From Historical Rutland: an illustrated history of Rutland, Vermont, from the granting of the charter in 1761 to 1911 by Rev. F. E. Davison, Rutland, Vt.: P.H. Brehmer, 1911, page 29:
Congregational Church
The earliest settlers in Rutland were Conngregationalists. October 20th, 1773, a Congreegational Church was organized. The people at first worshipped in a log building near the Falls on Otter Creek at Center Rutland, though a house of worship on "Meeting House Hill" in West Rutland, was soon erected. Organized Congreegational worship in what is now the city. dates from the division of the town into two parishes, by an act of the State Legislature, October 22, 1787. The East parish in Rutland was organized May 20, 1788. Rev. Augustine Hibbard WM employed by the parish to preach until Novemmber 1, 1788, and a Congregational Church with thirty-seven members was gathered October 5th. A meeting house was built, and the "Pew ground" was sold at "public vendue." This structure which stood on the west side of North Main Street near North Street was very plain, without tower or steeple, and fireless except for foot-stoves, as was the custom of that period.
Early in 1789 the Rev. Samuel Williams, LL.D., came to its pulpit, a man of wide learning, later a professor at Harvard, one of the founders of the Rutland Herald, and the earliest historian of Vermont.
Rev. Herman Ball (Dartrnouth, 1791), was the first regularly settled minister in the East Parrish, the vote of settlement being Aug. 2, 1796. Being a settled minister, he remained the pastor of the Church until his death, December 17, 1821. During his ministry, 1807, occurred the abolition of the duty resting upon towns and parishes to maintain public religious worship. In 1819 the Congregationalists built of brick a new house of worship, on the east side of North Main Street, just north of the Aiken Place where the residence of Dr. Delehanty now stands, and the old parish meeting house, which they had occupied until that time, was sold by the inhabitants of the parish.
In 1818, the Sunday School was established by Deacon William Page, who remained its superrintendent until 1834.
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Rev. Charles Walker, D.D., was called to thp pastorate in 1823, and continued the pastor for ten years. It was during his ministry that a weekly prayer meeting was established, the first in the town.
In 1849, Rev. Silas Aiken, D.D., became pastor and in 1860 Dr. Aiken received Rev. Norman Seaver as associate who continued in this relation three years. Early in Dr. Aiken's ministry a plain frame of Chapel was erected on West Street. It was also while he was pastor that the present substanntial church on Court Street was built and dedicated in June, 1860. Dr. Seaver remained pastor from 1863 to 1868 and was followed in 1870 by Rev. James Gibson Johnson, D.D., who was pastor for fifteen years. During his pastorate the Chapel with entrance from Center Street was built in 1874.
In 1886, Rev. George W. Phillips, D.D., was installed, coming from Plymouth Church, Worcester, Mass. During his pastorate extensive changes and improvements were made in the interior of the church. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. W. H. Spence, who came to Rutland from Cambridge. Mass., in the year 1907. He is a preacher of exceptional ability and has already acquired a wide reputation throughout the State.