This was the church previous to 1849, when the present building was dedicated. It is now used as our town hall.

Dedicated February 14, 1849. Note trees. (A few of the church pictures were taken a year of two later than 1909.)

The front view. Note the tall elms, showing signs of age. They may have been set in 1849. This is one of the most beautiful Village Colonial churches in Connecticut.

View From the South West. Again, note the trees. The horse sheds may be glimpsed around the back of the church.

The view from the South East. The former church building may be seen across the street

This view emphasizes beautiful details. The unsurpassed spire, the belfry set in a circle of graceful Corinthian columns. The decorative urns above the columns. The fine Ionic tops to the front pillars, and the exquisite symmetry of the whole.

These details enlarged.

The Pulpit. Note the Pulpit Desk. The chairs, possibly Chippendale design, much modernized, the communion table, a design from Norman times. Note also the seeming depth on the flat wall between columns. The wall of course is flat, and the appearance of depth is made by the painted design. This was used in some later Colonial churches, though probably the first decoration back of the pulpit was the more common one, a plain painted wall.

This beautiful Light Standard carried at first some sort of lamp, before the invention of the electric bulbs.

The Rear of the Auditorium. Noted painted designs of the cornice, the edge of the ceiling, and the upper portion of the side walls.

The Chandelier probably used at first, whale oil lamps, which were replaced by kerosene, and later by electric bulbs. This was not the original decoration of the church, which was probably white or ivory without design.

As you look at these faces, you must agree that the Committee responsible for the architecture and construction of this church was made up of unusually capable men. The Meeting House of The First Congregational church of Meriden, CT was completed just before this one was built. The architecture was the same of both. It is probably that the Committee visited the one in Meriden and used it as a model, as this church is almost a duplicate of that. I have made this simple tribute to a Committee who built better than they knew.

The Catholic Apostolic Church.

North of the cemetery stands the harness shop of Mr. C.A.Killam. For many years this has been a distinct asset to the street.

Dr. Vail’s Sanitarium reflects credit to its management, and some of our church attendants live here.

Dr. Edwin S. Vail is head of Sanitarium and his beautiful ivy covered house is on the screen.

A little north of Deacon King’s, on a cross street, was the office of Dr. John L. Bridge, who keeps the parsonage dwellers in good health.

Now we will return to our starting point and enjoy a winter view of our church.Note the trees in winter, and the former church building across the way.

One day when Harry Woodward was passing the parsonage, he obligingly stopped while the parson took his picture. He is our Rural Delivery Mail carrier.

At Mr. Hartley’s store, many of our people obtain supplies for their pantries and tables.

Nearby is the blacksmith shop of S.K. Henry, who we see with his son, Gilbert, standing below the sign.

The school house at Bement’s Brook.

Just below and across the street stands the schoolhouse. It is a place where they make real folks.

Not far from Mr. Steele’s is the Weymouth Schoolhouse. Here is another place where boys and girls are taught self-reliance, endurance, and initiative.

Here is Wallop District School – building, teacher, and scholars.

We all love this building, dedicated to the worship of God in 1849.Our fathers built better than they knew, and we are very much in their debt for that service.

This is a fleeting glimpse of the church, the parish, and a few neighbor friends in 1909.A very few of the pictures may have been taken a bit later, but are used to make the story more complete.May I apologize for their quality. I am not a photographer. Most of the pictures and slides have been developed in a very hot dark room, in the Ell of the parsonage during May, June, July, and August.All of them have been made in the short bits of time I could take from a busy parson’s life.I trust that they have accomplished their purpose and have increased interest in the church and the many splendid people of the parish, with whom we work and worship.

This meeting house has been central in our lives, and in some of them, since childhood.May I urge you to guard it with jealous care.I plead with you, not merely to preserve this beautiful building, but I plead more strongly for you to preserve the organization of believers who form its human center.Guard, as a sacred trust, the divine message that it bears.Be true to this duty, and God will bless your homes and your community.And all of you, young and older, will grow daily more complete in Him.David Lewis Yale.