The Newtown bee., 1908-10-16
Golden Wedding
 Anniversary
OF MR AND MRS E. L
 JOHNSON
Pleasantly Celebrated on Sat- urday at Their Residence
 In South Center.
BISHOP F. E. JOHNSON OF SOUTH DAKOTA AMONG THE
 SPEAKERS.


 SPEAKERS.
 The Golden wedding anniversary oi Mir and Mrs Ezra L. Johnson was most fittingly celebrated, Saturday after. noon, at their home in South Center, more than 100 people calling to extend congratulations The house interior and exterior was tastefully decorated with fruits of the harvest season, while great bouquets of chrysanthe- nuns and carnations added richness to the house interior. The front door was closed and banked with bitter sweet and autumn leaves, the guests entering at the south door. The stars and stripes also added beauty to the decorative features. Mir and Mrs Johnson received in the north parlor. On the curtain in this room were the golden figures: "1S58-l9O8." Tables for the refreshments were set on the lawn, but the cool wind drove most of the guests to the porch and the par lors. Sandwiches, cake and coffee were served, and the social feature was greatly enjoyed. At about 4 o'clock, Rev James H. George, the esteemed rector of Trinity, called the company to order, after Mir and Mrs Johnson had taken seats in the south porch. After few gracious words he intro duced Daniel G. Beers, senior warden of Trinity, who read the following res olutions adopted by the vestry of Trin- ity church, and at it's close presented him with a handsome gold-headed cane inscribed as follows: "E. L. Johnson, from the Rector and vestry of Trinity church, Newtown, Conn.,, October 10, 1908." The resolutions were as follows: {:
 At a meeting of the Vestry of Trin- ity parish held October 10, 1908, it was
 Resolved: That we extend to Mir Ezra Levan Johnson our sincere con- gratulations on the completion this day of fifty years of his married life.
 For more than thirty years Mir John- son has been member of this body, and for the past five years it's Junior Warden; and we would put on record our appreciation of the value of his services to the Church and Parish.
 To our counsels for the business in- terests of the Parish he has brought a sober wisdom joined to a sense of the religious purpose of the corpora tion. He has never permitted us to forget that, while we had in trust the fnan- cial affairs of the Parish, they should be so administered as to serve the great purposes for which the Church exists in any community, the good of our neighbor and the glory of God.
 He has many times represented us in the Conventions of the Diocese and has ever shown deep interest in the work of the Church beyond the limits of the Parish and the State.
 He has been a constant attendant upon the services of the Church, and by his unaffected devotion has shown the value which he sets upon the sacra- ments and ordinances of religion. By a life blameless and upright, cou- rageous against wrong, but kind and gentle, he has commended the religion of Christ and the Church of God to all who know him.
 We would especially express our obligation to him for what he has done in searching into the record of the past and giving us clear light on the his- tory of his native town and of this Par ish.
 We congratulate him on the many blessings which God in His Providence has bestowed upon him, on the health and mental and physical vigor which have remained to him through these years. We congratulate him on the rare and priceless blessing of happy | married life lasting through half cen tury, a union in which he has had a true yoke-fellow making for him a hap py home, encouraging and helping him in every good work for the community at large and for the Church, sustaining him in the pursuit of noble ideals, and causing him to be honored of all men. We congratulate him on the comfort which his children and grandchildren have been to him; on the honor of giv- ing to the Church's Ministry son who has been found worthy to be chosen one of her Bishops.
 And we would express the devout wish that God may prolong his days and the days of his noble wife in peace. honor and comfort to the satisfaction of old and young in this community and to their continued usefulness to this Church and Parish.
 As token of the honor and affection in which we hold him, we present him with this cane of ebony with handle of gold, that he may be reminded and his children after him of the esteem in which he is held by his associates in the Vestry of Trinity Parish.
 James H. George, Rector. Daniel G. Beers, Seni'r Warden.
 Henry G Curtis,
 David c. Peck,
 Frank Wright,
 Robert H. Beers, -~I=s.
 Charles F. Beardsley, Vestrymen. MT Johnson, taken entirely by sur prise, responded, with few words of { hearty thanks. MT George then introduced Allison P. Smith, editor of The Bee, to speak ' for the Congregational church and oth- CT people of the town. MT Smith said ! in part: We are gathered here this afternoon g to ioin in congratulations to this youth g ful couple, 50 years married, who have c 50 signally honored and exalted the t married state and given the lie to the V ,ld song of the divorce suit, Mar T .iape failure" The real success of g his couples career has laid in the fact | hat there was unity of thought and J