Connecticut western news., 1883-01-24

the name on the headstone. That was all. He had been dead seven years. A tear to the memory of the past and we turned away to our duties sadder man than when we started to visit an old friend
 There are two men often in Canaan who may remember P. G. Merritt if I mention an incident in this historv,- Rev Drs H. Eddy and A. H. Ferguson, now presiding elder of Poughkeepsie district. Mt Rhiga used to be a fine place to fish and Revs Eddy and Fergu- son were fishing in what was the forge pond, when in some unaccountable way the boat turned over and the fishers went into the water. There they re- mained until John Sherwood came in answer to their cries, swan out to them, loosed their boat (which was anchored fast) and lowed them ashore. At the store then presided over by P. G. Mer- ritt was quantity of ill-assorted cloth ing, among which the reverend gentle men found garments which they put on Ill some form, poor fits though they were. When they had the garments on, r. G. M. said, Well, ministers don't look any better than common folks when they have got only common clothes on. What prompted these good brethren to try to make Baptists of themselves is mystery. A little reflection would have convinced them that 1t was impossible, for it takes God to make a good Baptist.
 In 1826-7 great revival occurred on Mt Rhiga. Phineas Cook and Billy Hubbard were the circuit preachers and conducted the meetings. At that time Mt Rhiga had as large, if not the largest, Methodist society on the circuit. That revival resulted in the conversion of about 60. Among them were Augustus Jewett and Schuyler Pratt, two of the prominent men of the town. Also four young men became worthy minister's Henry and Daniel, sons of Samuel Smith, joined the Methodist church Joseph Pettis, Jr, studied for the min 1stry of the Congregational church, but became Swedenborgian and settled in Boston, where he was living the last we knew of him ;. Hiram, son of Seneca Pettis, is local preacher of the Metho- ] dist church. Mt Rhiga at that time had 8 population second to none in the county. s. Pettis was the colleague of the late Chief Justice Church in the Connecticut Legislature.
 There are a few old men and women of the Methodist church who used to attend camp meeting 50 years ago that may remember the old Rhiga tent, 60 feet long and 40 wide, painted red. Henry Butcher, then the class leader, was the active agent in getting up the | best tent ever seen at camp meeting Very likely Calvin Butcher, Esq, now of Lime Rock, will call to mind the grand old camp meeting home of many of the old inhabitants of Mt Rhiga. We'll, memories of old times are precious, especially to those who have wandered away from the scenes of childhood and look with longing vision to>the old time home and friends. There is @ melan- choly pleasure in reviewing the past | When last we were at home (Salisbnry) we looked over the graves of many whom memory holds dear, both in the cemetery at the centre and on the noun tain. In the cemetery on Rhiga there | IS Scdfcely strange name. we KnOW almost all and hold their memory dear.
 But this article is long, too long, and we must close In another we will speak more particularly of the "Few of the baser sort" Till we write again, let us try and equal, if we cannot surpass, the virtues of our forefathers and so live as to have we'll grounded hope of meeting again. REV HIS BALL,
 Burg Hill, Trumbull Co.,, o. January. 1883.