USA > Connecticut > Contributions to the ecclesiastical history of Connecticut > Part 39
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MINISTERS RAISED UP .- William Adams, | John Avery, Joshua Hunting- ton, T Joseph Hurlbut, Nathaniel Hewit, D. D., Daniel Huntington, John Ross, Nathan Douglass, Thomas Huntington, Thomas W. Coit, D. D., (Ep.) Gurdon S. Coit, (Ep.) William Harris, Robert McEwen, D. D., Robert C. Learned, George Richards, John Eliot.
* Sprague's Annals, 1. 53. + Sp. An. 1. 182, 233. # Sp. Au. 1. 379. Allen. § Al- len. |Sp. An. 1. 235. T Allen.
THE SECOND CHURCH IN NEW LONDON, ORG. APRIL, 28 1835.
Joseph Hurlbut, April, 1835 Mar. 1837
James Macdonald, D. D., Dec. 1837 Jan. 1840 Artemas Boies,* Mar. 1841 . Tryon Edwards, D. D., Mar. 1845 Aug. 1857
Sept. 1844 G. B. Wilcox, 1859
This church originally consisted of nineteen members of the First Church in New London who, "believing that the increase of the city required, and its resources would justify an extension of religious accommodations, and
444
History of the Churches.
that the cause of truth and piety would be promoted by the organization of another church, of their own faith and order," were most amicably dis- missed to unite in forming it.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Joseph Hurlbut, Jr., Joshua Coit.
Sp. An. 2. 664.
THE CHURCH IN NEW MILFORD, ORG. NOV. 2, 1716.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED.
DISMISSED.
DIED.
Daniel Boardman,*
1716
1744
Nathaniel Taylor, t
1748
1800
Stanley Griswold, #
1790
1802
Andrew Eliot, §
1808
1829
Heman Rood,
1830
1835
Noah Porter, Jr.,
1836
1842
John Greenwood,
1844
1849
David Murdoch, Jr.,
1850
By means of the " settlement" anciently given to ministers at their ordi- nation, "the two fathers of New Milford, were able to give their families foothold in their native town ; hence to the honor and gratification of the parish, they have remained there, distinguished parts of the aristocracy of that aristocratic town." Mr. Boardman lived strong in the confidence and affection of his parishioners, and had not a little to do with and for the ab- origines of the country, a conspicuous tribe of whom were located in his neighborhood. Mr. Taylor was something of a farmer, and had also a con- trolling influence, through his long ministry, in his large church and con- gregation. Mr. Griswold gradually developed himself as a Unitarian, and sought to break down the distinction of the church from the world. He was dismissed, but brought disaster upon the church, and so far misled them, as to procure their exclusion from the Consociation,-a severe, but ul- timately a beneficial measure. It was several years, under the next pasto- rate, before prosperity, order and orthodoxy were restored. Rel. Intel. 16. 285.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- David Sanford, | John Stephens, Benjamin Wild- man, Gideon Bostwick, David Bronson, Whitman Welch, Joseph Treat, Da- vid Baldwin, Daniel Marsh, T Nathaniel W. Taylor, D. D., Charles A. Board- man, Orlando Hine, David Bostwick. **
* Sp. An. 1. 468. Litchf. Centen. 66. + Sp. An. 1. 467. Allen. Litchf. Centen. G6. + Sp. An. 1. 468. Litchf. Centen. 66. § Sp. An. 2. 421. | Mendon As. p. 105. Sp. An. 2. 42. Allen. TSp, An. 2. 116. ** Sp. An. 3. 131.
THE FIRST CHURCH IN NEW PRESTON, IN WASHINGTON, ORG. 1757. Noah Wadhams, 1757 1768
Jeremiah Day,* Jan. 1770 Sept. 1806
445
History of the Churches.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED.
DISMISSED.
DIED.
Samuel Whittlesey, t
Dec. 1807
Apr. 1817
Charles A. Boardman,
June, 1818
Mar. 1830
Robert B. Campfield,
Nov. 1831
1834
Columbus Shumway,
1834
1835
Merit S. Platt,
1836
1837
Benjamin B. Parsons,
Apr.
1839
Sept. 1842
Hollis Read,
1845
1851
Samuel F. Bacon,
1851
1853
Charles S. Smith,
Sept. 1853
Mar. 1855
Jacob H. Strong,
Dec. 1857
In October, 1748, twenty persons obtained leave of the General Assembly to hire a minister for six months in the year, on the ground of their living from seven to ten miles from their places of worship in Kent and New Mil- ford. In May, 1752, forty-one individuals petitioned the General Assembly for a new Ecclesiastical Society. The societies of East Greenwich, (now Warren,) Kent and New Milford, opposed the application, and it failed, but was granted in October. In December, 1753, it was voted to lay a tax of 12 pence on the pound to hire a minister for a season ; and to build two school- houses, by subscription, for the use of the society. Nov. 1754, it was voted to build a meeting-house, 36 by 26 feet, with five windows, of 12 lights each, 100 rods west of the present stone meeting-house. Dec. 1766, it was voted to build another meeting-house 50 by 40 feet. This house was enclosed three years later, but was not entirely finished until 1798. In 1806, a permanent fund of $5,000 was raised. In 1824, a third meeting house was built of stone, 54 by 44 feet. In 1853, a majority of the church, with a minority of the society, upon their own responsibility, built a fourth meeting-house in the village of Waramaug, 60 by 39 feet, at an expense of about $6,000, and the church, by a majority vote, on the 27th of Jan. 1854, voted to remove their place of worship to this house. The minority of the church, with a majori- ty of the society, maintain worship at the stone house.
There were added to the church by the first minister, 54; second, 123, and 300 baptized ; third, 142, 167 baptized; fourth 134, 200 baptized ; fifth, 88, 79 baptized. The most extensive revival was in 1816, when eighty were added to the church.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Jeremiah Day, D. D., Benjamin B. Smith, Levi Smith, Joseph Whittlesey, Henry N. Day, Horace Bushnell, D. D., George Tomlinson, Charles W. Camp, William Baldwin, Johnson L. Tomlinson, George Bushnell.
* Sp. An. 1. 688. Allen. + Sp. An. 2. 826. Litchf. Centen. 118.
THE CHURCH IN NEW PRESTON HILL, (IN WASHINGTON. )
A minority of the old church was left Jan. 27th, 1854, at the old house of worship, but there was no new organization. Levi S. Beebe, Feb. 1854 Feb 1855
John A. Hempstead, 1855 1856
446
History of the Churches.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED.
DISMISSED. DIED.
Noah Coe,
Feb. 1856
Jan. 1857
Williams II. Whittemore,
1859
1860
George Tomlinson,
Mar. 1860
An unhappy division arose in New Preston in 1853-4, on account of a dis- agreement about the place of worship. The majority of the society and the minority of the church claim the original organization, though the Consoci· ation decided that the majority of the Church, who removed, are to be con- sidered the original church; while the minority retain the records and com- munion service, and the society, with them, have the funds for the support of the gospel. The old house has since been extensively repaired.
MINISTER RAISED UP .- Philander Hollister.
THE CHURCH IN NEWTOWN, ORG. OCT. 19, 1715.
Thomas Tousey,
Oct:
1715
1724
Mar. 1761
John Beach, *
1724
Feb. 1732
Mar. 1782
Elisha Kent,
Sept 1732
Feb. 1743
July, 1776
David Judson, t
Sept. 1743
Sept. 1776
Zephaniah I. Smith,
Mar. 1786
Feb.
1790
Feb. 1836
Jehu Clarke,
Oct. 1799
Aug. 1816
May, 1838
William Mitchell,
June, 1825
May, 1831
Nathaniel M. Urmston,
Dec. 1832
Apr. 1838
Alexander Leadbetter,
1839
1842
John NN. Ambler,
1843
1845
May, 1859
Jason Atwater,
1846
1856
Apr. 1860
William H. Moore,
Nov. 1856
The tract embraced by this town was called Pohtatuck, by the Indians, and was deeded by them to certain men from Stratford, in 1705. The town was incorporated by an act of the General Court, Oct. 11, 1711. Before this date, the people had tried to secure a minister, but without success. The town voted Oct. 1, 1712, to invite the neighboring ministers to come and spend a day with them in advice, humiliation and prayer, that they might be directed and encouraged in trying to maintain the worship of God among them.
Mr. Tousey began to preach here in May, 1713. In May, 1715, the town got permission of the General Court to have a church gathered, in order that Mr. Tousey might be regularly settled among them. After his dismis- sion, he gave his attention to secular affairs, and was a prominent and in- fluential man in the town.+ Mr. Beach became an Episcopalian, went to England for ordination, and ministered to Episcopal churches in Redding and Newtown forty years, and in Newtown alone till his death.
Mr. Judson's salary varied from £50 to £75 a year, and in 1758, the low- est sumn was paid, in part at the following prices : wheat 3s. 6d., rye 2s. 4d. and corn Is. 9d. per bushel, flax 5d. a pound, and work 1s. and 9d. per day.
y
447
History of the Churches.
During his ministry there were 226 marriages, (from 1756 to 1776,) 378 deaths, 887 baptismns, a yearly average of 27; half-way covenant dismissions, 90; about 300 added to the church.
Mr. Smith adopted some of the errors of Sandemanianism, and by his in- discretion and discipline, involved the church in trouble, from the disastrous effects of which, it became so reduced, as to be organized anew in 1799, having but nine male members.
Under Mr. Atwater, 69 were added, the meeting-house repaired, a confer- ence room provided, and the society brought into a more hopeful condition than for seventy-five years before. Without aid from the Ilome Missionary Society, from 1825, it would have become extinct.
MINISTER RAISED UP .- Isaac Beach. V
Allen.
+ Allen.
THE CHURCH IN NORFOLK, ORG. DEC. 24, 1760.
MINISTERS. SETTLED. DISMISSED. DIED.
Ammi Ruhamah Robbins,* Oct. 1761 Oct. 1813
Ralph Emerson, D. D., June, 1815 Nov. 1829
Joseph Eldridge, D. D., Apr. 1832
Mr. Emerson was dismissed to accept the professorship of Ecclesiastical History in Andover Seminary. The town was incorporated in 1758. The church has never had a " stated supply," except a few weeks at a time. The church and people have never had any serious trouble among them, or with their ministers. A serious quarrel in the choir has never occurred ; it has generally been harmonious in every sense. Interesting and refreshing revivals of religion have been granted to the church, at intervals, through the whole century of its existence. Ev. Mag. 1, 211, 338. For a long time, it has been subject to a heavy drain from emigration, particularly to the West. During the ministry of the present pastor, all the other churches of the Consociation have had at least two pastors, and most of them three and four, or more.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Thomas Robbins, D. D., t Asahel Gaylord, Nathan Turner, Francis L. Robbins, t Isaac Knapp, # Eleazar Holt, Joseph L. Mills, Sheridan Guiteau, James W. Robbins, Reuben Gaylord.
* Sp. An. 1. 369. Allen. Litchf. Centen. 90. + Allen. + Allen.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH BRANFORD, ORG. MAY 18, 1724.
Jonathan Merrick, *
1726
June, 1772
Samuel Eells, t
1769
Apr. 1808
Charles Atwater,
1809
Feb. 1825
Judson A. Root,
1828
1834
1855
Henry B. Camp,
1835
1836
John D. Baldwin,
1838
1844
448
History of the Churches.
1
MINISTERS. SETTLED. DISMISSED. DIED.
George I. Wood,
Dec. 1844
June, 1850
Whitman Peck,
Mar. 1851
July, 1855
George I. Wood,
Oct. 1855
Nov. 1858
William B. Curtis,
Dec. 1859
This church was a colony from the church in Branford. Its first house of worship was erected in 1724, at the expense of the town of Branford. At the institution of the church, the funds owned by the society in Branford, were equitably divided between the two societies. The settlement of this part of Branford commenced about 1680; and in 1701, they were numerous enough to have occasional preaching among themselves. The town at first voted to support both ministers ; but six months after revoked this action, and the North Branford society was then organized. Mr. Merrick was a man of decision and energy, beloved and respected among his people. Mr. Eells had £200 settlement, besides materials for building a house and barn. He was a man of great versatility and sympathy, and practiced to some ex- tent as a physician. He also became the captain of a company of 60 men from his parish, in the Revolutionary war, though fortunately there was no occasion for their services. The half-way covenant prevailed here, a source of trouble in the church. See Mr. Wood's Historical Discourse, 1850.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- David Rose, Roger Harrison, Fosdick Harrison, Levi Rose, Alonzo Loper.
* Sp. An. 1. 631. Allen. + Allen.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH CANAAN, ORG. DEC. 5, 1769.
Asahel Hart,
Mar. 1770
Mar. 1775
Amos Thompson,
June, 1782
1788
Joshua Knapp,
1791
1795
Solomon Morgan,*
April, 1798
Sept. 1804
Pitkin Cowles, t
Ang. 1805
Jan. 1833
Feb. 1833
Henry H. Woodbridge,
Oct.
1833
Oet. 1842
Daniel D. Francis,
May, 1844
Mar. 1850
Elisha Whittlesey,
June, 1851
Sept. 1853
Iliram Eddy, 1854, inst. June, 1856
1860
This church was originally formed upon the application of eleven mem- bers of the First Church, who were dismissed and recommended to organize themselves into a church in the second Ecclesiastical Society in Canaan. It is now, since the division of the town, the Congregational Church of North Canaan.
Mr. Knapp had been seventeen years pastor in Winsted. Mr. Cowles studied with Dr. Charles Backus, of Somers. He was a warm friend of evangelical truth and practical religion, an affectionate pastor, an instructive and impressive preacher. His ministry was blessed with several revivals ; in one of them 100 were added to the church. See Litchf. Centen. 1852.
MINISTERS RAISED UP -Grove L. Brownell, Zalmon Tobey, Linus Fellows, Timothy Benedict, Aaron Peale, Calvin Peale.
* Allen, Sp. An. 2. 526. 1 Litchf. Centen. 116.
449
History of the Churches.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH CORNWALL, ORG. 1782.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED
DISMISSED.
DIFD.
John Cornwall,
Israel Holley,
1795
1801
Josiah Hawes,
March, 1805
July, 1813
Grove L. Brownell,
1817
1818
Walter Smith,
June, 1819
April, 1838
S. J. Tracy,
1838
1839
Joshua L. Maynard,
Jan.
1841
May, 1852
W. B. Clarke,
May,
1855
May,
1859
Charles Wetherby, Sept. 1859
Formed from the First Church (South Cornwall,) by secession. Has been very greatly blessed with revivals from its beginning until the present time, and is now in a prosperous condition. This Church was for several years, in the early part of its existence, under the care of the Morristown Presbytery, in New Jersey ; but was received into the Litchfield North Consociation in 1809.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- John C. Hart, Henry Wadsworth, Almon B. Pratt, Henry G. Pendleton, Abram Baldwin.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH COVENTRY, ORG. OCT. 8, 1745.
Nathan Strong,* Oct. 1745
Nov. 1795
Ichabod Lord Skinner, t
Oct. 1794 Oct. 1798
1852
Ephraim T. Woodruff, Apr. 1801 Oct. 1817
George A. Calhoun, D. D., Mar. 1819
Previous to 1736 the inhabitants of North Coventry were embraced in the Congregational Church and Society of South Coventry. During three win- ters after that date, the town assisted the inhabitants of this section of it in supporting public worship at the house of Mr. Noah Russ; and the Society was incorporated in 1740. In May, 1742, the Legislature of this State enact- ed a law prohibiting ministers from preaching and exhorting out of their re- spective parishes, unless they were invited by the minister, if there was no minister, by the Church, and if there was no Church, by the Society.
This Society voted, June 21, 1742, that any of 24 ministers named, might preach or exhort at any time in this Society upon invitation. "Then voted, that any Church member, or any head of a family may invite any of the above ministers to preach in said Society."
The building of the first meeting house occasioned much trouble. In re- gard to it the Legislature was repeatedly memorialized. The parish was once and again surveyed to find the center ; and finally a Legislative com- mittee was employed to determine the site. After years of agitation, the second house was built in 1792, the third in 1847.
The Society agreed to give Mr. Strong for his support £600 old tenor bills as a settlement, and £200 (increasing to £270,) old tenor bills as an
58
450
History of the Churches.
annual salary, to vary nominally according to the change in the value of produce. This arrangement for the support of the minister occasioned trouble in after years.
For a number of years previous to 1828 the ability of this Society to sup- port the gospel, gradually decreased, by emigration; when a parochial fund of $5,000 was raised to supply the deficiency.
This place has been repeatedly blessed with special effusions of the Holy Spirit. There was a revival of religion in 1742, while there were two societies in the town, also in 1765, 1781, 1800 and in the years of general revival in the present century. Added in 1819, 65; 1822-3, 70. Ev. Mag. 9, 379. Rel. Intel. 5, 173.
During the last 50 years the Church has received 501 members, and has dismissed on recommendation to other Churches 147 more than it has re- ceived from them.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Nathan Strong, D. D., Joseph Strong, D. D., Thomas Page, (h.) Ebenezer Kingsbury, (h.) Gershom E. Lyman, Horatio Waldo, Ja- cob Allen, Clement Parker, Hervey Talcott, Eber Carpenter, Addison Kings- bury, D. D., Marvin Root, Nathan S. Hunt, Milton Badger, D. D., R. R. Gur- ley, D. D., John A. Woodruff, Diodatius Babcock.
* Sp. An. 1, 28. 2, 34. Allen. + Sp. An. 2, 37.
THE CHURCH IN NORTHFORD, IN NORTH BRANFORD, ORG. JUNE 13, 1750.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED.
DISMISSED. DIED.
Warham Williams,*
June, 1750
April, 1788
Matthew Noyes, t
Aug. 1790
Sept. 1839
William J. Boardman,
Dec. 1835
Oct. 1849
Henry S. Clark, D. D.,
April, 1847
June, 1849
E. W. Root,
July, 1849
July, 1850
Charles II. Bullard,
Oct. 1850
Oct. 1851
Asa C. Pierce, June, 1853
Meetings for public worship were held as early as 1746, when measures were adopted for building a meeting house ; and soon after a committee was appointed "to apply to the Rev. Association's Committee for advice in re- spect to a candidate for a preacher."
Mr. Williams was descended from Revs. Robert Williams of Roxbury, Mass., who came from England, John Williams of Deerfield, and Stephen Williams, D. D., of Long Meadow, where he was born. Ile admitted to the Church 256. Mr. Noyes, born in Lyme, also of Puritan ancestry, was a .descendant of James Noyes, who came from Wiltshire, England. He stud- ied Theology with Dr. Whitney, of Brooklyn; admitted to the Church 201. He was "distinguished as the richest minister in Conn." Mr. Boardman, from North Haven, born in Dalton, Mass., resigned his charge some years before his death, through ill health, but not dismissed. The Church was in a divided and troubled state for years after. Revivals in 1856 and 1858.
451
History of the Churches.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Oliver D. Cook, Medad Rogers, Lemuel Tyler, Jonathan Maltby, Isaac Maltby, L. Ives Hoadley, John Maltby, Erastus Maltby, Samuel Whitney, (f.) Eli Smith, D. D., } (f.) Benjamin S. J. Page.
* Sp. An. 1. 287. Allen. + Sp. An. 1, 513. Allen. # Cong. Y. Book, 5, 116.
THE CHURCH IN NORTHFIELD, IN LITCHFIELD, ORG. JAN. 1, 1795.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED. DISMISSED. DIED:
Joseph E. Camp,*
Feb. 1795
1837
May, 1838
J. S. Dickinson, Feb. 1844
June, 1851
Lewis Jessup,
Nov. 1851
Nov. 1854
Noah Coe,
Nov. 1854
Feb. 1856
Stephen Rogers,
Nov. 1856
Feb. 1859
James Richards, D. D.,
Feb. 1859
Aug. 1860
The Church and Society had a fund which a few years since was invested in a parsonage, all but $500. Have since received $10,000, a legacy from Asa Hopkins.
Mr. Richards is not in good standing, having been deposed from the min- istry, several years since, by the Presbytery of New Orleans. The Church since engaging his services, with the disapprobation of the Consociation, have voted to dissolve their connection with that body.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Wyllys Warner, Isaac Warner, William H. Guernsey, Albert B. Camp, Lewis Smith, (Meth.)
* Sp. An. 2. 592.
The "Enrolled Church," in Northford, Org. 1801.
Huntington,
Claudius Herrick,
Eliphalet B. Coleman,
Jeremiah Atwater, D. D.
A house of worship was erected in 1805. This Church was a secession from Mr. Noyes's Church, on account of an unhappy division of feeling which prevailed at that time. Its existence continued till 1833, when by advice and assistance of the Association, a reunion was effected.
The names of Revs. Messrs. Huntington, Claudius Herrick, Eliphalet B. Cole- man, and Jeremiah Atwater, D. D., are given as having supplied their pulpit, but no dates have been furnished ; the first is said to have aided in the forma- tion of the Church, and the second in erecting its house of worship.
The Church in North Goshen, Org. 1828.
George Carrington,*
Aug. 1829
Sept. 1833
Guy C. Sampson, Jan. 1836
May, 1837
452
History of the Churches.
MINISTERS.
SETTLED. DISMISSED. DIED.
C. J. Tracy,
1837! 1839 ? 1839 ? 1845 ?
Chester Colton,
Frederick Marsh,
May, 1846 Nov. 1847
During Mr. Tracy's labors, there was some revival and several additions to the Church. The death of the leading man in the Society, and the remo- val of the only deacon depended on for conducting religious meetings, to Michigan, so weakened the Society as to prevent further attempts to sustain preaching. By vote of the Church, the communion service was given to the Congregational Church in Chelsea, Mich.
Litchf. Centen. 117
THE CHURCH IN NORTH GREENWICH, ORG. DEC. 25, 1827.
Chauncey Wilcox,
June, 1828
May, 1846 Jan. 1852
Frederick Munson, Sept. 1847 April, 1856
John Blood, Nov. 1856 Oct. 1858
William H. Knouse, May, 1859
A considerable part of the region from which this Church is now gath- cred, was formerly included in the parish of the Second Congregational Church in Greenwich. Another portion was united with the Society of Stanwich ; and a district in which several families now connected with the Church and congregation reside, belonged as at present to the State of New York. Some of those who desired to enjoy the privileges of the sanctuary, regularly traveled the distance of eight miles for this purpose. A Church edifice was erected in the summer of 1827, and dedicated the same day that the Church was organized.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH GUILFORD, ORG. JUNE 16, 1725.
Samuel Russell,*
June, 1725
Jan. 1746
John Richards, t
Nov. 1748
1765
Thomas W. Bray, }
Dec. 1766
April, 1808
William F. Vaill,
Dec. 1808 April, 1820
Zolva Whitmore, §
Sept. 1821
Aug. 1846
John L. Ambler,
Jan. 1848
Jan. 1849
Henry Eddy, Jan. 1849
March, 1851
Fosdick Harrison, Nov. 1851
Nov. 1854
Abraham C. Baldwin,
Nov. 1854
Oct. 1855
Thomas Dutton,
Dec. 1855
May, 1859
Richard Crittenden, Aug. 1860
North Guilford was made a distinct parish, May, 1720. The first inhabi- tants were people of property, and of strong religious principles and purpo- ses. It indicates the elevation of their views and aims respecting education,
453
History of the Churches.
that there were graduated at Yale College, from this small community, with- in fifty years after its separation from Guilford, five, who became eminently useful members of the learned professions, viz: Revs. Nathaniel Bartlett of Redding, Amos Fowler of Guilford, and Daniel Collins of Lanesboro, Mass., (all these, after long pastorates, died in old age among the people of their charge,) Thomas Russell, a physician, in Sheffield, Mass., and Piermont, N. H., and Abraham Baldwin, member of the Continental Congress from Geor- gia, one of the framers of the Constitution of the United States, and Sena- tor in Congress from 1799 to 1807.
After the death of the first minister in 1746, a division arose on the ques- tion of settling Mr. Chauncey, a son of Rev. Mr. Chauncey of Durham. A majority feared that he was not sound in the faith ; and therefore voted against him, whereupon, a minority, who were strongly in favor of him, se- ceded and formed an Episcopal Church, with which about one-third of the 102 families of the parish are connected. Since that time, there have been two occasions, when three or four families at once, have left the Congrega- tional for the Episcopal Society. One was when Mr. Bray refused to bap- tize on the "half way covenant " plan ; the other when Mr. Vail preached zealously on the doctrines of Divine Sovereignty and Election.
An increase from 20 to 70 in 33 years, and in so small a community, shows a good measure of religious prosperity. This number was increased during the 42 years of the third pastorate, by the addition of 152. There were almost every year additions to the Church from 1 to 6 or 7. There were at almost all times, individuals in the congregation, who were under solemn religious impressions.
About the time of Mr. Bray's death, began the first revivals of religion. Even in the days of Whitefield, Edwards, and Bellamy, there was no un- usual religious interest here. This work continued with increased power after the settlement of Mr. Vaill. Then began, also, the era of social prayer meetings, and benevolent contributions. And thenceforward the Church has been blest with pentacostal visits of the Divine Spirit; almost all who have been added to it since Mr. Bray's day, having been converted in sea- sons of revival.
MINISTERS RAISED UP .- Nathaniel Bartlett, Amos Fowler, Daniel Collins, Aaron C. Collins, Lyman Beecher, D. D., Augustus B. Collins, Jared Tyler, Abraham C. Baldwin, John E. Bray, Stephen A. Loper.
* Sp. An. 1, 261. Allen. + Allen. # See account of Thomas B. Wells in Allen. $ Mendon As. 300.
THE CHURCH IN NORTH HAVEN, ORG. 1718.
MINISTERS.
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