During his ministry 12 persons were admitted into the church and 27 were baptized. After the dismissal of Mr. Chapin, the church did not despair, but began to look around for a new pastor, for one who might make it more easy, or at least more practicable to sustain the ordinances of the gospel in this first church of the town. They were, however, without a settled pastor until 1827, when they gave to REV. ETHAN SMITH a call. During this time they were not without the ministrations of the gospel In the same year after the departure of Mr. Chapin they were much cheered by the ladies. The parish received—from certain ladies living in this and adjoining towns, not subject to taxation (as they say), who had formed themselves into a society which they termed "The Female Helping Society,"—a communication to be laid before the parish. In this communication these ladies said: That, in view of the reduced numbers and resources of the society, they have obtained one hundred and thirty or forty dollars, which they would like to give the parish to aid in securing another minister, and they very respectfully added, that, if it met the concurrence of the parish, they would be particularly gratified if the parish would engage Mr. Noah Emerson. The parish, anxious to meet such generosity in a suitable manner, made an offer to Mr. Emerson to become their pastor, which, for some reason, was not accepted.

While the church was without a pastor, the members of the church held their meetings, and attended to church discipline, and the reception of members. Eighteen persons were by them received into the church, and the pulpit was more or less supplied by different preachers. The parish also became interested and engaged in building A NEW MEETING HOUSE—the THIRD ONE. Those were spirited times, on account of the different views entertained, and the earnest discussions resulting therefrom.

According to the records this meeting-house was built before the call of Rev. Mr. Smith to be the pastor; for March 19th, 1827, the church held a meeting in the new meeting house, and voted to extend a call to REV. ETHAN SMITH to become their settled pastor. The parish concurred with the church, and the following churches were invited: The 2d and 3d churches in Abington; 2d in Weymouth; church in Braintree; Union Church in Braintree and Weymouth; church in Hanson; ist church in Scituate, and 2d in Cohasset

Barry says: "That the Rev. Ethan Smith, the 7th pastor, was born in Belchertown, Mass., Dec. 17, 1762. He married in 1791, Bathsheba Sandford, second daughter of Rev. David Sandford, of Medway, Mass. He was in Haverhill, N. H., nine years, and was dismissed for want of support. He was installed in the ministry at Hopkinton, N. H., March 12, 1800, and continued there about 18 years, during 16 of which he was Secretary of the New Hampshire Missionary Society. He was afterwards settled at Hebron, N. Y., about 4 years; at Poultney, Vt., about 5 years; at Hanover, Mass., 5 years; and then spent a season as a city missionary in Boston. His publications were, i. A Dissertation on the Prophecies, two editions; 2. A View of the Trinity, two editions; 3. A View of the Hebrews, two editions; 4. Lectures on the Subjects and Mode of Baptism, two editions; 5. A Key to the Figurative Language of the Bible; 6. Memoirs of Mrs. Abigail Bailey; 7. A Key to the Revelation, two editions; 8. Prophetic Catechism; 9. Two Sermons on Episcopacy; 10. Farewell. Sermon at Haverhill, N. H.; 11. First Sermon after Installation at Hopkinton; 12. Two Sermons on the Vain Excuses of Sinners, preached at Washington, N. H.; 13. Sermon on the Moral Perfection of God, preached at Newburyport, Mass.; 14. Sermon on the Daughters of Zion Excelling, preached before a Female Cent Society; 15. Sermon on the Happy Transition of Saints, preached at the Funeral of Mrs. Jemima, consort of Rev. Dr. Harris, of Dunbarton ; 16. Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. Stephen Martindale, at Tinmouth, Vt.; and 17. Sermon at the Ordination of Rev. Harvey Smith, at Wcybridge, Vt.

"His children were Myron, born in Haverhill, N. H., 1794, and died 1818, aged 24; Lyndon Arnold, born at Haverhill, 1795, graduated at Dartmouth College, married a daughter of Rev. Dr. Griffin, and settled as a physician in Newark, N. J.; Stephen Sandford, born at Haverhill, 1797, and settled as pastor of the Congregational Church, Westminster, Mass.; Laura, who died in infancy; Carlos, born in Hopkinton, 1801, graduated at Union College, and settled as pastor over the Presbyterian Church in Massillon, Ohio; Grace Fletcher, wife of Rev. Job H. Martin, died in Haverhill, Mass., 1840; Sarah Towne, second wife of Rev. J. H. Martin, of New York; Harriet, wife of William H. Sandford, of BoyIston, Mass.; and Ellen, wife of C. B. Sedgwick, Esq., of Syracuse, died May 23, 1846, aged 33. The wife of Mr. Smith died in Pompey, N. Y., April 5, 1835, aged 64. He was living in 1847, in Boylston, Mass., but has since deceased.

"During the ministry of Mr. Smith the second meeting-house was torn down, and the third, or present house erected; which stands in the centre of the town, facing the East, and is a modest structure, surmounted by a steeple, and in the belfry hangs the old bell given by Mr. Josselynn, in 1785, and recast in 1788."

Rev. Ethan Smith had offered to become a member of the church on the condition, that if his moral character or conduct should be called in question he should be tried only by a council mutually chosen for the purpose, and the church had received him on this condition as a member. His wife, Bethesda, presented a letter from the church in Poultney, Vt.

In March, 1830, the church was invited to sit in council, by pastor and delegate, to aid in forming the Third Congregational Church, Plymouth, into two churches. Deacons Barstow and Cook were chosen, that one of them might accompany the pastor, as they shall agree.

At the monthly church meeting, held June 3d, 1831, the church voted, that in the future, examinations of candidates be as usual by the committee, but also in the presence of the church, and that other members besides the committee have opportunity to ask questions.

Sabbath noon, June 12th, a letter missive was read to the church from Kingston, requesting the aid of the church in the installation of a pastor over the evangelical church in that place. Dea. Isaac Cook, with Dea. Barstow, as alternate, was chosen delegate with the pastor. Again on Sabbath, Nov. 6th, a letter was read from a committee of the church in Halifax, requesting the church to aid (with a number of other churches mentioned in the letter) in an ex parte council, to give advice relative to difficulties between their pastor and themselves, the pastor having utterly declined to unite in calling a mutual council. This church voted not to comply with the request ; at which the pastor, Mr. Smith, was grieved, deeming the vote uncharitable and irregular.

About this time the pastor, being called to take a journey, hired a REV. MR. WOODBURY, of Boston, to supply his pulpit two Sabbaths. Mr. Woodbury, though a total stranger to Mr. Smith, was well recommended, and was a candidate in good standing. After preaching one Sabbath, the church was convened on the following Thursday, Dec. 1st, and with Dea. Isaac Cook as moderator, voted to send the following communication:

"Congregational Church in Hanover to the Rev. Mr. Woodbury. "SIR: Having heard you preach last Lord's Day, and believing as we do that your preaching is subversive of the Gospel of Christ, and contrary to the confession of faith adopted by this church, and dangerous to the souls of men, we« therefore, request that you would not preach to us the next Lord's Day."

This, as well as a case of church discipline the year before, shows that the church had a regard for discipline and its well being. The last Sabbath in Dec. of the year 1831, Mr. Smith having received an invitation from the Board of Overseers of the City Missions, of Boston, to engage as a city missionary, requested of the church a dismissal, and accordingly a council was called, and he was regularly dismissed Jan. 12th, 1832. The council were unanimous in their conclusions, and expressed themselves as highly gratified to find, from the documents, that there was a state of very desirable harmony existing between the pastor and his church and society; and that nothing had been exhibited, or even suggested, as detrimental to the ministerial, the Christian, or moral character of the pastor. In his youth, Mr. Smith learned the trade of "tanner and currier and shoemaker." At the age of 18 he became a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was stationed at West Point when Benedict Arnold attempted to betray the fort and the country into the hands of the enemy. It was not until he had reached the age of 21 that he began preparation for a liberal education. At the age of 30 he was a well-educated man, having been graduated with honor at Dartmouth College. He spent some time in studying theology, with the distinguished Dr. Burton, of Thetford, Vt. His first settlement was at Haverhill, N. H., where he remained about 9 years. He was settled in Hopkinton, N. H., about 18 years, and when he was settled in Hanover, it was his fifth place of settlement. After he left Hanover, he labored about a year in Boston, as city missionary, and then was employed in the State of New York. His wife died in 1835, leaving him to travel alone the journey of life. He had ten children, eight of whom reached adult years. The whole period of Mr. Smith's ministry was 59 years. He was a great student of the Bible. His son, Rev. Carlos Smith, says of him: "He was an indefatigable Bible student, and beyond all the men I ever knew, familiar with the Bible. It was with him The Book. He pored over it with ever fresh delight. I remember hearing him say, in his old age, 'new beauties were opened up to him continually.' He had a warm and deep sympathy for all classes of men, however ignorant and degraded, and for all of those Christian and benevolent societies and operations which are adapted to promote human elevation and human happiness." He spent the closing years of his life with his children, particularly with his daughter, the wife of William H. Sanford, of Boylston, where he died in the year 1849. It is remarkable that three of his sons were in the ministry, as pastors, and three of his daughters were wives of pastors.