Morning journal and courier., 1889-09-10
NORTH HAVEN ANNALS.


 New Hell was Procured quaint old
 Contract for Building q Sscepics
 NUMBER 23.
 We may assume that the building of the seoond meeting house commenced in the summer ot 1730. It was a different struct- ure from that of it's predecessor. It was builded during that unfortunate lapse in the society records, and its exact dimensions are not known, neither it's building committee nor It's cost, or any of those incidents that would naturally attach to an undertaking of such magnitude. Fortunately it was not taken down till about 1885 and thus it's re- construction at the hands of many who once worshipped within its sacred walls Is not SO difficult task. It stood as has been said about ten rods south of the original building. Probably no special reasons existed for it's location on this spot, other than 1t would be most con- venient to all. Perhaps the prospective growth of the burying ground influenced the committee to set 1t further away; possibly the "great oaks" had something to do with 1t, or the fact that the pastors house lay in that direction, at any rate the. "four stakes were pitched" and there the foundations
 were laid, and there many of the stones re- main to this day.
 Whereas the old ediHce faced the west, this fronted on the east, @ change for which no reason can be imagined. It was two story structure with high roof, crowned with a "turrett." It's longest axis was north and south, and its alignment appears to have been very nearly or quite on the magnetic meridian.
 The main entrance, wide double door, was on the east; on either side of this were two large windows on the first floor, and five in the story above On the opposite or west side, the windows were the same, the pulpit being placed over against the main door. At the north and south ends were also entrances. There were no vestibules. The main east doors opened upon wide passage way, extending across the meeting house to the pulpit. This was the "brosd aisle." On either side of it was "square body" These square bodies were at first fitted with ''seats" instead of "pews." In 1766 1t was "Voted, that the two hindermest seats in the square bodies might be sold in order for erecting pews in their rooms the prudential commit- tee to soil the same at vendue and the pews to be built under their inspection" Then in 1762 1t was again "Voted, that the two back seats in the square body each side Of the alley be taken away and pews be built in their room the same fashion that the pews back of said seats are built" This all goes to show that the introduction of pews into the square body of the meeting house at least was matter of slow growth, though 1t is l the opinion of the writer that Q row of such pews was built at the outset next to the walls around the entire building. In later years 1S03-all the seats in the square bodies were taken up and pews built in their places; there were ten of these then on either side of the main aisle. These | latter were built at the expense of the society, but the impression Is gained that all pews built previous to this time were at ths cost of their owners. They were erected after a common pattern and ornamented with light Spindle railing" on the tops of the partitions. Through these railings the undevout children made faces at one another in prayer time. The floor of the side pews was raised some eight or ten inches from that in the middle of the building. A narrow aisle around the church afforded admission to every seat.
 A gallery encircled the interior on the north, east and south sides, the stairs to which arose from the northeast and south- east corners respectively. At first row of pews was built entirely round the rear of these galleries with two or three rows of seats in front fys1 flor for the the in the side galleries for some reason were re-
 moved and seats substituted. Those in the
 front gallery" were allowed to remain. The middle one in this section was known as "the high pew" and in this the irreverent youth were wont to congregate unless dis persed by the vigilant tythingman. The first and second rows of seats around the en- tire gallery front were reserved for Eye singers." Back of them on the sides partio- ularly, were other benches whereon the peo- pie might sit, which in the case of the south gallery, was reserved for the males and its opposite for their fair neighbors, and 1t wss considered e "disorder" for either sex to be found outside of their allotted places for ever so brief period.
 The pulpit for that day was something of an elaborate affair. The platform surface was limited, but 1t was placed we'll up above the people and attracted attention because of its conspicuousnsss. The front was adorned with long eunken panels terminating in curved tops. The desk was plain made in three parts, with the middle section elevated above the others; in its rear and little above the preacher wac the middle window of the second story. Over the pulpit hung the "sounding board" This was the most unpretentious piece of workmanship in the meeting house. It was cone-s shaped in ap- pcarance, with 0 very symmetrical cuvre 10 it's lines; the bottom was flat and the top was surmounted with brass ornament. Altogether 1t ia related that with the venerable figure of Dr. Trumbull in the desk the whole ensemble of the pulpit wac second to none in New Haven county. At no time in tho history of this meeting house was there chimney attached to it. At first there was no stove. It is claimed for Anson Blakeslee that he was the daring parishioner who first set up in his pew, an airtight wood burning arrangement, and ran the pipe out of the nearest window. Af- ter that two immense stoves were located at the foot of each flight of gallery stairs; the smoke pipes from these led to huge sheet iron drum suspended high in the body of the church over the worshippers heads, and from thence to the roof. The communion table was plain wooden affair hinged to the front of the pulpit and let down when not In use. In front of this were the deacons seats facing the broad aisle.
 There was e complicated frame work of timbers and braces showing in the finish of ceiling, but which without the aid of dia- gram would be unintelligible to the reader. The turret was built much after the usual fashion in that day, with It's roof surmount- ed with short stsf topped with vane. This was the vano which by some means be. came disarranged In 1766 and fell off its perch. The records would have us believe one Samuel Todd was in some manner connected with the dethronement of this wind indicator; indeed they are very explicit on the point as witness:
 "veted that the vane should be mendsd and up again; the Society Committee to settle with Samuel Todd for Damnifying the Vane and If they cant settle that affair to their minds without, they Law" '''e''0 ''''N ,''''' - 'o eo
 The presumption is that the audacius Todd repsnted him of his rashness and "set- tled,n as there Is no reference to justice court about that time.
 The interior of the turret was not fur nished with bell until 1762. Previous to this the drum had summoned all to public worship, and 1t was still used as means of warning meetings of the society for several years thereafter. In 1767 they declared
 "That for the future the method of warning the tho place of Parade and making Proclamation at the North and South ends of the same with an Au- dihle Voice of the Time and Place of Meeting at least five days before said meeting"
 It is probable the bell was . rather light one, for when they had built the steeple to their church, as we shall presently see, they clamored for a more noisy messenger to be placed within 1t. They called @ special meet Ing for this purpose in October, 1799, and declared their official sentiments as follows
 "voted-Thst it is the mind of this society to get
 Voted-That the committee for that Purpose have Power to Dispose or the old bell towards getting a
 votsd-That the new bell shall not weigh more han Eight Hundred weight nor fall short Of seven alndred and one half
 l..vi Ray. Joseph Bradley bea committee for got
 voted-That the committee shall obtain a bell warranted for one year.