Litchfield enquirer., 1867-10-10
NEW PRESTON

In reply to Dea. Patterson's letter (
 August 9th, denying the correctness of m
 account of the ordination on New Presto l. Hill, give extracts from the Records c ] the Consociation.
 Pursuant to letters missive, an eccles Q astical council of the Ministers and Dele
 gates of Litchtield South Consociation, me at the eCongregational Church on New Pres ton Hill, July 10th and 1lth, l867.'' choice of Rev. w. S. Colton as Scribe. an, Rev. J. W. Backus as Moderator Papers were presented, showing tn call from the Church in the eccles1ast1ca society of New Preston, and from the So clety concurring, inviting MT. Lewis Will f lams to the work of the Gospel Ministry and his acceptance of the call.'
 " Alter discussion on the name of the
 Congregational Church on New Preston
 Hill, and after full deliberation. it wa.
 Voted, That the Church which has conven ed this Council, be hereafter known on ou] records as the Church in the New Preston Ecclesiastical Society; and that on the ba SIS of this explicit understanding, the Council, Ministers and Delegates here as sembled, do now proceed at the invitation Of this Church, to examine, and if deemed expedient, to ordain Brother Lewis Will, Jams as the Pastor of the said Church and the Society connected herewith; and that to remove all doubt, this Church be hereaf- ter recognized as an integral part of this l Consolation.
 l Now, as to Dea. Patterson's claim of their being the original Church, the Re- cords of the Consolation are against it. Some years prior to 1853, the matter was agltated of removing the House of Wor- ship to New Preston Village, one mile east Of Its then location, the eastern portion of the Parish claiming it would then &C., commodate the greatest number of the regular attendants on the Sabbath. The western portion claimed that their territo- took action upon removal, which was de- feated by the making of new members from the western part of the Society.
 In 1853, the eastern portion of the Socie- ty built a new House on their individual responsibility, and at expense of S6,OOO, and on the 9th of January, 1854, they of- fered to convey it to the Society, on the condition the Society would make it their permanent place of worship The offer was refused.
 Jan. 27th, 1854, the Church by large majority, voted to remove their place of worship, the observance of the ordinances, and all meetings for business. to the new House.
 At the next annual meeting of Consocia- tion, both branches sent delegates, each claiming to be the representative of the New Preston Church. The matter was re- ferred to 8 Committee, of which Rev. MT. Parmelee was Chairman. After lengthy hearing, they reported "that the action of the Church lin removing) was in order, and that Brother Whittlesey is the only chosen delegate "On motion, voted to accept and adopt the Report
 On the 14th of July, 1855, the Brethren on the Hill took Iaction as follows: "At q meeting of that portion of the Congrega tional Church in New Preston, who have declined removing from their ancient place of worship held agreeably to notice duly given, Rev. H. l.. Vaill being present by invitation, was requested to act as Mode frator."
 "The following declaration was ther presented to the Brethren, and with it's ac companying preamble and resolutions by them unanimously adopted:'-
 Whereas, by vote of the majority O. this Church, they have removed to another
 place of worship, of inconvenient access tt
 most of us, and in which vote We did no
 concur, we were left without those Churcl officers which are required to render
 Church organization complete: ".And whereas, we still retain our con , nection with the Ecclesiastical Society O New Preston, holding its Church edifce : its Society funds, and other means, ampl, sufficient with the blessing of God, t, , maintain the minlstration of the Gospel: , "And whereas, it is our earnest desire t. uphold and enjoy the institutions of Reli zion, in regular Church order as afore
 time:''
 "We do declare ourselves to be Churcl of Christ in connection with the Congre U gational Ecclesiastical Society in Ne, 2 Preston, holding the same confession c 1 faith and covenant, by which we wer ? ? bound before the separation took place and under which confession and covenan, 7, we purpose to remain as members of thi particular Church. Then follows tn
 election of officers
 |" Voted, That we invite Rev. H. l.. Val d to administer the Sacrament to this Churc J. next Sabbath.
 n '' Foted, That inasmuch as it is our d. > sire to hold the same relation to the Sout e Consociation of Litchfeld County, whic Is the Church in this place has held in tim d past, we will send delegate to the ne l annual meeting, with request that V B. may be recognized as one of the Church 70 belonging to said Commission" y At the annual meeting of the Consoci m tion in 1856, it Eis on record, that "De r. Patterson having presented himself wi credentials as delegate from the Church is connection with the Ecclesiastical Socie