The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-05-13
to be those of many of the children who

10 be those of many Of the children who
mad died Of the camp-distemper.
The excitement and trouble incident to
the Revolutionary war through the
was shared by the people of
Bethel. On Saturday, April 26, l777, q
of about 1000 British troops
under Gov Tryon marched through this
place and de- truyed the military stores
in Danbury, and burned many houses.
Some Tories lived here, and deserter
from the American army, named Thomp-
son, was found srcreted by one Of them
in barn in the Eastern district, which
soldier was soon after hung at Newtown :;
but the great mass of the inhabitante,
with Mr. Wetmore, were firm friends of
the Revolution.
The general course of Mr. Wetmore's
ministry and his connection with the
people had been pleasant and mutually
agreeable. Whatever annoyances he
might have had, they do not seem to
have been openly disclosed. The MARIA
uion of those who were acquainted with
the facts la remembered, that there oc-
CURED an arrar g 4ment for the marriage
Of three couples at once, one Of whom
from peculiar circumstances had failed
to procure the publication of the inten-
ton Of marriage for the legal time pre-
vious, and Mr. Wetmore on that account
refused to { fiji ciaLe in the sclemnizatton
Of the marriage, and the parties without
delay procured another to perform the
ceremony. The connections involved
some of the leading interests and in
fiuences of the society, and the occur
renee and its results were source OF
discomfort to Mr. Wetmore. Perhaps
other causes of disquiet may have been
blended on his own mind, but in Janua-
rY. 1884, he requested the church and
society to concur with him in referring
the matter of his dismission to the conso-
citation. The society voted in the mega
tive; and again 10 March the request was
repeated, and again denied. Mr. Wet
more persisted in seeking dismission
from his charge, and the society at
length, May "a, reconeidered the former
vote, and cOncurred ia submitting the
question to consolation. 1t was put to
vote In this fnrm-"W neither the society
(notwithstar ding they are satisfied with
respect to the Rev Noah Wetmore's per-
fOrmance as their minister, and would be
glad to have him continue among them,
yet as the situation of the society is at
PRESENT. will not go far jim with Mr. Wet
more as to refer all matters respecting
him and the society to an ecclesiastical
swered FL rmativelv. and the consocia-
ton some months afterward, on Nevem-
Der, 2, 1884, met and dissolved the pas
toral relation which had subsisted for
about "a years.
There ia no record of The admissions to
the church during Mr. Wetmore's min.
istry, neither of those in halfway
covenant nor in full Communion,
but a list of all the members
in full comm union on the day of
his dismfssion appears in his own
handwriting, and one also OF those who
did not come to the Lords Supper. This
confirms the fact Of the
COVENANT PRACTICE,
for while Mr. Wetmore's ministry had
been faithful and able, the number of
full professors had declined from II at his
ordination to SO at his dismission. At
least four and probably six OF the origi-
nal members still remained. or those
in half covenant there were So.
The inside of the meeting house does
not seem to have been completed nor
the galleries finished during Mr. Wet
more's ministry, and the arrangement
Tor seats and the pulpit must have been
of temporary construction. What were
called Sabbath he uses had been for some
time in use, erected near the meetir g
house by families living in the remote
sections Of the parish for their accom-
mediation on the Sabbath. They were
small and plain structures, with simple
furniture, to which the family resorted
for retirement, rest and refreshnent
during the intervals of public worship.
Thao ", ~,
Lieut. James Ser I've and perhaps others
had built for themselves such houses.
Dea Boned cts stood near the present
place OF the bank. AS early as 177S
societies. meetings we're adjourned from
the meeting house TO Lieut. James
Sealye's Sabbath house, which had the
largest accommodations and which
| some of US can remember as still stand
ing q little southwark of Andrew G.
Hickok's present dwelling house for q
considerable time within the commence
ment OF this l9Fh century. The others
went easlier into disuse and decay.
Mr. Wetmore was born at Middletown
and was graduated at Yale college.
After his diamission from this church he
renewed to Brock Haven, L T., and was
Installed over the Presbvte rian church,
April. 1855. and remained the pastor till
his death, March 8, 1896, In the Goth
year Of bis age. In his funeral sermon
be is spoken OF as preacher whose
sermons were well composed and anima-
ted with sacred regard TO the honor of
mis- Divine Master. Ia the pulpit he
spoke the word In all plainness and god
lv implicitly and labored hard to bring
souls to Christ, In social life he was an
agreeable ard Instructive companion
and upon religious subjects was iudic-
inus and distinguished clearly the false
from the true; and the doctrines he
taught and the duties he pressed upon
Others were happily exemplified In hia
own life and conversation. In domestic
life his character shOne with peculiar