The Newtown bee., 1891-05-08

spirit which manltests itself in all the affairs of the colony. And this is the eventful year when this people phrase their loyalty to God by the erection of the second house of wor- ship. It was less difficult task to build this second sanctuary. The people of Fairfield were already recorded the fourth town of Connecticut in respect to taxable property, only Hartford, Windsor ane Wethersfleld having larger list of well-todo citizens. The new edifce was commodious, substantial, ,and attractive. Doors, windows, clapboards, and a tower, gave it exterior appearance of comfort and dignity. High pulpit, deacon's seats, magistrates, divisions for dignitaries, the private citizens, the women, the children, and the servants within these walls give the interior air and appearance ot austere completeness that was peculiarly satisfying to the Puritan mind. Two generations and more pass when we fellowship with larger company of Fairfield citizens. It is 1745. MT Hobart has shepherded the people for 12 years. The needs of the parish are impera. tive. A larger house must be builded. The prosperity of the Prime Ancient society is involved, for non- nfOrmists have multi piled in town. The agitation of theological questions has encouraged dissent The estab- lished church must make fresh impression ot it's vitality or the trend ot religious life will manifest itself in other channels. Then the number of worshippers in the old building taxed it's capacity, and the people also had q feeling that their sanctuary was not adequate to the intellectual and spiritual ser vice which was demanded. And it an easier task for them to build this third sanctu- ary than had been for their ancestors to build the second or the first house. For Fairfield had continued to multiply her wealth and culture. We are somewhat familiar with this third sanctuary--the one which Andrew Elliot called "A large and elegant meeting house." The substantial frame, the numerous win dows, the tall spire, they are the characteris- tic features indicated by the picture. And the people worshipped in this building for 34 years until the war-clouds gathered above them and the war-stOrm burst upon them. Four generations are passed and we fellow ship with the Christian patriots of the Amer ican Revolution. Fairfield is burned dis trict, devastated by the British vandal The people lived in huts and sheds and any shelter they may hastily extemporize. Mean while the major part of her men are engaged in the tmost eventful of the centuries and the people that through necessity tarry at home are spending all their strength in the cultivation of the soil,t preparation of food and clothing and the gathering of munitions of war. Poverty became the common guest of the people. And the many troubles incl dent to the conflict multiply; the beat of the drum; the march of the train bands, the measured tread of the coast guard; you hear them all. There is q seriousness, an intensi
 ty, an earnestness of life that cannot be put into cold words. The speech of the street, of the school of the church, is concerning un- just taxation, assertion of individual rights, defence of colonial liberties, indicative of re- sistance, q free State National independence. The air that presses down upon these tamil-
 
 questions.In the midst of this agitation, this tumult of hope and fear, joy and sorrow, life and death, the people of this Prime Ancient society begin the most arduous task that has marked their parish history, namely the con- struction ot their fourth sanctuary. It is fit ting that we re-read today this tragic page ot our honorable record and gaze once more with earnest look upon this untorgetable pie ture. The structure slowly rises from these grounds. Each particular part of the building tells it's own story of economy and privation. Nearly seven years after the loss of their sanctuary, selt-sacrifcing people meet once more within the walls of a consecrated edi- fee. But the years still hasten and the struct- ure remains unfinished. It is difficult to meet the insistent demands of family support and town and state and national expenses. So that it's r years ere the interior is complete ; 2S years ere the interior is painted and 40 years ere the paint is put upon the exterior of the building. Honor and homage to these men of faith, patient denial. For 63 years the people worshipped in this fourth sanctuary. Two generations have passed and agaln we fellowship with company of Christian spir- it's. It is August 3, 1s49. There are present with us to-day not few who stood upon this spot 42 years ago and witnessed the placing of the corner stone of the filth sanctuary. They
 
 Atwater as he spoke upon the text-words Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." It a special fast day. The cholera prevailed through sections of the country. It was considered most ap- propriate to make morning appeal to God for mitigation and cessation of the plague; and an afternoon appeal to God for blessings on the projected house of worship. The Prime Ancient society had just given it's two youngest daughters the Southport church and the Black Rock church, parting blessing. The familiar places which these good people had filled were perpetually speaking to the home church concerning these absences. And so the mother church took counsel with herself and having sought the illumination of the Spirit, said: "Let arise and buld." There were valid reasons for such d course. And Fairfield was well circumstanced to per form the task. Under the wise leadership of Doctor Atwater, sustained and encouraged by the general suffrage of the people, the money for the new edifice was pledged, the funds were promptly contributed, the work was hastened and, in the following March, the building was dedicated ;while it was the most complete, ornate and expensive struct- ure that had stood upon this ancient site, it received greater care and less sacrifice than any ot its predecessors. And it the first sanctuary that was built by vol untary contribution. day place the cor ner stone of our sixth sanctuary. The struct- ure, whose walls just push themselves into visibility, is well ancestored. It comes of a worthy line and it is meant that there shall now rise from these ashes of the dast, a sanc- tuary that is solid, massive, beautiful and complete. We have modelled our edifce after the Norman style of architecture, style that was favored by our faraway Eng fish forefathers. But while the visible form of the sanctuary passes through this signif- icant transformation, the same interior spirit of life and worship tarries with us. And as we gather here in Christian faith and fellow ship today, we first pay our homage to the past, we then bespeak Gods blessing upon the future. We can almost fancy that our eyes are unholden and that the spaces all about us are filled with the spirits of the de- parted. Their names are upon our lips and their virtues are enshrined Ill our hearts. We stand awestricken and solemnized as we com pany with these many genrrations of pure, brave, wise, true men and women. Chris tian n-invisible-gathered in re- sponse to the great invitation of a reverent imagination! Ancestors of this generation! We venerate your memory. We treasure your example. We inherit your spirit And as you builded upon this spot the house of prayer and praise-sacred meeting place of God and man-sO would we initiate yOu in