The Newtown bee., 1903-11-27
TOWN TOPICS.
REV C. H. SMITHS FAREWELL
 SERMON AT PLYMOUTH.
AS REPORTED BY THE THOMAsTON . EXPRESS.

The many friends of Rev c. H. Smith in Newtown and throughout the Litchfeld South Consolation of Congregational churches will be in- terested in the following report or MT Smiths last Sundays work in his Plymouth pastorate, taken from the ThOmaStOm Express:
 The Congregational church was crowded, Sunday morning, to hear the farewell words of Rev c. H. Smith, many coming from Thomaston and many attending who are not seen reg ularly in church. The incorporation of the church had just been accom- plished when he came, and MT Smith testified that the new system has proved far more satisfactory than the old. Debt and the devil, he said, are chosen friends and his effort had been to put the church on sound financial basis. The church was particularly lacking in lines of social equipment. sThe trustees gave me free rein in re- pairing the basement room of this edl- ice. With my own hands, l pulled up the seats that were mortised intp the floor, covered over with zinc the holes that were left and made movable ta- bles, so that over 100 people could be fed at one time. The ladies helped me with willing hands. We papered the room ourselves. I tended the mason while he patched the walls. Lamps and brackets were bought by money raised at Sunday evening offerings. Under the leadership of the pastors wife as president, the tables were fur nished by the ladies' benevolent so- ciety with linen and silver and china. Our boys club, which had pleasant existence for some years, gave enter tainments under my direction. With the money received, we bought plat forms and other necessary equipments for musical and literary entertain ments."
 Of the conference and prayer meet ing room, MT Smith said, '"The walls of the building on the west side Ihao ldllcu Ill duu UuC "lhOCI VihNG3 NA | ' ing up under the thin floors made ar uncomfortable place for prayer meet ing, on a December night. The ladie; again came nobly to the rescue. 4 new floor was laid, costing about $1OO The room was newly papered ant shades were hung at the windows The Y.P P. s. c. B. E.'helped in the work paying for the work on the foundation and chimney and putting in $50 wortl of Gospel Hymns for the developmen of Christian song.
 I have enjoyed the work with tn young people. They have loyally up held me in whatever good work 1 de sired to do. Ruskin says: 'Childhoo often holds truth in it's feeble fin , gers which the grasp of manhood can not retain and which it is the pride 0 utmost age to recOver.' l would tha those of riper years might remembe that saying from Joubert: 'Childre
 have more need of models than critics
 May God preserve our young peopl
 from the influence of bad examples.
 Our church building began to loo dingy externally. The ornaments fo the top of the tower were reposing is nobly in the cellar. We painted an put in repair the blinds and front an
 spire of the church. The steps tha
 went up to the house of God had neve
 been properly set and were veritabl
 stumbling blocks. Under the dire<
 tion of Andrew Buell., these were re
 paired and put into good shape at yer
 low cost, thanks to his generosity an personal work. We have put in ne'