New Britain herald., 1915-06-28
EOND JUBILEE OF PLAINVIILE CONGREGATIONAL . CHURCH A HISTORY MAKING EVENT IN THAT TOW

4 and 6, a new Covenant. together
 with new Articles of Faith and rules for church government were adopted.
 Events of national importance were now occupying the attention of our people and iL 1868 the Rev. MT. Smith was drafted into the army, refusing to accept the substitute that was of fered him. On the 17th of Septem-
 be he was gronted Q leave of absence for one year vote of thanks given him for his efforts in the cancellation of tle church debt, and the Rev. J. W. Hlbbell was secured as supply, fol- lowed in 1864, by the Rev. MT. D:mock.
 On July 30, 1864, and again few
 weeks later, MT. Smith sought to re- 'gn, believing that his enforced ab- sence would seriously hinder the growth and prosperity of both church and society. To both of his letters, replies were sent, urging him to re- main with the army until the war
 sL ould be over, agreeing to increase
 hi. salary and to reinstate him upon
 + S return. To these appeals he as last agreed. During his term of ser
 vice in the army, MT. Smith was chaplain of the Sth Connecticut regi-
 r:ent and at the close of the war
 served in behalf of the "Freedman's Bureau,'' with command over four counties in Virginia, with headquar- tcrs at Danville, until discharged from
 service, October 22, 1865, when he returned to Plainville.
 On January 8, 1867 the church set apart the third Sunday evening of
 each month for the discussion of tenn Lerance, a subject of unusual interest in Plainvil.c at the time and one that afterwards filled the columns of
 The Plainville News for more than ten years following the establish rnent of that paper in 1871. Tn 1868 the church withdrew from i the Hartford South Congregational
 association but continued it's mem bership in the Central Conference, I with which it had affiliated thirteen 1 years before.
 ] At the morning service on Sunday, February 2s, 1869 the Rev. MT. Smith 1 resigned. While this action was greatly deplored and acceptance refused, the council that was called on March II, following, decided l to dismiss him and his farewell ser ! mon was delivered March 31, 1869. l The Rev. Charles l.. Aver succeed ! ed as acting pastor and it was during 1 his ministry, in 1870, that the church | received it's largest accession of mem | hers in any one year, fifty nine per- ! sol.s
 Parsonage Bought. In 1871 the present parsonage was purchased at cost of $1,750 which properly has since been the home of the pastors of this church. notwith- stand Ing tks unsuccessful attempt made in 1884 to dispose of it and purchase or build more modern residence.
 Succeeding Mr. Aver, the Rev. Alexander Hall of Collinsville was in- stalled pastor July 1. 1873. With his coming, the subject of ! better music began to receive atten- tion and in 1874 the present organ wos purchased and erected where 1t now stands.
 It is also of interest to note the
 statement made by Deacon Titus Oar row at the annual meeting in 1879. to the effect that valuable historical records had that day been deposited
 with him by Jehial c. Hart. This reference Is to the original record book of the church which gives us in detsil, the only existing account of its organization, all carefully recorded by MT. Hat and now preserved by the presen+ clerk.
 1878 and were years of financial embarrassment and so serious did matters become, that the Rev. MT Hall proposed a reduction of $2O0 m his salary. This generous offer Was accepted and so thoroughly appre- ciated. that the society immediately reduced him another hundred-it was indeed, more blessed to give than to receive"
 In 1879 it was proposed that wom- en be admitted to membership in the society This suggestion was not well received, and until it was dissolved, the society was an organization ol men only.
 What has been said of the society with reference to the women, was equally true of the church in respect to the ballot, until January 5, 1883, when h. A. baTHeS lh1i ouNSS o' ASs lution granting equal suffrage. While this resolution was tabled at the time, the women voted at the meeting and on April of the same year, they were placed on an equal footing with the men.
 The Rev. Mir. Hall resigned on Jan- uary T. 1888 after having served faith fully and well for twelve years ana nine months. He was dismissed on tie goth of February following.
 After the dismissal of MT. Hall, long and careful search was con-