born Sep. 19, 1899; Dwight Sargent, born Feb. 3, 1905.

Mr. Goddard received the degree of M. A. from Middlebury in 1893. He supplied the pulpit at Royalton village while stationed at South Royalton. Mr. Goddard is a man of strong religious convictions, and courageous in standing for any principle which he deems right. The fact that he remained six years as pastor in Royalton shows that his ministrations were acceptable to the churches over which he was placed.

On June 5, 1899, Rev. Wilfred E. Mann assumed the acting pastorate of the church. Mr. Mann was born June 15, 1867, in Mannhurst, N. B. He graduated from the Bangor Theo. Sem. in 1904. He possessed exceptional ability as a public speaker, and was an enthusiastic worker for the church. He was ably seconded by his wife, who acted for some time as superintendent of the Junior Endeavor Society, which was then a thriving organization. He has recently become an Episcopal minister in Illinois.

Mr. Mann also supplied the Royalton pulpit, continuing the arrangement which had been operative for some years. In 1902 the church was in a straightened condition. The Royalton church had been able to secure a pastor, Rev. Joel Whitney, who had taken up his residence there, and the South Royalton church was compelled to pay a larger salary than it had been doing for several years, if it retained Mr. Mann. At an adjourned annual meeting of the church that year it was finally agreed that he should remain another year. Their confidence in him and their appreciation of his pastorate was expressed in a set of suitable resolutions. Mr. Mann remained another year, but the meager salary was too small to support his growing family, and his resignation was accepted Feb. 12, 1903. He was called to the Indian Orchard church, Springfield, Mass., March 1, 1903. He