The Virginia Gazette

NEW YORK, August 5.

FROM Stratfield, in Connecticut, we have the following melancholy Account. "Sunday last, the 28th of July, a small Shower came up about the Time People were gathering together for publick Worship in this Place, and it rained very moderately, with but little Thunder, for about the Space of an Hour. About a Quarter of an Hour before twelve o'Clock, the Lightning, in a most terrible Manner, struck the new Steeple, at the large Ball, sundry Feet below the Spindle. The Vane, Spindle, and King Post, do not appear to be damaged. It appears to have struck about the Ball, which is torn to Pieces, and to a considerable Distance. It then descended in various Directions down sundry of the Rafters, shivering them to Pieces, and then seized some of the Posts of the Steeple, which it likely with great Violence shivered, together with the Braces, Laths, and Shingles, that were in its Way down to the Bottom. When it was opposite to the lower Windows, some Branches of it turned into the House, tore up Part of the Floor, and shivered some of the Seats. As the House was pretty full of People, much the greater Part of them, especially in the lower Part of it, perceived a great and sensible Shock, sundry were knocked down; but it is supposed they all are likely to recover, except JOHN BURR, Esquire, and Mr. DAVID SHERMAN, who were struck dead on the Spot, as they were standing in their Pews, adjoining to the Windows near the Posts of the House. The Report was like heavy Cannon, only sharper; and there was no hard Thunder, neither before or after, in this Country the adjacent Places. The Reverend Mr. Ross was preaching from these Words, These all died in Faith; and had but just illustrated the Weakness and Frailty of Mankind, and the Certainty of Death by Sickness, or sudden unexpected Providence, and proceeding to show what it is to die in Faith, when the Steeple was struck, and he himself partly knocked down, and the whole Assembly thrown into such terrible Consternation as is better imagined than described. As the Thunder seems to have been in a Direction from West to East, some of the first Conjectures are that the Steeple has been probably a Means, under God, of preserving the House, and the Lives of many. The two Gentlemen who were killed have left most mournful Widows, and Families of small Children; and their Death is a heavy Loss to the Society, as well as to their particular Families and Friends. As they were removed in such a sudden and surprising Manner, had extensive Connections, and were respected and beloved in general, their Funerals were attended by many Magistrates and Ministers of the neighbouring Towns and Societies, and the greatest Concourse of People ever known in this Place."