Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-06
SaurnaI ana Goutitr.
Tuesday. March 6, 1888.
Colony Historical Society.

ssYaIe College and the Church ''--An Tn-
 terestfng Paper by Rev. E. E. Boards
 ley, ID. D.-The Commencement and Growth of Epfseopacy in New Haven Colony and the state.
 A very interesting and instructive paper was read before the New Haven Colony Histori- cal society at their rooms in the State House, last evening by Rev. E. Edwards Beardsley D. D., rector of St. Thomas church in this city and the president of the society. It was
 entitled tsYale College and the Church, Il was listened to with close attention by ar appreciative audience, including in it's midst many of our most distinguished men. Dr. Beardsley in opening treated of the founda- ton of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, which was founded in London by the Episcopal church. It sent at an early date after it's organization 8 missionary to this country, Rev. George Keith, man well qualified for the work, to make four Of ob- servation in the chief settlements with refer ence to the interests of the church he repre- scented, and report the results to the society. MT. Keith's itinerant work included of course as one of it's most important objects a visit to New Haven colony. He went to New London where he was the guest of the Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall, then the Congregational clergyman in New London, afterwards Gov ernor of Connecticut. Rev. Mr.. Saltonstall in the fraternal spirit rendered the use of his church to his friend and brother Mir. Keith, who held Episcopal services in it one Sab bath. This was an important event, as it was the first service of the Episcopal church held T, ward elsewhere in Connecticut in prosecution of his work and into other settled parts and was in this country two or three years. MT. Keith was the first missionary sent out by the society into North America. At the time the organization of the society was being consid- cred in England 8 number of Congregational cIergymen in New Haven colony gathered to- gether to form 8 college There was of course no connection between the two move ments. the matter is noted merely as coin cidence. The two movements were working in different ways for different objects. Yale, it will be remembered, was first located at Saybrcok and was afterwards removed to New Haven. One of the early rectors of YaleE was Rector Cutler. Rector Cutler WAS pastor in Stratford for ten years. He married a daughter of Samuel Andrews. of Milford. Andrews was rector pro tenapore at that time. Mir. Cut lzr's resignation of his passionate was accept ed with great reluctance, and the society felt that his being taken from them by the col lege demanded some pecuniary reparation, which the college granted. After Rector Cutler had been in charge at the college some time he declared in favor of Episcopa- cy The renowned Samuel Johnson, an ex- tutor at Yale, David Brown, then tutor at Yale, and North Haven gentleman named Wetmore, at the same time declared in favor of Episcopsey. MT. Johnson was at that time, or just before, pastor of the West Ha- ven Congregational church. The action of these prominent men was occasioned by their having read documents sent to the colony by the Society for the Propagation of the Cos pei.
 The change in Rector Cutters faith occa- stoned an important meeting in the college library. It was presided over by Gurdon Saltonstall, who was now Governor of the colony As the result of the meeting ex- Rector Cutler, Tutor Daniel Brown, ex-Tutor Samuel Johnson and Mir. Wetmore went to England and were ordained to the Episcopal
 
 toned over the Episcopal church in Strat- ford. He became 8 man of much note in the church and State. Rev. Dr. Beardsley as is well known, is the author of the very valuable work ''The Life of Rev. Dr. Sam uel Johnson.' Dr. Beardsley's paper, having thus shown the start of the Episcopal church in Connecticut, went on and related the growth of this church in this State. He spoke of the visit of Bishop Berkeley to this country and his donation of books to Yale college, which are to this day in the college library, and to his establishment of the Berkeley premium which is still in force, owing 10 the good Bishops gift to the college of a farm in Rhode Island. The Episcopal church grew, and from 1S19, at which time the Legislature removed the last restrictions which had existed iR favor of any particular church, it's growth has been rapid and exten- sive.
 The paper elicited remarks from Professor Baldwin and Professor Fisher. A vote of thanks was passed Dr. Beardsley for the pa per.