of Christian friends on a certain occasion, "Give me Benedict to pray, Wildman to preach, and I get as near to God and Heaven as I ever expect to while in the body."

Next followed well approved speeches by Rev. Thomas L. Shipman, of Jewitt City, Conn., on the "Departed clergy of the present generation," and Truman Minor, a deacon of the First church, on the "Pioneer Church" of Woodbury.

After another re-union at the refreshment tents, the booming cannon, and the music of the Band, again called the delighted multitude to the Speakers' tent, where the exercises of the last afternoon were opened, on the part of the choir, by singing with hearty joy, the following

ODE.

BY WILLIAM COTHREN.

Air-" Sweet Home."

Thrice welcome the day which now brings to the mind,

The deeds of our fathers, so noble and kind;

An incense of sweetness breathes out on the air,

The incense of welcome, the incense of prayer.

Home, home, sweet, sweet home,

No place like our firesides,

No place like our homes.

The earth has grown old for full many a year,
Since the people of God came to worship Him here;
And the graves are moss-grown of the sturdy old stock,
Who prayed in their Bethel, the shade of the Rock.
Home, &c.

Oh! shades of the mighty, most faithful of men,
Will the meed of your virtues e'er greet us again?

A halo of glory surrounds each fair brow,
Which shall shine in yon Heaven forever as now.

Home, &c.

Then followed a speech in reply to the Sentiment, "The Early Lawyers of Ancient Woodbury," by Hon. Seth P. Beers, of Litchfield, Conn., a native of Woodbury.

He spoke with much feeling, having been absent from the home of his birth nearly sixty years. A few passages of his speech are appended, of biographical interest, now that he has passed away to his great reward:

"I go back to seventy-eight years ago; and from that standpoint glance over the succeeding time.

"In yonder mansion, late the residence of the much lamented and Hon. Charles B. Phelps, on the fourth day of July, 1781, was found puling in its nurse's arms, a CHILD-now, the humble individual who addresses a generation that knew not Joseph.

"My coming hither to-day, seems a completion of the circle of my life. It brings me round to the point whence I started, and connects the termination of the line with its beginning; amid the scenery of my early days the experiences of my early life come back to me.

"And now while here, a reminiscent, with the aid of objects around me, which call to mind the early events of a life which must soon terminate, and of which the present generation possesses little if any knowledge, my thoughts naturally linger upon that early portion of my life, which was passed in this my birth-place.

"Whatever opinions may be entertained by others on this subject, so far as it respects myself, there is no part of my life to which I recur with greater satisfaction, or of which I am more proud, than the first chapter of my history. It would deface the rest, if that were obliterated from the account. Some person has said, (I don't remember who-but am willing to stand sponsor to the sentiment,) "the best and most important section of every man's life is its first." I go back, therefore, to my best, and begin with the beginning.

"I can say of myself, that I am 'native and to the manor born;' and if I am entitled to indulgence anywhere, for lingering upon personal details, I may fairly claim it here. As no person will be likely to undertake my biography, I may as well, perhaps, do it myself.

"I can answer as to my own family, who were all here in force when I emigrated, that the name of Beers has become extinct in the town; and all that now remains here of the Beers blood has flowed back into a branch of my mother's family, and the name is lost in that of Preston.

"The annals of my father's family are for the most part to be found upon the monuments in yonder grave-yard. With the exception of myself, the solitary remainder of a generation that has passed away, and a few descendants of my sister, all are gone. Having reached that extreme point in human life which is close

upon fourscore years, though still in the enjoyment of health and strength, and hardly feeling in its full weight the burden of my years-for which I bless God, and am thankful,-I cannot but feel that my coming hither on this occasion is as a bringing together the two ends of the line, and a making up of the circle of my history. FAREWELL.

An extended and studied speech by David B. W. Hard, M. D., of Bethlehem, followed in answer to the Sentiment, "The early physicians of Ancient Woodbury."

The next Sentiment, "The founders of Ancient Woodbury," was most eloquently and appropriately responded to by Ex-Gov. William T. Minor, of Stamford, a grandson of Woodbury. In opening, he said:

"It has given me great pleasure that I have been able to accept the invitation of your committee and be present with you to join in these commemorative services. Since my arrival here last Saturday afternoon, from what I have seen and heard, I have been somewhat disposed to doubt my own identity. I am inclined to the opinion that I ought to have been "Deacon Minor." I rather think I ought to have been. I am certain that if I had been, and discharged faithfully the duties appertaining to that office, I should have been a much better man than at present; but as I am, it has long been a cherished wish of my heart, to visit the home of my ancestors; to look at the spot which gave them birth, at the playgrounds of their childhood, at the old school-houses in which their education was commenced, and in many instances, finished, at the fields cultivated in their middle age, at the houses which sheltered their old age, at the churches where they ever worshipped, and at the grave-yards where now rest all of their mortal remains. Until now the active business of life has prevented the accomplishment of that wish. I only regret now, as I look upon your beautiful hills and valleys, and partake of your generous hospitality, that duty has been so long neglected. One of the most obvious reflections forcing itself upon the mind, as the eye passes over the immense concourse here assembled, is, what numbers of the descendants of ancient Woodbury, have come together here, from all parts of our common country; the merchant from his countingroom, the mechanic from his work-shop, the farmer from his field, the professional man from his office, the authoress from her study, bringing with her poetical garlands all green and fresh—all leav