USA > New Jersey > A history of Baptists in New Jersey > Part 47
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461
CLAYTON AND RICHLAND.
A colony of nine members of Newfield Baptist church, including Pastor Leonard, went out and founded the Clayton Baptist church on the 16th of July, 1889. On the thirtieth of that month, the Clayton church was duly recognized as a regular Baptist church. Isaac Leon- ard, the founder and the first pastor of Newfield church was also the first pastor of the Clayton church, but a return of the old sickness laid him aside from his pastoral care and limited it to four years. Mr. Leonard was now in his eightieth year.
A house of worship was built and dedicated in 1893. The lot on which it was built was the gift of the Moore Brothers, with also a generous donation toward the erection of the building. On June 1st, 1894, Rev. G. A. Sowell became pastor, remaining two years. Happily, he reduced the debt on the church edifice very much. Pastor E. G. Zweger ministered for one year, 1896 and was followed by Mr. E. F. Francis in 1897 and was ordained and remained apparently two years and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Crawn in 1899, who was pastor in 1900. The church has had five pastors, one of whom remained four years and illness compelled him to retire at the age of eighty-three years.
In November 1889, a Baptist minister, Rev. A. H. Stock, came to Richland for the quiet he needed. Instead of quiet, the spiritual needs of the people and the wish of Baptist families for leadership, in- duced him to lay aside his purpose of rest. Thus, a Baptist church was constituted on February 28th, 1890, having six to nine members. Lots were donated for a house of worship and Mr. Stock became pastor of the church from its organization.
In 1894, some wrong was found in Mr. Stock; what, is unknown, but it was hurtful to him and to the young church. Rev. J. M. Lyons became pastor in 1895. The church edifice was completed, but the business outlook of the town was very dark. "Land sharks" crippled it is the assertion of one who knows. Deacon Coxey of the First Baptist church, Camden, expended one thousand dollars for the house and for supplies. There is not any debt on the property. Pastor Lyons stayed till the house of worship was finished, after whom, four students of Crozer Seminary supplied the church. Mr. James Harvey rendered efficient aid to the church in becoming pastor in 1898. Rev. George A. Sowell, pastor at Newfield, preached at Richland on Lord's day afternoons. The parties which originated Richland were discouraged with the future of the place and retired from its developement. Pastor Lyons of Richland preached at a station on the P. R. R. branch to Cape May in 1895.
The dining room of a hotel was filled each Lord's day afternoon. Later a chapel was built and worship was held there in 1897, but as at
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Richland, the "Land shark" families removed from the place. Deacon Coxey as at Richland took an active part in the mission, giving money, time, furniture and books. The reality is on the ground, but the future is doubtful. At Richland, there have been three pastors, a house of worship built and a chapel at a mission station. In a late report, Richland church had a membership of only eleven.
Merchantville is four miles from Camden. Although out of the city limits the Baptist church in the village is a legitimate child of Camden Baptists and may be regarded as the lineal child of the First Baptist church of Camden through its deacon, William J. Coxey. Deacon Coxey had come to a conviction of what he calls "his future life work, organizing Baptist churches and building houses of worship," adding: "My first venture was Merchantville."
Learning that there were forty Baptists in Merchantville, he visited some of them, securing their co-operation, started a prayer meeting and occasional preaching in a hall. Then, "I rented a store and dwelling for a year and had preaching in the store and used the different rooms for classes." He names Deacon R. G. Scudder as identified with the movement. Also, young men of the First Baptist church of Camden as having an active past in the enterprise. A mission was begun in the spring of 1899 and Deacon Coxey "pushed things." In January 1890, a Baptist church was formed with forty-three mem- bers and on the next June an attractive house of worship was dedicated. On that day, Mr. S. S. Merriman was ordained. Deacon Coxey had given one thousand dollars for the building of the house of worship, additional to five each week for current expenses. The last item Mr. Coxey kept up for several years. Mr. Merriman resigned in 1896, hav ing been a useful and happy pastor for six years. In May of 1896, Rev. M. N. Simonds became pastor, which he retained till March 1900. On the 20th of May, 1900, Rev. B. B. Ware settled as pastor. Under Pastor Simonds, the meeting house was enlarged and adapted in its improvements to the various work and activities of the churches. The outlook of the church is wholesome and it bids fair to become strong and efficient helper in the various lines of our denominational labors. The church has had three pastors, each of whom has been efficient and useful.
Rev. A. Cauldwell was pastor of Sea View Baptist church in 1890. He was not a man to limit himself to the field in which he was, if adjacent fields gave him opportunity to occupy them. Pleasantville was not near to him, but it was a center of many people and a place that Baptists ought to hold. Pastor Cauldwell decided to include Pleasantville in his labors. A house of worship had been enclosed and was used for religious services part of the summer,
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PLEASANTVILLE AND LAUREL SPRINGS
The field was too large and the work too great for one man, Ac- cordingly, the convention Board appointed J. K. Salmon to take Pleas- antville in the middle of July, 1891. Already the Camden Association had asked its churches for a given sum for the erection of a house of worhip at Pleasantville and in 1891, renewed its request to the churches composing it. They promptly responded and the house was com- pleted. Mr. Salmon effected an organization of a Baptist church in 1891 with a membership of fourteen. After Mr. Salmon, Rev. A. B. O'Neal settled at Pleasantville in about a year, in 1893. Mr. O'Neal was succeeded by Rev. W. B. Crowell. His stay was short, closing his labors at Pleasantville in September 1894, much against the wishes of the people. Another short charge was that of E. B. Waltz, who was followed by Rev.A.E. Douglass, settling as pastor in 1895 and continued until 1897, when his entire time was required.
His resignation was consentd to, only on his insistence. The next June 1899, Rev. S. R. Stratton accepted the call of the church and 1904, was pastor. In these few years, Pleasantville church has grown and the hopes cherished for it, have been verified. Since its organization not including the labors of Pastor Cauldwell, seven pastors have labored on the field and they have been valued. One house of worship, through associational aid, has been built for the Baptist church.
Laurel Springs church was begun in a farm house early in April 1893, by arranging to form a Sunday school. Deacons S. F. Rudder- row and W. J. Coxey of the First Baptist church, Camden, were at a preliminary meeting in the home of George M. Rogers and gave sub- stantial aid to the enterprise. An organization of the Sunday school was effected in the home of Mr. E. Z. Collins, but its first session was at the house of Mr. Rogers. Social mid week meetings and preaching were held in the school house, led by Rev. S. K. Braun, who was brought thither by Deacon Rudderow. Pastors Lyell of the First church, Cam- den and Russell of Lynden Avenue church, also preached and cheered the friends of the enterprise. Rev. Mr. Braun and students of Crozier Seminary aided in sustaining religious services and thus they became permanent.
About December 1893, measures were adopted to build a house of worship. Citizens and friends of the mission moved in concert and the church edifice was completed in March 1894. Eleven Baptists repre- senting five churches, constituted the Laurel Springs church. A call to Mr. Braun to be pastor elsewhere, called him away from Laurel Springs church, where he had been pastor about two years. Mr. A. S. Kelly, a Crozer student followed as pastor, remaining till 1895. Rev. A. O. Gilmore settled as pastor in February, 1898, and continued till 1904.
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Since then, the financial and spiritual interests of the church have prospered under Mr. Gilmore's management. The church edifice has been refurnished and improved. The Camden Association has shown its nourishing qualities in affording aid to its young churches, relieving them of their financial burdens. Its annual sessions seem to be for some thing else than to have a "good time."
Swedesboro is a very old town. Its name is an index of its original settlers. Swedes were an important element of the settlers on the Delaware river and in South New Jersey. Letters published in 1642 allude to Swedesboro as a Swedish town. An inland town and isolated from the tide of emigration, the place depended for growth upon a natural increase of its residents. The religious predilection of the settlers forbid the expectation of a Baptist church. The nearest Bap- tist church was at Salem, which had not been constituted for more than a hundred years after Swedesboro had been settled.
Deacon William J. Coxey, informed that Swedesboro was lacking a Baptist church and satisfying himself of the fact, learned that a hall could be had without cost in summer and rented in winter, secured it for Baptist use and in May 1890, engaged Rev. Mr. Davies of the Mullica Hill Baptist church to preach at the town on Lord's day afternoon. A Sunday school was begun and those of the mission were cheered with encouragements. Fire destroyed the hall in which the meetings were held with all of the furniture of the mission. Worship, however, was continued in another hall. In 1891, two lots were bought and a contract made for a house of worship to be completed in 1892.
The church had been constituted in 1890 with fourteen members. At that time, Mr. J. J. Davis was called to be pastor. Death removed three of the most active members and others left the village, reducing the church to a small number. Rev. W. B. Dougherty followed Mr. Davis as pastor. The church has cost "Mr. Coxey time, labor, anxiety and much money." He gave hundreds of dollars for the house of worship, loaned four hundred dollars and gave that and also one dollar each week for the pastor's salary, furnished books, Sunday school supplies, coal, wood, advanced moneys for current expenses and then gave it. His gifts to this church were at least twelve hundred dollars. Although the church is small, it is needed, being in a destitute section. Adverse influences hinder it, but it upholds evangelical truth and maintains Baptist views of truth and of duty. The church has had two pastors and one church edifice.
CHAPTER LV.
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, PHILLIPSBURG, WESTMONT AND RECENT CHURCHES.
In November 1892, Rev. George B. Giffin, living in Hackensack, a member of the First Baptist church, began mission work on Hasbrouck Heights. He visited Baptist families with the purpose of uniting them in a Baptist church on the Heights. Social meetings for prayer were appointed in the Reformed Church (Dutch) edifice on December 1st, 1892. The movement had the sympathy and co-operation of the First Baptist church of Hackensack. In about three weeks from December 1st, 1892, a Baptist church was organized with twenty-two constituents.
Its recognition occurred in four weeks after the first meeting. When the church was constituted, Rev. G. B. Griffin was called to be pastor. Lord's day meetings were held in halls in the town for months and additions were made by baptism and by letter and on January 1st, 1894, a corner stone was laid. "Special mention is made of Rev. C. A. Cook, of First Bloomfield Baptist church as rendering material assistance and encouragement." On February 4th, 1894, Pastor Griffin resigned, having in the nearly two years seen the organization of a Baptist church edifice and the addition of baptized converts. Before the close of 1894, Rev. C. S. Pease settled as pastor, remaining two years. Rev. A. L. Boyle supplied the pulpit till January 1st, 1897.
Then Rev. G. S. Hunt became pastor, concluding his labors in May 1898. The next September, 1898, Rev. J. N. Folwell followed, resigning in May 1900. In the same month, Mr. F. Richardson was called and ministered through 1900. The denominational predilections of the community are quite adverse to Baptist ideas of church order and convictions of New Testament teaching. Under such conditions, time and knowledge are essential to the growth of Baptist ideas of truth and duty. Were all Baptists on Hasbrouck Heights in entire accord, their mission work would have larger assurance of success.
Phillipsburg is a town on the Delaware river, opposite to Easton, Pa. It differs from Belvidere in that railroads have concentrated there and have built shops for repairs and construction, involving a resident population of mechanics and of business people and of frequent money changes. Long before the constitution of a Baptist church, Baptists 29
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lived in the town. Usually, they were members in Easton and the nearness of Easton delayed the existence of a church in Phillipsburg. The church originated with Baptist students in the college in Easton, under the lead of Mr. William E. Geil of Doylestown, Pa. Mr. Geil had marked for himself an active assertive Christian life for Christ and humanity.
In 1890, he was appointed by the missionary committee of the Central Association of New Jersey, superintendent of the Phillipsburg mission. In his report to the Association in 1890, he says: "From the first Sunday in November, 1889, to the present, the Baptist Mission Sunday school of Phillipsburg on each Lord's day, has had an average attendance of seventy-five. A course of five lectures on "Etiquette" free to all, averaged an attendance of one hundred and fifty. Some- times many were unable to get in the room. Three months talks about old folks and the Bible averaged fifty. Beginning in July, we had a Sunday evening attendance of never less than one hundred. For two months, a free singing school on Monday evenings averaged an attendance of one hundred and fifty. At the first of the year, we had two weeks of special service; thirty were converted. Fifteen joined the Easton church. Five or more will join here, if ever a Baptist church is organized. We have in bank, two hundred and forty-one dollars. Two hundred and fifty-nine dollars is ready when the pur- chase is made." This is a memorable showing.
The missionary committee of the Central Association, reported two hundred and eighteen dollars in their hands, additional for the purchase of lots. In 1892, the Phillipsburg mission had become a church. Mr. Geil had graduated and was on an evangelical tour. Rev. C. H Salmon was called to take his place. But sickness and death closed his work on earth. Mr. W. W. Barker was then called and was ordained in October 1892 and is now (1904) in charge. Thirty-five Baptists constituted the church. Mr. Barker is eminently fitted to the field, showing force and qualities of adaptation. The Sunday school has grown from seventy-six to two hundred and fifty-seven and the mem- bership of the church from thirty-five to one hundred and fifty-one in 1900, of whom ninety have been baptized.
A meeting house was built in 1895 and occupied in 1896. Phillips- burg has been favored; first in the presence of Mr. Giel and then being a field yielding cheer and inspiration in its fruitage, and next in Mr. Giel's successor, Mr. Barker, thoroughly in earnest and competent to accomplish the largest results with limited means, who chiefly realized that God was his strength. This was the third great work accomplished by the missionary committee of the Central Associ-
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ation. The Washington church edifice was built in 1886. The Calvary house of worship at Hopewell was assured in 1871 and now the Phillips- burg mission was an accomplished success.
Grace Baptist church at Westmont, Camden County, was con- stituted in April 1896. It is a succession of the Shiloh Baptist church of Westmont that had been organized in March 1883, with thirteen members. Westmont is on the road from Camden to Haddonfield and is nearer to the latter place than to Camden. The meeting house was built in 1883, costing twenty-three hundred dollars. The Shiloh church was originated by Rev. Thomas Wilkinson and its house of worship built under the oversight of Pastor Wilkinson. He resided in Westmont. Shiloh church grew to have a membership of thirty- five. It is uncertain about its having a pastor other than Mr. Wil- kinson. A feud in Shiloh church developed in its extinction, when, is not written. Only seven members remained when it disbanded.
For many years the house of worship was a center of Baptist missions, which in the time of the dissolution of the Shiloh church and the constituting of Grace church was sustained by Crozier students. They did a good work and kept alive the Baptist seed till the Grace church at Westmont was organized in April 1896. On the day in which the Grace church was recognized, Mr. F. B. Whitmore was ordained as pastor, May, 1900. Previously, students had preached and carried on the Grace church interests. In the next July, Pastor Whitmore's health compelled him to resign. Both the church and the community parted with him with reluctance. On his removal, Mr. George H. Swift of Crozer Seminary has had charge and enjoyed the confidence and appreciation of the church and of the community. Prospects are bright and the future hopeful. Grace church was one of the later churches which Deacon Coxey has aided.
Those which he has aided are: Merchantville, Westville and New- bold, Swedesboro, Laurel Springs, Berlin, Magnolia, Haddon Heights, Mt. Ephraim, Liberty Park, Richland, Egg Harbor, St. John and Mt. Zion; the last two colored. He has given to schools, four thou- sand books and is now as busy as he has been in the past. He is now past his seventieth year, travels two days in the week, does the corres- pondence of the firm, audits all the bills; a noble life, showing what one can do, if indeed one is disposed.
In 1897-98, Rev. A. S. Flock lived at Windsor, waiting an opening to the pastorate. The district in which he lived, included members of several Baptist churches, Hightstown, Hamilton Square and Allen- town. Mr. Flock was moved with concern for a large population sel- dom going to the house of God, commenced religious meetings in a
.
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
school house distant from his home. They were accompanied with tokens of Divine blessing and many were led to the cross of the Son of God. Mr. Flock included Windsor in his work. The near by Baptist churches received most of the converts; others waited for a church at Windsor. Ground was purchased and a beautiful chapel was built, wherein the church, when recognized, could worship. A Baptist church was organized with thirty-eight members in 1898. Had all Baptists members nearer Windsor than to their home church united in the fellowship of Windsor church, it would have been independent of outside aid from its beginning, and the Convention Board could have appropriated seven hundred and twenty-five dollars, since given to Windsor church. Thus, covetous Baptists save to waste. Mr. Flock became pastor and enjoyed the prosperity which a newly formed church anticipates. In 1901 Mr. W. R. Leckliter became pastor and con- tinued nearly two years. Rev. A. Millington became pastor in the spring of 1904.
Anglesea church is in Cape May County, and originally is not related to any other Baptist church. Rev. J. N. Craner was instrumental in its constitution and was the first pastor and the only pastor the church has had. Its origin corresponds with the Baptist idea of the originality of churches of the Son of God, that a company of baptized believers may be a church and originate any and all needful conditions of a church. The church was constituted in August, 1898, with thirteen members and was recognized as a Gospel church on August 9th, 1899. A suitable house of worship has been built and is nearly paid for. The member- ship in 1903 was twenty-two and has had only one pastor.
Somers Point is the site of a second Baptist church of this name. The original Somers Point church moved to "Sea View" in 1881 and took the name of its new location. In 1886, Rev. L. Morse, pastor of Sea View made a mission at Somers Point from which Sea View church , had removed only five years before. A chapel was built at Somers Point, by the West New Jersey Association, in the year in which Somers Point church was constituted. Mr. Morse, pastor at Sea View, supplied Somers Point in 1886 and afterwards. But it seems that Rev. T. Fuller had also some such relation to Somers Point church. The Somers Point church was formed in 1899, with ten constituents. Rev. E. E. Tyson was pastor at Somers Point (1901). The pastors and sup- plies at Sea View have ever been ready to minister at Somers Point, whenever needed at that place,
CHAPTER LVI.
GERMAN, ITALIAN AND SWEDISH BAPTIST MISSIONS.
German Baptists, by E. Anschutz.
German Baptists in New Jersey began to be in 1839 through a young Baptist preacher, Konrad A. Fleischmann, coming from Switzer- land to America and began his work in New York, among his country- men, independent of an organization. Meeting with little success in New York, he removed to Newark, New Jersey, where, after months of labor, he baptized three persons in October, 1839. They united with an English Baptist church. These ten years later with other German Baptists constituted a German Baptist church in Newark. Mr. Fleishmann's stay in Newark was short, partly on account of persecution for the baptism of the three converts and partly because of the large German population in Pennsylvania, whither he removed, preaching in Lehigh and Lycoming counties and in a short time, bap- tized two hundred converts.
These united in several places: Neooming Grove, Fairfield and Anthony under a colporter, F. Michaelis. But their organization into Baptist churches came later. Brother Fleischmann went to Philadelphia and in 1843, baptized five converts there. Others followed, and in July a Baptist church was formed. This was the first German Baptist church formed in America and consisted of nineteen members. But while Pennsylvania claims this palm in our German work, New Jersey may claim the first baptism of Germans by a German pastor, although its organized work did not begin until 1849. New Jersey has now nine regular German Baptist churches of which seven are located in the northern part of the state, one in Central Jersey and one in its extreme south. Those in the northern part of the State have the greater nu- merical strength. But it ought to be borne in mind that North Jersey has a vast German population, being closely annexed to New York City. Beside the seven churches in North Jersey, prosperous missions are carried on, which will in the near future become regular independent churches, adding to the strength and fruitfulness of the Baptist cause among the Germans.
Fifty years ago, when the Baptist cause among the Germans was started, the German population was small. Hoboken, the most Ger-
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NEW JERSEY BAPTIST HISTORY
man city in the state was little less than a place of recreation for New Yorkers and the Heights were almost without inhabitant. Since then, emigration brought about five millions of Germans to our shores, and the placing of the great Atlantic steamship lines in Hoboken made that place a great German center, but also created the surrounding towns on the height, Jersey City Heights, West Hoboken and Union Hill, which now swarm with Germans, who also settled more numerous in Newark and Paterson, so that Hudson, Passaic and Essex Counties are the seats of our most enterprising Germans Baptist churches
As the German population in these counties increased, so one church after another sprang up and one mission after another was started and to-day, the stronghold of our German Baptist cause is in this part of the state. They are not numerically very strong, but strong as to their influence and spiritual power, and this is the characteristic of all our German churches, throughout the land. They are beacon lights, shining out the light of the pure Gospel in communities of super- stition and formalism, scepticism and infidelity, moulding in a strong measure the religious sentiment which is an indirect result of our Ger- man Baptist churches, not to be given in plain and cold statistics, but nevertheless a ripe fruit for the coming Kingdom. What are the direct results of our German work in this state? We can only briefly review the history of the churches and their pastors and state the gained success for the denomination. Small as it may seem, it has cost a tremendous effort and is to be considered chiefly as hard pioneer work, encountered by many obstacles. We take up the churches in the order of their organization.
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