| SOME NEW MILFORD CHURCHES | ||
| Methodist Episcopal Baptist, Northville | Methodist, Gaylordsville Saint Francis Xavier | |
and woman then was work, work, work, that we might enter into the goodly heritage we now enjoy. Among the early settlers was Mr. John Read, who built a primitive house at the upper end of “The Green,” near Mr. Frederic Knapp’s house. Mr. Read, at one time, intended to enter the ministry. He preached the first sermon here in his own house. The founders of our State and town believed in God, and delighted in his worship. They were assured that God could manifest himself in the wild woods, or in some log cabin as well as in a stately cathedral. And so, before their families were fairly settled, they provided some place for the stated worship of Almighty God.
“So, here, after Mr. Read left the town, the people continued to use his simple home as their place of worship. I quote from our church manual: ‘These people held their religious services in what was called Mr. Read’s house, which has been described as probably built of logs, one story high, and had but one window, and was not very commodious nor an ornamental place of worship. The first vote to build a regular meeting-house was passed in 1716, and, then, so many difficulties were encountered, and so limited were the resources of the people, that the building does not seem to have been completely finished and furnished till 1731—though it was probably occupied for worship in its unfinished condition as early as 1720. This building stood on Town Hill, on the upper side of the present “Green.” In 1754 a new and more commodious meeting-house was erected upon the village “Green,” nearly opposite the present residence of Mrs. Henry E. Bostwick. This building was used as a house of worship for seventy-nine years, during the pastorates of Revs. Taylor, Griswold and Elliot. During the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Rood in 1833, the present edifice was erected. In 1860, it was completely renovated.’
“In 1892 it was again renovated and a considerable addition made to this audience room, and the chapel, parlor and class rooms were added to the main building. In 1902 the present parsonage was built, and the ample grounds about it were laid out. In 1904 the organ was presented by one of our members....
“They were a godly people who settled in this valley; a people who believed in the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship, and we may be sure that some kind of religious service was held here from the beginning of the settlement, but a regular church was not organized until 1716. Eight female and five male members were formally recognized as a church by council on November 21 of that year. It was a Congregational Church of the ‘Standing Order,’ and all the early inhabitants seem to have been in sympathy with it. It has continued an unbroken organization to this day. It has always been influential in the moral and religious movements of the community; and we are proud of its history, and are glad that we are members of it in this later day.
“We are so firmly convinced of the wisdom of the separation of Church and State, that it is hard for us to appreciate that our own church, through much of its history, was rigidly united with the State. For thirty-four years after the organization of the church, the Ecclesiastical Society and the town were practically the same thing. The larger part of the business of town meetings was the consideration of religious affairs. The town called the minister, provided for the expenses of the church, cared for the building; in fact did about everything that the church and society would do now. It was a town meeting that voted the size of the shingles and clapboards to be placed on the church building. Some of you, not very old, can remember when the town voted in the basement of this building. If there is any virtue in a union of Church and State, this church must have received the full measure. Until 1819 this Society had the legal right to tax all the inhabitants for its own support; but naturally, other denominations, which had arisen within the town, would object to this, and, as a matter of fact, this right was not insisted upon. The only relic of this incongruous relation of Church and State, according to American standards, is the Ecclesiastical Society; and, in the formation of new churches, this is generally done away with, the church feeling abundantly able to take care of its own affairs.
“During the one hundred and ninety-one years of its history this church has been served by ten settled pastors, and by several ministers who acted as pastors for limited periods. All of these ministers were men of power and influence, and have left their mark upon both church and town. From the organization of the church in 1716 to the end of the eighteenth century the church was served by only two pastors—the Rev. Daniel Boardman, and the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor. They were strong men and did much for the religious development of western Connecticut. Their descendants are still influential residents of our town. The third pastor was the Rev. Stanley Griswold, a man of strong personality and pronounced ability. After leaving New Milford he retired from the ministry, and, entering upon political life, became Secretary of Michigan Territory, and afterwards one of the first United States Senators from the State of Michigan. Later, he was Chief Justice of the Northwest Territory. The Revs. Andrew Elliot and Herman Rood were strong men, leaving the impress of their labors upon the life of the church. The sixth pastor was the Rev. Noah Porter. He was a faithful worker here, and his work was greatly blessed. He afterwards became known to all the world of scholars as the distinguished President, for many years, of Yale College. The Rev. John Greenwood was a pastor greatly beloved. After a period of absence from the town, he returned to spend his latter days with the church he loved. The eighth pastor was the Rev. David Murdock, Jr. He was a forcible preacher, and many of the present membership were received into the church during his fruitful ministry. He was pastor during the exciting days of the Civil War, and his stirring, patriotic addresses never left any doubt of the position of this church in the days which tried men’s souls. The last three ministers, the Revs. James B. Bonar, George S. Thrall, and Timothy J. Lee, were the friends and pastors of a large part of the present congregation. Many of the older members were welcomed into the fellowship of the church during their ministries. Not only here, but in other fields of labor, they gave good proof of their ministry. Of all this list of former ministers, only one is living to-day, the Rev. Timothy J. Lee, the immediate predecessor of the present pastor.
“These ministers were advised and assisted by a consecrated band of deacons; men chosen for their piety and interest in the affairs of the church. The New England Congregational deacon has always filled a large place in the moral development of a community; and so these men have done their part in promoting the better life of this town. It would be impossible to write a true history of the town without giving their names a prominent place. The name of one of their number, also sometime clerk of our Society, is written high in the annals of his country, the distinguished patriot and statesman, Roger Sherman, associate of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Robert R. Livingston, on the committee of five which prepared the immortal Declaration of Independence. His colleague, Thomas Jefferson, said of him, he was ‘a man who never said a foolish thing’; and the noted Senator Macon declared, ‘He had more common sense than any man I have ever known.’ At this anniversary time, we are happy to recall the name of such a man as a citizen of our town, and a member and officer in our church....
The following hymn, written for the occasion by Charlotte B. Bennett, was sung in the Congregational Church in the course of the service at which the above sermon was preached.
BI-CENTENNIAL HYMN