The Newtown bee., 1896-06-05
In New Haven County.
MIDDLEBURY.
THE CENTENNIAL AT MIDDLEBURY.

THE CENTENNIAL AT MIDDLEBURY. Beneath fair skies and with all nature ri ,icing after the rain the returning pil- grims wendcd their way to the church at Njddlebury, last Wednesday, to unite in celebrating the one huudredth anniver- eary of the organization. The pastor, Rev W. F. Avery, was on hand to wei come the gathering hosts and the fur nishings in the church suggested antiq- uity. There were ancient pictures, spec linens of old linen cloth, old books of his Uoyic value, an old musket and powder horn and many of the ancient kitchen utensils which suggested the simplicity
 of the early cooking. Rev Mir Avery had arranged on a blackboard at the rear of
 the church the names of the former pas tors with the term of their service. The clcrgymen ot the Naugaruck Valley were
 present in force, prominent among them
 being Rev Robert Pegrum of WatertOwn, Rev Joseph Anderson, D. D., Rev J. G. Davenport, D. D., and Rev F. Nj. Hollis
 ter of Waterbury, Rev Sherwood Soule
 of Naugatuck, Rev H. M. Kellogg of
 WOlcott, Rev Charles H. Smith of Ply mouth, Rev W. H. Phipps of Prospect,
 Rev J. l.. +. WyckOf of North Wood
 bury, besides visiting ex-pastOrs anu oth- CTS. Treatment among the lay element
 was Charles Hopkins of BroOklyn,N. Y, and Mrs Dr DeFOrest, whose ancestry
 were connected with Middlebury. The morning exercises opened with an anthem by the choir. Rev C. H. Smith of Ply mouth read the Scriptures and Rev H G. Marshall Of Cromwell, former pastor, led in D ayer. Key MT Avery then read historical paper of great research and
 interest upon the first 50 years of the life of the church. The church organization preceded the town organization by some years. Before the local church was es- abolished the people had to travel to Wa terbury and WO0dbury for their relig ious privileges. The leaders of the church
 in the early days were the Bronsons, the Tylers, the Stones, the Smiths and the Clarks, The primitive habits of the peO- pie were dwelt upon and facts adduced to show their interest in the schools, the
 public library and the worship of the house or God. At the close Of Rev MT Ayerys paper, Mir Clark gave sketch of some of the early settlers and where they
 lived. At the close of the paper the con- gregation adjourned to the vestry, where the ladies had prepared with lavish hos
 pitality 8 dinner for all visitii 2 friends.
 In the afternoon the exercises were of a
 miscellaneous nature. Charles Hopkins
 of Brooklyn read paper on Bennett Ty- Ter, the greatest theOlogian Middlebury has produced. His son also recited po- em written by the father which was very apt. Dc Crane of Waterbury, for 10 years Middlebury's resident physician, gave an account of his life there. Rev ] Robert Pegrum gave bright talk on the education of the children, Rev Sherwood 1 SOule an address on modern business life and it's perils, Rev Mr Wyckotf urged
 the people to 8 deeper regard for the l church and Rev H. c. Marshall spoke as l a former pastor. Rev pr Anderson of Wa l terbury gave some facts from his fund of ] historical information and Rev Dr Daven-
 port voiced the feelings of the church at
 Middlebury in resolutions of love and re,
 spect for the pastor, Rev W. F. Avery. ] One pleasant feature of the afternoon was
 an offering taken at Key Mir Wyckoff's
 suggestion to be used to purchase mar ble baptismal font and to have it proper l ly inscribed. Middlebury will long re-
 member the day of her centennial as well
 she may. Much credit should be given
 to Rev MT Avery for his faithful labOrs
 in making the day the success that it
 was.