A  second  Universalist  society  was  organized  shortly
after  the  first.  The  new  organization  had  its  head-quarters
at  Contoocook.  A  church,  called  a  Union  house,  was
erected  in  1837.  It  is  now  owned  by  the  New  Church,  or
Swedenborgian  society.  The  Second  Universalist  society
for  some  time  had  considerable  vigor.  Rev.  J.  F.  Witherel
and  Rev.  Robert  Stinson  were  settled  ministers  at  different
times.  A  good  deal  of  enterprise  was  shown  in  the  efforts
for  propagating  the  faith.  Rev.  Mr.  Witherel,  in  company
with  Rev.  J.  Sargent,  of  Sutton,  published  the  Universalist
Family  Visitor,  a  monthly  periodical.  The  first  number
was  issued  in  April,  18-41.  The  Visitor  had  twelve  pages,
was  of  common  tract  size,  and  set  forth  the  favorite  princi-
ples with  talent  and  vigor.  We  have  not  been  able  to
find  any  records  of  the  Second  Universalist  society,  which
kept  up  a  nominal  existence  till  quite  late.
The  New  Jerusalem  Church,  more  commonly  called  the
New  Church,  was  founded  through  the  missionary  labors
of  the  Rev.  Abiel  Silver,  a  native  of  this  town,  who  first
preached  a  number  of  discourses  in  the  Union  church  at
Contoocook,  in  the  summer  of  1851.  Rev.  Mr.  Silver  was
then  a  resident  of  Michigan,  visiting  his  old  home  and
familiar  scenes.    The  appreciation  of  his  discourses  induced


ECCLESIASTICAL   HISTORY.  195

a  contribution  in  money  to  the  reverend  gentleman,  who
returned  its  equivalent  in  theological  works  of  Emanuel
Swedenborg,  or  in  collateral  publications  of  the  New
Church.
In  a  year  or  two  after,  further  interest  in  the  New
Church  was  awakened  in  Contoocook  and  vicinity.  Rev.
