The Newtown bee., 1896-08-17


 s- grave of Mrs Eleanor Morrow Th F grave-stone of black slate is still stans
 ing near the north gate. The gray |. was probably dug directly in the req of the church.
 Q Mir Newton says ''These people liv , at g great distance from public worship , and others it seems by their conduct choose to spend the Sabbath in hunting and unnecessary visits, and these are not only dilatory in religious matters. so that many of them live but little above the Indians, and are destitute of the comforts of life. This melancholy prospect influenced some that were able TO build church-as one declared to me, who had been professor of the church for some years, that he thought it his duty to expend part of his estate in building church to prevent their becoming heathens, ''These people," he adds, ''since have attended worship and seem very highly to prize the worship of the church, and have desired me to take the care of them and have preached every fourth Sunday to them,' The mission ary asked of the Propagation Society in conclusion, an additional allowance for the labor and expense of coming hither from Ripton every fourth Sun- day. They granted him El0 per year, i which was continued probably to the close of the year l782, or P years, mak- ing the sum of e22O or about SLIGO, which was bestowed upon this parish in It's infancy by their Christian brethren l acl OBS the Atlantic. Of the missionary himself, the Rev Dr Johnson, then rector of Stratford, writes in the highest terms a8 laborious and worthy. The first Episcopal clergy labored zealously to gather the neglected and scattered. They preached in schoolhouses and private houses and visited from house to house. They catechized the children, distributed tracts, prayer-Aooks, Bibles and other religious books received from the society in England. They were very successful, for as early as 17GO there were in Connecticut 30 Episcopal churches and If clergymen. Three of these churches and two of the clergy men were within the ancient limits of the town of Stratford.
 In 1752 Rev MT Newton writes to the Venerable Society in England that he has reason to bless God that serious ness, peace and charity appear to pre- vail in two parishes. That be has at North Stratford and Stratford, about 90 communicants and about 100 at Ripton.
 The present parish of ". Johns, Bridgeport, and of course, all of the Bridgeport parishes, grew out of the little mission station at Stratlield, which is here spoken of as containing together with this parish, then called North Hartford, 30 cemmunicants.
 North Hartford parish then embraced the ground now covered by Tashua and Long Hill parishes and part of the par ish of Monroe. There was no separate parish at Monroe until the year 1900.
 The old Stratfield stood about a mile and 8 half northwest of the present St Johns church, Bridgeport, and near the old town line of Stratford and Fairfield. That church remained there until 1892. Soon after the Revolution ary war and the death Uf Rev MT New ton, the station at Stratfeld was con nected with Fairfield church until 1927.
 In July, 17G2, our parish sent to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, letter of thanks for their gift of a folio Bible and prayer book, for the use of their church, and also for small Bibles and prayer books and catechisms and for the frequent and very accepta- ble administrations of MT Newton, who, notwithstanding the distance of eight miles on a bad road, and the excessive cold in winter and heat in summer, has been very constant for several years, in administering the Lords Supper to them once n two months, and performing divine service once in four Sundays, and in catechizing and instructing their children. The large Bible and prayer book are still in the possession of the parish, and are in good condition.
 The Bible was printed in London in l75O. The prayer book in I75O. There are in the prayer book four petitions added in the litany, three for King George and one for "Queen Charlotte, Her Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and all the Royal Family" over these were pasted in later years the pe- titions ''That it may please thee to en, close the Governor and Ruler of the state with grace, wisdom and under standing"
 That it may please Thee to bless and keep the judges and other magis- trates, giving them grace to execute justice and to maintain truth"
 There are also special services ot prayer and thanksgiving and for the banpv daliveranee of Zfpo .Tepoas end