king, they were gentle, even as a nurse cherisheth her children."

So patriotic were some of these ministers in their attachment to the cause of independence, yet so wise and gentle were they towards those that were suspected of loyalty, that loyalists, or tories, as they were called, were sent into Connecticut from the State of New York and elsewhere.

Thus, they were sent to Lebanon, Hartford, Simsbury, Durham, Middletown, Saybrook, New London, Windham, Colchester, and other towns.

In early life I was often informed that many wise and intelligent men in Connecticut fully believed that the rupture between the colonies and Great Britain was premature, and that if there had been a wise delay, the sufferings of an eight years' war might have been avoided. I sometimes asked how long a delay would have been wise, and was told that fifty or sixty years would have made the colonies ripe and ready for independence.

While the British were in possession of Long Island and the Sound, some of the people of Connecticut whose sympathies were with the English, or who were lukewarm in their cause of liberty, carried on what was called the Long Island trade, to supply the British with provisions. Fresh meat, chickens, eggs, turkeys, vegetables, etc., were secretly sent from the towns on, and near the Sound, and money was received in return. The temptation to engage in this trade was a strong one. The people had become tired of the barren. leaves of Continental money, and glad to put into their pockets the golden fruit in the shape of coin, even though it bore the image and superscription of the British king. They would start, it may be, twenty miles back from the Sound, dispose of their truck at some place on the Sound, to those who were engaged in the trade, and get back, it may be, before the people were up the next morning. Some of the men would wink at this practice, when carried on by their sons or some of their neighbors. They were supplied in this way with brandy, or wine, and the women with tea. The ministers set their faces against this trade, and carried the community,

generally, with them. One case could be cited in which a man living a few miles from the sea, was tried and excommunicated from the church, for selling a yoke of fat oxen to the commissary of the British fleet, which was then cruising in Long Island Sound. They earnestly encouraged enlistments, and all the measures adopted by the General Assembly.

An examination of facts would show clearly that the ministers of Connecticut educated the prominent men of the colony and of the State to bear their part honorably in the Revolution.

Qui facit per alium, facit per se.

The minister was the mentor, not only of the young Telemachus, but of the wise Ulysses, and the industrious and prudent Penelope. When a young man wished to choose his profession, or go off to seek his fortune, he would come to the minister for advice. When his father wished to make a purchase of land, or to emigrate to the west, he would consult the minister. When his mother had a daughter who had been asked in marriage, she would consult the minister. The advice thus given was found to be candid and wise. The following is a specimen :

One of the parishioners of Dr. Goodrich, told him a long story about the injuries which he had received from a neighbor, and said to him: "Don't you think that he has done very wrong?" Dr. Goodrich replied: "I have lent you this ear (pointing to the one nearest the listener), and now I must lend your neighbor the other ear, before I express an opinion." He was so satisfied with the candor of Dr. Goodrich that he dropped the whole subject.

There are certain religionists that seem to derive their religion from solitude, "where heavenly pensive contemplation dwells, and ever musing melancholy reigns." This is not true of the religious people of ancient Connecticut, though most of them were in the habit of secret prayer, and of going out to meditate, like Isaac, at eventide, sometimes in the grave-yard.

There is another sort of religionists that derive their re

ligion from contact with others, assembled in large crowds. Neither was this the religion of the ancient people of Connecticut, though they enjoyed going to the house of God with the multitude that keep holy day. The religion of the people of Connecticut was to a large extent family religion, and the religion of the school and of the college.

The great Father of all set the people of Connecticut in families-not in clubs of bachelors, not in circles of spinsters; and as the young men married generally at the age of twentyone, families rapidly increased, and ministerial influence kept pace with this increase.

The colony of Connecticut was disposed to connect religion with every important interest, and the ministers of religion with every important enterprise. These ministers, as Englishmen, were conservative, believing in the declaration, "Leges Angliæ nolumus mutari.”

As Puritans they were progressive; believing that fresh light was to break forth from the Scriptures, leading men to a more "excellent way." They had learned to labor and to wait for whatever was excellent. They labored to establish a college, and waited for this purpose something like sixty years, or two generations. They labored to establish an ecclesiastical constitution, but they waited sixty years or more, until 1708, before they accomplished their purpose. The new divinity men labored to get rid of the practice of baptizing children, on their parents "owning the covenant," but they waited something like three generations before they could confine the practice of baptism to the children of parents in full communion.

The average minister formed an early and strong attachment for the liberty to make local laws in the church and state. This precious liberty he long labored to win, and when his suit was denied by his political Laban, he was willing to labor and to wait seven, or even twice seven years, to gain full possession of this, his beloved Rachel.

Of this disposition of the colony to connect the ministers of religion with every important enterprise, we have an instance in the war against the Indians.

“A general court of Connecticut, held at Hartford, October 14th, 1675, did nominate and appoint the Rev. Israel Chauncey to be the minister for the army, to go out with Major Robert Treat in this present expedition." (Colonial Records, p. 267.)

"This court did order Mr. Gershom Bulkeley to be improved in this present expedition, to be chyrurgeon to our army; and also the said Mr. Bulkeley and Mr. Chauncey were ordained and impowered to be of the Council of War." (Colonial Records, p. 271.)

It should be remembered that Mr. Chauncey was one of the founders of Yale College, and was offered the presidency of that institution, and Mr. Bulkeley was probably the most learned man of his time in Connecticut.

So in regard to the execution of Miantonomoh, five elders in Massachusetts were consulted, and their opinion settled the matter that Miantonomoh should be put to death.

So too, in the French wars, some of the ablest ministers of the colony were sent as chaplains. Among others, Rev. Elisha Williams, after he had been president of Yale College.

In the war of the Revolution, I can easily believe that it was expected that the chaplains of the army would be consulted by the officers of the army on important points.

When such men as Nathan Strong, Timothy Dwight, Joel Barlow, and Benj. Trumbull were appointed chaplains for the regiments of Connecticut, it must have been expected that they would have opinions on important matters, that they would express opinions, and that these opinions would have influence. The same might be said of Cotton Mather Smith, Ammi Ruhamah Robbins, Benj. Boardman, Abiel Leonard, Samuel Wood, Stephen Johnson, Samuel Bird, John Eels, Nathaniel Eels, Samuel Wales, and others.

It must have been expected that such men would have an influence as chaplains in the army, similar to what the pastors then had in the towns.

What gave the ministers of Connecticut great influence with their people, was their thorough knowledge of the people.

They were ordinarily acquainted with every man, wo

man, and child of ten years of age, in the whole town. They knew the character of each, the weakness and the strength of each. If any individual was dangerously sick, it was the custom to request public prayers for him on the Sabbath. On Monday the minister felt bound to visit the family thus afflicted, when their hearts were affected by a tender concern for the sick member. If death entered the family, the minister would often visit that family to offer consolation. If the ministers lived to an advanced age, they would, like the aged Nestor, have lived there through three generations of "articulate-speaking men." If there was feasting and rejoicing in the family, the minister must be invited to share in its joys. If there was affliction and bereavement, the minister must be invited to share in the sorrows. It was the proper distribution of truth among his people that gave to the minister his influence. He endeavored to give every one a portion in due season, and, in order to do that, he must know the wants of every one. It was not by throwing out great masses of truth, but by giving line upon line, and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, that he moulded the hearts and lives of his people.

What was true at all times, was very strikingly true, in several respects, during the war of the Revolution, when the common danger, and the common hopes and fears produced by the war, had bound minister and people together.

It is to be considered that the great body of the people were agricultural, and that in the country towns the ministers cultivated farms, just as their people did. But besides this, the ministers received a salary from their people, and this salary, during the war, was paid in a depreciated currency, at a great pecuniary loss to the ministers.

At the commencement of this statement it was mentioned that the ministers of Connecticut were distinguished in the community for their learning, their general intelligence, their good manners, and their Christian graces. These gifts they faithfully and successfully endeavored to communicate to their people. They were influential in establishing and sustaining common schools, academies, and the glory of the com