ft: m ••■^ oH\ Ar>V/ ' J < \ l8o8. HISTOP^^CAL 1876. MANUAL OF THE Presbyterian Church OF GLEN'S FALLS, N. Y. CONTAINING THE CENTENNIAL HISTORICAL DISCOURSE OF THE PASTOR — PREACHED ON THE THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS MINISTRY TO SAID CHURCH, OCT. I, 1876. c^ppijoved by the Session, GLEN'S FALLS, N. Y.: The Messenger Printing Establishment. 1876. CONTENTS. 6 10 Assembly, General. 9 12 13 43 Boardman William .... 19 Bacon AVilliani 23 .39 -14 4.5 67 64 Church Spiritual Kingdom .5 Invisible 5 Visible .5 5 5 Officers of 6, 7, 8 .55 10 Confession of Faith 10 Committees Building 1.5. .31 Clark, Billy J.. 33 1 8 Doctrine 10 Discipline 29 6,48 17 Fennel A J .30 43, 45 16 Glen, Jacob 16 Goodrich, S. P IT 29 Great Fire 32 History 11-41 Hendrick 13 Judicatories 9 Moss, John Jr 17 Ministers f rona this Church . . . , 65 Ministers, Wives 67 Members 55 Newton, E. H 26 Norris, Wm. T 38 Notices 54 Osborn, Myron 38 Presbyters 7 Pastors 7 Presbytery 9 Paul, Anthony • 14 Pearl Village 16 Russell, Abial 18 Rodgers, R. K 31 Ray, J. W 29 Session 9 Synod 9 Scriptures 10 Standards 10 Sears, R 20 Scovill, J. F 27 School, Old and New 28 Tallmage, Sara'l S 39 Trustees 50 Sunday School 35 Williams, Ephraim 12 Wing, Abraham 16 Wing, Henry 39 I.— OF THE CHURCH. I. The Church of Christ is a spiritual kingdom. My kingdom is not of this worM.—]ESVS. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. — Paul. II. Tlie Invisible Church consists of the whole body of those who are saved by Christ, out of all mankind. This is the Catholic Church, which shall finally be the Church Triumphant in heaven, Not having spot or wrinkle — Holy and without tdemish. — Eph. 5: 27. Confession of Faith, 25th chap. III. The llsiblc Church consists of the whole body of those who make profession of the true religion, out of all mankind, together with their children. — Gen. 17: 7; Acts 2: 39; Acts 16: 15; Also, Form of Gov't, 2d chap. IV. A Particular Church consists of a number of professing Christians, and their children, composing one congregation, and meeting together statedly for divine worship — as the church in the house of Priscilla and Aquila; and as the churches of Judea. CONSEQUENT TRUTHS. 1. The Church and the State are different and independent bodies, each existing of its own divine right. 2. Variety of denominations in the church does not destroy its unity. 3. The term Catholic or Universal is applicable alike to either the Invisible or Visible Church. 4. For any denomination to arrogate to itself alone the term Catholic is the greatest schism. 5. The children of church members, being likewise members, are entitled to baptism. II.— OF CHURCH OFFICERS. I. Presbyters or Elders. These words are synonyms. Only the latter word is used in the Bible; though Presbytery is used in one instance, [I. Tim. 4: 14,] when it signified a body of elders. These officers were in every completely organized church. There were Elders in the church at Jerusalem* iind at Ephesusf. Paul and Bar- nabus ordained Elders in every church of Lycaonia and the region round aboitt\. Titus was left in Crete to ordain elders in every city§. Homer celebrates Crete nearly a thousand years before as containing a hundred cities. The Elders'' Duty consists in taking the oversight of the church in its spiritual instruction and government. Take heed unto your- selves, says Paul to the elders of the church at Ephesus, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers., [Bis hops, "[ to feed the church of Cod -which He hath purchased with His own l>lood\\. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the. word and doctrine"''. HARMONY OF TITLES. I. .Apostles. These were extraordinary anil)assadors, appointed to do an extraordinary work, for which they were specially qualified: They were to be witnesses of the life, teachings, death and resur- rection of our Lord.— Matt. 28: 20; Luke 24: 48; Acts 2: 32, and 10: 39-41. They must have seen Christ.- -Acts i: 21, 22, and 26: 16; L Cor. 15: 8, and g: i. They were supernatural ly guided.- -John 14: 26. They were endowed with miraculous pov/ers.--Luke lo: 19. *Actsl5:4, 6, 23. tActs 20: IT. {Acts 14: 23. §Titn8 1: 5. llAct8 20: 28 | II. Tim. 5: 17. I The use of these was a sign of the apostleship. — II. Cor. 12: 12. Hence, the apostolic office was temporary and the Apostles with- out successors. 2. Evangt'lists.—Y.^\\. 4: 11, These were assistants to the Apostles in their work of preaching the Gospel and organizing churches. Philip was an Evangelist— Acts 21: 8; also, Timothy— II. Tim. 4: 5; and to this class belonged Titus. Nowhere called either Apostles or Bishops, they were Presbyters without office over any particular church, doing under apostolical direction the work which the churches in their first formation needed. Timothy was not Bishop of Ephesus. Ihat church had several Bishops— Acts 20: 28; nor was Titus Bishop of Crete, but he ordained them Bishops in every church. When these Evangelists had finished the work assigned them, they were to join the Apostle again where he appoint- ed. — II. Tim. 4: 9; Titus 3: 12. 3. Bishops. This title was given to Presbyters or Eiders to define their office. They were spiritual overseers, which the word signifies. So the Elders in office over the church of Ephesus were Bishops; so the Elders which Titus was to ordain Bishops over the churches were to be blameless, &c.— Titus 1:7; so Paul in writing to Tmiothy comprises all the officers of the church under the two titles Bishops and Deacons — I. Tim. 3d chap.; and so in writing to the Philippians he includes all the officers of the church in the same terms, Bishops and Deacons— VhW. i: i. Thus it seems plain that Eidet and Bishop were convertible terms— the former signifying the grave and solid character implied in his being chosen to the office; the latter defining the office itself. Observations. As some one of the Elders in each congregation, better qualified than the others, would naturally be chosen to preside in their meetings, and to devote hmiself to "labor in the word and doctrine," he would come to be styled the Bishop; and thus a dis- tinction would exist between him and the other Elders, who followed secular callings. This seems to be the way in which the distinction arose between teaching and ruling Elders. It came to pass; it was not created at first. Thus, immediately on leaving the Apostles, we find Ignatius, a disciple of John, making frequent mention of the Bishop, Elders and Deacons, just as we should say now, perhaps substituting the synonym Pastor in the place of BisJiop. And as the best historians tell us, there is not, for the first two centuries of the Christian era, an instance of the term Bishop being used in any other sense than as above stated. [See Mosheim, Vol. I., page 39, Maclaine's; also, Neander, Vol. I, Article, Church Officers.] And in a similar manner, it is claimed, did Episcopacy rise over the parity of parish Bishops in Presbytery. At length the Papacy was reached, and that held sway till the great Reformation, when, throughout all the Reformed Churches on the Continent, organized and presided over by theologians, and biblical scholars left free to draw their church polity directly from the Word of God, and in the Reformed Church of Scotland, the Presbyterian form of the church was restored. Only in England — and there not without great opposition — was the church left with its old polity, except that the King was put in the place of the Pope. II. Deacons. Their official duty is to'take care of the poor.— Acts, 6th chap. To them also may be committed the management of the temporal affairs of the church. I I I. —OF THE JUDICATORIES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. 1. The Church Session consists of the Pastor or Pastors and Ruling Elders of a particular congregation, 2. ".4 Prcsbvterv consists of all the Ministers, [and there must be at least five,] and one Elder from each congregation, within a certain district." 3. A Synod consists of all the Ministers and one Ruling Elder from each congregation, within at least three Presbyteries. 4. The General Assembly consists of an equal delegation of Bishops and Ruling Elders — every Presbytery containing twenty-four Ministers or less, sending one of each; and every Presbytery con- taining more than twenty-four, in the same proportion. V. —DOCTRINE. The Supreme yudge, by which all controversies of religion are to 1)6 determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be -examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture. — Confession of Faith, cliap. /., sec. lo. A book of about 500 pages, called The Constitution of the Pres- byterian Church in the United States — containing the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Longer and Shorter Catechisms, the Form of Government and Rules of Discipline, Directory for Worship, the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the Apostles' Creed- is received by us, next to the Scriptures, as owy Standard m Aoc\.x\ne and Hu/e of life. All officers of our church, including Ministers, Elders and Deacons, are required to reply to the following questions in the affirmative: Do you believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice ? Do you sincerely receive and adopt the confession of faith of this church, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures ? Do you approve of the government and discipline of the Presby- terian Church in these United States ? Do you promise to study the peace, unity and purity of the church ? munica v.— HISTORY. The First Presbyterian Church in America was that of Kehoboth or Snow Hill, in Maryland, organized in 1684 by Francis McKemic. The First Presbytery was that of Philadelphia, organized with sa'cn ministers, 1705. The First Synod w^f, that of Philadelphia, organized with twen- ty -sez>en ministers, in 1717. The First General Assembly met in Philadelphia in May, 1789. The church then had 177 ministers and 400 congregations. We now have 5010 ministers, 4999 churches and 506,034 com- licants. The following discourse, with the notes, is given as containing the HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR CHURCH. I. Cor. 9: ij. -A dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto me. This current year is the centennial of the United States as a separate and independent Nation. And even the period of our minority, during which we had a colonial existence in this land, how brief was that, when three hundred years ago thegf could not have been more than a few hundred white men on the whole territory now subject to our flag. Only a century and a quarter ago, these hills about us, and these plains and ridges and river-banks, where our farms are now tilled, where our stores and mills and houses and churches now stand, where the hum of toil and trade is ever heard, and where prayer and praise habitually ascend, were almost wholly an unbroken forest. This township was intermediate land lying between the possessions of powerful and hostile Indian tribes ; also, it lay between the English settlements on the South and the French on the North ; througli it was one of the two paths of the "great carrying-place " between Fort Edward on the Hudson and navigable waters north- ward. Names oftentimes are landmarks 4^ history — as the Indian ones Mohawk and Saratoga, Adirondack and Sacandaga; the French ones Vermont, Champlain, Saint Sacrament and Schroon; the English ones Lake George, Queensbury, Kingsbury, Fort Edward and White- hall. These places, and many others with which we are famiUar, and among which we dwell, suggest the olden time when the two great nations of the Old World faced each other here in contest for the possession of the New. In August, 1755, ''•'^ William Johnson, with tiie army tliat fought and gained the battle of Lake George on the 8th of September* following, opened a military road between Fort Edward and the lake, which he then named after the reigning King, George II. "At this lake," he writes, "no house was ever built, nor a rod of land cleared." Daring the five years following this, some of the largest armiesf that had then ever been gathered on this continent passed and repassed through this township; and almost daily, scouts, or detachments of soldiers, or army trains, were upon the road. Three stockade forts were built along the way for defense -- one near George Brown's Hotel, one at the Half- Way Brook, and one near Richards's steam saw-mill. These, after a while, opened the forest around them. The successful campaign of Gen. Amherst in taking Ticonderoga in 1759, drove all enemies from this region, and left it to be peaceably .settled by the English. The Lieutenant Governovpf the provmce of New York proclaimed the country safe *It was in the " bloody morning: scout " of this day that Col. Ephraim Williams, founder of Williams College, was killed near the spot where his monument now stands, and near where there ousht to be a monument also to the Mohawk Chief Hendrick, who fell at the same time. tAbercrombie's army, going to its terrible defeat before Ticonderoga in 1758, could not have numbered less than 16,000— the French estimated it at 20.000 to 25,000. And Gen. Amherst's force, the next year, was 12.000; Ticonderoga and Crown Point both falling easily into their hands. from Albany to Crown Point ; and for the encouragement of any who might choose to settle between Fort Edward and Lake George, he stated that they would there find three cleared spots— one four miles from Fort Edward and one three miles from Lake George, each capable of containing half a dozen families : and one at Half- Way Brook, capable of containing twelve families ; and he promised that the barracks on these places should be left for their accommodation. Leaving now, for a time, the savage and the soldier, we are glad to greet the first permanent settlers, men of peace. Queensbury— named from the young bride of George IIL, then only in the second year of his reign— was granted by patent to twenty-three persons, all but two living in New Fairfield, Conn., on the 20th of May, 1762. In less than two months from the date of the patent, it had changed hands and was held by thirty-one persons, nearly all of whom were residents of Dutchess County. The same summer and fall, accom- panied by one of the proprietors, Mr. Abraham Wing, the township was surveyed by Zebulon Towner. They found accommodations at the barracks on Half- Way Brook with Mr. Jeffrey Cooper, who had received a permit from Gen. Amherst to reside there "for the preservation of the barracks and the conveniency of passengers." Tliis Mr. Cooper, whose name afterwards appears among those of citizens, seems to have been the first permanent resident of the town. Mr. Abraham Wing, with several persons not proprietors, came to reside in 1764. Nearly all the first settlers belonged to the Society of Friends. At one of their monthly meetings in Dutchess County in 1767, the settlers in Queensbury were granted leave to hold meeting on each First day at twelve o'clock: and they were to make report if possible once in three months. Between the date of the first settlement and the beginning of the Revolutionary War were only about ten years— when this whole region again became highway between hostile armies. The growth of the settlement was not only arrested, the township was almost depopulated. Loyalists fled to Canada, some of them joining the British army; while those who favored the. cause of Independence fled down the river to their early homes, or enlisted as patriots. The mills and many of the houses were burned; and partisan strife among the few that remained added to the horrors of the ahnost every day presence of unfriendly Indians and a lawless soldiery. After the close of the war, old and rankling animosities burned lor years in the hearts of not a few who returned and reclaimed their possessions. The population now increased somewhat rapidly over the whole township; at the close of the century the northern part was more thickly settled than the southern. The first house of worship was built of logs by the Friends about 1786, on the west side of Bay Road and south of Half- Way Brook. Here also was the first burying- place. The next was -built aliout ten years afterward, likewise of logs, by the Baptists, near the Round Pond. Its first, and I do not know but its only minister, was Rev. Rufus Bates. His parish extended, not only over the whole township, but somewhat indefi- nitely into the region beyond; and at one time, about the beginning of the present century, his entire membership it has been thought could not have been less than two hundred. The third church building in the town was another one by the Friends, a commodious structure on Ridge Road, erected in 1800. We come now to the time when the Presbyterian element, which had come in with new settlers, began to make itself manifest. Except the Rev. Anthony Paul — supposed to have been educated by President Wheelock, and duly licensed in Connecticut — who preached around the sliores of I^ake George, there had never been a Presbyterian minister resident in the county, and it is presumed that there had never been heard, except from this Christian Indian*, but few Pres- *It BPems certain that Paul's wife was a dansrhter of Sampson Occuni, whom Mr. Whee'ock educated and introduced into the ministry. Occiira visited England with his instructor, and there preached to crowds By the interest which he led Lord Dartmouth to take in the education of his people, he had an agency in founding Dartmouth College. Paul took up his residence in liolton at a very early period, after perhaps living for a while within the northern limits of this township. '• He was," writes the Rev. Courtney Smith, who had seen him in his youth, "a fall- blooded Indian and a Mohetran. He received au acadernical education somewhere in Connecticut and was licensed to preach by a Congregational Association. Those New England Christians in my native town thought well of him, and listened to his discourses with satisfaction. He officiated at the first funeral in the settlement, that of an aunt of mine. But— but — he had an Indian's appetite and became intemperate; was sometimes artistically drunk, and the good people whom he had edified were compelled to discard him. He was last seen embarking in a canoe to go down the byterian sermons. The Methodists had a flourishing society on the Ridge, which had grown out of the preaching of Lorenzo Dow; and in Johnsburgh they had a society watched over by the local preacher David Noble. Nearly forty years had passed since the settlement of the town, and as yet we had here no name. Moreau already had a Congregational Church, with two houses of worship, and was just settling a pastor, the Rev. Lebbeus Armstrong. This may have somewhat interested and aroused the people here. The village occupying this spot, then called Pearl Village, had become a place of considerable trade, had a good hotel, mills on the falls, and a somewhat large number, in proportion to the whole population, of intelligent and enterprising citizens. The movement for a house of worship seems to have been spontaneous and general, and there being as yet no churcli organization, it tooli both the form and name of an Union— and the house thus built was for many years occupied by different denominations. A subscription "to build a house of publick worship in the Town of Queensbury, County of Washington*, somewhere near the Four Corners," was drawn up on the 4th of March, 1803. On the first day of June following, the number of subscribers having reached thirty-eight and the aggregate amount $974, "a majority of the subscribers being met," a committee of sevenf were appointed to collect the sums subscribed and erect the church. With this inadequate amount it could not have been expect- ed that the house would soon be finished. It was probably soon raised and enclosed. Three years afterward, June ist, 1806, the number of subscribers had reached eighty-one and the amount $1292.50. Afterward we find names increasing the whole number of contributors to ninety-nine. The society elected trustees^ and lake— not quite "the last of the Mohegan."," for two of his sons had their habitations somewhere below "the Nurrows," one of whom I was wont to see. and whose fiddle I have danced after in the days of my youthful exploitations." *Warren County was not set ofi' from Washington till 1813. tThis committee consisted of Micajah Petit. William Robards. John V. W. Huyck, Peter Peck, John Mallory. Warren Ferris, and John McGill. $The first trustees were William Robards. Daniel Peck, John Folsom, William Hay, Micajah Petit and John A. Ferris. effected a legal organization on the 23d day of July, 1807, under the name of the "Union Church of Pearl Village* in the Town of Queensbury." A year following this, 30th of July, 1808, the trustees made a contract with Parsons Ranger, who had been the builder thus far, and who now associated with him Luther Stebbins of Lake George, to complete the house of worship for $750. The work specified as then remaining to be donef, shows that the whole five ♦The name of the corporation was changed to First Presbyterian Church of Glen's Falls, by the Legislature in 1848. The name of the falls at this place, fonnd in the papers of the proprietors, 1766 and 1T86, was " Great Palls." As Mr Abraham Wing built and owned mills on the falls, they naturally came to bear his name, and were called Wing's Palls. Meauwliile there was a strong compel itor foi the name on the other side of the river. A Col. John Wlen owuerl a large tract of laud there during the Revolutionary War: and his son Jacob, before the close of the last century, was owner of mills and doing business on that side. There has fallen into ray hands a copy [certified to by the writer] of the adver- tisement in a Philadelphia paper in 1798, which fell under Mr. Polsom's notice, and brought him up to examine the Glen property here. For the light which it throws on the settlement the other side of the river, I quote a portion of it: "For Sale— That valuable seat known a«i Glen's Falls, situated in the Town of Northumberland, County of Saratoga, and State of New York; on the south side of the Hudson River: Ave miles west of b'ort Edward, and nine miles south of Lake George; with grist- and saw-mills, and all other buildings thereon; with upwards of 300 acres of land, about 140 of which are under improvement There are on the premises a large dwellinfi-honse, with six fireplaces on the floor; a large Dutch barn; a mill-house for the hands attending the mills: and a small farm-house. The saw-mills are superior to any in the State. The gang-mill, with fourteen saws, will cut a log fourteen feet long in fourteen minutes Prom March to December the mill will cut .5000 logs, and to run nights twice that number. There is a bridge across the Hudson at the falls: and the t'reat roads from Albany and Schenectady, to and from Canada, both by Lake George and Skeenesborough, are over this bridge and through this farm: also the road to and from the growing country called Jessup's &, Sherman's patent. The situation of this place is elegant for a gentleman's seat, and equal to any forextensive and profitable business." The old Glen residence stood on the blufl' a little soath of the paper-mill. The overshailowing claim and influence of Mr. Glen, and the pos.sibly waning use of Mr. Wing's name in application to the falls, may make the story told ihe writer by the late Mr. Abraham Wing, that his Uit.her abandoned his claim to the name for a bottle of wine, agree very finely with human nature— if it must go. why. let it slide for any trifle that can be had. Whence the name Pearl 7i7Jo.(7e, by which the settlement here was called so much during the first years of the present century, and which the founders of this church honored by attaching it to the corporation. I have never learned. But at length Pearl Villaije and the Four Corners went out of use, and gave exclusive place to the' name Glen's Falls, which came to be applied to the village as well as to the fall of water. +" Make all the sashes for paint, and glaze the said church throughout; paint the steeple; put what work is necer^sary and proper on the doors and years had elapsed without the building reaching a proper condition to be occupied. It was now completed according to the contract "within the space of live months"; and within a few days, Dec. l8th, 1808, a church was organized by Rev. Jonas Coe of Troy, consisting of nine members*, all of whom now sleep. The pews in windows on the oatside; lay the deck floor to the steeple and siel the same above; make the railing about the balcony; case and make a door from the gallery into the steeple; make plank steps to each door outside; put iron gripes on the gallery beams: make the pews througtout said church, agreeable to the plan drawn by John Folsom; finish the gallery with seats raised in the ordinary way; make two flights of stairs into the gallery; make a decent pulpit; lay all the floors necessary in the house; and to furnish all the materials and trimmings necessary for finishing said church complete in every part, [except the paints, oil and glass, and materials for putty, which the said trustees are to deliver on the spot] — the said Parsons and Luther to complete the whole remaining part of the church not already done, both mason's and joiner's work, with good materials, at their own expense — from the lower part of the sills to the wooden ball of the steeple, including painting the whole within and without." ♦The following are the names: John Folsnm[\'\, Solomon P. Good- richl2}. Elizabeth Folsom(S), Ann Ooodrich(i), Glorianna Folsofn(5), Mary FolsoviK), John Moss, ./r.[7]. Xaomi Ranger(S), Amy Sanford(9) . John Polsom and John Moss, Jr., were the first elders— elected and installed when the church was organized. [l]Mr. Folsom was born in Stratfonl, Conn , in May, 1756. His parents were members of the Euiscopal Church. In early life he canm to All^an.v. whtre he followed the business of a silver- smith. In that city he became a memlier of the I'irst Presbyterinn Church, in which be served for some time as a ruling elder. He came to Glens Falls in 1806. having purchased the large Glen property on the other side of the rii er. The first year of his residence here he had ten thousand logs in the river, most ot which were floated by and lost. He built the Folsom mansion, more recently called the Rice mansion, where he lived as farmer, merchant, lumberman, and even iiiaimfacturer of cotton cloth— the old atone building that used to occupy the spot where the lower saw-mill of the Morgan Lumber Company now stand.s. was once a cotton factory ruu by Folsom & Gould. He owned most of the toll-bridge across the river at the falls. His counsel aud influence were immediately aud strongly felt in the formation of the Presbyterian Church. He contributed a thousand dollars to complete the nnfinisbed church building. He was a man of considerable wealth and of great business enterprise. A close student of the gospel, he hired the old academy on Ridge Street, where he used to preach the Word, and at length built the Session House, where Mr. Stillwell's hardware store now stands, which wa^ ticcupicd as a place for week-day meetings for many years ; in this house, it having been fiuislicii as a dupllinir, he died in August 1^.'19, aged 83 years. Possessed of a strong, pure and magnetic rhrnactri. liiirial with his ni.rney and earnest and active as aChristian.a licensed minister duriiu ih-' Inu^r imrti.m of liis life, honored and trusted by the community, his name is yet spoken aiie-ngus alnmst with reverent remembrance, and his power for good is by no means yet exhausted. [7] John Moss, Jr., brother of Edward, w ho w.ts afterward likewise an elder of the United Chureh of Kingsbury and Queensbury, was one of four brothers who were sons of John Moss who came from Conn. and settled in Kingsbury some time li'fnre the Revolution. He owned a large tract of land, and gave his name to the street on \\ hirh niurli nf it was situated. John Moss. Jr., at the time of the organization of this church. l:^e■I :it SumIv Hill, and was owner of the mills at the dam a little this side. He was an intelli-'eiit, - an-e-t .nul active Christian, and like Mr. Folsom, conducted meetings in his neiEhborhneil. t. acliii]:: and expounding the Scriptures with much wisdom and hdelity Except a brief resideuoe in llult-.-n he continued an active elder of this church and fhaf at Sandy Hill till 183.i, when he removed to Chazy, where he soon after died. [2]Mr Goodrich was a native of Wefhersfield. Conn. Well educated, rehned and kindly in his disposition and habits, he made teaching his profession, and performed a good work for the youth of this community, during the early years of the present century. Previous to his coming here he had taught with success iu Utica and Troy; and coming here soon after his father in law arrived, the new church were sold subject to rent; and this was probably the way by which the money was raised to pay for the finishing work. Undoubtedly before this time Presbyterian or Congregational ministers must have occasionally been here and preached — Mr. Arm- strong had already been the pastor of the Congregational Church in Moreau for five years, and at least three years before had organized the Congregational Church of Kingsbury* — but with a single exceptionf I cannot learn that anyone had ever been employed here to statedly « ; ♦There is an old gentleman now living in Kingsbury who remembers to have been present when the church was organized by Mr. Armstrong, at a private house about four miles north of Sandy Hill, in 1804 or 5. It is evident, too, that this church antedates the church of Queensbury, for it is a part of the record of the organization of this church that the churches of Kingsbury and Morean were invited to participate in observing the Lord's Supper on that occasion. +In 186S Miss Betsey Ranger, since deceased, informed the writer that she remembered eoing to school to a Presbyterian minister by the name of Russell, who taught during the week and preached on Sunday in a building on 9ae spot now occupied by the residence of Dr. Holden, on Elm Street. She remembered hearing her mother, who was one of the original nine members of this church, say that his sermons were better adapted to an old and established congregation than to the one then gathered. Dr. Holden establishes the date of this preaching by a receipt to Reuben Peck, dated February 24, 1806, for a quarter's schooling, 14s Gd, and a quarter's preach- ing, 24s— signed Abial Russell. he eoDtiuued to follow the same caUiiig. For many years he was the schoolmaster or the old academy on Ridge Street: and in this building, about 1815, he organized and superiuteuded the first Sunday School in what is now the County of Warren. He became an elder of the church in 1819, and held the office till his death in 1831. of what is now Brunswick, Rensselaer County, and was of (D)Glorianna Folsom was also a daughter of Mr. Folsom. (6) Mary Folsom was a niece of Mr. John Folsom. (9)Amy Sanford was the wife of David Sanford [who was elected deacon at the organization nf the church, but did not serve). They came from New Milford, Conn., and .settled on Sauford's Ridge, in 179.'). She was the mother of George Sanford. who thirty years ago w.as a very enterprising and public spirited re-iident of this village, and a highly esteemed member of this congregation. He died in Syracuse, in 1.S62. {S)Naomi [Torryl Ranger was the wife of Parsons Banger, builder of the church. She was born in Williamstown, Mass., May 1, 1771, and was a ■laiiKlit' r nt onr ..I tli,- provincial militia who was captured in this town in 1757. He was tak./ii lii i';ui,m1;i, uuil aliiruard released or made his escape. The romance of the story is, that this .lantjlitri ni ihr .\iiiiui. d soldier, thirty-seven years after the Indians carried him away, camo li«.- to in , and «a- inun-iod within a mile or two of the spot where her father was taken. She died .lau .10, IsM. I have thus gone through the names of those who formed the church at the beginning, to ascertain and record the source whence they came. And we see that all but one [Mrs. Folsom] wereof New England blood; and allot thesebutoneEMrs. Ranger, from Williamstown. IweieofCiinnecticutorigin. 19 preach the Word. The Rev. William Boardman was the first resident minister of the church. Commencing his labors in the spring of 1809 and closing them in the fall of 181 1, he was here about two years and a half. It is not probable that he was installed. He came here from Duanesburgh, near Schenectady, where he commenced his ministry in 1803, and where he had been pastor therefore for six years. He was a native of Williamstown, Mass., and a graduate of Williams College. Vet a young man*, only twenty-eight years of age, scholarly, earnest, a good preacher, very genial and kindly in all social relations, there is evidence existing here yet that he was greatly beloved, and that his departure to take charge of a church in Newtown, Long Island, was much regretted. During a portion and perhaps all of the time that Mr. Boardman preached here, he also supplied the church at Sandy Hill. Indeed, it was probably during the time that he was here that the two churches became consolidated, forming the "United Church of Kingsbury and Queensburyf." These two churches, harmoniously uniting in one, and dividing between them the services of one minister as they did for about twenty years, that together they might be able to support the Gospel without missionary help, afford an example to many small churches now that are near e^ich other, which it might not be amiss for them to appreciate and practice^ . Mr. Boardman's salary was $350 in ♦William Boardman was born iu Williamstown, Mass., Oct. 12, 1T81; was educated in the college of his native town; was ordained and installed over the Presbyterian Church of Duanesburgh, N. Y., in 1803; commenced preaching in Glen's Falls early in the spring of 1S09, and closed in Septem- ber, 1811, supplying at Sandy Hill during the same time; he lived while here on Ridge Street, in the house now belonging to Mr. Dix and occupied by Albert Blakesley; was installed pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Newtown, L. I., Oct. 22, ISU; here he continued till his death March 4, 181S; " he was a man of ardent and active piety." says one of his successors, "and died deeply lamented." His wifewasaMies Bloodgood of Albany; they had several children when here. tA.tthe very beginning of the year 1810, Jan. 18th, we find by their records that the session of the Presbyterian Church here were discussing the question of union with the Congregational Church of Kingsbury. And the next June we find the session meeting at Sandy Hill, and examining and receiving members to the church— implying clearly that the union had been consummated. Jl think it worth while to put it on record that the church at Glen's Falls never asked nor received missionary aid, notwithstanding in its early days it was so much of the time without a minister. this village; how much it was in Sandy Hill I have not learned. From the time of Mr. Boardman's leaving, September, 1811, to the coming of Mr. Rodgers, in Maixh, 1820, there were eight years and a half, during which, with a single exception, it does not seem that the church enjoyed the stated services of any minister. This exception is in the case of Mr. Sears*, who seems to have been here for at least six months, embracing the latter half of 1S12. January 8th, 1813, the trustees purchased of Henry Spencer for $25, " an acre and a quarter and one rod, as Glebe for the use of the church." This became what we now know as the " Old Burial- place." That it was designed for such use is not learned from the deed, but from the fact that it was immediately put to this use; and the next spring, May 10, 1813, Mr. Folsom, who was collector and treasurer of the society, was authorized to "contract with some one for fencing the burymgiDlace." Previous to this lime the vdlage buryingground was on the bluff now occupied by the old stone church. Also, at the same date Mr. Folsom was authorized to "Purchase a bell for the church, provided he can obtain money for the purpose." It is evident that he succeeded, for in his account as treasurer we find the iteins, "Cash for bell, $306," and "Cash for fetching up the bell, $3." And the next November, 1813, Mr. J. Cunningham was employed to "ring the bell three times a day for the use of the village, and Sabbath days for the use of the church, for $40, payable every six months." During the next few years we only get glimpses of the church through the records of the session and the trustees, and the account ol the treasurer: We find the name of Dr. Coe of Troy, as many as seven times, nearly or quite every time he administered the ordinances of the united church; the name of Dr. Blatchford of Lansingburgh ; of Mr. Fiinnan, jMr. Clark, Mr. Tomb of Salem; Mr. Hardy, (three Sabljaths,) Mr. Broxvnell, Mr. Griswold, Mr. Armstrong of Moreau. Occurring as these names do, scattered along through this whole period, we find in this fact evidence of the weak condition of the church, that it was ♦Mr. Sears boarded with Edmund Peck, and had his study in the chamber of the flne new house which Mr. Peck had built two or three years before, and which is standing now on the corner of Ridge and Sanford Streets. not able to command stated preaching. It should however be recorded, as yet in the remembrance of some now living, that religious services were maintained much of this time by Mr. Folsom and Mr. Goodrich— Mr. Folsom preaching the Word*. There seems to have been much more than ordinary interest and life in the church, especially at Sandy Hill, in 1816-17. At a communion administered by Dr. Coe, Nov., 1816, twenty-five persons were admitted to the church; and the next March thirteen by Mr. Arm- strong. And as though Providence was preparing the way for a pastor, and at the same time showing that he could work and give a measure of prosperity without one, at the beginning of the year, just before Mr. Rodgers's arrival, the session, which for almost the whole time of the church's existence had consisted of the two original members f, was increased by the addition of six persons— John Thomas, Luther Johnson, S. P. Goodrich, Samuel Cranston, Dan. Beaumont, and Edward Moss— who were ordained by Dr. Coe in the Court HouseJ at Sandy Hill, January 30, 1820. We come now to the first regular pastorate of the church— one extending over considerable time and having a good degree of success. Ravaud K. Rodgers§, a grand-son of one of the early and ♦This was before Mr. Folsom was licensed to preach the Gospel. It was sometime daring this period that Mr. Darius Peck remembers to have been present at a funeral at which he officiated. And I am glad of this occasion to say that I deem this practice of an elder of the church strictly in accord- ance with usage in apostolical days, and worthy to be followed, as occasion may offer, by any of our ruliag elders, I have not an elder of my church whom I would not rather have officiate at the burial of one of mv family than to call in a stranger. tThere are three names appearing as members of the session in 1809 and 1810— Jonathan Harris, Mathew Scott, and Joseph Caldwell. Owing to the imperfect manner of keeping or preserving the records in those days, the time of their admission to the church is not known— their names are not even on the roll of members. Mr. Scott was appointed to attend synod in Utica, Oct., 1809. $The present church edifice and the first one built in Sandy Hill, was dedicated the I5th of Peburary, 1S27— sermon by Dr. Beman of Troy The Court House for a long time served as a church for the different denom- inations. §Dr. Rodgers was born in the city of New York. Nov. .3, 1796. His father was a merchant; his grand-father was Rev. John Rodgers. D. D., Moderator of the first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. 1789; he gradu- ated ;it Princeton in 1815, and at Princetou Seminary, 1818; he was licensed by the Presbytery of New York, April, 1818. and spent the next winter as a missionary in Indiana. After his return from this mission into what was prominent ministers of New York, and a licentiate of the Presl;ytery of New York, was spending the winter of 1819-20 as a missionary in the bounds of what was then the Presbyteries of Columbia and Champlain. In the course of his evangelistic work and on his way northward, he spent a couple of Sabbaths at Sandy Hill and (Jlen's Falls. The people of the United Church were so pleased with him and his preaching, that on his return in March he was invited to remain for a year as stated supply, in the hope that by that time they might be in a situation to give him a call for a permanent settlement. His acceptance of this invitation, and how the hope of the church was realized, may be easily inferred from the following minute on the fly-leaf of the church register, in Mr. Rodgers's own fine hand- writing: "On Wednesday, the 14th day of March, 1821, Ravaud K. Rodgers was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, and installed pastor of the United Church of Kingsbury and Queensbury. (Jn this occasion a sermon was delivered by the Rev. Jonas Coe, D. D., of Troy, from II. Timothy, 4: i, 2. The Rev. Samuel Tomb of Salem presided and made the consecrating prayer. The Rev. Nathaniel S. Prime of Cambridge gave the charge to the pastor; and the Rev. Ethan Smith of Hebron addressed the people*." Mr. then the far west, he was appointed to another within the boundary of the Presbyteries" of Columbia and Champlain— these included the whole of Northern New York, on the east side of the Hudson, extending from Dutchess County to the Canada line, and west of the Hudson embracing the County of Greene. His [14th of March. 1821,] was the first installation of the Presbytery of Troy, which had been set off from Columbia in 1820. Mr. Rodgers's salary was to be $500, preaching every alternate Sabbath in each place. He was married by Dr. Coe of Troy to Miss Caroline W. Thomas, daughter of John Thomas of Sandy Hill. Oct. 10, 18'21, and resided in that village during the whole of his pastorate here. In 1830 he was installed over the Presbyterian Church in Bound Brook, N. J., where he maintained a prosperous pastorate for forty years. He was honored with D. D. by Rutger's College in 1856. He was an excellent scribe, and stated clerk of the Synod of New York for many years. Now. an octogenarian, living with a daughter in Athens, Georgia, " the grasshopper somewhat of a burden," as he himself writes, he is quietly and calmly waiting to enter into rest. *At the commencement of Mr. Rodgers's pastorate, persons received by letter were required by resolution of the session to enter into covenant — previous to this it would seem that this had not been done. In April, 1823, the session acknowledge the gift of a quarto Bible for the pnlpit, by Dr. Bethuel Peck. In 182T the town of Queensbury was canvassed by a committee, and one hundred and four families were found without the Bible. 23 Rodgers's farewell sermon to the congregation at Glen's Falls was on the eighth anniversary of his settlement, March 14th, 1829; although the dissolution of the pastoral relation did not take place till the 28th of April following, at Pittstown. His entire ministry to the church, therefore, it will be seen, extended through nine years. The United Church, on petition of members, had already been divided by the presbytery into two distinct churches, August 27th, 1827, to be known as "The Presbyterian Church of Sandy Hill " and "The Presbyterian Church of Glen's Falls." Mr. Rodgers continued pastor of the church at Sandy Hill till Febmary, 1830, nearly another year. During the nine years of this ministry to both congregations there were received to the church on profession of faith 192 persons; only about three-eighths [73] of them however belonged to the branch at Glen's Falls. During the year 1824* there was a very deep religious mterest in both places. It is no doubt to the communion on the 14th of March, of this year, that the Doctor refers in his '■'■Fifty Years in the Ministry,'''' where he says, "We had some seasons of delightful refreshing from the Lord. I can never forget one of commanding interest, when nearly one hundred persons came out from the world and took the vows of God upon them." Nine years ago, in my "Historical Sketch," the first discourse delivered in this house, 1 took occasion to refer to the great amount of discipline which was administered in the year 1828. It astonished me that a session should have occasion for so much of that unpleasant duty. I *It is proper that I mention here the Rev. William Bacon, minister of the church in Morean at this time, as an agent who greatly promoted this revival. He was much employed during his whole ministry in evangelistic labor; and in the general and deep religious awakening throughout this region in 1824. he occupied a very prominent place He is distinctly and gratefully remembered by some of the old residents here and in Moreau, at the present day. In a note from Dr. Rodgers he says, " Mr. Bacon was a wise and skillful laborer in revivals, and his services were much sought after, aad were crowned with great success. I cannot but believe that if we ever get home to a belter world, we shall find some there wearing bright crowns who were brought into the kingdom during the revival of 1824, and hailing William Bacon as the instrument of their being brought to the cross." Mr. Bacon was born in August, 17S9; graduated at Union College in 1515: studied theology with Drs. Nott and Yates; was licensed by Oneida Presbytery, 1816, and ordained by Presbytery of Buffalo, 1817. He was minister, it is said, in more than a dozen different parishes, and " very many whom he led to Christ speak his praise." He died in Auburn, April 2d, 1S63. 24 have now re-read with some care the records of the session for the last five of the nine years of which I am now speaking, and with special reference to this subject. I find that in these five years thirty-two persons were under discipline, several of them more than once. No douht so many coming into the church at one time, borne upon a cuiTent of enthusiasm which must soon somewhat abate, and many of them not having been well instructed in religious truth and duty under an established ministry, which they had not then long enjoyed, may in a measure account for not a few of the errors into which they fell — many of the charges against them seem to have been errors in regard to duty rather than immoralities of life. And it is not impossible that the session, nearly all of whom, including the pastor, were without experience, may have entertained such views of their proper work and office that they were led to a minute- ness of supervision and watchcare over the membership, too nearly like that required by the church in her childhood under the old dispensation, and not exactly in accordance with the manhood and liberty contemplated under the Gospel. Although this pastorate is remembered now by the few of the aged members yet remaining with a great deal of satisfaction, and on the whole was certainly a wise and successful one, it is nevertheless too plain that at its close the church was far from being happy or harmonious*. The member- ship in this village when Mr. Rodgers came could not have been much over thirty; when he left it was about ninety. The next three years and a half, till the coming of Mr. Newton, in September, 1832, while we find the names f of quite a number of clergymen on the sessional records, mentioned simply as moderators, there were but two who supplied the church for any considerable time— these were Edwin Hall and Caleb B. Tracy. Each of these ♦It was with difficulty that suitable persona could he induced to accept of the office of trustee. And on the 25th of March. 1829, there was made the following record: "Jieaolved, That in the existing state of things in this church, the session consider it proper that the regular communion be postponed." tJohn Savage, Amos Savage, E. D. Kinney— these last two, with Alvah Day, assisted Mr. Hall in the protracted meeting— Mr. Kennedy, Mr Jones, Reuben Smith, Mr. Davis, and Washington Rosevelt, who was minister at Sasdy Hill for two or three years. gentlemen preached here about six months— Mr. Hall beginning in August, 1830, and Mr. Tracy the latter part of 183 1. The church, which had become almost dilapidated*, was undergoing repairs when Mr. Hall arrived ; so he was obliged to preach for a time in the Session House. The repairs, including a new bell in the place of the old one, which had been cracked, were completed on the ist of December, and a protracted meeting of considerable interest imme- diately followed. Mr. Hall, a native I believe of Granville, in Washington County, supplied also, during the time that he was here, the church in Sandy Hill, preached occasionally at Fort Edward, and acted as a general missionary throughout Warren County! . A call was made out for Ephraim H. Newton on the 3d day of September, 1832. His service commenced immediately, though he was not installed till the 28th of February following}:. He had ♦The need which the church bad of repairs had been felt and discassed by the trustees three years before. They appointed a comtnittee to provide for making them, but DOtbing could "be done then. July 12, 1830. the tras-tees drew up a laaper which in a few days contained pledges in excess of what was needed— the amount being $622 25, while the expense of repairs was only $537 .ST. The subscribers, however, might have the amounts which they gave apply in payment for any pew or pews which they might buy: and any surplus which should remain from the sale of pews over the payment for repsiirs was to be returned to the subscribers in proportion to their subscripiions. And the pews were to be always sub- ject to tax by the trustees. When the repairs were fiuished four-fifths of all the pews [42] were taken at once. At this time also a new bell was obtained, the old one having been broken when tolled for the death of DeWitt Clinton, ne.srly three years before. And this one, likewise haviug been broken, was exchanged for the one that was melted in the fire 31st of M.ay, 1864, which weighed 1669 pounds, and cost 26 cents a pound. tEdwin Hall, D. D., for the last twenty-one years Professor of Theology at Auburn, de< lined receiving a call here on account of a pulmonary affection, and engaged in teaching. He however accepted a call a year afterward to the first Congregational Church of Norwalk, Conn., where he maintained a high position till called to Auburn in 18-55. Assisted by the Rev. Amos Savage, be revived and reorganized the Presbyterian Church of Caldwell, the way having been prepared for him by Mrs. Judge Baldwin, who had for some time conducted there a very successful Sunday School. JThe Rev. John Whiron of Salem presided: the Rev. Archibald Fleming of Whitehall made the installing prayer: the Rev. N. S. S. Beman of Troy preacted the sermon, from Acts. 9: 6; the Rev. Mark Tucker of Troy gave the charge to the pastor, and the Rev. Reuben Smith of WaterforJ gave the charge to the congregation. Immediately after the inst:xllation of Mr. Newton the observance of the already been a successful pastor and teacher for nearly twenty years, in Marlborough, Vt., which was his native State. He was forty-five years of age, a man whose life from his youth had been largely devoted to teaching, of cultivated scientific tastes, and of marked and strong character. He was not a brilliant, but a sound and instructive preacher. He was the first minister of this congregation, except Mr. Tracy for a few months, whose services were not divided with Sandy Hill. Being to the manner accustomed, and his support being inad- equate, he taught a very excellent select school during a portion of the time that he was here. He was dismissed by the presbytery on the 25th of August, 1836, "in consequence of the enibarrassed state of the funds for his support," after a ministry here of just four years. What his salary was I have not ascertained. This ministry had been eminently successful; there had been added to the church sixty persons on profession, and a large number by certificate. There had been but one case of discipline; and there was general prosperity and concord. I am inclined to think that the severing of this pastoral connection, like several of which I have personally known, was a mistake of both minister and people*. Lord's Supper was fixed for the first Sabbaths of January, April, July, and October— quarterly, as it has been ever since. Also, the session resolved to hold a stated meeting on the first Tuesday evening of each month. *Dr. Newton was born in Newfane, Vt., June 13, 1787. He graduated at Middlebury College in 1810; and in recognition of his scholarly acqairel menls, he in due time was honored with D. D. by the same institution. He studied theology at Andover; was licensed by the Haverhill Associatioa, April 14,1813; was installed over the Congregational Church of Marlbor- ough, Vt., March 16, 1814. Here he labored over eighteen years, coming to Glen's P.ills in 1832. After leaving Glen's Palls, he took charge of the Presbyterian Church in Cambridge, N. Y., where he was installed March 15, 1837. Here he continued for six years, and never sustained a pastnra- relation afterward. On being dismissed from this charge he became principal of Cambridge Academy, and devoted himself to scientific studies, especially to geology, " There was a time," says Dr. Fillmore, his successor in the church at Cambridge, -'when in mineialogy and geology he was equal to any in the land." He was principal of the academy for five years, ,and supplied during this time the Reformed Dutch Church in Easton one year. and the Reformed Dutch Church at Buskirk's Bridge two years. After this he retired to a farm, and devoted himself to sheep raising and scientific agriculture. He was president of the Washington County Agricultural Society when he died. In 1^60 he visited his first parish in Marlborough, where he spent most of his time for a couple of years in laboring for the good of his old charge, accepting from them an election to the Legislature 27 The church now remained without a stated minister for nearly a year— from Sept. i, 1836, to Aug. i, 1837 — and yet at the two communions which were observed [April and July] there were eleven new members admitted on profession of their faith. On the loth of August, 1837, Mr. Scovill's* name occurs as moderator of the session. Fie no doubt came on immediately after his graduation at Auburn, where he studied theology. On the nth of September following, the congregation made out a call for him to become pastor, at $500 a year. And in November of the same year he was installed. It is interesting to observe, as belonging to the history of the Presbytery of Troy, that within three days it ordained and installed three pastors, adjourning from one parish to the other — Lewis Kellogg at Whitehall, John F. Scovill at Glen's Falls, and A. Bordman Lambert at Salem. Mr. Scovill's pastorate here con- tinued about five years— he offered his resignation in April, 1842, and I conclude was dismissed by the Presbytery at Sand Lake on the 28th of June following. Within these five years there ^yere fifty-three additions to the church by profession, and fourteen persons were under discipline. It was the period during which the contest between the Old School and the New School, between the old mode and the new measures, waxed hottest, and culminated in the unhappy division of the Presbyterian Church. For a time this particular in tlie fall of 1862. He gathered daring his life a cabinet of about ten thousand specimens in mineralogy and eeolosy which he presented to the Aiidovnr Seminary. His library of a thousand volumes he gave to Middle- bury. "As a preacher," says Dr. Fillmore, '-he was sonud and scriptural, rather than imaginative, ornamental, and oratorical. His sermons were models of system and scripture illustration." Dr Newton was married in 1815 to Huldah. daughter of General Chipman of Shoreham, Vt.; she died in 1853. "In his home," says one of bis grand-daughters, "he was an afl'ectionate husband and father, always kind and thoughtful, ever striving to make others happy." He died in Cambridge at the house of his son-in- law, John M. Stevenson, Oct. 26, 1864. *John F. Scovill was a native of Port Edward. He had been in business, in which be had not been successful, before he prepared for the ministry. He studied theology at Auburn. He was married at Fort Edward, by the Rev. Joseph Parry, to Miss Elizabeth B. Hasbronck, on the 11th of Nov., 1837. After his service here of five years, he was installed over the Presby- terian Church of Holland Patent, Aug. 1, 1343; and he was deposed from the ministry by the Presbytery of Utica, April b, 1849. He lives in Brook- lyn, where he has made it his home for many years. 28 church endeavored to avoid being drawn into the strife. In June of 1838 and in February of '39 the session decline to send any delegate to presbytery, and also in October, '38, to send any delegate to synod, expressly resolving for the time to remain neutral. How could the church or the session know what to do ? The two former pastors, with their churches*, went with the Old School; the pastor they then had went with the New. And when in August, 1839, the session rescinded their resolution of neutrality, and sent a delegate to the New School Presbytery at Lansingburgh, it is not at all strange that the strain on the church was so strong that a fissure for a time was quite observablef. We wonder now that such feelings and prejudices should have existed as prevailed in those days; but the division of a great and intelligent church into two opposing bodies is not a trifling event to those who are immediately separated. We rejoice now in the reunion of the church, consummated in 1870, after a schooling and a cooling of thirty-two years, which brought the parties to respect and trust each other, and to come back and shake hands where they had parted, neither one making any confession, neither one gaining any precedence by forgiving the other. John W. Ray commenced preaching to this church in August, 1842 — almost immediately after his graduation at the Union Theo- logical Seminary, New York City, and almost literally, without any period between, joining his ministry to that of his predecessor. His call from the congregation to the pastorate was voted on the 31st day of October, 1842, at $500 a year. When he was ordained and *Mr. Rodgers and the church of Bound Brook, N. J, Mr. Newton and the church of Cambridge, N. Y. In the spring of 1840, 1 am told that the evangelist Royal A. Avery held a protracted meeting here, and preached every day for the forty days preceding the 10th of April: and yet in the fall of 1841 or 2, one of the old members of the Synod of Albany, New School, says that the synod, meeting in Glen's Falls, '• discountenanced with an emphasis inviting traveling evangelists for extra labor." tA portion of the church held separate services for a lime in the old academy. And, as I have learned, a portion of the church in Cambridge were about as much dissatisfied that the main body adhered to the Old School. Mr. Ranger had an old dog at that time who was a stated church- goer. Attending the family to the corner, and seeing them turn a new way up Ridge Street, he stood and looked after them for a while, then looked down toward the old church, became confused, and set up a most piteous howl. Other people in those days were confused besides him. installed is uncertain; but probably it was on the i6th of November, as that was the day chosen by the congregation, if it should be convenient for the presbytery. He offered his resignation in July, 1845; and it was accepted on the 6th of August. No doubt his term of service was just three years. Mr. Ray was young and ardent. He entered into his work with zeal and enthusiasm, if not always with the best taste and judgment. He aimed at immediate effect, and was successful in what he undertook. Sixty-five* were admitted to the church by profession during his ministryf. He is remembered by many of the members, to the present day, with interest and esteem|. From the first of October, 1845, the Rev. John Gray was minister of the church for nine months, to July, 1846. Two years afterward he was preaching in Newburgh, and in the vicinity of that city he died in i860. *Forty-eight of these were admitted at one time, April, 1843, at the close of a seven weeks' protracted meeting, in which the pastor was assisted by the Rev. Courtney Smith of Warrensbnrgh. tlcinDot restrain the renewal of my astonishment, nor withhold the expression of it in a note, that the work of discipline could have been carried on as it was in those days Within the month of March, 1S45, the namesof seventeen persons were spread on the records, to be visited on account of rnmors deemed injurious to their Christian characters. Should a name ever stand in ink, thus associated, without an adequate and good reason f JAfter some search and inquiry. I pnt down the following as somewhat marking the route of Mr. Ray's pilgrimage: Born in Norwich, N. Y ; clerk in Binghamton, where he was converted; graduated at Amherst, laaO; graduated at Union Seminary, New York, in 1842, having spent his middle year at, Auburn; licensed by the Third Presbytery of New York, April. 1842; preached at Glen's Palls, 1842-5; Norwich, Conn, '45-6; Assist- ant Secretary of American Education Society. '46-7; preached at Oswego, '47-8; Clyde, '48-9; Agent of American Tract Society, extending his service one winter throush the Southern States. '49-51: preached at Dansville, N. Y . '51-2; Plainfield. Mich., '.52-^3; Rockville, Conn , '53-5; East Avon and Ferry, '55-57— this concludes his ministry in the Presbvterian Church. He studied law in Missouri, where he was confirmed in the Episcopal Church; law, Kansas, 1858; Colonel U. S. Vols, 18fiO; conducted a newspaper in Aurora, III., for a year or two. .idvocatinjr the election of Abraham Lincoln: charge of a Department of Indian Affairs at Washington, for a time; received deacon's orders from Bishop Whitehouse, at Chicago. 1865; priest's orders from Bishop McCoskry of Michigan, the same year, and became rector at Tecumseh; rector of the churches in Westfleld and Wellsville, N. Y ; writerofseveral tracts, maintaining Episcopacy; for several years past has oeen in insurance business in city of Rochester. He was married in Dansville, N. Y., to Miss Fenstermaker, about the year 1855. I come now to the ministry* to which this present service belongs. Thirty years ago this morning, the first Sabbath of October, 1846, I preached for the first time in the house which then occupied the spot on which this edifice now stands. 1 had, from my graduation at Auburn three years before, been preaching as stated supply to the Congregational Church of East Groton, Western N. Y. Seeking my annual recreation, I had been for several weeks with friends in Ver- mont, among the scenes of my childhood; and was nearly ready to return to continue my service to the people, whom till to-day I remember and bless as the people of my first love. A mere accident — what appears such -sometimes changes the place of one's home, and determines where and with whom he shall live and perform his life's work. So it was with me. On the apparently unpremeditated invitation of an uncle, I rode with him to Glen's Falls, and was here staying with his friends and mine over the Sabbath. This church *Mr. Fennel was born in the town of Ira, Rutland County. Vermont June 21. 1815. The first seventeen years of his life, except the winter terras at a district school, were spent in somewhat hard work upon the farm. He commenced teaching when seventeen, aud divided that occupation with study— privately, at the Poultney Seminary, but mainly at the Castleton Seminary— for the next eight years. He entered the Auburn Theological Seminary in 1840, and graduated in 1«43: was honored with A. M by Mid- dlebnry College in 1847; was licensed and ordained by the Rutlai;d County Associaiion; preached the first three years of his ministry as stated supply for the Congregational Church in East Groton. Tompkins County He was married Oct. 18- 184S, at Little Falls, to Miss Raciilia A. Hackley. daughter of Hon. Philo M. Hackley of Herkimer. His call to the church in Glen's Falls was made the 12th of Oct., 1&46; and it was subscribed by^.jV. Cheney, Ira A. Paddock. Stevens Carpenter. Orville Cronkhite. A. C. Farlin. and Halsey R. Wing, Trustees. The installation did not take place till the 25th of Jan , 1847. The sermon was preached by the Rev. John Todd, D. D.. of Pitfsfield. Mass ; the charge to the pastor was by the Rev. Chas. Doolittle of North Granville; and the charge to the congregation by the Rev. Lewis Kellogg of Whitehall. Although never enjoying vigorous health, the thirty years' labor here, with one exception, has only had now and then very slight interruption. The winter of 1850-51— from the 12th of Dec. to the 20th of March— was spent in the South, a considerable portion of it on the island of Cuba. Mr. Fennel's salary at first was $6(0; in 185.3 it was raised to $800. and in 1867 to $1500. He has never alluded to the matter of his salary in the pulpit; nor has he ever anywhere asked for its increase. In accordance with a promise made at every pastor's installation, to continue not only the maintenance which the people h:\ve pledged, but " whHtever else they may see needful for the honor of religion, and his comfort among them," his watchful congregation has not only paid the salary in full, but in observance of a New England cnstom'has made him tiventy-five yisMs, which, on the average, were worth $200 each. was without a minister; and as Elder Benedict and Elder Tallmadge could not do any better they invited me to preach. And here I have been preaching ever since. But, dear friends, what I shall say of myself shall be brief. I already begin to feel that I understand what the apostle's experience was, when on recounting the events of his life to the Corinthians, he whispers parenthetically, " I speak as a fool." I have not been accustomed, as you will bear me witness, to introduce personal matters into the pulpit. I never could preach, what some mmisters seem specially to enjoy, an anniversary sermon. It is repugnant to my taste and my feelings. Could I remove this church and put Old Whitem its place, and tack on the brick Session House* a few feet from the south-east corner, put the Peck house in the place of the Opera House block, and bnng back the little old cottage upon the spot where I now live, some of you who are gray would recognize old acquaintances; but you who are young would ask, "What old church and surroundings are these?" Old White, which had then stood forty years— her square bell-tower projecting entire size in front and furnishing a porch to the front door, her high box-pulpit directly opposite another door in the centre of the east side, gallery on three sides, square pews next to the wall— was quite in a decline, and gave place about three years afterward to a fine brick churchf , which stood fourteen years, till burned in the great fire 31st of May, 1864. The present house of worship, owing to heavy losses which the congregation had suffered by the fire, rose out of the ashes very slowly; but it was finally finished and dedicated in June, 1867— and free of debt. *Thi8 house had been built but two or three years. It was a very plain and very convenient building— put up by Myron Osborn dining Mr. Ray'6 pastorate — very convenient for lectures, Sunday School.-', and prayer meetings. +The old church was pulled down in the summer ofl84S, and a brick one was erected on the same site, costing $90oO. and creating a debt which in 1854 reached $4000. This debt, which was a great burden through all these years, had just been extinguished — the ladies, and especially Mrs. Cynthia G. Arms, raising a large portion of the means with which to do it —when the fire came and extinguished the edifice. The architect and builder was Mr. A. C. Tiffany; ihe mason worlt was done by the Messrs. Pike. The building committee were Bethuel Peck, Albert N. Cheney, and George G. Hawley. The church was finished and dedicated in March, 1850. Hence llie ease with which, for the nine years past, the ordinary congregational expenses have been met*. Having had but little experience in the ministry, this being my first installed pastorate, I entered upon my duties here with misgiving which no one but myself and my Master ever knew. A little knowl- edge of the church— how unsteady and varied had been its experience — was enough to show me that there must be diversity of views among the members, and a want of that common religious life and character which come to pass under the steady teaching of one long- continued ministry. I saw too that there were belonging to the con- gregation not a few persons of marked culture and clear discrimina- tion, who were not going to be interested or spiritually benefited, either by evangelical cant on the one hand, or by "glittering gen- *The (jreat. fire, which started in the Glen's Palls Hotel and consnmed in less than four hours about a million dollars worth of property, ioclnded the Presbyterian Church and the pastor's honse. For a"few weeks the whole village was shrouded in gloom. The personal lospes of members of this congregation were so great that it was predicted that we should never rebuild. But at length the people had a mind to work and fjrioe. And they were stimulated and encouraged by the spontaneous Christian sympathy of friends abroad. Nearly $3000 were contributed at once in .Albany and Troy, which, with $4f'00 insurance money, left after paying for repairs just completed, made a basis with which to start of $7000 The house was commencedflj the latter part of the summer of 1865; and it was deriicatpd by Rev. L. P.Hickok.H. D., then President of Union College, June 19, 1S67. The entire cost, including the furnishing, the organ $30i and the bell, was just about $30,000. Great credit is due to the earnest and untiring efforts of the ladies of the congregation, and also to the trustees— S. L Goodman, Henry Crandall. Jerome Lapham. A C. Tearseand Daniel Peck— for their wise efficiency and personal liberality. The church has run itself since it was occupied, pajing all current expenses by its pew-renty, except the salary of the organist, which is provided for by a plate-collection on the Sabbath. The pastor also desires to make this permanent record— to the honor of Christ— of the generosity of a few considerate gentlemen, and especially of one noble lady, who g;ive themselves and obtained from a few personal friends, in the aggregate about $2500, with which to rebuild his honse. Excepting his linrary, which he has never been able to think of trying to replace, his loss was fully made up. The house has been rebuilt; and though, at first, not free of debt as was the chnrch, it has been for some time without encumbrance. At the commencement of the year next after entering the new church, Jan. .S. 1868, 1 find the following on the session's minutes: "Ordered, that it be recorded that jWrs H. R IFinj/ this day presented the church with an appropriate communion service, and that it be engraved ou one of the ariicles that the set was her gift." 33 eralilies" on the other. I therefore made up my mind deliberately to preach the gospel, as simply, as clearly, as well as I could; that this should be the first work of my life; that nothing should interfere with it, always excepting a pastor's kindly offices for the sick, the afflicted, the dying, and the dead. And this was no secret purpose of my own; it was openly announced to the congregation at the beginning. Nor have I found the difficulty in carrying out this resolution, of which some pastors complain. I could always preach the truth, as I understood it, without feeling tempted to change it into a smooth saying, for fear of offending some hearer. This I attribute, not to my wisdom or courage, but to my confidence in the considera- tion and good sense of those who sometimes have differed from me. It is oftentimes not so much the truth that offends, as it is the assumption and heat with which it is delivered. I know that I have not always pleased everybody, not even my best friends. The last thirty years have furnished exciting themes and exciting times. iMillions of people with manacled hands, and hundreds of thousands with manacled appetites, have stood by every pulpit and besought thaf the teaching of Christ with reference to their enslavement should be proclaimed with no uncertam. sound. While this pulpit has not made a hobby, either of the slave or of the drunkard, it has never faltered in the distinct utterance, that God has made all men of one blood, and Christ redeemed them all by one blood, that hence slavery is sin against both nature and the gospel; nor has it refrained from giving emphasis to tiie sin of the drunkard and the drunkard- maker, and leaching that entire abstinence from the use and sale of intoxicating drinks as a conniion beverage, is the wise, safe, expedient, and therefore Christian rule for all men to adopt and practice*. •This peems to be ths proper place to meDlion in a note the name of Dr. Billy J. Clark, the father of the temperance movement of this century The following f.acts I take from my own adfirH>8 at his funeral. He was born at Northampton. Mat's.. Jan, 4, 1778. When he was six years old he removed with his father to 'Williaraslown, and fonr years after, when he was ten ye.irs old. to Pownal, Vt.. Here his f;ither. hitherto a farmer, be- came a country merchant, and as was customary in those days sold ardent spirits. A clerk in the store, young Clark became intensely disgusted with the tratBc, and with the dri-^king habits of the customers When nineteen years of age he left the store, and having studied medicine for a couple of years in Easton. Washington Co., he established himself as a physician in Within a few years too we have passed through the the most bloody civil war of modern times. Though in many things, while the red hand was upon us, we did not as a congregation perfectly agree, yet we did agree in an intelligent submission to the government in actual being; and praying that it might be wise in counsel and victorious in arms, we were literally an unit m patriotism and devotion to the Union. Yonder memorial wmdow, representing the early dawn of the morning of our Saviour's resurrection, when angels came down and shared with men the joys of immortality, bears a few of the names* of our honored ones who "died for the Union " — who sleep waiting for their morning —one of whom was for many years the leader of our worship of praise, and a vahied counselor in the elder- ship of this church. Moreau, Saratoga Co , when twenty-one years old. Here, while pursuing his profession, the old disgust of his youth at the work wrought by rum, became revived aud strengthened. Just nine years after he came to Moreau, on a stormy eveuing. wet and spattered with mud, he entered the house of his pastor— the late Dr. Lebbeus Armstrong— declaring that something must be done to save the community from all becoming drunkards. The minister listened while the doctor unfolded his plan for the formation of a temperance society; and they together agre< d to convene a preliminary meeting, which was held at the tavern, where on the 1.3th of April. 180S. twenty-three persons met, and lesolving "wholly to abstain from all spirit- uous liquors," appointed a committee, of which Dr. Clark was chairman, to draft a constitution and by-laws. On the 20ih of April. 1808. they met in the school house and organized the society. Sydney Berry, father of the Sydney Berry who was one of the elders of this church, was the first presi- dent, and Dr Clark the first secretary. The pledge was to total anstinence from all distilled liquors, and from wines except as a relisious ordinance and at public dinners. This, historically. I understand to be the first one of those temperance societies which have been organized over our land and other lands, and which have saved millions from drunkenness. While the doctor always felt that his special mission was to promote the cause of temperance, he did not rest in that as the whole of his religion. He became a member of the Congregational Church in Moreau about 1825. and for nearly thirty years before his death he was a devoted and active member of this church. Success in his profession and economy brought him a competence; and he was accustomed to give from principle and not from impulse. Year by year, he used to put into my hands as his oastor, his contribution to be divided between the difl'erent causes, very m'uch at my discretion— only always to remember the Bible cause. At his death I held his donation for the year, given me earlier than usual, because, as he remarked, he "should not be here long, and probably that would be the last he should ever have the privilege of giving." He died in this village Feb. 20, 18G7, in his 90th year. ♦Lieutenants William T Norris. Edgar M. Wing, Charles Gushing. Cap- tain Edward Riggs, and Major Amos P. Wells. The Sunday School, ever since its adoption as a department of instruction in this church, lias enlisted much of the best talent of the membership, and has done much to promote the intelligent piety of a large share of those who now belong to our communion. And this it has efTected as the voluntary and free work of the superintend- ents and teachers, without any special supervision or control by the pastor or session. Members of the session have been superintendents and teachers, the pastor has sometimes had his bible-class; hut the school has used and developed its own judgment and skill in electing its officers and managing its affairs, and so perhaps it has maintained an interest in achieving success, which might not have been secured by the machinery of sessional control. We think that this has been a wise arrangement for us, though it might be very unwise for many other churches. No one order of things can be best for every church and school*. *The Sunday Scliool of this church was orgranized by the village school master. Mr. Solomon P. Goodrich, about the year 1815. in the old Academy on Ridge Street, which Mr. Goodrich occupied for his school during the week. After some years it met in the Session House on Glen Street It was the first Sund.iy School in the town, and indeed in the county, and continued to be the only school for many yeais. It was in fact and in name an union school, and remained so for more than forty years. Mr Elias Hawley succeeded Mr Goodrich, and was superintendent till his removal to Kinghamtou in 1833. Its first two superintendents were elders of the church, as is the one now in office, and as two others were elected to be. but declined to serve John L. Curtenius was the next superintendent, with George G Hawley for assistant. After Mr. Curtenius's removal, it is thought that Mr. Fordyce Sylvester acted as superintendent for a few months, when Mr. George G. Hawley was elected, probably in May, 1637 Except for a few months, during which Ira A. Paddock served. Mr Hawlev continued in office, annually re-elected, for twenty-three years His work in the Sunday School was, and is. intelligent, earnest and efficient Since he was succeeded in 18G0 by Mr. F.A.Johnson, he has much of the tiwe been superintendent of the district Sunday Schools of Queensbury. under appointment of the Warren County Sunday School Union, an organization formed in 1841 greatly through his instrumentality. Mr. Johnson was superintendent between four and five years, till his removal to New York, in May. IHbS. jjfr. J A. Freligh was chosen and continued in office for six ye.ars, till 1871, when Mr. Johnson, having re-established his residence here, was re-elected to superintend the school, and has continued in office to the present time. Thus the school, now more ihan sixty years old, leavintr out only a few months, haw been the whole time under six superin- tendents—a fact to the credit of both them and the school. I should be glad to mention some of the teachers who have been very faithful and efficient, but cannot give the space. Prom the early days of the school It has had a female superintendent, as well as male. These names would be suggestive, if it were possible to give a complete list of them; but the My controlling motive and constant effort have been to have a church of intelligent Christians; clear and sound in their own per- sonal judgment on religious truth and Christian morality; possessed of sufficient independence and amount of character to lead pure, righteous and noble Christian lives, without the outside and multi- plied church restraints, which belong to the pupilage and servitude of the old dispensation, rather than to the "liberty wherewith Christ makes his disciples free*." This style of the Christian, this type of the religious life, belongs eminently to our branch of the church universal throughout the world. It appears in all her history; it is known and read of all men to-day. And this self-controlled and rational form of the genuine Protestant Christian, maintaining supreme allegiance directly to Christ through his word, is the special dispen- sation which has come down to us from our fathers, and which is committed to us to preserve and exemplify in this community. And, my brethren, we have had not a few noble examples of this high type of the Christian, whose memory remains, a power for good among us. and whose virtues are reappearing in many lives. What a different people this would have been to-day, if there had never been any Presbyterian Christians here, never any Presbyterian gospel here preached and practiced. Among other denominations of Christians, all of whom, equally with ourselves, are included in the one catholic and apostolical church, we have our place and our peculiarities. We have our history, our views, our methods. Other churches have theirs. Ours may be better than theirs for some people; theirs may be better than ours for other people. Our church views furnish us no motive to attack them, or to proselyte any one from them to us. This is our position as a denomination; it is our position as one of the churches of this village. Thus 1 briefly indicate the dispensation of the gospel which has been committed to us. We records are very fragmentary. There are such names, however, aa Mrs. George Sanford. Mrs. Mary Farnsworth, Mrs. Hosmer. Miss Helen Good- rich, Mrs. P. A. Johnson, Pen , Mrs. H. R. Wing, Mrs. Fennel, that are known and easily remembered. ♦The old method of critical watchcare over the members, according to minute and specific rules of duty, ran on for nearly ten years into my min- istry; and almost the old ratio of members came under discipline. During the last twenty years but three names have been added to ihis list. discern some high and attractive excellence in it. Those who see and feel as we do, we are glad, in the love of Christ, to welcome to our number, and to incorporate into our body. We open our arms to all who are Christ's, and who desire to come. But our modesty does not forbid us to say that any person has as good reason to esteem it a favor to belong to us, as we have to possess him. During the period of my ministry here we have received to mem- bership by profession 227 persons, and adding those who have come in by certificate the number received is 400. The resident members when I came here were 182. Thus we have had 582 different com- municants withm that time. Now we have 287. Thus it is that Christ's people enter our fold and leave us again, some to other parts and other folds, and some to the blissful fold above. In learning what I could of the history of this church, I have been struck with the great dependence which used to be put upon special evangelistic efforts by which to create a religious interest and gain accessions to the communion. I never so fully realized, as now, how different has been our method for the last thirty years. There have been not a few occasions during these years of more than ordinary earnestness in prayer and Christian work on the part of the members, when increased numbers of the careless have become thoughtful and asked what they must do to be saved. Additional prayer meetings, and lectures, and someliines inquiry meetings have then been our means by which to maintain the spiritual interest and guide the awakened and an.\ious mind aright. A few limes I have wished that we had help from some minister of experience, whom God had honored in revival work; but as no such person was near at hand we have had no such help. Witli the single exception of six or eight discourses, by the pastor of the church at Sandy Hill, Mf. Hickok, during the first winter of our occupymg this house, we have never had any help from aiiroad whatever. I have no doubt that by the aid of evangel- ists, the membership of the church might, at least for the time, have been increased more than it was, on several occasions. But whether this would have increased the unity and sum of genuine Christian charai ter, throughout the entire congregation, may certainly admit of an honest doubt. As it has been, our admissions have been very 38 gradual; and instead of having a number of persons of doubtful and unassimilated characters enrolled as communicants, when they ought not to be, there have always been, to our great satisfaction on the one hand, and our great regret on the other, a considerable number not thus enrolled, who, I have no doubt, might have been enjoying that privilege, greatly to their comfort and the approbation of the Master. And here I will not refrain from saying that I tiiank God for not a few personal friends, who have been and are members of the congregation but not of the church, whose noble and solid char- acters and everyday generous and good works have made me number them among the people of God, much more surely than I have some whose names stand on the church register. I must not omit to say that I have been peculiarly happy in my eldership. Without exception, for this long time, they have been good and true Christian men — men of sound minds, of common sense, of prayer, without hobbies, considerate of one another's views and feelings, especially of the pastor's judgment and wishes, and some of them have been "apt to teach." Scarcely a syljable of difference has there ever been in the session. I desire to emphasize my judgment that the church is greatly indebted to the wise and good men who have served her in the eldersliip. Of those who have deceased I will give the judgment of their lirelhren in office, by quoting from the sessional records in foot notes*. *Myron Osborn; — Resolved, That we here record our deep sense of the loss of Bro. Myron Osborn. a member of this session, who departed this life on the 11th of Jan., 1850. Resolved, That in him this session has lost a prudent and safe counsellor, the church a good man, and the community an eminent exemplar of the Christian religion. William T. iVorris .-TrWhereas, Testimony has just been taken in this village, establishing the death, on the 30th of August, 1862, in the battle of Bull Run.Va.,of William T. Norris, a lieutenant in the 22d Regiment of N. T. S. v.; now, therefore, in memory of our beloved brother, we make the following record: Resolved, That in his death on the battle-field, his country received the offering of a genuine Christian patriot's life; the church to which he belonged lost a manly and earnest exemplar of her faith; and this session, of which he was an active member, has been deprived of a considerate and good counsellor. Resolved, That we deeply feel his loss from the choir of this church, to which he generously devoted so much of his valuable time, and in which his excellent services as leader were rendered gratuitously for so many But briefly as I have rehearsed the story of our beloved church, giving oftentimes only a sentence to what might easily have been expanded into a chapter, I shall be making this discourse altogether too long if I do not somewhat abruptly bring it to a close. I have no doubt that the sentmient finds place in all our minds, that with such a history as ours, so " rooted and established " as we are in both the gospel and the community, this church will not easily waste away and become extmct. We have grown so much into a common life and character, our views of religion and of religious truth are so well defined and established, that here we have a home feeling that we cannot readily acquire elsewhere. As we have inherited our church, from honored fathers who labored for it and in it, and estab- lished it here, so as a dispensation committed to us, we shall heartily commit and commend it to our children. The view which we have years. And long will the Sunday School, in which he so much delighted to be. miss his cheerful presence, his animated voice in conducting their singing, and his counsels to shun every vicious indulsence Kesolved. That, in him the community has lost one, whose principles and practice relative to oppression and intemperance, were most decided and positive, and were well -'known and read of all men." Mr. Norris was born in Sutton, Vt., July 29, 1823, and was therefore 39 yciiis 01 fls^- I^'inusB Barnes-Henry Wing :— The following minute was adopted March 26. 1S.3: Since we last met, the Master has called two of the beloved members of our session to their heavenly reward-Linus B. Barnes, suddenly on the 6th of Jan. last, aged 69: and'Henry Wing, after a long and pkinful illness, on the 31st of the same month, aged 59 Thus within one month, these onr brethren, wise counsellors, gentle, kind, men after the pattern of the Beloved Disciple, have entered into rest, leaving us to monrn their loss. But we sre thankful and rejoice that this church has been permitted t^o possess and furnish such men, honored alike bv all who knew them for tiieir moral and spiritual worth; and whose pure and noble record, a legacy to the church Jind their families, is more precious than gold, town ''"^^ ^'^ °'"° '° ^'■aDvi"e> Mass. Mr. Wing was born in this Samuel S. Tallmadge was born in Rhinebeck. N. Y., 1787 His "rand- tather was a Presbyterian clergyman on Long Island He received his mercantile training in the store of his uncle in Litchfield, Conn. Jan. 1st. ;„ „ ' »?^^'''''^^,'^°° ^^.^'* ^^'^^^ of Woodbury, Conn., and the following year settled in Glen's Palls, where he resided until 1848. when he removed to hpnngfield, Ohio, where, and in Piqua of the same state, he lived until his death, Dec. 13. 1868. He was Justice of the Peace here more than twenty years, and superintendent of schools for some time. He was an emer lu this church for eighteen years, deacon in the 1st Congregational Church of hpnngfield, elder and Sunday School superintendent in Piqua He was a solid and true Christian man. His last words, after his sight had failed, were, "Jesus, precious; yes. oh yes, I know Him " l^een taking, it is adapted to impress upon us how individual Christians die, and yet the church lives. "Other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." The original nine who ct)mposed this church have long since been gone — the last two, Naomi Ranger and Ann Goodrich, lived several years into my pastorate. Every one of the subscribers to build the first church edifice, long since left his own earthly tabernacle in the dust. And coming down forty years, two only of the five elders composing the session in 1846, are now living — Albert Biakeslee, 83 years old, and Sheldon Benedict, 80. Two only of the six trustees who subscribed my call now remain, and neither of them is now a member of the congregation. Of the 105 subscribers to build the second church, a few of whom were never members of the congregation, only twenty now remain with us, and forty-five are known to have passed on to another world. Of the 182 communicants thirty years ago, it is certain that 90, aliout one-half, are dead, and only 44 are found among us now. There have been, according to the best reckoning that I can make, 918 different communicants in this church at Glen's Falls, of whom only 260 now remain resident. We, my brethren, belong to an army that are passing on and disappearing from sight over the flood. And while we take our characters along with us for ourselves, we shall also leave them behind us, to abide here as moral causes to do their work long after we are gone. As our fathers have all done some- thing to make us and this church what we are to-day, so we shall do something for the good or ill of the generation following. I am not blind to the fact that in a little while I must cease from the blessed work in which I have served you so long. My pastoral life has been a sincere and honest one, although a very imperfect one. Your great kindness to me always, and forbearance, when many times bodily suffering has rendered my official performances languid if not disjointed, will ever abide in the memory of my heart; and ever, in the future as in the past, they shall prevent my joining in the too prevalent complaint of clergymen, that their lot has been cast on the "shady side." I have been happy and honored, far beyond what I have deserved. But let no one dream Uiat any pastor, of ordmary sensihdities, the father of a family, can preside 41 over one parish for thirty years, witiiout bearing many heavy crosses, and spending many sleepless nights. His own imguarded actions and words v?ill come back to him on the wings of reflection, and fester in regret and sorrow; and the words and silence of others will often be barbed arrows to his soul. But, as a life spent among you, the Master and you have made the " yoke easy and the burden light." I shall, no doubt, do all the ministerial work which remains to me, m this parish; whether it shall he reckoned by a few months or a few years; whether I depart with the harness on, or give place before my departure to younger years and more sparkling blood. No man who is not more of a man than I am, settles in a new field after he is three-score years old. Twenty years ago, I might have made choice out of several very inviting fields, and gone from among you. I asked counsel, and staid, as it was my desire to do. But my working-day has now passed the meridian. The shadows of the afternoon perceptably appear, and begin to lengthen. There are white hairs on my head and furrows in my brow. I pray every day, that when the time comes, a.s soon it must if I live, for me to lay down my stewardship, I may do it without souring all the sweetness which your long-continued Christian kindness has so abundantly infused into it. We have been looking back at our history. I have laid to their rest in Christian trust and hope almost a whole genera- lion of this flock, of your fathers and kindred. ' Looking forward, on this thirtieth anniversary of my entering the pulpit of this church, whatever relation I shall continue to sustain to you, I expect to spend the rest of my days among you, and to sleep at last with my people. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP. After the names of persons who have been approved by the Session, have been called, and while they are coming forward, let the Minister recite such of the following passages as he may deem most appropriate : We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you. Come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel. — Numbers lo: 29.. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; Init he that believeth not shall be damned. — Mark 16: 16. Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before the angels of God. — Luke 12: 8. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. — Eccl. 12:1. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. — Matt. 16: 24 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in Ireart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. — Matt. 11: 28, 29. And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whoso- ever will, let him take the water of life freely. — Rev. 22: 17. FORMULA. Grace he U7ito you, and peace, from Ood our Father, and from the Lord Je.ms Christ. You are here, beloved, at Christ's invitation and com- mand, to become members of his chnrch, on profession of your faith. Let your souls mafi:nit'y the Lord for your hig:h-caning; and stand firm in the Apostle's assurance. That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, 43 and shall believe in yoiir hearts that God hath raised Him from the dead, you shall he saved. For with the heart man heUeveth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Receiving the Bible as the word of God, do you firmly hold and sincerely profess the faith of the church uni- versal, as contained in the Apostle's Creed: Bo you believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth ? And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,- suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead% Bo you believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting f Let each one answer — I do. *[Some of] you received baptism in infancy, on the faith of parents who were in the fold of the church. This you now approve and ratify, by coming to the Lord's Table, and completing the membership which thev began for you. *[Others of] you were not favored by being in the morning of life given to the Lord in baptism; and you come now to receive the ordinance, as a profession of your faith in Christ, and your admission to the body of his disciples. Repenting of sin, deploring your lost condition without redemption, and receiving the Lord Jesus as your Deliverer and Saviour, will you now give yourselves to him in this sacred rite, to be His forever. *The words in brackets, and the whole paragraph, to be used or omitted, as the case requires. 44 and to be kept by the Holy Spirit unto everlasting: life? Answer — By the Spirit's help, I will. Baptism is here administered; and the Minister then proceeds: If ye then he risen with Christ, seek those things vihieh are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affeetion on things above, not on things on the earth. But count not yourselves to have already uion, or as already perfect; but press forward toioard the mark, growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Be follouters of God as dear chil- dren; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved you. and given himself for you. *[Aiicl] you, dear brethren, who now transfer your special membership from other particular churches to us, will you rise and stand in your places, in token of the formation and existence of this special brotherhood? As Pastor of this church, and on behalf of the members, I give you Christian greeting, and bid you welcome to our fold. All the members here rising, the Pastor proceeds as for them : Come in, ye blessed of the Lord. We cordially wel- come you to a participation with us, in the duties and toils, the joys and blessings of the gospel. We promise you our sympathy and counsel — we ask yours in return. Noic, therefore, ye are no more .strangers and foreigners, but felloto-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. The Lord bless yo/f, and. keep you; the Lord make his face to .shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and, give you BAPTISM OF INFANTS. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to Him: but the infants of such as are members of the visible church, are to be baptized. — Shorter Catechism, Question 95. Children, born within the pale of the visible church, and dedi- cated to God in baptism, are under the inspection and government of the church; and they are to be taught to read and repeat' the cate- chism, the Apostle's Creed, and the Lord's Prayer. They are to be taught to pray, to abhor sin, to fear God, and to obey the Lord Jesus Christ. And when they come to years of discretion, if they be free from scaiidal, appear sober and steady, and to have sufficient knowledge to discern the Lord's body, they ought to be informed it is their duty and their privilege to come to the Lord's Supper. — Directory for Worship, clrap. IX. sec. i. When God called Abraham to stand at the head of the Old Tes- tament church, He entered into covenant with him, promising to be a God unto him, and to his seed after him; when Christ preached by Peter on the day of Pentecost, when the dispensation of the Spirit commenced and the New Testament church arose, He confirmed through the Apostle the same gracious covenant, calling upon the people to repent, for the promise was unto them and to their children. The household is of God, and the church, by divine constitution, has always included the children, who, equally with their parents, have been entitled to the sign and sea/ of their membership. Thus Abraham circumcised his household; and the Apostle baptized the jailer and his household, and Lydia and her household. And so it has been from the beginning throughout the great body of the church. FORM. At the moment the imfenta, hriugiug their r-hildreii, reac^i their place before the Minister, let him read or repeat the following tvords: And they brought young t-liildreu to Him that He should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was nuich displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. — Mark X. 13-16. Beloved, bringing your children as you now do to receive this sacred rite, let these exj^ressive words en- courage and assure your hearts. Observe, how, by his displeasure, our Saviour corrected the mistake of his disciples, that the young children should not be brought; how, by saying that of such is the kingdom of God, He gave the reason why they should come; and how, by taking them up in his arms, putting his hands on them and blessing them, he did much more for them than their parents had thought to ask. Therefore, doubt not, but fully believe, that he who is the same yesterday, to- day and forever, receives these your children, and approves of your presenting them to him in his oAvn ordinance, and will do for them far more than you are able to ask or think. Will you teach ^7* is cii ild the truths and precepts of the Holy Scriptures— especially the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostle's Creed? Will you remind him, at proper times, that he has been made a. member of Christ's fold by baptism; teach him to pray, and pray with and for him; restrain him from the form- ati(jii of evil habits, and encourage him in ways of well- 47 doing; and by faithful effort and godly example, as much as in you lies, will you bring him up for Christ and his Church? Let the Minister say to the parents, Name this child; and repeating the name, he shall sprinkle Avater upon his forehead, saying, / baptize^ &c.; closing all with prayer. RULING ELDERS. 1 These, in conjunction with the Pastor, constitute the Session of | the Church. They admit and dismiss members; with them resides the power of discipline; they have control of the worship n nd the j//r/V«a/ interests of the congregation; they are elected by the mem- bers of the Church; their office is perpetual, but their term of service may be limited. Previous to April 21, 1851, the election was to | serve for life ; at this date it was voted that Hereafter the t 'r>ii of service for the ciders of this church shall be six years. The bllow- ing is the list of elders from the begining : Elected, 1808. John Folsom, - ■ - - Died, 1839. ' " John Moss, Jr, - - - Dismissed, 1822. ' 1809. Jonathan Harris, ' " Matthew Scott, ' " Joseph Caldwell, 1819. Solomon P. Goodrich, - - Died, 1831. ' " Samuel Cranston - - . - Dis. 1832. 1827. Charles G. Jones, - - " 1829. ' " Gridley H. Packard, - - - " 1830. 1830. Levi Hamilton, - - - - " 1833- Samuel S. Tallmadge, 1848. ' 1831. Sidney Berry, - - - - Died, 1839. " Elias Hawley, - - - - Dis. 1833- ' 1834. Albert Blakesly, ' 1838. Sheldon Benedict, " Linus B. Barnes, Myron Osborn, - . - . Died, 1850. 185 1. Orville Cronkhite, John J. Miller, ' 1855. Henry Wing, ' ' " William T. Norris, - - Died, 1862. 49 Elected, 1857. Linus B. Barnes, " Orville Cronkhite, - - - Dis. 1863. Sheldon Benedict, 1870. Linus B. Barnes, - - - Died, 1873. " Sheldon Benedict, - - - - Acting. Henry Wlng, - - - - Died, 1873. John J. Miller. ----- Acting. " William Hotchkiss, - - - " Frederick A. Johnson, - . . " " Joseph Fowler, " 1875. J. L. Cunningham, . . - . " Eleazer Goodman, - - - - " James S. Cooley, . - - - ^ TRUSTEES. These are to consist of not less than three nor more than n'mc. They are to be divided into ///ri?i? classes ; the term of service of each class is three years; so that there is an election of one class each year. The congregation must be publicly notified of the time and place of the election to fill vacancies, at least fifteen days before the meeting is held, and on two successive Sabbaths. The legal voters for trustees, are all male 'persons, 2-1 years of age, who have been stated worshippers in the congregation for one year preceding the election, and have contributed to the support of the congregation ac- cording to the customs thereof. Two of the elders of the church are to preside at the meeting, receive the votes, be the judges of the qualifications of the electors, and certify to the result of the election. There is to be a clerk, and all must be duly recorded. The Trustees, thus elected and perpetuated, are a body corporate under a statute of the State. Their office is prescribed by law, and is wholly secular. They arc to take charge of the estate and property of the congregation, and transact all affairs relative to the temporalities thereof. The following is the list of Trustees of this church from the beginning: ELhXTED. 1807. William Robards, \ ,,,, " John A. Ferris. f i^tCla.ss. Daniel Peck, \ „ , ,,, ,, tir-ir TT - 2d Class. " William Hay. ( ". John Folsom, \ , ,,, Micajah Pettit. \ •''^ ^'^''^• 181 1. Uzziel Stevens, ( mt riocs William Robards. ) ist«-lass. John Folsom, ) , ^, JohnThomaL \ ^d Class. Edmund Peck, ( , p, William Wing. j" ^'^ ^''''''^- SI ELECTEE ELECTED r8i2. John A. Ferris. 1827. Sidney Berry. Uzziel Stevens. 1828. Horatio Buel. 1813. John Thomas. " Moody Ames. " John Folsoin. 1829. Sidney Berry. 1814. Asahel Clark. '< Lewis Newman. Ehiathan Parsons. " Samuel Estabrook. 1815. Stephen Clark. 1830. John L. Curtenius. 1 John A. Ferris. " Sheldon Benedict. 1816. Thomas Cotton. " John Van Pelt. " John Folsoni. 183I. Lewis Newman. " John Thomas. Sidney Berry. i8i7. Solomon P. Goodrich. 1832. Moody Ames. " Hezekiah Leavens. Jona. W. Freeman. 1818. Elias Hawley. " Fletcher Ransom. ■' John A. Ferris. 1834. Sidney Berry. " Royal Leavens. " Lewis Newman. 1820. J. Lyman Arms. " Sheldon Benedict. " Solomon P. Goodrich. " G. G. Hawley. " John Thomas. 1835- Jona. W. Freeman. B. F. Butler. " Alexander Folsom. 1821. Horatio Buel. 1836. Lewis Newman. •' Elias Hawley. " Sheldon Benedict. 1822. J. Lyman Arms. 1837. Sidney Berry. " Solomon P. Goodrich. '' G. G. Hawley. 1823. John Thomas. " Billy J. Clark. '• Luther Johnson. 1838. Billy J. Clark. Bogardus Piersons. " Jona. W. Freeman. 1 Samuel Cook. 1839. Lewis Newman. 1824. Elias Hawley. " Abram Wing. " Alpheus Hawley. " George Cronkhite. i 1825. Solomon P. Goodrich. 1840. G. G. Hawley. 1 " Elnathan Parsons. " Linus B. Barnes. 1S26. Bogardus Piersons. 184I. Billy J. Clark. " Roswell Weston. " George Sanford. 1827. Charles G. Jones. 1842. Lewis Newman. 52 ELECTEE . ELECTED 1842. George Cronkhite. i860. George G. Hawley. 1843. G. G. Hawley. 1861. George Clendon, Jr. " Linus B. Barnes. 1862. Stephen L. Goodman, in 1844. Halsey R. Wing. place of Capt. Clendon, " Alfred C. Farlin. gone to the war. 1845. Stevens Carpenter. " Linus B. Barnes. " Albert N. Cheney. " Fred. A. Johnson, Jr. 1846, Ira A. Paddock. •S63. Ezra Benedict. " Orville Cronkhite. A. C. Tearse. 1847. Linus B. Barnes. 1864. Stephen L. Goodman. " Thomas J. Strong. 1865. Daniel Peck, in place of 1848. James C. Clark. Ezra Benedict, re- " Benjamin F. Shattuck moved from town. [Trustees reduced to five.] " Henry Crandall. Jerome Lapham. 1849. Fred. A. Johnson. 1866. A. C. Tearse. 1850. Charles Rockwell. " Daniel Peck. " Linus B. Barnes. 1867. Stephen L. Goodman. 185,. George Cronkhite. 1868. Henry Crandall. " G. G. Hawley. " James A. Freligh. " Halsey R. Wing. 1869. A. C. Tearse. 1852. George Cronkhite. " Thomas S. Coolidge. Fred. A. Johnson. 1870. Stephen L. Goodman. 1853. Linus B. Barnes. 187I. Henry Crandall. .854. Halsey R. Wing. " James A. Freligh. G. G. Hawley. " Martin Coffin, in place of 1855- George Clendon, Jr. A. C. Tearse, removed " Fred. A. Johnson, Jr. from town. 1856. Linus B. Barnes. 1872. Martin Coffin. Fred. A. Johnson. " M. L. Wilmarth. 1857- Halsey R. Wing. " Thomas S. Coolidge. " G. G. Hawley. 1876. Martin L. Wilmarth. 1858. George Clendon, Jr. " Thomas S. Coolidge. 1859. Linus B. Barnes. " Martin Coffin. Fred. A. Johnson, Jr. " Samuel Pruyn. i860. Halsey R. Wing. Stephen L. Goodman. OFFICERS Jfastoi]. Rev. a. J. FENNEL. .$es8ion. Sheldon Benedict, Fred. A. Johnson, William Hotchkiss , Joseph Fowler, John J. Miller, John L. Cunningham, Eleazer Goodman, James F. Cooley. tcndcnt of i^nnt n\) School. Fred. A. Johnson. (trustees. Martin L. Wilmarth, | Thomas S. Coolidge, ( TV ,n expires May, 1877. Martin Coffin, Samuel Pruyn, Term expires May, 1878. S. L. (.iOODMAN, Term expires May, 1879. NOTICES. Preaching every Sabbath at 103 A. M.; and every Sabbath evening, except those of the days on which the Lord's Supper is observed. The Lord's Supper is observed at 3 o'clock p. M., on the first Sabbaths of January, April, July and October. On tlie evenings of these days there is a meeting of the Sunday School for review, addresses and prayer. There is a Prayer Meetmg in the church every Wednesday evening, except the ones occurring next before the communion Sabbath; on these evenings there is a Preparatory Lecture. At the close of this service is the stated meeting of the Session, especially for the reception of members to the church. The stated time for the baptism of children is at the opening of the communion service. The Sunday School meets immediately after the morning service, in the chuixh. A Sunday School Prayer Meeting is held statedly in Room No. 4, Opera House Block, commencing an hour and a quarter before the Sabbath evening preaching. MEMBERS. The following list embraces only resident members, and a few who though living out of town havey not wished to sever their connection with us. Pr. appended to a name signifies that the person was received by profession. Names not marked are of those received by Idte-r. M. WHEN REC'D. Mrs. Adaline E. Arnold, Pr July, 18T0 Alson B. Abbott, Pr April, 1873 Mrs. Esther G. Allen Sept., " B. Sheldon Benedict Aug., 1831 Albert Blakesley April, 1833 Mrs. Julia Blakesley " " Mrs. Sarah Benedict Mar., 18.34 Mrs. Jane Brown, Pr April, 1839 Mrs. Susan Bink April, 1842 Mrs. Aurelia Bennet " " Mrs. Caroline M. Burdick, Pr " 1850 John H. Burnham, Pr " " Mrs. Eliza Billings July, 1855 Miss Elizabeth C. Boyd, Pr Rufus Boyd Oct., " Mrs. Eliza Boyd " " Mrs. Nancy Buckbee, Pr " 18.51 Mrs. Catharine M. Boyd April, 1868 Samuel Gregory Boyd, Pr " 1873 Mrs. Sophia White Barker, Pr " " Mrs. Martha Boyd Dec., 1875 Mrs. Mary E. Brown, Pr Mar., 1876 Miss Martha Bfown, Pr " " Mrs. Alvira Burt, Pr " WHEN EEC D. Miss Miriam Brundage April, 187») Pliny Pierce Braley, Pr Mrs. Susan S. Bradt, Pr July, " Miss Eliza Brown, Pr., [Stewart] " 1807 Mrs. Eda Fidelia Ball, Pr Jan., 187T (^. Mrs. Catharine CoiHn, Pr May, 1840 James Camp, Pr July, " George Cronkhite, Pr April, 1843 Mrs. Annah Cheney, Pr " " Mrs. Margaret Crossett, Pr " " Mrs. Rhoda Cronkhite Jan., 1846 Mrs. Frances Camp, Pr " 18.52 George Clendon, Jr., Pr '• 1854 Mrs. Mary Clendon, Pr " " Mrs. Harriet W. Clark July, 1858 Miss Juliaette B. Cool, Pr " 1863 Mrs. Mary Collins April, 1863 Miss Isabella Arms Cheney, Pr " 1868 Mrs. Norman Cole " 1869 Mrs. Maria Conkling " 1872 James S. Cooley Jan., 1874 Mis. Keba Cooley John L. Cunningham, Pr April, 1874 Mrs. Lizzie F. Cunningham, Pr " " Mrs. Georgiana Coolidge, Pr Jan., 1875 H. R. T. Coffin July, 1875 Miss Gertrude Maria Cole, Pr Jan., 1876 Mrs. Catharine Angle Cool April, 1876 Mrs. Maria Eliza Conkey, Pr " " Mrs. ]\Iatilda M. Chapin, Pr July, 1876 Mrs. Catharine J. Coffin, Pr Oct., 1874 Mrs. Charlotte Draper June, 1849 Miss Charlotte Ann Draper, Pr April, 1868 Miss Julia Draper, Pr Mrs. Emily P. DeLong, Pr " " Mrs. Mary Clendon DeLong, Pr '. . . . July, " Mrs. Carrie A. DeLong Jan., 1870 WHEN REC'D. Mrs. Henry Dean July, 1873 Mrs. Emma C. DeLong, Pr April, 1873 Lemuel P. Dean, Pr " " Mrs. Ellen Day, Pr " " George Dunham July, 1873 Mrs. Amelia Dunham " " Miss Abigail Dean, Pr., [Westcott] Oct., 1843 Mrs. Sarah Enos, Pr Oct., 1847 Halmer Alfred Evans, Pr Mar., 1876 Richard T. Effner June, 1871 Mrs. Charlotte Eflfner " " Mrs. Pelina Flack, Pr April, 1843 Mrs. Racillia A. Eennel " 1847 Mrs. Jane Fobes Oct., 1849 Mrs. Emma Fassett, Pr July, 18.55 Mrs. Julia Arms Fowler, Pr April, 1868 Mrs. Eliza C. Fennel Pr " " Miss Isabel Freligh, Pr " " Chas. H. Fennel, Pr " " Mrs. Cornelia Ferguson, Pr " " James A. Freligh " " Mrs. Susan Hoyt Freligh " " Joseph Fowler July, 1869 Miss Margaret Elizabeth Ferguson, Pr April, 1873 BjTon B. Fowler Dec, 1875 Clayton Willis Finch, Pr July, 1876 (^. Heman Goodman Oct., 1853 Mi-s. Ann Maria Gilchrist, Pr April, 18.56 Eleazar Goodman July, 1857 Mrs. Jane B. Goodman " " Mrs. Julia A. Goodrich, [Burnham] Jan., 1860 S. L. Goodman April, " Mrs. Juliaette Goodman " " Amos Graves Jan., 1868 Mrs. Mar>- Graves Jan., 1868 WHEN REC'D. Miss Lovina Graves, Pr., [Potter,] Jan. 1868 Mrs. Anna Fassett Goodman, Pr April, 1868 Miss Elma Goodman, Pr., [West] " " Miss Marj' K. Goodman, Pr " " Samuel Boyd Goodman, Pr " " Miss Mila Gilchrist, Pr Mrs. Harriet McGregor July, 1870 Miss Mahala Goodman, Pr April, 1873 Miss Ellen Goodman, Pr " 1873 Henry Grover, Pr March, 1876 Miss Emily M. Grover, Pr " " Mrs. Elizabeth Gayger Jan. 1853 Mrs. George Gilchrist April, 1876 John Pierce Goodman, Pr " " George G. Hawley, Pr April, 1834 Mrs. Eliza Hawley, Pr March, 1834 Mrs. Elizabeth Plolley, Pr '. April, 1843 Miss Ezuba Hamilton, Pr " " Hiram Holley. .- Oct. 1854 George K. Hawley, Pr April, 1855 Miss Gertrude Eliza Hawley, Pr. [McDonald] July, " Miss ilary Hunt, Pr. [McDonald] " 1856 Mrs. Hepsibeh Holley April, 1861 Mrs. Margaret Hall July, 1867 Mrs. Dolly Harrington Jan., 1868 Mrs. Irene Augusta HaM'ley April, 1868 Mrs. Harriet T. Hawley " " William Hotchkiss Oct., 1869 Mrs. Elizabeth Hotchkiss " " L. D. D. Hull July, 1870 Mrs. Mary Lucretla Haviland, Pr April, 1873 Edgar B. Hillis, Pr Mrs. Melissa S. Hull, Pr " 1874 Darius Howe July, 1875 Mrs. Rachel M. Howe " " Sanf ord Hartman, Pr Mar., 1876 Miss Emma Rachel Howe, Pr " " John Jay Hitchcock, Pr " " Mrs. Margaret Hillis, Pr April, 1850 Mrs. Sarah M. Hill Jan., 1877 WHEN REC'D. Mrs. Clarissa Johnson, Pr July, ISIM Fred. A. Johnson, Pr April, 1850 Mrs. Harriet E. Johnson, Pr July, 18.55 Mrs. Agnes Conkling Johnson, Pr April, 1868 Mrs. Sarah Jackman, Pr July, 1868 Emmet Temple Johnson, Pr Mar., 1876 William McKinney Sept., 1830 Mrs. Marj' McKinney " " Mrs. Eliza Keys, Pr April, 1838 Ruliff Kipp July, 1840 Mrs. Delia M. Krum Jan., 1856 Joseph Kees, Pr April, 1858 Miss Margaret McKinney, Pr July, 1868 Miss Lizzie Kingsbury, Pr April, 1873 Mrs. Nancy Kees, Pr " 1858 Stephen Lapham April, 1845 Andrew Latimore Oct., 18.51 Mrs. Marj' Lee, Pr Jan., 1853 Thomas Lenox Oct., 18.58 Mrs. Melissa A. Luther, Pr April, 1868 Mrs. Jennie Aldrich Leavens, Pr " " John L. Landon " " Mrs. Emma Landon " " Mrs. Mary A. Leary Sept., 1873 Miss Henrietta C. Landon, Pr July, 1875 Mrs. Cornelia S. Lasher, Pr April, 1876 Miss Elizabeth Jane Lenox, Pr " " Miss Matilda Latimore, Pr " " Mrs. Hannah Lapham, Pr Mar., 1876 Byron Lapham, Pr " " Mrs. Minnie Lapham, pr .' April, 1868 Miss Mary Jane Landon, Pr July, 1876 Miss Elen Jane Latimore, Pr April, 1850 m. WHEN REC'D. John J. Miller, Pr April, 1838 Mrs. Eunice Miller Jan., 1848 Miss Eliza Masten June, 1845 Miss Elizabeth T. Morgan, Pr April, 1855 Carlos Morgan " 1868 Mrs. Maria Morgan " " Miss Mary S. Mott, [Harris,] " " Miss Kate Ellis Morgan, Pr., [Wells,] " " Miss Adaline M. Morgan, Pr., [Langworthy,] July, " Frank Beecher Mead, Pr April, 1873 Mrs. Eliza M. Miller, Pr July, 1876 Mrs. Mercy Newcomb, Pr April, 18.38 Mrs. Elizabeth F. Norris, Pr " 1843 Mrs. Christiana Neilson Jan., 1861 Mrs. John Nelson Dec, 1870 Mrs. Harmony Osborn July, 1837 Samuel Henry Osborn, Pr April, 1843 Miss Lucretia F. Osborn, Pr., [Staples,] " 1850 Miss Eleanor Augusta Osborn, Pr., [Martindale,] July, 1863 Mrs. Lydia Peabody, Pr Oct., 1834 Mrs. Mary Putnam, Pr " 1837 Mrs. Amanda Parsons ." 1850 Mrs. Mary Parry July, 1857 Miss Jane Parry " " Mrs. Marian Porter, Pr April, 1867 Miss Deidamia S. Palmer, Pr July, 1868 Mrs. Mary Pike » " " Samuel Pruyn, Pr Oct., 1875 Fred. Fort Pruyn, Pr Mar., 1876 Mrs. Alice Genevieve Pruyn, Pr " " WHEN REC'D. Mrs. Ruth B. Wing, Pr April, 1858 Mrs. Susan West, Pr Oct., 1859 Mrs. Mary E. Whitney April, 1859 Mrs. Kate Finch Wilmarth, Pr July, 1871 Miss Dora Wilson.. April, 1862 Miss Minnie Wingr, Pr April, 1868 Miss Lucy Lee Wing, Pr " " Henrj'E. West, Pr Miss Angie Clara Wing, Pr July, " Mrs. Mary Smith Wilmarth, Pr Clarence M. Wilmarth, Pr April, 1873 William Henry Wing, Pr Mar., 1876 Miss Abigail N. Wilcox, Pr " " ¥. Mrs. Julia Ann Yatteau April, 1860 Miss Henrietta Marie Younglove, Pr., [Beebe,] Jan., 1876 John Young Mar., " Mrs. Ellen Young " " BENEFICENCE. Our annual reports, published in the Assembly's minutes previous to 1864, and not otherwise preserved, were nearly all destroyed by the great Jire. Taking the reports for the last nine years, since we occupied our present church, the average amount contributed by the congregation, for objects entirely outside of our own expenses, is about $450. I have no doubt that the sums given during the whole thirty years would average $400 — which would make $12,000 in the aggregate. It is to be hoped that our contributions may be greatly increased in the future. Besides great readiness to contribute to all the good causes in which the evangelical churches are united — Bible, Tract, Sunday School Union, Seamen's Friend, &c.— we give statedly to our own Boards, as follows: Foreign Missions; Home Missions; Education for the Ministry; Publication; Church Erection; Ministerial Relief. This church has furnished seven ministers of the gospel, as follows: Henry M. Parsons(i). A. M. James T. Hamlin(2). Allen McFarlancl(3). fljMr. Parsons was born in Glen's Falls, July 27, 1813, and was received to the communion of the church when twelve years of age. He prepared for col lece under theinsitruction of William Hicks, a sradiniteof Durtmoath, at the old Academy on Ridge street; and at the Cambridge Academy, under Rev. N. E. Prime, D. D. He w;is admitted to Dartmouth, hut he never became a student at that college. He was a member of Williams College for about two years, 1831-3, when the failure of his health compelled him to leave and seek recrentiou; and from that time onward to the day of his death he was an habitual invalid He frequently sought the tonic effect of the sea. once takins a whaling voyage of nearly a year; but starting on another, he was lauded by the captain at Fayall. where he was left to die. In a few weeks, however, he was able to return home. His complaint being pulmonary, he frequently sought relief at the Soutt. For some time he tausiht in Augusta, Ga.; also, in Apling. of the same state. In January, 1S51, this writer, greatly to his own joy. fouud him a st-ameu's missionary in Havana. Cuba. Notwitbstandins Mr. Parsons's shattwed health and life-long suflVrings, by virtue of strong resolution and great force of character, he performed a very effective life-work, and left behind him a record of great usefuhiess. as a teacher, a writer, and a minister of the gospel. He taught at intervals beginning on Luzerne Mountain when he was seventeen years old. for about twenty years. Foi a couple of years he tried thf mercantile business For a time he was associate editor of the Christian FuTnilij Magazine, New York. Finally, studying theology with Rev. Hugh N. Wilson, while principal of the Academy of Southampton, Long Island, he was licensed to preach the gospel; and soon after, leaving the Academy, he became pastor of the PresDyterian church in Moriches, Oct. S. 1847. After a successful pastorate here of about five years, though much interrupted by sickness, he became pastor of the church of Warrior Run, McEwensville, Pa. Two years of service here were all that he could perfcjrm. making seven years of pastoral life, when he was obliged to leave the office never to resume it again. About five years more, spent at his father's in this village, ia the South, and on Long Island, brought his weary pilgriroasfe to a close in the rest of the grave. He died at Souih- arapton, Aug. 10, 1859, aged 4(5 years. Mr. Parsons married Miss Maria H. Krown of Southampton, March S. IS^S, and left one son who was since drowned. Mrs Parsons, now Mrs. Brainerd, resides in Jersey City. f3^Mr. Hamlin was born in Moreau. July 2, 1812; was admitted to the communion of the church in Jan., 1S33; studied a year with his pastor. Mr. Newton, when he became a student in Barr Seminary. Vt., for three years. He studied in the Gilmantown Theological School. N. H., and was licensed by the Concord Afsociation. He pi cached a year at Sandy Hill, and a year at Jamesville. Oneida Co., when he was settled as pastor of the church at Mattituck, Lons; Island. Here he has remained a faithful and successful shepherd of a confiding flock for more than thirty years. fSjMr. McFarland was born at Greenwich. Washington county, April 18, 1823. He taught during the winter of 1842-3 in the school house near Mr. John Miller's, and became a member of the church in Glen's Falls by pro- fession April, 1S43. He prepared to enter the junior class in Union College 66 George B. Barnes(4). Edgar J. Goodspeed(5), D. D. iu the Glen's Falls and Cambridge Academies, and graduated in 1849. He studied theology in Princeton Seminary, and was licensed by the Presby- tery of Troy in 1851; wds ordained, and installed over ihe church iu Pen- field, by the Presbytery of Rochester city, in September. 1S.52; going West he became pastor for a time of a church in Palestine, III.: then of the Presbyterian Church in Parminsrdale, 111,, where he is pastor now. In addition to the care of his own churches, he has performed much mission- ary work, organizing no less than six churches, all of which are now pros- perous. He served for two years as Chaplain in the Union Army, without relinquishing the charge of his church, to which he returned again when discharged. f4j Near the close of the year 1866, Mr. Barnes introduced himself to me at Glen's Palls, as a resident of Newcomb. Esses county. He was born in Turin, Lewis county, September 19. 1S3T. His father was a Methodist minister; but he desired to obtain membership in the Presbyterian Church, and to enter her ministry. Accordingly he hecamea member of my church. His education, other than what he had effected by private study, had been obtainedmainly at Potsdam Academy. He had had considerable experience in teaching, and had also seen considerable service in the army. He after- ward studied in Hillsdale College, Mich.: WHS ordained by the Presbytery of Coldwater in 1869; preached at Reading, Qui ncy and Three Rivers, in that state: and he is nowpastorelectof the Presbyterian Church of Adams, in this state, where he has been preaching the last three years. fSjDr. Goodspeed was born in Johnsburgh May 31. 1833 His parents soon came to reside here; and his father became a member of the Presby- terian Church. His mother, an excellent woman and of great force of character, was a Baptist. Ed^ar prepared for college at the Glen's Palls Academy; completed part of his college course at Union; and part at the University of Rochester, where he likewise took his theological course, graduating in 1556. His Alma Mater gave him his D. D iu 1870. He has been pastor in Poughkeepsie two years; in Janesville, Wis., six years; of the Second Baptist Church of Chicago (the largest church of the denomina- tion in this country^ twelve years He has baptized more than eleven hun- dred persons. His health has now failed, so that he is unable to preach, and be is devoting himself somewhat to authorship. Although a minister in the Baptist Church, we claim a share in him. through his father, and through his early rel 'tions to our congregation. In a note from him after speakiug of the benefit which his father derived from his connection with our church, especially from Sidney Berry, one of the elders, he says of himself. "I was for many years in the Snndav School, and always attended one preaching service of your church. Mr. Hawley and Mr. Barnes I shall always hold in sacred remembrance. Throngh my life some of my dearest friends have been Presbyterians. I married a ladv. and was married by a minister, of the Presbyterian Church. Dr. Lord of Buffalo. I was educated in part by members of your church. Mr. Rugge and Mr. McLaren, both eminent teachers and Principals of Glen's Palls Academy. No wonder people have said, • He preaches like a Presbyterian.' I studied at Union College under that staunch old Presbyterian, Dr. Nott, and one of my instructors at Rochester was another, Chester Dewey. I might tell you more of my indebtedness to your people, who have furnished me some of my dearest friends, and with them I expect to fv.el quite at home, if ever I reach the general assembly of the saints in Heaven." Thomas W. Goodspeed(6). Amos Paine Havvley(7). This church has also furnished six wives of ministers: Jane Folsom, daughter of John Folsom, married the Rev. Caleb B. Tracy. Phche Jane Picrson, daughter of Eli Pierson, married the Rev. P. M. Hitchcock. Elizabeth F. Berry daughter of Sydney Berry(8), married the Rev. Daniel Frost. fGjThomas W. Goodspeed, a yonnger brother of the above, was horn in Glen's Palls, in 1S42. and his relation to ns in his youth was quite similar He graduated at the Chicago University, and the Rochester Theological Seminary For a time he was pastor of a Baptist Chnrch in Qalncy, 111.; afterward was associated with his brother over the large Second Baptist Church of Chicago. He is now laboring to raise an endowment for the Theological Seminary connected with the Chicago University. (7;.\mos P Hawley, son of Alphens Hawley, was born in Moreau about the beginning of the year 1814. His father removing to Glen's Palls and becoming a member of the Presbyterian Church his youth was spent in this village and this congregation. He prepared for college at Casileton, Vermont, under the iustroctiou of Solomon Foot, afterward for so long a time United States Senator from that State, and at Cambridge under Rev. Dr. Prime. About the time young Hawley was ready lor college his father established his home in Jamestown, Chautauqua, Co., and hence the son went to the Western Reserve, where he graduated in 1834. He studied theology at Auburn, and became pastor of a church in Springville, Erie county. Here he labored very successfully for several years when an accident cut short the career of usefulness in the church, upon which he was 80 well qualified. His parishiouers had gone into the woods, and he with them, to cut and draw for him his year's fuel. By some mistake a heavy tree fell upon Mr. Hawley. crushing and mangling him terribly. After a long time he recovered; but he was a cripple, and one lung had been entirely destroyed. He afterward entered into business, and seldom made any attempt to preach. He died in Jersey City, Feb. 26, 187G, aged 62 years. fSjNo history of the church or village of Glen's Palls would be just or complete which did not make distinct mention of Captain Sydney Berry. Born in that part of Northumberland which was afterwards set off as Moreau. Sept 12, 17S3, he c ime to Glen's Palls about the year 1830. Son- in-law of Mr. Folsom, he came to be his neighbor for the rest of their lives, and preceded him in his departure just three months— both dying in the summer of 183!), He bimght of Alpheus Hawley the place which he greatly improved, where he lived with his family, and which has ever since been known as the Berry Placi. The .«treet which bears his name he opened and graded, and built entirely at his own expense the brick school-house at its East end, which was occupied as a Ladies' Seminary. Possessing great enterprise he became for those days and this place a man of wealth, and loved to give himself, as he likewise loved to induce others to do. He is said to have pledged himsel' to pay one fifth part of all the expenses of the church of bis choice: and he always did more than he promised. He Sarah Eugenia Peck, daughter of Darius Peck, married the Rev. Horace G. Mason. I Marv Ann TaUmadge, daughter of Sam'l Tallmadge, married the Rev. E. W. Root. Mary R. McKimiey, daughter of William McKinney, married the Rev. J. H. Stewart. was elected a Ruling Elder immediately on his entering the church here, which office he filled with greater acceptance and efficiency until his death. Capt. Berry had been dead geven years when the writer came to Glen's Fails ; but it was easy to see, and it is easy yet to see, that when he departed to the higher life, the community lost a very genial and public spirited man, and the church a very earnest, liberal member. The following was the prof I'ssion of faith and covetiant adopted at the organization of the church : We believe th^t there is one self-existent, independent and eternal God, who possesses all possible glory and excellency ; and who is the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the universe. We believe that there are three distinct persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and that these three are one God, the same in substance, and equal in power and glory. We believe that the .Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. We believe that man was originally created in a state of holiness, but has since fallen into a state of sin, in consequence of which he has exposed himself to the wrath and curse of God, both in this life and that which is to come. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person in the adorable Trinity, has actually assumed our nature, and by his obedience, sufferings and death has made atonement for sin in our stead ; and is now exalted at God's right hand, to be a prince and a Saviour, to grant repentance and remission of sins to all who come unto God through him. We believe in the doctrines of regeneration, repentance and faith, and if ever we are saved, it will be owing to the free, rich, and sovereign grace of God in Jesus Christ. We believe in the final perseverance of the saints, in the resurrec- tion of the dead, and in a future Judgment. We believe that at the last day the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the Archangel and trump of God ; and that he will then summon the whole human race to appear before him ; and doom the wicked to everlasting destruction, and crown the righteous with immortal glory. In the view of all these great, interesting and solemn tnuhs, we do publicly renounce all our sins, and solemnly dedicate ourselves to God, avouching the Lord'Jehovah to be our God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and hearken to his voice ; the Lord Jesus Christ to be our Saviour and glorious Advocate with the Father; the Holy Ghost to be our Sanctifier and Comforter, and the people 70 of (loci to be our brethren — Covenanting to walk with them in the ordinances and institutions of the gospel, and engaging in the strength of divine peace, that we will walk before God in holiness and righteousness all the days of our future lives, si>bmitting ourselves to the watch, care and discipline of Christ in this Church. The foregoing was used as a form of admission to the church till 1857, when it was superseded by the following, which in turn now gives place to the form adopted by the present session, and which seems better to accord with the principles and genius of our church, than either of the others : [See page 42.] You believe, that there is one God{\); who is a Spirit(2), selt- existent(3) and Eternal(4), and who is the Creator(5), Preserver(6) and Governor(7) of the Universe. You believe that God exists in three persons— Father, Son, and Holy Ghost— who are of the same sulwtance, and each infinite in every perfection(8). You believe, that the Bible, written by Inspiration(9), is the word of God — is the test of all creeds, the only rule of Faith and Practice(io). fl;Deut. 6: 4— The Lord oar God is one Lord. 1. Cor. 8: 4— We know that an idol is nothing in the wor d, aud that there is none other God but one. faj.Tohn 4 : 24— Gnd is a spirit : and thev that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. f.Sj.I()hn 5: 26— The Father hath life in himself. f4;Ps. 90: 2— Bofore the mountains were brought, forth, or ever thou hadst ft)rmed ihe earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. C5jGen. 1 : 1— God created the heaven and the earth. (G^Col, 1 : 17— By him all things consist. fTjOan. 4: 35— Hedneth according to his will, in the army of heaven, and among the. inhabitants of the earth. C8;Malt 28:19 — Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the nirae of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. II Cor 13 : 14— The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God. and the coramiiiiion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. T.John 5: 7— There are three that, beai record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; ,and these three are one. f9jll. Tim. 3: 16— All scripture is given by inspiration of God. flO^Tsa. 8: 2^- To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 71 Vou believe, that man was created in astate of holiness(i), but he has fallen into a state of sin(2); that, since the fall, by nature, all men become actual transgressors, are under condemnation, and exposed to the curse of CJod without end(3). Vou believe, that the Lord Jesu.i Christ took on himself our nature(4), without sin(5)— was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Vn-gin Mary (6); that by his obedience, suffering and death, he made atonement for sin(7) ; that he rose from the dead(8) and ascended into heaven(9), where, as our High Priest, he ever liveth to make intercession for us(io): So that now, God is just, while of his Grace(ii), he freely justifies all who repent of sm, and believe in the Lord Jesus(i2); and all who are not saved, perish through their own unbelief and impenitence(i3). You believe, that the Holy Spirit has been sent into world, to incline sinners to repentance(l4), to effect the regeneration of those tljGen. 1 27— God created man in his own image. (2; Rom. 3: 23— All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. fSjRom. S: 7— Thecanial mind isenmity against God. Eph.2 ; 3— We were by nature the children of wrath. (4j John 1 : 14— The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. (5jHeb. 4 : 15— Was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (6; See Luke 1 chap. CTjIsa. 42. 21 — He will magnify the law, and make it honorable. Isa. 53:5— He was woundel for our transgre=;-