USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Historical sermon delivered on the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the Third Presbyterian Church, Sunday, June 14, 1874 > Part 1
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EMI- ENTENNIAL
OF THE
Third Prosbytorian Church OF
NEWARK, N. J.
Gc 974.902 N51cr
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02994 4870
Gc 974.902 N51cr Craven, E. R. 1824-1908. Historical sermon delivered on the fiftieth anniversary
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historicalsermon00crav 0
HISTORICAL SERMON,
DELIVERED ON THE
Fiftieth Anniversary.
OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE
Third Presbyterian Church, SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 1874,
Delivered by the Pastor, Rev. E. R. Craven, D.D.,
ALSO AN APPENDIX CONTAINING THE HISTORICAL REPORT OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL, &c.
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
NEWARK, N. J. PRINTED AT THE DAILY ADVERTISER OFFICE, 1874.
This book the property of The Genealogical Society of New Jersey
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
Semi-Centennial Discourse.
At a joint meeting of the Session, Deacons and Trustees of the the Third Presbyterian Church. it was unanimously Resolved, That our Pastor, REV. DR. CRAVEN, be requested to furnish for publica- tion a copy of the Historical Sermon preached on June 14, 1874, on the occasion of the Semi-Centennial of said Church.
Elders.
Trustees.
JOHN C. CRANE,
LORENZO BOYDEN,
ISAAC A. ALLING,
GEO. M. DAWES,
DANIEL PRICE,
J. VAN NAME,
HORACE ALLING,
J. B. LEE,
J. H. HUNTINGTON,
H. J. FONDA.
Deacons.
ALBERT G. WOORUFF,
DR. JAS. B. BURNET,
EDWIN M. DOUGLAS.
.
ROBT. S. GRUMMON.
S. B. SANDERS,
E W. WHITEHEAD,
SERMON.
1 SAMUEL VII. 12.
THEN SAMUEL TOOK A STONE, AND SET IT BETWEEN MIZPEH AND SHEN, AND CALLED THE NAME OF IT EBENEZER (i. e. THE STONE OF HELP), SAYING, HITHERTO HATH THE LORD HELPED US.
It seems to be eminently proper, at certain marked epochs, for every community, that has been blessed of the Lord, to review its history, to consider the deal- ings of Jehovah with it, and to erect some memorial to His praise. It was in view of such propriety that the incident recorded in the text occurred. The epoch contemplated was the close of the first great period after the entrance of the children of Israel into Canaan. The ministry of Joshua ended a few years after the passage of the Jordan, when the Israelites had peaceful possession of the greater por- tion of the promised land. Then commenced the period of the Judges. Again and again did Israel sin, and again and again were they surrendered into the · hands of the Philistines for chastisement. But, upon repentance, again and again were they delivered. In the days of Eli, because of grievous transgression, they were again brought in subjection to their ene- mies ; but, on the great day of Mizpeh, forty-five years after their subjugation, God again wrought a great deliverance. In the day of their victory, in
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review of all the past, "Samuel took a stone, and set it up between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped
The present is a marked epoch in the history of our Church-its Fiftieth Anniversary. Although it is not with us a day of special deliverance, still it is the day of the completion of one of those round numbers of years, including many deliverances, that are univer- sally recognized as of equal importance with an epoch of deliverance. . A review of the past will make manifest the fact that hitherto the Lord hath helped us, and show the propriety of our erecting, on this day, our Ebenezer, our stone of help, and of in- scribing upon it our doxology.
Fifty years ago last Monday, June 8th, the Third Church of Newark was organized as an independent congregation. Its history, however, did not then be- gin. The Third Church is one of the four main Presbyterian branches into which the original Church of Newark divided. This, as really as the First Church, is a representative of those who more than two hundred years ago came to this then uncultiva- ted wilderness to establish a Church of Christ. Newark is the child, the outgrowth of the Church then established :- the Church is not merely one of the institutions of our City.
It should never be forgotten that the original set- tlement of New England, and of this portion of New Jersey, which is the child of New England, was by the Church of God. The State was the child of the
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Church, or perhaps, to speak more correctly, it was the secular side of the Church ; the Church was not a mere institution of the State. I am not myself of New England birth or lineage ; although an American of the Americans, no drop of Puritan blood flows in my veins .- I can therefore speak on this subject with- out suspicion of partiality.
The original settlement of New England was by one of the particular Churches of the Universal Church as a Church. This Church was first consti- tuted of separatists from the Church of England, A. D. 1606, in the village of Scrooby, Nottinghamshire, England. Thence, to escape persecution, it fled, in 1608, to Holland ; there it divided ; and thence one of its branches, itself a Church, with its ruling elder, Brewster, sailed, in the Speedwell and the Mayflower, for America. The members of this Church, on the night after they first cast anchor, and before disem- barking, drew up and signed the following compact :
" In the name of God, Amen.
" We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and the advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and country, a voyage to - plant the first colony in the northern part of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid ; and, by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meetand conven-
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ient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.
" In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, &c, A. D., 1620."
This was the foundation upon which New England was settled. It was the Church that hither came to realize the old Puritan idea of the Church as the State. The Church was the germ out of which de- veloped New England-that portion of our country which has given character to all the rest. The exten- sions of the colonies were primarily extensions of the Church ; each township was a new Church. Newark was but one of such extensions.
The colony of New Haven, in their establishment, adopted the provision, "with not a single dissenting and only one questioning voice among them, 'that Church members only shall be free burgesses ; and that they only shall choose magistrates and officers among themselves, to have power of transacting all public and civil affairs of this plantation.' "*
In consequence of the union of the New Haven and Connecticut colonies by a royal charter, a more liberal policy was introduced. This, together with other supposed grievances, led to a further emigra- tion. Many citizens of the towns of Branford, Mil- ford, Guilford and New Haven, determined to estab- lish what they regarded as a free and untrammeled Church in the Province of New Jersey, which was then opening its arms for settlers.
In the month of May, 1666, a committee was sent
*See Stearns' History of the First Church, pp. 3sq.
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from those towns for the purposes of surveying the country, and, if they deemed it expedient, of fixing upon a site for the colony and of purchasing the land. The first entry in the records of the Town of Newark, is a declaration adopted by this committee after the choice of the site. The first part thereof is in these words :-
" 1666.
"IMPRIMIS, In the Province of New Jersey, near to Elizabeth Town, and the Town Plotts on Passaic River, made choice of by friends from Milford and other neighboring plantations, thereabouts from New England, on the twenty-first day of May, one thousand six hundred and sixty-six, the above mentioned persons had a meet- ing, together with the agent sent from Guilford and Branford, to ask on behalf of their undertakers and selves with reference to a township or allottment, together with friends from Milford; at this meeting it was agreed upon mutually that the aforesaid persons from Milford, Guilford, and Branford, together with their associates, being now accepted of, do make our township, provided they send word so to be any time between this and the last of October next ensuing, und according to fundamentals mutually agreed upon, do desire to be of one heart and consent, through God's blessing with one hand they may endeavor the carrying on of spiritual concernments as also civil and town affairs according to God and a Godly government ; these to be settled by them and their associates."
On the 30th of the following October those citi- zens of Branford who were about departing for their new home, drew up and signed the following paper, which stands as the second entry in the Record Book of Newark :
" October 30th, 1666.
" At a meeting touching the intended design of many of the in- habitants of Branford, the following was subscribed :
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("Deut. i. 13; Exod. xviii. 21; Deut. xvii. 15; Jer. xxxvi. 21.)
"Ist. That none shall be admitted freemen or free Burgesses within our Town upon Passaic river in the Province of New Jersey, but such planters as are members of some or other of the Congrega- tional Churches, nor shall any but such be chosen to magistracy, or to carry on any part of civil judicature, or as deputies or assistants, to have power to vote in establishing laws, and making or repealing them, or to any chief military trust or office. Nor shall any but such Church members have any vote in any such elections ; though all others admitted to be planters have right to their proper inherit- ance, and do and shall enjoy all other civil liberties and privileges, according to all laws, orders, grants, which are, or hereafter shall be made for the Town.
"2d. We shall with care and diligence provide for the mainten- ance of the purity of religion professed in the Congregational Churches.
" Hereunto subscribed the inhabitants from Branford-
"Jasper Crane, Abra Pierson, Samuel Swaine, Laurance Ward, Thomas Blacthly, Samuel Plum, Josiah Ward, Samuel Rose, Thomas Pierson, John Warde, John Catling, Richard Harrison, Ebenezer Canifield, John Ward, Sur., Ed. Ball, John Harrison, John Crane, Thomas Huntington, Delivered Crane, Aaron Blacthly, Richard Laurance, John Johnson, Thomas Lyon."
The record continues as follows :-
" And upon the reception of their letters and subscriptions, the present inhabitants in November following declared their consent and readiness to do likewise ; and at a meeting the 24th of the next June following in 1667, they also subscribed with their own hands unto the two fundamental agreements referred to on the other side, their names as follows.
" Robert Treat. Obadiah Bruen, Matthew Camfield, Samuel Kitchell, Jeremiah Pecke, Michael Tompkins, Stephen Freeman, Henry Lyon, John Browne, John Rogers, Stephen Davis, Edward Rigs, Robert Kitchell, J. B. Brooks, Robert Lymens, Francis Linle, Daniel Tichenor, John Bauldwin, Senr., John Bauldwin, Junr., Jona.
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Tomkins, Geo. Day, Thomas Johnson, John Curtis. Ephram Burwell, Robert Denison, Nathaniel Wheeler, Zachariah Burwell, William Campe, Joseph Walters, Robert Daglesh, Hauns. Albers, Thom. Morris, Hugh Roberts, Eph'm Pennington, Martin Tichenor, John Browne, Junr., Jona. Seargeant, Azariah Crane, Samuel Lyon, Joseph Riggs, Stephen Bond.
"Item, it is fully agreed that every man that comes to be admitted an inhabitant with us, shall produce and bring a certificate from the Chief of the place from whence he comes, unless the Town be upon their knowledge satisfied in and about the good carriage and behav- ior of them otherwise : then it is agreed upon by a full vote of the Town assembled, that all and every man that comes to be received an inhabitant of our Town on Passaic river, shall first subscribe his name and declare his assent with the rest of the Town, to all and every one of our fundamental agreements on the other side recorded (the preceding) and here following agreed upon, viz : - That it is fully and unanimously agreed upon, as a condition upon the which every one doth reckon and hold his land and accommodations in this Town, viz : that they will from time to time pay or cause to be paid yearly in their full proportions equally, to the maintenance and allowance agreed upon for the upholding of the settled ministry and preaching of the word in our Town, and that was agreed upon before any divi- sion of land was laid out, except Home Lots-and Eighty Pounds per the year was agreed to and allowed for the present minister.
"Item, it is agreed upon; that in case any shall come unto us or arise up amongst us that shall willingly or willfully disturb us in our peace and settlements, and especially that would subvert us from the true religion and worship of God, and cannot or will not keep their opinions to themselves or be reclaimed after due time and means of conviction and reclaiming them hath been used; it is unanimously agreed upon and consented unto as a fundamental agreement and order, that all and persons so ill disposed and affected, shall, after notice given them from the Town, quietly depart the place seasona- bly, the Town allowing them valuable considerations for their lands or houses as indifferent men shall price them, or else leave them to make the best of them to any man the Town shall approve of."
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It is manifest in the light of these documents that the settlement in Newark was primarily the estab- lishment of a new Church. I am not here to defend the exclusion of all but communicants in good and regular standing from the full rights of citizenship. This principle was, in my judgment, based on a wrong idea as to the nature of the Kingdom of God. I have barely been stating facts, and the facts demon- strate that the Town was but the civil side of the pre-existing Church.
It is not my intention to trace the farther history of the original Church previous to 1809. This work has been ably performed by my beloved friend and brother, the Rev. J. F. Stearns, D. D., in his history of the First Church of Newark. It is proper, how- ever, that I should state that about the year 1718 oc- curred the first division of the original Church. In, or about, that year the " Mountain Society" was or- ganized, now known as the " First Church of Orange ;" from which main branch have grown many flourishing Churches. It is also proper to state that early in the 18th century all the Congregational Churches in East Jersey became connected with the Presbytery of Philadelphia, the mother Presbytery, which itself was organized about the year 1705 .*
Early in the present Century it became manifest that increased Church accommodations were needed for the increasing population, and measures were
*Dr. McWhorter, in his Century Sermon, states that the Church of Newark united with the Presbytery in 1716. Dr. Stearns is of opinion that the union did not take place until 1720.
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adopted to supply the need. I quote from Dr. Stearns' History, (pp. 284 sq.)
" As early as the Spring of 1809, about the time of Dr. Griffin's dismission, the business of Church extension was entered upon with commendable zeal and enterprise. At a meeting of the congrega- tion, held in this house (the First Church), April 8th, incipient steps were taken to that effect, and a large committee was appointed to draw a plan. The committee reported at an adjourned meeting, on the 18th of the same month. Whereupon 'it was resolved, that, from this Congregation, a separate and distinct Congregation should be set off, and measures taken to invest it with all the powers and privileges of a body politic.' For the encouragement and promotion of this de- sign, it was resolved, that when the new congregation should have become incorporated and have built a meeting-house, not less than fifty feet by seventy on its base, in a good and substantial manner, and should have called and settled a minister, this congregation would convey to them. with the reserve only of their own house of worship and the land occupied by it, two-sevenths of their real estate for the support of the Gospel forever. At the same time, as it was plainly perceived that the day was not far distant when even this · provision would be insufficient to meet the wants of a rapidly in- creasing population, the congregation proceeded, with a liberality and forethought which cannot be too much admired, to agree that when- ever it should be deemed advisable to establish a third Church, the same provisions, subject to the same conditions, should be made for the furtherance of that enterprise."
It was, with great unanimity, the judgment of the congregation, that the work of building should at once be commenced. There were differences of opinion, however, as to the proper site of the new edifice. The inhabitants of the North end and of the South end of the town alike claimed the right to go forward. At last it was determined that the people of the South end should have the preference,
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with the further provision, however, that, unless the foundations of the new edifice should be raised as high as the "water table" within six months, the obli- gation should be void. A building of the required dimensions was at once commenced in what is now known as Lincoln Park, in the angle between Broad street and Clinton avenue, and the foundations were carried to the required height within the time speci- fied. Strange to say, however, for some reasons not known to me, at this point, the work was relinquished, and the materials collected for further building were scattered. The foundation remained as erected until 1824, when, the consent of the survivors of the original subscribers having been obtained, the stones were removed and were used in the construction of the foundation of this building.
The work at the South end having been relin- quished, the people at the North end commenced operations, and the corner stone of the Second Church was laid June 17th, 1810. This building was rapidly pressed to completion, and on the 8th of November, 1811, the Second Church was organized.
During the first portion of the following thirteen years, the First Church continued to grow under the ministry of its devoted Pastor, the beloved and vene- rated Dr. Richards. The number of communicants rose to about seven hundred. It was then, with the exception of the First Church of Philadelphia, re- garded as the largest Presbyterian Church in the United States. The house became too small for the congregation. This, I doubt not, was the period, when
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God, in his Providence, was calling for a new Church. Dr. Richards himself, I have always understood, felt the propriety of such an organization. There were, however, difficulties in the way, and nothing was accomplished. In the failure then to go forward, I think I perceive the true reason for the following condition of affairs. A period of spiritual declension supervened. Large numbers of communicants had to be removed from the Church roll because of offences ; but few professed Christ-only seven during the last two years of Dr. Richards' pastorate. By reason of death, dismission and discipline, the num- ber of communicants declined from seven hundred to five hundred and twenty ; and, worse than all, after the resignation of the Pastor, the Church became torn by contention. Still, however, the Church edifice remained too strait for the congregation.
Dr. Richards resigned in the Fall of 1823. After his resignation, Mr. William T. Hamilton, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, occupied the pulpit. A large portion of the congregation desired to give him a call to the pastorate ; others, however, desired to hear as a candidate the Rev. Joshua T. Russell, of Norfolk, Virginia. After Mr. Russell had been heard, the congregation became irreconcilably divided be- tween the two candidates; contentions arose which at last became so violent that the Presbytery found it necessary to interpose. Into the merits of these contentions it is not my purpose to enter. Suffice it to say that through their instrumentality, the di- vision that should have taken place peaceably, was
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enforced by Him Who causeth the wrath of man to praise Him, and Who, blessed be His name, restraineth the remainder of wrath. To these contentions we owe, under the over-ruling Providence of God, the organization of the Third Church. Do not under- stand me as justifying, or even excusing, the conten- tion that led to this blessed result. It is God's pre- rogative to permit the evil-that which in itself is only evil-and then over-rule it for the accomplish- ment of His own gracious designs. The most atro- cious of all sins was the Crucifixion of Jesus, and yet that sin God permitted and over-ruled for the salva- tion of His Church.
On the 8th of June, 1824, this Church was organ- ized in the Session, or Lecture Room, of the First Church, fifty-six persons having been dismissed from the parent organization for the purpose of being so organized. The Record, as it stands on the first pages, Vol. I., of our Session Books, is as follows :-
" SESSION ROOM OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEWARK."
" June 8th, 1824.
" At a meeting previously appointed for the purpose of forming a Third Presbyterian Church in the Town of Newark, the following persons, with a view to that object, produced regular dismissions from the First Presbyterian Church in this Town, viz :-
" Hugh McDougall and Electa his wife, William Brown and Eusebe B. his wife, John Lee and Jane S. his wife, Irad Congar and Hannah M. his wife, Charles T. Shipman and Eliza P. his wife, James Searing and Elizabeth his wife, Josiah Congar and Elizabeth his wife, Edson Park and Mary his wife, Benjamin Lyon and Polly his wife, Ellison Conger, George Crane, David Nichols, Job Meeker, Robert B. Campfield, Aaron Lyon, John Miller, James N. Hedden
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and Elizabeth his wife, Ephraim Beach and Mary his wife, John Brittin and Catharine his wife, Aaron Shipman and Sarah his wife, John L. Morris and Eleanor his wife, Jane S. wife of John Dey, Elizabeth Pierson, Widow Sarah Baldwin, Matilda L. Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Barbara Dunbar, Moses Lyon, Charlotte C. wife of Abraham Denman, Charlotte wife of David Congar, Sarah wife of Jonas Dodd, Hannah Chilcoat, Abigail W. wife of James Dawes, Samuel B. Brown and Hannah his wife, H. Matilda Brown, Abby W. Brown, Cornelia P. Clark, Hannah wife of Richard Sweazy, Levina wife of Elihu Mockridge, Moses Johnson and Hetty his wife.
" The Rev. Dr. Hillyer having been appointed Moderator, opened the meeting with prayer. After which Moses Lyon was appointed Clerk, and the male members present, to wit, (here follow their names), proceeded to consider the following Resolutions, which were unanimously adopted.
" Ist. That we whose names are above written, do covenant and prom se to walk together as members of the Church of Christ.
" 2nd. That we do adopt the Confession of Faith and Form of Government of the Presbyterian Church in the United States.
'3rd. That this Church shall be known by the name and style of the Third Presbyterian Church in the Town of Newark.
" 4th. That the Church now proceed to choose by ballot three Elders.
" Whereupon the Church proceeded to the choice of Elders, when the following persons were elected, viz :- HUGH MCDOUGALL, GEORGE CRANE, and ELLISON CONGER.
" Resolved, 5th. That the Moderator be requested to ordain and install the Elders now elected at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
" Adjourned. Concluded with prayer by the Moderator.
" At 4 o'clock P.M., the Church and congregation assembled in the First Presbyterian Church, when a sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Hillyer.
" After sermon, HUGH MCDOUGALL, GEORGE CRANE and ELLISON CONGER were solemnly ordained and installed Elders of the Third Presbyterian Church in Newark.
" After the installment of the above named officers, the congrega- tion unanimously
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" Resolved, That the Session be directed to lay before the Pres- bytery of Jersey, at their next meeting, a copy of the above resolu- tions and proceedings of the Church and congregation, and to re- quest the Presbytery to receive this Church and congregation under their care."
"ASA HILLYER, Moderator,"
" M. LYON, Clerk."
The mode of organization was irregular. It should have been effected by a Committee of Presbytery appointed for the purpose upon application by the parties desiring to be organized. The direction of the congregation to the Session was obeyed, and at the next meeting of the Presbytery of Jersey, this Church was formally received under their care. By this action all defects of organization were cured.
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