Connecticut western news., 1912-06-20


 few others to be dismissed from the church for the purpose of forming 8 new one, and on the 9th of the month, the male persons mentioned adopted & con- fession of faith and formed new organ ization, Rev. MT. Farrand presiding. Female suffragists will please note that men only took part in the act, the wives being subsequently, received by vote of the brethren. In TITO Rev. Asahel Hart was called to minister to them, and a meeting house was built very near the present residence of MT. Nestell. MT. Hart was pastor five years and died two weeks after the battle of Bunker Hill, in the house now occupied by Geo. A. Adam.
 The pulpit was after this supplied by Rev. Wm. Bradford and Rev. John Davenport, but the next settled pastor was Rev. Amos Thompson who was in stalled in 1782. MT. Thompson was a Virginian, and brought with him several slaves. among them two named Jupe and Fan. g" During his pastorate MT. Thompson and his wife spent a winter in the South, leaving their house in the care of these colored friends. In the absence of the master they broke open his wine-cellar and gave dinner party. Seated at the table Jupe said he must ask a blessing like Massa Thompson 70 Lord, good a vittle on 8 table, a bean and a quash meat 11 a pot under in a heaven ; lightly on gospel knock down dry tree, ebermore, Amen"
 "Jupe." said one of the guests "I tink you pretty able,"
 70, dunno" said he II tink I say him pretty much as Massa Thompson do"
 After the troublous times connected with the Revolutionary war had sub- sided, MT. Thompson returned to his southern home, wishing to take the slaves with him, but they refused to go, fled to Norfolk and were concealed. Some of their descendants were living 6 few years ago. MT. Thompson showed his interest in the church by giving to the Society his house and farm on con dition that certain sum should be raised to creaCe permanent fund. After MT. Thompson's death, Rev. Joshua Knapp was pastor for six years and Rev. Solomon Morgan succeeded him. Rev. Pitkin Cowles was the next minister and began his work in 1895. His pastorate of 28 years was the longest the church had enjoyed and much interesting his. tory is connected with it. He was the first minister who was thoroughly inter. ested in the religious instruction of children.
 Sunday schools wers hardly known in Connecticut at that time. He went to each school district and invited one whom he considered competent to call the children together after. the Sunday service to instruct them and have them memorlze hymns and bible verses. He took great interest in the establishment of Sunday schools. and i'll 1S20 started one in Canaan and organized a branch in this district which was under the care of Miss Marion Gillette. In 1922, during MT. Cowles' ministry. the old meeting house was taken down and a new one was built in East Canaan, where it now stands.
 Rev. Henry Woodbridge followed MT. Cowles and was succeeded hy Key. MT. Kittridge, Rev. MT. Francis and Rev. Elisha Whittlesey.
 In 1856 Rev. Hiram Eddy was in. stalled as pastor and large additions to the membership of the church were made during his passionate. The church was thoroughly repaired and modernized. Dr. Eddy married Q great-great-g grand daughter of Isaac Lawrence, one of the first enrolled members of the first church and one of the builders of the meeting house.
 Following pr. Eddy came Rev. James Deane, Rev. Henry Grant and Rev. Isaac Powell. MT. Powell instituted a
 
 second preaching service being dispensed with. This was an innovation to which the older members of the congregation made great objection, it being a very serious step outside the path of the fore fathers and calamitous results were pre-. dicted which were never realized. MT. Powell was dismissed in 1874, since which time the following have supplied the pulpit: Lewis H. Reid, Wm. E. Bassett, Wm. J. Thompson. Eugene F. Atwood, Horace Hoadley, Henry Utter wick and Charles W. Hanna, the present pastor.
 We cannot close this imperfect sketch of church history in better way than by quoting from Dr. Eldridge's cen- tennial discourse delivered in East Canaan, July 28, 1869:
 "Thank God. who put it into the hearts of your Fathers to form this church and in memory of their worth