The Newtown bee., 1900-12-14
TowN Torres.
BEACH MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

A V" N A VI A~0s BEACH MEMORIAL LIBRARY.
 [Continued From Page Four.
 tone and yet wielaed his legal knowl
 edge with such fit ct upon the couIt ana
 his array ot facts with such power tt
 the jury that rhetoric and eloQuenc'
 availed little when pitted against him
 It is true that he did not happen to b.
 born here, but think he always regard
 ed Newtown as his home.
 compeers, and their sons and wives and
 daughters had to make their way in life without the aid of many books, but those
 which they had were faithfully used. l In the early times of which I speak
 novels were hardly known; science, ae
 now understood, rather lets so. History
 was mostly written from the stan dpOint
 of the individual imsgins tion. I remem.
 Der hearing the Rev Ei~ard Everett
 Hale say that he once as ked his father
 why he studied Ht brew in college and
 whether he had some idea of entering the ministry. "No." said his father, "I studied Hebrew becaus there was noth. ing else to do." But that time has gone | by. I do Tot know whether we think less, but we certainly read more and think, atudy more. We cannot get on l without books, and in community with ! such history aud such traditions as this | 8 library is matter of course. But, while @ library is necessity, a comfortable, convenient and elegant building for it is a luxury, and of course, luxuries are what we pine for, and happy are they that get them.
 I do not know what may have been your past history in this respect, but I can imagine that in the future this place may be, the heart, the vital organ of this pulsate thof @ streams of education, cul- tivation, charity and humanity that shall make the town 8 living, organ zed, homo geneous unit, to combat with ignorance, coarseness, passion and every debasing form of life. That here you will hold your literary club meetings and will as- sist and educate each other by deliberate ly dividing the work of acquisition so that each may contribute something to the intelligence of all.
 You will never forget that local histo- ry and environment calls you to high things-and I can only repeat to you St Paul's advice to the church at Corinth, "Be ye not, beseech you, too much puffed up."
 The formal speech of presentation was made by John Kimberly Beach, broth CT of Miss Rebecca D. Beach, the donor of the building. z, After 8 brief word of introduction MT Beach said he thought the Association and Miss Beach were to be congratulated on the building, for in point of architecture, in utility of design, it is worthy ornament to this charac. teristic and picturesque New England of Rev John Beach, in whose memory the building is dedicated. John Beach was born in October, 17O0 He early went to Yale college and graduated in 172l. In 1725 he came to Newtown as pastor of the Presbyterian church. In 1732 he went to England, and entered the ministry of the Church of England. On his return to Newtown large num- Der of his former parishioners followed him into the new church he formed. In he spring of 1733 the first Episcopal church was built. His ministry extend ed to Bedding, and also to Ridgefeld. sionary society that for 40 years he had preached in Newtown and Bedding and had only missed his appointments twice in that time. In 1776 the clergy of the Church of New England in Connecticut voted to close their churches, but Rev John Beach said that he should con- tinue his ministations, and he did. In 177l he reported to the missionary soci- ety that although over 80 years of age he did continually preach in Newtown and Bedding, having often a congrega. tion of 300 in Bedding and 600 in New town. In the spring of l7S2, in his sgd r nd ho k0rh nR he rested from his lsbors.
 In accepting the gift of the building on behalf of the Association MT Linsley spoke in happy vein, substantially ae follows:
 accept, sir. this splendid gift, in the name of the Newt0wn Library Associa. ton, in the name of all Newtown people of the present time, and of those that shall be hereafter, and hereby tender through you to Miss Beach our sincere thanks.
 feel quite sure that voice the unan- imous sediments of large constituency when say that this building will be the source of untold possibilities for good It is not gift of mere momenrary value which will perish in the using. It is not of mere ephemeral interest, exerting an influence only temporary, but this sub. stantial and suitable building will be of permanent benefit to this community, of enduring interest, of abiding ir fluence for good.
 I recognize in such gift the bestowal of sacred trust. It is ours to manage and control and ours to carry on and per petuate for the benefit of ourselves and our fel ow men. We cannot, therefore, overlook the fact that involved in our acceptance of this generous gift is serious responsibility. This library if ours to use, to care for, to equip with ever incres sing store of literature.
 Next only to the churches which crown this commanding hill will hence forth be this building. Next to religion must come education, and the church and the school must be supplemented by this library.
 It will have missionary work to do ip this intellectual field. Our aim must be not only to provide good reading for those who desire it but also to influence those who are not yet interested in good literature to learn to improve their minds by using some of the treasures to be found here.
 We must not forget that this building is ever to be associated with the name of one who is worthy of all the honor that we can bestow upon him-the Rev John Beach. His loyalty to the truth as he aaw it sta1ds out as 8 prominent trait in his noble character. And whatever we may think of his political opinions, and whatever others may think of his relig- ious position which, by the way, my brother (Rev Mir Barker) will allow me