The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-03-25

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that we received our City charter, and
cur name was changed from Southport
to Kenosha. In the early part of this
period it was also that we secured our
church bell, than which no steeple could
desire better. In this period it was,
too. that our records locate that inter
esting event in the history Of this edi-
flee, its winter journey from the North
side to its present location. Deacon
Briggs was the leader of this undertak-
ing. There had been long and a warm
debate as to the best way of transferring
our religious domicil to the South side,
which had now become the prspondera-
ting center of business and population.
One party wanted 70 sell, and build new
on this side Some one had suggested
driving piles and bringing the church
across On kind of tressle bridge
But Dea. Briggs, remembering perhaps
that Congregationalism was born amid
tho SHOWS of New England December,
and thinking that it must be we'll accus-
toned to sleighing, proposed to give the
vcnerated house an easy ride across on
the lee The idea took at once The
consent of the Society was given, And
SO mounting our sanctuary on runners,
the Deacon set it going. Down the
hill it rode well, exceedingly well, some
times q little too we'll. Across the
smooth surface of the bay, too, it tray
elled very nicely. But when we reached
the coming up place ON the hitler side,
somehow our New England did not slide
30 well. We began to fear that the
boosted spirit of the Pilgrims, after all,
was not reliable on steep grade.
Night came down, and several nights,
and there our church remained on the
lee at the foot of the hill. Finally a
thnw cama on, and then the ringing cry
of alarm went through all the town, that
the last symbol of Kenosha Congrega-
tionalism was going to the bottom and
that cry brought nearly the whole town
to the rescue All Ksnosha was equal
to the emergency. And 80 our conse-
Grated ark, having escaped the fsod,
stands here dry and sound to day. ~..
Since reaching its present site, the
building has been enlarged by the inser
ton Of section of fifteen feet in length
giving an addition of twenty pews TO
the sittings and its convenience aug
mented by the Lecture Room pre6xed.
Through this history and these changes,
our cdifce has come down to us Just as
we behold it now. and just as We give it
to-day our final adieu. We are glad to
leave it in SO good condition glad that
it is still to be preserved for religious
use by the Christian congregation to
whom we have transferred its title that
the glorious gospel of the blessed God
will continue to be proclaimed from this
ancient pulpit.
It remains to mention the several cler-
gymep who have stood in this desk
and dispensed the divine word to the.
that for so many years
have gathered within these walls, A
goodly catalogue they present, noble,
devoted, self-denying men. It would be
Pheasant to speak of them individually,
if there were time,-Caldwell, and Par
sons, and Kinney, and Clinton, and Sew
ard, and Hart, and Grid!ey, and
Hutchins, and Chaplin, and Pettibone,
and Dickinson, and Hutchins again, and
Matthews, and Merton, and Hollister,
and Macomber,- grand lire ofconsecra-
ted souls ;-some of them are with God
to-day ,enjcyiLg the blest reward of their
labors here and elsewhere, and the rest
are on the way.
It is true that there is one thing, when
you stop to think of it, that you will
perhaps ask to have explained, and that
is the fact that this list is SO long. Only
The other day, Dr.. Bacon, ofNew Haven,
preached the fftieth annlv ersary SER
mon of his settlement over the First
Church If that city. And at the funeral
Of our good mother Jewett, week ago,
we learned that her father, the Rev
Joseph Blodgett, stood in the same pull
Dit IN Greenwich, Mass, for forty years.