Connecticut western news., 1885-07-22
"REMINISCENCES.
BY REV ROBERT HUNT.
Fall. Village and Vicinity.

sonage at Falls Village, Conn.,, and for three years it was our home. After the first month we preached on an average of five sermons per week. I really liked the appointment and life seemed bright to me and I soon became very deeply interested in my work and in the peo- pie of my own church and then with the Congregationalists and then with every one without regard to church re- lations. In the spring of 1865 the dread thunders of war that had rolled and crashed over the nation for four long years were hushed in peace, still there remained weird, lingering agitation in the air, as the sea smitten by some terrible cyclone will roll its mountain waves to break in resounding thunder along the wide shore days after the storm has passed. The assassination of Presi- dent Lincoln was the last bloody act of the bloody drama and it sent tidal wave of wrath and sorrow over the loyal North. Men literally gnashed their teeth while their tears fell like rain. President Johnson appointed the 3d of June as fast day to be observed in the churches. Revs Howe and Edgar be- sought me to deliver the address. I shall never forget that service. I can see to-day, after the lapse of 20 years, the upturned, agitated faces of that au- dience, with the strange gleaming light in the eyes. Soon after, the Fourth of July was celebrated on the fair grounds and Dr Hiram Eddy, that noble patriot, minister and md'a, delivered the oration, which was worthy of himself and of the day and of his country, vindicated and saved.
 Routine ministerial work followed weddings and funerals, preaching three sermons on the Sabbath, and at nearly every school house during the week, and taking only one brief vacation in the three years The need of diversion and physical exercise was pressingly felt. The fishing-rod with Canaan Mountain lake, the Twin Lakes and the Housa- tonic river were sufficient to satisfy everyone of "scaly proclivities. Dea- con Charles Beebe, though much my senior and differing as we did in temper ament, found points of agreement. We ran together in delightful friendship, and were often found at break and shut of day on the Twin Lakes. It was very agreeable and convenient to have such a true, loved and honored deacon of sister church to confirm some fish sto- ries which had to be told. There is that in the public mind respecting fish ing and trading horses that suspects Ito put it in the mildest form) a little 'elon- gated veracity. And the relator of any brilliant achievement looks about for supporting witnesses. The deacon nev- CT failed when asked "is not that SO, deacon ?" to reply ives sir, ," and felt that I could not have departed from a reasonable exactitude in the narrative
 In the winter of '67-8 very gracious revival of religion prevailed in our church; no professed conversion and joined the various churches. One re- markable feature of the awaking was the general prevalence of religious emo- tion-the whole township was peryaded by spiritual tenderness; nearly every one felt the call of the spirit. Many of those who bowed at the penitent altar have since bowed before the Conquerer of All. No reminiscence that glitters in my memory is comparable to this. Rev E. l.. Bray of Cornwall Bridge and Rev G. D. Townsend of Sheffield assisted together with an earnest, loving band of lay workers in the church. The divine spirit enthralled many hearts and led them captive to the feet of the Great Delverer. Receiving salvation from guilt, from fear, from sorrow, from pain and death they were ready to embark for "Our home beyond the tide"
 Heaven! What word! It comprises within its syllables all ideas of bliss and stands the perpetual synonym of every term of rapture or delight. It is the highest meaning of whole families of delicious words; it is home; it is rest; it is refuge; it is glory-the glory of achievement, of victory. of wealth, of authority, of personal splendor, of in- efable beauty, of strength, of exalta- tion, of wisdom, of honor, of unim- peachable truth and of unspotted holi- ness. It is the general assembly, the family of God, the church of the first born. It Is the casket in which the Saviour treasures his jewels-the divine pasture ground where the Almighty feeds his flock and leads them to foun- tains of living water. It is the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is the joy of the returned mariner; the shout Of har- vest home; the triumphal march of the Redeemer; the coronation of the Son of God. It is another Canaan with another Joshua; another Eden with the second Adam; the real Holy of Holies, with its High Priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec. It is youth perpetuated without indescretion and it is age living on to everlasting years without intirmity. It is the homestead of the holy; the family mansion of the Universal Father the fatherland of Gabriel and Michael. It is the goal of the racers; the rest oi the pilgrim, and the exceeding great re, ward of the faithful. It is the prayer of the writer, that all who still live, the fruit of that work of grace, who may read these "reminiscences, may redouble f their diligence and speed on for the