The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-05-13
Bethel History.
A Cetury Sermon.
FROM PAGE EIGHT. I


desOlation and encouragement. The 81
ciety hesitated to tax, and depends
upon subscriptions and contributions
One minister after another was employ el
to supply the pulpit for short periods
and often the congregation convened witt
no preacher the deacons offered prave
and diff. rent per sons were called upon &
read selected sermons. But yet the day
we're not all dark, nor the whole expert
ence dishearCening. Their supplies wer,
usually very acceptable, and sometime
able preachers. Rev Jonathan Bartlett
OF ReddiDg preached often during TIT
early part of this period; one of the mos
amired ministers of the age. Rev Ma
Chaniel Freeman of Weston, and Rev
John NOyes of Mortified; Rev Bepi4m
In Fem, afterwards of Gustavus, OHIO
Rev Burr Baldwin, afterwards of Mon
trOse PreshyCery, Pennsylvania Rev Alb
DER Il unuage, afterwards settled al
BrOoRfeld; and Rev Ely hyde of Amen.
la, n. were the principal supplies now
remem bered, and who we're all sound and
successful preachers, and some of whom
| we're heard with special interest and sat
| isfactiOn. The officers and leading mem
bers of the church were thrown much up.
on their own resources, and made to cul-
| ivRte their ts Tents and graces, and the
Improvement of their gifts was manifest.
A tirm and self sacrificing body of men
we're called forth, patient and praying
and wise in counsel, and the church and
society were greatly prOfited by them,
and gratefully owned their indebtedness
TO them. Ira Benedict and Ephraim Bar
cum were chosen Deacons in July, 1913,
and Eben9 Ter HickoK and Eliud Taylor
In 1918. The meeting house was new
rooted and covered in 1915, and a steeple
was added and erected in 1918. The ad-
missions to the church were on the whole
unprecedented in all its former expert
enCe, being in all SO, of which 80 were by
profession and eight by letter. Some
seasons of special religious interest &C.
Cured. In 1914 there were by profess
sion nine admissions; in 1915, 10 admis-
siOTs; in 1917, eight, and in 1921, Is ad.
missions. Trying as this period was to
the faith Of the good people Of Bethel,
yet those of US who can look back upon
our earlier days as pas ed amid these
vcit tudes of priYatiOn and supply, and
call to remembrance the labors and sac
rifces OF our fathers, may | think with
great confidence testify, that during those
years this church was casting iCs root
downward, that it might afterward bear
fruit upward; and that seed was then
sOwn in tears which has since been reap.
ed with icy. 1t came to be experiment
tally understood, that an assumed inabil.
ity TO support the Gospel was a sure way
to sink society; and that resolute main
tenance and application of the ordinances
of religion, elevated and prospered and
ennobled .the community. Withholding
tended to poverty, and they could not af-
ford, not to pay the cost which reliR-
iOus culture demanded. They nobly act
ed upon this teaching, and rose up to the
acritice and for years endured it; and
the pros peril y Of to-day is your inherit
ance and Enjoyment Of 1t. The same fl
deity alone can perpetuate it.
In the summer of 1918, q Sunday school
was organized by Rev Burr Baldwin, and
supplied by him with few tracts and
pamphlets, but did not progress with any
very considerable energy or prosperity
The next summer Seth Seelye formed q
Sunday school in Grassy Plain district,
procured a library of 81 in value, and
had an attendance from that and some
from the center district of from 30 to so
children. The next summer of 1920, the
church added Sc to the library, and the
Sunday ecNocl became general at the
meeting house, with an attendance of
about IS children. This has since been
sustained with diff rent measures Of pros
perity from year to year, but with in
creAsing interest and usefulness on the
whole. The contrast is strongly marked
10 the present interest from that at it's in
ception, by the collection taken up for its
library, last Sunday, which amounted to
$l22; and the attendance is from 100 to
200 children.
The strong desire and determination of
the society in 1921, was to obtain again
the advantages and enjoyment of a set
tied minister. They had heard of Rev
John G, Lowe, who was at that time sup
PLYING the church at Pound Ridge, in
Bedford, New York, and after obtaining
him for few Sundays, there was great
unanlmity in calling him to settle over
them In November, 1921, which call he
accepted, and was installed January l.
1922 Mr. Lowe was an English minister
who had immigrated to this country with
his family few years before, and whose
education had been at the Dissenting
Seminary of Homerton under the cele-
brated DR. John Pye Smith. His preach
ing was origin u In thought and illustra-
ton, and quite edifying and instructive
to the people. The congregation gre n
in numbers and strength under his
charge, though his want of early famili.
arity with our ecclesiastical habits and
measures did not so readily enable him
to adapt his lRbors to the growth of the
church. His ministry for q few years
was greatly and peacefully enjoyed. In
1924 additional seats were made in the
galleries, and In 1928 bell was procured
But In September of this year
THERE WAS COMMENCED A PROCESS OF
CHURCH DISCIPLINE,
growing out of disagreement between
DR. Samuel Banks and Mr. Lowe, which
became extensively disturbing and an
noyiNg. DR. Banks was communicated
November Is, 1928 !; appealed to the Con-
ISOLATION September q, 1929; the ConsO-
citation convened and cofirmed the church
action October z; when DR. Banks made
a confession, which was accepted by the
church, and he was restored. In the
midst of these trcublous movements, Mr.
Lowe prepared request for his dismis-
sion from the pastoral relation, to which
the church and society acceded; and the
Consociation convened at his house and
dissolved the connection January 20,
1899, giving 60 his ministry here con.
tinuance OF seven years. At his settle
ment the church numbered "a mem
bers; and 9duriDg his charge IL had
been added. The expenses of the society
were met by lease of the pews, and de-
| ficiencifs made up by voluntary sub
scription; and such has been since the
general method of raising funds. Aid
was also received from the Domestic
Missionary Society of Connection for
several years. Mr. Lowe removed from
Bethel to Armenia, New York, In 1880
and was pastor of the Presbyterian
church in that place for about II years
He then removed TO Conkiin, Broome
County, New York, and preached there
and IL some neigbboring places for SONS
years, and WAS stricken Of paralysis, o.
which he died, March l, 1855, ia the 6Stl
year of his age.
i November, 1888, the society discon
tInued their applications for help, to the
Domestic Missionary Society.
The next June after Mr loves dis