Excerpt from The Bi-Centennial Celebration: Of the First Congregational Church and Society of Bridgeport, June 12th and 13th, 1895 One feature of the celebration was of necessity an inci dent of the occasion only. By dint of much research and labor, and the contribution of many willing hands, a re markable loan-collection of relics was gathered and exhib ited in the Chapel. The Committee take this opportunity of tendering their hearty thanks to all who lent their aid toward this most valuable and interesting illustration of the history which the celebration commemorated. The proceedings in the several services were stenograph ically reported by Mr. F. G. Fowler. The lists of members have been compiled by the sub-committee constituted for the purpose - among whom it is not invidious to name Mr. Richard B. Cogswell. While the result is avowedly andinevitably incomplete, his indefatigable industry has aecom plished a task to which few could have proved equal, which many will count invaluable. This volume has been edited for the committee of arrangements, at their request, by its chairman. The frontispiece has been added by their direc tion. The editor hopes that the result of his endeavors will be accepted by the dear friends he has served for so many years with the gracious consideration which he has always experienced at their hands, and that one abiding fruitage of the bi-centennial may be an increased consciousness on the part of the citizens of Bridgeport of the inspiration to be derived from its honorable history. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.