Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-28
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bury the only deacon that the church has at present, read the roll. Three stanzas of hymn I'll were sung by the congregation and then the reading of the roll was continued. Some re- sponded with the simple word pres ent," while others repeated a passage of scripture. Hymn T75 was sung and the roll was again taken up.
 Deacon KingSbury then gave brle4 outline of Deacon James S. Morgans connection with the church. He said that Deacon Morgan had been an ac- l tive member of the church for nearly n years, a record that, in his opinion l could be equalled by but few or none in many a church. In December. 1908, 1 Deacon Morgan played the violin dur i ing four Sundays at church services, 1 establishing a record of 73 years con I tinuous service as leader of the church 1 choir, which was one that would be | hard to equal by anyone in any l church.
 Speakers from Norwich.
 1 Words from former members of the 1 church were then spoken. Among those l to speak were a son and daughter of 1 Deacon James Freeman, Frederick 1 Freeman and Mrs. Clara BarrOws, wife | of Rev. John Otis Barrows, a retired l clergyman now residing in Norwich 1 Town, who also made d few remarks. 1 Mrs. Barrows spoke of her uniting 1 with the church and the pleasant memories in her life associated with it, ! She was missionary to Constantine pie with her husband for ten years Letters from Former Pastors. Letters from all of the former pas tors of the church now living were next read. Curtis Dean read these let i ters that were from Rev. Frank E. Jenkins, D. D., who is residing in l Georgia, and from Rev. A. J. Quick of 1 Pottsv1lle, Pa, now in his S1st year. l The letter from the latter indicated that he is still possessed of the fine faculties that characterized his brief pastorate in South Coventry
 pr. W. L. Higgins then spoke of the beautiful tone of the church bell and told of the accident that befell the old | bell when 1t was struck by lightning ! and cracked and had to be sent away l and metal moulten into it to repair it in it's present condition He recited the inscription on the bell at that time The Adelphi quartette then rendered l another selection from the pulpit | platform.
 History of the Church.
 At Il a. m. Rev Nestor Light pres ent pastor of the church, gave an in teresting account of the first 100 years of the church's history. This history has been written for the first time He touched upon the life of Jonathan Ed wards and the first Sunday school He told of how the early Congregational ists came from Northampton, Mass, i virtually bringing the church with l them. They were freemen. When the lon T- tract was apportioned off for the use of the church. The ancient site of the church is in the vicinity of the green on Monument Hill. and the church was there until 1869.
 pr. Calhoun, writing 130 years after the real foundation of the church, had but few additional facts for his theme that are unavailable today, and there fore did not as clearly define the early life of the church as might otherwise have been done. Before the little church could make any progress it must have a minister He spoke of the establishment of the Congrega-
 tional churches of that early period
 by law. This form of church organiZa- -
 tton, he said. was a puzzle even today.
 It was very hard to determine whether
 one was Presbyterian or Congregation
 aist. Rev. Joseph Meacham was the
 first pastor of the church. He came tO
 Coventry q young man. He was grad
 uated from Harvard college with the
 class of 1710 and in 1713 received his
 masters degree from the same insti-
 tuition. When and where his home was
 built is not known, as all early rec
 ords are destroyed.
 DT. Calhoun fixes the month of Octo-
 Der as the month when the church was
 really organized. Twelve descendants
 of the Meachams were either ministers
 or the wives of ministers. Meacham
 was a practical preacher and he lived
 to see the first meeting house erected
 The parish was divided. but without
 friction. Rev. MT. Meacham's pastor
 ate extended from TIP to 1752.
 A Youthful Shepherd.
 Following his death, the church wan dered in the wilderness without a
 shepherd for several years. Oliver
 Noble was the next pastor, from 175g
 to 1761. He was a mere boy and did
 not fill the bill with the gray haired
 men of the parish who had been train
 ed for such long period by his emi-
 nent predecessor. He was therefore
 dismissed. Rev Joseph Huntington
 D. D. was called to the pastorate ant was seated in 1763 and continued hi: ! Yale man and came from Windham
 Mrs. Huntington died in 1764. the veal
 following her husbands call to tho pastorate, leaving son and a daugh-
 ter, who were brought up by Samue
 Huntington, who afterwards became
 the chief executive of Ohio. Rev. Mr
 HuntingtOn spoke eXtemporaneously
 and used but few notes and was there
 fore greatly liked as a pastor anC much in demand by different churches
 and for various occasions as a public = speaker. Dartmouth college hOnOreC z him with her doctors degree in 17St
 and at that time he came very neal being called to the presidency of tha
 famous college. He was most ex cellent pastor, lover of righteousness and a hater of iniquity, a practica Calvanist The historian next allude, to a number of the eminent divine noted books. He said that Rev. MI 7 Huntington anticipated Henry Wart g Beecher. whom 'he resembIed in man. ways. being away ahead of his time. Z Member of Famous Family.
 Abiel Abbott was the church's nex . pastor and served from 1795 to 1911 , He came from Andover, Mass. an, , was q member of the famous Abbot | family of that place. He was grad
 uated from Harvard college in IT l and later received his masters an, l doctors degrees. He was considere : one of the ablest graduates Harvar l ever turned out. He was withou
 question the most scholarly ministe x the church ever had. He won tn
 confidence of the members of tn
 church, as attested by his pastorate O
 more than 15 years, although befor ] the end of his pastorate the churc } was destined to become involved i !. the greatest strife of it's history, be : cause of the fact that he would no : preach Calvanism, which was at thd r time raging. The pastor proteste g against the stand taken by few. bu
 finally allowed the society with whic g he was affiliated to sanction his dis : missal How well his stand upon tn 1 issue was taken has since been con