Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-23

to the church since the present century be- gan. The first contribution taken up here consisted of forty bushels of wheat which early in 1645 were sent to the relief of poor students in the college at Cambridge. It is interesting for us te remember that for sev- eral years the church whose pastor afterwards was instrumental in founding Yale college for several successive years sent educational contributions of good wheat to Harvard. The next contribution recorded was one collected in 1885 t'for the saints that were in want in England, land in the absence of all money ex- changes that contribution ultimately reached several poor ministers and ministers widows in England by way of the Barbadoes in e90 worth of sugar.
 In 1792 the first home missionary contri- buttons were sent from the Connecticut churches to the scattered back settlements of the northwest-that is to say, Vermont and northern New York. Our annals show that during the last century contributions were often gathered for the poor. So far as have been able to gather up the suma of the con- tributions for the past fifty years they amount to over $625, ,0oO. But any available statistics give only the surface measurement of your benevolence; they do not sound the quiet depths of it. And in this connection should not fail to notice that notable day-worthY to be numbered among it's historic days in which you quietly met an emergency in this church and in an act which think must have been an acceptable offering of worship in the sight of heaven freed the church which your fathers had built from all encumbrance of debt. Of the remarkable development of charitable and missionary work which has taken place within this century it is unneces- sarY for me to speak at length. Our devo- tion to missions, domestic and foreign, is part of our consecration to him who tasted death for all men.
 In sermon which Dr. Dana preached com memorstive of the eighteenth century he stated that five churches in neighboring towns had grown out of. the First church in New Haven. During the ensuing period most of our present Congregational churches in the city have either made in their begin nings large drafts upon the membership or sprung directly out of missions of this church. The increasing volume of our church history is the fullness of many for gotten lives, which from days long past have been merged in it's influence and are flowing on in it's stream. We must pause therefore if only for brief moment to render our tribute to many unknown or forgotten saints, the humble and tue 1ow1y, whose works and prayers have become part of our sacred history. And also as fitting word of commemoration of the helpful and honor able women, not few, without whom this church from those days in the wilderness down could never have kept it's heart and hope, 1 may mention as one representing them all the name of woman who lived, like Persis, the beloved, in this church, even amid years of dissension, and whose pleasant pisty still seems to cast softening light on some of the darker passages of its history. am speaking of Madame Moves, aa descend ant of worthy ancestors, :" whe 'fexcelled in wisdom and prudence" upon "whose tongue was the law of kindness" and who, true mother and representative that she was of the many excellent women whom this church sends to be helpers indeed in our manifold city charities, 'laid by her will foundation for the instruction of children yet unborn" /"
 Having thus etched in merest outline the lives of the ministers, and mentioned the works of the church, have next to enquire into the controlling ideas of the history. For ideas make history. Beneath institutions, and fsshioning the dsstinies of men, are the creative ideas of history. What I ask then has been the supreme idea of these past two hundred and fifty years of church history3 We are not to glance simply at its windy surface, or to fill our ears with the babble of it's controversies we should listen for the great undertone of the years; our thoaghs should swing to the force of the mighty ground-swell of the history.
 The paramount idea of our New England cultivation may be seen firmly imbedded in the first church covenant and earliest civil constitution of the founders. It can be described, but not measured in word. It
 
 throughout in righteousness according to the word of God. That I say has been the for native and unifying idea of our history. Theophilug Eaton used to say, "Seme count it great matter to die we'll, but I count it greater matter to live we'll" Those men might have died well, had they stayed in old England, as many Puritan martyrs died well But they came to New England in order that l they and their children after them might ! live we'll. This simple and grand idea oi | organizing human life in righteousness de- | termined their every law and custom. How \ firmly they held this supreme idea before them, how faithfully they sought to conform ! even the least things of life to it's greatness l may appear from this minor incident-a lit \ tie thing, but enough to reveal the spirit o | their laws: the magistrates in Governor Fla | tons day had occasion to make a regulation | concerning "taking mans oar3 or paddle \ or boat or canoe;" and they took pains tc bring that lesser enactment under the higher I law by prefacing it with these word worthy to be written in the constitution of State: "That righteousness and peace may b. | preserved, it is ordered" an | not now championing their laws: gran l that in the legal application of the Scripture \ to life they had not thought through ques tion of faith which is ever BOW before us fo further consideration, What is the word O
 GodI But I want no higher idea for society | nor the conduct of life, than their command | ing idea of organizing human life threughou ! in righteousness according to the best ligh that may fall from the word of God. Ina noble conception at times since then evel
 New England, absorbed in its manufacturing | and it's trade, may seem to have forgotten but in days of national peril and duty, ant
 through ali the inevitable conflicts of libert, ] this moral idea which the Puritans followed I and reverenced has risen as great light be fore the conscience of New England and thi
 higher law resuming in our politics its an
 cient supremacy, has goverenea the destin. | of the nation.
 | I have just been dwelling upon the forms tive idea of this period of our history; bu each historic era has likewise for the devel Il opment of its idea some characteristi method It is in order for us therefore t inquire next concerning the distinctly method of the historic development which W are reviewing. When we ask, what has beel | the method of our progressi the answer come | at once from our records: "A free and larg \ debate" So we read the freemen man, | years zgo settled the question whether bell should be put into their church tower The words show the method by which ou ! whole history has been deternined: 'Afte l free and large debate" New England iron Its beginnings might not inaptly be describe'
 as one large debating society. Everythin ! we hold sacred has the mark of the fires o
 discussion, often heated seven times, upon it
 In the town meeting and in the congregation every tradition and custom has had to mes
 it's challenge and judgment. It would seen
 almost incredible to one not familiar witt
 the history how even simplest things whicl
 we have taken for granted from childhoot
 have had to win their place in our Congre
 gational customs through much trouble an, ! tribulasion of debate. Would you imsgin
 for example that it ever could have been
 question whether the Scriptures should b
 read in public worship, yet in some Conneo
 ticut churches President Stiles found tha
 "the Scriptures were net to be read" and
 was regarded as very doubtful innovation
 when Dr. Colman in Boston began to read tn
 Scriptures without exposition and in course I In this church Mfr. Whittelsey introduced th new way of reading the Scripturss-'tas Dr Colman did" Or, to take still another ex l ample, who of us would think of raising tn question whether it be right to sing psalm l by note in churchesa
 | Yet hardly had the pilgrims gained lodgnent in this wilderness before ther
 arose company of anti-psalmodists who dil
 not Acknowledge singing at all with hvel.
 voice.; and there were others still later wh
 eontended against singing by note, becaus tuneswere not inspired and ''anti- Christ migh have had hand in making the melody.
 'tAnd if we sing by rule, they urged, W shall soon pray also by rule, and then come