The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1889-02-01
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY /, 1889.
THE WOODBURY. ROLL CALL.
Mr. Cothren's Paper on the History Of
the First Church and it's Lessons.

| have received a request from the pas
tor OF our church to be present at a
"Roll Call Meeting Of the Church, to-
day, suppose this Is, in some sort, like
a roll call in the military service, where
all must be present, or accounted for.
Each soldier must be present to answer
the call, or have some good reason for
absence given by the first sergeant,
whether 1t be absent on furlough, ON the
sick list, on detached duty, or other just
cause, | do not come precisely under
either of these classes, for, though abb
sent In body, | am present In sympathy
and by written message. Though not
exactly on the sick list, am not able to
run race with the swift. Our pastor
admonlshes us to ''stand fast and "be
strong" Physically, cannot yet obey
his Injunction, though l am gradually
gaining that ability. Spiritually and
mentally, there is no reason why should
not Join my endeavors with those of my
brethren.
ASH understand It., the object of this
meeting Is, in good part, to compare
notes and experiences, to recall reminis-
cences of the past and commune of the
future. 1t is surely we'll to have, oceas-
ionally, such social meetings to recount
the blessings a good Providence has con-
ferred upon us, to note what progress
we have made and to map out the future,
so far as our previous experience may
guide us.
Two hundred and nineteen years ago,
II of the early fathers ut Stratford by
the sea, with grand faith in God and
sublime courage, signed the fundamental
articles of settlement and removed with
their families to these hills and wales and
Businesses, built their first rude cabins OF
logs, erected their affairs for the worship
Of God and joyfully called this smiling
land by the poetical name of Woodbury.,
"a dwelling place in the woods" The
worthy fathers wrought well and the
succeeding generations, including oul
own, have entered into their labors, max
Inc the axiom true, that it has taken al
the past to make the present. We may
account 1t well, then, to have seasons o.
review like this, to carefully examine
ourselves, to see whether we have livet
up to our privileges and emUlated al
that was excellent in the lives of thu
fathers, who have gone before and en-
tered upon their great reward.
1t is a notable fact that four reverend
and Cody pastors occupied our pulpi
and led our people, in the aggregate thu
long period of 172 years: Walker, Stod
dard, Benedict and Andrew. A few o
the oldest members will remember tn,
later labors of Mr. Benedict, but far TIN
larger part of our older members recol
lection of our pastors begins with TIN
revered and sainted Andrew. He wa
installed over this church, October s
1917 and was dismissed in 1876 on &C
count of falling health. He removed t.
New Haven, was appointed treasurer o
Yale college and died May 26, 1858. III
was settled during the most troublou
times this church has ever experienced
The contentious were long and furious
For time, 1t seemed that the love o
God and humanity had fled the church
And all this on the trivial question
whether our present church edific
should be located where it now is, or
hundred rods further north. The dis
pute ended in the formation of anothe
church, but the animosities engenderet
continued very intense for many years
entering into all the relations of life
No one coming here to live now can hav
the least idea of how bitter the feelin.
was between the actors and their chill
dren, even 15 years ago, when the write
first came to Woodbury.. Happily tn
relations of the people have changed ant
everything now is peaceful. TO tn
earnest, thoughtful Christian, it woul'
seem that Mr. Andrew was a man spe
cially raised up to meet the exigencies o
the times. The church, under his pas
torate of nearly 20 years, continued +
enjoy uninterrupted peace and pros
perity. Two hundred and sixty-thre
members were added to the church an
2I3 persons were by him baptized. Thre
reviyals OF religion took place during hi
ministry, in one of which 40 persons b,
came converts and 26 joined the churc
ON one day, the largest number, by on
that had ever joined the church on on
= DAY, TO that time, since its organizatio
In 1870.
At the allotted time, he passed to
bright reunion swith his Father and h
God,n TO whom he had rendered Iii
long and flial service. Few men hav
lived whose memory is so embalmed
the hearts of surviving parishioners al
friends. His intellect was strong, clea
comprehensive and discriminating. II
Judgment was pre-eminently sound al
wise. His taste was pure and classics
His sensibilities exquisitely susceptib
to beauty In nature, in literature and
character His thoughts were alwa
Just and often rich and original. l
was a laborious student and a close al
comprehensive thinker. He ponder
the Scriptures web and interpreted the
with an enlightened and believing spir
lie was an independent thinker In tf
ology. The opinions he held, he bold
but quietly declared and defende
Every man who knew him felt that
believed what he spoke. His sensibl
ties were ms tender as his intellect W
strong. He sympathized with all that
excellent and noble. His heart W
warm to the sufferer and the sorrowir
He was true to his friends and loy
them warmly and we'll. His piety "
the very beauty of holiness, it was
unaffected, so symmetrical, 50 honest,
tender. He was strong In faith, givi
glory to God.
or his death, d biographer says:
"He died MS few. men die. He had nr r, =!