USA > New Jersey > A history of Baptists in New Jersey > Part 10
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MANSFIELD
fountainhead of Baptists in North, Central and South Jersey. It is also represented far South and West. It's only peer is Piscataway, the fruitfulness of which is like to that of Middletown. The memory of Obadiah Holmes, the virtual founder of Middletown, is indeed blessed. Rev. H. Crossley was the first pastor of Knowlton, for three years. Elkana Holmes was pastor in 1775, and after him, Rev. D. Jayne, an indefinite time. In 1785, Daniel Vaughan was ordained for the pas- torate. With his charge, Morgan Edwards account of Knowlton church closes January 2nd, 1790.
Morgan Edwards, under date of December 29th, 1789, says of the early history of Mansfield, commonly written Mansfield wood house, the name of the township in Sussex county, "they hold worship in a private house, except when many come together. Then they meet in Dr. Cummings's barn. The families are about twenty, whereof twelve persons are baptized and in the communion." No meeting house; no minister; no salary, and yet collect something considerable to pay for ministerial visits. One of the first settlers of Mansfield was Mr. Abraham Giles, a member of Knowlton church. He invited Rev. Mr. Crossley, pastor of Knowlton, to preach at his house sometime in 1763. This raised the curiosity of the few families who had made settlements in the neighborhood. Mr. Crossley and others repeated their visits and some of their hearers became very serious.
In 1770, Dr. Robert Cummings of Pennsylvania, settled in the neighborhood. His wife was the daughter of Andrew Bray, Esq., and a very sensible woman. He also encouraged ministers to come preach at his house. The next who opened a door to Baptist preachers, was a Dutch family named Beam, and it so happened that his daughters were the first in these parts who received the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; viz., Elizabeth, Christianna and Susanna. After them followed their father and mother, Jacob and Catharine. Next followed the names thirteen. These persons on November 20th, 1786, were formed into a church by Rev. David Jayne. On November, 12th, 1788, twelve members went from hence to settle at Niagara and took a preacher, Rev. William Haven, with them. The early preachers at Mansfield have been named. Later, Mr. Cox preached af Mansfield, once each month and received twelve bushels of wheat yearly for his labors. * * * One minister, Thomas Jones, a Welshman, was ordained by D. Jayne. Mr. Jones was a man of originalities. He removed to the State of New York.
This record of Mansfield is very satisfactory. Since but for it, we had not known of early Baptist planting there, nor of the part in it of Knowlton. The First Mansfield church of 1786, is renewed by a
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
re-organization in 1841, as Point Murray by the Board of the New Jersey Baptist State Convention. Missionaries Rev. William Pollard and Thomas Barrass both of Flemington Church were sent to these old fields of Knowlton and Mansfield seventy and fifty years after the early planting; each, Mansfield, now Pt. Murray; Oxford, now Montana, and Delaware, were an out-growth of Knowlton, a legimate offspring of Kingwood. In July, 1841, Rev. T. H. Cole, licensed by the Delaware Church in 1840, and got astray spiritually but was recovered, visited the places of his youth, doing the work of an evangelist. With four others, three of them from Oxford (now Montana), in all five, reconsti- tuted Mansfield Church (now Pt. Murray). Thus twice Mansfield derived its life from the Old Knowlton; first from itself, next from its lineal descendant and occupant of its original field and by one, which Delaware church commissioned to preach.
In 1842, a house of worship was built in Point Murray and in 1894, the name of the church was changed to that of the town in which it it was located. Mr. Cole was the first pastor; Rev. J. J. Carey became pastor in 1848, and in 1852, Rev. Edward Barrass settled as pastor. Successors were Rev. J. Timberman, 1858-60; J. K. Manning, 1864-67; H. C. Putnam, William Humpstone and H. Wescott followed, each one year; G. F. Hendrickson, 1873-77; T. C. Young, 1879-81; C. W. O. Nyce, 1882-86; C.L.Percy, 1887-90; G.F.Love, 1890-92; T.E.Vasser, Jr., 1893- 1900. Point Murray being on the canal, was a business center, where boats received and discharged freight. Since 1841, sixteen pastors have served the church. This is not an impeachment of their integrity. Rather their going there is an instance of self denial and of devotion to the best interests of humanity and of their purpose to do what they could to bless and save them who are "ready to perish." A small salary and an isolated location has doubtless shortened ministerial service.
Originally, Montana was Oxford. Oxford and Delaware churches were closely linked by their nearness to each other and by the labors of the two brothers, Thomas and Edward Barrass. Delaware church was in Knowlton township and Oxford was near by. Both were an outgrowth of Knowlton. Thomas and Edward Barrass were much like to the brothers, Thomas and John Teasdale, eminent for piety, character and devotion to Baptist interests in North Jersey, these with Zelotes Grenelle ought to be held in everlasting remembrance among us for their work and worth. Mr. T. F. Clancy writes in 1853 of the Oxford church that it was constituted with nine members. The church prospered under the missionary labors of the men whom the State Convention sent into its field.
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MONTANA
In 1842, a party claiming to be the Oxford church drew off, oppos- ing all benevolent societies, Bible, Tract, Sunday-schools, missions and seminaries, as being innovations on Baptist usages. Although a small minority and the church clerk being one of them, they kept the papers of the church, locked the meeting house door and denied access to it, by the majority, whom they excluded as heretics. The church, although assured of their power to dispossess these usurpers, chose to build a new house of worship, which was dedicated in 1847, and to leave the faction in the hands of God, protesting against thir action and filling claims against the property. The faction is now reduced to a very few. * Rev. Thomas Barrass who was pastor from 1831 to February, 1844, resigned. His brother Edward was "supply" in 1846 and pastor in 1847 until 1850 and ministered to the church for seven to nine years. Rev. Mr. Clancy preached once in four weeks for Oxford church until April, 1855.
Soon after the division, about 1842, a majority of the evangelical party formed the Franklin church. An antinomian faction went out of Hamburg church in 1823, calling itself Franklin. It died of inanition. But not succeeding the members at Franklin returned to Oxford. After Mr. Clancy, Rev. Edward Barrass was recalled and had a second charge of four years. Rev. J. Timberman was pastor in 1859. Rev. William Pike served a year. Mr. J. K. Manning was called and was ordained in November, 1862 and remained four years. Pastors follow- ing were: S. L. Cox, 1868; J. J. Muir, 1868-70, being ordained in Aug- ust, 1869. M. M. Finch was ordained for pastor in June, 1871. His stay was only ten months. Rev. A. B. McGowan followed and re- signed in 1875. Mr. C. Warwick was ordained in February, 1876. Rev. S. G. Silliman, 1877-79; J. M. Scott, 1880-81; E. M. Lamb, 1882-90. While pastor, the house of worship was repaired and improved. Rev. E. A. Boom, 1896-97; S. L. Cox, 1898. W. E. Cooper was also pastor about two years.
Seventeen pastors have ministered to the church. Two of them have been recalled. Thomas Barrass was pastor thirteen years and the two pastorates of his brother Edward, nearly equalled that of Thomas. Montana is believed to have been formed of descendants of Knowlton, constituted in 1763. Two meeting houses have been built by the church. Small salary, mountainous country and secluded section relieves pastors and people from the love of change. Railroads laterly have relieved these hills of their seclusion. The people have the same elements of character, intelligence and companionship that characterize other American communities.
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
In 1821, the Board of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention sent Rev. J. C. Hagan to labor in Sussex county, New Jersey. Mr. Hagan remained two winters and was followed by Rev. J. Booth assisted by Rev. Thomas Menton. * * * This action was induced by the Honeywell school fund, which had been left to the Philadelphia Asso- ciation. Mr. Honeywell is supposed to have left $20,000, to found a school for the education of slaves and of the children of poor parents. There was not a Baptist organization in New Jersey to which he could give this legacy, when he made his will in 1773. (Minutes of Phila- delphia Association, pages 181, 200, 326.) The supervision of this school brought distinguished ministers of that Association to this field. * * * "Isaac Stelle, Montany, Samuel Jones, J. Mathias, who visited the school for thirty-six consecutive years, with only one interruption," so writes Mr. T. F. Clancy sent by the Association to be its principal. Three trustees were named in the will of Mr. Honey- well: Isaac Stelle of Piscataway, Benjamin Miller of Scotch Plains, and Samuel Jones of Philadelphia. Thus indicating his preference for a New Jersey supervision.
In October, 1891, the trustees of the Philadelphia Association reported money on hand: $1, 964. The total receipts of the Honeywell School Fund amounted to $4,504.02. of which amount $4,100 was received from matured loans of the city. There is a cash balance to new account of $2,979.02, of which balance $2,600 awaits re-invest- ment. Had Mr. Honeywell endowed Hopewell School, he would have prevented the crime of its removal to Providence, Rhode Island, by the "outsiders" of New Jersey.
When in 1830, the New Jersey Baptist State Convention had been organized, its Board sent Rev. William Pollard to Sussex county, to counteract the tendencies of our churches in North Jersey to anti- nomianism. Later they sent the Barrass brothers, Thomas and Edward, who with Zelotes Grenelle and the Teasdale brothers saved the older churches from the wreck which befell many others. Thomas Barrass was the first pastor of Delaware church and was followed by his brother Edward, under whom the house of worship was begun in in 1838. The succession of pastors was; J. R. Morris, 1841; J. R. Curran, 1842-45; Thomas Teasdale, 1845-47; T. F. Clancy, 1849-53. Mr. Clancy was sent by the trustees from Frankford, Penna., to be principal of the Honeywell School. He became pastor of the Dela- ware church and was ordained there. He wrote histories of the origin and growth of many Baptist churches in North Jersey. A. Harris, 1854; William M. Jones, 1859, and C. E. Cord, one year. In 1853, the membership was sixty. They had a good brick meeting house.
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MONTANA
Twenty-five were added by baptism in one year and in 1856, a deacon's widow, Mrs. Aten, canceled all of their debts. Not reporting to the Association for many years, a committee was sent to inquire their state. The committee reported in 1870, advising that the name be omitted from the list of churches. The report was adopted.
Antinomianism is supposed. The intense hyper-Calvinistic ideas of the day had made way for it. The denomination was almost uni- versally and vitally impaired in efficiency in New Jersey for half a century. The organization of the New Jersey Baptist State Con- vention was providential. Under the leadership of Pastor Webb of New Brunswick and Morgan J. Rheese of First Trenton, the words of Caesar after Pompeii, are fitting: "Vini, visi, vici."
Rev. T. F. Clancy of Sussex county wrote an account of Montana (Oxford) church in 1853. Oxford and Delaware churches were linked together by their nearness to each other and by the labors of the two brothers, Thomas and Edward Barrass. The Oxford church prospered under missionary labor and numbered eighty members. In 1842, temperance and missionary questions awakened very special interest. In the fifties Rev. Mr. Clancy for a time preached once in four weeks for Oxford until April, 1855. The period of Mr. Clancy's ministry was probably short.
CHAPTER IX.
FLEMINGTON, SANDY RIDGE, WERTSVILLE AND CHERRY- VILLE.
The Flemington Baptist church is a daughter of the Kingwood church. From 1764, David Sutton, N. Cox, G. A. Hunt and James Mclaughlin, each pastor of Kingwood church, maintained regular appointments in Flemington. Mr. Sutton, of Kingwood, by his preaching in Flemington, doubtless influenced Thomas Lowry and James Eddy in 1765, to give the ground on which to build a Baptist meeting house. Next year, 1766, Mr. Sutton secured the erection of the house and in the nearly. twenty years of his charge at Kingwood, preached in it. Morgan Edwards describes Mr. Sutton, "He has often been compared to Nathaniel, of whom it was said: "There was no guile in him.' " Mr. Sutton was pastor of a wealthy church and of a willing people.
The pastorate of Mr. Sutton at Kingwood was a special Providence for Baptist interests. He was the right man in the right place, not only to anticipate the future, but as much to control the influences and means of his time to mould that future. The unpretentious house, the building of which he so quickly accomplished has had triple uses. It was a sanctuary of praise and prayer. It was also the sanctuary of our sick and wounded soldiers in the American Revolution; again it became "a house of prayer" and of messages of life to other sick and wounded ones. Nor yet was its mission done, being a long time home and center wherein was developed a church which was an antidote to the falsities of its ancestry, which cherished the faith of the early disciples and of Baptists in these later times, a church that is a spring whence living waters flow for "the healing of the nations," Would there have been a Baptist church in Flemington, so early, entwining its roots about the early settlers and a foundation of social order and piety, had Mr. Sutton failed to comprehend the future?
In the interim of the defection of Mr. Cox from evangelical truth, to the coming of Mr. Hunt to Kingwood, Rev. Mr. Ewing of First Hopewell preached in Flemington once in four weeks. Pastor Hunt settled at Kingwood in October, 1795, three years before the Flemington church was formed. He engaged to devote one third of his labors in Fleming- ton. The meeting house in Flemington "was almost in ruins." In
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KINGWOOD AND FLEMINGTON
the Cox episode it was unused and neglected. It was repaired and Mr. Hunt baptized six converts. These with ten dismissed from Kingwood were constituted the Flemington church in 1798. Mr. Hunt ministered at Flemington till 1803, after that he limited himself to Kingwood, until his resignation. Mr. Mclaughlin followed Mr. Hunt at Kingwood. He agreed to divide his labors between the two churches, preaching in either alternately and yet Kingwood was one of the wealthiest Baptist churches in the country. Amply able to command the entire time of a pastor and thus at the sacrifice to itself of its own needs gave a generous motherly care to its daughter.
Mr. Mclaughlin became pastor at Kingwood in 1808, serving both churches till 1811, when he followed Mr. Hunt's example and limited himself to Kingwood. Nearby pastors "supplied" Flemington, as the church could secure them until April, 1812, when Mr. C. Bart- olette "supplied" the church for a year. On May 1st, 1813, he was ordained and remained as "supply" for two years and in April, 1814, settled as pastor.
There are events which mark an era. Pastor Bartolette's coming to Flemington was one such. He was a wise man and prudent, an able preacher, a good pastor and like to his Divine Master, "went about doing good." Under his efficient labors, the church grew in strength and in number. His pastorate of thirty-four years, was full of the tokens of Divine favor. Coming to the church when it was weak, numbering but eighty members, at his resignation in 1846, it was flourishing and numbered three hundred members. More than four hundred had been baptized by him into the church. His salary in 1812, was two hundred dollars; at the latter part of his charge it was increased to four hundred dollars. This however, was not the measure of the pastors' income, since it was a universal custom in our churches in those days, to share with the pastor, various supplies to the families, the furniture, the barn, the wood and the poultry yard, which the writer knows, exceeded the nominal salary many hundreds of dollars and relieved all anxiety for old age. Mr. Bartolette left the church one of the most efficient Baptist churches in the State. He was an evangelical preacher, a high toned Calvinist, impressing his hearers with a sense of the Divine Sovereignty and of mankind's reprobacy. Some feared that he might launch into the "Dead Sea" of Antinomianism. But he was more of a Christian than a doctrinarian, nor ever overlooked the fact, that the condition of faith in atoning blood implied responsibility as well as obligation. It is a trueism, that Calvinistic pastors build up strong, numerous, abiding and independent churches. Presbyterian- ism is an instance. History verifies Bancroft's statement, that 7
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
Calvinism is the fountain source of missions and of the mighty agencies which bless humanity and gives to Christianity its aggressiveness Pastor Bartolette was a missionary pastor.
At Sandy Ridge, a meeting house was built in 1817 and a church organized in 1818, where he preached half of the time till March, 1832. In 1836, a large and substantial house of worship was built in Fleming- ton. In that year also, a church was formed at Wertsville. An exten- sive work of grace was enjoyed in 1838. First Hopewell and King- wood, the eldest daughter of First Hopewell, were missionary churches until the cancer of Antinomianism developed in Kingwood in 1831-5. The former, though deteriorating by the process of self-absorption, is still living because of her former spirituality and wealth. King- wood has a "name to live" but is dead. Baptisttown however, con- stituted of its evangelical element is its substitute in Kingwood. Flem- ington church is the fourth generation from Middletown, the succession being Flemington, Kingwood, First Hopewell and Middletown. Five were licensed to preach in the pastorate of Mr. Bartolette. Three were ordained upon the call of Flemington church. Of these, were the two brothers, Thomas and Edward Barrass. They labored and suffered in destitute places and served needy churches; that but for such men, would have been wholly destitute. Another of the three ordained at Flemington was William Pollard.
All of them were earnest, able preachers and had an enviable record among ministers and churches. Usually our early ministers were men who travelled far and near; often were hungry and poorly clothed, choosing sacrifice and hardship, rather than leaving a call unanswered, or an opportunity for service unmet. Then and now, New Jersey has had and has, noble, devoted men who delight in sacrifice for the privi- lege of service. Thus also, they are everywhere; whose whole purpose in living is, likeness to the Divine One, who "gave himself for us." Mr. Bartolette spent the evening of his days among the people to whom he had ministered. Their love clung to him as a mantle. He died in 1852, sixty-eight years old. He had only one settlement as pastor.
Rev. C. W. Mulford having been called to be pastor, entered on his official duties in the fall of 1846. Mr. Mulford was quite unlike his predecessor. Mr. Bartolette was a sedate man both in the pulpit and in social life. Mr. Mulford was an animated preacher, genial in social life. His charge was cut short by a bronchial affection, to about three years, which issued in his death. Rev. L. G. Beck followed Mr. Mulford in 1849 and resigned at the end of eighteen months. Mr. Beck was persistent and the church very much against its wishes,
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FLEMINGTON
yielded. While pastor, thirty-nine members were dismissed who with ten from Kingwood and one from Bethlehem were constituted the Cherryville church.
The same year in which Mr. Beck closed his work in Flemington, 1851, Rev. Thomas Swain was called to be pastor and immediately entered the pastoral office. He remained sixteen years, closing his charge in April, 1867. In Mr. Swain's charge two were licensed and ten members were dismissed to unite with seventy-eight others, in the constitution of a church at Croton. Three churches have sprung directly from Flemington, Sandy Ridge in 1818, Wertsville, 1836; Cherryville 1849. At both Croton and Ringoes however, Flemington gave efficient aid to assure the maintenance of these bodies. It is due to Cherryville church to say that she contributed annually for many years to sustain the pastor at Croton. It is also fitting to credit the Flemington church for making up any lack of local mission work, with large benevolent offerings to send the Gospel to far off regions, correcting thus, a misapprehension of a people responsive to the needs of the needy.
Rev. E. A. Wood succeeded Mr. Swain. He began his pastorate December 1st, 1868. The new house of worship begun previous to the settlement of Pastor Wood, was dedicated in 1868. Mr. Wood gave up his pastorate at Flemington in the summer of 1872. A few weeks after Rev. T. E. Vasser entered upon the pastorate and con- tinued eight years resigning in 1880. Several months passed; when Rev. F. L. Chapell began his pastoral care in May, 1881, remaining till July, 1889. On April 1st, 1890, Rev. J. E. Sagebeer settled as pas- tor and resigned to close his pastorate in 1898, when Rev. L. D. Temple settled as pastor and was in charge in 1900.
Some have held that if Flemington had compassed herself with Baptist churches and developed them as she could have done Flemington would have been a stronger body than it is. This is true of other Bap- tist churches formed before and since 1700. Solomon truly said: "There is that scatteth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." However, pastor and church are the best judges of localities and of the wisdom of planting new interests. Most worthy and memorable men have come out of Flemington church who were licensed to preach. Among them were Thomas and Edward Barrass, brothers, and William Pollard. These were both licensed and ordained at Flemington. They were able preachers and could command and hold large congregations. Usually they expended their strength in behalf of small and dependent churches
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or sought out fields which but for them would have been left unculti- vated. Exclusive of Mr. Hunt and of Mr. Mclaughlin, the church has had nine pastors, one of whom held his trust for about thirty-four years.
Three houses of worship have been in use by the church; one built under the ministry of Mr. Sutton, 1766. Another in 1836, under Mr. Bartolette's pastorate and a third in 1867-8, and a vacant pulpit. The first was in use seventy-one years; the second, thirty-two years. The third is now in use and is one of the largest and in its appointments, one of the best Baptist houses in the State. Several members have been licensed to preach, certainly as many as seven, perhaps others. More than one thousand converts have been baptized into the fellow- ship of the church and in 1900, the membership was within a fraction, five hundred.
Reference to churches an outgrowth of Flemington, must include allusion to Rev. C. Bartolette, pastor of Flemington church. Soon after his settlement, he distributed his labor in the adjoining sections of which the church was a center. The vicinities of Sandy Ridge shared largely in them. On the Lord's Day in summer, he preached in the homes of the people. In winter, on week evenings. These ministries had fruit and on the 24th of October, 1818, nineteen disciples constituted themselves the Sandy Ridge Baptist church. The Divine blessing abode upon the church in 1819. In that year began alternate preaching between Flemington and Sandy Ridge and continued for thirteen years and till the increase at Flemington demanded Mr. Bart- olette's entire time.
Upon the retirement of the pastor from Sandy Ridge, Rev. J. Wright settled there. Prosperity marked the years, 1833, 1839 and 1840. Pastor Wright, after a useful and joyous pastorate of more than ten years, resigned. Rev. George Young entered on pastoral duties in the spring of 1843, remaining three and more years, having continuous prosperity. After Mr. Young followed Rev. J. E. Rue, 1847-1850. In this time ground was bought and a parsonage built. Rev. J. J. Baker succeeded for nearly five years, 1850-54. Mr. Baker had a useful and happy charge. Rev. J. Timberman was pastor, 1854-57. For nine years from 1858 to 1867, Rev. S. Sproul ministered to the church. 1858, 1860 and 1862 were special seasons of spiritual harvesting. At a mission station in Stockton, north of Sandy Ridge, on the river Delaware, a substantial meeting house was built, to which a colony was sent in 1868. The Sandy Ridge church built a large, stone house of worship in 1866. The old house erected in 1817 had been outgrown and was entirely too small to accommodate the con-
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