The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-05-19

While In our several denominations we
try to make men little better, a little
nobler, let Us have in our fellowship the
sweet spirit of the Master. We pray the
great Father of US sll to give Us in all
our work the blessing of the Most High"
The interest OF the afternoon naturally
eentered in the address of the former
pastor Of the Trumbull church, Rev n.
L. Merwin. He was with the Trumbul
people for nearly % years. He had en-
deared himself to them by a devoted
ministry; and as he called up the scenes
of the past, it seemed as IL they were but
of yesterday. Memory's casket holds
many precious jewels. We love TO take
hem out nov and then and look st them.
We like to hold them up to the light and
see the different flashes that come from
their various facets as we turn them.
Twenty-Five years, a quarter of a GEN.
fury. what Kaleidoscope picture came
before the eyes Of many as they saw Mr.
Merwin again standing before them! Mr.
Merwin said In my pastorate here l
made mistakes. L made one mistake
which might have cost me 5000 fine and
| sent me to States prison, had it not been
hushed up by my friends. married a
couple without license. | mention this
as warning to young elergymen. On
one occasion | was to exchange with the
minister of the Huntington church. The
Saturday night before the exchange q
| horse that we had had in the family for
20 years and which we thought much of
died. Three papers were started the
next week, the promoter of each not
knowing what the others were doing, to
| get me a new horse. At Sunday school
picnic afterwards l was called out into
the roadway, and there was a splendid
horse, harness and whip; the carriage to
match them came from my barn. Some
time after a man said to me: Mr. Mer-
win, I'll give you $500 for that horse
When the old church was burned,
thought that l would write you and ex-
press my sympathy but as time passed
and had not written, thought, They
better write to me and express their sym
psthy for me in the loss of my old
church" came by here last summer
when they we're digging the cellar. 1
have not been here since; and 1 have
been wonderfully impressed, fairly over.
whelmed. God has greatly blessed you
and He will bless you more and more.
Going back some 30 years, one day In
walking across the Green in New Haven,
meeting Prof Porter, he asked me If
could 60 to TrumbulI the next Sunday
and preach there. That was in 1864. In
the fall of thst year was invited TO stay
with the Trumbun people for six months.
They
WANTED TO TRY THE YOUNG COLT
and break him in. When the spring camel
was given,sn invitation to become pastor.
My first funeral wss that of Mrs Hamlin,
IS years old nay last funeral that of Mr.
Beach, who came te engage my services.
As look over this congregation, 1 see
that those who when was here were in
middle life or beyond are almost all
gone. These things impress me deeply
az think of all the beautiful associations
we had as we worked on for the upbuild-
ing of Gods kingdom. One Of the grand
features of Brother Whites ministry Will
be TO find after he has gone that the
children have been brought up in such a
way that they have become pillars In the
house of God. Brother White asked me
Co give you my parting blessing. / can
not do this better than In the words of
Paul: Brethren, commend you to GOD
and to the word OF His grace, which is
able to build you up and 70 give you an
Inheritance among them that are sancti-
fed"
The one who has written out this re-
port for THE BEE would fain add q per-
sonal word. The length of the program
at Trumbull forbade his making his little
speech at the dedication exercises; and
he feels not the slightest injury In not
being called upon there, for the people
would have all pulled out their watches
when he arose, and sudden pslpitstion
Of the heart would have passed over the
audience rs they saw, with every fleet
ing moment, their chances for catching
the train growing simmer aud slimmer.
To all you noble orators who have here
been reported as saying what you never
dreamed Of saying, forgive the offence to
one who could not match your rapid-fire
delivery with bis aemi-Ions- hand repor-
torial style. To you, Brother White, let
him say: You have good church and
You are good fellow; and IL accomplish
ed results indicate anything, You are
backed By ample resources, material AZ
well as spiritual, and so you ought to do
q good work. The Newtown ConRrega-
tional church heartily joins with all
others in heaping wealth Of congratu-
laIion upon your head. Stick TO IL along
the line you have so well marked out.
The country church needs you, the coun-
try problem needs you for its solution.
Save America to save the world?r No,
my brother, let's get it down to finer
point. Hold on to the country churches
In America, that We may ave them from
being swallowed up by Sabbsth-break-
ing, By lawlessnees. by depletion, By in
coming classes wholly Indifferent to
them, By outgoing young people who
are the lie Of them, and thus We may
nag save fhe world.-rofia w. Barker,