New Britain herald., 1924-10-13

" lhotihs'Nu " phishuSc ohSNhuii acre of land as contemplated In case the Subscription paper above spoken of shall have the amount of One Hundred Dollars Subscribed 10 it." They adjourned until the 25th and Roswell Moore, Jr,, was added to the Committee to raise the si00. Evidently the sum was not being subscribed readily and perhaps never was for that Is the last reference to 1t on the Society minute book. The vote to move was never recon- sidered. The former vote authoriz- ing a building committee to obligate the Society for the remodeling of the structure still stood on the books and as the enthusiasm for moving the Meeting House had evidently subsided they proceeded on that authority
 The old pews were gone and in their places were the slips. all fac- ing the east where the pulpit had been rebuilt. These slips were of pine, painted, and had a small hinged door that you opened before you stumbled on the little riser just within the slip, the level of the floor there being that much higher than the aisle. The floor had been paint. ed and some little things to relieve the severity had been procured--a cloth for the Communion table and a curtain in front of 1t. The Build ing Committee evidently overlooked some things, for chimneys were au- thorized at the north after the re- pairs had been made. The Society were taking no chances on the ele- ments for as soon as the repairs were finished we find orders to the Prudential Committee to put zinc under the stoves and to put a light ming rod up.
 When I was comparatively .a young man l was elected Deacon of the South Congregational church of New Britain. One of my frank friends told me that 1t ought to do me some good even If the church suffered. The preparation of this address even If you suffer has been a wonderful journey for me through more than two hundred years of the church's history. Some things that we think are old as the hills are often modern. We put on our pro- gram the "Kensington Congrega tional Church." In the annals of this church and society the word Congregational" is a comparatively new word. During the early part of the 18th century in the church rec ords the church was alwayS Eye Church" or "The Seco. Church of ! Pennington" and after 1722 the year I the. Parish was named "Kens.ngton" it is called in the records "The Church" At first there were meet ings of "Ye Inhabitants of ye so- ciety at Pennington" or "at the Great Swamp in Pennington" or of the Inhabitants of the Society of the South Eastern bounds of Farm ington." After the setting off of the Kensington .society the society rec ords begin recording as Eye Inhabi- tants at Kensington in Pennington or "the Parish of Kensington." The word Congregational" is not used in Church or Society records that can find until about 1925. At that time Sheldon Moore acted as clerk for I the Society and in 1882 in the same capacity for the church. In his minutes he refers to both Church and Society as "Congregati6nal." :" Previous to this there are many for nal notices from members of the parish stating that they are with drawing from the Presbyterian So- ciety in Kensington."
 In 1883 perhaps the stirring times of the Civil War urged the people to bestir themselves for in that veal they again shingled the building, voted to put a cornice on and later reconsidered. They also voted to act with the Ladies Benevolent society to use what money they have on hand for adorning the church." In this year the treasurer paid for re. pairs and painting 1884. They also closed during that year the south side door over whose threshold the inhabitants Of kensington parisl had trod for almost 100 years.
 In 1865 subscriptions were madt and a series of entertainments giver toward a fund for the present pipe organ. Several weeks were consumed by the builder. Johnson. of West field Massachusetts, in its erection When finished Dr. Barnett of Hart. ford played at its dedication. II 1866 the society instructed the so ciety committee "To settle with N 4. Moore for organ"
 The stove pipes running to th, chimney, although very useful fo heating were ursightly and in 1S6 cement pipes into which the stov pipes entered were run along tn
 galleries out of sight. A number c these now balance over our heads O the ioists that support the ceiling The parsonage was built to cost s2, 500 in 1869 and tax of 3 per cen ] on the 1868 list was the means 0 raising the money. I am unable L solve the mystery Of the chimney' AS early as 1925 some were evident | ly used. After finishing the re
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