The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-25
VIEWPOINTS NEW LIBRARY
DONATED BY MISS EEBECCA
 REACH OF THIS CITY.

To Memorizc the Rev. John Beach nn
 tending Laying of Corncrstome--His-
 tory of the Old Preacher.
 The ceremonies attending the laying library of Newtown on Monday were attended by one of the largest crowds ever seen in the town.
 The building. which will cost about $S,O00 or more, was donated to the Newtown Library association by Miss Rebecca Beach of this city, direct de- scendant of the late Rev MT Beach, and daughter of John s. Beach, former ly of this city. John Beach, son Of eX-Postnaste Francis G. Beach, and a nephew to Miss Beach, the donator, was present and assisted in the ser- vices. He represented the seventh gen. eration of the Beach family. The ser- vices were very impressive throughout Revs. George T. Linsley, rector of Trin- ity Episcopal church, and Otis w, Bar ker, pastor of the Congregational church in Newtown, had charge of the ceremonies. Rev MT. Linsley offered prayer and MT. Barker delivered an eloquent and fitting oration.
 The building was erected to the men- ory of an old and respected citizen and a rector of the first Episcopal church in Newtown during the time of the Revo- lutionary war. The gentleman in ques- tion was Rev. John Beach, who has long since died and is resting in the Episcopal burying ground in New town.
 It is about a year ago that Miss Beach suggested to the trustees of the library association that if they would raise enough to purchase site, she would build a substantial library on it. The trustees got together and considered the proposition. They thought that the offer was very flat tering and came to the conclusion to grasp it. A committee was appointed to select a site and to raise money suf- ficient to pay for 1t. E. w. Fairchild had plot of ground which he offered at fair price at the head of New town street. It cost the association just $500, which was raised by subscrip- ton. No better place could have been chosen for the building. The land is high and picturesque. Directly across the street from it is the handsome resi- dence of Mrs. s. c. Glover. The sur roundings on all sides are attractive. After the plot was secured Miss Beach was made member of the association. She employed a New York architect who submitted plants, which were ac- cepted and the contract for the con- struction of the building was given.
 The edifice Is to be one story and half high and will cover a lot 60x70 feet. It is to be constructed entirely of stone in the rough laid in cement. The interior will be finished in hard wood. The floors will be of hard wood. When completed a large number of people in Newtown have agreed to endow the library.
 It would probably be interesting to know something about the man in whose memory Newtown is to be hon. ored by building which will stand as long as the present generation.
 At the time of the war Rev. MT Beach was rector of the Newtown church, and also had charge of the Bedding parish. Although he was an American and received his education at
 
 English. He was a confirmed Tory. Every time he preached and offered prayer, he would pray for King George 1 The patriotic natives in Bedding be- came enraged at the man and prevailed 1 upon him many times to cease praying for the king. He only prayed the more A number of Bedding citizens got to- gether one Sunday evening and con- 4...., .Iro IL. None of them wanted to do anything themselves, so they concluded to hire | one of the soldiers to enter the church | while the elderly man was preaching | and fire a bullet through his heart The soldier was bribed with a gallon of | rum. In the midst of the sermon a sharp | report from a rifle in the rear of the | edifice rang out. The congregation was panic stricken. The bullet from the | gun whizzed past the head of the preacher and buried itself in the old fashioned sounding board, directly in the rear of the pulpit. In those days all | churches had sounding boards so that the sound would be thrown to the front of the church. The bullet fortu- nately did not take effect. MT. Beach never stopped preaching and at the con- clusion of his sermon prayed long and lord for King George.
 The bullet was extracted from the wood and is now in the same church at Bedding on a tablet banging on the wall. Since that time the church has been remodelled. When MT. Beach preached in it there was a large rooster on top of the spire, put there for weather vane. This has been removed and in it's stead Is a gilt cross. One of the deacons of the church has the roos-