The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-26
FAIRFIELD
An Historical DiScourse-Rev. An drew EIliOt-Life in Other Days Clergy to the FrOnt-The Traction Engine Question-News Items.

Every seat in the Congregational
 church was filled yesterday morning
 with an audience assembled to listen
 to the historical address given by
 Dr. Child, upon the dedcation of the
 new window presented by MT. Saltus
 MT. Child said that one year ago this
 very week it was the privilege of this
 church to receive from the children of
 MT. Jennings the jewelled glass win
 dows which adorn the chancel- To
 this ancient church another window of the same character. It is an ex-
 pression, of the donors love for his church and it's ancestors. MT. Saltus,
 across the sea in London. is with us
 today in spirit, his mind bridging the
 thousand of miles of water which | spearate us. pr. Child then gave i sketch of the burning of Fairfield in
 July, 1779, when the people of this
 parish met for pu bile worship, and
 all that remained of the church was | a heap of ashes. Dwellings had been
 abandoned and there was but a charred mass of debris on all sides.
 The people were scantily attired in an
 attempt to appear in decent apparel l One hundred and thirty years ago
 was blackness and misery on every side One of the five .houses on the green was the home of Dea. Bulkley. the building now owned by MT. and
 Mrs. Byron Eddy. Here on the 11th | of July 1779 the church and society
 met to hold the usual religious ser vices. Only a few were able to be
 present. but they possessed the fires
 of patriotism. The pastor, Rev. An ! drew Elliot. sought to heaEten his people and inspire them with fresh | courage. Shortly after he became | sick and there were no services He.
 possessed the spirit of submission and hopefulless. At this time his people
 were unable to pay his salary. He replied: "I have been with you in
 prosperity and T will remain with
 you in diversity" He gave a, receipt
 for one pound for his two years ser | vice. | Dr. Child gave sketch of the
 Elliot family from the day the first
 one arrived at Beverly, Mass, in the
 early part of the 17th century, down
 to the pastor of this church, who was at one time tutor at Harvard and later a fellow of that university, and
 was also elected its president but de- clined the honor. When he left Har-
 ward a ma assfye silver loving cup was
 presented to him, which is preserved | by one of his descendants who lives | in Bridgeport. pr. Child spoke of the
 social atmosphere of Fairfield at this | time naming many of the men whs
 lived in, or visited the town, such
 as Theodore Dwight, Ellsworth Cop
 Adams, and many others. He was
 affiable, social, gracious and charit-
 able, a commanding figure in Fair | field for more than a generation He
 
 men of the church of England, many | of whom were tories. He possessed
 a fine spirit and noticeable catho- licity.
 they .frighten horses and endanger
 of the times was political and that | many clergymenr used the musket | and the sword, IDr. Child recalled a long list of patriotic men, breaches, in the various towns of Connecticut. and the substantial services they rem dered to the cause of the revolution. Such towns as Stonington, Darien,
 Norwalk, Woodstock, and many others,
 were mentioned and interesting facts
 related regarding the men of the cloth who fought, suffered and even died for the independence of America. ''Ah. the spirit of our Connecticut
 by Andrew Elliot, A loyal descend
 dent of an honored family enriches this sanctuary with a beautiful memorial full in phamplet form.
 Next Thursday evening at the Con- gregational church there will be
 musical given by the young people, ming at s o'clock.
 The annual picnic of the Sunday school of the Congregational church will be held at Beardsley's park on the 9th of August
 Subsequent events show that good
 many of our citizens felt aggrieved that at the last town meeting act ion W as taken towards prohibiting the use of traction engines on the high ways. As relief could not be had at home quite a number of gentlemen have appealed to the legislature at Hartford asking for a state law which zines throughout the state. It is n--
 derstood that a member of the house | is now drawing up statute to that effect and it is thought it will be l 3
 The objection to traction engines is that they frighten horses and endanger travl ono the streets Several acci- dents have occurred in town from this cause, and it is now proposed to stop l the nuisance.
 l Electricity was turned on from the
 central station in Bridgeport on Sat | urday, so that now all who want can
 get the much called for light. When we consider how recently a meeting of
 the Village Improvement Society was | held at the library, talk over the situ-
 ation, and possibly buy charter which was held by certain gentlemen, who wished to bring electricity from West port, it is really quite encourag ging to find the fact of electric lighting ac- complished.
 l Speaking of Tiffany glass windows there is a very large and elegant one
 in the northern end of the church at Greens Farm. representing the as- tension of Christ while the disciples
 are grouped in the foreground The | figures are very large, and the colors | of the drapery and clouds brilliant and rich. Of course the faces and hands of the figures painted glass,
 which has been burned. This window | is the gift of MT. Bedford in memory l of his father and mother.
 The Hargrove school will open this | week, as new students are anxious to | begin their studies. All the young men
 who were preparing for college at the | last session of the school succeeded | Tn passing thelr entrance eXamina- tionS.
 Mrs. William Hulse having another engagement on the evening of Select l man FoX's musical at the Greenfield | Country Club. was unable to be pres ent, much to the disappoint of the large audience. The same was | true of MT. Tomilson. | Services were held yesterday at the
 Fresh Air Home where 9 children from
 New York are stopping. In the morn | ing they all attended the Congrega tion-