The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-05-13

| was LA m&by 8OSpGGbS a SQSCCf6A0A 0As
and DO b the church and society wer
strengthened during his administration
In 1882 the met ting hnuee was exter
" lY Tepsived AID altered, and sin
sUb.titated for pews. september 2e
1884, Najsh Benedict and Seth Seelye
were che sen deacons, and were after
wards. set apart by the laying on @
hands, and prayer. The church receiV
, ed quite FIRE quent, and considerable &C
ce sions. The year 1881, was especially
favored; and during the year, fifty-sevel
were added to the church by profession
In 1882, there were nine admitted b.
profession; and eight at other times
The number OF church members increas
ed in all to one hundred and eleven
There were several cases of discipline
some Of which eventuSted IN confession
and restoration to good standing; and ii
two cases, the discipline resulted in ex
communication. The church In one cas-
had dismissed charges brought agains
a member, without trial, and without {
proper confession. This was charged
against the church by another member
and the consolation was called to re
view the church action, The consocia
ton disapproved of the proceedings OF
the church, and directed to a full trial
and on the church's complying with the
direction, the offending member was ex.
communicated. At Mr. Coles request
the society concurred in a submission OF
the question of his dismisson to the con-
ISOLATION, and they convened and dis
solved the pastoral relation September
26, 1887. Mr. Cole was afterward settled
at Litchfield, and then at Huron, Ohio.
| After about four months from Mr.
Coles dismission, Rev John Greenwood,
who had recently arrived In this country
from England, was called to settle as
pastor, and was installed April II, 1888.
The month proceeding, there had been
twelve persons admitted to the church
by profes sion. A painful case of dis
eipline occurred again with DR. Samuel
Banks, in which there was q contuma-
cious lection Of the authority of the
church, and in which also his wife par
Ctcip9ted. He was accommodated
July 6, 1910, and Mrs Banks August IL,
184l.
Elizur Benedict, Henry o. Judd, and
Asahel Dunntng, were chosen deacons
September 10, 1840, and Messrs Benedict
and Dunning accepted May 6, l84l.
There had been action taken by the
church in reference to Dea Seth SeeIye,
from which he appealed to the consocia-
ton; and they convened at his house,
September 81, 1871, and directed that the
former church action be recinded. A
disagreement and divided feeling grew
up with these proceedings, and Mr.
Greenwood sought dismissioD from his
charge. The cons citation convened
April ~, 1912, and effected the dismiss
ion; grounding their result on his poor
health, rather than the state of the sOci-
ETY.. He had been the pastor four years,
during which time there had been nine
sdmis lions by letter, ard five by profess
sion. Consequent upon Mr. Greenwood's
dismiss IN, the disagreement and aliena-
ton of feeling in the church, and society
was augmented, and a majority voted to
employ him a year, with the same salary
as when pastor, which he finally de-
clined. Rev William Bacon, from Wood
bury, vas procured to preach, and parti-
san feelings divided between him and Mr.
Greenwood, the M j0rity making a call
co Mr. Greenwood to renew his settle
ment, which directly declined. An ar
rangement was then made to employ Mr.
Bacon for few Sabbaths, and overtures
were oil made for mutual Cancellation
and agreement IN the society. There
had, moreover, been vote, and arrange
ments commenced to remove encrOach-
ments person had made upon the land
near the meeting house, when in just
these circum stances. the meeting house
was burned down, July 81, 1912 The
shock, and serious loss occasiOned byl
this diaaster, greatly furthered and con-
armed the disposition to general recon-
and harmony which had begun
to appear.
The society proposed an agreement to
omit any further reference to either Mr.
Greenwood or Mr. Bacon as candidates
for supply, and to pledge themselves to
abide Individually by the votes of q
,zSf n 80 L.. q
firmative to this amicable arrangement
were to be understood and known as
members OF the society, and such as
chose to negative the arrangement, were
to be understood as Withdrawing from
the society, and this arrangement when
thus ratified, was not to be repes1 led sub
sequently, but by a vote of two-thirds
taken by yeas and nays. This received
the assent of 65 male members, and was
left open for the concurrence of others.
The society passed res )lutiops CONNER
datory of both Mr. Greenwood and Mr.
Bacon, and the past disagreement was
healed. Mr. Greenwood be-
came subs equently pastor of the church
in New Milford, which charge he sustain
ed for number of years, and has since
returned to this place and resided here
retired from the active duties of the min
istry.
THE SOCIETY VOTED, AT ONCE TO BUILD
HOUSE OF WORSHIP,
52x39, together with q basement room,
and In the mean time occupy the Tenn
perance Hall, as their place for religious
services, and appointed Isaac q. Seelve,
Timothy B. Hickok, and Henry o. Judd,
as the building committee.
~ -,
harmony, the Rev Nathan Burton, of
RidRebury was employed as stated
supply, and under his very acceptable
and faithful lsbors, there was gro wing
interest In the ordinances of religion,
and manifest preparation in the public
mind for a special visit of the Holv
Spirit. His prayer at the laying of the
corner stone for the new meeting house,
was peculiarly fervent, earnest and i'm
pressive. Rev Ebenezer Platt, also
preached in connection with Mr. Burton,
and these services in the Temperance
Hall, were 8 preparation for further
spiritual blessings in the following
months.
Rev John Knox Of South Norwalk, was
obtained by the society's committee. to
preach at the opening of the year 1s43,
and ibis l&bors were Immediately and
greatly blessed by a very general revival
of religion through the society. April
IS, he was engaged for six months, by
vote of the society, and the work of
grace continued its progress. The meet
ing house was promptly finished, and
was dedicated in a sermon by Mr. Knox
June /, 1S43, and on the following Sab
bath, June 4, there were one hundred
and nineteen persons admitted to the
church by profession, and six by letter.
The previous communion had taken two
by profession, and two by letter, and the
uext two months three by profession,
and three by letter, thus giving within
few months 1876 additions to this church.
At the beginning OF that year the num-
Der of church members was So, the
glory of the latter house was thus at