This church was originally composed of members from the Berlin and Rhode Island Churches. Of these we may notice the large and respectable families of the Burdicks, Babcocks, and Hubbards, who, even to this day, are the bone and sinew of the Scott fraternity. It was organized in 1820, and William B. Maxson became its first pastor, and Holly Maxson the first deacon. It is justly due to the memory of this venerable man to remark, that for piety, disinterested benevolence, and every amiable and Christian grace, he has rarely been equalled and never excelled. Mild and equable in disposition, complacent and affable in manner, he was particularly qualified to soften animosities and settle difficulties; while the uniform estimation in which he was held, and the known impartiality of his decisions, caused him to be chosen as umpire and arbitrator in all disturbances and divisions of whatever kind. His memory is still venerated, and the most honourable testimonies to his merit are yet borne by the community where he resided. His death was in character with his life. He died repeating
"Jesus can make a dying bed
Feel soft as downy pillars are."
Rev. Joel Green was licensed in 1823, and ordained, agreeably to the request of this church, in 1824, in which connexion he continued until 1840.
Rev. Job Tyler, for a long time his colleague, was also licensed in 1823, and received ordination in 1825.
Rev. Orson Campbell, of Berlin, assumed the spiritual guidance of this church, in connexion with and during the prolonged absence of Elder Green, in 1838 and 1839.
Rev. Russell G. Burdick, the present incumbent, succeeded to the parochial care of this church in 1842.
This church has been blessed with several powerful and extensive revivals, and twice to my remembrance these auspicious seasons occurred during the visitations of Elder John Green. These religious excitements were generally attended with extraordinary exhibitions. Sometimes nearly every individual in the congregation would be prostrate upon their knees, while a mingled utterance of screams, wailings, prayers, notes of grief and joy, would rise in one deep chorus. Ever and anon some sinner who felt his burden removed would burst out in a song of triumph and loud hosannah; others, who had been groaning for hours in the deepest agony, or sitting silent, sullen, and dejected, like images of unutterable woe, would arise with a glory upon their countenances, and words of praise and exultation on their lips. Many entirely lost the use of their limbs, and lay a long time as if entranced. At these meetings there would generally be several ministers, who would officiate at the same time in different parts of the congregation, some in exhortation, some in praying for the distressed, and some in arguments with opposers, who considered such proceedings the height of fanaticism.
FIRST SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, VERONA, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
This church was organized in 1820, although several years previous a number of families of Seventh-day Baptists had removed from Hopkinton and settled in this place, where they kept up meetings on the Sabbath. The large and respectable family of Williamses appears to have been the principal support of this infant church, which, until 1842, remained without the services of a settled pastor, when