the service used was glassware, borrowed from the hotel bar of Mr. Parsons. For years there was no clergyman in charge; but that good old man, Deacon Samuel Mills-heaven bless his memory!-conducted reading meetings. He made the prayer and read the hymn; Julius Whiting acted as chorister, and my father, Daniel T. Dickinson, or Rufus Baldwin usually read the sermon. There was no organized church or society of any denomination in that part of the town previous to the commencement of these meetings, and many spent the Sabbath in their accustomed pursuits, while others devoted it to fishing, hunting, and other sports common to the new settlements. Clergymen from abroad preached there occasionally after the reading meetings commenced, and among them I recollect Mr. Hyde, of Oxford, Mr. Harrower, of Sydney, Mr. Dean, of Delhi, Mr. Garvin, of Butternuts, Mr. Thorp, of Coventry, Mr. Chapin, of Bainbridge, Mr. Chapman, of Hardwick, and Mr. Williston, from some of the eastern counties. The meetings were usually held in a little school-house, on the site of the present academy building; and there was I baptized, with my brothers and sisters, by the Rev. Daniel Harrow. But during the summer, when a preacher came from abroad, some barn in the neighborhood, was usually occupied. The first regular preaching there was by the Rev. Mr. Jewell, who was engaged for a few months, and he generally preached in the school-house. At a later day the Rev. Mr. Raymond was employed in like manner. When the church was organized the site of the present church edifice, with most of the territory in the neighborhood, was covered with a dense and dark hemlock forest, and I remember but two dwellings in sightone, the tavern-house of Mr. Parsons on the corner, and the other, a small house occupied by a Mr. Dickinson, standing near the site of the one built and formerly occupied by Rufus Baldwin. The church structure was erected more by contributions of labor than of money; and when a small boy, with my father, I have driven three yoke of oxen many days in drawing stone, timber, and other materials for the edifice; and many a dinner, prepared by the hands of a sainted mother, have I borne from the old farm, a mile and a half north, to where the church building stands, to nourish laborers who were engaged in what we termed "building the new meetinghouse." Its raising was a subject of general rejoicing, a great event, which I helped to signalize in a grand game of bise ball! And afterwards, when it was finished and dedicated to the service of the Almighty, I was one of the choir that wel comed the advent of the Rev. Mr. Tenair and others, officiating clergymen, by singing, as they entered the church, "How beauteous are their feet, Who stand on Zion's hill; Who bring salvation on their tongues, The Rev. Asa Donaldson was, I believe, the first clergyman regularly settled in charge of the church and congregation. He remained there many years, and by him I was united to my present wife in marriage in 1822. With my parents and other members of the family, I followed the remains of a little brother to the burial-ground on the hill, in April, 1809. It was then a mere brush-wood, part of a rude clearing, and only two or three graves had been opened. Though now a populous city of the dead, I can remember some passage in the life of each of its early tenants. In short, my dear Sir, the subject in all its phases is too replete with emotional interest and instruction for my sensitive nature, and I dismiss it with its painful, pleasing associations. Be pleased to remember me and mine most affectionately to those whose memories linger with friendship around these early scenes, and believe me to be most Sincerely yours, The Rev. S. N. ROBINSON, Pastor, &c. D. S. DICKINSON. MR. DICKINSON TO MESSRS. SCOTT, SLOAN, AND STERRETT, COMMITTEE, &c. BINGHAMTON, Angust 1, 1862. GENTLEMEN-I have this moment received your esteemed favor of the 30th ult., inviting me to attend and address a mass meeting at Erie, Pa., on the 4th inst., called for the purpose of promoting enlistments and to arouse the people to a sense of the danger which threatens our Constitution and national exist. ence. I regret my inability to comply with your request, for I have a like engagement in this section on Saturday, the 2d, and after that I cannot conveniently reach you in time for the gathering. My views are to-day what they were when this hell-born rebellion assaulted the glorious flag of our country's pride and hope, at Sumter-that it must be put down without regard to cost of blood and treasure; put down by the strong arm of a government sustained by the material power and cheered by the moral energy of a great, free people; put down upon the theatre it selected for the inauguration of its diabolical treason, the field of blood; and put down, too, by severing the head of the loathsome serpent from its body. It is not a mere rebellion or outbreak. It is the result of a dark and malignant conspir acy, conceived and prosecuted by a worse combination of evil spirits than assembled at Milton's "Infernal Conference." It will never relax nor yield until it has overthrown the government or crushed it into the earth, beyond hope or prospect of resurrection; and not only to its overthrow but its annihilation, should we, as a people, address ourselves. There can be, there should be, but two parties to the contest in the loyal States. The first, embracing those who, regardless of all other considerations or consequences, will prosecute the war and sustain the administration for the purpose of punishing treason and vindicating the supremacy of the Constitution; and the other, those who sympathize with rebellion, and either justify it by open advocacy or lend it aid and comfort and encouragement, by nods and winks and stolen glances of approbation; by ill-concealed apologies for its course, and by assaults upon the government for prosecuting a war against it. And in the second division should be classed all of any and every political party, sect or faction, who cannot at such a time rise above President-making or office-hunting machinery of every description; abstain from partaking of the unclean drippings of the contract department, or withstand the odor of the sutler's stewpan. The rebellion has only had greater power of endurance than was expected, because it has received moral and material aid from abroad, which we did not believe would be extended it. This has enabled it to keep upon its feet longer, and to stagger a little further than we supposed it could; but the satisfaction of terminating its miserable existence will be all the greater when it is done, and the means of our people to strangle it are as ample as their will is resolute. The war is not and should not be waged to advance any cause on earth but that of the Constitution and laws. It is not and should not be prosecuted to destroy any interests but those of conspiracy and treason. Its aim and end and chief avowal should be the protection of loyalty and the destruction of rebellion. But in the pursuit of its purpose, the government must rise to the dignity of its responsibility, and while it extends the protection of the Constitution to those who acknowledge its obligation, should, in dealing with revolt, lay its hand with iron rigor upon every interest which will give it strength and weaken its lawless adversary, and should strike hardest where it will be felt most; should, for the purpose of conquering an early peace, in obedience to the first interests of self-preservation and the holiest dictates of humanity, whenever it will contribute to these results, immediately or remotely, condemn and confiscate to its use every species of property of every name and kind, whether animate or inanimate on two legs or on four. This will give an earnest of the realities of war. We have not now, nor have we ever had, over about one half men enough in the field to conquer and hold so vast an arena of rebellion; and the occasion is now presented for us to rectify the error, and to embody a force which can practically assert the strength and dignity of the government; can crush the venom out of this pestilent curse, and exhibit to the envious, meddlesome monarchies of the old world, the vindication of a free, self-governed people, against the machinations of conspiracy, and the sympathies of king-craft. In raising such a force, the President should understand that, so far as taxation becomes necessary to a vigorous and successful prosecution of the war, and so long as its fruits are faithfully applied to that purpose, the people will not hesitate at any amount, for they mean this rebellion shall be destroyed and the Constitution sustained, cost what it will or come what may, and in comparison with these results they will disregard the dangers and bloodshed and expenses of war. Governments are constitutionally timid, and politicians are always behind the people, and both should understand that the popular demand of to-day is not only for the raising of three hundred thousand men already ordered, but for a further order for an equal number, with a recommendation that every ablebodied man between the ages of eighteen and forty-five should prepare to take the field in case of necessity. Let this be recommended, and so much of it as may be necessary carried into effect, even to the whole, and conspiracy will find its reward, and rebellion go where it belongs. Let the people demand this, and our good President proclaim it, and little more will be wanted than an act of amnesty for the masses, and halters for the leaders, to restore law and order and peace. Let every one that loves the institutions of his country now come forward to defend them. Let every one who has a patriotic heart make proffer of it before the people. Let every one that has ability to shoulder a firelock, come forward to do so, and help rescue this land our fathers loved from the hands of traitorous despoilers. Sincerely yours, D. S. DICKINSON. Messrs. A. SCOTT, B. F. SLOAN, Jos. M. STERRETT, Committee. [The following telegraphic despatch, sent by Mr. Dickinson to the Committee, was read at the meeting with the letter, "and received," said the published proceedings, "with tremendous applause."] "Sent letter. I say a million of men, and make the end of the rebellion SURE! QUICK! and TERRIBLE! "D. S. DICKINSON." MR. DICKINSON TO A FRIEND IN NEW YORK. BINGHAMTON, September 21, 1862. MY DEAR SIR-Your kind note of the 18th, inquiring |