USA > New Jersey > A history of Baptists in New Jersey > Part 25
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In January 1890, Rev. C. L. Percy became pastor and closed his charge in October 1894. Two members of the church (women) sailed in 1892, for mission work in India. Pastor H. J. Whalen settled in
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January 1895 and resigned in January 1899. On the next June, Rev. J. Y. Irving accepted a call to be pastor.
While the church has hopeful prospects, the commercial and business future of the town does not indicate an extensive growth. If William V. Wilson is included as pastor, the church has had ten pastors. Two houses of worship have been in use. The first built in 1850 and burned in 1858; another now in use. There is not a published state- ment of members having been licensed to preach and yet, two female members are in India as missionaries.
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CHAPTER XXV.
RED BANK, EATONTOWN AND LONG BRANCH.
Shrewsbury in which Red Bank is located had been for many years, an unknown land to Baptists. Red Bank was a small village in 1843. Since the ministry of Samuel Morgan, nephew of Abel Morgan, who followed his uncle Abel Morgan when he had died, as pastor of first Middletown, there had not been Baptist preaching in Shrewsbury, except the monthly service by Pastor D. B. Stout of first Middletown at Red Bank. Abel Morgan went everywhere preaching and if doors were shut, he opened them, going in without invitation. Long Branch(East) was one of his stations. Samuel Morgan kept up the appointment and gathered many converts.
Mr. Bennett, who followed Samuel Morgan as pastor of Middle- town church dropped all the out appointments of his predecessors and attended to his farm, more than to cultivating spiritual fields. With- out meaning to misrepresent him, he looked after himself rather than after the Kingdom of God. Politics ended his ministerial career and thus it happened that Shrewsbury was lost to the Baptists and the covetous greed of a preacher, also lost the labors of more than fifty years.
The first pastor and missionary at Red Bank renewed the appoint- ment of the Morgans at Long Branch, and meeting descendants of the early Baptists, was glad to hear the ministries of their fathers and mothers, who had told him that their ancestors were Baptists, but being "left out in the cold," had nowhere else to go than to other denominations.
The Middletown shore of the Navesink river was lined with Baptist families, but on this side of the river only nine Baptists lived in Red Bank, and two east of here .. The Episcopal and Presbyterian churches were in the village of Shrewsbury, also the "Friends' Meeting." A Methodist church was in Rumson; another below Long Branch; and a . houseless interest of the Methodist family below Red Bank. Pastor Stout of Middletown preached here in the "Forum" once in each month; also Mr. Taylor of Shrewsbury monthly. These were the only regular religious services in Red Bank up to November, 1843.
At the meeting of the Board of the New Jersey Baptist State Convention with the New Jersey Baptist Association in Jacobstown, September 12th, 1843, Pastors Stout of Middletown, Hires of Holmdel,
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and Wilson of Keyport, called attention to Red Bank and Shrewsbury as a mission field. Unbeknown to one another, each of them asked a young man to visit Red Bank and vicinity. Impressed with this concurrent request the young man whom they asked, invited a mutual conference, when it was arranged for him to visit Red Bank.
God was in this thing. For many months he had been looking for a place. He had traversed a large part of eastern Pennsylvania and middle and west Jersey; not for a church,-for he had from the first determined that he would not follow any one in the pastoral office, and would therefore settle in a new and unoccupied field and have only the one life-long settlement. He had also a choice of locality, and a decided preference like to that of John the Baptist-a place where there "was much water." As yet he had not seen the place to suit him. When, however, he came here, saw these hills and plain and people and river he said to himself: "I have found it. Here I come and stay and die."
In October, 1843, the Board of the State Convention appointed him, T. S. Griffiths, their missionary in this region for six months. Returning to Red Bank, he began his ministry on the evening of No- vember 17th, 1843, with a congregation of thirty-three persons.
Prior to his coming back our Methodist brethren had suddenly awakened to the great importance of this field. It is usually so. How- ever long a place is left desolate, if Baptists enter it other names of the Christian family quickly discover the need of its people of their doctrinal ideas. There may be two reasons for this-first, the Baptists are good leaders; second, they are safe to follow.
The pastor's salary was about two hunderd dollars, and he must needs keep a horse. And yet he not only did not lack any needful thing, but always had great abundance and avoided the plague of debt.
Large salaries were not given nor expected by pastors in New Jersey till later years. But the salary was not an index of income. Really, the pastors then had larger revenues than now, and those who remained long in the state rarely failed to lay by a store for retired life. The longer settlements of former days were due largely to the bond of mutual interest and love which these tokens expressed. The business feature of pastoral settlements in these times is the most satisfactory explanation of their short and uncertain tenure. It will always be, that pastors who impress the people that their "living" is secondary to their "service" will have a place in their hearts and a share of their substance, which very practically verifies the Scripture. "The laborer is worthy of his reward."
The early settlers of Shrewsbury differed from those in other parts 16
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of Monmouth County, chiefly Quakers. They gave caste to the religious ideas of the people. Other denominations made but little progress. When Hicksitism absorbed Quakerism, but few remained of the Ortho- dox "Friends." The door was opened at the widest for infidelity, especially in churchless communities. Red Bank, although having neither a house of worship, nor a church organization was leavened with evangelical sentiment. Numerous members of neighboring churches being residents in the place.
The missionary of the convention labored almost a year before the Baptist church was organized. This delay was caused by the opposition of the Baptist household across the river. Generous offers were made to the missionary if he would leave the field, it being insisted that a Baptist church in Red Bank would seriously impair the member- ship and influence of first Middletown church. Neither did all of the resident Baptists approve the movement. Nevertheless, a Baptist church was formed of fourteen constituents on August 7th,1844. The missionary was also, at a later date, ordained as pastor. Lots were bought and the walls of the basement were built and paid for. The house, however, was not completed and dedicated until 1849. The same opposition to the completion of the building delayed it, as had hindered the organization of the church. For some time, the Secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society had been impressing the pastor with the duty of going West and take charge of the first Baptist church at Milwaukee, Wis. He prevailed in January, 1850, when the pastor resigned to go on this mission; very much against his own convictions. The labors of this first pastorate were in laying foundations. Usually in winter, he preached at Red Bank seven times in the week. In summer, four and five times on the Lord's Day, riding twenty miles to different appointments. The church edifice at Red Bank was crowded on the Lord's Day. A clergyman of another denom- ination was baptized and others, active officers in Christian denomina- tions were baptized.
When first constituted, the church was known as the Shrewsbury Baptist church, later the name was changed to Red Bank. In August 1850, Rev. R. T. Middleditch became pastor and held the office for sixteen years. Large accessions by baptism and letter from first Middletown were received in the winter of 1850-1; those last mentioned would have been constituents, but for the opposition made to the forming of a Baptist church. Concord and discord occurred at the close of Mr. Middleditch's term of office and he resigned. Seventeen members were dismissed in 1853 to found a Baptist church at Eaton- town, about four miles from Red Bank. Mr. Middleditch giving as a
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reason for this unwise step, his inability to occupy the field. Additions and improvements were made in the meeting house as occasion required. Following Mr. Middleditch, Rev. C. W. Clark settled as pastor in 1868. A chapel was built at Leedville an out station in Middletown in 1869. The succession of pastors was: Mr. C. W. Clark, 1868-71; E. J. Foote, 1871-75; B. F. Leipsner, 1875-82; J. K. Manning, 1883-97; W. B. Matte- son, 1897-1904.
Five members have been licensed to preach. One church, Eaton- town, has been colonized from Red Bank. The first house of worship cost, under the superintendence of Mr. C. G. Allen and with rare econ- omy, three thousand dollars. The second, built in the pastorate of Rev. J. K. Manning cost thirty thousand dollars. The difference indicates growth. Two deacons of first Middletown were among the constituents of Red Bank church, father and son, the venerable Daniel Smith and Joseph M. Smith. A brother of Joseph was also a deacon at Red Bank later. Another Smith, also a deacon in no wise related to the former family, had it written of him:
"Deacon Sidney T. Smith was a very modest man. But he was never known to be missing when time or money or hardship was in demand. In the torrid heat of summer, or the slush and snow and cold of winter, he walked miles to be in his place, superintendent of the mission Sunday-school.
And of Joseph M., it was truly said:
"Deacon Joseph M. Smith was a gentle spirit; a man of reading and of intelligence and of eminent devotion-a rock; always found where you would look for him, and when wanted within call."
Red Bank has had seven pastors, one of whom served sixteen years; another fourteen years.
Eatontown was originally a Quaker village. The planting of a Baptist church there as early as it was, was a mistake. It began a lingering life of disappointment. Had a branch of Red Bank been formed and the pastor preached there monthly and social meetings on other Lord's Days, in connection with the Sunday school, all would have been well. But two male members were identified with the church and none of the members had been baptists long. The first sermon preached by a Baptist in the town was by a missionary of the New Jersey Baptist State Convention in 1843. Religious meeting was not remembered by the oldest inhabitant ever to have been held there, except a funeral service. Only two church members lived in the place, a husband, Methodist, and his wife, Presbyterian. Occasionally they went to their own church.
A club of men took the "Infidel Investigator," of Boston. As
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colportors they distributed the paper. When the missionary asked for the school house for preaching, there was a long list of objections, most of them, silly, one that other ministers would ask the same liberty. They did. Baptists coming to a town opens the eyes of Pedo Baptists to their pernicious teaching, and it must have an antidote. Consent was given and if "no harm was done the trustees would see." They saw and continuous appointments were made. In the winter of 1845 and 6, consent was given for evening meetings. These continued for four months. The missionary riding four miles and back to Red Bank every night through storm and mud. Divine power was manifest in the meetings. One of the proudest men and chief of the club kneeled publicly and confessed his need of Christ. A large number came into the new life and the religious caste of the place was wholly changed.
Ten or twelve years after the building of the meeting house, it was to be sold by the sheriff. But seven women, the first baptized of the meeting of 1845 and '46, the only members of the church left, pledged each other to save it from sale. Other denominations wished to buy it. But these women would not sell. One of them rented the house and kept up worship in it. About 1871, the pastor of the Holmdel church sent word to these women and to certain Baptists living at and near to Red Bank, to meet him in the church at Eatontown on a given afternoon of a Lord's Day. A crowded house met him and six hundred dollars was raised to support a pastor at Eatontown.
In 1872, Rev. W. D. Seigfried was secured and the members in- creased from seven to sixty in a short time. One of the seven women was a grand-mother. While young she was converted. Kindred and friends urged her to unite with them, with the Methodist church, but she said, "No, the New Testament makes me a Baptist." But they said: "There is not a Baptist church in all of this section." "There will be before I die and I will wait till a Baptist minister comes along. " Youth, middle life, children and grand children came. The venerable woman passed, it may be, her seventieth year, was one of the four whom the missionary baptized at Eatontown. He welcomed her children and her grandchildren and two of her grandsons are Baptist pastors.
Seventeen members united to form the Eatontown church in 1853. The pastors were: C. A. Votey, 1853-55; J. Teed, 1856-7, or- dained; H. B. Raybold, 1862; W. D. Seigfried, 1872; S. V. Marsh, 1873- 76; J. Marshall, 1876-80; A. N. Whitemarsh, 1880-84; W. G. Russell, 1884-86; S. L. Cox, 1887; M. L. Ferris, 1889-93; F. Gardner, 1894-98; M. R. Thompson ordained in 1898; O. Barchwitz, 1899-1900. Mr. Seigfried became the subject of discipline and was excluded. Numerous
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converts were added under pastors Marsh, Whitemarsh and Marshall and expansions at the expense of Eatontown church were begun, chiefly by the Trenton Association, a chapel was built at Long Branch on a lot the Association had bought in 1874.
Pastor W. G. Russell of Eatontown resigned in 1886 to accept the charge of the Long Branch church, formed by a large colony from Eatontown, and Eatontown that had grown strong was again depleted. into comparative weakness. An unsolved problem is: the gain of pulling down one church to found another. From its organization, the Eatontown church has had a struggle for life. Only the pious tenacity of a few women has saved it from extinction. While the population of Eatontown is as healthful in its habits and as intelligent as are other localities, some of its pastors have been bad; which the eminent worthiness of others has been essential to redeem the church from the condemnation of those "without." Thirteen pastors have served the church. Changes in the pastorate have been due to a limited salary and is not a fault of theirs. The Eatontown church colonized the Long Branch in 1886.
The rapid increase of population on the sea shore of New Jersey from the interior of the country, called attention to the destitution of Baptist churches of that section. Between South Amboy and first Cape May, there were but two Baptist churches on the sea coast before 1865, Manasquan and Manahawkin. True, Osbornville and Cape May City near by. But Osbornville was back in the "Pines" and Cape Island City is on an island at the extreme point of Cape May. The Trenton Association formed in 1865, inaugurated a new feature of Associational missions for waste places, within its bounds. Pastor S. V. Marsh of Eatontown, called the attention of the Missionary Commit- tee of the Association to certain lots at Long Branch and they were bought by the committee in anticipation of building on them a Baptist meeting house. A statement in the sketch of the Long Branch church in the minutes of 1891, that Rev. William V. Wilson bought the lots in 1873, is a mistake. He loaned to the committee two hundred dollars to buy the lots, giving time to collect it. The Association paid for them.
Ten years later, 1883, steps were adopted by the Association to build a house on the lots. With the generous co-operation of the community, the funds were collected and in July 1886, the house was dedicated under pastor William G. Russell of Eatontown. To the churches of the Trenton Association, is due the credit of buying the lots and to building the church edifice at Long Branch. There are on the sea shore of New Jersey, now, about twenty Baptist churches,
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all having houses of worship built within its limits through the Trenton Association.
On February 10th, 1886, thirteen Baptist residents in and near Long Branch met and organized the Long Branch Baptist church. For months, Pastor Russell of Eatontown was their supply and be- came pastor July 1st, 1886. In that summer, plans for a parsonage and a baptistry in the church edifice were adopted. Mr. Russell resigned in 1891. Succeeding pastors were: C. P. P. Fox, 1891-94. The house of worship was nearly destroyed by fire in March 1892. But in two years, a larger and better house was in readiness for the church. G. B. Lawson followed, 1894-96; George Williams, 1896-99; W. H. Marshall, 1899-1900. The pastors at Eatontown endorsed the Long Branch movement and Mr. Russell was the first pastor there. Five pastors have served the church. It is but just to credit the Bap- tist brethren, sojourners from New York and from other places, with generously aiding the church with both their financial means and by their active Christian influence alike in building the material temple, and in the support of the church, fully sharing in its current expenses.
CHAPTER XXVI.
NAVESINK, ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS AND NEW MONMOUTH.
Second Middletown is a misleading name. Holmdel was originally second Middletown and Keyport was organized as third Middletown. This body was fourth Middletown. In 1877, the misnomen was cor- rected and Navesink, substituted for second Middletown. The church was located in Riceville amid the Navesink hills, south and east of Atlantic Highlands. Before 1850, first Middletown built a chapel in Riceville in which the pastor preached and where devotional meetings were held. Mr. Roberts, the predecessor of Mr. Stout in first Middle- town had done much mission work in that vicinity about six or seven miles from Middletown village. Intemperance was a universal curse along shore of both Navesink river and of the Raritan bay. Pastor Roberts had been a pioneer in the temperance cause.
There was a family of Leonards in this section; Baptists of the wide awake active and godly sort. A son, Richard A. Leonard was a man of the highest type of practical active piety. He was a deacon of first Middletown as his father had been. The son's benevolence was very real. It is known to the writer, that in a year, when his crops on his farm failed, in place of having nothing to give, he had a note discounted in bank for the full sum of his contributions at home and abroad and paid them as usual. He was an industrious man, not having time for gossip on the pros and cons of benevolence. A brother called upon him for help to build their meeting house, being told where he was, the man drove thither and hearing him coming, plowing corn, waited till Mr. Leonard was near and calling and telling his business, Mr. Leonard exclaimed: "Put me down a hundred dollars," and called to his horse "Get up, Bess." His friend was amused; had a lesson on not losing time. The writer had also an experience of Mr. Leonard's way, at the meetings in Eatontown in the winter of 1845 and 1846. Though living twelve miles distant, Mr. Leonard would drive to the village, with the pastor, visited and prayed with every family in the town. It is known to the writer, that a company of fishermen were on the shore of the Navesink river talking on the faults of Chris- tians. When Mr. Leonard suddenly came from a defile in the hills. Seeing him, they exclaimed: "There comes a good man," and he was a good man
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The organization of the Navesink church arose from certain in- fluences. Two parties were in first Middletown church, positive tem- perance men and anti-temperance men: i. e. under given conditions they used intoxicants and opposed total abstinence as a condition of church membership. The Leonards, a large and influential family were very outspoken on the subject of temperance. A serious division of the church impended and was only hindered by the organization of the Navesink church by the temperance party. In July, fifty-five members were dismissed from first Middletown to constitute the Nave- sink church. Among the number was Rev. Thomas Roberts, a former pastor of Middletown. Mr. Roberts consented to supply the young church till a pastor was obtained. The arrangement deferred a call for a pastor till the infirmities of age, demanded the relief of Pastor Roberts, who had ministered to the Navesink church for four years. Mr. Roberts died in 1865, eighty-two years old.
Pastors who followed were: E. S. Browe, 1858-62; W. B. Harris, 1862-67; J. J. Baker, 1868-79; C. T. Douglass, 1879-85; W. B. Harris, 1889-93. The location of the church was not congenial to growth and yet, nearly one hundred were added to the church by baptism in its years at Riceville. During Mr. Baker's charge, the old parsonage, a long distance from the church edifice was sold and another bought near the meeting house. This year, also, the name of the church was changed to Navesink. Deacon R. A. Leonard died in this pastorate, having held the office from the organization of the church till his death in May, 1877. He was superintendent of Middletown Sunday school and then of Navesink till he died, forty-two years, While Mr. Douglass was pastor, a new house of worship was built and occupied in1883.
Important changes were taking place in Atlantic Highlands, in- volving the absorption of Navesink Church by one or more Baptist churches in centers of increasing population. These interests took shape in 1888. It was decided in that year, to divide the church into two branches, with the expectation that the Highland Branch (now first Atlantic Highlands) would soon be constituted a church. Several families of the Leonards had already moved there and a very creditable house of worship had been built. The Lord's Day morning service had also been transferred from Riceville to that branch and Rev. W. B. Harris, an old pastor, had charge of the Navesink branch church till the organization of the "Central Atlantic Highlands," church in 1893. Thus the Navesink church conserved Baptist interests in this field of first Middletown church and became two Baptist churches.
In 1889, one hundred and seven were dismissed to constitute first Atlantic Highlands church. Four years later, in 1893, "the Central
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Atlantic Highlands church". Riceville has thus become the field of the Central Atlantic Highlands church.
First Atlantic Highlands and Central Atlantic Highlands are so identified with Navesink church and with each other, that their history is involved in that of Navesink. A church edifice for first Atlantic Highlands was built in 1884. In July, 1888, the Navesink church divided itself into two branches and observed the Lord's Day morning service and the house of the first Atlantic church. But the incon- veniences of this arrangement were so real that morning worship was returned to Navesink and the Atlantic Highland branch provided supplies for itself. Rev. E. Loux was engaged for that office. The Divine blessing was upon his labors and many converts were baptized into the fellowship of that "Branch."
Eventually, one hundred and seven members of the Navesink church were dismissed to constitute the first Atlantic Highlands Bap- tist church. These and those whom Mr. Loux had baptized were in all, one hundred and twenty-six, and the first Atlantic Highlands Baptist church was recognized in the ensuing February. In March, 1890, Mr. Loux was called to be pastor. He resigned for special reasons in April 1893. The reasons are given in the history of the Central Baptist church of Atlantic Highlands. Rev. H. W. Hillier followed Mr. Loux in 1893, remaining till 1900. Rev. H. S. Quillen settled in 1899, and was pastor in 1900. The church has not grown as antici- pated since its organization and i+ is due to two reasons. One, location. Family interests determined the choice, rather than the convenience of residents. Another, the organization of the Central Atlantic High- lands church. To this body the First church contributed forty-nine of its members before the resignation of Pastor. Loux, indicating the better location of the "Central" church.
The preference of Mr. Loux for the location of the "Central church" induced his resignation of the pastorate of the first church. The churches are not far apart, but are not convenient to each other. A malarial space cutting off the first church from the picturesque and healthier resident part of the Highlands. This may, however, be in time removed.
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