The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-03-03

and committee was appointed to make
the necessary repairs. In 1869 the socie
Jy sold from the parsonage lot square
out of the northwest corner to the school
district on which to erect a schoolhouse
In 1890 the society gave the Ladies' Aid
society the privilege to make repairs or
church building, so they made very ex-
tensive repairs, resesting with modern
seats, painting, ETC., at an expense OF
some $3.50, making 1t one of the moot
beautiful audience rooms in the country
But on the morning of July %, 1892.
at about O'Clock a. M, the people wert
aroused by the cry of fire to ind ou1
beautiful and loved church building IL
flames and in q short time in ashes, moth
ing saved, with no Insurance. At first
the people gathered and looked on Il
4mazement but after the first bewilder-
ing shock at our terrible loss had passed
fl a little, the people aroused with al
amazing spirit of pluck and energy, say
ing, we will rebuild, and that very after.
noon notice was posted for meeting
to be held August l, to take steps to re-
build and in two days subscription pa
pers were being circulated and being
literally signed. At the meeting Aug
ust l, 1t was unanimously voted to re
build on the old site and the society
commit tee, O. G. Beard, s. B. Nichols
<. s. Wooster, with Charles z. Quick,
Benaman F. Morse, George D. NIchols
and Daniel A. Nichols, be the building
committee. AS a result of the eSrnes
spirit, this house was finished and dedl-
Of the old one, July %, 1898, and with
only a few hundred dollars Of debt, that
was not provided for by subscription.
By a special subscription the organ here
was purchased in September, 1895. Ana
in December of the same year, through
the great kindness of Mrs Henry h.
Clark of MilldaIe, Conn, truly beauti-
full toned bell was presented to the
church. 1t was given in memory Of hel
father and grandparents who were IL
their day prominent members of thit
church. A second permanent fund fol-
the maintenance of gospel preaching il
This place was started through the viii,
of Dea David Hawley who died Novem-
Der "a, 1924, leaving q legacy to the
church towards paying for the gospeI
ministry. This fund has been gradually
increased by other legacies till now il
amounts to about $4,000. Thus we have
briefly sought to sketch the history OF
the First Ecclesiastical society Of Riptol
and Huntington through Its 175 years Of
existence. Many points Of interest have
been passed over for want of time and
perhaps come points that we have giveL
nave not been so interesting as thoee
left, but we have done the best we coulo
in the time. find the grand list Of the
parish given only for the years from
l77S TO 1882, which is as follows: E756e
A., G7692, E7417, G6955 los Sd, E6945
l6s.
In the second place we will taxe up the
history as regards the special work OF
the church. It is matter of profound
regret that none of the minutes of the
drst 40 years are preserved. DR. Ely
says they were lost, but gives no explain.
alton or conjecture as Ito what had be-
come of them, which is strange as Broth.
er Mills lived between two and three
mains only a small scrap of paper, dated
February II, 1924, with Al names sup
posed to be those who Joined In organic
ing the church. This paper has on the
back also % names apparently some OF
those who had joined the church in those
years. Rev David Ely reports that he
found on the roll Of the church after his
ordination 20, one of whom was made q
deacon at the organization Of the church,
Dea Ephraim Judson, he and Jedidiah
Mills were all that remained of thoae
who helped organize the church. /
would call attention to the form Of the
covenent adopted by the church at the
beginning Of DR. Ely's ministry and the
result especially in the baptism OF chill
dren.
Following Ia the covenant: "You do
new before God and these. witnesses
avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your
covenent God and Father, viewing your
self under solemn bond and obligation
to be the Lords. By your baptismal
vows, you do SO far as you know your
own heart make choice of Jesus Christ
as your only Saviour and Redeemer, the
Holy Spirit to be your sanctlfer, solemn.
ly engaging to serve the Lord and Him
only as he shall by ais grace enable you,
that you will deny all ungodliness and
Horldly lusts, that you will be careful
to keep conscience void of offence, so
as to do honor to God and the religion
you profess. That you will endeavor BY
the strength from God to walk In all his
commandments and ordinances blame.
less, desiring to put yourself under the
watch and care of this church, to be
trained up in the school OF Christ for his
heavenly kingdom, promising also that
you will give up your children to God In
baptism and to bring them up In the fear
of the Lord, and to attend upon all the or
dinances of Christ as administered In this
place (also that it is your full purpose
to obey God In the ord nauce Of the Lords-
Supper, as soon ss God shall give you
light and show his will hereinl (this il
parenthesia was intended suppose Tor
those OF the half way covenant) thus
you covenant and promise. flying for
help, strength and ability to the blood Of
the everlasting covenant to perform ali
and every duty to the praise and glory
of God"
You will note in this covenant the
clear and orthodox statement OF Script \
Qre truths (which has characterized Ii |