Norwich bulletin., 1922-10-02


 seems to be the only foe he could not de- | feat. He is buried in the old cemetery to the west Defying his enemies to the | last, he even did not desert them in death. ! When the last trump sounds l fancy he | will come forth in the attitude of doing | battle. He was an Irishrnan. all right
 Somehow I cannot help liking this old time bellgerent parson in spite of his limitations. l rather think that 1t is tie limitations we like. If he had faults I freely forgive him for the fine and famous family he founded. Only good blood can breed on as he did. One son, William, 50 years in the legislature 40 years judge of the court of common pleas and judge of probate, prominently patriotic in the Revolutionary war. Another son, James Abraham Hillhouse, graduate of and tu- tor in Yale, a distinguished lawyer in New Haven. but dying at the age of 4s.
 Both of the brothers were exemplary Christians
 When we come to the third generation we find Hon James Hillhouse. IL. D., a Yale man. able in the law, active in the
 Revolutionary war, nearly 20 years Tn
 congress. and in 16 of those sewing as
 United States senator from Connecticut,
 50 years t.Sssurer of Yale college, and
 even now l have only portrayed a DOT
 tion of his public career.
 ! Even 10 the IOuTlnl genefaI1On we ma
 James 4. Hillhouse poet uf no mean
 order if he failed of being exactly famous.
 The next minister was Rev. David Jew cit. a Harvard graduate. The only way he reminded you of his predecessor was because he was so different. He was calm, wise. consecrated faithful pastor. He seems exactly the sort to bring in re- | construction and establish peace should deem him able but not bCilliant Forty | and four years Re se-ved this church. dy- 1 ing in office at the age of 69, and he sleeps in the Gods Acre on Raymond Hill l He was patriotic enough to be chaplain l in two wars, the French and Indian and l the Revolutionary.
 Soon after his settlement powerful 1 revival occurred as an expression of the l Great Awakening During this period 1 that which might be called the most far 1 reaching and lasting influence of his pas torate was set in motion. At least 1t had | the most dramatic development MT I Jewett was shepherd who said with tie Saviour. Other sheep have I which az e not of this fold" He looked upon the In- dians as brethren in need. He believed that men with red skins might have white souls, souls that were worth sa ing. He took deep and active spiritual interest in
 the Mohegans many of whom were in the I d
 of his care and nuture the revil al result q
 in the conversion of Samson occum, the 1 pious Indian and his course of education l with Eleazer Wheelock at Columbia (ther
 Lebanon crank. and the pilgrimage oi Occum accompanied by Rev. Nathanie Whitaker of Norwich to Great Britain aroused great interest in education, SC.
 cured lacge contributions. encouraging the school to move northward to Hanover ant
 becoming the nucleus of Dartmouth col lege, one of the most noted and prosper
 ous institutions of learning in New Eng
 land
 Rev. Rozel Cook fulfilled 14 years O service and then fell on sleep at the com paratively early age of 42 years hi } widow surviving him 25 years. A faith l fil pastorate and children and childrent } children long lived here, and possibl,
 some of his descendants remain unti l now. bearing. in their lineage the name ) i of Brown and Morgan. He was followe, : by Rev. Amos G. Thompson, who depart
 ed this life in his late '30s, serving oni. 2 two years. Rev. Abishai Alden was tn
 frst pastor to take his departure othe t than by death. It was a fruitful pastol r ate but featureless in the way of anythin vi exciting or dramatic. His pastorate O : 23 years, closed in 1926, completed and y little more the first century in the life o :, the church.
 7 Second Century.
 : The second and final history in tn h church is in marked contrast. with \, e first. The dividing line between the 20 f years marks an epoch. The change f shared by many another rural parish
 this state. The people were unawar 2 and unconscious of the coming chang $ as much as the people in the days ( ' Noah were incredulous of the conin s food Of this I will speak later on. T Struck by Lightning.
 The second century was early ushere H in by thunder, lightning and with rail |, On Sunday, May 25, 1923. the congr' lt .t gation was assembled as it's custom ws
 for divine worship. Clouds bigger tha 1T a mans hand slated the skies. TT u choir was singing that solemn searchir ,e hymn the first line of which reads M thinks the last great day has come when realistically the thunder roare 10 and a bolt of lightning struck the san III tuary came down into the building d H ing damage not little, killing instan J. ly two of the worshippers and injurir 3l seriously and slightly many of the co lo gregation. No one escaped the awf v shock either on body or mind. It is r e'I corded that a powerful revival result, i- and we do not marvel. Quitting t
 features of death and severe injury se would prescribe this treatment for sor n- other churches in Connecticut. It is m severe remedy but nothing less " m prove efficacious for some congreg " tions steeped in sanctimonious slot $ spiritual supineness. Sometimes dyn K mite might be deemed a divine instr 1T. ment.
 "; When church becomes set in stup
 and selfshness the only logical thi
 is lightning. But the chief change co = trasting the second century from t !, first is the frequent pastoral chang <. in the last 100 years as compared wi ilo the first century. Five ministers IT p the needs of your fathers in the fil
 , century period and as one only lived GU labor two years the average of { ne other four amounts pastorates of 10
 extent. It has taken twenty-one ps y tors or stated supplies to carry o eh during this century. It has taken mo i's than five times as many ministers Is, serve or satisfy you as it did the sail hu of old. To speak of these in detail 'rl prohibitive by virtue of time. To mt ng tion any and omit many lays one OF ne to the charge of invidious distinction. re am going to assume the risk for you 10 full as I am I commence to have SD "a personal connection with the first min ne ter of the second century and conf ed down the list I discover those W ll- stand in the relation of acquaintal he and some in role of long close persol ief friendship. Rev Rudolfus Landfe
 who came here in 1929 I never Rn. tic but his aged daughters passed away he my city but a few years ago and u lo- received assistance from an agency