“We are so firmly convinced of the wisdom of the separation of Church and State, that it is hard for us to appreciate that our own church, through much of its history, was rigidly united with the State. For thirty-four years after the organization of the church, the Ecclesiastical Society and the town were practically the same thing. The larger part of the business of town meetings was the consideration of religious affairs. The town called the minister, provided for the expenses of the church, cared for the building; in fact did about everything that the church and society would do now. It was a town meeting that voted the size of the shingles and clapboards to be placed on the church building. Some of you, not very old, can remember when the town voted in the basement of this building. If there is any virtue in a union of Church and State, this church must have received the full measure. Until 1819 this Society had the legal right to tax all the inhabitants for its own support; but naturally, other denominations, which had arisen within the town, would object to this, and, as a matter of fact, this right was not insisted upon. The only relic of this incongruous relation of Church and State, according to American standards, is the Ecclesiastical Society; and, in the formation of new churches, this is generally done away with, the church feeling abundantly able to take care of its own affairs. “During the one hundred and ninety-one years of its history this church has been served by ten settled pastors, and by several ministers who acted as pastors for limited periods. All of these ministers were men of power and influence, and have left their mark upon both church and town. From the organization of the church in 1716 to the end of the eighteenth century the church was served by only two pastors--the Rev. Daniel Boardman, and the Rev. Nathaniel Taylor. They were strong men and did much for the religious development of western Connecticut. Their descendants are still influential residents of our town. The third pastor was the Rev. Stanley Griswold, a man of strong personality and pronounced ability. After leaving New Milford he retired from the ministry, and, entering upon political life, became Secretary of Michigan Territory, and afterwards one of the first United States Senators from the State of Michigan. Later, he was Chief Justice of the Northwest Territory. The Revs. Andrew Elliot and Herman Rood were strong men, leaving the impress of their labors upon the life of the church. The sixth pastor was the Rev. Noah Porter. He was a faithful worker here, and his work was greatly blessed. He afterwards became known to all the world of scholars as the distinguished President, for many years, of Yale College. The Rev. John Greenwood was a pastor greatly beloved. After a period of absence from the town, he returned to spend his latter days with the church he loved. The eighth pastor was the Rev. David Murdock, Jr.