The Press., 1897-01-14
Continued from last week.) HISTORY OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF STAF- FORD SPRINGS.
BY REV. J. 1. BARTHOLOMEW.
GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP.

GROWTH IN MEMBERSHIP.
 The early Methodists of Stafford were earnest christians, and the services were at times too enthusiastic to suit the New England sense of propriety One of our oldest members says that when Rev MT. Moulton engaged the old Universalist church on West Stafford hill for services he insisted on having written lease. He feared that if this precaution was not taken series of revival meetings would seem out of place to the church authori- ties, and would result in closing the doors of the church to the Methodists. Certain excitable persons always added to the in- terest of prayer meetings, and helped to make them attractive to young people,
 Mingled with the excitable workers were men and women of quiet bearing and solid worth, whose words of exhortation and testimony carried great weight The lay element was employed in the religious services much more extensively than in other denominations at that time. The preaching was pointed and pungent. Like the Salvation Army officers of to-day, the speakers kept the thought close to the great fundamental doctrines of the Bible 1t is not surprising, therefore, that many were co9verted under the second sermon lffn -4,resent- Iinaits of thA village nor that constant enlargement of the place of worship was necessity
 Spiritual transactions cannot be set down in black and white like financial matters. The building of spiritual church and the strengthening of the king dom of God on earth are not always un- derstood by men. We can only judge by indications, and, doubtless, we fail to judge them correctly.
 Under the early circuit system, the travelling preacher" or ''circuit rider'' spent only part of his time in any one To- cality. The class leader was to large extent the pastor, and upon his efficiency | depended largely the success of the work. As we have seen, the first class leaders in Stafford were Amariah Bemis, of Tray Hollow, and Orrin Harwood, of West Staf- ford. Of the work of the former we have but little knowledge. His daughter, Mary | became the wife of Rev. l.. C. Collins who was pastor here in1S46 and 1947 and became prominent Methodist preach CT. Of MT. Harwood we know muck more. His house was for years the tray cling preachers when they were in Wes Stafford, and was the center of the Metho dist influence of Stafford in those early days. He and his descendants have beer prominently identified with the interests of Methodism in Stafford from it's incep tion till now
 l Daniel Fosket, the first leader of tn, class at the village, lived near the presen house of Calvin Smith. Aaron F. Green, was for many years a class leader, and tower of strength in all spiritual move ments. Meetings of great power wer held in the old church, and conversion were of frequent occurrence. Revival were common, as the growth of the churcl clearly indicates.
 The great revival in AZ and '43, unde the labors of the pastor, Warren Emerson still finger in the minds of our older mem bers. One sister says that when she re turned from school at Wilbraham at tha time it seemed as though everybody ha' been converted. Another revival of dee] interest occurred under the pastorate O Rev. Loren c. Collins in the years '46 ant AT, adding to the church some who ar now among it's most valued members Another revival of special note occurret in 1857, Rev. Erastus Benton pastor About 50 professed conversion. Rev. J T. Benton wrote in 1866: II cannot learl that a single year has passed without con versions. While some faithful pastor have witnessed but few conversions, other have gathered large numbers into tn church. I have never seel upon any church book so much writer indication of the complete triumph of tn departed in the hour of dying as upon this And from personal observation at tn death-bed of several members am con vinced that nothing but the strictest trutl has been expressed"
 |; The early quarterly conference record show that the moral tone of the churcl was at a high level: In 1840 and 184 there is a detailed record of the trial an, expulsion of an official member for immor ality. The original charge was that h had sold spirituous liquors. Later he wa charged with falsehood in his testimony and with other minor offences. The whol record shows the determination of thos men to keep the leadership of the churc pure. The questions asked and the al swers elicited show that human nature i Stafford was about what it is now,