Litchfield enquirer., 1865-11-16
THE CLERGY AND AGRICULTURE.

Every good cause looks very naturally to the clergy for sympathy, and for it's most efficient helpers. In this commonwealth they have { well established reputation for hearty labors ir the promotion of all the temporal, as we'll al the spiritual interests of men. From the frs settlement of the country, until the last gener atlon, they were identified with the agriculture interests of the parishes in which they Were settled. It was customary in thessettlement O minister, to put him, not simply upon sala ry, but upon a solic piece of territory, sort oi index on the part of the people of the solid character of the pastoral relation. They vel comed him to parsonage and glebe, and ex pected him to identify himself with all the tenn poral interests of the parish to cultivate the soil, and to get his bread in part, by that prim. tive method, the sweat of his face.
 Nothing is more common in the settlement of our townships, than these grants of land either directly to minister, in his own right, or to the parish for his use. This course was indicated, probably, by the necessities of new country, whsre land was cheap and money was dear, but it was as wise as it was necessary It tended to make the pastoral relation perma nent, and to draw forth the best efforts of the pastor in behalf of hls people. He could feel at home among them, and lay his plans for the whole of life. It tended to make him diligent student, for he had no expectation of moving to the next parish, to live upon the pulpit pre-, parations of past years. Necessity was laid upon him to study and grow, mentally, to meet the wants of people with whom he expected to die. 1.
 It tended to make him diligent laborer in his fields, either in person, or in directing the labors of others, for he could expect to reap the harvests of the fields that he sowed, and to eat the fruits of the trees that he planted. He could gather around him the comforts of a per manent home in the country, and expect to en- joy it while he lived.
 This policy of our fathers fostered love o agricultural pursuits among the clergy, and some of the hest farmers the state has ever pro duced, have been connected with this profes sion. Rev. Jared Elliot, of Killipgwortb, wa, geod type of the Connecticut clergyman O the last century. Says his biographer H. published agricultural essays, and devised vari ous ways for draining swamps in the interior and also for retaining marshes from the sea He was very industrious and methodical, ant was particularly careful, that whatever he un dertook should be well executed. Itis dificuI to conceive how one could be successful in sucl variety of pursuits as those in which he wal engaged for he seldom failed in any under taking. He possessed @ very large estate il land, which consisted of farms in various sec tions of the State. These were generally bet ter cultivated, and furnished more profits thar those of his neighbors. Amidst all of his av ocations, as 3 farmer and physician, he was dis tinguished for his piety and talents as clergy man. So Conscientious was he in the discharg, of his duties as minister, that he always se contrived his journeys as to be with his peopl, if possible. on Sundays; i; and for forty success i've years in the course of his ministry, he nev e. omitted preaching either at home or abroad on the Lords day.
 Owing to the insecurity of the pastoral rsla ton and other causes, there has been grea change in the habits of the clergy in regard t
 agricultural pursuits. The parsonage lands i
 many of the towns have been sold, and invests
 in stocks paying larger dividends. The pa
 sonage itself in many of the parishes, especia
 y in the.villages and cities, has disappeares