The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-24
STAMFORD FAIRFIELD SOUTHPORT
Daily ChroncIings of the Doings of Our Country Cousin
 Farmers Special Correspondent

boarders in the family, young men from the south and east and the mid de states, youth which represented the best blood of the land, there were numerous day pupils from the Hill and the immediate vicinity, both boys and girls, for pr. Dwight acted as pi- oneer in fostering female education. He kept horses for riding. Long walks through field and forest diversified such exercise as labor on the farm iy shared with him after the six hours of school tasks were ended. Then
 came evening hours when guests tar ried for the night. Guests from all parts of the land seeking advice, fel- lowshtp, inspiration, paying homage trfbuting something to his enjoyment and his popularity. There were few homes in the young republic which diff fused a nobler influence or ShOne with brighter radiance than this ideal home of the country minister on Greenfield hill.
 Washington entertained with ampler service and statelier ceremony at Mt. Vernon, but the spirit of hospitality was matched in the scholars a humb- Ter mansion in the spirit of culture. refinement, hopefulness was perhaps | unsurpassed in all the land. T often express the opinion" said Judge Roger M. Sherman, which length of time has continually strengthened that no
 man, except the father of this country, had conferred greater benefits on our
 nation than Dr. Dwight.
 A man of noble presence, straight as an arrow, his chest ibroad and full, the brow open and impressive, pierc- ing black eyes marked by peculiar powers of fascination. Setting off with distinction his rather pale cast of countenance, this genial host whose l S--L LII friendliness won all hearts whose strong, reached, deep, melodious voice interspersed with delicacy and effec- tiveness, the finest graduation of sen- timent and motion welcomed on this rare day of June 15, 1790, the State Association of Connecticut.
 AS we meet Dr. Dwight and his guests on this occasion and hear them discuss Whether in the opinion of this Association, any further degree of union between the churches of this state and their bretheren of the Con- gregational and Presbyterian churches throughout the United States of Amer ica, would be expedient and desirable.s a question which suggests that the seed of Christian Union was germinat- ing here in Connecticut more than century ago, as we meet these men and listen to their annual talk, the first impression made upon us is that we are guests with a company of scholars in a scholars home.
 Various members of the Association had households similar in general character to the household of Dr. Dwight a greater Or less number of boarding and day pupils who prepared for college or pursued the study of theology and the classics with the
 minister as a preacher. Familiarity with Latin. Greek, Hebrew, Mathe- matics, History and Science was char
 acteristic of these men. They Or their brethren not only founded and guided Yale college but they constituted
 largely the learning class of. the state, the teaching force, the literary ele-'
 ment, the students of nature. Did not these men compute eclipses, observe the phenomena of the heavens and the earth, write instructively upon Bot any, agriculture, mechanics, physics and the many themes of the public >concern?- Neither did such service di- vert them from the absorbing passion for dogmatics. Dr. Dwight gave, as Wednesday evening lectures in Green field Hill, his great system of theo- logy lectures afterward used for his work at Yale college. And many a pastor in the state fed his people with like solid food for ordinary diet. Ls- ten to the conversation! It is inter- l spersed with quotations from Horace, Cicero, Homer, Virgil, the prophets and historians of ancient Israel in the original tongues. Poets, philosophers and theologians of every Christian century contribute their riches to the occasion. There is no lack of wit and humor-an inheritance from some English divine or Latin or Greek au- thor. Profound thought, dignified language, with prodigious learning freights the very air, imparting tone and flavor of common life.
 As we meet Dr. Dwight and his guests and listen to their earnest speech on the political issues of the day, for remember that the republic was only struggling, uncertain in fant we are impressed by the fact that we stand in the company of ar dent. high-minded patriots. I have referred to the service which these men and their brothers in the minis l of strife with Great Britain. Had not | Dwight himself been a chaplain in ! the army and had he not written songs which kindled the soldiers imagination and inspired them with exalted hopes of our national destiny. | "A world is thy realm; for world be thy laws,'
 Enlarged as thy empiIe, and just as thy cause.' ts Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise" ''The Queen of the world, and the child of the skies.''
 Two young preachers had been as- l sociated with Dwight in the writing | of patriotic rhapsodies-Joel Barlow | one time his assistant teacher in | Northampton and David Humphey, a l neighbor coming from Derby The patriotism of these ministers was l staunch through all the period of war | fare-the day of poverty and want, | and the troub1ous season of political | construction. In the pulpit and on the | Green they discoursed learnedly, en- | thusiastically upon the great problems | of Established Religion and parish management. They showed neither | fear Or favor in their frank, illumi-
 hating discussions. The eagerness, l sagacity, adaptation, self-sacrifice.
 courage endurance, manliness evinced | by these New England parsons is
 most inspiring memory | As we meet Dr. Dwight and his | guests we are conscious that we have passed into an atmosphere of refined
 and exalted spirituality These men
 are breasting the waves of infidelity, materialism and attendant evils, which have begun their havoc in | church and state. Remember how
 our friendship with France had open- ed the way for the subtle diffusion of
 the doubt and sensuality prevailing l in that restless country Remember
 that some of our national leaders
 frankly avowed their sympathy with