PO Box 543, 21 Church Street
Lyndonville, Vermont 05851
(802) 626-5057
E-mail lyndon@charterinternet.com

Worship Times:
January - June, 10:00am
July and August, 9:00am

Church History

Camp Meetings

"Camp Meeting time was one of the highlights of the year," according to Mrs. Ruth Croft, who joined the church when she was twelve years old, and is the oldest in years of membership of anyone in the church.

These Camp Meetings were begun as a result of a joint effort of the St. Johnsbury District of the Methodist Church and the Boston and Maine Railroad. The site of the first and subsequent meetings was in Lyndonville at the Railroad Grove which is known today as Power's Park. The last two weeks in August in 1867 marked the beginning of a series of meetings that would last nearly fifty years.

Headlines in the local newspaper read, "A Monstrous Camp Meeting" and went on to relate that "the greatness of the multitude astonished everyone. Ten railroad cars came from the north and ten from the south. These with the thousands of teams from every direction swelled the number in attendance to about 7,000 people - some set the number as high as 10,000."

In the ensuing years the railroad constructed several small cottages and a large boarding house for the Association headquarters and visitors' accommodations. The railroad line also provided benches sufficient for seating more than 3,000 campers. To accommodate the hundreds of teams that brought campers, the railroad constructed hitching posts, located where the tennis courts are now situated in the park. Over a period of years, more than thirty of the Methodist churches in surrounding villages set up permanent cottages for their members to use during the two-week camp meetings. Only one of these cottages remains today and it serves as the parsonage garage for the United Methodist Church.

Methodist church groups from various towns took turns running the boarding house, attending to the "victualling." The rates were reasonable - $4 being the price of board and lodging during the meetings or $1 per day. In addition to the boarding house, a fruit stand was run by the Lyndonville Epworth League Society, grapes being the principal fruit for sale. Mrs. Croft fondly recalls the fun she had waiting tables in the dining hall and the big bonfires they used to have each night. These fires helped to keep off the mosquitoes and served as a gathering place for story telling.

The program of the camp was strictly religious. It consisted usually of Bible readings, prayer services, sermons and youth meetings. Preaching was done at 10a.m., 2 p.m., and again at 7 p.m. Sermons were preached by all of the Methodist preachers in the area and guest ministers came from as far away as St. Louis, Missouri. Frequent reports were made of the number of conversions at the camp meetings.

The last recorded camp meeting was held at the Grove in 1915. No record can be found that indicates specific reasons for the discontinuance. Probably the changing scene, vandalism of the cottages, the coming of the automobile, and the start of World War I all contributed to the closing of one of the most interesting chapters in area Methodism.

Lyndon Church

In 1812, Elder Phineas Peck, a Methodist Circuit Rider, received a part of Ministerial Right #1 located on the east side of the hill known as "Minister Hill." The condition of his receiving this was that he would "settle with us as a minister of the Gospel on or before the first day of July next (1812)." The selectmen were to secure a written statement from Elder Peck promising to "continue as preacher of the Gospel in Lyndon for five years if not disabled." He lived there until 1819 when his health failed. A lease of the land was purchased by the Stewards of the Lyndon Methodists in 1825 for use as a parsonage. The lease rent was $2 per year payable each January 1. This continued in use until 1855 when Ruth C. Houghton (Mrs. Silas) sold her home beside the Methodist Church to the Stewards for a parsonage. In turn, this was used until there was no longer a Methodist minister resident in Lyndon, when it was sold to Murray and Bertha Paris. Finally, it was one of the victims of Interstate Highway 9l in 1972.

Though Bishop Asbury appointed Benjamin Hoyt an elder in the Lyndon community in 1811 and Daniel Fillmore an elder in 1815, the Methodists continued to share opportunity for worship at the Meeting House until nearly the midcentury. The "Lyndon Wesleyan Centenary Association" was formed in Lyndon in 1835. At one of its meetings held December 24, 1839, it was voted to build a house "to be located between Lyndon Corner and Bucklin Corner", to be paid for by the subscriptions for slips (pew space) at $34 each plus whatever additional might be obtained for choice when sold at auction. Forty-nine slips were immediately subscribed, providing $1677.33; the choice of slips was sold at auction bringing from five cents to ten dollars each. In 1840, when the "Centenary Chapel" was built, the church could boast of being the largest church in town having 140 members.

The church was first remodeled in 1867, and by 1879 a second remodeling took place when E.H. Stone of St. Johnsbury Center was in charge of "lowering" the church building and making a few changes in the interior. For a time it was necessary to borrow the Congregational Church in order to conduct services. In 1898, even more extensive repairs and alterations were made. At this time electric lights were installed throughout the building, and a kitchen and dining room made in a portion of the building at the back of the audience room. The church was first re-occupied on August 21, 1898.

During the Second World War, the Methodist and Congregational churches developed a pattern of cooperation in the interest of saving fuel, by holding services six months in each church. In 1944, when major repairs were found to be necessary at the Methodist Church, its use was limited to twice a month on a schedule combining the activities in one week of the Church Women with the Women's Farm Bureau, and the other week the Junior Grange with the subordinate Grange. The preaching services were transferred completely to the Congregational Church.

In 1949 (August 29) the trustees sold the vacant church building to Paul and Murrium Aiken, in which they stored furniture. Ten years later they sold to Robert Clark who, in turn, sold to J.W. Barber, Sr. It was owned by Barber when taken by the state for destruction to make way for 1-91. The Congregational Church terminated the merger in 1968; the Grange Hall was used for a time, finally the Lyndon Methodists became a part of the "United Methodist Church" in 1969 using the church building in Lyndonville.

East Lyndon Church

The formation of the church at East Lyndon was the result of the revival led by Rev. F.S. Brigham, pastor of the Union Church in Kirby, during the winter of 1876-77. A church building was constructed on land given by Amasa Knapp using funds locally subscribed ($1400). The day of its dedication, July 15, 1877, the remaining debt ($400) was raised from the audience present for the occasion, so the church body began life without debt. The first pastor was Rev. W.J. Johnson.

The East Lyndon Church celebrated its eightieth anniversary July 27, 1957. WA. Simpson gave an interesting history of the church. The early records have been lost or destroyed. Among the congregation were two ladies who were present at the dedication of the church in 1877. They were Mrs. Eva Smith of Lyndonville, whose father, Henry Weatherbee, was one of the founders of the church, and Mrs. Addie Newman of East Lyndon, whose father, Henry Ranney, was the other founder.

The first wedding recorded in the church was Dec. 2, 1920 - Robert Celley and Evelyn White of East Lyndon. Thirty years later, the second wedding was on July 7, 1950 - Richard Baird and Alice Simpson of East Lyndon. There has only been one funeral held in this church.

Lyndonville Church

The Methodist Church in Lyndonville dates from 1867, when services were first conducted over the wood shops of the Railroad Company by Rev. George W. Bickford, the resident pastor at Lyndon. After a time, services were held in the village schoolhouse. The next site was Brown's Wholesale Store on Broad Street.

The first resident pastor was Rev. W.R. Davenport, who arrived in 1878. The chapel was dedicated in December of that year, having been built on land acquired from the Railroad Company on Church Street; also, the first Board of Stewards was selected. The Vermont Union (Dec. 27, 1878) featured an article describing the dedication ceremony. "The new Methodist Episcopal Chapel was dedicated last Sunday afternoon, Presiding Elder Malcom of St. Johnsbury preaching an able sermon from James IV:7, 'Submit yourselves therefore to God.' He was assisted in the service by Rev. Mr. Wright of Lyndon and Rev. Mr. Davenport, the pastor of the church. The building committee, D.H. Smalley, Jeremy Pearl, Aaron Twombly and T.E. Parker, at the conclusion of the sermon, presented the building formally to the society. The singing of the choir of six under the leadership of H.T. Dean was excellent. The Chapel is 30 x 40, with a vestibule auditorium with the pulpit in front there. The seats have not yet arrived, but are expected this week. They are modern settees, a part of them reversible. The room is very pleasant and will comfortably seat 200 people. It is warmed by a homemade furnace, very effective in giving out heat. The building has no steeple, as it was designed for the vestry of the church which may be built at a future day."

May 19, 1879, the first quarterly conference of the church was held. Church membership was 25, Sunday School 112, with attendance at 60-70. Rev. Davenport's salary was $450. Value of the church property: $1600.

During the succeeding years the Conference made many changes in the combinations of pastoral responsibilities. Lyndon was linked with Lyndonville in numerous pastorates, (with each church paying half the pastor's salary and morning services held in one church and afternoon services in the other.) Lyndon and St. Johnsbury Center were combined on occasion, Lyndonville was with East Burke, East Lyndon was usually combined with Lyndon or Lyndonville or St. Johnsbury Center. It has been impossible to find any explanation of the combinations or their frequent changes.

Organizations for young people of the church were known by different names at various times, most often either Young People's League or Epworth League. They flourished for a few years, then no mention is made for some years when suddenly they are rejuvenated.

In mid-1897 work was begun on the enlargement of the Chapel, W.K. Annis of Albany being in charge of the work. Rev. and Mrs. W.C. Johnson were credited with the major portion of success in raising the necessary funds for the project. The dedication of the completed work was held on a Wednesday evening, February 2, 1898.

Agitation for fully ten years among members of the church finally bore fruit in 1913 in the purchase of a house on Prospect Street for a parsonage. This was sold in June 1916 to Maurice Seligman, the merchant tailor. Very soon a lot adjoining the church was secured from the Railroad Company, and a new parsonage was planned. Melvin Davis from East Lyndon was engaged to build the house which was soon finished and opened for public inspection in February 1917.

The next major repair of the church came in 1930 when the basement was further excavated and rooms created, a 50 x 30 dining room and a 24 x 30 kitchen being the major addition. These improvements were dedicated by Rev. Walter Davenport on March 17, 1931, a banquet serving 150 was a part of the occasion.

In 1962 the Methodist Church began what the newspaper heralded as a "$30,000 Improvement Job." The architect for the new entrance and four-room-addition-wing at the rear was Gordon Wood. A 26-foot-high aluminum steeple topping the front addition was planned for a later project. The first half of the church plan was finished and dedicated June 2, 1963.

November 12, 1969, the Methodist Church bodies in the town merged as the "United Methodist Church." 257 members came from the Peoples Methodist Church, Lyndonville; 104 from the Lyndon Methodist; and 63 from the church in East Lyndon.

In 1972 (May 25) the gift of Mrs. Jessie Folsom, a fiberglass and steel steeple was lifted into place on the wooden base at the front of the church roof line.

Without the people that enliven a church with their spirit, criticism, loyalty and faith, a church is little more than four walls, a bit of stained glass and a steeple. It's just a building. Similarly, a church history without the memories of its people is nothing but a collection of empty dates, dry facts and hollow accomplishments. For what is a church without the remembered fellowship?

Leland and Zelda Simpson remember the East Lyndon Church as filling a "great social need during the Depression years." Flag Whist was played every other Friday night, and for l5 cents "a few sandwiches or a coke, a whole family could spend a very enjoyable evening playing cards." Supper parties were held in the basement followed by games and group singing. Ma Simpson, the church organist for many years, remembers the potluck dinners on New Year's Day, the Fourth of July picnics and the big Christmas parties where neighbors and friends exchanged gifts. She recalls that every church family had their own horse shed situated behind the church.

Rev. A.M. Wheeler, in his pastor's report for the First Quarterly Conference for Lyndon and Lyndonville on June 30, 1883, also makes reference to the horse sheds in back of the church. "... there is perfect harmony throughout the entire charge as far as I know and all the interests of the charge are moving along (though not as rapidly as could be desired) in the right direction. I might except perhaps the horse sheds and some other things about the parsonage at Lyndon. These horse sheds and the condition of the parsonage fence are a great annoyance to the pastor, and really a great hinderance to the prosperity of the church. Strangers coming into the place look upon them as indications that the church is about to expire if not already dead, and our citizens make remarks in regard to them not very complimentary to the atmosphere of the church. If these sheds were taken away or repaired so as to appear respectable, I have no doubt our Sabboth congregations would be increased. The fact is, people do not like to have their sense of taste so shocked as they go to church. I carefully avoid looking at those sheds. I turn my head in another direction. The sight of them does not give the right kind of inspiration."

Church suppers seemed to inspire the right kind of fellowship without fail. Ruth Croft remembers the corn chowder supper the women decided to have in the new Church Street parsonage. Mrs. Butler (Jay Butler) was in charge. The chowder was made in a large wash boiler. Everything was going fine and the first group sat down to eat only to find that Mrs. Butler had forgotten to put the corn in the corn chowder.

Al Forrest remembers the oyster stew supper the men decided to put on during the Depression years to raise money. "A stew was made in a copper wash boiler. That afternoon we began to have a freezing rain storm. At that time people walked instead of driving and the streets were better suited for skating; many decided it was better to stay home. We had gallons of stew left and it was delicious." Al also recalls a breakfast the men prepared for the women at the Lyndon Grange. "Half of it was good - except for the coffee. I made that. It would nearly dissolve a spoon. The women didn't complain. But I took quite a ribbing from "Curly" Anderson and Phil Benson."

The committees proposed the projects, the votes made them a reality. Then the work began. Sometimes the deepest fellowship, the heartiest laughs occurred while "working up a good, honest sweat" - whether one was inside the church kitchen, outside on the church grounds or perched on a ladder leaning on the church itself. Clyde Hunter remembers moving the cast bronze bell from the church at Lyndon to the church in Lyndonville. "We could have the bell if we could take it down. Lee Gray gave us some used lumber from the Light Company that we could use to skid the bell down on, if we could pull the nails from them. Floyd Randall, Ray Smith, myself and two others built the slide from the roof to the ground. The bell weighed 1045 pounds and was in the key of G. It took several of us to get it up as it was heavier going up. The bell was sold in 1959 or 1960 to a brass works in Connecticut.

"The seats in the sanctuary used to be in a circular form," Clyde recalls. "The pulpit was on the side next to the parsonage, on a platform raised about three feet.... There was an alcove about eight feet outside the wall, with a small window in each of the three walls near the top. When the time came to make some changes, I suggested we move the window from the east wall to where it is now. One of the members asked me if I would give a thousand dollars to have this done, as he thought I was crazy to make such a suggestion. However, it was decided upon. So one Friday after work we took the alcove apart, and Saturday Clyde Jackman and I finished roofing at 11:00p.m. Church services were held the next day with a hole in the wall." The seats were removed and folding chairs used until we picked out the pews we now have that cost $125 each at that time.

The basement was dug out by hand, Al Forrest informs us. Rev. Bob White and Harry Croft dug it out by hand. Clyde Walker had a pair of horses and a wagon that he had his hired man (Herman Lane) use to haul the dirt away from under the church. They put a lot of the dirt over by Center Street meadow. Glee Kelley gives Rev. White a lot of credit for the work he put in on the basement. "Robert labored long hours shoveling dirt along with the church men, only to be criticized for his sermons! Before going to Hardwick to preach he said, 'I've learned hereafter to attend to my pastor's work first!'

The Methodist Fair Booth, perhaps the most successful of all the church projects, was at first a project of the Ladies Society. It was turned over to the church treasury board when it became a large project requiring help from the total membership of the church. Clyde Hunter was in on that project, too. "About 1937 we had a chance to have what had been a hot dog stand. This was the start of the fair booth. And I believe the same frontage is now facing the track, and not over ten or twelve feet back. The Light Company moved a pole so we could have better access for a second serving. The Railroad Shop gave us some old boiler tubes which I cut and welded to form posts for the seats. Rev. Latimer was our pastor in the 50's. He had worked in a restaurant and suggested we make a steam table. This we made from a range boiler cut in half and piped it to a gas burner water circulator. The next year we enlarged the steam table. At first we had to get all our water from the Floral Hall. The booth has been enlarged twice since.

The work projects strengthened fellowship and helped to build a successful church. The memories of personal growth within the church (sometimes painful to remember) formed another tie to the church that is treasured over the years. It seems that one Sunday in the 1920's Rev. Markey preached a sermon about profanity. "One day a group of boys and I were on the corner of Church and Depot", Al Forrest explains. "Someone either pushed or hit me and I let loose with a sentence or two of cuss words, in a good, loud voice, Mr. Markey happened along at that time. He mentioned no names that Sunday in church, but I squirmed some during the service.

The collection during the service was obtained with a "long pole with a green velvet bag on the end of it", recalls Ruth Croft. "This was handy to reach in among the benches. There wasn't much paper money put in those bags." Al Forrest was one of the boys in charge of taking offering. "As we became expert we would go from pew to pew without lost motion, even to tickling a sleeping parishioner under the nose. One Sunday as I was lifting it over the heads of the next pew, I misjudged and the basket caught under the brim of a lady's hat and sent it flying. She said nothing out loud, but I presume she preached a few sermons under her breath."

Not at a loss for childhood memories, Al can remember Wednesday night prayer meetings. "My grandfather came home from the car shop, took a bath, shaved, polished his shoes, ate supper, put on his best suit, then he and my grandmother set out for church. They were home by 9:30 p.m." Epworth League was the highlight of the week for the youth. "It was on Sunday nights," says Al, "with 20 in attendance. l6 cents was a good collection as money was not plentiful during Depression years. Usually each member brought a sandwich, whatever the specialty of their house; those who had cows brought milk. Somehow someone usually provided cocoa. We were a restless bunch. Ask Ruth Croft how she could put up with us and maintain her sanity."

If youth advisors became discouraged occasionally, they were not alone. The pastors also had their moments of frustration. Rev. Dodd, in his pastor's report for the Third Quarterly Conference for Lyndon and Lyndonville January 28, 1893, reports the following: "... The Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Sons of Veterans, Daughters of Veterans Relief Corps, Rebeccas, Good Templars, Brothers of Locomotive Engineers, Railroad Brotherhood and all the rest of the Legion Brotherhood and Sisterhood together with the balls and suppers and installations, and card parties and theaters and the concerts and the minstrel shows and the Papal Heirarchy and the Pope of Rome are all flourishing in our lively little village like a Green Bay Tree. I wish I could say as much for the Class Meetings and Sabboth Evening Meetings. Some of the above mentioned are innocent - and even useful others neither the one nor the other - but none of them ought to be preferred by the children of God to the House of Prayer. And surely the great Bridegroom has a right to ask of his Bride that she pay her first attention to him and the interests of his kingdom. Let us see to it.

In another pastor's report, Rev. F. A. Woodworth (Jan.18, 1911) relates the following: "Lewis E. Smith, the singing evangelist, conducted a series of meetings in May. Nine rose at the invitation to become Christians. I have seen each one and have urged them to take a public stand by uniting with the church on probation. Only one took this step. One said on the Sunday that she was to be received that it was too cold. I went the next week to see her and she said it was too hot. I went the third time and she said the children were sick and I haven't been able to make the weather just right or get the children all well yet. Another one said, 'I don't know what I want to do.' Another said 'Not yet.' Another said 'no' on account of the rules against dancing, etc. I indicate these things to show you that I have tried."

Rev. Orange Scott, a relative of Herman Scott, and a pastor on the Lyndon circuit in 1824, had a brighter outlook on the people of our churches in the book The Life of Reverend Orange Scott by Lucius C. Matlack: "The state of religion in all the societies was good at the commencement of this year, a great revival having prevailed the previous year, and yet existing in many of the societies. The work among sinners, to a great extent, continued to prevail during this year, also, so that at its close, we found that between three and four hundred had been converted during the two previous years, most of whom had united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. New societies had been formed, new ground had been taken; the Gospel had been preached where the Methodists had never preached before; and the whole moral and religious aspect of the country had been changed. It was one of the greatest revivals I ever witnessed. Several young men from this revival were called to the ministry. Some of them died in the work, and several more are still toiling on. These two years (on the Lyndon circuit) were seasons long to be remembered both by preachers and the people. We closed up our labors in peace and parted in hope."

One hundred years of past labors have made us the vibrant church that we are today. Our memories have mellowed us into a loving church family. With a kind of wistful nostalgia we label our memories of the church "the good old days."

In 1978, the church enjoyed a time of health and vitality. Since 1975 thirty individuals and families joined the church and between September and June average worship attendance was 125. During the same period, the church had a Junior Choir (grades three though eight) of 44 youngsters, and an Adult Choir of 15.

The budget was $24,122. And for a number of years the church managed to stay in the black. The pastor's salary and benefits were just over $10,000 plus utilities.

During this time span trustees initiated a $3500 renovation project to improve the downstairs dining room and also to insulate over the "Purple Parlor." An explanation of the church's "Purple Parlor" may be in order. Many years ago, the pastor was gone for several days. In his absence the young people painted the parlor a lively purple. It was hardly the traditional "institutional green." However, it symbolized our love for one another, our acceptance of the new and different, and our openness to the joy that is found in Jesus Christ.

There is a good feeling in our 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship. People arrive to worship in a joyous mood and know that they can experience the freedom of laughing or crying with each other, and clapping out of appreciation for a Junior or Adult Choir anthem. Over and over, one of the most frequent statements we here is "your congregation is so blest to have such a talented choir."

We are known as a singing church. Hymns are sung with enthusiasm and at a healthy tempo. Our anthems are a mixture of traditional religious fervor and other sounds such as Kris Kristofferson's "Why Me, Lord?"

We believe our church building should be used for more than just Sunday morning worship. Alcoholics Anonymous meets each Monday night and from time to time other organizations use our facilities for meetings and workshops.

Twenty ago the question was asked, "Is everything perfect in our church?" We would be naive to believe it is. But that is what makes life together as a community of faith exciting. We recognize each other's weaknesses and strengths and we together to try and fulfill our commission given by our Lord Jesus Christ, "Go . . . make disciples . . . teach them to observe all things I have commanded you; and I will be with you always."