ORANGE CONG. CHURCH
Into such times came the fourth pastor of the First Church, The Rev. Samuel Whittlesey. Mr. Whittlesey was born in Wallingford, in 1714. He was graduated at Yale College in 1729, and had been a tutor in that institution for six years when he was invited to the pastoral care of this church. He was ordained colleague pastor with Rev. Samuel Andrew, December 9, 1737. His settlement was opposed by a strong and respectable minority, who alleged that he was in sentiment an Arminian. They, however, agreed to submit to his ordination, with the promise that if they were not satisfied with his preaching at the end of six months, relief should be provided. At the end of two years, being still more dissatisfied, they applied first to the church, then to the town and finally to the association for relief. Failing in all these applications, they formed themselves into a soberly dissenting society,"and commenced worship by themselves the first Sabbath in December, 1741. Thus originated the Plymouth Church and Society in this town." Mr. Whittlesey died October 22, 1768, aged 54 years, and having been pastor of the church thirty-one years. Mr. Whittlesey was too gentle, and political for his time. It was an age of reformation, of deep conviction of sin, of awful discontent. What was needed was not felicity of style merely with fine word-painting but the deep things of the spirit. The saintly Whittlesey could not see the world's deep sin or understand how far from God man is. The hearts of the people wanted the denunciations of a John the Baptist, an earnest messenger pointing to the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world. Such a man was to be the next pastor, the Rev. Samuel Wales, D. D. The Rev. Samuel Wales, D. D., was born in Raynham, Mass., March, 1748, and was graduated at Yale College 1767. For a short time he taught in Dr. Wheelock's Indian School at Lebanon; was elected tutor of Yale College in 1769, and was installed pastor of this church December 19, 1770. He was appointed Chaplain in the Revolutionary Army in 1776, and pro-