The Newtown bee., 1897-02-12

l value or the OaDDAGn.
 Our senior deacon tells me that even 1 when he came here, in ls42, he
 HAD NEVER SEEN A PEOPLE so GIVEN TO
 CHURCH GOING
 1 We had three pre- ty long rows of horse ! shed to be bought or rented, as all were occupied. Then, said my informant, ! there were a goodly number of the older men still living who had long been pill 1 lars in the church. Soon, however, the young men began to move to Waterbury, whose manufactures gave them employ ment, and those less inclined to church going came into the vacant places. Our houses are now flooded with religious. as we'll as secular reading and perhaps some stay at home and read while, if they had as little to read as their fathers, they would attend meeting every Sab bath.
 must now introduce you to the homes of our first three ministers. Rev Ira Hart built and occupied the main part of the Allerton house. After he had lived | there about ten years, it was the home of his successor, Rev Mark Mead, for 1 over twenty years. MT Mead did very much to improve tie place. He had 8 really fine garden, unlike most ministers. The walks and beds and smaller fruits were a pleasure to behold. He had been brought up as farmers boy in Green wich, Conn.,, and loved to see his 26 acres kept in good shape. They sup ported his two cows aad horse. He had fine walls built around small lots to be perhaps all torn down, as the present fashion seeks wider outlook. These two ministers had to go 8 third of a mile to &rd from church, rain or shine. There was then beautiful walnut grove back of the house, which Mir Mead de- | light d in. Years after he was dis missed, on learning that the place was for sale, he came back thinking to buy it to spend the rest of hIs days at the dear old home. But he found that walnut grove cut down and his nice walls get ting somewhat dilapidated. This al- 1 layed his ardor and he did not carry out here. The next minister, Rev Jason At water, lived in the present parsonage, close by the church.
 | Our Methodist friends liked the handy 1 location for parsonage, as we'll as we we and came near securing it. A fence then ran along before the house and one day you might have seen quite group of men inside it's gate waiting with carr est faces bidding for this house, once used as tavern, with it's bar in the present back parlor, went on briskly. But finally the Methodist gave it up. There were determined Congregation alists there. and they would have it. This was right, being on our side, where we might want to put 8 future church. THE LAND BACK OF IT WOULD BE VERY | HANDY
 for the minister's garden, meadow, orchard. How very good these have been, and that orchard of some 30 trees, how it was improved by Rev MT Judd's skill at grating. Were not those first pastors more helpful to their people by thus sharing :their tolls? MT Mead was rather small and MT Atwater slittle stout. Both were genial, MT Atwatel quite decided in opinion. All ministers
 had to be treated with especial reverence
 in those early days. If one approached
 group of school children, the girls ! were to drop their best courtesies ant
 the boys bow, caps in hand. Childre1 were than taught to be more respectful towards their parents than now. Sait one of our ladies to me, 1T was littl girl when MT Atwater was our minister
 and he was the only one did not fear t.
 speak to. But wanted to sit next t. ! Ill \. y~J1 I k~ x,f1 1i
 us." Little children were not afraid 0 Jesus. They came as he simply called
 and nestled in his arms. How mucl
 better his gentleness, leading to familiar ity, mingled with reverence for age an
 goodness towards the Shepard of bot sheep and lambs.
 Thold in my hand little book of mal riages, funerals and baptisms by M Mead and MT Atwater, from 1918 to 1S4E Let me gather only cluster or two G z facts from it. In 13 years, under Mir Al
 water, find the burial of 152. Thei ages being given, learn that the aver age age of the 152 was little over 1 years. Does not that indicate town 0 i. great healthfulness? For what goo . long period the minister had been pel !, mitted spiritual labor in almost ever o case. But deaths presuppose marriageI This little book tells us that in like
 years of MT Mead's pastorate, he unite in marriage 11s. What happy scene this suggests, in which people and pa tor CT ,i be drawn close together at u
 most sacred period of human Tiff ! Ought not pastor to get deep hold l,
 his flock?