New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1921-09-29
YESTERYEAR REVIEW
OF CHURCH AFFAIRS
James Shepard Tells Of Activities
Of FOreiatherS

In tho early days of Connecticut
no one ever went to church. not that
tho people were ungodly but because
there were no churches for them TO
attend. II In true that in every town
there was an organized body OF Chris
tians called The Church." moro than
one In some towns. but they wor-
shipped In meeting houses on Sun
days, Fasts and Thanksgiving days.
and went to meeting instead OF to
church. The early settlers were most
~ dissenters from the Church of Eng
land and they distinguished their
house OF worship from a church by
calling IL meeting house. There was
thon no house OF worship I'm the col
ony other than n Congregational meet
Ing house. Tho first church cdInce I'm
Connecticut. aside from these meet
Ing houses, was opened for public
service at Strutford on Christmas day
In 1874 by Episcopallans. They opened
their second church at Fairfield in
the fall of 1925 and their third church
ut New London on December ., 1880.
The Baptiats came to Groton and or
vnnized a church In 1905 and that was
the only Baptist church in the col
ony for 20 years thereafter There
don and n few New York Quakers
had crossed over into the western part
OF Connecticut. Tho Quakers and
others, aside from the churchmen.
worshipped In meeting houses while
the later alone worshipped in
church. and called attending service
going to church. They were. how
ever. particular to designate every
nom Episcopal house OF worship as n
injecting house" Those were Eo-to-
meeting days when tho majority OF
tho people worshippcd In meeting
houses. The CongrcRationalist clung
TO the word meeting house" for
moro than two centuries. The people
enjoyed their so-called Blue Sunday"
hotter than they did any other day In
the week. They generally attended
Gospel Service on Sunday because
II was a pleasure to do SO and not
because those who did not choose to
80 to meeting on Sunday. might go
TO court on Monday. In the first
code OF laws. OF 1850 IL was enacted
that whereaoever gospel service was
held OH Sunday Every person shall
duly resort and attend there" or be
subject to n fine OF shillings. In
1868 IL was enacted, with reference
TO the foregoing law. that 1t shall
be lawful for the court TO find the ac-
cusod gu! y, except he make II APP
pear that he did attend the publique
worship OF God. or was necessarily
detained from the same"
The next law after 1850, relating to
Sunday observance was In 1867. when
Indians ere forbidden to work or
play on the Sabbath but the general
law against work. play. travel. etc. or
staying outside the meeting house
during Sunday service. was not passed
until 1868. This old colonial law was
continued. in substance. in our first
revision OF the state laws published
In 1891.
Seventy years ago ! used to put on
my go-to-meoting clothes and 20 to
meeting every Sunday in the congre-
gationn1 meeting house at Southing-
ton. All the rest OF the town went
to meeting. either in the congrega-
tional. Ba= tist or Unitarian meeting
houses. these three being then the
only hous OF worship in use. There
had oeon an Episcopal church there
for about 30 years. but IL was abnn-
doned and finally sold I'm 1S47 when
II was inverted into n grocery store
and tenem mt house. The only Epis-
copal service ever attended in
southinston and tho first ever wit
messed. was about the year 1853.
Simeon II. Norton. a merchant, was
then residing at Plantsville In the
rooms ove- his store. He went from
house to house through the neigh
borhood Informing the people that
there was to be an Episcopal service
nt his ho' so on n certain day and
hour and invited tho people to ut
tend. Ills invitation was accepted by
n goodly number including myself.
Tho officiating minister was the Rev.
Coils I. Potter. then rector OF the
church at woicott. He was assisted
by X. A. wsiter n lay reader. who was
then studying theology under Mr. Pot
ter. do not remember whether or
not I then knew who officiated mt
that service. but II so happened that
both of these men later became dear
friends OF mine.
1 did not forget attending service
ut Mr. Norton's house and In cor
responding with Mr.. wclton / men,
toned IL to him not very many years
ago and much TO my surprise he in
formed mo that the officiating per-
sons were Mr.. Potter and himself.
The conareRntionalista In Southing-