CHAPTER VII.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY-CONTINUED FROM PAGE 307.

1853 TO 1872; REV. LUCIUS CURTIS DISMISSED; RELIGIOUS REVIVAL; REV. ROB ERT G. WILLIAMS, SETTLED; REV. CHARLES E. ROBINSON; REV. CHARLES LITTLE; RELIGIOUS REVIVAL; REV. HORACE WINSLOW; REV. GURDON W. NOYES; MEMBERSRIP AND BAPTISMS; REV. SAMUEL R. ANDREW-LIFE AND CHARACTER; H13 OWN ACCOUNT OF HIS SETTLEMENT; DEACON MATTHEW MINOR; MINOR JUBILEE; BENEDICT WILL; CONCLUDING REMAKES.

troyer of human usefulness, intervened, and he was obliged to resign his charge, which he did with reluctance, and to the great regret of his people, on Sunday, Jan. 22, 1854. A special meeting of the church and society was held, Feb. 4, 1854, at which the following votes were passed:

"Whereas the Rev. Lucius Curtiss has communicated to this Church and Society his request that they should unite with him in calling the Consociation to dissolve the connection now existing between us and him as Pastor and People, on account of ill health; and said church and society being unwilling to sunder those bonds and be separated from one in whom they are so well united, and to whom, personally they are so much attached, without some judicious effort on their part to enable the Pastor to regain his health, and still remain with us;-therefore be it

"Resolved, That we propose to him that, instead of calling the .Consociation, he take a vacation of six months, with entire freedom from all pastoral care and labor.

"Resolved That for the same period, we continue his salary as heretofore, and supply the pulpit from our resources as a society; and when the period proposed shall arrive, if his health is not re-established, we will then, if he still desires it, unite with him in calling the Consociation."

Mr. Curtis asked time to consider the proposal, and on the 9th of April, he renewed his request for dismission. On the 27th of the same month, the church and society voted to join with him in referring the matter to the Consociation, to be acted on at its annual meeting in the following June. William Cothren was appointed delegate on the part of the church to attend the Consociation. The matter was duly submitted, and the request of Mr. Curtis granted.

There was an extended revival of religion during the ministry of Mr. Curtis, as a result of which, forty-seven persons were added to the church. The whole number of admissions during his administration was eighty.

Some time after the dismission of Mr. Curtis, rest from pastoral cares had brought a decided improvement to his health, and he was settled over the Congregational Church in Colchester, Conn., where he continued till about two years ago, when he removed, and is settled over a church in Wisconsin.

On the 29th of January, 1855, a call was extended to Rev. Robert G. Williams, of Durham, Conn., which he accepted, and was installed April 25, 1855.

During the administration of Mr. Williams, in 1857, the church edifice was repaired, and remoddled, at an expense of a little more than $4,000. Thirty-two persons were received to membership under him, and the affairs of the society were prosperous.

On the 15th of January, 1859, Mr. Williams tendered his resignation. The church and society accepted it, and united with him in referring the matter to the annual Consociation in June, which approved of this action, and such arrangements were made, that he continued his pastoral care of the church till after the Bi-Centennial Celebration, July 5th, 1859.

In accepting his resignation, the society "Resolved, That he has our hearfelt thanks for the faithful manner in which he has discharged his pastoral duties to us."

The church also, at the same time, "Resolved, That take pleasure in testifying, on this occasion, to our high apprecia- . tion of, and full confidence in the character of our Pastor, as a man, a Christian, and a minister of the Gospel, and that our best wishes and heartfelt sympathies will follow him wherever he may go to labor in the wide harvest-field of the Lord."

At the close of Mr. Williams' labors, the people of his congregation gave him a farewell donation. The following is an account of the event, which appeared in the public prints at the time:

66 A PLEASANT RE-UNION AT WOODBURY.

"The members of the First Congregational Church and Society in Woodbury, in pursuance of a notice read from the pulpit on the preceding Sabbath, met at the parsonage on Wednesday evening last, for the purpose of exchanging sentiments of sympathy and kindness with their late pastor, Rev. Robert G. Williams, who had been dismissed, at his own request, from his pastoral charge over the people, by the late Annual Consociation of Litchfield South. Notwithstanding a severe thunder storm, which came on about the time appointed for the meeting, a large number convened at the parsonage. After an hour or two spent in pleasant, social intercourse, and the exchange of kind congratulations, Mr. William Cothren, at the request of the assemblage, presented to Rev. Mr. Williams a purse containing the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, contributed by individuals, in addition to the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars, which had been previously given him as a parting donation by the Society.

On presenting the donation, Mr. Cothren remarked substantially as follows:

"MY DEAR SIR:-I have been requested, by the friends here assembled, to perform the pleasing duty of presenting to you, with their kind congratulations and sentiments of esteem and affection, a slight token of their enduring regard, and also of extending to you their adieus at parting. The same hour that witnesses these cordial greetings, marks also the time of separation, and our paths diverge from this point forever. Thus it ever is in this changing, fleeting life. We meet in the rapid journey of our pilgrimage on earth, we take the friendly hand, pass some brief moments in joyous, social intercourse, and then pass on our vari

ous paths in the great labyrinth of life. Perchance our paths may sometimes cross, and we may meet again, but we tarry not in our hurried course.

"We meet this evening under circumstances of pleasure, and of pain-pleasure in meeting, pain that we must part so soon. I am glad to be present on this occasion, and the more so, because I did not expect to be here. It is a happy interview. It gives us an opportunity to see the sunny side of human nature-the clear atmosphere of the heart's best affections. It is well that there should be pauses like this in life's turmoil of contending interests. And we congratulate you, sir, that you have been able to perform, creditably and well, so far as you are concerned, your immediate labors with us, for our personal and spiritual welfare.-We congratulate you that you have labored with so great a meed of sucWe would fain imitate your earnest, unremitting and unselfish labors for the good of the Church, and of mankind. We would imitate your caution in speech -never retaliating an injurious word or act. In this parting hour, we do not ask you, if we have erred, to forgive and forget, for well do we know, that in your generous heart, it is done already.

cess.

"And now. sir, I extend to you the hand of fellowship, never, as I hope and believe,to be withdrawn during life's changing pilgrimage. I do this, from the dictates of my own sentiments and emotions, and at the request of the friends here assembled, and others who cannot be present on this glad occasion. I give you the hand of kindly greeting, as well as of friendly parting. We extend to you that hand of kindness, which is often withdrawn, even among most intimate friends,-sometimes for real, but oftener for most imaginary causes. We greet you as one of God's messengers of "peace on earth and good will to men." Our hearts will follow you with kindly emotions, to whatever field of labor, in the vineyard of the Lord, you may be called. We would hold up your hands, and cheer you on in the path of duty, and of usefulness. And now, with this our final greeting, we bid you an affectionate farewell, in the cheering hope that God will at last gather us, a happy and redeemed people, in the mansions of the blest."

"To this address, Mr. Williams responded nearly as follows, closing with a touching and appropriate prayer:

"I accept this at your hand, and the hand of these kind friends

here this evening. And while we are to say farewell, let it be only as pastor and people. The place you have had in my heart will be an aching void, if I may not stili know you as friends. When I came among you, I gave you my heart, my whole heart, and the kindness I have experienced from you, has produced no desire to recall the gift. Your kindness endures to the last. I can pledge you that to the last of life I shall retain a deep impression of it, and a sense of gratitude which I know not how to express.

"You may remember I have often preached upon the susceptibility of the heart. It is because I know somewhat of its power to suffer and enjoy. I have enjoyed in my heart your kindness, and have felt more gratified than my uttered thanks have intimated. For all the many acts and instances of kindness, I wish again to thank you, and especially for this interview, spontaneous on your part, and for this valuable memento, not "a slight token of your enduring regard."

"I am also commissioned to bear to you a message of affection and gratitude from my companion, who cannot be present to-night, but who is here in the thoughts of her warm and loving heart. She loves you very much, and yesterday morning repeated once and again her charge to me to tell you how much she loved you, and thanked you for all your kindness to her and to us as a family.

"I might, not inappropriately perhaps, speak of more general matters, relating to the Church with which you are still united,— an unbroken church.-But there is no need. You have wisdom to see your wants as well as I. You have a place of resort. Let me urge you again to apply to Him, who is able and willing to give all needed wisdom and aid. I commend you to His guidance. And let me beg at the Throne of Grace you will all remember me, as I have every one of you. There let us feel our union, through the head of the church, unto one another.

"And if I have at any time in any manner given any occasion of displeasure or offence, most humbly do I crave your Christian forgiveness, even as I do most cordially forgive all who may now or at any time feel that they have injured me.

"I have often borne you by name to the Throne of Grace. I would like again to commend you to the love and mercy of God, through our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ."

“In

the prayer which followed, Mr. Williams remembered most