What is the purpose of these Manuals? The design of each Manual is, to promote in the members of this church, a better knowledge of themselves, and of  the principles by which they profess, and of the principles by which they profess to be governed; to increase their personal piety,  and give it a more practical direction; to facilitate their acquaintance with each other, and strengthen the bonds of their Christian Union, - that thus the church  may be established in the birth in the faith of the gospel; be rooted and grounded in love; may let its light shine before men; and be wholly consecrated to the service of its  Redeemer and Lord.

In the past records of our church, there are references to Church Manuals dated 1853, 1875, 1890, 1904, 1914, and 1925. In these manuals,  there are membership rolls of the Church. The Middlebury Congregational Society records, for the time period 1805 to February 1852, were destroyed by a fire (no details available as to the location or severity of the fire). The Society met in March 1852 to renew the Articles of Association. It was presumed that this may be a reason for publishing a Church Manual in 1853 [un-dated pencil written notes – author unknown].

For the six manuals, each was type-set by a professional printing concern. The Manual pamphlet was no longer published after 1925. Instead, there was a typewritten (8 ½ x 11) version of the membership rolls prepared within the church each year (at least there were several found in the Church files. Seemingly, this was the version which transformed into today’s Directory. In today’s Directory, the names, addresses, and phone numbers were included but there was no information as to method of joining the church. 

The narrative text is very similar in each Manual. The succession of pastors is given in each Manual. In the historical sketches portion of each manual, there is a summary of the substantive repairs / renovations given up to the date of the Manual.  Also given in each Manual, there are at least two membership rolls. In the first two pamphlets (1853 and 1875), the membership rolls is chronological by the year in which the person joined the Church. In the third pamphlet (1890), there are two alphabetical listings: male and female. In each listing the year in which the person joined the Church is given. In the fourth pamphlet (1904), there are two alphabetical listings: resident members and non-resident members. In each listing, a letter ‘L’ is used if the person joined the Church by letter, others were received by profession of faith. There is a single list of members with the year in which they joined the Church and their residence given. It is only these two most recent Manuals (1914 and 1925) that the addresses of the members were given.

Manual for the Use of the Congregational Church of Middlebury, Vermont – 1853 [Middlebury: Justus Cobb, Printer, 1853] - This pamphlet provides several narrative presentations: Self-Examination; Confession of Faith and Covenant; Covenant Hymn; Standing Rules; Standing Appointments; Succession of Ministers; Deacons of the Church 1853; Committee of Discipline 1853. These are followed by a “Catalogue of Members.” Each member has a symbol representing their membership: 

*            deceased while member

d            dismissed to other churches

e            excluded

s            separated under the 7th and 22nd rules

n r          non-residen

c            suffixed, denotes those who have become clergymen since their union with the church

Manual of the Congregational Church, Middlebury, Vermont – 1875 [Middlebury: Knapp & Bailey, Printers, 1876]  -

This pamphlet provides several narrative presentations: Progress of the Church; Form of Admission to Church Membership; Rules of the Church; Recommendation; Appointments; Officers. These are followed by two lists: a Catalogue of Members according to the Year of Admission and Present Membership

(l )     signified received by letter; the others were received by profession of faith

(e )    excluded

(sus) suspended

(d )    dismissed

(s )     separated under 4^th or 17^th rule, or because individuals have united with other churches without letters from us

(*)     deceased while members

(n r)   non-resident

(c )    denoted those have become clergymen since uniting with the church

(w c) those who have become wives of clergymen since united with the church

(m)    those who have become missionaries since united with the church

Middlebury Congregational Church –January, 1890 [Middlebury: The Register Company, Printer, 1890]: Roll of Members of the Middlebury Congregational Church –March,  1890 -  This pamphlet provides a roll of the present membership of the Middlebury Congregational Church in two lists – one is a listing of the males and a second is the listing of the females. Each name has one or more of four explanations: (L) signifies received by Letter, all others were received by profession by Faith; (N R) non-resident; (C) clergyman; (M)   missionary. There is no narrative text for this Manual.

A Manual of the Congregational Church of Middlebury, Vermont – 1904 [Middlebury, Vermont, no printer listed, 1904] - This pamphlet provides several narrative presentations: A Historical Sketch; Religious Services and Societies; Rules and Usages; Form of Admission to Membership. These were followed by two lists of members: Resident Members and Non-resident Members – listings give a total membership of 320. The date indicates the year of admission to membership; ‘L’ indicated admission by letter.

A Manual of the Congregational Church of Middlebury, Vermont – 1914 [Middlebury, Vermont, no printer listed, 1914] - This pamphlet provides several narrative presentations: A Historical Sketch; Religious Services and Societies; Rules and Usages; The Creed, Form of Admission to Membership. These were followed by an alphabetical list of members, including their address.

A Manual of the Congregational Church of Middlebury, Vermont – 1925 [Middlebury, Vermont, no printer listed, 1925] - This pamphlet provides several narrative presentations: A Historical Sketch; Religious Services and Societies; Rules and Usages; The Creed, Form of Admission to Membership. These were followed by two (alphabetical) lists, one containing resident members and one containing non-resident members, both lists with addresses.

Church Historian

Malcolm W, Chase