of Roxbury, who died two or three years
ago, aged ninety-nine, and who recollected having seen him when a
lad about eight years of age, while on a visit in this capacity to
his father, who had received a severe wound from an ax. He had
also done what other ministers did not, and that was to perfect
himself in legal knowledge."

It must be remembered that the pastor of a church in those days
was in quite a different position than one now, when the constitution
guarantees to every one liberty to worship God according to the
dictates of his conscience. The Congregational mode of worship
was then adopted and established by law in Connecticut, but it was
provided that all sober orthodox persons dissenting therefrom
should, on representing it to the General Court, be allowed to
worship in their own way. Such a privilege, however, was regarded
with distrust. Our fathers who desired religious freedom and
periled all for it in the wilderness, had not anticipated that they
would speedily have an opportunity to extend that toleration to
others which in the fatherland they had in vain sought for themselves.
The town church was, therefore, in substance, the only church, and
the preacher was the autocrat of the place.

Mr. Stoddard was not only a preacher, lawyer and doctor, but he
was also a fighter. In 1707 an expedition was made by the French
and Indians against New England, which created general alarm
throughout the country. Woodbury was exposed to the raids made by
the Indians, and suspicions were entertained that the neighboring
tribes would join the French and Indians in their foray. During
the continuance of this war, on one Sabbath evening, after the
conclusion of the services at church, while he was walking in his
garden, he discovered an Indian skulking among the surrounding
trees and bushes. Apparently without noticing the movements of
the Indian, he contrived to re-enter his house, and obtained his
gun. After playing the same game of skulking with his adversary
for a while, Mr. Stoddard got a fair view of him, discharged his
piece, and the Indian fell among the bushes. He dared not investigate
farther that night, but having quietly given the alarm, the
inhabitants sought their palisaded houses for the night. Early in
the morning he discovered another red foe, in the vicinity of his
companion, and whom he also laid low with his musket. By this time
the people had assembled, and after the country was scoure