USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Washington > The church on the green; the first two centuries of the First Congregational church at Washington, Connecticut, 1741-1941 > Part 10
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Selectman of the town during those years, the town fur- nished eighty-three substitutes at a cost of over $22,000. Altogether Washington furnished two hundred men for the Union Army, of whom 117 were volunteers.
Mr. Samuel J. Nettleton refers briefly to a number of the men who fought for the Union. He speaks of Sheldon Clark, the brother of Mrs. Henry Hickox, as being a promising young man. Lewis Hollister was a lover of music and was the band-master of his regiment. Dwight and Lewis Hollister were grandsons of Deacon Sherman P. Hollister, while Fitz- Greene Hollister was a grandson of Deacon Preston S. Hol- lister, the grandfathers being the famous twins who looked so much alike. Fitz-Greene was a great lover of books. Of Mr. Abner Mitchell, Mr. Nettleton speaks as follows : "He was not only head and shoulders above us physically but he towered above us in character. He was over forty years of age, ma- tured in mind, always present at the regular and cottage prayer meetings of the church, ready for every good word and deed, a whole-souled Christian man to seek for counsel or advice. He was a great loss to the church and town."
After laboring as minister of the church for eleven years, Mr. Lyman felt it necessary to resign as pastor for reasons of ill-health. His resignation was dated April 30th, 1863, the meeting of the Consociation for the dismissal being held on June 2nd. Mr. Lyman had labored effectively and was greatly loved. In replying to his letter of resignation, the church spoke of it with sincere regret as follows : "While we unite with our pastor in requesting the Consociation, it is with great reluctance and heartfelt sorrow that we are thus to be deprived of the services of one whose ministrations have been pre-eminently faithful, fearless, kind and true."
The records of the Consociation contain this high tribute
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of praise: "The Rev. Ephraim Lyman who, with a brief interval, has been a member of this ecclesiastical body for twenty-eight years, is a man who needs no letter of com- mendation from us wherever he is known. We recognize in him an able minister of the New Testament, rightly dividing the word of God, applying the principles of divine truth to all human relations, social, civil and sacred, and thus com- plying with the Master's command to his apostles. In this time of national distress, when the souls of Christ's minis- ters are tried, the trumpet of this watchman has given forth no uncertain sound. His utterances have been clear, distinct, bold and faithful, showing the people their sins, and exhort- ing them to repentance. In a special manner is Brother Lyman to be commended for his earnest, fearless and un- wavering patriotism in such a time as this."
Following the departure of Mr. Lyman, the church and society engaged the services of Rev. William H. H. Murray on a temporary basis. For example, in the society's record there appears this entry under the year 1864: "The mem- bers of the First Ecclesiastical Society of Washington are hereby warned to meet at the church on Saturday the 19th day of March at one o'clock P. M. to consider the propriety of retaining the services of the Rev. Mr. Murray and to take what action in regard to the same as may be deemed ad- visable."
Apparently all was not smooth sailing for Mr. Murray. He came and served and made friends. But there also must have been criticism. For we find the following resolution in the church record, under the date of July 28, 1864 :
"Whereas efforts seem to have been made to prejudice the minds of men in this and neighboring communities
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against the work and character of the Rev. Wm. H. H. Murray as a preacher of the gospel, and
"Whereas we have in our hands strong testimonials in regard to his qualifications for the work of the ministry before us as well as in his labors for the last six months by which to judge in the case,
"We as a church deem it due to ourselves as well as him to express ourselves publicly in the matter, therefore-
"Resolved that we as a church do cordially testify to the faithfulness with which Mr. Murray has held up before this people the great fundamental doctrines of the Christian religion ; the earnestness with which he has urged Christians to renewed efforts for personal holiness and to greater ex- ertions for the promotion of Christ's Kingdom. And the fidelity with which he has warned sinners of their danger and pointed them to the only way of salvation.
"And that we have reason to rejoice and praise the great Head of the Church that he has as we trust blessed his labors among us to the quickening of some in the church to more zeal and activity and the conversion of some from the ways of sin and death to the way of life and peace. And fur- ther, while Mr. Murray shall remain among us and perform the duties of his office faithfully as we believe him to have done in the past, we promise him our support, our prayers and our cordial cooperation."
While the above resolution sounds emphatic it did not clear the atmosphere. Under date of September 3rd, a meet- ing of the society debated the issue and a resolution of F. W. Gunn to procure the services of Mr. Murray for a longer period was lost by one vote. Similarly at a church meeting on September 15th, 1864, an opportunity was given a protest- ing minority to state their objections to the resolution
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adopted on July 28th. After discussing the protest, the vote was taken, the protest being lost by a vote of 30 to 9. The record is not clear as to what the difficulty was. Rumor has it that Mr. Murray was a man of liberal tendencies who started various innovations.
It was not long before he received a summons to work elsewhere and on November 12th, the society agreed to re- lease him from the fulfillment of his contract, passing the following resolution: "That we desire to convey to Rev. Wm. H. H. Murray the expression of our high admiration, gratitude and affection. Called to fields of wider influence, we commend him to the Christian sympathy, love and confi- dence of those among whom his lot may fall."
On November 20th, Mr. Murray preached his final ser- mon before leaving to become pastor of the Second Con- gregational Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. The text was from Second Corinthians : 13: 5-"Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith." It was a parting shot and that is expressing it rather mildly. Mr. Murray clearly was one who spoke his mind without equivocation. The sermon was printed and a copy of it is now in the possession of the Gunn Memorial Library.
The church remained without a settled pastor until the annual meeting of May 31st, 1866, when it was voted to request the society to unite in sending a call to Rev. W. S. Colton to become the pastor of the church. To this call Mr. Colton responded favorably and began his duties after being duly installed. The story goes that Mr. Colton came with his family by stagecoach from New Milford. Arriving on Church Hill they were met by such a heavy thunder storm that they had to spend the night in a barn, going on the
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next morning to their destination. Rumor also has it that Miss Amy Kenyon was a passenger in the stagecoach.
In connection with the installation of Mr. Colton, a letter touching upon it was written by Mrs. Emmeline Steele Vail to her husband, Charles B. Vail, who later became the editor of the "Litchfield Enquirer." We quote the following ex- cerpts from the letter which was written August 22, 1866.
"Mary and I started at 2 P. M. yesterday and drove down here. Father came down to Washington in the morning with the delegates. I did not expect to stop at Frank's as I thought they would be more than full with Aunt Mary, William Brinsmade and Johnny, Miss Brainard and Mary V. but they insisted upon it and I am very glad to be here. Yesterday the Consociation examined Mr. Colton. We were too late to hear that, which I regret, as from what I hear it must have been spicy. Father had a good many questions to ask upon the catechism, etc. But Mr. Colton was very ready with his answers and came off with flying colors.
"Today has been the Installation and everything has gone off in the most gratifying manner. Washington is the great- est place I ever heard of for getting up a good time and has the knack of getting the most lions together on the shortest notice.
"Our Mr. Beecher (Henry Ward) happened along just in the nick of time. His 'hay cold' or catarrh usually comes on by the 17th of August. This season it has held off for a few days ; he had business up this way somewhere, and ran in to surprise Bertie (Mr. Beecher's son at the Gunnery School). Of course he was a great acquisition and gave a most glorious charge to the new minister. It was very Beech- erish and a word in season to pastor and people.
"Rev. George Richards of Bridgeport is here and
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preached the sermon. Rev. Mr. Murry from New York, Rev. Johnson Tomlinson of Chester, N. H., Rev. Mr. An- drews of Hartford, Prof. Seymore of Western Reserve Col- lege, Ohio, etc. Also here are General and Mrs. Brown from Richmond, Va., and several from Philadelphia. Among the musical celebrities are Miss Brainard of New York, William Brinsmade of Springfield, Mass., Romeyn Smith of Brook- lyn and Mary Vail of Litchfield. Of course the musical part of the performance was a decided success.
"After the services in the church all were invited to go down to Mr. Gunn's grove and partake of a collation pre- pared for the people. There was a pig and a sheep roasted whole, with chickens, beef, biscuits, pies, puddings, cakes without stint. There was feasting and speech making and a good time generally. I had the pleasure of shaking hands with or kissing most of the old men and women in town and had invitations to visit enough to keep me here a month. To finish out the day in characteristic Washington style we had a dance at Mr. Gunn's in the evening and a bonfire in the grove."
(Note. The above letter is in the possession of Mr. Lewis G. Colton, a son of Rev. W. S. Colton.)
Little has been said in this historical record of the various constitutional changes that were made from time to time in the church organization. These changes came as a matter of course. For example, in December of 1864, changes were made in the rules governing the church, bringing them up- to-date. One such rule was that the Standing Committee was to consist of the pastor, the deacons, and four brethren hereafter to be elected to hold the office for four years, and a treasurer to be chosen from among the deacons of the church. This is substantially the arrangement at present
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except that the four brethren have become "sisters." Our failure to describe these changes made in organizational details from time to time rests on the assumption that they are of little interest to present-day readers.
One change that is of definite interest, however, had to do with the omission of one of the Sabbath services during the Civil War years. At the annual meeting of the society, on November 3rd, 1863, it was voted to "have but one serv- ice a Sabbath, commencing at 11 A. M., from the first Sabbath in December to the first Sabbath in March inclu- sive." The change to the one service a Sunday may have had something to do with the vagaries of the New England weather and the difficulties of travel. At a special meeting of the society in 1865, it was voted to "have one service a Sabbath to the first of April and two services a Sabbath to the first of November."
The need of the church for an organ was supplied during these years, as is evidenced by the reference in the society record of May 14th, 1866: "The report of the organ com- mittee was accepted. Voted that the sum of $146 be appro- priated from the treasury of this society for the purpose of defraying the expense of preparing the church for the organ, it being understood that the society be released from any obligation to pay for the use of the melodeon owned by the choir. That the thanks of this society be tendered to the organ committee for their services in procuring and placing in the church an organ."
The church records give little hint of the efforts that must have been made by the members of the church in order to raise funds for this organ. Mrs. Powell Seeley recalls that her father and mother spent days in driving around the countryside visiting among the neighbors and asking them
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to contribute. Her parents commented upon the fact that the church members responded generously to the appeal, thus living up to the Washington tradition.
This new organ must have been an unusually fine instru- ment for a country church in 1865. It cost $2,150. It was built by Hook and Hastings of Boston, Massachusetts, a copy of the contract being still in the possession of the church. It gives all the specifications and details covering the construction of the organ.
In the year 1888 substantial improvements costing $1,420 were made in the organ by the same company which had constructed it. In this work of improving and repairing the organ, Mr. Augustus Smith took a keen personal interest and made a generous contribution. He also made specific recommendations as to what improvements should be made.
From time to time there were additions to the church property and equipment. At a society meeting, April 27th, 1864, with Bennett G. Fenn as moderator, it was voted "to offer the Rev. Ephraim Lyman the sum of $400 for the land belonging to him adjoining the parsonage." Under date of June 2nd, 1872, there is a resolution in the church record, authorizing the treasurer to purchase two more goblets for sacramental service. It is explained by the following note : "The communion set now in use on which is inscribed 'in memory of Daniel Taylor Mitchell 1869' was presented by his son, Simeon H. Mitchell, to the Congregational Church, Washington, Connecticut."
The liberal tradition that has been characteristic of this church is well illustrated by an arrangement reached at a so- ciety meeting on November 18th, 1872, by which the church building was made available for public lectures. Our present custom of having forum meetings in the summer months thus
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has a long history behind it. We quote the resolution : "Re- solved that the Washington Lecture Association be allowed the use of the church for the accommodation of the lectures to be delivered under the auspices of the Association during the coming winter ; the Association to pay all expenses which may be incurred in the occupation of the church for said purpose ; and further that there be no boisterous demon- stration or applause in the church during the course of these lectures."
A great event for Washington was the completion of the Shepaug Railroad in that same year, namely 1872. It was three years later, in 1875, that the Grange was established. The first master, Charles H. Mason, the secretary, F. N. Galpin, and the treasurer, William T. Odell, were members of the Congregational church.
THE HALL ON THE GREEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
Years of Continuing Growth
It T WAS but natural that with the passing of the years, the thinking of Christian people changed in regard to mat- ters of theology. The Calvinistic views of the nineteenth century were no longer widely held. Therefore it became necessary from time to time to go over the creeds of the church in order to bring them up to date and make them an accurate reflection of the views of the church members. At a church meeting in 1876, there was a report by a committee which had been appointed to revise the church creed, of which Deacon S. S. Baldwin was chairman and the creed as amended was adopted. It reads as follows :
"Confession of Faith of the First Church of Christ in Washington.
"Article 1. Do you believe the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments, to be the word of God and the only rule of faith and practice?
"Article 2. Do you believe that there are three persons in the Godhead: the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory?
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"Article 3. Do you believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God hath given himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world and that he is the only one through which sinners may come to God and find acceptance with him?
"Article 4. Do you believe that repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ are the conditions upon which God pardons and justifies the believing sinner ; that though we are justified by faith alone, personal holiness is required of every believer, and that a holy life and con- versation is the best evidence of our being in a justified state?
"Article 5. Do you believe that the hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth ; that every one shall be judged according to the deeds done in the body ; that the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment and the right- eous into life eternal ?"
From the early years the Christian education of youth had been the concern of this church. During the pastorate of Mr. Porter it was greatly stressed. When the Sunday School movement took root in the Protestant churches of America, our church in Washington was not slow to take part in the movement. The following resolution, passed at the annual meeting of January 6th, 1876, indicates how im- portant the work of education was viewed by our church members : "Resolved that while we fully appreciate the work which the Sabbath School Society has accomplished in the past and the degree of prosperity which the Sabbath School has enjoyed under its direction, we believe that the present and future interests of the school will be best subserved by its adoption on the part of the church, and it is resolved that the church take the Sabbath School into its own charge and
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under its own watch and care and that the officers of the school be elected at this and each succeeding annual meet- ing of the church, the term of office being one year."
At the annual meeting of the church held a year later on January 4th, 1877, a set of rules was drawn up and adopted for the management of the Sabbath School. They were as follows :
"The officers of the Sabbath School shall consist of a superintendent, an assistant superintendent, a treasurer, a librarian, an assistant librarian, and a library committee to consist of three persons.
"The superintendent and librarian shall be appointed by ballot, the remaining officers by nomination ; the assistant superintendent to be nominated by the superintendent.
"It shall be the duty of the superintendent, in conjunc- tion with his assistant, to preside over the sessions of the school, to give direction in its general management and or- ganization of classes, and assignment of teachers for the same, and to exercise a general watch and care over all the interests of the school. The superintendent shall be required to present a written report at each annual church meeting, giving a general outline of the experiences of the school for the preceding year, and giving a statement of its general condition at the time the said report is presented.
"It shall be the duty of the treasurer to take charge of all funds contributed by or for the benefit of said school and to disburse the same for such purposes as the school shall direct by a majority of its members, at a regular meeting or session of the school. The treasurer shall be required to make a written report at each annual church meeting.
"It shall be the duty of the librarian together with his assistant to take charge of all books belonging to the school
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and to distribute the same at such times and in such ways as the school shall by majority vote direct. The librarian shall be required to make a report of the number of books and their condition and any other matter of interest connected with the library, at each annual meeting of the church.
"The library committee of three persons together with the librarian and the assistant librarian shall select and purchase all books purchased for the library and no books shall be admitted as a part of the library without the con- sent and approval of a majority of the committee as so con- stituted.
"The teachers assigned to the several classes composing the school shall retain their positions for one year, or until the annual reorganization of the school which shall take place on the first Sabbath of February of each year. All the officers of the school as above mentioned shall be elected for one year and shall commence their term of office on the first Sabbath of February of each year."
After a loyal and effective pastorate of ten years, Rev. W. S. Colton tendered his resignation as minister of the church, the resignation to take effect on August 22nd, 1876. At regularly called meetings of the church and of the society, suitable resolutions were drawn up in appreciation of the services of Mr. Colton. The resolution of the church members reads as follows :
"That we the members of this church do most fully and heartily express our entire confidence in the Christian char- acter of Rev. W. S. Colton ; in his soundness in the faith, and in all essential Christian doctrine ; in his willingness to spend and be spent in his service of Christ; and we do hereby testify to his faithfulness in the presentation of Gospel truth, and in seeking to win souls to Christ, and we do
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heartily commend his faithfulness in pastoral visitation and the spirit of Christian love and sympathy which has char- acterized all his intercourse with this church and people. And it is the sincere desire and earnest prayer of all our hearts that in whatever field of ministerial labor his lot may be cast in the future, he may be permitted to reap abundant harvests as the fruit of his labors and the seal of his minis- try and that the choicest of Heaven's blessings may ever abide with him and his."
To succeed Mr. Colton, the church sent an invitation to a young man named George S. Thrall that he come and minis- ter to the church on a year's basis. This invitation was ac- cepted by Mr. Thrall on May 9th, 1877. As a result, a Council was called to meet in the church at Washington on July 18th to examine and ordain Mr. Thrall to the work of the Christian ministry.
The saying is that a new broom sweeps clean. Reading the minutes of the annual meeting of January 3rd, 1878, it seems clear that Mr. Thrall brought great enthusiasm to his task as pastor of the church. One resolution was concerned with the finances of the church and was as follows :
"Believing that it is the duty of every person that is a member of this church to pay his or her share for the sup- port of the institution of religion, that the covenant vows demand it, that the success of the Master's cause demands it, therefore,
"Resolved that it is the sense of this church that every person who is a church member and not a member of the Ecclesiastical Society, who refuses to pay his share for the support of the Gospel because of not being a member of said Society, that such persons are open to discipline for a breach of the covenant and for the sin of covetousness."
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Another resolution, looking for more effective pastoral work, was as follows : "It shall be the duty of the Standing Committee of the Church and others appointed by them to divide the society into districts, each one taking a district, so that each family and person shall be visited at least twice a year by one or more of the committee. They shall first try to get all who do not attend any church to do so, and pro- vide ways and means for them to get there. Second, they shall urge all who think they are Christians to unite with the church. Third, they shall urge all to join the society and help support the services of the church. Fourth, they shall meet, welcome, and seat all who have no seats and yet desire to worship with us. Fifth, they shall endeavor to visit the poor who are members and comfort them in their afflictions and relieve their distress, as much as lies in their power. Sixth, they shall urge all members to pay in proportion to their means for the support of the Gospel in this place."
The big event at the beginning of each year was the sale of slips or pew rentals in order to secure the necessary funds for the minister's salary and other local expenses. For benevolence work and the support of home and foreign missions it was the usual practice to make two or three special solicitations each year. But for local expenses, the pew rentals were the main source of income. The following resolution of the society meeting in January, 1880, may serve as a sample of the working of the system :
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