Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/403

 NEW LONDON CENTENNIAL ADDRESS.

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��November, 1824, and commenced preaching at once. He remained in town about three years, as a stated sup- ply. Then Oren Tracy was called ; but having some engagements that de- tained him for a' while, his brother, Leonard Tracy, preached here one sea- son, and until his brother was prepared to come.

Oren Tracy was born at Tunbridge, Vt., June 1 8, 1798 ; was the son of Cy- rus and Hannah Lillie* Tracy. He was educated at Waterville college. Me., but did not graduate. He took what was then termed the short course in theology, and was ordained at East Stoughton, Mass., in October, 1825. He was married there during the first year of his ministry to Miss Marcia Bil- lings of Royalton, Vt. After remaining there some two years or more, very pleasantly located, his physician recom- mended his removal from the seaboard, and he accepted the call from New London and moved there in the fall of 1827, and was ordained as the succes- sor of Elder Seamans, January 30, 1828, and remained there till 1836, a period of about nine years. Under him the cause of education received a new im- petus in town. Teachers were more thoroughly and systematically exam- ined, and a higher standard in our com- mon school education was at once at- tained ; all our schools seemed to catch an inspiration from his spirit and efforts. He had great sympathy with, and great influence over young people. All the children loved Elder Tracy. I was twelve years old when he came here, and no man did so much as he to arouse in me a love of learning, and a determination to obtain a liberal edu- cation, at whatever cost. Mr. Tracy, I need not say, was my favorite minister ; and Mrs. Tracy was a good, kind, pleas- ant, motherly woman, who seemed to take as much interest in the people and in the children as he did.

He was also a pioneer in the cause of temperance. When he came here it was the fashion to set on the decanter of liquor, with sugar and water, when- ever the minister made a friendly call. It would have been considered almost

��disrespectful not to have done so. This fashion was soon changed under his ad- ministration, for he would not taste of distilled spirit at all, not even wine or cider, as a beverage. I remember that he delivered a course of lectures on temperance on Sundays, at the intermis- sion between the forenoon and after- noon service ; and besides he usually held his third meeting on Sunday, also. I have spoken of the revival of 1831 and 1S32 under his preaching, when nearly a hundred were added to the church.

Many who are here today will never forget that first Sunday in January, 1832, and also the first Sunday in March of the same year, upon each of which occasions about forty, standing on both sides of the broad aisle in the old meeting-house, received the right hand of fellowship from Mr. Tracy, on being received as members of the church. On these occasions Mr. Tracy seemed to be inspired. I was absent at school for the last year or two of his residence here, and entered college in 1836, the year he moved away. I have never found and never expect to find another minister who, in all respects, would quite fill Mr. Tracy's place with me.

From New London he went to New- port, N. H., thence to Townsend, Mass., afterwards to Fitchburg, Athol and Greenfield in that state. From 1847 t0 r ^49 he was agent of the A. B. Missionary Union in New England, re- siding at Springfield, Mass., and Hart- ford, Conn. From 185 1 to 1862 he was agent of the A. B. Home Mission- ary Society, residing at Concord, N. H. From Concord he went to Greenfield, Mass., where he died September 6, 1S63, aged 65. Mrs. Tracy still sur- vives him, residing with her daughter, Mrs. Elliott, of Boston.

Reuben Sawyer was born in Monk- ton, Vt., March n, 1798 ; was married to Laura Wyman, at West Haven, Vt., in 1 819. After this he was converted and baptized by his father, Rev. Isaac Sawyer, of Brandon, Vt. In 1822 he entered the Theological Seminary at Hamilton, N. Y., but owing to failing

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