Litchfield enquirer., 1854-01-12
MisceIiaqy.


Festival of che New England socislys
 The forty y-eiehth anniversary of this Seeiee
 was recently celebrated in New York by . sEnn
 banquet at the Astor House. Among the toast given after the dinner, was one to "The CIsEg! of New England." to which: HENRY Wan BEEcmER responded in his usual ielicisoua siyle Alter alluding to the early ministers of Nev England, their wisdom and inHusnca. hs con Iinues a@ @
 How much the people valued lhei' ministers. in their new conntry-in Mnss achusetts and Connecticut--yo you can i'm agine. when it is known tbat they could not get along without two miHistsrs G each Church. In the first six ChuFchel of Connecticut there ssre ten preachers Each Chu'ch if possible had teaches and pastor. The teacher was Pro. lessor of Theology and his business was 10 indoc,rinate. The other was the re> viyal mlnisler. as we understand the term. The doctor put the powder down and the other man touched it cff. In those grand old times. besides his Sabbath sermons and week day lrctnres the business of the minister was 10 go from house to house, and lecture the inmates. Now. however, ihSt business is entirely trans> ferred to women. It was expected, too. thu. he would address himself so thor- oughly to every Individual that each would stand in fear of God and tue min ister. However, let it not be supposed because cle,gymen were earnest and de, vout religious ministers, that they were men devoid'of humor. The man is not half of . man who has not streak of that in him. I recollect even so late as n my day tha. the old sort of ministers of Connecticut could crack joke and smoke tobacco in an accomplished man. ner. I recellect that when they used tn meet at my fathers house. pipes and to- bacco were set out and other Creature comforts in proportion, which were never seen there at any other time. In those times it is to be supposed that Providence winked ct these things. for certainly they did not know any better. l recollect, too. the explosions of human thunder called laughter. which could be heatd in the room lilled with smoke. and where it was supposed the ministers were and t any of you had been listening, as ! was. you would have said that every mother . son of them was a Duichman. When the services were all over for which they had met. they were accustomed. not un- frequently. not only to run each other with their jokes. but with .leir horses. l have mentioned that that was not alto. gether their fault, for i. is said that min- isters' sons were accustomed to ride the horses of clergymen visiting their fathers houses. The horses were not of a poor breed. either. and the horses getting into bad habits under the tusilage of the boys. would keep up the habits with their mas> ter on their backs. It was doubtless the boys fault and not the clergyman's. l rccollect once that Doctor Baekus. of Bethlehem. on returning iron, my fathers house to his home was attempted to be passed by man. The doctor had no idea of being beaien. and if he was. he meant that the man should do it well. The man finally saw that it was impos> sible to oyeriake him. and hallooed at the top of his voice. Dr. Backus. you run as if the devil was after you The doctor. looking around over his shoulder at the man. said in reply. I believe he is.'
 The time would fail me were I 10 at- tempt 10 exhaust this department of min. is.erial offices. The other part. their sa. cred offices. their quiet 6abbatbs. their ministerial cut garments, and other pes cul,arisies. l believe you have been made shoroagoly acquainted with. Those men had volcanic heasts- they had not lit' tie. but great deal of that feeling that is human. In country where the peo- ple ase % inclined. no man can be made welcome in families and become cndeased io them unless he be every inch man. This aas empha.isally shs old. the mid de. and ths yonng minister of New Tag. Hand. They addressed themselves sser on the side of hsmanity; they had read
 
 aIlthat was good. and they 1rjected all that did not become them as men. There tis no class more dear. more yenerated D tl,eir memory ihan the line of ihe miHis- isrssaf Nes England. They were men lof intense aslivily of mind. Shut up ID colonial exclusions. il is not wonderful ihss their minds should have grasped advsaeed ideas in theology and meia> physies. They ilaa encouraged in il.em- selves and ihe people habits of close slsinking. and # sheology and other ab. slfact snhjesss did nos form the themes fos their thought, 1t would be other mat. .ers of impo,iancs. and worthy of their attention. a Bs6s als5 sa &@4
 S ! have obsssred sometimes that noun. iains were exceedingly rugged when we were on them. but. when viewed as . little disaance. sblne in the light of the Aatamnal sun. lhere was no T0ggedness: