This church at Salem is about four miles from Ridgebury, to the west, and seven miles from Ridgefield, where they have raised a church, &c."b

The church to which Mr. Talbot alludes, in the foregoing letter, was built on land given for that purpose by Stephen de Lancey, in 1763, and appears to have been first opened for Divine worship on Sunday the 31st of August, 1766, by the Rev. Ebenezer Dibblee ; who, a few months later, sends the subjoined communication to the secretary : --

[Extract.]

"Stamford, Conn., N. E., Oct. 7th, 1766. "Rbv. Sir: -- I preached on Sunday, in August, c in the new church in the upper district of Salem, to a numerous and devoutly-behaved congregation : and gave the Holy Communion to about thirty communicants, and baptised fifteen children. In compassion to their circumstances, and the people of Ridgebiny and Ridgefield, who are contiguous upon the borders of Connecticut, Mr. Learning and I have recommended to read divine service and sermons to them, Mr. EpeDetus Townsend -- a very exemplary, sober, worthy young gentleman, gradual Conn. MSS. from archives at Fnlham (Hawks). b New York MSS., from archives at Fnlham, vol. i, p. 317.

c Dr. Dibblee records the following in bis register :--" Salem, Sunday, 1776, Anp. 31,'' baptised "Fred. Knox, Kob't Knox, Jos. Lobdell, Daniel Lobdell, Levy Lobdell, Jacob Lobdell. Rob't Lobdell, Ebenezer Lobdell, Abigail Cable, Sam'l Cable, Mary Morehouse, John and Deborah Morehouse, Theophilus, Daniel and Mary Morehouse, Philip Pufcett Piatt, Isaac Piatt, Jemima Patterson, William and Anna Patterson, (two children, names and parents forgotten,) Cornelius Delivan, Timothy and Hannah Dellvan, Stephen Brush, Stephen and Abia Brush, Sarah Palmer, Gideon and Jane Palmer, Walter Lockwood, Joseph and Ann Lockwood." on Sunday, the 25th of August, 1765, he had baptized fifteen at Salem. (St.