"Voted that they would raise five hundred pounds, old tenor currency, for the building of a meeting-house, to be put into the hands of the committee for that purpose."

The county court, according to request, appointed a committee, and said committee made report, but it appears not to have been satisfactory, for on the 10th of Dec. 1752, at a meeting then held, in which Captain John Ellsworth was moderator, and Ammi Trumbull clerk, we find the following resolution passed by a vote of ten majority:

"Voted, That they would apply to the county court to laying objections against the report of second committee of said court ordered by said court to affix a place for a meeting-house, and to apply to said court for another committee; and that Erastus Wolcott be employed to find the center of society, and to make a new place if necessary.

Voted, That Benjamin Osborn be an agent for said society in laying their objections before the county court."

During the delay necessary to fix upon a suitable spot for the erection of their place of worship, the inhabitants of the parish were not willing to be without the preaching of the gospel within the bounds allotted to them, and we find the following resolution on record.

"At a meeting of the North Society of Windsor, legally warned,

Voted, To raise one hundred pounds, old tenor money, to hire preaching at Mr. John Prior's.

Voted, That one-quarter of said hundred pounds, should be spent in preaching at Mr. Nathaniel Ellsworth's.

Voted, That Benjamin Osborn should go to hire a minister to preach to said society."

At the expiration of a year from the time of their first meeting for the purpose of erecting a house of worship, the difficulties attending the setting a stake at the place where it should be located, where surmounted, and on the 22d of June, 1753, we find the following vote:

66

Voted, That a person be appointed to go to the county court, now sitting at Hartford, to get the place where the last committee set the last stake, as a place for a meeting house to be recorded. And that Joseph Harper be their agent for that purpose."

1

1 The following record was made at the June term of the county court, 1753:

"We, the subscribers, being appointed in November last, a committee to repair to the north society in Windsor, view their circumstances, hear all per

At the same meeting it was also

"Voted, That Mr. Caleb Booth should go for Mr. Potwine to preach."

In August we find the following important resolutions:

'Aug. 20th, 1753. At a meeting of the north society in Windsor, legally assembled, Captain John Ellsworth being moderator, Voted, To give Mr. Thomas Potwine, of Coventry, a call to preach with us on probation, in order to settle with us, with the advice of the association.

Voted, To build a meeting-house, the same length and breadth as the meeting-house in the second society, and twenty-one feet high between joints.

Voted, Jonathan Bartlett, Samuel Allyn, and Ammi Trumbull, be a committee to employ men to get timber for said building."

After a trial of two months it was decided that Mr. Potwine should be called as their pastor. The meeting for that purpose was held on the 22d October, 1783.

"Voted, To give Sir Thomas Potwine a call to settle with us in the work of the ministry.

Voted, To give Sir Thomas Potwine, of Coventry, two thousand pounds in money, old tenor, as it now passes, as a settle

ment.

Voted, To give Sir Thomas Potwine five hundred pounds for his yearly salary. Equal to grain, wheat at forty shillings per bushel, rye at thirty shillings per bushel, and Indian corn at twenty shillings per bushel, old tenor, and to add to it as our lists rise until it amounts to six hundred pounds old tenor

money.

Voted, That Joseph Harper and Mr. David Skinner be a committee to treat with Sir Thomas Potwine about settling with us.

sons concerned, and affix and ascertain a place, in our opinion, most suitable and commendable whereon to build a meeting-house for divine worship in said society, having reported to said court in January last, the said society having applied to us to review and further consider their case, did on the 6th day of May, inst., repair to said society and review their circumstances and hear all persons concerned, and having advantage of a new plan of said society which gave a different representation from that which we before used, in reconsideration, have, in the presence of a large number of the inhabitants of said society, set down a stake in the lot of Lieutenant Samuel Watson, about 36 rods near south from the new dwelling-house of Mr. Daniel Clark in said society, and are now of opinion that the place where we have now set the stake is the most suitable place whereon to build a new house for divine worship for said society, and will accomodate the inhabitants thereof.

NATHANIEL OLCOTT,
ZEBULON WEST,
STEPHEN CONE,

June term, 1753.

Committee.

Voted, To alter the shape of the meeting-house, that it should be forty-seven feet in length, thirty-five in breadth, and twentyone in height between joints.

Voted, That Ebenezer Bliss go to Lieutenant Watson and Daniel Clark, in the name of the society, to purchase of them and take a deed for the same, of one and a half acres of land." This was designed for the spot on which the church should be erected and where the stake had been placed.

Our forefathers had doubtless more correct ideas of the true relation in which a pastor and his people stand to each other than many societies of the present day, and the record which now follows ought to be engraven on the hearts of all ecclesiastical societies, and should be a ruling principle in all their agreements for the support of the ministry. The reason which called for the resolution is not given, but the fact of its having been placed upon their records goes far to illustrate their character as men and Christians.

"At a meeting of the north society legally assembled on the first day of February, 1754,

Voted, That if what we have already voted for Sir Thomas Potwine's salary should be insufficient for his support, that we will add to his salary as his circumstances call for and our abilities will admit of."

In 1758 a new agreement was entered into between the Rev. Mr. Potwine and his people, in which, at his request, the sum to be paid to him annually was to be sixty pounds so long as he should continue their minister. He had also the use of the glebe land or minister's lot, and a yearly provision of wood. As this seems to have been an arrangement satisfactory to both parties, we may conclude that the sum, small as it appears to us, was sufficient in that primitive period of country, for its purpose.

We find, however, much to the credit of the society, when, at a subsequent period, in consequence of the high price of the necessaries of life during the terrible years when our young nation was in the deadly struggle for her independence — and upon an application by Mr. Potwine for assistance, we find the following record:

"27th Dec., 1799. Voted, To raise fourteen hundred and forty pounds money to be paid to the Rev. Thomas Potwine, in addition to his stated salary the current year, on account of the high price of the necessaries of life."

What was the actual value of the amount designated as fourteen hundred and forty pounds is not now easily determined, but as they also raised one hundred and eighty-eight pounds forthe purchase of his wood for that year, which had usually cost. five pounds, we can suppose it to have amounted to forty pounds an addition to his regular salary of two-thirds.

There is also an excellent testimony borne for the society by its records in the promptness with which the salary to their minister was paid. Regularly as the year came round his receipt is attested as in full for the amount agreed upon.

The following rules of church discipline were defined for settlement of Mr. Potwine, at a meeting of the society on the first April, 1754:

"Voted, To settle Sir Thomas Potwine in the following manner, viz.:

1st. The Word of God is the only infallible rule of church discipline.

2d. That the church will have a manual vote in this house. 3d. That whenever we shall have occasion to send a messenger, that we will choose him by proxy.

4th. That whenever we shall have occasion for a council, that the church shall choose them.

5th. We do agree to leave the examination of those who desire to join in full communion with the minister.

6th. We do agree that those who have a desire to join in full communion have liberty to make relation of their experience in the church and congregation, upon their admission to the church."

Mr. Potwine, having accepted the terms offered him as a settlement, it was concluded that on the 1st day of May, 1754, he should be solemnly ordained as their pastor.

And the following votes were passed at the meeting held on the 1st April preceding:

"Voted, To ordain Sir Thomas Potwine at Lieutenant Samuel Watson's.

Voted, That Captain John Ellsworth proceed for the ministers that shall ordain Sir Thomas Potwine, and the rest of the ministers that shall come to ordination, and the messengers.

Voted, That Caleb Booth, Ezekiel Osborn, Jonathan Bartlett, Samuel Watson, David Skinner, John Gaylord, Ebenezer Bliss, Benjamin Osborn, and Ammi Trumbull, provide for people that

come to ordination."

No building had as yet been erected for public worship, but

the people, anxious to have the ministration of the ordinances and a servant of God as their leader and teacher, procured the use of a private house for that purpose, and the one most appropriate then on account of its size and capacity for accommodating a number of people was that which is now in possession of Mr. Joel Prior, situated in Main street. The ordination of Mr. Potwine was celebrated under the roof of a barn then newly erected and never as yet used. Of course none are now living who witnessed that scene, but the account of it the writer has received from an old lady, who very distinctly remembers, what her mother told her about it, who was present and with her babe in her arms. The ceremony was performed upon the barn floor. A table answered for a desk, and benches made of rough boards, with a few chairs for the more distinguished ministers, were their seats. Boards were laid across the bays as standing places for the women and older people, while upon the beams above perched the younger and most elastic. This barn is still standing.

It would be gratifying to be able to give some particulars of the ministry of Mr. Potwine, but unfortunately no records have been preserved that can throw light upon it; nothing pertaining to church matters can be known except from tradition. How many were added through his long ministry can only be known now when the last great account shall be made up.

In about one year after his ordination, the house for worship was completed, and the congregation joyfully assembled

The house of worship was not probably in a finished state when first occupied, for we find on record the following resolutions in reference to it: "Dec. 18th, 1759, Voted, That Joseph Allyn, Jonathan Bartlett, and Ammi Trumbull, be a committee for finishing the lower part of the meeting-house. "Voted, That the lower part of the meeting-house be finished with pews." Again, at a meeting held 21st Dec., 1767 :

"Voted, To raise twelve pounds to glaze the meeting-house, to be paid in grain, viz: wheat at four shillings, rye at three shillings, and Indian corn at two shillings per bushel; and the Society's committee to take charge of the glazing."

Again, at a meeting held 11th Dec., 1769:

"Voted, to raise eighty pounds to be expended in finishing the meetinghouse, to be paid in grain, wheat at four shillings, rye at three shillings, and Indian corn at two shillings per bushel; and Lemuel Stoughton, Jonathan Bartlett, and Simeon Wolcott, to be a committee to lay out the money and see to the work."