USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Princeton > A discourse on the history of the Second Presbyterian Church of Princeton, N.J. > Part 2
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was specially manifested. Both preacher and hearers were evidently moved with unwonted power by His gracious in- fluence. This service did much to confirm the impression which had previously been made, that the interests of reli- gion in this community would be greatly promoted by se- curing, if possible, Mr. Finney as the Pastor of our Church. Our inability to offer him an adequate salary seemed for the time an insuperable obstacle. In this emergency, the same generous benefactress of our Church, who had contributed one-third of the salary of the previous pastor, proposed that if the Church should call Mr. Finney on a salary of $1,000, she would for three years supplement it by the ad- dition of $800. The offer was accepted, and Mr. Finney was unanimously called to the Pastorate at a congregational meeting, held June 12th, 1866. Although the acceptance of this call required of Mr. Finney a considerable pecuniary sacrifice, the providence of God seemed to indicate that it was his duty to enter on the responsible field of labor to which he had been invited. He accordingly accepted the call, and was installed Pastor, August 31st, 1866.
When Mr. Finney entered on his duties, it was with the deep conviction on his own mind, and on the minds of oth- ers interested in the welfare of the Church, that the time had come for the erection of a new Church edifice. Almost every pew in each Church was rented. Increased Church accommodations were indispensable if Presbyterianism was to make any advance in Princeton. As no one at that time suggested the enlargement of the First Church, the work seemed to devolve upon us. For such an undertaking, however, a large measure of faith-implicit faith-in the
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Divine favor was demanded. A far greater sum of money was needed than could, by any apparent resources at our command, be provided. And yet the indications of Provi- dence seemed to us so marked that we were encouraged to go forward, feeling that it was the Lord's work, and that by His favor it would not come to naught. At each step as we advanced the way to the succeeding step was opened, and the result was, in due time, the beautiful and commo- dious edifice in which we are now assembled.
In determining the character and site of the new build- ing, there was, for a time, a difference of opinion among those interested. Some favored the enlargement of the old Church, or the erection of a new one on the same site, as more convenient for that portion of the population residing in the Eastern part of the town. On the other hand, it was urged, that after twenty years experience there was no ten- dency in the Presbyterian portion of the community to di- vide geographically. The greater part of the Presbyterians in the eastern part of the town continued in communion with the First Church, whilst a large proportion of the members of the Second Church resided in the western part of the town. A building near the central part of the town would be more convenient to at least two-thirds of the Sec- ond Church congregation. It was urged further, that if our Church was ever to become self-sustaining, a large edifice in the central part of the town was indispensable. These considerations prevailed, yet a serious obstacle seemed to ยท be the expense of such a site as was needed. By the gen- erosity of the same friend of the Church, to whose bene- factions we have previously had occasion to refer, this ob-
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stacle was removed. She proposed to purchase the valuable lot on which the building now stands (then covered in part with the unsightly relics of a dilapidated foundry) and pre- sent it to the Church, provided the congregation should conclude that it was the most desirable location, and would proceed to erect upon it such an edifice as was needed. At a meeting of the congregation, held July 31st, 1866-sub- sequent to the call of Mr. Finney, but before his acceptance and installation-after due deliberation and prayer for Di- vine direction, it was resolved, "that the generous offer of Mrs. Susan D. Brown, of a lot at the corner of Chambers and Nassau streets, be accepted, and that immediate meas- ures be taken for the erection thereon of a new Church ed- ifice." A building committee was appointed, consisting of the Rev. Mr. Finney, Elder C. S. Cook, A. L. Rowland and myself. Mrs. Brown was also made an honorary member of the committee. As soon as practicable, a plan for the building was adopted, the necessary drawings and specifica- tions prepared, the work commenced under the superinten- dence of Mr. John Murphy, and before the close of the year, 1866, the foundation walls were completed, at an ex- pense of about $5,000.
On May 15th, 1867, a contract was entered into with Mr. Henry W. Leard to finish the building, with the excep- tion of the spire, for $45,300. To diminish the immediate expense, it was subsequently thought best to leave the front of the building, including the tower, in its present un- finished state, and for these omissions a deduction was made from the amount above mentioned of $5,700. The entire cost of the lot and building, as it now stands, was about
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$55,000. Whilst we would devoutly express our gratitude to God for His favor toward us throughout our undertak- ing, it is proper that we should record our obligation to His instrument, through whose munificent liberality we were enabled to prosecute our work to its present state of completion. Thirty thousand dollars-more than one-half the entire cost of this lot and building-were contributed by Mrs. Susan D. Brown, and so long as this edifice stands, it will stand a monument of her generosity, and of her love for the Church of her Redeemer.
At the request of Mrs. Sarah A. Brown, a portion of her contribution to the erection of the Church was appropriated to defraying the expense of the large window in the front of the Church, that it might be a Memorial of a beloved daughter, Miss Caroline Elmer Brown, who died in July, I867.
CUILLLIVULUIS WC IHIM LIC LIGILICO VI QVILY W VIL community for their generous interest in Princeton : R. L. and A. Stuart (who subscribed $1,000 on condition that the Church would seat 1000 persons), John C. Green, James Lenox, Wm. Paton, James Brown, John T. Johnson, Har- vey Fisk, John A. Stewart, Henry M. Alexander, Wm. C. Alexander, Ashbel Green, Robert Carter, Mrs. Edwin Ste- vens. The subscriptions in Princeton, outside of our own congregation, amounted to about $1,500, contributed by Joseph H. Bruere, John F. Hageman, Charles Hodge, Alex. T. McGill, Wm. H. Green, C. W. Hodge, George Sheldon, Arnold Guyot, George T. Olmsted, James Van Deventer, S. W. Olden, John R. Slayback.
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The corner-stone of the building was laid with appro- priate ceremonies, on the 14th day of August, 1867. Drs. Hodge, Maclean, McIlvaine, Atwater, Mann, Mr. Finney, and myself, took part in the services.
The Church was dedicated on Thursday, December 4th, 1868. The sermon on the occasion was preached by Dr. Hodge. In the afternoon Dr. McCosh, who had re- cently been inaugurated President of the College, preached to a crowded audience-with the exception of a sermon delivered in the College Chapel, the first sermon preached by him in this country after his arrival.
It is to be regretted that we were unable to finish the building at the time of its erection. When completed-as in this day of Princeton's architectural prosperity we may cherish the hope it soon will be-we feel well assured that as an imposing structure, massive in form and graceful in its proportions, it will not be regarded as inferior to any of the public buildings of Princeton.
Mr. Finney continued Pastor of the Church about six years. During his ministry 156 were added to the Church, 75 of these by profession of faith-about the same number that was received by profession to the communion of the First Church during the same period. Whilst his labors were thus blessed in the admission of members, the Church lost a number of its more prominent members by death and by removal from Princeton, so that the financial strength of the congregation was considerably diminished. The debt of the Church-at the time of the dedication about $8,000, and which was subsequently increased-proved a serious obstacle to its prosperity. It was found impossible to pay
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the interest on this large sum and also the Pastor's salary and other current expenses. Under these circumstances Mr. Finney felt it his duty to tender his resignation, to take effect November Ist, 1871.
During the Pastorate of Mr. Finney, Alexander Gray was elected to the Eldership, January 23d, 1867, and J. T. L. Anderson and Cornelius Baker, September 30th, 1870.
For more than a year the Church was without a Pastor. By the appointment of Presbytery the pulpit was placed in charge of Drs. Maclean, Moffat and myself in connection with the session. It was supplied gratuitously by the Pro- fessors of the College and Seminary, and resident ministers. The Church was especially indebted to Professor Green for his valuable services during this period. For a large part of the time he preached regularly on Sabbath morning, when his other engagements permitted. Whilst supplying our pulpit at this time, he prepared and delivered that series of eloquent sermons on the Book of Job, which was subse- quently published, and has been received with general favor as a most valuable contribution to the literature of that in- teresting yet often obscure portion of God's word.
Whilst the Church was without a Pastor, a vigorous effort was made to liquidate the debt of the Church. A sub- scription paper was circulated, a system of weekly contri- butions through envelopes was introduced, and a collection taken at every service. By this effort the debt was reduced to about $6,000. It may be proper to mention here that at the commencement of the present year the debt was about $5,000, and that in consequence of a proposition of Mrs. Brown to pay for one year as much as the rest of the con-
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gregation may pay weekly through envelopes for the liqui- dation of the debt, an effort is now being made which, there is good reason to believe, will result in freeing the Church from the encumbrance with which it has, since the erection of this edifice, been embarrassed.
In the fall of 1873 the Rev. Wm. A. McCorkle, D.D., who had resigned his charge in Boston on account of the severity of the climate, removed to Princeton to place his sons in College. Having preached on several occasions in both Churches, his services were received with such general and decided favor that he was invited to take charge of our pulpit for three months, to preach for us whenever his en- gagements did not call him elsewhere. Before the expira- tion of this engagement the congregation was so impressed with his eminent qualifications for the Pastorate of our Church that a meeting was called and a committee ap- pointed to canvass the congregation, and learn what amount, in addition to the ordinary receipts from pew-rents, could be obtained by private subscription for his support. To the surprise and gratification of all, about $1,800 was pledged, and he was invited to take charge of our pulpit as Stated Supply for one year, on a salary of $3,000. It was scarcely to be expected that so great a strain on the finan- cial resources of the Church could be continued, yet so highly esteemed were his ministrations that at the end of the year, when an effort to raise a sum by private subscrip- tion was again made, the amount pledged was so nearly equal to that of the preceding year, that the congregation felt justified in inviting him to continue as Stated Supply for another year on a salary of $3,000, or to be installed as
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Pastor on a salary of $2,000. The former proposition was accepted. At the close of the second year, a subscription paper was again circulated. Owing to changes in the finan- cial circumstances of the congregation, the amount sub- scribed was somewhat diminished, yet the result was such as to enable the congregation to invite him to continue to supply the pulpit for another year on a salary of $2,500. Shortly after this invitation, Dr. McCorkle received a call to the Pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at Lake Forest, Ill., on a salary of $3,500. Being desirous to obtain a per- manent settlement, and in view of the fact that our congre- gation were unable to have him installed as Pastor on a salary adequate to his support, he felt it his duty to accept the call to Lake Forest, to the general regret not only of our own Church, but of the entire community. No other evidence of our high appreciation of Dr. McCorkle's ser- vices is needed than the facts above mentioned, that during his ministry, our Church was able to raise for his support a sum three-fold that which had been given to the previous Pastor, and much larger than had ever before been given to any minister in Princeton. His labors here throughout, and especially at the close of his ministry, were attended by the Divine blessing. Not only was the congregation largely increased, but during his ministry of about two and a half years, the admissions to the Church, including the first fruits of a revival that was in progress at the time of his withdrawal, were 106. Of these 49 were received on profession of faith. He left the Church larger in numbers and more flourishing, both as to its temporal and spiritual interests, than it had been at any previous period of its history.
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Near a year ago the First Church congregation con- cluded to enlarge their building. The session of our Church accordingly invited them to unite with us in joint services until their own Church should be ready for re-oc- cupation. The invitation was accepted, and the two con- gregations worshipped here together from the second Sab- bath of September last, to the second Sabbath of February. From their very commencement, these joint services were attended with tokens of the Divine favor. The Pastors seemed to have received a new baptism of the Holy One, and ministered with unwonted power and unction. The increased attendance on the services of the Sanctuary, and the thronged and interesting meetings during the week for prayer, manifested that the people shared in the blessing. Our joint communion services, when this large edifice was filled with followers of the Lamb-not only members of these Churches, but students of the College and Seminary, representing Churches in all parts of the land, and we may say, of the world-will ever be remembered by all who were permitted to participate in them, as seasons of peculiar spiritual privilege and enjoyment, when the Beloved, verily, " brought us into His banqueting house," and spread over wus His banner of love. We may speak with freedom of the ministrations of the now sainted Macdonald, who seemed on these occasions to be anticipating the communion of saints in the Sanctuary above, for which, as we now understand, the Master was then preparing him. The earnestness, and tenderness, and heavenly-mindedness, and spiritual power, with which he discharged the duties of his high vocation during the closing months of his honored and useful life,
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showed that he was ripening for that glory into which he was so soon to enter. It is not strange that his faithful and zealous labors, together with the fidelity and zeal of our own Pastor, should have been attended with an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which filled their hearts, and all our hearts with rejoicing.
Time will not permit us to dwell upon the many inter- esting incidents of that remarkable revival of religion with which this place was so recently visited, and yet it will doubtless ever be regarded as an epoch of blessed memory in the history of these Churches and Institutions.
Nor does time permit us here to record the more recent facts in the history of our Church, with which all present are familiar.
The whole number admitted to the communion of the Second Church since its organization is 647. Of these, 305 were received by profession of faith, and 342 by certificate ; and it may be proper to mention but 32 of this number, by certificate from the First Church.
The number of present members, according to the last report made to Presbytery, is 213.
The Sabbath School, which was commenced in Mercer Hall, at the organization of the Church, has been continued uninterruptedly. For many years past, especially since our removal to the present building, it has been largely at- tended, and has proved a blessing, not only to the Church, but to many not formally connected with us. The present attendance, including the Infant School in charge of Mrs. Catharine C. Schenck, a Bible Class conducted by Prof. Green on Sabbath mornings during the Seminary session,
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and an afternoon Bible Class, for adults, in charge of Prof. Macloskie, is about 175.
In closing this record we would renew our expression of thanksgiving to Zion's God and King for His favor toward us in the past, and our trust that in the years to come we shall continue to enjoy His abounding and abi- ding benediction.
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