The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1916-02-16
Letter from John Merrick.

Letter from John Merrick.
Our pastor here in MINNEAPOLIS
mentioned in a mid. week meeting
that the church in Oswego, N. Y.
where he had his first pastorate was
organized many years before as the
results of the evangelistic labors of
Rev. Jabez Swan of Connecticut, and
remarked that probably no one present
RENE bered that at one time quite
noted preacher. My daughter, Mrs.
Lathrop, who was present, said, at
once, that she remembered him and
when she told it all over to me said
could write quite story, and did
SO. The following regarding one of his
visits to Willington will. I think, in.
terest you. It was in the summer of
1850 the Washingtonian temperance
movement had been going forward for
10 years and ths Maine law movement
was we'll opened. Our pastor William
@. Walker was an active worker and
both churches were interested, and,
in fact, the whole town. Consequent
ly there was much enthusiasm in
planning grand celebration for the
4th of July to be held in the fine
grove near the home of Royal @. Ed
redge, and much satisfaction at the
securing of Elder Swan as the speaker
of the day.
The procession was formed on the
Hill and my grandmother, Aunt
Hitty. as she was familiarly called.
who was 85 years Of age, marched in
the procession to the grove between
my wife and Mrs. Solyman. Taylor
and sat and listened to the elders ad-
dress. In illustrating the different
turns made by the opposition to
hinder the progress Of the new move
ments he said it reminded him of the
sign over the door of cabinet shop
passed that morning, twisting and
turning done here. That communi-
ty celebration was a brilliant success
for Wilmington. The Maine law was
not carried until two or three years
later. Elder Swan was contemporary
in his temperance work with DR.. Jew.
ett who wrote his book, entitled
"Forty Years Fight with Alcohol, :"
that we'll remember reading, and I
met both Dr.. .Jewett and Elder Swan
lseveral times after leaving Wellington
in 1865. My first knowledge of Elder
Swan was in the winter of 1912 and
g, he was then the pastor of the Bap-
tist church in Jewett City. My sister
was then a teacher in the schools
there and attended that church. We
still have letter that she wrote at
that time to our parents. My sister
was a young Christian, having been
baptized only a few months before
leaving home for her winter engage
ment. In this letter she spoke freely
of her feelings and how she was i'm.
pressed by the style of this preaching
SO different to that of the ordinary
country pastor. Elder Swan had q
style peculiar to himself, and having
lperfect command of very strong Eng
lish did not hesitate to use it when he
Thought necessary. One of the dea
looms of the church was his enthusias
tito admirer and on occasion would ex
press his views right out in meeting,
something like this, "That's it, Jabez
lGive it to 'em, Jabe. " About thai
time he was appointed chaplain of 9
regiment of state militia, and at one
of the annual reviews the regiment
was arranged for devotional service
in a hollow square, the commander
having some difficulty in getting per
feet order, and when, at length he
. had fair attention he signalled the
chaplain to proceed. He stepped for
ward and in his powerful voice com.
menced. "Thunder and lightning,
| earthquakes and tornadoes are thine
artillery, o Lord God Of Hosts,'' and
the silence that followed was SO pro
!; found that every word of the prayer
!; could be heard at any part of the
camp. --:sr ass. . .,a
}, It was said that while he was pas
tor of the Huntington street church,
!. New London, there was some criticism
of his peculiar style, and one Sunday
he went through the opening services
and then said to the congregation and
leaders, IF any of you can preach bet
ter than can just come up and take
my place and will take yours. and
he sat down. After waiting for while
one of the leaders said, $50 on, Ell
der" "very well, said the preach.
er. "but let it be understood that If ]
work it, must be in my own harness. !"
That ended it, he heard no more COM
plant of his peculiarities. He was a
lpower for good as preacher, Of the
gospel, and in the Washingtonian
NOV ement in the forties, and the Pro-
hibition movement in the fifties, and
would have had position as chaplain
), during the war, but his age was
against him. He did with his might
what his hands found to do. He died
J. when nearly 30. honored and loved
by all who knew him. -. savss ax61