The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-05-27
COURIER WEDNESDAY,
CEN TENNI1L


OF the Congregational Church in Middle
bury.
40 the Editor OF the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
The one hundredth anniversary of
the organization of the Mlddlebury
church arrived February 10th; the cele-
bration of the interesting event occurs
to-day. The historical address will be
presented by the pastor, Rev. w. r.
Avery. A variety of other exercises
will add attractiveness to the occasion,
and the day will be a festive one in
that beautiful hill-town.
The writer of this, several years ago,
gathered some memoranda in regard to
the first three pastors of the church,
and one of the first deacons, which he
has never published, and they are
printed below.
PASTORS.
The first pastor, Rev. Ira Hart, grew
up in the church at Bristol, was grad
uate of Yale college in the class of 1897,
was licensed to preach by the New Ha-
v
November of that yearQ79S) became
pastor at Middlebury. The tradition is
that he was smart, perhaps too smart,
not equally discreet, and that after no
long While he ceased to suit the parish;
the people We're very generally alien
ated" from him, and the struggle be-
tween the pastor and people" was very
fierce and longcontinued." In those
days it was customary for damages to
be paid to a dismissed pastor. 1t was
a function of the council to award the
damages, and the estimates set down
by the different members in this case
varied from $500 to $1,000. The
average of these estimates was the
amount fixed, being somewhere from
$500 to $500. An entry in the Society
Account Book shows that Bradleys
''bill for entertaining the consolation at
the dismission of Mr.. Hart" was $77.ll
The relation was terminated in 1909,
and in December of that year the ex :
pastor settled with the First church in
Stonington, a relation which continued
twenty years, until his death. Dr. Nc
Even, of the First church, New Lon
don, in his half-century sermon, rela-
ted that in 1915 the Rev. Ira Hart and
himself had a conversation one evening
in the New London parsonage, on the
ecclesiastical dilapidation in southeast
ern Connecticut, and that they formed
a project for a missionary society, Inc
project. after a few weeks, was re-
ferred to the local association, which
resolved to forward petition to the
general association soon TO meet
at Pennington, that home missionary
society might be instituted for repair
ing the waste plans of Connecticut ana
it's vicinity" and at the next meeting
of the body, in 1916, the Domestic Mis-
sionary society was formed
The second pastor, Rev. Mark Mead,
was a native of Greenwich and grew
up in the Second church; he was a
graduate of Yale college in 1902, and
was licensed by Hartford South associ-
alton in June, 1904. At a date and for
term not mentioned, he labored in the
state of New York, under the patron
age of the Missionary Society of Con-
necticut. He appears to have been IN
stalled only once, viz, at Middlebury IN
November, 1909; he was dismissed in
| March, 1890 Salary $3.50 Mr.. Mead is
| described as having a rather light COM
| plexion, and as having been rather
short and thick-set. Though not very
energetic, he was discreet,-"a very
good sort of man" His administra-
| ton was very peaceable and comforta-
BILE. But after twenty years his popu-
| Iarity was deemed inadequate; and
though he was little grieved. as We're
some of the members of the church, he
quietly withdrew. He was acting pas
| tor at Grassy Hill, in Lyme, from July
! 1898 to July, 1886; and at Weston from
July, 1S41, to January, 1874. In 1860 ne
| was living in his native town, Green
wich. having spent fifty-one years ir
| the ministry.
! The third pastor, Rev. Jason Atwa'
ter. was a native of Hamden, was grad
| uated from Yale college in 1925, anc
was licensed by New Haven East asso-
| citation in 1927. He was acting pastor
of the First church. Waterbury, 1928
| Tune 1890; and thence he advanced
| heayenward as far as Mfddlebury
| where he was installed in October 1880
and remained in service until October
| 1S45. Salary. $3.50; later, $3.50. Mr. At
water was a tall man, of light complex
ion, pleasant genial, almost jovial.
His pastoral was prosperous and wa
signally fruitful. The new meeting
i house was built during his incumben
CIV. His ministrations continued to b.
tolerably acceptable, but there was {
little growing uneasiness, and at tn
close Of fifteen years he suddenly re
signed and started on a tour to Ohio
He had some pretty warm friends il
| Middlebury, and he left feeling littl
unhappy. He was acting pastor a
| Newtown from 1876 to 1856; he also con
Quoted a school there. During th1
pastorage sixty-nine were added to tn
church. the meeting house was re
paired. conferenee-room provided ant
the church brought into more hopeful
| condition than it mad presented for sew
| enty-five years Mr.. Atwater removed
to Southbury, where he served as act
ing pastor from 1856 to July, 1883
While there he married the widow o
Rev Edward Wright, who was con
Quoting female seminary in West Ha
ven. He assisted her in the manage
ment of the school for short time, blu
his mortal career ended in 1856
His first wife had died il
Middlebury, and his body wa
carried there for burial. (The buildin;
erected for the seminary Just men
toned, was destroyed by an incendiar.