New Britain Herald Newspaper, June 2, 1922, Page 13

I | S e————— Second Section ———e T rrilorial Faxation for Church Purposes (By James Shepard) Every man in Connecticut, from 1660 to 1818, was compelled by law to gay taxes in support of some church. Our early towns each had its minister and meeting house and matters appertaining thereto were acted upon In town meeting. As early as 1640 the Town of . Hart- «ford voted to make certaln improve- ments in the meeting house and “ap- pointed a committee to make a rate for the same.” Each town was in effect an eccleslastical soclety which included "as its members, every adult male who resided within its territory. Ministers support was first provided for on October 25, 1654. The inhab- {tants were called together “that every man voluntarily set down what he was willing to allow.” In 1650 it was provided that all male persons 16 years old and upwards who did not voluntarily contribute, (except magis- trates and elders,) should be taxed for the ministers rate according to the list of persons and estate. In March, 1657, all persons were pro- hibited from ‘‘embodying into church estate without the consent of the general court and apnrobation of the neighboring churches.” Prior to this time, ecclesiastical societies had grown up with the towns with but little distinction between the town and the society or church. The Sec- ond church of Hartford was legally established in October, 1668 and given permission to ‘‘practice the Congre- gational way without disturbance.” This was the first instance, in the colony, of a town hagng more than one church or a society the territory of which was not co-extensive with that of the town. In due time other towns were divided into two or more ecclesiastical societies each of which had the right to tax its inhabitants for the Congregational minister's rate and for building meeting houses. The first complaint against com- pulsatory rates for church support came from the Rogerens of New Lon- don in the form of a memorial, in 1695 praying for relief from taxes in support of Presbyterfan churches. It contained a tirade on the colonial government, based largely on alleged violations of the English “tolleration act.” No relief was granted. The first relief from such taxes was granted by the law of 1727 to pro- fessors of the Church of England. Under certain conditions they were excused from taxes for building Con- [rekatlonal meeting houseg:but the Congregational c¢éftdotors were re- quired to collect the. mifister's rate from all church men the sam\' as before, but instead of paying the money over to the Congregational minister they were under certain con- ditions required to pay the rates so collected ‘to the Church of England minister. A little later, still more lib- eral laws were passed exempting Bap- tists and Quakers from taxes in sup- port of the standing order. In May, 1735, a law- was enacted giving the Copgregational collectors the power of constables, each collector to re- ceive a rate bill, together with a warrant .against each . person named thereon to be used in case of neces- sity. In 1749, Thomas Hart, the collector for New Cambridge, (now Bristol), committed four church men, viz: Caleb Matthews, John Hickox, Daniel Roe and Benjamin Brooks to . the Hartford jail for non-support of ' the minister’'s rate. He was fully jus- tified by the law in so doing. Godfrey Malbone of Brooklyn, ‘Conn. had for years paid without a + murmur, one-eighth of all the taxes 'assessed by the Congregational so- ciety, but when it voted to build a new meeting house he objected to it as unnecessary. He was told that the meeting house would be built and that he would be compelled to pay his full share towards it. Acting upon the advice of counsel he estab- lished a Church of England parish, built a new church and kettled a minister over it, whereby he was legally released from paying taxes towards building the Congregational meeting house. When he decided to build the church he knew of only two church men besides himself in that vicinity. About twenty families were soon added to the parish and it was legalized by the general assem- bly in October, 1770. Immediately after the incorporation of the New Britain Ecclesiastical so- clety, there were six different Con- gregational societies in the Town of Tarmington, viz: Farmington, 1652, Kensington, 1711, Southington, 1724, Bristol, 1744, Wést Avon, 1750 and New Britain, 1754, The Wintenbury society, now Bloomfield, was also partly in the Town of Farmington as B ———— — skin treatment RESINOL Soothing and Healing Resinol Soap gently dleanses the ¢ Eora. Resinol Ointment eals the inflamed spots and blotches {| Try them o week. /|| and watch A ur skin Improve was the major part of the Church of England parish at Bristol, established In 1747, Church men and other dis- senting socletles had no clearly de- fined territory assigned to them be- dause membership therein was a voluntary matter in no way depend- ent upon their habitation. The New Britain and other socleties of the ‘“Standing Order” had the power to tax every male inhabitant 16 years old and upwards for the minister's rate and for building meeting houses no matter what their religious pref- erences were or whether they attend- ed worship in New Britain or else- where. No gne could become a mem- ber of the society other than males 16 years old and upwards and having reached that age habitation was the sole condition of membership. Each member was compelled to pay taxes annually in support of the Congrega- tional society, unless he was a church man, a Baptist or a Quaker. No one ever applied for admission to or formally joined the society; there was no election of members and no one could cancel their membership or withdraw from the society so long as they resided within it, although dis- senters who exercised their right of exemption from taxes were prohibit- ed from voting in society meetings, except for school purposes. Prior to 1784 relief from taxes of the Standing Order had been grant- ed from time to time by special acts in favor of Churchmen, Baptists, Quakers and Separates, but the con- ditions imposed and the relief grant- ed to these different denominations varied greatly. The Separates or Straight Congregationalist had no fa- vor whatever until 1777, nearly 50 yeltrs after relief had been granted to each of the other three dissenting bodies. The conditions for exemption imposed upon the Separates were more numerous and exacting than were those required of other dissent- ing bodies. Under the law of 1784 all dissent- ers of whatsoever name, were exempt- ed from taxes for the support of the society in which they resided, pro- vided they had formed into distinct bodies, attended and supported pub- lic worship and had filed with the clerk of the society a certificate to that effect signed by their minister. The law also provided that all per- sens who‘do not attend and help sup- port othep public worship shall be taxed in the society where they dwell. This law,¢for the first time placed all dissenters’ on nearly the same foot- ing, but there was still a lack of equality in that dissenters were re- quired to’'file a certificate and mem- bers of the Standing Order were not, and further it made no difference with the taxes of the latter whether or not they regularly attended public worship while said fact made a ‘dif- ference with the taxes of those wha helped to support a dissenting par- ish. In May, 1817, a law was enact- ed permitting any person to with: draw from any religious society to to which he belonged and join some other by leaving a certificate thereof with the town clerk. Those who did not thus withdraw were held to be- long to the socicty of the Standing Order in which they- resided. 4 Our present constitution is mainly that of 1818, Section 4 of Article One, provides that “No preference shall be given by law to any Christian sect or mode of worship.” The following is quoted from Section 1, of Article Seven: “It being the duty of all men to worship the Supreme Being, the Great Creator and Preserver of the Universe and their right to render that worship in the mode most con- sistent with the dictates of their consciences; no person shall by law be compelled to join or support, nor be classed with, or associated to, any congregation, church or legilious as- sociation.” And thus it came to pass, after nearly three centuries of territorial taxation in support of a single de- nomination of Christians, religious freedom was fully extended to all per- scns in Connecticut. THE TALK OF THE TOWN! What? OUR SATURDAY SPECIALS This Week Assorted Chocolates 39¢ Ib Box Don’t Forget Our SUNDAY DINNER $1.00 T sodolhopy 289 Main Street NEW BRITAIN DAILY HERALD, MAVIS TALCUM For Saturday 14c RALD MELLIN’S FOOD Large Size 54c Mercerized Crochet Cotton all sizes, all colors, 3 for 20c Our Summer Stocks Are Complete. Large Variety Makes For Easy Se- lection. Low Prices Make For Economy. Qualities Sure to Please. Sat- urday Offerings Are Very Tempting. Household Needs At These SPECIAL MONEY SAVING PRICES. Apron Dresses In a Saturday Sale at— 59¢ Without question the best lot in many years. Excellent ging- ham in checks, stripes and plaids—also standard grade per- cales in a large vanjety of pat terns. Button front, tie bacl : styles with rick rack. WOMEN'S HOSE OF FIBRE SILK Black and white — Strictly First Quality JUNE IS RIBBON FULL FASHIONED PURE SILK HOSE Low Price On Boyshform Black, white and all summer shades, slightly PURE SILK HOSE Brassieres These popular garments that have been selling at 79¢ can be had tomorrow at the extremely low price Triple mock seam, black only with embroidered white clox SILK LISLE HOSE Full fashioned, brown only. Slightly irregular "4dc WELDREST SILK LISLE 50c Kayser’s Long Silk Gloves Special Saturday Hose in all staple and sport shades Summer Drug Needs Special Saturday prices—Wil- Strength 5S¢ Odorona, the Deodorant 22¢ 39c Amolin— Deodorizer .......... 19c Woodbury's Facial Cream—In Tubes..... 18c Orchard White for Complexion ... 37c Damty Envelope Chemise — Othine, single and trimmed with laces and em- double strength broidery — Fine $l 33 Stillman's Freckle * 31 nainsook. ..iuyiss $ Red Top Callous and Bunion Plaster 2 29C Harriet Hubbard Ayers Com- plexion - 6 5c Balm Kayser guaranteed tip — 16- button length silkk gloves — White and colors ..... $1.39 Kayser guaranteed tip, 12- button length silk gloves — In white $ l .25 ORI v Wrisley’s Double Lemon made of 79¢ Step-In Bloomers, dainty striped voile in colors ............ Extra size Krinkle Crepe Gowns — Plain, pink and white or floral 98c patterns Octagon Washing Soap 5 for 25¢ Cascarets Witch Hazel — Double dis- tilled— 4 Ounce 8 Ounce .. Just the thing to take along for your summer home For graduation exercises and receptions, Chikiren's Day and the usual June festivities, rib- bon will be needed. Choose your requirements from these Saturday special offerings. Handsome Woven Jacquard Hairbows Bird and butterfly patterns— white, pink and blue— Hairbow width Sash width A wonderfful lot of fancy striped and bordered ribbon, in wide widths for Hairbows and sashes; also plenty of white at — Vard .. 2DC Beautiful lustrous Satin Taf- feta for Sashes and gzirdles—fif- ty different colors— 5 meh wian o 49¢ Heavy silk, 6 inch Moire and Taffeta of excellent grade and thirty beautiful Lingerie For Summer Special Saturday Inducements REMARKABLE SATURDAY SPECIALS From The BUSY BASEMENT STORE L $L19¢ CROCHET BED SPREADS Provide For Personal and WHITE SKIRTS For Summer Wear Exceptional Values Embroidered Collar And Cuff Sets Saturday—At Half Price 49c eyelet work em- broidery — the ever popular Bramley sets for sweaters, dresses and blouses, these sets were bought over to sell at $1. Beautiful WHITE SKIRTS With 12-inch ruffies of hand- some imported 98c embroideries ......... WHITE LINGERIE SKIRTS Wide ruffle, made of several rows of fine Children’s Bloomers Ot pink and white nainsook— Flastic waist and ruffled knee. 15¢ SHADOW PROOF DOUBLE PANEL SKIRTS of excellent white sateen—Hem- stitched or 89 c Scalloped bottoms ... BEAUTIFUL LINGERIE SKIRTS With deep flounce of lace tn i $1.19 effects SKIRTS OF GOOD MUSLIN Tucked flounce edged with Hambnrg 49 c or laces . Very Special at Pair ..... JUST THINK OF IT! Needs Deeply reduced prices — Em- broidered scalloped edging — The splendid quality, work- manship an®* styles will surely be a revelation to you. Three All colors— 3 Yard Pioco—Plece. ... OC clever models of lustrous black Mercerized white and colors. 4 Yard Piece lingerie tape — Cotton elastic, 1-4 inch white washable. Whittemores Quick White, For White Shinola Home Shoe Polishing Out - . ODC Velvet grip, sew on hose sup- porters — White and 1 5 (4 flesh — Pair Laces for low shoes — All colors— Mercerized — Pair. . ... 30 5c sateen, trimmed in the wanted Shades. Sizes to $4. | | Muslin gowns, trimmed with embroidery; extra size, 79c slip over styles ....... l Summer Notion Corset Covers, exceptionally well made and trimmed 59c front and back .. Bloomers of nainsook —Pink, orchid and light blue. 39c Lace edged ruffles. ... | | | Nickeled Safety Pins— All Sizes—2 Doz, Acme Straw Hal Polish Twink Dye Flakes— All colors ‘Waterproof Bags— lgc For Seashore use.... Scrim Sash Curtains Dress shiclds — Flesh color, made by Kleinert— 25c All sizes material — 2 MARQUISETTE RUF With tie backs, made of fine qua 1-4 Yar PLAIN MARQUISE Very Fine Quality s long ... 5D CURTAINS New Yarns For Summer Sweaters Size 72x90 “SHE Made of fine muslin— “Columbia” Silk Iceland Yarn, in a beautiful series of new shades SUMMERY FABRICS Moderately Priced For The Woman Who Sews 4 Quart Size . ALUMINUM TI Made of Heavy Stock— " 3-PIECE ALUMINUM SAUCE Made of heavy guage Minerva Lustre Down Floss—TIxquisite colorings—Full 1 ounce ball 40c material — Set : 1014 FINE VOILE! individual pans Made of heavy stoc INCH ALUMINUM DOUBLE ROASTER —- Can he used as two - ! Minerva Shetland Floss—Twenty-two 2 5 <port shades — Ball. . C 45 inches wide—Fifteen attractive col- ors to select from—Yard e 45c ORGANDIES In Summer Shades—10 inches wide — Yard ... o Sizes 18x36 SUITING A new summer fabric “Durban’ in handsome colors — 38 inches wide—Yard .59¢ GOOD GRADE 36 INCH POPLINS In a large variety of staple and fancy shades ........ IMPORTED SCOTCH GINGHAMS One hundred assorted patterns— ATl colbrs — Yard %, RAG RUGS Variety of patterns just arrived— MEN’S SUMMER UNDERWEAR At a Very Low Price—37¢c Shirts and drawers of very good quality, bal- briggan—All sizes, from 34 to 44. Extra well made and trimmed. Reémarkable Indeed! Are These PANTIE DRESSES At—50¢c A pretty little model for children of 2 to 6 years —made of good washable fabrics with trimmings of contrasting checked ginghams. I I o S,