USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > New Brunswick > A record of Christ church, New Brunswick, Diocese of New Jersey > Part 1
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3X 5980 N35 C5 Copy 1
..
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
Chap.
BX5980
Shelf
N35 C5
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
A
-
A Duplicates
RECORD
OF
Christ Church, Mew- Brunswick,
DIOCESE OF NEW-JERSEY.
BY
THE REV. ALFRED STUBBS,
RECTOR OF THE PARISH.
'New - Dork : DANIEL DANA, JR., No. 20 JOHN-STREET. . . .. 1850.
BX5980 N/35C5
1
THE LIBRARY 0 CONGRESS
WASHINGTON
PUDNEY & RUSSELL, Printers.
TO
THE WARDENS AND VESTRYMEN OF
Christ Church
THESE PAROCHIAL RECORDS
ARE RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED BY THEIR RECTOR AND FRIEND.
4
BY the Convention of the Diocese of New-Jersey, in the year 1846, it was resolved, " That the Parochial Clergy of the Diocese prepare an historical account of their respective Parishes, from their origin up to the present time."
In accordance with this resolution, which ought to have been com- plied with three years ago, the following narrative has been pre- pared.
It occurred, however, to the writer, that its length would forbid its admission into the Journal of the Convention ; and that its materials, presented in another form, would prove of most advantage to the members of the Parish.
He was confirmed in this view by the favorable opinion expressed by some gentlemen of the Vestry to whom the manuscript was read, who desired that it might be printed for the use of the congregation.
Accordingly, at a meeting held in the church, on Monday in Easter week, the following Resolution, offered by Wm. H. Leupp, Esq., and seconded by John S. Blauvelt, Esq., was unanimously passed :
" It being understood that the Rector has prepared an historical ac- count of the Parish, from the earliest records ; therefore, Resolved, That he be respectfully requested to furnish a copy of the same for publication, at the expense of the Board."
It is due to the Vestry to state, that they are in no sense respon- sible, either for the correctness of the statements, or for any express- ions of opinion that occur in the course of the narrative, or in the notes appended.
Should the information imparted, in this general outline, of the past history of their venerable church, afford the least gratification to his Parishioners, the compiler will be richly repaid for his trouble.
CHRIST CHURCH PARSONAGE,
Monday in Easter Week, 1850.
Record.
THE proceedings of the Rector, Wardens, and Ves- trymen of Christ Church, New-Brunswick, previous to the year 1790, have not been preserved among the Records of the Parish. The only information that can now be obtained relative to its origin and early history, is derived from the proceedings of the venerable Society in England, for the Propagation of the Gospel in For- eign Parts. By this Society the Missionaries were sent out who ministered to the congregation until the period of the Independence of the American Colonies; and from their Annual Reports the materials are chiefly col- lected which form the first portion of this narrative.
The first reference that I have found to the existence of a congregation in New-Brunswick, is in the abstract of the Society's proceedings for the year 1742-3, where it is stated that "the people of Piscataqua and New- Brunswick are marking out a place for a new church, about two miles distant from the old one." This must refer to the church at Piscataway, which had been built in 1722.
Mr. Skinner, the minister at Amboy, describes it as " a handsome wooden Chappel ;" and says, also, " that
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the congregation grows daily, and, in all probability, will be as numerous as any in those parts."*
The same Missionary reports in 1744, " that zeal for God's worship, among the inhabitants, had stirred them up to the building of a church" in New-Brunswick.
In the year following, "the inhabitants of New-Bruns- wick petitioned the Society to send them a Missionary ; setting forth that they had erected a church, of stone, 55 feet long, 45 wide, and 20 high ; which may be of great service, not only to themselves, but also to a well- settled country, extending many miles, in which many of the inhabitants profess themselves of the Church of England, and others, who were formerly dissenters, seem now well-affected towards it ; that the confidence they had in the most pious, and truly Christian Society, that they would make them happy in an able, discreet divine, to administer in that church, put them upon building it ; and they had obliged themselves, and were ready to give proper security, to raise €40 that currency, per annum, towards his support ; and were persuaded that, by the good behavior of such a Missionary, they should so far add to their numbers, as considerably to increase that sum."
The Society, well-pleased with the laudable zeal of these gentlemen, acquainted them, " that as soon as they shall have provided an house, with some acres of land round it, according to the standing rules of the Society, to the £40, engaged for the support of a Missionary,- they will send one, to be a resident with them." And in the meantime, they commend them to the care of the neighboring Missionaries.
* See Note I., page 25.
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In the Society's Report for the year 1749-50, it is stated, " that the inhabitants of New-Brunswick having built a large and handsome church, raised £300 towards the purchase of a house and glebe,* and obliged them- selves to pay &40 per annum to the support of a Missionary, earnestly pray to have Mr. Wood, a gentleman of very good life and conversation, bred to physic and surgery, admitted to Holy Orders," and sent to them in that capacity.
We learn from the proceedings of the next year, that the Rev. Mr. Wood had been appointed Missionary to the churches of New-Brunswick and Elizabethtown. At the latter place, he was able to officiate only every fourth Sunday, where, in his absence, the services of the Church were performed by Mr. Chandler, who held the office of a Catechist. It is gratifying to find the name of this eminent man, in any way connected with the history of our Church ; though he only acted as an assistant to one of her Missionaries.
Mr. Wood removed to Nova Scotia in 1752 or '53.
The Society then "thought proper to fix on the Rev. Mr. Seabury, son of the Rev. Mr. Seabury, the Society's Missionary at Hempstead, on Long Island, to be their Missionary to New-Brunswick, out of regard to the request of the inhabitants, and to the united testimony of the Episcopal clergy of New-York in his favor, as a youth of good genius, unblemished morals, sound prin- ciples in religion, and one that had made as good pro- ficiency in literature while in America, as the present state of learning there would admit of. Mr. Seabury being of full age for Holy Orders, presented himself to the Society, from the University of Edinburgh, and upon examination, being found worthy, he was ordained
* See Note II., page 25.
8.
Deacon and Priest, and soon after set out for New- Brunswick, where the Society hopes he will follow the example of his worthy father, and prove a very diligent and useful Missionary in his station."
" The Rev. Mr. Seabury, Jun., arrived happily there," says the Report, "on the 25th of May, 1754, and was received with a most hearty welcome from the inhabi- tants, who appeared very sensible of the Society's good- ness in sending a Missionary to them, and disposed to do everything in their power to show their acknowledg- ments. The church is a handsome stone building, which, when finished, will conveniently hold a large congregation, and this was proposed to be done in that ensuing summer ; it is generally well-filled, and as there was no dissenting Teacher at that time of any sort, he had the satisfaction of seeing several persons, of various denominations, come to church, and he hoped they would in time, through the grace of God, conform."
In 1756, the Rev. Mr. Seabury was collated to the cure of the church in Jamaica, L. I., of which he was inducted Rector on the 13th of Jan., 1757.
In October of the same year, he writes to the Soci- ety : "I have constantly attended at Brunswick every seventh Sunday, and shall continue to do so, except the severity of the winter should render it impracti- cable."*
Under date of Jamaica, May 5th, 1761, in another letter, he says : " When it was proposed to me to remove from New-Brunswick, I was told it would prevent a good deal of uneasiness and confusion in the parish, [at Ja- maica,] both with regard to the Dissenters, and the pro- fessors of the Church of England themselves, who were
* See Note III., page 25.
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unanimous in their desire of having me for their Mission- ary ; and as a farther encouragement, it was represented to me that the people would do everything that could be reasonably expected, to render my situation every way commodious. These motives, together with a desire of being near a most valuable and affectionate father, pre- vailed on me to solicit a removal to Jamaica."
The church of New-Brunswick, by their letters, dated Dec. 20th, 1757, return their thanks for the Society's goodness to them in appointing the Rev. Mr. MacKean to succeed their late worthy Missionary, Mr. Seabury ; and write farther, " that it is with great pleasure they see the Church of England, by the benevolence of the So- ciety, and the prudent choice they make of discreet men, raising its head in an infant country, where, at its first settlement, different sects, as well as Popery, had taken footing." And Mr. MacKean acquaints the Society, by his letter, dated Jan. 8th, 1758, " that he arrived at New-Brunswick on the 16th of Dec., and was kindly received by his congregation, and had officiated regu- larly to them from that time."
In 1761, Mr. MacKean reports, that the congregation of the church had obtained a charter of incorporation. He remained in Brunswick until Feb., 1763, when he removed to Perth Amboy .*
He informs the Society, on his removal, "that the Hon. Edward Antill, Esq., a man of most exemplary life, and singular piety, has undertaken to read prayers and a sermon every two Sundays at Brunswick, and every other two at Piscataqua, till the arrival of a Mis- sionary.
The Society directed their thanks to be returned to
* See Note IV., page 26.
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Mr. Antill, and to James Parker, Esq., who performed similar services at Woodbridge, for their pious labors.
A joint letter from the Clergy of New-Jersey, dated Dec. 5th, 1762, was received the year following, repre- senting that the small congregation of Piscataqua have, within a few years, been at the expense of building a new church, and they earnestly recommend them to the Society's favor. It was agreed to unite Piscataqua to the Mission of Brunswick; which Mission being vacant by the removal of Mr. MacKean to Perth Amboy, the Rev. Mr. Leonard Cutting was appointed to succeed him. This gentleman had, for several years, been a public Tutor in the College of New-York ; and produced the most ample testimony to his character for learning, piety, and virtue, and firm attachment to the present -
government, in Church and State.
Under date of Oct. 3d, 1764, Mr. Cutting gives a par- ticular account of the state of his churches :
In New-Brunswick, he says, there are about 130 fami- lies ; most of them in but indifferent circumstances. In this town are three places of public worship : an English and a Dutch church, and a Presbyterian meeting ; the members of which live together in a friendly manner, without disputes and animosities on account of religion. His own congregation seems to be composed of serious, zealous, and devout members, and is likely to flourish greatly. His communicants at present are about 25. He catechises the children at Brunswick and Piscataqua every Sunday. The congregation at Brunswick have given a bond for £40 a year, Jersey currency, and allow £20 currency for house-rent, till they are able to pur- chase a glebe.
.
In his report of April 29, 1765, Mr. Cutting, " With pleasure observes, that in New-Brunswick the same
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catholic spirit prevails, all denominations living together in a friendly manner, without disputes and animosities."
In Piscataqua, he says, the church is well-filled, and the people appear serious and attentive.
During the next year, this worthy Missionary removed to Hempstead, L. I .; thence he writes, that the church at Brunswick appears to increase in numbers ; and there were thirty-four communicants.
The Society now appointed the Rev. Abraham Beach to this Mission ; where he arrived safe in the end of Sept., 1767. He reports that he was kindly received, and found an agreement among all denominations.
In his next letter, Mr. Beach informs them, " that his own churches are frequented by serious persons of all denominations ; and that he hath in his Mission a great number of negroes, to some of whom he reads at his own house every Sunday evening."
In the proceedings of 1773, it is reported that the people of New-Brunswick have, by a subscription, re- paired the church, and very nearly erected the steeple.
In 1774, " the Rev. Abraham Beach's Mission is in a good state. He endeavoreth, by a kind and candid treatment, to overcome the prejudices of the Dissenters ; and hath experienced the good effects of it in several instances."
During the following year, Mr. Beach represents " how hurtful the American disputes are to the clergy, and assures the Society that he has endeavored to pro- mote moderation, peace, and good order ; and trusts to Providence for the success."
If he can preserve nothing else, he hopes still to pre- serve " a conscience void of offence, towards God and man."
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The last letter found among the proceedings of the Society relative to this church, was written by the Rev. Mr. Cooke, Missionary at Shrewsbury. It is dated at Brunswick, May 1st, 1777.
This gentleman states that he was confined to the army, unable to reach his Mission, or to see his family. He reports, that for the last four months he had been at Brunswick, and had officiated occasionally in the church, the only one in the province, in which Divine service was then regularly performed. He adds, " that although Mr. Beach had, from his prudent and good conduct, been permitted to stay at home, he was not free from insults ; and being nearly two miles out of the British lines, was in a state of constant apprehension."
In consequence of the war that now existed between the two countries, no further reports were made to the Parent Society. The Mission, of course, entirely ceased when the United States became independent of Great Britain.
During all these troublous times, however, Mr. Beach remained firm at his post ; and continued to officiate in this church till 1784, when, on the 7th of July, in that year, he removed to New-York, and became an Assist- ant Minister of Trinity Church, in that city.
Bishop Croes has left on record, in the Parish Regis- ter, that the Rev. Mr. Rowland immediately succeeded Mr. Beach in the charge of this church, and continued one year. He some time afterwards removed to Shel- bourne, in Nova Scotia.
It appears, says the Bishop, that the church was va- cant of a regularly settled clergyman till some time in the year 1787, when the Rev. George Ogilvie, a Deacon. was engaged to officiate to the congregation.
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Mr. Ogilvie resigned his charge in the year 1790, and removed to Norwalk, in Connecticut.
After this period, the proceedings of the Rector, Church-wardens and Vestrymen, of the church, have been preserved on file, from which the following state- ments are chiefly derived.
In 1791, the Rev. Henry Vandyke, on the recom- mendation of the Rev. Mr. Beach, was chosen Minister of the Parish. The Register does not state when his ministry terminated ; but there is still preserved on file, a letter from this gentleman to the Vestry, dated at Bur- lington, June 20th, 1794, from which it appears, that he must, some time previously, have removed from New- Brunswick .*
The Parish seems to have continued vacant until May 4th, 1799, when the Rev. John Henry Hobart was " in- vited to perform Divine service for the congregation for one year ;" and "the sum of $266 67, was allowed for such services."
Mr. Hobart brought a letter of introduction from Bishop White to the Rev. Abrm. Beach, in which the Bishop speaks of him as " a young gentleman, who has lately entered into Orders in our Church, with the gene- ral expectation of all who know him, that he will be eminently useful in it." How fully these expectations were realized, need not here be said.
Mr. Beach forwarded this letter, which is still among the Church Records, to the Vestry, recommending them, in consideration of "the young gentleman's character, as given by Bishop White, and the destitute condition of your church, to employ the Rev. Mr. Hobart."
* See Note V., page 26.
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In a. letter, dated at Philadelphia, April 10th, 1799, Mr. Hobart accepts the invitation of the Vestry ; though he says, " the salary allowed will not be adequate to defray my necessary expenses ; but I can make no ob- jection, because I acquiesced in it when first proposed." The reason assigned for his removal from the churches in the vicinity of Philadelphia was, that he could not look on them as a permanent residence, and that he wished for some time longer to pursue his studies at Princeton, where he enjoyed peculiar advantages of books, of retirement, and of society."
After serving the Church here a little more than two months, Mr. Hobart, in a communication, dated July 15th, 1799, says : " I have thought it my duty to state to the Vestrymen my desire that they would release me from my temporary engagement with them for the last six months, to enable me to accept a permanent settle- ment," offered at Hempstead, L. I. He expresses, how- ever, his " determination and wish to fulfil, to the best of his abilities, his engagements with the church here, unless regularly released therefrom." "
On the very day after this was written, he addressed an- other letter* to the Vestry, in which he says, with char- acteristic disinterestedness and magnanimity : " I think I shall not be satisfied, in existing circumstances, to re- ceive a release from my engagement with your church ; and I must, therefore, beg leave to withdraw my request for it. I shall accordingly answer the call of the church at Hempstead, by informing them that my immediate acceptance of it is incompatible with my engagements and duty to the church at Brunswick. I would not wish to be understood that my determination has arisen from any view to a permanent settlement at Brunswick,
* See Note VI., page 27.
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but from a desire to secure the ease of my own mind, and to prevent any cause of censure, by the complete discharge of my engagement with your church, and so fully have I made up my mind, that I would not receive a release from my engagement were it to be offered me."
When this communication was laid before the Vestry, they appointed one of their number to express to Mr. Hobart, " the pleasure with which they received it; and that, though they would, from views of advantage to him, have consented to part with him, yet consulting their own feelings, and the interests of the church, they should have afforded that consent with painful reluc- tance."
In accordance with the resolution he had formed, Mr. Hobart did not leave the parish until the close of the year for which his services were engaged.
"I take this opportunity," he writes to the Vestry, " of repeating, what I shall always express with pleasure, that the attentions and kindness I have uniformly re- ceived from the members of the church here, lay claim to my respectful and grateful remembrance." It ought to be added, that all his letters are written in the same respectful manner, indicating, throughout, the urbanity and the courtesy of the Christian gentleman.
On Mr. Hobart's resignation, " Mr. Beasley was invi- ted to read prayers in the church until a Rector could be provided ;" and, in Nov., 1800, the Rev. Charles C. Cotton was engaged to take charge of the Parish until Easter Monday following. He continued his services for six months afterwards.
At a meeting of the Wardens and Vestrymen, on the 16th day of March, 1801, it was " Resolved, and agreed
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unanimously, That the Rev. John Croes, of Swedesbo- rough, N. J., be invited to accept the permanent Rector- ship of this church, at a salary of $375 per annum."*
The invitation given to Mr. Croes was made in con- junction with "the Trustees of Queen's College," who desired to secure his services as a Teacher. In this In- stitution, which attained under him a wide-spread and justly-earned reputation, as well as in a school for young ladies, which was one of the most celebrated in its time, he labored with great assiduity and success. As a scholar, and a disciplinarian, he was admirably fitted for such a sphere of usefulness ; and many of the most respect- able and best educated citizens of the place, were trained and taught in the school of Mr. Croes. Influen- tial, however, as he was in this capacity, the work of the Teacher must have seriously interfered with that of the Pastor. The Parish could not but suffer, when the Rector was obliged to devote the greater part of his time and attention to scholastic pursuits. All this he frankly acknowledges, and laments, in his correspond- ence on the subject. By an express stipulation with the Vestry, the number of sermons he should preach was " limited to one a-day." "I did this," he says in one of his letters on the subject, " not because I thought it too much labor to deliver two; but because I believed I could not prepare a sufficient number, and perform the duties of the Academy also. The business of the Academy will so occupy my time, that preaching more frequently than once a-day would compel me to make greater exertions than my health would bear. Could the church afford support sufficient without the school, it would be my choice and delight to preach twice every Sunday."
* See Note VII., page 27.
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In Nov., 1801, Mr. Croes entered upon his duties as Rector of the Parish ; and in the faithful discharge of these, he continued until his death, in 1832. During the long period of his Rectorship, but few events of note are recorded. In Feb., 1803, the spire of the church was struck by lightning, and wholly consumed. The build- ing itself was in imminent danger of being destroyed ; and the excitement produced by it throughout the town was so great, that to this day it is spoken of by the older inhabitants, as one of the great events of the pe- riod. " When the fire raged with the greatest violence," says Bishop Croes, in his account of this fearful scene, "and when the prospect of saving the building was almost nothing, a sudden squall of wind and snow com- menced, and blew the flakes, sparks, and burning tim- ber, in such profusion over the roof, and, indeed, over that part of the town, between it and the river, that not only all hope was lost of the church, but the greatest apprehensions were entertained for the town. The whole atmosphere seemed on fire. Houses, one hundred yards distant, were covered with sparks to such a de- gree, that the roofs appeared like a mass of fire ; and had it not been for the snow, that fell in great profusion, and the wet state of the houses, no human exertions could have saved the town." By the contributions of the congregation, the citizens of the place, and some friends in New-York and Savannah, (whose names are all recorded in the Parish Register,) the steeple was re- built in the course of a few months. In 1814, the whole interior of the church was remodelled. The pulpit was removed from the north side to the east end ; a new desk and chancel were made, and the pews arranged to face them .* The church was afterwards provided with "Venetian blinds for the east window ; furniture
See Note VIII., page 27.
2
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for the Vestry-room ; a covering for the Communion- table, and the two Mahogany-chairs, by the generous donation of Mrs. Isaac Lawrence."
The general esteem entertained for Mr. Croes, is shown by the fact, that in 1815 he was chosen, by the Convention of the Diocese, the Bishop of the same ; and on the 19th of Nov., of that year, he received con- secration from the hands of Bishops White, Hobart, and Kemp. He did not, however, resign his Rectorship on this occasion, though he gave up the school ; and devo- ted his time thenceforward to the care of his Diocese, and of his Parish.
In Oct., 1830, "in consequence of severe and pro- tracted illness," the Bishop summoned his Vestry, and desired them to appoint, as his assistant, his son, the Rev. John Croes, offering to surrender to him the half of his own salary. The Vestry acceded to the proposal, and Mr. Croes entered immediately upon his duties.
On the 27th of March, 1832,* "the Rector, induced by illness, and an anxious desire to divest himself of the care of the Rectorship, presented his resignation" of the same ; the Vestry, however, besought him to withdraw it, in the following appropriate resolutions, which did them as much honor, as it must have given their venerable Pas- tor pleasure : " Whereas, the Right Rev. John Croes has presented his resignation to this Board as Rector, and whereas, under any circumstances, the Vestry would deeply regret the dissolution of a connection which has existed in uninterrupted harmony between themselves and their esteemed Rector, and which, as they think,
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