The Newtown bee., 1893-07-28

name, though he sometimes sets his | thoughts to verse.
 By special request, the choir repeated the anthem, II was glad," sung at the dedication of the burned church, 60 years ago.
 WILLARD l.. BEARD of the Hartford theological seminary, son of Dea o. G. Beard, delivered a touching address, summing up to the imagination vivid picture of the de- struction and rebuilding of the temple of Solomon, and making forcible applica- tion to the case in hand. ssThe old tem- pie at Jerusalem is gone. On the site of the old altar, few captives gather to re- build the fallen walls. It is with mingl- ed feelings that they gather amid the ruins of the former temple and under take the arduous work. Those who are young, full of present pleasure and an- ticipation of future joy, are glad. But not so with the old. Their memories fondly cling to the sanctuary which has been theirs for many years and the new walls and new furnishings of the temple
 CANNOT TAKE THE PLACE
 of that which is gone. And yet they come there for the same worship as of old. Dear friends, it is much the same with us to-day. l come to you as one of your own number. l am one of you and l desire to be considered as talking with you, not to you. We come together to- day after an absence of year from our accustomed place of worship, and we who are young, amid the thrill of pleas ure which this beautiful new sanctuary brings us, can perhaps forget, in part, the loss which we have sustained. But for the old, the days service is one of bitter sorrow
 MINGLED WITH THE JOY
 Their minds run backward through the past. For them, old associations have been sundered. The new walls, though beautiful, are strange. They cannot find here the accustomed nook and corner. which so long has seemed their own. And yet we all come here for the same purpose as of old; to worship the God of our fathers and to renew our VOWS. Some of us have sacrificed for this building. We have put our hands deep down into our pockets and have practiced real self-denial. Those who have done this are already receiving pie 1teous bless ing and who shall count what of bless ing the future may have in store for them. These blessings bring added re- sponsibility. It devolves upon you and me, in company with our pastor, to see | that this
 CHURCH IS FILLED
 with worshippers from week to week. Let us take hold of our pastors hands and arms and carry him on in his good work. Let us come ourselves and bring others. Together, hand in hand and heart to heart, looking ever to our great Captain, we shall do noble work, and | people who are not not now of our num- Der shall see that something is really go- ing on here and that we are in earnest''
 
 with appropriate remarks along the same line. After the singing of hymn, the Lords Supper was celebrated by Rev L. NJ. Keneston of Shelton and Rev G. F. Prentice of West End, Bridgeport. The congregation and choir joined in singing "Blest be the tie that binds" and were dismissed with benediction by the pastor.
 The newly erected First Congregations al church is of the
 GOTHIC STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE and stands upon the foundations of the old church. The main entrance is in the square bell tower, erected at the south east corner of the building. There is an other entrance on the southeast corner, both facing the street. The floor, by a gradual slope, is eleva ted from the chan eel to the rear. The auditorium is fur nished with A antique ash seats, trim med with oak, and are capable of seating five persons each. In the rear is a cosy and convenient lecture room. separated from the body of the church by sliding doors. When the doors are thrown up, the whole is converted into one large auditorium with seating capacity of over 300. The chancel is provided with beautiful antique oak chairs, the com- munion table and pulpit also being of antique oak, the latter
 BEAUTIFULLY CARVED,
 and presented to the church by Mrs Sarah A. Nichols and Mrs Katie w. Richardson in memory of Caroline Wheeler.
 The windows throughout are of stain ed glass of such tints that the effect of the lightis beautiful and pleasing. They are all to be inscribed as gifts of the liv- ing or in memory of departed friends, with the exception of the chancel win dow which is triangular in shape and bears upon scroll the inscription, aThe Entrance of Thy Word Giveth Light.'' On either side of the choir are two win doWs, the one inscribed, ss1724, Beard. 1s93.o The other ss1724, Judson, 1893, by Stella Judson Marks In the east end of the church is large window in three sections, the middle section to be inscribed ssDoctor Shelton;' the other two, Mrs Roswell HaWley;'' ssIn mem- ory of sisters Eliza Sterling and Maria Post.
 THE REMAINING WINDOWS are severally inscribed as follows: stMr and Mrs William Wilkinson;" aMr and Mrs Daniel A. Nichols;'' Mir and Mrs