Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-09-23


of years. Later, however, he fell in
| to gross error, and perhaps grievous
sin, and he left in disgrace, but not
until the church had been rent over
him.
! Years of supplies followed. years
more or less broken up until another
| pastor was found and that within the
church herself. deacon by the name
! of Howard By trade he was a fisher
! man. He lived at Mantle, as it is now
known. He gave the church burial
| lot and himself was the first deposit.
| Zadoc Darrow, at the age of At.
! took the church in the year 1775. He
was strong man, physically and men
| tally. His mother was Rogers, a di-
rect descendant of John Rogers, who
| was burned at Smithfield. long and
wonderful pastorate was his. His field
reached out east and west, north and
| south.
| Difficulties, many and great were
his. and obstacles be met neither few
NOR small in combating the influence
of infidelity and unbelief. the fruits
| of the war; in trying to bear the ag-
gravating and insolont demands made
| by the standing Order" in endeav-
| and persecution Messrs. Adams and
| Byles of New London, Congregational
/ ministers, in marked exception to the
| spirit of the times. were catholic in
| spirit, kind in conduct and softened
much the hard lines that prevailed.
| In his advancing years Elder OAR
row had as an assistant one Samuel
| West. In 1864 when 30 members We're
| dismissed to the First Baptist church
| of New London, Mr.. West went with
| them and was their first pastor. There
! Francis DarroW, grandson of Elder
| Zadoc, became his assistant. He died
at the age of 80 years, after a long
! pastorate-more than half a hundred
years.
| Francis Darrow then became pastor
| of the church. He had many of the tri-
| ais. troubles and obstacles that his
grandfather had struggled with.
New London Association Formed.
In 1885 the Groton conference was
formed, The Stonington association
| was formed in 1172. In 1917 a division
of these two bodies was made, and
| under the new arrangement both the
! Stonington association and the Groton
conference dissolved and the two new
associations the Stonington union on
| the east side and the New London on
the west side of the Thames, were
formed.
In 1850. at the age of 20. Elder
| Francis barrow died.
The next pastor was one Nathan
Wildeman, a son-in-law of the late
pastor. His pastofate was not long
nor was it an entirely happy union: it
was a mutual misfit.
In 1858 the reins were taken by the
Rev. Washington Munger who held
the position with credit TO himself and
general satisfaction for something
more than a decade. During his pas
torate the present parsonage was built.
He died at Winterford, though he was
not pastor at that time.
Elder Swans Passionate,
The unique and incompatible Elder
Jabez Swan came next, first as a sup
ply and then as pastor. His was a
fruitful happy pastorate, broken by
himself to the regret of the church on
account of the state of his wife's
health.
William Denison followed Elder
Swan, in what could not have been
a long pastorate, for he was we'll nigh
| 70 years of age when it began. He
| had been very active, a great worker,
a farmer and builder of churches at
one time in the employ of the state
convention. He was man of great
!, executive ability in his younger years.
He died in the pastorate of the
church.
Pastor from Norwich.
Upon the recommendation of Elder
Denison, a young man came next
Welcome E. Bates of Greenevflle
Norwich. He brought new methods,
had new plans and made long needed
changes. In the nearly six years of
his passionate large congregations
many of them young people. attended
the services. 1t was a seed sowing
pastorate, one of preparation for a
great harvest which had just begun
when he left in 1888.
He was followed by Rev. L. NJ. Pur-
rington Almost at once the harvest
ba 6aiH oil 1,-
large number of young people was
gathered into the church. Mr.. Pur-
rington died in 1890.
Rev. S. E. Carr, who had helped
Mr.. burlington in special meetings. fol-
lowed naturally in the passionate. while
| his was not a long one, it was quiet
fruitful and healthy for the church.
Rev. E. B. Cornell took up the pas
| torate next but feeling called to enter
| evangelistic work. soon left, but not
until he had left an impression of sol
id work as pastor and preacher.
| Upon the introduction of a class
| mate, Mr. Cornell helped the church
to its next pastor, Rev. H. NJ. Wolfe
Jr who came in the autumn of 1898
and for more than q decade his was
a strong and healthy pastorate. Great
and important changes were made
and material and spiritual progress
was secured. His health falling Mr.
| WODe gave up the Giulcf lOr d HluCf
smaller field and removed to Bloom
! field. Conn. where he died.
Rev. William Gussman came from
| New York state as successor to Mr.
Wolfe. and for brief period labored
earnestly in pulpit and parish, with
out the success he had hoped for, yet
| leaving the record of a good man
earnest and active.
Rev. Brewer G. Boardman, the pres
ent pastor, came from the southland
in 1908. and while it is too early tc
speak of his pastorate, he has already
won a large place in the hearts of his
people and is taking a position OF
prominence and influence in the COM
munity and state
Licentiates of the Church.
Several ministers have come from
this church, many of whom were Ii
censed here to the work of the min
stry. Bulge Smith, George B. Atwell
l. c. Holt, Peter Latimer Gurdon T.
Chappell, Ira r. Setwart, Allen OAR
row. D. D. Lyon, Joseph P. Brown
Edwin Brown, George Fl. Lester
Frank P. Braman. Earl w. barrow
| William F. Newton, Walter V. Gray
and Gaius Barrett now pursuing his
studies for the ministry.
! Church Buildings Erected.
At first it would seem that the SER
vices of the church were held in pri-
vate houses and in various sections ol
| the field. At Great Neck, SO called
was. / think, the first church building
| long known as the pepper box" from
it's peculiar shape. That building was