The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-05-13
Bethel History.
A Century Sermon.

DELIVERED BEFORE THE CONGREGATIONS
AL CHURCH AND SOCIETY, BETHEL,
NOVEMBER 80, 1860.
Text, Joshua "a ~, land Joshua said unto
the people. yo are witnesses against your
selves the ye have chosen you the Lord TO
serve him. And they said, We are Witnesses"
Joshua had witnessed the departure OF
Isrsel from Egypt, had participated i'll all
the experiences OF the journey through
the wilderness, and had been the chosen
captain to conquer Canaan and put the
several tribes into their allotted posses
siCns. At the close Of his eventful life
be called all Israel together in solemn
CouVOCatiOn. He passed in review before
the people the leading events of their for
mer history, and received their pledge of
fidelity to Jehovah, who had brought
them and their fathers through such re.
markable prOyideEces. He then, as in
the text, called them to be WiCne ses
against themselves If at any future time
they should desert the ordinances and
worship Of the God OF their fathers; and
they in full conscious ness of their respun-
siblljty edmit, I'VE are witnesses"
do not know that any incident Of
scripture history can better present to US
the spirit which it behOOVes US TO possess
when we appear before God to. day, and
together recount the prominent expert
CuCes Of this church and people during
the past century. Our obligations will
be the greater to give our future lives
more faithfully to the service of God and
In preparation for heaven, and il becomes
Us fully 10 feel and faithfully TO discharge
these obligations. Here fs the place of
our birth and early dedication in baptis %,
and the events we are to recall are the
earnest deeds and most sacred transac
tions of our fOEefathers. Here they lived
aLd died; here they cOunseled and pray
cd and Wept and rej0iced together, and
their gRrnered dust lies mingled in the
adjoining graveyard. Their very siler Ce
sdmOnisRes US to read their history TO-
day under the solemn conviction that We
ShGll be witnesses against ourselves, If
our review Of their deeds does not quick
"a our imitation Of their faith and self
denying piety.
We shall devote the whole time allotted
to this discourse, In giving an outline of
the history of this church and society In
some of the leading events that we have
been enabled to collect, and such conclud-
ing reflections as the occasion naturally
suggests. Many important items are
irrevocably lost, and the peculiarities
which would more fully elucidate such
transactions IS have been gathered are
now buried in the tOmbs of our ancestors,
yet pretty connected though general
narrative Of the occurrences of the last
century In this place may still be pre-
sented.
The first settlement of the town of
Danbury was made in the summer of 1884,
by eight families, all but one of which
were emigrants from the town of Nor
walk. The town continued as one Soci-
ETY. until the year 1854, 20 years, when
what Is now the town of Brookfieih,
made up Of parts taken from New
Milford, Newtown and Danbury, was in
eorporated as a Society and called New
bury. Five years after-in October, 1859,
sat a general assembly of the Governor
and company held at New Haven, on the
report of committee that had been APP
pointed by the assembly in May previous,
20 view the circumstances OF the society
in the town of Danbury, and the situa.
ton and circumstances of the inhabitants
living In the South part OF said township,
who pray to be distinct ecclesiastical
Society according to certain limits and
bounds set forth In memorial OF Ebene-
ger Hickok and Lemuel Beebe and others,
it was Resolved, that they shall be, ana
they are hereby made into distinct &c
cleBiastical Society to be known and CO IL
ed by the name of Bethel, with the same
powers and privileges as other ecclesias-
tloal societies in this colony do enjoy -
Upon application being made by Capt
Ebenezer Hickok. Ebenezer Platt, ard
Phineas Judd, to Thomas Benedict, JUS
tice Of the Peace, Isaac Hoyt was direct
ed to warn the first meeting to convene
at his house on the 18th OF November,
1859, and duly organize the society. The
WHOLE TERRITORY WAS THEN BUT
sPARsELy sETTLED,
and only q few houses stood on the
ground now occupied by this cheerful
and thriving village.
AT this argt meeting 1t was voted TO
call some candidate to preach with said
Society, to provide some suitable place
Of worship for the present; to build a
meeting house 4S feet by SO, and 81 feet
In height between Joints; and to apply to
the court nc Fairfield to pitch the stakes
where the meeting house should be. The
sides OF the house were to be covered
with oak shingles riVen out three feet
long, and all the work to be finished by
the lat Of the next May. Some OF as