Two Centuries of New Milford Connecticut: An Account of the Bi-Centennial Celebration of the Founding of the Town Held June 15, 16, 17, and 18, 1907, With a Number of Historical Articles and ReminiscencesVarious
History
Two Centuries of New Milford Connecticut: An Account of the Bi-Centennial Celebration of the Founding of the Town Held June 15, 16, 17, and 18, 1907, With a Number of Historical Articles and Reminiscences
Various
New Milford (Conn. : Town) -- History
The Separatists, or Strict Congregationalists, as they were called,
built a house of worship in 1761, near the entrance to the present
cemetery. They disbanded in 1812. The Baptists had a small church in
“The Neck,” now Bridgewater, in 1788, but soon moved away. The Baptist
Church in Northville was formed in 1814. In 1825 the Methodist Church
was established at Gaylordsville. The Methodist Church in this village
was erected in 1849.
The Quakers were early in the field, their first meeting-house in the
south part of the town being built about 1742.
The present Congregational Church edifice was built in 1833. In 1883 the
beautiful new St. John’s Episcopal Church, which is one of the chief
ornaments of our Main Street, was completed. All Saints’ Memorial
Episcopal Church was organized in 1880. The beautiful church building
was erected later on Aspetuck Hill, in memory of the late Judge David C.
Sanford, by his wife. It was consecrated in 1888. The Church of St.
Francis Xavier, Roman Catholic, was built about 1860, and has a large
and flourishing congregation. The most recent addition to our list of
churches is the Advent Church, which has done an excellent work already
in our community. It was built in 1901.
From very ancient times it seems to have been ordained that harmony and
discord should go hand in hand in the churches, for no subject was more
prolific of disturbance than the singing. In the first days of New
Milford the deacons led the singing, standing in front of the pulpit.
There seems to have been a difference of opinion as to any change, for,
in 1739, a meeting was held “to consider about the singing of God’s
praises in the congregation,” and it was voted “that we should ‘half’
the time; that is, to sing one day all the old way, and the next Sabbath
all the new way, for the space of one year, and then have a
reconsideration of the matter.” Samuel Bostwick was chosen chorister for
the new way, and “Nathan Botsford second, in case of the other’s
absence.”
The difference continued, for the following year a meeting was called to
“agree about the singing in church.” It was put to vote that all in
favor of singing all together the old way should go to the east end of
the meeting-house, and those for the new way to the west end. On being
counted, thirty favored the new way, against sixteen for the old. They
peaceably voted that the majority should rule.
Eight years later a new trouble arose as to using Dr. Watts’ version of
the Psalms. It was voted “that Dr. Watts’ version be sung the last
singing in the afternoon on the Sabbath and at lectures.” The next year
it was voted to sing from the old version in the morning, and from Dr.
Watts’ version in the afternoon, for one year, and then altogether from
Dr. Watts. Who could imagine Dr. Watts as a dangerous innovation!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account