The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-16

some R.mlniscrnCes.
r, the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
MY attention is called to an issue OF
YOUR paper of February 4, 1858, giving
an account of a surprise party to Rev.
Dr. Dutton and wife
The paper starts memories from their
secret places-some pleasant some SAD
Many changes in the church have taken
place since the event referred to-
Three or four persons met in my office
one evening, and it was suggested that
we get up a surprise party to DR.. Dut-
ton and his wife.
The suggestion met with favor.
Plans were arranged and carried out
with as much expedition as possible,
Plans maturing, Governor Dutton was
let into the secret, and it was arranged
that he and his wife invite DR.. Dutton
and his wife to their house to tea that
evening.
Soon after DR.. Button left his house
we took possession, much to the chagrln
of the servants till they were let into
the secret. The house was put in order
for the occasion People streamed in
with baskets bundles, packages and
merchandise. The table in the dining
room was loaded with good things to
please the eye and tempt the appetite.
Another room looked as though an ex-
press wagon had broken down and the
contents placed there for safe keeping
All things ready, messenger was
sent for DR.. Dutton to hurry home, as
lady and gentleman were there waiting
his return. The doctor, supposing that
wedding ceremony was to be per-
formed, FASTENED his departure.
DR.. Duton had a happy faculty in
starting off couples in that relation, and
his many calls required no great stretch
of the imagination to divine the nature
of the summons.
As the doctor and his wife arose to go,
Governor Dutton said, if they did not
mind, he and his wife would walk up
with them and witness the ceremony.
The messenger kept watch OF their
movements, and when nearing the cor
ner of Elm and College streets the mes
senger FASTENED to the house and an
nounced their coming Lights were
turned down. and no outside appear
ances of the house indicated the pleas |
urable emotions of throbbing hearts
within.
At the signal of the door opening eve
ny gas jet opened it's flashing mouth |
with a brilliant welcome to the doctor |
and his wife in the presence Of $50 of |
his parishioners.
This was the first surprise.
After a pleasant time in social con-
the door opened to the din
ing-room, revealing a table loaded with
good things from households of his pa
rishionerS.
This was the second surprise
The menu of the table bsing dis
posed of, the door of another room
opened, revealing gifts useful and orna-
mental This touched the hearts and
the eyes of DR.. Dutton and
MS wife Among the gifts presented
we're full set of Encyclopaedia Brit
lnnica, a Wheeler e Wilson sewing
machine, silverWare, etc, in value over
300
This was the third surprise.
occasion was one of the pleasantest cpl
s0des in his pastoral life.
The occasion has its pleasant and sad
Mrs. Dutton died Sunday, July 3, 1864
DR.. Dutton died January rs, 1866, aged
ifty-two years, in the full vigor of his
gifts and spiritual attain
nents.
Every officer Of the church at that pc
'iod is dead except Deacon Punderson,
Who then was and ever since has been
me of it's deacons. But few of its then
'hurch members or of its congregation
ire now seen before it's affairs on the
sabbath, or on the streets on week days.
Three different pastors since the death
# DR. Dutton have been placed upon
he spiritual watch towers of the
hurch. Most of its then church men,
ers and its congregation have passed
yer the river in confident hope of a
Welcome by the Great Head of the
Ihurch into the Redeemer's kingdom.
The church has changed its then cor
crate name for one more in symphonic
us harmony with its spiritual elements
f devotion.
ANU all CllduSeS the CluTCH remains
nd stands like a great lighthouse on {
he hilltop, rejecting the rays of the S
un Of Righteousness all over its sur l
penetrating even into heath
n lands, terminating sprouts from the {
rec Of Life in gardens Of hone and '
romise. {
The church under its devoted pastor.
lev. DR. T. T. Munger, and his able as i
stant, Rev. Mr.. Dean, with its effi- I
lent church officers, are pushing it's d
hristian energies on lines of hope and I
romise for the up-buiding of the /
Ord's kingdom q
Long may its summer last, ripening +
nd gathering sheaves for the Master on s
he shores of immortality. i
These sde-track remarks, started by S
re reading of the account published S
iore than a generation ago, may be of i
lterest to some of the survivors of V
AT occasion, who still lirger on the f
lores of time. J.. L. MUNSON, 1