Norwich bulletin., 1920-11-19

any. depths of manhood. in any man. he was driven then to remain in the faith
 he embraced. I say he was driven to
 ii, for this reason.
 Have you ever made a statement
 which you have uttered as but a half
 truth, or perhaps not of the real truth
 at all. which you intended to correct la
 ter2 Have you ever in a spirit of jest
 defended something which you really be- lieved to be indefensible? And as soon
 as you have uttered 1t, have felt com pelled by something which you cannot define to defend that thing to the very end just because someone had attacked you on that point?
 Now if ycu have ever experienced that you will understand perhaps why the founders of this church remained stead fast!
 While on the other hand if you never have occasion to defend a. thing which you know is the truth, it will soon lose 1 it's first place in your life and you will turn to other interests.
 That is the difference in that genera 1 ton and this. We bemoan the indiffer- l ence of our people. How often have we
 wished that we could find the good old | member of former days who would stand 1 by, and though his soul was tried to the | uttermost, the end would still find him steadfast
 Well the reason for the difference Is 1 that you are never called upon to defend yourself. Or if you are, you feel inccm- petent and pass it by with the assertion that it doesn't do any good anyhow to ] argue on religion, you can't convince anyone else and he can't convince you. | Another thing which has a certain ef. 1 feet on the church member now is the l apparent unity of the several churches | in many things essential as an expression l of church life.
 1 There is not a unity so much in any. l thing doctrinal or actual working forces
 as it is in the suppression of those thing. that have heretofore worked to keep u.
 apart
 | That is perhaps the reason why sC i many families cone to a church and sC
 many go from it. Names of families ap pear on our books for time. some ot them generation; others for severa i generations. and a few are to be found
 from the beginning to the end. It 1. | therefore an inspiration to record thos, families here.
 It is striking fact that we have a least representatives of two families to day. who were leaders in the n:ogemen one hundred years ago.
 We read first the name of Davi, Tracy, who was one of the number form ing the first society in 1920. David Trac was the first moderator. He was aIs
 on the building committed, assisting i
 raising funds and erecting the frs
 church; that old wooden structure, wit
 the box pews; the pulpit high above tn
 heads of the people; the choir statione
 in the rear of the room it Is asked thu
 the people during the period of singing
 arose and turned to face the cho f. Sonis one has remarked that they turned thei backs on the minister for q few minute
 of rest. perhaps to regain. their courag i to remain steadfaSt and attentive to tll
 end of those long sernons taking hour not minutes. to deliver.
 The name of Tracy is name that Ia endured for the full one hundred year as a prominent name in devotion to tn faith. 4 close second in respect to tern service is the name of Albertson. /, dore F. Albertson. the first lay super Il tendent of the Sunday school (direcfor
 became prn'oinent in 1885, when the $, cietY1 was I krganized. The first chvrc was forneG. as a distinct organizat:o 4 in 1888. This duel organization conti- a ues to this day. to the dismay and d s spair of. many of us not born 10 tt method.
 Here it Is worthy of remark, that 0: Of the great and decisive forces for Il building of the society was the person | integrity, earnestness. and upright cuA scter Of the early builders. Mir. Albertson was q man in whom fault could be. found. -Scrupuious a, conscientious, 1t was his meat day a night to do that which would bring T \ reproach, either upon him or his Tar ily or the church of his choice. H. TiiDhfv.f7yn. ,,otr- ,a-,.h~ are dinhiy reeedins into the rast, bu. i family of Theodore Foster Albertson C l well as tho ,descendants of his brothe