Litchfield enquirer., 1870-05-19

grandson of the immortal Stoddard, sec- ond pastor of this ancient church. The The Mitchells. the Wheelers, the Curtiss- es, the Hurds, the Judsons-miuisterial race-all the early revered names lie slum. boring near, a goodly company, in their lonely, neglected graves-alas! too long neglected by their numerous descendants. Before me stands at this very moment so great company of the beloved descend ants of the first John Minor, deacon of the churOh, captain of the train band, and in- terpreter to the Indians, that by contribu- ting mere tritie apiece, greater and more expensive monument could be erect ed than this, which we now dedicate to the memory of the fathers. I. charge you to- day to take immediate measures to erect Q m 1nument fit to commemorate the virtues of one of the most remarkable men in the early history of the colony. It is the du. ty of the hour for you.
 No nobler company of men ever remov- ed in body into the solitudes and dan- gers of the wilderness, than these early fathers, who left their dwellings by the sea, to dare the peris aud privatlous of the dim woods. They s,ught to plant here pure and sublime faith. They la- bored to extend the kingdom of God. Is it wonderful, then. that their descendants should desire to erect an enduring monu- ment to the sacred memory of such im- mortal ancestors, that it may stand forever as remembrancsr to their children to inn itate the virtues and grAces of their long buried sires, who have " entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God?'
 A little farther to the north stand. the modest aud dilapidated head.stoue of the venerated Anthony Studdard, sselnd pas tor of the chulch, who r, stS Ill the hope of bright resurrection amid the faithful 1, flock to whom he ministered in "things spiritual" for the long period of more than sixty years A step farther, and We are at the grave of the saiuted Benedict. These three, trio of worthies, full of prudence, piety and purity unsurpassed, "went in and out before the people" for the long period of one hundred and forty-three years. Such were our fathers, and such their claims on the reverence and the affeo. tions of their posterity, and yet no monu- ment had arisen to perpetuate remem- brance of their virtues-ten years ago!
 But the flial heart Of the people could not endure farther neglect of the rever- ence due the names of their sacred dead. Measures were taken for erecting fitting monument to their memory. Starting with the theory, that no material could be more fitting than the rugged native bould- CTS from their own lands, among which they had wandered in life, the work went on with zeal. Good progress had been made when the war of the rebellion broke out, and for more than seven dark, gloomy and bloody years. the work was suspended. In 1868, noble men came forward with their contributions at home and abroad, and the work was commenced again with renewed vigor, and pushed to successful completion. It now stands before you 6 rugged structure, 33 feet in height. It is } like the character of our fathers, not artis. 2 tically beautiful, but massive and imnove- able. It was erected at an expense of more than $1500-and more than one.third that amount was contributed by one indi vidual.
 A single duty yet remains, and we are here to perform it. We are here, @ flial band, to dedicate it to the memory of the 7 fathers We come to this pleasing duty amid the joyous exercises of our bi-cen- tennial jubilee, and in the two hundred and tifteth year of Congregationalism in this Country. The time Is propltious. The skies are bright above us. The awaken ing vigor of Spring is apparent on every side. It is the fourth jubilee of our church, and the fifth of our order. And } now, in such an suspicious hour, when our hearts are filled with joy and congrat- ulations, we dedicate this monument to the memory of the fathers-to the memo ry of the noble men and women who lie sleeping in the moss-grown graves be- meath our feet, resting sweetly and secure ly in the hope of blessed immortality in the beautiful land beyoUd the far etherial blue, "where the wicked cease from troub- ling, and the weary are at rest" We ded- icate 1t to the memory of that pilgrim com. pany, who left the father-land for the en- joyment of purer gospel-who chose to endure all the privatlons of pioneer life amid the perils of the wilderness, to es- tablish freedom of thought for themselves and their children. We dedicate it to the heroic men, who could sing "amidst the storm"
 "And whom the stars heard and the sea
 While the sounding aisle and Uhe dim woods rang To the anthems Of the freeP -} We cheerfully dedicate it to the fathers who chose this beautiful resting-pla so like that of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plym- outh Rock, pioneers and partakers in Q like faith, and like appreciation of the beautiful in nature. We dedicate it to those lion-hearted men, who have left us glorious nheritance-who, while
 'The heavy night hung dark
 The woods and waters OCT"
 and often over their dearest hopes, still sang the songs of Zion, ..l.
 "And prayed in their Bethel, the shade of the | Rock"
 We dedicate it with full souls on this 1 Holy ground
 The spot where first they trod!
 They have left unstained what here they found,
 Freedom to worship God" -.-.e We dedicate it to them for their tolls and labors for the estab. b.ishment of "the faith once delivered to tne saiuts," for their pure lives for their earnest Zeal, for their pious teachings, for their shining exam ples. We dedicate it as sacred memento of them-as a solemn duty to ourselves. We dedicate it, that our children and chil- dren's children may learn to follow in the way of the holy dead. We dedicate it, that it may be 6 a rule unto ourselves, in- viting us to pursue " the things that make for peace," and pleasantness, so that when we shall have entered into our rest, and another century shall have rolled its cease- less round, our descendants may revere 1 Onr mnm0rv aa wa 6o that of the fathers