Connecticut western news., 1912-06-20
MISS sARH W. ADAMS PAPER-"CHURCH
 RraTNNTNGs IN CANAAN"

finally included all the territory now ! called North and South Canaan. The town was incorporated in 1739, an soon after the settlement, the few pioneers seemed eager to find suitable place for public worship on the Sabbath, for we find in that most interesting and unique volume, the "Proprietor's Book" this entry in the minutes of a town meet ing in 1740:
 Voted-That committee of two be appointed to fix the house that. was for merly John Hart's to meet ill on Lord 8 Day"
 It would be interesting to know where this house stood, but it must have been in the south part of the township, and we are led to infer that John had been some- what careless about keeping his house in good repair. At any rate, this ar rangement proved unsatisfactory to the worshipers, who. very soon, in May of the same year, sent 9 memorial to the General Assembly asking where they Imagine the Canaanites of the present day appealing to the Legislature for a like objectl We must remember that in those far-away times the political as we'll as the religious meetings were held in the "Meeting House." The site being selected, a tax was levied to meet the expense of building the housel
 But the Canaanites of those days were not unlike some of their descendants, for in TAI there was dissatisfaction. they being apparently unable to "get together and pull together" in perfect harmony. So again petition was sent, asking to have another site chosen, also, to lay tax to pay minister.
 At last, with whatever discussions and arguments we know not, 8 place was decided on, and wise persons must have been on the committee, for the first real meeting house was placed near the oen- ter of the township, on what is now called the sandy plain, on the Falls Village road, about half mile below the turn from the road to Salisbury. One member of Pilgrim church we'll remembers a large rock on the west side of the highway, from which her ances- tors would mount their horses and go home after the Sabba'da worship. The parsonage. a high, steeped.roof building, stood not far below the meet ing house, and fell to pieces oompara- lively short time ago.
 l The first church was organized in TAI and consisted of four persons: Jacob Bacon and wife and Isaac Lawrence and wife, and its first settled minister was Rev. Elisha Webster, who had for those days short pastorate to 12 years, with the munifcent salary of 150 pounds. It was probably during his pastorate that the meeting house was moved further south, to a site on what is known as the Robbins farm, below the so-called ''point of rocks"
 In the year 1904 this building was taken down and some of it's timbers were used in the construction of the present meeting house in the village of South Canaan. This work was done during the pastorate of Rev. Daniel Farrand, who was installed in 1752, and who remained pastor of the church 50 years.
 J Tn Spragues Annals of the American Pulpit, MT. Farrand is spoken of as an unusual man; as a scholar in the dead languages he had few equals in New England; he fitted many young men for college, several of whom became distin- guished men. In manners he was sim pie, bland, and was very witty. Many ceited young preacher once asked him what he thought of his sermon well, !" said MT. Farrand, "if you insist on hear ing my opinion, I must say think you made worse work with the scripture than the devils did with the swine" As preacher his reputation was not great lyet his people seemed satisfied with his administrations, or at least they endured them 50 years. At thls point many quaint and interesting items are found in the Proprietors' Book in relation to church and society matters-such as these:
 "Voted, to allow Jonas Marsh one pound for damage to an OK in moving meeting house; also one pound to Charles Burrall for sweepig meeting house." (This was before the day of the vacuum cleaner.)
 Voted, that committee be appoint ed to enroll all persons in the parish who are willing to assist in the public sing ing on the Sabbath, and to seat them properly for to make the most melody, and also to enroll the names of the tunes as they think best, and cause them to be publicly known, and to advise all such as enroll themselves for public singing as above said, to furnish themselves with psalms and hymn books, and when provided, to sing without reading"
 "Voted, to petition the General As. sembly for lottery to raise 8 sum to defray society expenses. "
 Up to this time all expenses of church and society were raised by taxation, lavipd tha aanna aa for koUun nvnansac