Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-06-08
IT'S 15orH ANNIVERSARY.

ITS 10th. ANNIVERSARY.
! Notable nay in old woodbridge-i
People Attend From Miles Around
Tho Woodbridge CONGREGATIONAL
Church's observation-disclosures
Commemorative Exereises-Beauti.t
full Floral Decentralization
by Thomas n. Trowbr1dse, Rev. |
DIR, Smyth, Rev. Z. 8. Lines, Rev.
Drs. Twitchell and McLane, Rev.
Mr.. >Stowell. Hon. N. ID. -SPerry and
Others-Woodbridge Hospitality.
One hundred and fifty years ago small
,and of men and women gathered for wor-
hip on the Woodbridge hills. on rise of
ground that commanded fine view of the
country. No better place in
The entire state could have been selected
in which to worship the Creator. Through
storm and sunshine the mere handful of
people plodded and drove to their place of
worship, at the small Congregational
church. There are no signs now of the first
church, but the big elm which threw its
shade over fe still stands, and about 300
feet away from it is larger, better and
model country church, and 1t was there
yesterday that the descendants of the
earlier worshipers and several new Corners
into the flock gathered to celebrate the
one hundredth and fftieth anniversary of
the founding of the Congregational church
of Woodbridge.
The celebration was in every respect
worthy of the occasion. For days the
good people of Woodbridge had been pre-.
pairing for the event. Provisions had been
made for the entertainment of the parish
oners and their guests. At all the ser
vices, from early morning until late at
night, the church was crowded with peo-
pie prominent In all works of life, from
the humble farmer to the successful city
merchant and capitalist, whose antece-
dants were born on the Woodbridge hills
and who worshiped at the church in the
trying days of its infancy. There was not
a vacant pew in the church, and the Rev.
Mr.. 8. P. Marvin, the present pastor, never
faced larger or more attentive oongrega-
ton than he did yesterday. Each Of the
hundreds of people, the gray haired and
aged husband and wife, the handsome and
buxom lass, and the bright and curly
haired child felt the impressiveness of the
momentary occasion.
The church where the anniversary exer-
cises were held was beautifully decorated
ia honor Of the occasion. On the left of
the pulpit was lsrgs bank of wild flowers
and ferns and palms. About the pulpit
were banks of the most handsome wild
flowers and pansies. On one side was a
and on the other another pillow of equal
sizs bearing 1889" in blue figures in its
center. About the gallery were placed
potted plants and palms, and twined
around the clock under the choir loft was
a loose wreath of nastursions in full bloom
and banking 1t were punches of evergreens,
all symbolicsl of the life of the people OF
the church, sweet, pure, and undefled.
The anniversary exercises opened about
10 o'clock III the morning with the swee.
notes of the bell in the be1fry summonine
people to the church. But by that time
the church was filed to overfowing and
at 10 O'Clock the exercises proper opened
with an organ voluntary by Mr.. @. T.
Walker, the organist. This was followed
by responsive reading in which every per
of their hearts. Prayer was delivered by
the Rev. Mr.. Markwick of the Cong1ega
tional church of Ansonia. The music
which followed was succeeded by sermon
by the pastor Of the church, the Rev. Mr.
Marvin, in which he traced the history oil
the church from its inception to the pres
emit time.
When the choir had rendered music
there was a short recess, after which
Thomas R. Trowbridge, of the first church
Of this city, extended congratulations. HI
spoke at length upon the early history O.
New Haven and traced it down, telling
how, as early as 1889, a parish was set of
from New Haven and named Amity.
"The..Amity men" he said, voted and attende,
townmeetings at Milford. In 1746 the town of Mil
ford voted that esO be paid;to erec ta schoolhous
/ in the parish Of Amity, and in 1884 the town o
Amity received charter and the name of Wood
honor Of the Rev. BENJAMIN woodbridge, VIII
/ settled in Amity in 1742 two years after hi
graduation from Yale.
I'm return for the honor of naming the tow
! Tor him. Mr.: Woodbridge presented the tow
l with 'Whitby's Commentary on the New Tests
dweit in the house s Standing on the
the two roads, southeast Of the church, leadin
''sInce then Woodbridge has led a quiet, pa
toral life. She has always held the respect {
the neighboring towns, for her conservative
been necessary to ask her sons to do battle In d
Tense of their country. She has furnished SO
diers and sailors for every war in which II
American people have ever engaged. Successf'
and opulent bankers, merchants and builder
have reen found to speak of WOODBRIDGE g
| their home, aud for many years the largest an
| cosliest ship which carried the American e1
sign was commanded and largely owned by
| Woodbridge sailorman.
''And it was an Amity farmer, Stephen Sal
ford, patriotic man, who gave sum of none.
| 5000 to support minister as he, the minists
was asH TREND OF the United states OF America
/ always been in the van for good government an
good citizenship. Its ancient church has Away
| been loyal to its doctrine and faith of the farm
ers, and has been for these $50 years a beaco
| light set on hill.
'"TilI the end of time-or at least as long as til
II acrar Qinc itoe
will the story Of the regicdes and King Charlie
find perhaps the most prominent place in Enf
Sarbo M ' and
| Gave be told to coming generations.
ut is an interesting fact but true one, tha
| Lament, the regicides Long Marston Moore, ye
down to the browning mercy at Worcester itsel
appears to the Intelligent American reader {
English history, the quiet, secluded town of Woo
bridge presents itself to the imagination Of tt
Of the New Haven colony that these persecute
and hunted me found refuge, shelter, rest an
raiment, and here on the ground trod by thef
l Sperry and his Woodbridge neighbors for the al
and comfort given them, and may we descend
of the epitaph which, cut into an iron cannon
stood over the grave Of the great regicide Brat
shaw, at Morant Bay, Jamaica: Rebellion to T.
| rants is Obedience to God
From the ancient and historic First church c
/ Christ at New Haven I bring to this church q
congratulations and Godspeed. May both fo
| the years to come, as in the years which hav
passed, dwell together in peace and unity
Remarks of a congrstulstory characte
were made by Rev. Mr.. Morse of the Firs
church of Milford.
The principal address of the mornin
WAS made by Rev. DR.. Newman Smyth Q
the Center church in tfffs- city. The sut
ject of his remarks was "Puritan Charac
ter" His address was listened to with th
utmost attention, and he paid most glor
GUS compliment to Rev. Mr.. Marvin, tn
pastor the church. In his remarks he sal
that the Rev. Mr.. Marvin ought to be tn
only one in the pulpit and that the rest G
the ministers should be on the platform
He then said:
''The Puritan had great deal NOR
character than can tell of in speech G
few minutes. He believed in his Go
and in his own soul-two great faiths fo
any man to keep. In relation to the et
tablished religion, the Puritan was tn
hereto of his day. He would accept n
authority but that of truth. The Purita
had good deal of Professor Briggs natu,
in him.
| SIN taking on, as We may do, othe
virtues and fairer graces, we should nc
lose the grand characteristic of the Purl
tan-his commanding sense of personal r.
eponsiblity to God, his fearlessness, hi
endurance. his strength.
"The Puritan would have had no pr
l tiaDca with &bot rno1arr fvro IF rapf1f