USA > New Jersey > Somerset County > Raritan > Forty years at Raritan : eight memorial sermons with notes for a history of the Reformed Dutch churches in Somerset County, N.J. > Part 1
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01293 5695
GENEALOGY 974.901 So5mea
FORTY YEARS AT RARITAN.
EIGHT MEMORIAL SERMONS,
WITH
NOTES FOR A HISTORY OF THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCHES IN SOMERSET COUNTY, N. J.
BY ABRAHAM MESSLER, D.D., PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF RARITAN.
NEW-YORK : A. LLOYD, No. 729 BROADWAY. 1873.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Entered, according to Act of Congress. in the year 1873. BY AARON LLOYD, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
PREFACE.
THE first four sermons were originally published in 1852. They are republished now, because they have been long out of print. The whole includes a record of the views, sentiments, and labors of forty years in one congregation, and are intended as a legacy to friends.
The appendix is added to dispose of matter collected through all these years, and which it is thought ought not to be lost. We are indebted to the Historical Discourses of Rev. DR. STEEL and E. T. CORWIN for many things relating to New-Brunswick and Millstone. These discourses are almost invaluable. Other friends have aided as they could, and have our thanks. The whole vol- nme is a contribution of the heart to my own people, and gene- rally to the churches in Somerset County.
ABRAHAM MESSLER.
SOMERVILLE, N. J., NOVEMBER, 1872.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PREFACE
PAOE iii
A PASTOR'S MEMORIAL.
SERMON I. THE PASTOR LONGING FOR THE SALVATION OF HIS PEOPLE .. 5
II. THE REVIVALS IN THE CHURCH OF RARITAN. 20
III. EXPERIENCE AND DEATH INSTRUCTING MEN 40
IV. AN IMPROVEMENT OF THE PAST .. 58
V. REMEMBRANCE OF FORMER DAYS. 75
VI. THE REHEARSAL OF THE PAST FOR INSTRUCTION. 91
VII. FORMER THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED AND IMPROVED .. . 106
VIII. GOD WITH US FORTY YEARS 125
THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF DR. MESSLER'S PASTO- RATE .- The Preparations -- Clergymen present-Rev. Dr. G. Ludlow's Prayer-Dr. John A. Todd's Address-Addresses by A. M. Quick and Rev. A. F. Tood-Prayer by Rev. N. Conkling-The Reception- Presentation Note. 141
HISTORICAL NOTES.
THE CHURCH OF RARITAN .- Early Settlement-First Settlers-In New- Brunswick, Raritan-Three and Six-Mile Run-Churches organized and visited by G. Bertholff-T. J. Frelinghuysen called to Raritan- Three and Six-Mile Run, North-Branch-Members of the Church of the River and Lawrence Brook-The Character of Frelinghuysen and his Labors-The Great Revival-Opposition to his Evangelical Doc- trines and Preaching-The Advocate dissected-Notices of Mr. Freling- hnysen's Family-Date of Death not known-His son John succeeds him-He is succeeded by J. R. Hardenbergh-Dinah Van Bergh- Hardenbergh's Character and Ministry-Raritan Church burned by the Queen's Rangers-Hardenbergh resigns and becomes President of Queen's College-T. F. Romeyn called-John Duryea succeeds him- The Church rebuilt-J. S. Vredenburgh's successful Ministry-R. D. Van Kleek's Pastorate-Dr. Messler succeeds him-Ministers from the Raritan Church. 159
vi
CONTENTS.
THE CHURCH OF NEW BRUNSWICK .- Early Settlement by John Inians & Co .- The Church at Three-Mile Run-Early Subscription' List-a Church erected in New-Brunswick-Differences harmonized by services in the town and at Three and Six-Mile Run-Nourished by Ministers from Long Island-List of the Families in the River Church-T. J. Frelinghuysen called-" Old Conferentie Families" -- Emigrants from Albany-V. Antonides organizes the Conferentie-Whitefield preaches -J. Leydt settled by the Coetus-His Sons-J. R. Hardenbergh Pastor- Succeeded by Ira Condit-John Schureman's Pastorate-Jesse Fonda's Ministry -- Dr. John Ludlow's Labors-Succeeded in turn by Isaac Ferris, J. B. Hardenbergh, and Jacob J. Janeway-S. B. How's long and faith- ful Pastorate -- R. H. Steele called. 204
SIX-MILE RUN CHURCH .- Church organized and the first House erected -- Heads of Families-New Church erected-Separates fiom New-Brunswick and unites with Millstone in calling J. M. Van Harlingen-His Character sketched-Recollections of him by Dr. Wyckoff-James S. Cannon called in 1797-Sketch of his Life, Labors, and Character-James Romeyn called-His Character and Ministry- Succeeded by J. C. Sears. 223
CHURCH OF READINGTON .- Record of Baptisms and Consistorial Meet- ings -- Conferentie Tendencies and Movements-Helpers appointed- New Church erected and this replaced by another-New Consistory elected-Action of the Coetus-Conferentie Statement of the Differences between the Parties-Dom. Fryenmoet's Labors-Gerrit Leydecker preaches-S. Van Arsdale called-Peter Studdiford-John Van Liew's long Pastorate-J. G. Van Slyke called. 239
CHURCH OF HARLINGEN .- Organized by the Conferentie-Henricus Coens-V. Antonideus' Labors-John Arondeus' Course-Action of the Coetus respecting him-A Coetus Church organized, and a House erected at Sourland-List of Members-Joh. M. Van Harlingen's Pastorate-William Richmond Smith's Ministry -- Name of Church changed to Harlingen-Henry Polhemns-Blawenburgh secures a House of Worship-Peter Labagh called-His Ministry-Estimates of his Character by Drs. Ludlow and Bethune -- John Gardener called .. 253
CHURCH OF NESHANIC .- Organization-Baptismal Register-J. R. Hardenbergh the first Pastor-Solomon Froeligh succeeds him- Gabriel Ludlow called and still Pastor. 268
CHURCH OF MILLSTONE .- Organized as Presbyterian-This replaced by a Dutch Church -- Seventy Families petition for Preaching Services- House of Worship built-Parsonage secured-F. C. Foering's Minis- try-Somerset County Court-bouse burned-S. Froeligh called-His call acted upon directly by the Synod-His removal to Schraelenbergh -Secession and Death-J. L. Zabriskie's Ministry and Character-He is succeeded by John De Witt and E. T. Corwin. 273
vii
CONTENTS.
THE CHURCH OF BEDMINSTER .- An Outpost of Raritan -- Organized- House of Worship built-History involved with that of Raritan and Readington-John Schureman called-Charles Hardenburgh called- 1. M. Fisher called-The Ministry of George Schenck-William Brush called-Charles H. Pool, Pastor. 282
THE CHURCH OF LEBANON .- Of German origin-Michael Schlatter's Missionary Labors in Lebanon, Amwell, and German Valley-John Conrad Wirtz, the first Pastor-Supplied by William Kalls, C. M. Stapel, J. W. G. Nevelling, and F. Dalliker-Casper Wack's Pastorate -Baptismal Register-German supplies failing-Unites with White House and calls Jacob J. Schultz-Charles P. Wack, Pastor-Robert Van Amburgh, John Steele, and Van Benschoten successively, Pastors. 290
WHITE HOUSE .- Church organized-Admissions to-Calls C. T. Dema- rest, and erects a Church Edifice-Calls J. J. Schultz and P. S. Wil- liamson, James Otterson, George Tallmadge, L. L. Comfort, Aaron Lloyd, Smith Sturgis, and William Bailey. 297
THE MORE RECENT CHURCHES.
NORTH-BRANCH CHURCH .- Grew out of the great Revival-George H. Fisher, A. D. Wilson, James K. Campbell and P. M. Doolittle, succes sively, Pastors-Church Edifices erected 1826 and 1854. 302
BLAWENBURG CHURCH .- Organized out of Harlingen, and erects a House of Worship-Henry Hermann, J. R. Talmage, T. B. Romeyn, C. W. Fritts, and W. B. Voorhees, Pastors -- A flourishing Church .. 303
MIDDLEBUSH CHURCH .- Organized out of New-Brunswick-J. J. Schultz the first Pastor-Succeeded by J. A. Van Doren, George W. Swayne, and S. L. Mershon. 305
CLOVER HILL CHURCH .- Organized by S. A. Bumstead-Edifice dedicated -Garrett C. Schenck, William Demarest, Pastors-Becomes Presby- terian-Returns to the Classis of Philadelphia-Calls W. B. Voorlees. and again B. Oliver. 306
RARITAN, SECOND CHURCH .- Organized and built a House of Worship -Call Charles Whitehead-He is followed by T. W. Chambers, E. R. Craven, and J. F. Mesick. 306
STANTON, OR MT. PLEASANT CHURCH .- Organized out of Readington- Built a House and called J. R. Van Arsdale .- He was succeeded by H. Doolittle, and he by Edward Cornell. 307
NEW-BRUNSWICK, SECOND CHURCH .- Formed out of the First-Present House of Worship erected-Succession of Pastors 308
GRIGGSTOWN CHURCH .- Organized in 1842-Builds a House-Calls J. S. Lord-Then J. A. Todd, E. P. Livingston. and S. Searle. 309
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CONTENTS.
BOUNDBROOK CHURCH .- Organized-Builds and dedicates a House, and calls, successively, G. J. Van Neste, W. Demarest, H. V. Voorhees, B. F. Romaine, and J. C. Dutcher. 310
RARITAN, THIRD CHURCH .- A Chapel and Preaching Station prepares for the organization-Church erected and dedicated-P. Stryker called, and succeeded by J. A. H. Cornell and J. Le Fever 310
PEAPACK CHURCH .- Organized 1848-Edifice built and dedicated-Wil- liam Anderson called-H. P. Thompson, Pastor. 311
BRANCHVILLE CHURCH .- Organized, bnilds and dedicates a House, 1850-Calls H. Dater, then William Pitcher. 312
EASTON CHURCH .- Organized-Calls J. H. M. Knox-New Edifice dedi- cated-This sold and another built-C. H. Edgar called. 312
EAST MILLSTONE CHURCH .- Organized with 18 members-Build a House-Call G. Vander Wall, then David Cole, M. L. Berger, W. H. Phraner, and A. McWilliam. 314
ROCKY HILL CHURCH .- Organized-House dedicated-Martin S. Schenck called, then Oscar Gesner and H. C. Berg. 315
POTTERSVILLE CHURCH .- Organization-Honse dedicated-T. W. Jones called-Succeeded by F. B. Carroll. 316
HIGH BRIDGE : CHURCH .- Organization-House erected-Pastors, J. Wyckoff, R. Van Amburgh, J. Fehrman. 317
CLINTON STATION CHURCH .- Organized ont of Lebanon and supplied by J. A. Van Doren 317
GERMAN CHURCHES. 317
PLAINFIELD CHURCH.
318
CHARTER OF THE FIVE CHURCHES.
318
GENERAL INDEX.
324
1
A PASTOR'S MEMORIAL.
THE FIRST SERMON.
PREACHED OCT. 29TH, 1837.
THE PASTOR LONGING FOR THE SALVATION OF HIS PEOPLE.
"OH ! that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people."- JEREMIAH 9 : 1.
THE immediate occasion prompting this pathetic language . on the part of the prophet was the anticipated destruction of the city of Jerusalem, as a consequence of the sins and apostasy of its inhabitants. He could not see that sacred city where was the sanctuary of Jehovah, and where "the tribes went up to worship, even the tribes, in the temple of the Lord," given to desolation, and all his kindred involved in its ruin, without tears. The "slain of the daughter of his- people" awaked his tenderest sympathies and made him feel as if he ought to weep, even more than nature allowed him to do. When he saw the dreadful scene, it appeared to him that lie was not adequately affected by it-his conceptions were not as vivid and his heart as sensible as the magnitude of the evil rendered proper ; and he prayed for " a fountain of tears," that they might flow continually; for his "head to dissolve in. waters," that he might " weep day and night."
When he considered the state of the people, he did not find any thing in their moral condition to afford him any hope; nor did their obstinacy seem to forebode any thing but a cer- tainty , that God would execute his threatened vengeance. He had not even pleasure in associating with them, on account 1
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MEMORIAL SERMONS.
of their marked impiety, and the filthy conversation of the wieked which pained his ears; and he longed for the solitude of the desert, where he might be alone and unvexed. "O that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people and go from them." On every side their provocations seemed rapidly to increase ; and from every place the evidence of their apostasy appeared to rise up, convincing him that it was impossible that the threatened vengeance should fail. Nineveh had repented and its guilty inhabitants been spared ; even Sodom would not have been consumed if there had been found five righteous men in it; but for Jerusalem, in its abounding corruptions, and hardened impenitency, there was no hope : from the peo- ple even to the priest, all did wickedly-all perverted judg- ment, and hastened on the direful calamity that was to sweep them almost entirely from the face of the earth, and make their name a by-word among the nations. Was not the prophet justified in manifesting such deep emotion? Was the fervor of his feelings any thing but what the scene, as he saw it before him, was calculated to produce?
The text admits of a natural and profitable application to our circumstances. There is no sin more heinous in the sight of heaven than the ingratitude and impenitence of a Christian people. There is none which sooner and more certainly calls down the vengeance of God. Have we any of it? And shall we then hope to escape? Ah! indeed, when we consider what our privileges have been and how we have improved them ; what hardness, impenitency, and worldliness we have exhibit- ed in our conduct ; how many warnings of his providence have been in vain, and how many solicitations of his love have failed; what years of provocation and rebellion we have spent ; we may well tremble; and our pastors and Christian friends may well scek to move us, and express their sympathy for us in the affecting language of Jeremiah, "Oh! that my lead were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people."
Here is a striking and beautiful sentiment. Let us en- deavor to improve it by making it the theme of our present
-
7
MEMORIAL SERMONS.
meditations. It may express the solieitude with which, after so many years of vain effort, we regard you to-day. If we consider it carefully we shall find it to yield us most important and varied instrnetion. We remark-
I. It shows us the feelings of a Christian pastor, when his warnings are unheeded, his expostulations fail, and he sees his people stupid, impenitent, and hardened, while wickedness in- creases and the word is as if it were sown among thorns or on a roek.
Without feigning any thing or pretending what is not ex- perieneed, I appropriate it to myself, as I stand up before you this morning, on the anniversary of my settlement as your pastor, and, after five years of earnest and prayerful expostu- lation, find so many of you yet in your impenitence. If weep- ing would effeet any thing, I could weep over you; if tears had in them power to move, my tears could flow in copious showers. Like the prophet, I could wish to weep even more than nature allows ; exhausting the fountain of sympathy in my heart, in order to reach yours, and subdue their enmity to love. There is in the condition of impenitent men, under the means of grace, every thing to induce such feelings in the heart of a faithful pastor. Let us consider this for a moment ; it may be you have not refleeted upon it, and are not prepared to aecredit what we avow ; and therefore the appeals which we make to you may not reach that place in your heart in which we would fain lodge them. They are more intimately con- neeted with your eternal state than you imagine.
The ministry of reconciliation is the only instrument which grace in its deep compassion has determined to employ for the salvation of sinners-and it is a sufficient instrumentality. A faithful ministry makes constant appeals to the understand- ing and the heart, to convince the one of sin and win the other to God. No one can attend such a ministry, and remain in a state of impenitency, without making constant opposition to his convietions of right and to the dietates of his conseienee. The process which is going on necessarily, in the mind of every impenitent man under the Gospel, is a hardening process. In awakening appeals which every Sabbath are sounded from the sacred oraeles, there is created a necessity for renewed and in-
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MEMORIAL SERMONS.
creasing opposition, if he refuse to hear them and submit to God. Under such an influence it is impossible to remain un- affected-the heart of necessity grows harder, and the mind becomes more insensible to the interests of eternity and to the salvation of the soul. Every day is therefore in effect a step backward from the path of life, and renders the probability increasingly certain that no means will be found so efficient, no warnings so importunate, no expostulations so affecting, as to bring the rebel to the foot of the cross and bow his stub- born neck to Christ.
Estimate now, if you can sufficiently, the demerit of such a state. All sin is a great evil in the sight of God ; but impeni- tence is a dreadful and aggravated evil. Its character is hate- ful and its consequences are most appalling. It not only turns our hearts away from God, but it makes him our enemy. "It is an evil and a bitter thing (says the prophet) that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that his fear is not in thee." It produces a blind insensibility to all the mercy and compas- sion of God, and leads us to disregard his vengeance and to dare his wrath. It obscures the understanding so that we can not see our true interest, and hardens the heart so that we can not estimate the danger of our position and our relation to eternal things. It has an infatuating power which produces blindness and leads us to call evil good, and good evil, and waste upon the pleasures of sense and the vanities of time thie treasures of immortal glory.
Impenitence is opposed to the character of God, and the claims of his righteous law. It contravenes directly his right in us and the authority which he claims to rule over us. It can not exist in any of his creatures without obligations of the ntmost moment, in the moral government of the world, being violated, and claims the most affecting and tender being dis- regarded.
Impenitence makes the character of man as a creature of God hateful in the sight of his Maker by making him a de- spiser of his goodness and long-suffering. There are no cir- cumstanees possible which can so mitigate its evil or extenu- ate its ingratitude as to deprive it of this hateful feature, or prevent this fearful result. Hence he can not away with it.
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MEMORIAL SERMONS.
Henee his determination to punish it; because if it were suf- fered to continue in this his moral empire, it would not only destroy his right to reign as a sovereign, but absolutely endan- ger the health of all his creatures. To refrain from punislı- ing it would be to abandon his cherished purpose, forego the most solemn declarations of his truth, and prove unfaith- ful to himself where both his authority and our dearest inter- ests were involved. Hence there are so many threatenings of wrath, so many warnings, so many assurances that the sin- ner shall certainly die, and that all the impenitent shall per- ish forever from his presenee in the burnings of his indigna- tion. " The wages of sin is death." The sinner, though an hundred years old, shall die. "God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon the wicked and rain it upon them."
The Gospel furnishes to an apostate world the only means of escape from the consequences of impenitenee, which grace has been enabled to devise, and in which God can be just and the sinner obtain salvation. In the Gospel, the character and work of Jesus Christ are clearly exhibited, and all suitable promises of encouragement presented, to persuade us to em- brace his righteousness by faith, and live; while in its moral influence we have the most effectual means to overcome the enmity of our hearts and the pride of our unbelief. Through the enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost, it is " the power of God and the wisdom of God" to renew the heart and eleanse the soul from sin. If this great instru- ment fails and these means prove inefficient, there remains to a sinner no more hope; for there is no other sacrifiee for sin, no other name by which we can be saved, no other instrument to awaken us to life.
This the faithful pastor knows, knows it well. He has a double evidence of this solemn truth. He has the determina- tion of God as expressed in his word, and a consciousness re- sulting elearly from the work of grace in his own heart. He has seen God's truthi fructifying in the humble and contrite heart, and producing a meetness for heaven. He has witness- ed, too, how upon the impenitent it produces hardness and blindness, and-how, the savor of it being lost, it works death. If he be a true Christian, he has, besides this, experienced
.
10 :
MEMORIAL SERMONS.
in his own soul the terrors of the wrath of God, and felt the fearful dread of his indignation against sin. When he pleads with men, he speaks, consequently, with all the earnest impor- tunity of real conviction, and with all the persuasive elo- quence inspired by a sense of the danger which he sees; de- claring what he hath seen, and urging what he hath known in his own experience.
In many cases, moreover, he feels a peculiar interest. For some he is conseious of strong affection, for he is dealing with those whom he loves; in others a yearning tenderness, for he is pleading with those for whom he would willingly impart not the Gospel only but his own soul also to bring them to Christ. What affecting associations at the same time urge him on in his work, and point the language in which he addresses them ! He has seen them in affliction-he has sought to comfort them in their sorrows. He has stood by their sick-bed to warn-by their death-bed to entreat. He has met them in the path of pleasure as a faithful mentor, and in the vale of sor- row as a tender, sympathizing friend. He has borne them on the arms of faith and prayer, in his retirement, at the throne of grace, and with many strong cries and tears sought to bring down the blessing of God upon their souls. For many long years he has followed them, and endeavored to impress their minds with a sense of sin, and win their hearts to holiness. But all seems to be in vain. Every means which he has con- trived, every instrument which he has adopted, fails. All the avenues to their heart appear to be closed, and insensibility grows more insensible-impenitence more impenitent. Years roll on-death approaches-judgment draws near, and the day of grace is just ended! What is he to do ? He knows they must die ; he knows just as well that they are not prepared to die. Shall he abandon them? shall he throw off from his mind and heart all interest in their welfare ? How can he do this ? They are associated with all his recollections of the past. Their name rises up in all the solemn scenes of his life, and their image is entwined with the tenderest feelings of his heart. He must therefore be sad, very sad, when thinking of their end; and many gloomy, very gloomy anticipations must crowd upon his mind as he follows them to the conclusion of
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MEMORIAL SERMONS.
their course. He expects to stand by their death-bed, when the hand of the destroyer is upon them, and the swellings of Jordan come into their souls : and he knows that that last struggle must be a fearful one-that that last hour must be without hope. Can he then cease to feel for them, to warn thiem, to pray for them ? Ah no! no! Like the prophet he will weep in secret, and complain that the fountain of his emotion is dried up. He knows too well the whole of their dreadful condition, and sees but too certainly the whole terror of their fearful doom. If his head were waters and his eyes a fountain of tears, he would weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people.
This is one application of the sentiment in our text. It is almost literally that of the Prophet himself. He saw a tem- poral ruin coming upon his friends and fellow-citizens. We have described the spiritual and eternal ruin which awaits the impenitent. This is as certain as that which he foresaw, and infinitely more awful in its consequences. If the vision of the former filled his mind with dreadful forebodings and drew a flood of tears from his eyes, how much more must the latter overwhelm an affectionate Pastor with sorrow! O impeui- tent inan ! you do not know how much prayer and kindness it becomes necessary for you to oppose and prevent in order to hold on your guilty conrse, You do not know how much you grieve the heart of your friend. How affectionately desirous he is of your peace ; and how truly he can say with Paul, " We are willing, not only to impart unto you the Gospel of God, but our own souls also, because ye are dear to us !" Oh! when will you be wise, and cease to grieve his heart, and the heart of that affectionate Savionr, who once died for you on the cross, and still pleads for yon in heaven ?
Need I pause to tell you personally to-day how much I de- sire your peace ? Need I remind you that I have been seeking it earnestly for five years ? Shall I call to your remembrance all the prayers sent np to heaven in your behalf, which you have prevented; all the warnings, urged with importunity, which you have disregarded; all the expostulations, earnest and repeated, which yon have set at naught? May I not ask you, is it nothing that all this has been in vain? Are there
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MEMORIAL SERMONS.
no forebodings in it? Does it give no evidence of a moral state, or a coming retribution ? Five years of earnest effort to save you, but in vain ! Then you have five years of neglect- ed gospel privilege to answer for, and I charge you to look to it ; for your eternal interests are involved in the answer you will give to God when you stand in judgment.
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