h/o Eliza D.

St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume], August 15, 1906, Image 1

Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary.
First Missionaries to Work Among Bulgarians

On Friday, August 10, Rev. Charles Fitch Morse
and Eliza Winter Morse celebrated their golden
wedding. Of their nine children living, seven were
present, making with the three daughters-in-law,
one son-in-law, and twelve grand children, a
company of 25 seated at the wedding dinner.
Throughout the day Mr. and Mrs. Morse were
gentleman and lady of leisure, and guests of honor,
the children taking charge of all housework and
planning and carrying out the program of
celebration. The breakfast table was decorated
with ferns, golden nasturtiums, and pansies.
At 2 30 a carriage called for the bride and groom
and the whole company adjourned to the St.
Johnsbury House for the wedding feast.
Goldenrod and golden glow were in evidence
in the dining room. The carrying out of the
menu was interspersed with the reading of the
sentiments on the favors, written for the occasion
by Mrs. Joseph F.Morse. At the close of the menu
came the presentation of gifts by Miss Lilla Morse,
the youngest daughter, graceful responses
by the groom and bride, the reading of
letters of congratulation, toasts and
reminiscences by the children, and finally
the reading of the wedding poem by Mrs.
J. F. Morse.
There's a shimmer o'er the landscape,
And in the air a song.
For this is the golden moment
We've waited for so long !
There is laughter and joy in the homestead,
And peace in each dear room,
While the breezes are bringing the fragrance
Of gardens all abloom.
While we revel in this day's splendor,
Another day appears.
As the light of a far-off summer
Breaks through the mist of years;
In fancy we hear them plighting.
That lang syne wedding day;
The glory of that bright morning
Still shines upon the way,
I have not been told of that wedding,
But this I truly know,
That our bride was a winsome maiden
Just fifty years ago.
In cheerful performance of duty
She's nobly done her part.
And borne with a grace God gave her
Good cheer to many a heart.
And he why he is our father,
A gentleman, true and tried.
Of years of brave, faithful living
He should be satisfied,
A soldier beneath the banner
Of the royal Prince of Peace
He bore his word and message
To the land beyond the seas.
So up to the sun-kissed hill-tops,
Where life's meridian lies,
Both working, hoping, praying,
She singing her lullabies.
The walls of time are heaven-domed,
And He who quells all fears
Has watched the long procession
Of silent-footed years.
What was then doth still live with you,
Lovers then are lovers now,
Kindly man and gracious woman,
With the silver on your brow.
Let writers tell their story,
And poets weave their rhyme
Of love's young dream, its splendor,
In life's bright summer-time.
As the brook is to the river,
As the river to the sea,
Seems the love of youth and maiden
To the peerless majesty
Of two hearts and souls united
Through all time ior weal or woe.
Ah, love's bond grows sweeter, stronger,
As the long years come and go.
Happy on that August morning,
Happy, loving, loyal still.
Though the golden sun is shining
Slantwise on the western hill
Oh. I cannot utter the gladness
That is filling the old home place,
Or the joy it gives to be greeting,
To be meeting you face to face.
Perhaps when men become angels,
And know as the angels know,
Their souls mav find the expression
They have longed for here below.
Here's womanhood crowned with laurels,
Here's manhood crowned with bay;
The angels themselves should be smiling
On this golden wedding day.
And the children are lovingly saying,
Saying through smiles and tears;
Thank God for this father and mother,
And these fifty golden years.
Florence Campbell Morse
The gifts included a substantial purse
in gold from the children, a golden
remembrance from Mrs. A. A. Higgins, a
niece of the groom, an iridescent rose
bowl from a St. Johnsbury lady, who
was a classmate of Mr. Morse in the
Academy, water-lilies and a purple glox
inia plant from other St. Johnsbury
friends, a beautiful lace handkerchief from
Mrs. C. H. McClary of Evanston, III.,
and a vase and gold shirt-stud from Mrs.
Jessie C. Reider of Madison, Wisconsin.
The children present at the wedding
dinner were: Rev. Charles H. Morse, the
oldest, and Ernest B. Morse, the youngest
son, with their families, both living in St.
Johnsbury; Mrs. Harry W. Blake with
her three daughters, residing in Hoosick
Falls, N. Y.; Joseph F. Morse and wife,
professor in Medell High School, Chicago;
Miss Flora Morse, living with the old folks
at home; Mrs. Emma Shattuck and family,
wife of Rev. Williard I Shattuck of Easthampton,
Mass; and Miss Lilla Morse, teacher of Biblical
Literature in Mt. Holyoke College. Mrs. Mary Benton
and youngest child arrived from Seattle, Sunday,
August 12. The only members of the home circle
unable to attend the reunion were H. W. Blake,
now in Europe on business for the Walter A. Wood
Harvesting Co., H. H. Benton,detained by business
in Seattle, and Will W. Morse, located in Guayaquil,
Ecuador.
Mr, Morse was born in Derby, in 1825, the son of Col.
Joseph Morse. Leaving home at the age of 21, he
worked his way through St. Johnsbury Academy
and was graduated from Amherst College in 1853,
and three years later from Andover Theological
seminary. On August 10, 1856, he was married to
Miss Eliza Winter, daughter of Aaron Winter of West
Boylston, Mass. Soon after their marriage they
sailed for Constantinople as the first missionaries of
The American Board to Bulgaria. After mastering
the language Mr. Morse published a Bulgarian-English
and English Bulgarian dictionary. This was the first
work of its kind, and has been used to this day by
missionaries, traders, and students. He also translated
into Bulgarian over 2,000 pages of tracts, some
of which have passed through many successive editions.
For the last five years Mr. Morse has been revising and
enlarging bis Bulgarian dictionary, putting it
in shape to be republished in a still more serviceable
form. After 14 years of service in the mission field Mr.
Morse returned to this country in 1870 to educate his
growing family. For the next 14 years he preached in
various Congregational churches in New England, and
then settled in St. Johnsbury to make a business of
educating his children. To obtain the necessary funds
he became agent for the People's Cylopedia, and
later was assigned the general agency for Northern
New England. Since undertaking this new line of
work Mr. Morse has scattered over 5,000 sets of
cyclopedias through the homes of New England, it
speaks much for his versatility and strength of
character that he was able to achieve such decided
success in business after devoting the prime of his
life to mission work and preaching. As a result of
their parents untiring and self sacrificing efforts
five of the nine children are graduates of colleges
three of the daughters having received diplomas from
Mt. Holyoke College, Mrs. Morse's almamater, and
two of the sons holding degrees from Amherst College.
The rest of the children have obtained excellent high
school and academic education.
Throughout his business career Mr. Morse has retained
a keen interest in missions and the religious life of the
community, not infrequently occupying the pulpit for a
Sunday, or speaking in behalf of missions at some
gathering. Chess is Mr. Morse's favorite recreation, and
visits of the sons to the old home usually see some hard
fought battles. While centering her life in the home,
and doing all a mother could for her children, Mrs. Morse
has found time to be of great assistance to her husband
in both the mission field and the parish. She is
at present a member of the St. Johnsbury Woman's Club
and the St. Johnsbury College Club. She is a charming
conversationalist, and a ready speaker. One of
her most marked characteristics is her unwillingness to
hear, speak, or think evil of anyone.
For nearly a quarter of a century Mr. and Mrs Morse have
been members and active supporters of the South
Congregational church.