THE TOWtt OF BEDFORD. 45 



he received the degree of Bachelor of Arts, as one of the first class of 

 graduates of Yale. When he commenced preaching, contrary to the 

 practice of the times, he used notes, but some of his brethren protested 

 so strongly that he quickly abandoned them. Having ministered at 

 Bedford and during part of the time in the neighboring town of East 

 Chester for nearly four years, he removed to Greenwich, Conn., and 

 preached there till 1708. "It seems that in 1705, to encourage and 

 sustain Mr. Morgan, the right had been granted to him to build a mill 

 at the mouth of Coscob River, now known as Davis's mill. He built 

 the mill and went to live near it that he might manage it in person, and 

 see that his people's grists were well ground. The congregation, after a 

 while, thought his zeal in this matter was rather greater than they had 

 bargained for, especially as his position down at the mill made him inac- 

 cessible to the people, and rendered his visits among them angel-like, 

 ' few and far between.' Finding remonstrance, however, vain, they first 

 referred the case to the neighboring ministers, to say what should be 

 done. This showed forbearance on their part. Meanwhile, the good 

 brother, as he had to take his salary, according to the custom of those 

 early times, in grain, and a short allowance at that, thought it wise to 

 stick to his mill. Whereupon the Horse?ieck people, never wanting in 

 spirit when spirit was called for, grew impatient. They sent their com- 

 mittee, Ebenezer Mead, Joshua Knapp and Caleb Knapp, chief men 

 among them, to press the question to an immediate decision, whether 

 Mr. Morgan would quit personally attending his mill (adding this, per- 

 haps, to all other objections, that a white dress was not in character for 

 a Congregational minister), and attend to the parish. If he would not, 

 they were to strike off his official head at a blow, and provide a suc- 

 cessor. Now the inventions of our day are wonderful, especially in the 

 line of sharp-cutting machines, mowers, reapers, etc.; but our congrega- 

 tions, I will venture to say, have invented no instrument for disposing of 

 refractory ministers that can go ahead of this ecclesiastical guillotine of 

 1708. Matters were now brought at once to an issue. Mr. Morgan 

 decided to abide by his mill, and the committee decided to consider the 

 pulpit vacant and provide a successor." He left there, and settled in 

 Freehold, N. J., 1709. In September, 1728, complaints were made 

 against him to the Synod that he practiced astrology, countenanced pro- 

 miscuous dancing, and transgressed in drink. But these complaints 

 were dismissed for want of proof. He left Freehold and went to Hope- 

 well and Maidenhead. Here he was again charged with intemperance, 

 and was suspended from the ministry ; but he was finally restored 

 through the kindness of some of his brethren. He published many of 



