USA > New Jersey > A history of Baptists in New Jersey > Part 28
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Dr. Manning
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JAMES MANNING
ning was then a youth in his eighteenth year. His father, for whom he was named lived at the time on a farm a few miles south of Plainfield. All early references to Manning's birthplace were made as of "Eliza- bethtown," The playground of his childhood was on the level fields watered by Green Brook, Cedar Brook and Ambrose Brook, emptying into the Raritan at the town of Bound Brook. The associates of Manning's youth were children of Baptist neighbors, Fitz Randolph, Drake, Dunn, Laing, Martin, Stelle, Smalley and others.
From the day he commenced his preparatory course of mental training at Hopewell till he finished his classical studies at Princeton College, Manning was surrounded with excellent instructors and many eearnest devoted students, who in after years attained prominent positions in church and state.
Besides these, and foremost of all helpful environments, was the spiritual influence of a religious home. His parents were James Man- ning and Grace Fitz Randolph. Both were worthy descendants of early pioneer settlers of Piscataway and connected with those who generations before planted the old Piscataway Baptist church 1686-89. The subject of this sketch was led to a serious religious life under the pious teaching and example of his instructor, Rev. Isaac Eaton, at Hopewell. At the time of his conversion about the close of his Academ- ic studies, several of his relatives and family friends were connected with the newly organized Baptist church at Scotch Plains.
From his Academic studies he went to the College at Princeton. He graduated in 1762 with second honors in a class of twenty-one men. The next year on the 23rd, of March, 1763, he married Margaret Stites, a sister of Mrs. John Gano. The Stites homestead was a little hamlet four miles from Elizabeth City
Manning had been authoritatively licensed to preach the Gospel in February preceding his marriage. On April nineteenth, a month after being married, he was officially ordained to the Gospel ministry. Both ceremonies were observed at Scotch Plains. His ordination services were participated in by his brother-in-law, Rev. John Gano, and Rev. Isaac Eaton, his first instructor, assisted by Rev. Isaac Stelle, pastor of Piscataway and by pastor Miller of the "Plains Church" where Mrs. Manning's parents were influential members.
Manning was connected with this church, probably from the date of his baptism until the winter of 1764, Nov. 25th, when he transferred his membership to Warren in R. I. Here he was instrumental in or- ganizing a Baptist church and became its first pastor for six years. . James Manning was never separated from his New Jersey relations of family and church. He remained identified with the Philadelphia
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Association and nearly every year was in attendance at its anniversaries.
During the summer of 1763, Manning had introduced to several prominent Baptists in Rhode Island the proposition to found in the colony a "Seminary of Polite Literature" subject to the government of the denomination. After some opposition to the project from members of the established church order in New England, the Rhode Island Legislature granted a charter in February, 1764.
To James Manning more than to any other one person, should be awarded the distinguished honor of being the founder of "Brown Uni- versity." While the scheme may be said to have originated in the Philadelphia Association, of which Mr. Manning was then a member, its development and full realization must be traced directly to his per- sistent and untiring efforts.
In 1770, Mr. Manning moved to Providence, where the college was transferred, and the following year he assumed the additional duties of pastor of the Old First Baptist church, "preaching with great acceptance to an increasing congregation with good satisfaction and success." For a period of twenty years he continued the stated min- ister of this church, while at the same time he discharged his varied and arduous duties in connection with the Presidency of the College. That he was able to perform such an unusual amount of labor is account- ed for by the fact that he was gifted with a versatility and readiness which enabled him to accommodate himself with great facility to every variety of circumstance. Rhode Island honored herself in sending him as her representative to the U. S. Congress in 1786, at a time when the old confederation was about adopting the new constitution.
Dr. Manning represented the Baptist denomination, on that mem- orable occasion several years before in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, to which all friends of religious liberty were invited. The convention was held October 14, 1774, for the purpose of preparing a memorial to Congress for relief from oppression for conscience sake and for the legal establishment of ecclesiastical liberty.
In the midst of his usefulness and at the prime of life he was stricken down by apoplexy. He died July 29, 1791, at the age of fifty-three years. His wife survived him twenty-four years, and died in her seventy-fifth year. They never had any children. Both lie buried at Providence, R. I.
He was symmetrical in form, with a commanding physique, grace- ful as a public speaker, with a melodius voice, and though weighing nearly three hundred pounds, his large proportions were not noticeable in the easy delivery of his full rounded sentences. In a memorial sermon preached by his successor, Rev. Dr. Maxcy, is this eulogy of
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his character: "The loss of this worthy man will be felt by the com- munity at large. Nature had given him distinguished abilities. His address was manly and engaging, his manners easy without negligence, and polite without affectation. His eloquence was forcible and spon- taneous. His life was a scene of anxious labor for the benefit of others. He lived much beloved and died much lamented." Judge Howell, of Providence, who was an intimate friend of Dr. Manning, expressed as his opinion that the good order, learning and respectability of the Baptist church in the colonies were much indebted to his assiduous attention to their welfare. The credit of his name and personal in- fluence among the denomination had never been exceeded by any other person.
Seven churches have been colonized by Scotch Plains,: first, New York City in 1762; Mt. Bethel in 1767; Lyon's Farms 1769; Mana- hawkin, 1770; Samptown, 1792; Westfield, 1866. Another colony planted a church in Kentucky. In 1748, the year after the organization of the church, it was resolved, "That any brother belonging to this church and not praying in his family, shall be admonished and if he will reclaim well, and if otherwise, he shall be suspended." Has the vaunted life and progress of the nineteenth century bettered home life? The use of intoxicants at funerals was denounced in 1768. No councils have ever been called to settle troubles in Scotch Plains church, neither has any serious difficulty occurred. Nine hundred and forty have been baptized into the fellowship of the church.
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
MORRISTOWN, MOUNT BETHEL, AND MILLINGTON CHURCHES.
According to Morgan Edwards, Baptists settled near Morristown in 1717. He says: "The Baptist interest in this part of the country had its beginning in the following: "About the year 1717, one David Goble and family emigrated from Charleston, S. C., They being Bap- tists invited Baptist ministers to preach at their house; particularly Rev. Isaac Stelle of Piscataway. By his labors and the labors of some others, several were turned from darkness to light and went to Pis- cataway for baptism. Mr. Stelle and others continued their visits and began to have many hearers. To accommodate them the Gobles built a meeting house at their own expense, which was converted to another use when the present one was raised. The persons baptized who had joined Piscataway, were: John, Daniel and Isaac Sutton, Jonas and Robert and Malatia and Mercy Goble, Daniel Walling, Ichabod Tompkins, Sarah and Jemima Wiggins and Sarah Wiggins, Jr., Naomi Allen, Elizabeth Estell, Elizabeth Lines and Sarah Osborn. These sixteen persons, after being released from Piscataway were formed into a distinct church, July 11th, 1752."
Issac Stelle of Piscataway, B. Miller of Scotch Plains, Isaac Eaton of Hopewell endorsed their mutual fellowship and constitution as a Baptist church. What a wonderful trio of men! Their mark on the ages will never be effaced and their memory will ever be associated with the Nazarene. Like him is their memorial. The first meeting house was built by the Gobles and was located to accommodate the constituent members, who all lived on farms in the immediate neigh- borhood; none living in the village. In fact, the locality in question held at least as many inhabitants as Morristown itself, though a little more scattered. Not till a quarter of a century later could Morris- town boast of more than fifty dwellings and a population of two hun- dred and fifty.
Pastors Stelle of Piscataway and Miller of Scotch Plains supplied the Morristown church for two years until a pastor settled in 1754. The church worshipped in the original meeting house for seventy years. But it was isolated from Morristown, with the result that its Baptist and spiritual influence was dissipated and more; Baptist teaching of
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an open Bible and of the right of each person to think and to teach his own convictions of truth and of duty.
Rev. John Gano of Hopewell and graduate of its school was the first pastor of Morristown church, settling in 1754 and remaining three or four years, then removing to New York City and becoming pastor of the first Baptist church. Could Mr. Gano have remained at Morris- town, its early history would have been different from what it is. Abel Morgan, Isaac Stelle, Benjamin Miller, Robert Kelsay and others lived and died in more retired places and God only can estimate their life work and so with Mr. Gano. All that region would have felt the in- fluence of his presence.
The writer copied these minutes from the old minute book of first Hopewell church: "John Gano called to exercise his gifts, November 19th, 1752. He did so, January 20th, 1753. Licensed April, 14th, 1753, and ordained (at Hopewell) May 29th 1754." The secret of the abnormal condition of our Baptist churches in the early days was their steadfastness. Their contentions for the "faith once delivered to the saints;" sermons and disputations on baptism and on the terms of coming to the Lord's table were frequent and had the largest publicity whether in Rhode Island in Penepack, or in Charleston, S. C. Rev. J. M. Carpenter preserved these incidents of Mr. Gano. He knew them as facts.
Baptist churches, especially guarded against the admission of unconverted persons. The first happening at Morristown in Mr. Gano's charge was: An old colored woman asked membership in the church. Being very ignorant, her case was deferred and thus for six times. The last time, going down the aisle, she muttered, "Well, Kate is a Christian. By and by, she will die and then she knows she will go to Heaven and Jesus will meet her at the gate and say: 'Kate, where do you come from? 'From Morristown.' 'Have you been baptized?' No, I went to John Gano repeatedly and he refused me." Overhearing her, Mr. Gano called out: "Stop, Kate, come back here! You are not going to Heaven with such a story as that, about me." He baptized her and she was an ornament to her profession. Another was: Going from Jersey City to New York, crossing the river in an open boat, deeply laden with passengers in a fierce storm, the peril of sinking was great. The oars- men were most profane cursing because a priest was aboard. Mr. Gano was quiet. Landing safely, he turned to the boatman, said: "Thank God, there is a Hell for sinners." At midnight, he was awaken- ed by the man begging him to pray for him. In six weeks, he baptized the man near the place where he had been cursed. These preachers were not mealy-mouthed. They used language that signified the 18
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coming doom of the unsaved. Our great denomination was not built up on platitudes of the Fatherhood of God and the choices of the natural will.
The first candidate Mr. Gano baptized was Hezekiah Smith, the New England Baptist Apostle. Later Mr. Smith removed to Hope- well and Mr. Gano was a chaplain in the American Revolutionary army and heard General Washington say at Newburg, in 1783, that "Baptist chaplains were the most prominent and useful in the army." A legend in the Gano family is, that: Mr. Gano baptized General Wash- ington at Valley Forge in the presence of forty-two witnesses, about 1780. Later he moved to Hopewell, united with the church there and entered the school. The writer copied from the old minute book of the church as follows: "Hezekiah Smith, licensed October 22nd, 1762."
In the spring of 1758, Mr. I. Tomkins, who had been a constituent of the church and had been licensed to preach, became pastor. These early churches frequently licensed and ordained one of their members for the pastorate, evincing that they had foremost men among them, men of culture and of intelligence. This also had illustration in the administration of colonial, congressional and military affairs. In fact, the better sort of people, both for intelligence and education emigrated to and constituted the masses of the nations settling in North America. Baptists had their full share of men competent in all respects to manage and develope a nation, whether Huguenots of the South, English and Hollanders in the Middle States and Puritans of the North. Everywhere from the St. Lawrence, to the Gulf, the need developed the men. Mr. Tomkins served as pastor till he died, three years. It has been written of him "that he was a true man and an efficient pastor.
Six years passed ere the church called another pastor. Then again, one of the members was called to be pastor, whom it licensed and ordained for its service; John Walton, entered the pastorate in 1767. Rev. Samuel Jones, in his century historical sermon, preached before the Philadelphia Association, in 1807, names Mr. Walton as one of the eight pre-eminent men of the denomination, who, he says: "was a man of superior abilities, of refinement, of winning manners and exer- cised an influence of a high character." The type of the members of Morristown may be judged of from these men, chosen for their worth, from themselves. Like to his predecessor, Mr. Walton lived only three years and was called to his reward in three years, in 1770. Of great personal worth as a citizen and Christian, he wisely saw an imperative condition to the welfare of the church. While pastor, a lot was bought
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in Morristown and a suitable house of worship built on it. He did not live to see it completed. It was dedicated in May 1771.
Six months after Mr. Walton's death, a licentiate of Piscataway was called to be pastor, Mr. Reune Runyon. He was ordained in 1771, and served the church eight years. In the American Revolution, there was not any report of the church for several years. But in those reported, thirty-four were baptized. While Mr. Runyon was pastor, the church doubled its membership. There was a kind of alliance between Schooley's Mountain church and Morristown in Mr. Runyon's charge, which was equivalent to a suspension at Schooley's Mountain. The matter is quite obscure.
After Mr. Runyon resigned, supplies ministered for the next eight years. Then, Rev. D. Loofburrow settled closing his charge in 1789. From then, until 1809, twenty years, the church had only monthly preaching. Rev. D. Jayne serving one year of that period, and Rev. Van Horn of Scotch Plains preaching for sixteen years, each month, till he died. Pastor Ellis of Mt. Bethel supplied Morristown two years of this time. In 1811, Rev. John Lamb settled for one year. At its end, Mr. Samuel Trott, a member of the church was licensed and or- dained for the pastoral office in 1812. He continued pastor for three years. Then there was an interval in pastoral ministration for two years, when in 1817, Rev. John Boozer settled and was pastor for four years. Rev. S. Trott having returned from the West, was recalled in 1821, continuing till 1826. He was pastor at Morristown twice.
Mr. Trott's pastorate was an unhappy event. He was a Hyper Calvinist of an antinomian type. Positive and an absolutist as con- cerned his opinions. Like to other antinomians he knew all worth knowing about the secret purposes of Jehovah. The poison with which he infected the church caused a paralysis lasting eight years. Later, he was a leader in the Antinomian movement.
The "next eight years was a time of trial to the faithful few. It seemed as if the visibility of the church would end. The member- ship was reduced to thirty-five and these wide scattered. But Deacons John Ball, Ezekiel Howell, J. Hill and William Martin, four of the only six male members with some noble women" preserved the church. Deacon Ezekiel Howell was clerk of the church, thirty-six years and its deacon, twenty-nine years, until his death. His son, Edward was clerk forty years and deacon, forty-two years, closing his work at death. This son, Edward, was the only active male member of the church for several years. Deacon Ezekiel Howell withstood division and disaster as long as he lived and his son Edward, took his place with like courage and saved the life of the church until he was called
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up higher, leaving children, who since lift on high, the banner of a New Testament church. The document appended, was found among the papers of Deacon Ezekiel Howell and indicates the man of God. It was sent to the writer by his son, Edward, but with no intent of this publicity. His own handwriting styles it "Covenant, August 11th, 1782," and signed "Ezekiel Howell."
"Eternal and ever blessed God, I desire to present myself before Thee with the deepest humiliation and abasement of Soul, sensible how unworthy Such a sinful Worm is to appear before the Holy Majesty of Heaven, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and especially on Such an occasion as this, even to enter into a Covenant Transaction with Thec. But the Scheme and the Plan is thine own, thine Infinite condescension hath offered it by thy Son, and thy Grace hath inclined my Heart to accept of it.
"I come, therefore, acknowledging myself to have been a great offender, smiting my breast and Saying with the humble Publican, "God be merciful to me a Sinner." I come invited by the Name of Thy Son, and wholly trusting in his perfect Righteousness intreating that for his Sake thou wilt be merciful to my Unrighteousness and wilt no more remember my sins. Receive, I beseech thee, Thy revolted Creature, who is now convinced of thy right to him and desires nothing so much as that he may be thine.
"This Day do I with the Utmost Solemnity Surrender myself to Thee. I renounce all former Lord's that have had Dominion over me; and I consecrate to thee all that I am and all that I have; the Faculties of my mind, the members of my Body, my worldly possessions, my time, and my Influence over others; to be all used entirely for thy Glory, and resolutely employed in obedience to thy Commands as long as thou continuest me in life; with an ardent Desire and humble Resolution to continue thine thro all the endless ages of Eternity; Ever holding myself in an attentive Posture to observe the First Intimations of thy will, and ready to spring forward with Zeal and Joy to the immediate execution of it. To thy direction I resign myself and all I am and have to be disposed of by thee in such manner as thou shalt in thine infinite Wisdom judge most subservient to the purposes of thy Glory; to thee I leave the management of all Events & Say without reserve "Not my will, but thine, be done," rejoicing with a loyal heart in thine unlimited government what ought to be the Delight of the Whole Rational Creait- ation. Use me, O, Lord, I beseech thee as an instrument of thy service, Number me among thy peculiar people let me be washed in the blood of thy dear Son, let me be Clothed with his Righteousness, let me be Sanctified by his Spirit Transform me more & more into his Image,
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impart to me thro him all needful Influences of the purifying, cheering & comforting Spirit, And let my life be spent under those Influences and in the light of thy Gracious Countenance as my Father and my God.
"And when the Solemn Hour of Death shall come, may I remember this thy Covenant well ordered in all things & sure, as all my Salvation and all my Desire, tho every other hope & enjoyment is perishing; and do thou, O. Lord, remember it too. Look down with pity O my heaven- ly Father on thy languishing Dying Child, Embrace me in the Ever- lasting Arms, put strength and Confidence into my departing Spirit, And receive into the abodes of them that Sleep in Jesus peacefully and joyfully to wait the Accomplishment of thy great Promise To all thy people, even that of a glorious Resurrection, and of Eternal Happi- ness in thine Heavenly Glory.
"And if any surviving friend Should when I am in the dust meet with this Memorial of my Solemn Transactions with thee, may he make the Same Engagements his own, & do thou graciously admit him to partake In all the Blessings of Thy Covenant through Jesus the great Mediator of it;
"To whom with Thee O Father and Thy Holy Spirit be Everlasting Praises ascribed by all the Millions who are thus Saved by thee and by all those other Celestial Spirits in whose Work and Blessedness thou shalt call them to share. "
Amen, So be it.
"May the Covenant that I have made on Earth be Ratified in Heaven."
EZEKIEL HOWELL.
August 11th, 1782.
This covenant was made by Mr. Howell before he united with the church.
Toward the close of 1834, Rev. William Sym became pastor. An immediate change occurred in the church. From the outside, universal respect was given to it; the congregations grew; converts were added and life infused into the church. Mr. Sym was called to Newark and closed his work in Morristown in 1839. His pastorate gave an abiding impetus to the church. Antinomianism was cast out not by con- tention, for Mr. Sym was a high toned Calvinistic preacher, but he gave direction to the currents; faith in God, supplanted fatalism; his sover- eignty inspired cheer in efforts for him. Thus as Bancroft has said of Calvinism what has been accomplished for the spiritual betterment of mankind and for progress of civilization has been done by men of Calvinistic ideas.
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A call was given in 1839, tc Rev. W. H. Turton. Ere long, he gathered a harvest at an outstation. At this time, came a complication, nearly fatal to the existence of the Morristown church. Most of the members were scattered in the country. It was proposed to move and locate the church in a village four miles distant from Morristown. The property in Morristown was ordered to be sold and a church in the town had arranged to buy it. But Deacon Edward Howell, living in the village where the church was to be located almost alone opposed going from Morristown. "A catch" about the lines of the proposed lot, gave Deacon Howell an occasion to balk the sale. President of the Board of Trustees, he withdrew the Morristown property from sale and spent the night driving to the homes of members in the country to get a church meeting to reconsider the vote to sell. The plan was dropped and the Morristown church is where it is. The meeting house had been in use about seventy years and was unfit for use. Another was built and dedicated in. 1845. Two years after, in October 1847, Mr. Turton resigned. In the eight years of his pastorate, the church had made substantial growth. A new church edifice had been built. Mr. Turton was a very modest and unassuming of sterling worth and of "good common sense."
Months passed, and in 1848, Rev. W. B. Toland settled as pastor. He was useful and numbers were added to the church. He closed his pastoral care at the end of five years. An unhappy pastorate of eight months followed.
The next pastor's coming, Rev. Josiah Hatt, was a kind Providence. An amiable man, intensely earnest, of devoted piety, he soon won the confidence of even objectors. For three years he ministered and then a dark cloud overhung him and them and Mr. Hatt went into the wor- ship of the Upper Sanctuary, on June 16th, 1857. The succession of pastors was: C. D. W. Bridgeman, 1857-60; J. B. Morse, 1861-63; A. Pinney, 1864-68; E. B. Bently, 1868-73; J. H. Gunning, 1874-77; J. V. Stratton, 1878-80. (These many short pastorates had one happy result, that of unifying the church by sinking individual preferences.) A. Parker, 1881-89; I. M. B. Thompson, 1889-95 ; S. Z. Batten, 1895-1900.
In 1857-1858, the house of worship was enlarged and improved. The agitation for a larger and better metting house was begun under the pastorate of Mr. Parker was accomplished under the pastoral care of Rev. I. M. B. Thomson. A change of location was effected. The new sanctuary was in entire accord, both with the ma- terials of construction within and without, and in architectural beauty and adaptation to public worship. In size it corresponded to the
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