USA > New Jersey > A history of Baptists in New Jersey > Part 34
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
and useful pastorate. For five years, from the fall of 1859, Rev. I. N. Hill was pastor. The nation was preoccupied with the issues of the Civil War in the period of Mr. Hill's charge of the church. Despite its diversion, the church grew and enjoyed a good measure of prosperity. Rev. L. Grenelle settled as pastor In November 1865 and resigned in September 1872. As was his usual pastoral care, the church improved in all lines in his charge. On April 1st 1873, Pastor E. E. Jones settled His charge was the longest the church had known, nearly ten years. The succeeding pastors were: A. C. Lyon, 1882; J. A. Cubberley, 1885- 93, while pastor, the meeting house was improved; F. Fletcher, 1893- 1900. New Market has had eight pastors. The first house is still in use, but has undergone several amendments and improvements and serves its use well. The mother church has been constrained by the churches planted in Plainfield and New Market to change her location and her name, but retains her vigor amid her prosperous children.
Dr. Webb
CHAPTER XXXIII.
NEW BRUNSWICK, GEORGE'S ROAD AND SOUTH RIVER
New Brunswick is about two miles from the Piscataway Baptist church. Why did not the mother church plant a Baptist church in the city of New Brunswick much earlier than 1816 is, to us, a marvel. But the trend of population in earlier days was to the country, as now it is, to the city. Then too, distance was not as now made of much account. Also the city was built along the river and the ground was low. The town was known as "Prigmore's Swamp." Only when the canal and the railroad brought travel and business to the town, was there assurance of its future.
Members of Piscataway, however, were resident in the town and when about 1810, the Hon. J. Parker of Perth Amboy, offered a lot to a denomination that would erect a house of worship on it, Baptists, members of Piscataway seized on the offer and collecting funds from Piscataway, Scotch Plains and Samptown, built a meeting house, which in the fall of 1812, was opened for worship. Additional grounds were bought. The congregation was known as a "branch of Piscataway." War with England in 1812 was in progress and the financial outlook was dark. In September 1812, Piscataway church called Rev. J. McLaughlin with an arrangement to preach in Piscataway in the morning and in the afternoon in New Brunswick. This order continued till September 1817.
Mr. Mclaughlin residing in New Brunswick, Baptists multiplied in the town. Deacon Asa Runyan of Piscataway church lived in New Brunswick, where he was a foremost citizen, and more, a devoted and active Christian. Before the erection of the meeting house, he held Baptist prayer meetings in his home. His business tact and large gifts assured the building of the first Baptist church edifice. How great results come from the apparently small doings of a man of God! First New Brunswick Baptist church grew out of Deacon Runyan's prayer meeting. Jeremiah Dodge, a Baptist attended them, and when he moved to New York City, doubtless influenced by the proceedings in New Brunswick, he also began a prayer meeting in his house and the first Baptist church in New York City grew out of that prayer meet- ing.
Deacon Uria Smith of Central New York visited his children settled
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
near Milwaukee, Wis. During his stay, he gathered a few Baptists into a prayer meeting and laid the foundation of the first Baptist church in Milwaukee. Deacon Crosbey of Freedonia, N. Y., emigrated about 1837 to Northern Ill., waiting only to get a roof over the heads of his wife and children; he went from house to house for miles on the prairie and said to them: "Our community will be what we make it; moral, honest, kind and desirable to live in; or Sabbath-breaking, horse racing, swearing, drunken, dishonest, one which we would not live in. Which shall it be?" Giving notice of a meeting at his house for prayer on each Lord's Day, he laid the foundation of the Belvidere church and other large churches, within a radius of ten or more miles, additional to this, he gave moral and religious taste to all that section from Chicago to west of the Rock river far north into Wisconsin and as far south in Illinois.
The New Brunswick church has an influence for good not only in New Jersey and is a limitless blessing to the world. Mr. Asa Runyon was the first choice of the church for a deacon. Asa Runyan and the meeting in his house, may to men and the world be insignificant. Yet like to the river in Ezekiel's vision "every thing lived whithersoever the river came." In September 1816, twenty-four members of Pis- cataway constituted themselves the first Baptist church of New Bruns- wick. They retained the pastoral oversight of Mr. Mclaughlin one year. Mr. J. Johnson followed, falling into disrepute, he closed his work in August 1819. Supplies served the church for nearly two years.
In 1820, Rev. G. S. Webb was called to be pastor, but he declined. The next December, negotiations were renewed, resulting in his be- coming pastor in April 1821. Mr. Webb's coming to New Jersey was a special blessing to the state as well as to New Brunswick. He was pastor in the city more than twenty-two years and but for a summons for special work in behalf of one of our national societies, would doubt- less have continued to the limit of his natural strength. His charge of the church was a constant harvest. Accessions to it were numerous, including men and women of social and financial strength and of spirit- ual power. Church and pastor were pre-eminent in good things.
In 1836, the railroad was located in front of the meeting house, so as to cut off safe access to it and extensive improvements in it had just been completed at large cost. The railroad company needed and bought the property involving the removal of the dead from the ceme- tery about the house and the erection of a new church edifice. Rail- roads then were a new thing and not as generous as now, in allowing for all possible losses. The new house of worship was dedicated early
Judge P. P. Runyan
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NEW BRUNSWICK
in 1838. In the interim of a removal, a remarkable work of grace occurred which spread to each church and to nearly every house in the city. One hundred and sixty additions to the Baptist church was an immediate result of this refreshing.
Pastor Webb resigned in 1843 and Prof. G. R. Bliss entered the pastoral office the same year; later was ordained and in six years after, resigned. Pastors following were: S. S. Parker, 1849-51; G. Kempton, 1853-58; T. R. Howlett, 1858-60; ordained in 1858. M. S. Riddell, 1860-68; unable longer to preach. T. T. Devan, 1868, became stated supply. H. F. Smith, 1869-82. He was secretary of New Jersey Baptist state convention, 1865-79; H. C. Applegarth, Jr., 1883-90; M. H. Pogson, 1891-94; L. H. Wheeler, 1894-1904. Rev. G. S. Webb having completed his engagement, returned to New Brunswick and made it his home till he died in 1886, nearly 97 years old. Deacon Asa Runyon has been alluded to, as an original Baptist. A deacon of Piscataway before New Brunswick church was constituted and the first choice of the New Brunswick church for its deacon.
Judge P. P. Runyon has a large place in the history of New Jersey Baptists. He was the first superintendent of the Sunday school in New Brunswick Baptist church. He was a constituent of the New Jersey Baptist State Convention till his death in December, 1871, 1830-1871, forty-one years. Mr. Runyon was absent from only one annual meeting and one quarterly Board meeting in forty-one years, on account of illness. He was also treasurer seventeen years of The New Jersey Education Society. In New Brunswick he had held nearly all important offices and for thirteen years had been a judge in the town. He was a peace maker. Parties coming to him in suits were reasoned with and if possible prevailed upon to settle their differences out of court. His last birth-day, when eighty-four years old, was spent in Chicago in his duties as a member of the Board of the American Baptist Missionary Union. In the service of his Lord, no place was too small nor work too lowly. The missionaries of the State convention always had a sympathetic counselor in him.
Another member of first New Brunswick church, whose practical piety and large giving put him in a foremost place in New Jersey, was Simon Van Wickle, who succeeded Judge Runyon as treasurer of the State Convention. It is known of Mr. Van Wickle that when the treas- ury of the State Convention was in arrears five hundred dollars he paid it himself. Such were the men whom G. S. Webb trained for God and humanity. It may, however, be said of them that they had it in them to train and they had. Of Pastor G. W. Webb, it must suffice here to say: that as Esther came to the throne in the emergency of captive
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
Israel, even so G. S. Webb came to New Jersey under Divine influence to effect the great change in which he had so eminent a part. The change in the temper of the State from then to the present order and unity is inconceivable to one who has not known both regime.
North and East Jersey; and south and West Jersey drawing apart as two foreign peoples. Divergence instead of concert, seemingly a fixed law unlike any other of the thirteen colonies. The process of divorcement in all Baptist affairs was in full progress. It was for the oneness that now exists which Mr. Webb wrought so efficiently and was so nobly sustained by his church and by Piscataway. Four churches have come out of First New Brunswick church and have shared in her sympathies and care. .
In 1843, the George's Road church was constituted. At South River, the Tabernacle church was established in 1871. The Living- ston Avenue church was organized, as Remson Avenue church, in 1872. An Afro American church was formed in 1876 in the city. There is a reasonable assurance that the First New Brunswick Baptist church maintains its foremost place as a fountain of hallowed good, not merely in New Jersey and as a local center of power and of blessing; recalling its venerable mother, Piscataway, to which a large cluster of churches will ever look with reverence and gratitude. For itself, the church has had two houses of worship, both of which have undergone repairs and improvements involving very considerable cost.
The churches that have gone from it, have had generous aid in the erection of the buildings from the mother church. That at South River and the house for Ebenezer church were erected chiefly by the First church. Twelve pastors have ministered to the church. Of these, one only was a disappointment; evil reports about him led to his resignation. Mr. Webb remained twenty-two years and in his relation to the church, in its destitution of a pastor, in 1857 and 8, one or two years may be added to his pastoral charge. H. F. Smith was pastor thirteen years. Mr. Riddell continued eight years in charge as pastor. Mr. Mclaughlin was joint pastor of Piscataway and of New Brunswick. His resignation at Piscataway terminated his pastorate at each place. Under his charge, the Baptist church in New Brunswick was con- stituted.
Of the Ebenezer Afro American church, special mention is made of it in the chapter of such churches. A lot for its house of worship was given to them by S. C. Ballard and the meeting house was chiefly built by the First church. Rev. William Wallace was its first pastor and served several years and resigned in 1880. A. G. Young followed in 1880 and was pastor in 1900.
333
GEORGE'S ROADS AND SOUTH RIVER
George's Roads is a hamlet about five miles south and east of New Brunswick in Middlesex County. Possibly from its proximity to Washington, South River, there were resident Baptists in its vicinity, inducing the New Jersey State Convention to appoint Rev. J. B.Case its missionary on the field. The first Baptist church of New Brunswick also took interest in the locality. Pastor Webb and some of his members held social meetings; sustained a Sunday school and Mr. Webb preached there, long before a church was formed, converts were added to New Brunswick church. An interest may have been quickened on account of the antinomian element there. Some of the sisters used to walk to the city to attend service. At last, a meeting was held at the house of Mr. J. T. Bennett on January 20th, 1843 to organize a Baptist church and on January 23rd, a council met and recognized the associated mem- bers as a Baptist church.
Thirty-three constituents, of whom thirty were from First New Brunswick church. Mr. J. B. Case became pastor, remaining two years. The subsequent pastors were: D. P. Purdun, 1845-47. Mr. Purdun was a man of limited means, but he left a legacy of three hun- dred dollars, to the church, which proved to be of far more worth than the gross sum, both as a memorial of his love and as an inspiration to others. Mr. Purdun was wholly uneducated and saved out of a pittance of a salary, the great sum he left to the church. For great it was, to a man who had never owned a thousand dollars. In the two years of his pastorate, Mr. Purdun baptized fifty persons into the church. The house of worship was built in the first year of his charge and dedicated in March 1847.
Rev. B. Steele followed Mr. Purdun and resigned in 1853. Other pastors were: Morgan Cox, 1854-60; C. E. Cordo, 1862-63; C. Brinkerhoff 1865-68; L. Selleck, 1869-74. In his charge a parsonage was built. J. Babbage, 1875-83; A. Millington, 1884. Many baptisms in this charge. G. T. McNair, 1886-89; when he died in March, aged fifty-nine years; C. J. Wilson, 1890-92; G. F. Love, 1892-98; M. T. Shelford, 1899- 1900. Twelve pastors have ministered to the church. One of whom died. On account of the location of the church it is never likely to be strong. It must needs be a feeder to towns and cities. The worth of rural churches for the men and women they give to the world cannot be estimated. Not only ministers, but deacons and business men, whose benevolence and influence for good is beyond estimate. Women, also, whose influence for good is a limitless blessing to humanity. Such fruits pay a thousandfold for an expenditure of mission funds to sus- tain them.
The following is a minute extract from the Hightstown church
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
book: "Persons principally members of our church, were regularly dismissed and constituted into churches at the following places: Squan, October 20, 1804; South village, Washington, September 21, 1805; Lamberton (First Trenton) November 9, 1805." The church at Wash- ington, South River was thus formed in 1805. Baptists had settled there in an early day. As evidence of their strength, Peter Wilson of Hightstown was their pastor in 1820-23. J. C. Goble, an apostle of Antinomianism was pastor from 1826 to 1839, with the usual result, a withering life. The name of the church and those of three other churches disappears from the minutes of the Central Association in 1835. All infected with the plague of Antinomianism. Mr. Goble was a taking man and an able preacher till he became a captive to drink.
Thirteen of the members of South River, withdrew in 1840 and constituted the Herbertsville (Old Bridge) church. Others, residents, quietly repudiated the teaching of Mr. Goble and waited for help from without. The First Baptist church of New Brunswick built a meeting house in Washington, South River, in 1870. Anticipating that the time for a regular Baptist church was not afar off. When the house was built in 1870, other Baptists repudiated the antinomian church and other Baptists at a distance, uniting with the Baptist elements at South River, composed a strong force, and first New Brunswick Baptist church made arrangements to constitute a regular Baptist church. This was effected in 1871, with thirteen constituents to whom thirteen others united themselves.
Rev. M. Johnston was the first pastor who gave up his charge in 1874. H. D. Doolittle became pastor in 1875, and retired from the pastorship in 1878; C. H. Woolston settled as pastor in 1880 and closed his labors with the church in 1885. F. C. Overbaugh entered as pastor in 1885 and closed his ministry in South River in 1886. G. H. Gardner was ordained in February 1888 and gave up his charge at South River in 1896. S. D. Sammis followed in 1896 and removed in 1898 and E. I. Case accepted a call in the same year and was pastor in 1900.
The church has had seven pastors. Cloud and sunshine have interchanged in the history of the church. Growth where antinomian- ism has root is slow and emigration from abroad is not expected in such retired sections; ruthless and bitter opposition is a sweet morsel to antinomianism and the South River church has had it abundantly. The house of worship has been enlarged and improved as occasion demanded and a parsonage has added comfort to the pastor.
Livingston Avenue church was first known as Remson Avenue church. A change of name occurring, as it often does in cities, by change of location. This was the third church that had colonized from
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LIVINGSTON AVENUE.
the first Baptist church. A second Baptist church in the city had long been under consideration. Positive action, however, did not take place till 1870, when Deacon Simon Van Wickle offered the gift of three lots on Remson avenue on which to erect a church edifice for the use of a second Baptist church in the city. A building committee was appointed by the First church of which Deacon Van Wickle was chairman.
In March, 1872, the lecture room of the new building was ready for use and was dedicated. On the next day, the 17th of March, the Sunday school was organized and on the 9th of April, eighty constituents nearly all of them dismissed from the First church, became the Remson Avenue church. For almost a year, Rev. T. T. Devan, M. D., a con- stituent of the new church, ministered as pastor. Already, the house proved to be too small and it was decided to enlarge it. The enlarged building was dedicated on the 29th of May, 1873. Mr. A. E. Waffle had been called to be pastor and was ordained on the day in which the house was re-dedicated. 1874 was a year of revival influences. One hundred and thirty-five persons were baptized into the church. In 1880, Mr. Waffle retired.
W. H. H. Marsh on the ensuing December settled in 1880, and resigned in 1885. M. V. McDuffie became pastor in 1886 and in 1895, removed. Plans for a new house of worship involving a change of location and of name, on Livingston Avenue were perfected in the pastorate of Mr. McDuffie and the new house was dedicated in 1894. Rev. C. A. Jenkins entered the pastoral office in 1895 and closed his labors at Livingston Avenue in the middle of 1900. The church has occupied two houses of worship, the first built by the first church; the second by itself. It has had five pastors, if the labors of Rev. Mr. Devan is included. Special mention may be made of the superintend- ent of the Sunday school, Mr. John T. Morgan, chosen in 1872 and re- maining until 1899, twenty-seven years. No public statement is made of his resignation, death or infirmities compelling his retirement.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
WANTAGE, WESTTOWN AND HAMBURGH.
In 1883, Deckertown was adopted as a substitute for Wantage which was the name of the church since 1790. In 1756, the church was named Newtown. These changes of name were caused by change of location of its house of worship. The first and second names were those of the township. The third that of the village. The Newtown church built two meeting houses, one in the vicinity of Hamburg, another, near to or at Augusta, both in the same township. That near Hamburg was taken down in 1772 and rebuilt in Wantage town- ship and hence the second name. But the new name did not appear in the minutes of the Philadelphia Association till 1790.
When Rev. L. O. Grenelle was pastor of the Wantage church, despite fierce opposition, he succeeded in getting a house of worship built in Deckertown. Centers of poulation change often. Churches that grow must needs be where the people are. In the early times the population was from all nations. Emigrants flocked to New Jersey, because of its pre-eminence in civil and religious freedom and its foremost educational advantages. It had the distinction of a high-toned and cultured class of settlers. So that from New England and from the south, the better sort of residents sought and found in the colony the companionship of refinement, wealth and culture. Clannishness disappeared. Centers of trade were begun and churches had the alternative of change or die.
New Jersey became like to Pennsylvania, a refuge for all peoples and all religions. Even citizens of Rhode Island, par excellence, a colony of civil and religious freedom, preferred a home here, to re- maining there. Colonists from Pennsylvania where a Baptist judge, the second son of Obadiah Holmes, the Massachusetts martyr had protected people from persecuting Quakers. Another reason influenced men and women. Every foot of land had been bought from the Indians on their own terms. The Indians had reserved the right to fish in the waters of the state and to hunt in the enclosed lands. They had gone west and they sent their chief in 1832 to ask the legislature to buy their reserved rights for two thousand dollars. In acknowledging the receipt of the money the chief said: "Not a drop of our blood have you spilled in battle; not an acre of our land have you taken but by our consent."
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WANTAGE OR DECKERTOWN
Is there a parallel to such a transaction in any colony or nation past or present? Other colonies have their dreadful record of massacre, of burned homes, of fleeing settlers and their flight hastened by the midnight war whoop. But the colonists in New Jersey laid down to sleep in security; went unarmed to their fields and into the faraway woods, unfearing for themselves, their homes, wives and children. An added reason for assurance, was, that "the House of the Stewarts" was under obligations to the Quakers and to the Welsh for kindnesses shown to Charles I. which Charles II. dared not ignore and repaid in part to William Penn and to his own brother, the Duke of York for New Jersey. Injustice and evil doing is charged against the Stewarts, and there was much of it. It is to their credit, that when returned to power, they remembered the friends who had befriended them in adversity.
The charter of New Jersey guaranteed special and religious liberties. True, this was a right under the Dutch rule in Eastern New Jersey. But it became universal and once enjoyed, could not be denied; thus safe from the savage, safe from the whipping post, safe from the gail and safe from the unhallowed taxes for the support of a state hierarchy; why should not the feet of such aggrieved people gladly come to a haven of rest and of freedom?
All the world knows the story of Roger Williams and of the baptism he received of Ezekiel Hollimen and of the baptism by Roger Williams of Hollimen and of eleven others. This was repeated in the winter of 1752-3 in the township of Newtown, Sussex County, New Jersey. Elkanah Fuller baptized Rev. William Marsh and others.
The history of this church will be, partly, the history of an inde- pendent church; partly of a church consisting of pedobaptists and adultbaptists; and partly of a church that is altogether Baptist; under the first distinction, it originated in Mansfield, in Connecticut, about the end of 1749 or the beginning of 1750: the constituents were William Marsh and wife, Joseph Pomeroy and wife, Wiliam Southworth and wife, Joshua Engard and wife, John Slate and wife, Elizabeth Lathrop, Mary Nicholas, Elkanah Fuller, Rudolphus Fuller and David Chapman and wife: These withdrew from the established worship of Mansfield, and therefore were called separates. The above sixteen persons were formed into an independent church at said Mansfield as above specified.
As soon as they were pronounced a gospel church, they proceeded to choose Mr. Marsh for their pastor, who was ordained the same time, by two separate ministers whose names are not remembered. But the next year (1751) they agreed to quit Mansfield, Conn., and go in 22
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
a body to New Jersey. The part they pitched upon for residence was the said Newtown, in the north border of Sussex County. They had not been long in their new settlement before some (who had scruples about infant baptism at Mansfield) declared openly for the baptism of believers. But now the same question puzzled them which had puzzled others in both England and Germany, etc., viz: "Whether baptism administered by an unbaptized person, be valid?" for they considered infant baptism a nullity: however, they resolved the question in the affirmative from the consideration of necessity; accordingly Mr. Marsh was baptized by Mr. Elkana Fuller, and then Elkana Fuller was bap- tized by Mr. Marsh; this was in the winter of 1752; for it is remembered that the ice was broken for the purpose, in the form of a coffin.
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