70 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



beauty of tone, we think it is not surpassed by any organ we have 

 ever seen or heard. It has sufficient power and variety of tone to 

 answer any needful purpose that can be answered by those which 

 have formerly cost two or three thousand dollars. These noble in- 

 struments have, until recently, been so expensive, that but few churches 

 out of our cities and larger towns have been able to procure them. 

 But now they are so cheap that almost every religious society can 

 afford to furnish themselves with this noble auxiliary to the praise of 

 God in the place of religious worship. Societies need not anticipate 

 any difficulty in finding persons who can play their organ well. Get 

 the organ, and necessity will raise up organists, those who can play 

 them with taste and acceptance. There are in almost every town 

 young ladies who can play on the piano or melodeon, and these 

 young ladies, with very little study and practice, can qualify themselves 

 to do admirable service on the organ. 



"The Puritan Recorder," July ii, 1850. 



MR. BARSTOW'S DEDICATION SERMON. 



Extract from a Dedication Sermon, by the Reverend 

 John Barstow, preached in the Union Meeting-house at 

 Groton, Massachusetts, October 7, 1888, and repeated by 

 request, October 13, 1888. 



Previous to the building of this house the church met regularly in 

 the old Academy building. On the twenty-first of November in the 

 year preceding the building of the church, a council was held, and 

 the Union Church of Christ was organized. The members of the 

 old church were present at the meeting, but though they were con- 

 sulted in reference to all the details of the new church, its creed, its 

 covenant, etc., they did not then unite with the church by reason of 

 certain legal aspects which were then important. Thirty persons — 

 fifteen men and fifteen women — composed the new church, all 

 uniting on profession of their faith in Christ. Of that number one 

 is with us to-day, our good brother Milo Russell. " It is a small 

 church," writes Mr. Todd, " but I trust its foundations are strong and 

 pure. I believe it to be built on the Rock Christ Jesus. To him 

 would I give all the glory." 



