law Dummer, and made his estate, in the hands of his children, liable for their maintenance, in case of poverty and need in their old age. On the death of Mr. Jewett, the church was left destitute of a pastor for the first time since the settlement of the town in 1639, a period of one hundred and thirty-five years; a fact, a parallel to which can be found but in few, if any, of all our New England churches. Before the death of Mr. Jewett, Edward Payson, Francis Pickard, David Bailey, Moses Clark, Thomas Mighill, and Jeremiah Jewett, were appointed deacons. The parish voted to defray the expense of the funeral of Mr. Jewett, and erect a suitable monument at his grave. * In 1747, during the ministry of Mr. Jewett, the parish voted to build a new meetinghouse, sixty feet by forty-two, with a steeple and spire; this house was completed in 1749, about fifty years after the erection of the last. (Appendix, A. 6.)

For about eight years, next succeeding Mr. Jewett's death, the parish remained destitute of a settled minister, and in a restless, divided condition. Within that period they multiplied candidates exceedingly, and for half of that time they were incessantly, and at intervals, violently agitated, relative to the employment and settlement of a Mr. John Blydenburgh. (Appendix, A 7.) The records show, that but very few individuals were added to the church during all that time of turmoil, strife, and destitution of the regular administration of the word and ordinances. † The good providence of God,

*The first meeting held by the people as a parish, distinct from the town, was in January 1733-4, in the early part of Mr. Jewett's ministry.

In this season of darkness and distraction it was, viz. August, 1777, that the meeting-house spire was struck with lightning and

however, did not leave this ancient church and people to continued divisions, contentions, and destitution of a settled ministry. All these evils ceased on the settlement of Rev. Ebenezer Bradford, as the sixth minister of the place. Mr. Bradford was a native of Canterbury, Connecticut, and a lineal descendant of the fifth generation of William Bradford, one of the first company of Puritan emigrants who arrived, in 1620; the second governor of Plymouth Colony, which office was conferred upon him for thirty years out of thirty-six, and who was eminently instrumental in "establishing and preserving the first colony in New England, and the first church in the United States." Mr. Bradford was born in 1746, graduated at Princeton, New Jersey, in 1773, licensed to preach August, 1774, and ordained to the work of the gospel ministry by the Presbytery of New York, at a session held at South Hanover, New Jersey, July 13th, 1775.† Mr. Bradford preached two years, or more, in Danbury, Connecticut, and was there when Danbury was burnt by the British, in 1777. From the fire and sword of the enemy, he fled with his family and part of his effects, and returned

much injured. The town's stock of powder was then in the garret of the house, but neither that nor the house was ignited. While this spire was repairing it was supported by three strong ropes, extending in different directions to three several trees; one to a tree on much lower land than that on which the meeting-house stands. Upon this rope Mr. Moses Jewett, Jun. son of the chairman of the committee. of repairs, a strong, athletic man, a blacksmith by trade, ascended to the staging which was built around the spire, upon which he was received, by the aid of two men, much exhausted.

* *Robbins's "Historical Review."

The Quarterly Register says Mr. Bradford's ordination was in. 1778; but the original certificate, now before me, says, as above, July 13th, 1775.

in season to preserve his dwelling from the flames already kindled within it. Mr. Bradford preached and administered the ordinances in various parts of the country, whenever he was called in providence, without particular reference to settlement, and, it is said, with great acceptance and eminent success.* October 22d, 1781, the church having previously given Mr. Bradford a call, the parish voted, two only dissenting, to unite with them ; and proffered him, as a settlement, real estate valued at £ 200, and as a salary £ 100, to be made as good as in 1774, and twelve cords of wood annually; and August 4th, 1782, he was here settled. Mr. Bradford was married to Elizabeth Green, daughter of Rev. Jacob Green, of Hanover, New Jersey, and sister of the present venerable Dr. Ashbel Green, of Philadelphia, April 4th, 1776. They had nine children, all of whom survived their father; though but four, three sons and one daughter, are now living. At the time of Mr. Bradford's settlement

* Mr. Bradford was peculiar in appropriating his texts to the circumstances. On a journey through this region, he had stopped and preached a Sabbath here. In the midst of the divisions then existing about ministers in the parish, he was permitted to leave without any arrangement being made with him for further services. After he was gone, it was found that a very general impression was made in his favor, and a committee was despatched to request his immediate return. He was overtaken a hundred miles from this, and was induced at once to retrace his steps, and appeared before the people on the succeeding Sabbath with the text, Acts x. 29, "Therefore came I unto you, without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for; I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?" On another occasion, being appointed by Presbytery to preach in a destitute and very ungodly parish, where ministers were often insulted in the desk even, he took, Job xxi. 3, "Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on;” and he had a very silent and attentive audience.

here, the church consisted of eighty-three members. During his ministry eighty-four were added; twenty-nine of these as the fruits of a special revival, which commenced in 1800, and extended into 1801. Under the particular instruction of Mr. Bradford, numbers prepared for the ministry; and for a number of years he sustained a school here of a high order, first in his own dwelling, and then in a house he provided and appropriated for the purpose. Various sermons and other productions of Mr. Bradford were published. The inscription upon his tombstone, which was erected by the parish, is as follows, viz. “ Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Ebenezer Bradford, A. M., who departed this life January 3d, 1801, aged fiftyfive years, nineteen of which he was pastor of this church. Possessing a mind ardent and active, and an eloquence prompt and popular, he was distinguished for the frequency, the fervor, and the impression of his religious discourses, [insisting in them principally on the doctrines of grace, of which he was ever a decided advocate]; of manners conciliatory, and a mind open to persuasion. He was, notwithstanding, undaunted by opposition, resolute in his temper, strong and warm in his emotions and passions; he earnestly pressed to the accomplishment of all his designs and undertakings. As a husband, parent, and friend, tender, anxious, and true. As a Christian, sincere and exemplary. As a pastor, faithful. Such was the man whose earthly remains are here deposited, whose labors in the vineyard of the Lord were eminently blessed, who hath entered into his rest, and whose memory is precious."

The parish granted about $110 to defray the funeral charges of Mr. Bradford, including $50 for suitable attire for the family. It was during Mr. Bradford's

ministry, in 1795 and 1796, that considerable repairs were made upon the meeting-house, and a porch built at the south end of it, through which were stairs leading to the gallery. About the same time it was, that the old practice of repeating the reading of the psalm, or hymn, line by line by the deacon, previous to singing, after a severe struggle between the adherents of the ancient and modern mode, was entirely abandoned.* Before Mr. Bradford's death, George Jewett was appointed a deacon. (Appendix, A. 8.) For three years after Mr. Bradford's decease, various candidates were employed. After hearing the Rev. David Tullar three or four months, the church and parish voted, August 3d, 1803, to give him a call, and proffered him a salary of $450 ; and he was reinstalled as the seventh settled minister here, December 7th, 1803. Mr. Tullar was born in Simsbury, Connecticut, September 22d, 1749, graduated at Yale, 1774, ordained at Windsor, Vermont, March, 1779, and installed at Milford, Connecticut, 1784. In accordance with the advice of a mutual council, he was dismissed from Rowley, October 17th, 1810, after a ministry of about seven years. During his ministry here, twenty persons were added to the church. Subsequently he preached some months at Williamstown in this State, and received a call to settle there; then at Bloomfield and Leroy in New York for some seven or eight years, when he returned to Rowley, and for a number of years supplied the parish of Linebrook. When age and infirmity

*This practice of lining the psalm, or hymn, was not had amongst our earlier forefathers; it was introduced into the worshipping assemblies many years after the first settlement of the country. Among those of the Plymouth colony it came first into use about 1681, more than sixty years after their settlement.