USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > First church in Newark : historical discourses, relating to the First Presbyterian church in Newark; originally delivered to the congregation of that church during the month of January, 1851 > Part 12
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This accords with the published min- den, Morgan, Orr and Dickinson, before a utes of the Synod; Mr. Webb's name not great assembly." Minutes of the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, p. 43, note. appearing either as present or absent till the meeting in September, 1720.
+ Rev. John Pierson, son of Abraham Pierson, jr., was born, probably in Newark, in the year 1689, and graduated at Yale College in 1711. In the year 1717 he was ordained over the congregation at Wood- bridge, as appears from the following " Memoranda : Mr. John Pierson having performed those acts of trial assigned him, viz., preached a popular sermon, from Tit. iii: 8, delivered an exegesis on that question, an ju stificatio nostra sit ab æ- terno aut in tempore præstita, answered to many questions touching theological mat- ters, and also discovered his skill in the original languages ; all which being done to satisfaction, the said Mr. Pierson was ordained and set apart to the work of the ministry at Woodbridge on the 29th day of April, 1717, by Masters Andrews, Prid-
He died in 1770, and his remains lie buried in Hanover, where his tomb-stone now bears, as Mr. Congar informs me, the following inscription :
" The Rev. Mr. John Pierson died Aug. 23, 1770, Aetatis 81, who was a minister of the Gospel about 57 years. He was an eminent Divine ; an excellent casuist; a faithful, searching preacher ; a devout and steadfast Christian; an undaunted re- prover ; a peculiar economist; stern in his behaviour, yet benevolent and kind. He passed many scenes of life without a blemish in his behaviour. 'The memory of the just is blessed.'"
Mr. Pierson, as will be seen hereafter, was for many years associated with the pastors of this church in the most impor- tant ecclesiastical transactions.
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INTRODUCTION OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
great unanimity, and for some years there was much tranquility and comfort in the town.
As this is the first instance, which occurs in this his- tory, of an ordination by act of Presbytery, it seems proper to inquire here for the origin of Presbyterian- ism in this Church. In common with most of the Churches of New England, it was established origin- ally on a Congregational basis. Dr. Macwhorter, as we have seen, stated it, as a tradition, that the first pastor was inclined to Presbyterianism ; but the posi- tion which he occupied among parties, strongly indi- cates the contrary-since the party with which he identified himself, and of which he might be regarded as a leader, was the one farthest removed from Pres- byterianism, according to the understanding of that day. With his son, the second pastor, the case was different. His leanings, as we have already shown, were towards that system ; but the people were then strenuous for their old usages, and though a small party, chiefly from Scotland, were already among them favorable to his views, the jealousy of the majority went so far as to break the pastoral relation. The next three ministers were unquestionably Congrega- tional .* Indeed, except in the traditions above re- ferred to, we find no trace of any Presbyterial rela- tions until about the time of Mr. Webb's ordination.
* Dr. Macwhorter says, "it may be ob- served that these three last ministers, edu- cated in Connecticut, and under the Say- brook platform, seem to have been Con- gregationalists." Here is the same mis- take noticed before, respecting the in- fluence of the "Platform." It was not framed till just before the last of the three
came to Newark, and after the ministry of both the other two was closed; and so far as its influence went, its manifest ten- dency must have been to prepare the way for the introduction of Presbyterianism, rather than to retard it. (See Trumbull's Hist. Conn., vol. i, pp. 482, 487, 488.)
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INTRODUCTION OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
To explain the mode in which the change probably took place, it is necessary to take into view the history and early relations of these two denominations in our country. The Congregational was for many years the only one which had a distinct organization. But, throughout New England, there was, from the earliest times, not a few, both of ministers and people, who were more or less inclined to Presbyterian views .* Nor does there appear to have been, between the two parties, except in particular instances, any considerable degree of partizan feeling. The Congregationalists resented the charge of hostility towards the Presbyte- rians, and appealed to their known practice as witness- ing the contrary. As early as the year 1634, a party in Scotland, among whom were distinguished individ- uals of the Presbyterian Church, proposed to emigrate to New England, with the express design of establishing their own form of government and worship, to whom the people of Massachusetts promised a hearty welcome and the free exercise of their Presbyterian preferences.+
* Dr. Hodge states, on the authority of lestation or disturbance, and have and Cotton Mather, that 4,000 emigrants of find as good respect from magistrates and this class arrived prior to 1640. (Const. Hist., p. 39.)
t See "Hypocrisy Unveiled," by Ed- ward Winslow, in Young's "Chronicles of the Pilgrims," pp. 402-3. " The next as- persion cast upon us is, that we will not suffer any that differ from us never so lit- tle, to reside or cohabit with us : no not the Presbyterian government, which differeth so little from us; to which I answer, our practice witnesseth the contrary, for 'tis well known that Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyes, who are ministers of Jesus Christ at New- berry, are in that way, and so known, so far as a single congregation can be exer- cised in it; yet never had the least mo-
people as other elders in the Congrega- tional or primitive way." "So 'tis well known, that before these unhappy troubles arose in England and Scotland, there were divers gentlemen of Scotland that groaned under the heavy pressure of those times, wrote to know whether they might be freely suffered to exercise their Presbyte- rian government amongst us; and it was answered affirmatively that they might. And they sending over a gentleman to: take a view of some fit place, a river called Meromeck, (Merrimac,) near Ipswich and- Newberry aforesaid, was shewed their: agent, which he well liked, and where we have four towns settled, and more for
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INTRODUCTION OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
And, though this company were providentially de- tained, and thus the organization of a distinct Presby- terian Church probably delayed, it was no secret that the Congregational Churches contained Presbyterian elements, and were modified more or less in their con- stitution, by deference to Presbyterian predilections. The system of Church policy called the Saybrook Plat- form, which subsequently came to prevail in the Churches of Connecticut, was probably intended to occupy a middle ground between the two systems .*
Such was the state of the case, when a large emigra- tion of the Scotch and Huguenots began to occupy the Middle and Southern States. In New Jersey, the Scotch began to arrive in great numbers from and af- ter the year 1682, when the twenty-four Proprietors, half of whom were of Scotland, assumed the direction of the Province.+ About the commencement of the
aught I know ; so that there they might have had a complete Presbytery, and whither they intended to have come. But meeting with manifold crosses, being half seas through, they gave over their intend- ments; and, as I have heard, these were many of the gentlemen that first fell upon the late covenant in Scotland." In the records of the General Court of Massachu- setts, September, 1634, is found the fol- lowing : "It is ordered that the Scottish and Irish gentlemen who intend to come hither shall have liberty to set down upon any place upon Merrimack river, not pos- sessed by any." (See Coffin's History of Newbury, pp. 12, 13.) It would seem as if this spot about the mouth of the Mer- rimack, thus devoted to Presbyterianism by the Congregational fathers, had had an affinity for Presbyterian institutions ever since. The settlement of Parker and Noyes there had no connection whatever with the incident above stated; and a
century later, Presbyterianism in its com- plete form was introduced into that region by causes entirely independent of both. The Presbytery of Newburyport flourish- ed on that ground for nearly thirty years, and at the present moment, I believe, the only churches of that denomination in Massachusetts are the two Presbyterian Churches of that city.
* Trumbull says (Hist. Conn., vol. i, p. 487,) "Though the Council were unani- mous in passing the platform of discipline, yet they were not all of one opinion. Some were for high consociational gov- ernment, and in their sentiments nearly Presbyterian ; others were much more moderate, and rather verging on Indepen- dency, but exceedingly desirous of keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, they exercised great Christian con- descension and amicableness towards each other."
+ Whitehead, pp. 88, 103.
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INTRODUCTION OF PRESBYTERIANISM.
eighteenth century, Presbyterian Churches of a decided character began to be organized. The first Presbytery ever formed in this country was that of Philadelphia, which originated in the year 1705 or 1706,* and con- sisted at first of seven ministers, all but one of whom were of Scotch or Scotch-Irish origin.+ From this time, the current in this region set in an opposite di- rection from that which it had taken in New England. The Presbyterian elements, being the stronger, ab- sorbed the Congregational; and, one after another, the old Congregational Churches of East Jersey, with their ministers, most of whom had been educated in New England, joined the Presbytery and adopted the Presbyterian government and discipline. This they could do, without abandoning any of their fundamen- tal principles. The chief difference recognized had reference to the admission of persons to sealing ordin- ances and the degree of power which should be given to elders and synods; and that was readily ad- justed, probably to the satisfaction of both parties. In doctrine, both stood upon the same platform. The
* Minutes, p. 6.
+ Hodge's Constitutional History, p. 88. Among the fathers of the Presbyterian Church, none stand more prominent than Francis Makemie and Jedediah Andrews, pastor of the First Church in Philadel- phia; the former a native of Scotland or the north of Ireland, the latter of Massa- chusetts ; the former, by all his habits and preferences, a thorough Presbyterian ; the latter inclined, from early education, to Congregational usages. The affection of these two excellent men towards each other is an example to all parties in the Church they founded. Makemie's feel-
ings towards his Congregational brethren may be judged of by a passage in his will, wherein he gives his library "to Mr. An- drews, and after his decease or removal, to such minister or ministers as shall suc- ceed him in that place and office, and to such only as shall be of the Presbyterian or Independent persuasion, and none else." Foote's Sketches of Virginia, p. 57.
# The extract already made from the writings of Jonathan Dickinson shows the views with which he entered the Pres- byterian Church. He considered both de- nominations as 'embarked on one bottom.'
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THE CHURCH JOINS THE PRESBYTERY.
church in Woodbridge became connected with the Presbytery as early as 1708, though it still retained some of its Congregational usages ; and that of Eliza- bethtown appears, with its pastor,* at the forming of the first synod, called the Synod of Philadelphia, in 1717.
The precise time at which this church united with the Presbytery, owing to the loss of records,t cannot now be ascertained. Dr. Macwhorter says it was in 1716 ; but the records of that period are still extant, and contain nothing to confirm his tradition. It is hardly probable that it took place during the ministry of Mr. Bowers; though the incipient steps towards it may have been taken during the contentions about Mr. Buckingham, when, as we are informed by the the same authority, one of the parties applied to the Presbytery for advice. However, the way had been preparing for such a step from the very first introduc- tion of the Presbyterian polity in this region. Scotch families, and probably with decided Scotch predilec- tions, formed a part of the population of Newark be- fore the close of the seventeenth century, and were in- termingled extensively by marriage with the families of the first settlers.} We have already noticed that Francis Makemie, the father of the Presbyterian Church, had friends and partizans in Newark, when he first visited this part of the country in 1708. As the
* Minutes, p. 46.
+ The minutes of the Presbytery of Philadelphia from 1717 to 1738 are lost. Hodge's Const. Hist., p. 193.
# Samuel Nesbit married a daughter of Samuel Harrison, and granddaughter of
John Ward, senior. James Clisbe mar- ried Elizabeth, daughter of Zechariah Burwell. Robert Young, a daughter of Benjamin Baldwin ; and James Nutman a daughter of Rev. John Prudden. (New- ark Town Book.)-S. H. Congar.
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STATE OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
death of Mr. Bowers, the last of the Congregational ministers, which occurred just about the time of the formation of the first synod, left the way open for any new arrangement which might seem desirable, the probability is, that the people availed themselves of the first favorable opportunity to connect themselves with what they doubtless regarded as in the fullest sense their sister Churches in this and the neighboring Prov- inces. The change, if change it may be called, grew out of the course of events, and was natural, easy, and excited little discussion.
The first appearance of Mr. Webb in the Synod was in the year 1720; and from that time to the present the Church has been very regularly represented, both in the Presbyteries and other judicatories with which from time to time it has been connected. Indeed, both in its internal and external relations, it has been, during that whole period of a hundred and thirty years, one of the most consistent and thoroughly Pres- byterian of the Presbyterian Churches.
The Presbyterian Church at large, during Mr. Webb's connection with it, was still in a feeble and forming state. A large part of the territory occupied by its members might be regarded as missionary ground. Most of the congregations were probably small, and the supply of ministers was inadequate. Very soon after its formation, the Synod had commenced a small fund for the relief of the destitute, but finding their own resources altogether insufficient, they made application by letters, in the year 1718, to the Pres-
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DIFFICULTY ABOUT CANDIDATES.
bytery of Dublin, the Synod of Glasgow, and the Dis- senting Ministers of London, for their assistance. Suc- cessful in this effort, their next recourse was to re- newed exertions among themselves. Accordingly, in the year 1719, the year of Mr. Webb's ordination, a letter was addressed to the several congregations con- nected with the Synod, containing the following lan- guage: " Inasmuch as it seems to us unreasonable and unjustifiable to apply to other places in this affair, and ourselves, who are more immediately concerned, to hold our hands, we determined to request the charity of our respective congregations in the premises, that they would yearly make a collection for the car- rying on of the said noble and pious design of plant- ing and spreading the everlasting Gospel in these Provinces." It is a matter of satisfaction to find by the minutes of the Synod, that among the eight, who, in response to this call, brought in the first annual con- tribution for so worthy a purpose, the name of our own congregation stands recorded .*
No small difficulty was experienced about this time in ascertaining the character of candidates who offered themselves for employment as ministers of the Gospel. Most of them were foreigners, and some brought only doubtful credentials. Others, who at first promised fair, disappointed the expectations of their brethren. Among the number was a candidate by the name of Walton, who, having been guilty of miscarriages here in Newark, was suspended, by the Presbytery to which
* See Minutes, pp. 56, 63.
9
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DIFFERENCES ABOUT GOVERNMENT.
he belonged, from the functions of the ministry. The affair coming up in the Synod in the year 1722, he be- haved himself very contemptuously ; but after consid- erable conference, as he seemed more disposed to sub- mit to discipline, the Synod appointed one of their number to read his confession and acknowledgment to the congregation among whom the offences were com- mitted, and on condition of his personally and pub- licly assenting to it as his own, authorized their com- missioner to take off the suspension. But when the appointed time came, the commissioner to whom this duty was assigned, being unable to be in Newark on account of sickness, thereupon the delinquent candi- date assumed the responsibility of reading his own confession and absolving himself. In consequence of this procedure new difficulties arose, and the process of discipline was continued for some time; until at length the recreant minister disowned the Synod's au- thority, and in an angry manner broke away from their connection. It does not appear, however, that the affair caused any serious disturbance in this con- gregation .*
About this time some serious difference of opinion respecting the government of the Church threatened to disturb the peace of the Synod. One portion of the members, among whom were the leading ministers of this vicinity, leaned to the largest safe and pratica- ble liberty ; while the other were probably more anxious to secure the benefit of a strong and vigorous
* Minutes, p. 68.
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GILLESPIE'S OVERTURE.
system. At the meeting of the Synod in 1721, the Rev. George Gillespie, of White Clay, a native of Scotland, offered an overture, the effect of which was to give to each member free opportunity to bring in any proposition which he might see fit, with a view to its being enacted into a law or standing rule, called, in the technical phraseology of the times, an act, by the Synod." Startled by a proposition which seemed to open the way for unlimited legislation, and perhaps apprehending its design to be the introduction of a more vigorous government than had hitherto been practiced, six of the members, among whom were the moderator, Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, and the clerk, Rev. David Evans, immediately upon its adoption by the Synod, entered their protest against it. Mr. Webb
was among the subscribers to this protest. The Synod received it, appointed one of their number to answer it, and laid it aside for future action. Fortunately, a spirit of mutual conciliation seems in a high degree to have animated these revered fathers of the Presbyte-
* Dr. Hodge, in his Constitutional His- tory of the Presbyterian Church, p. 140, explains the term thus : " Any proposition containing a rule of action, enacted by an ecclesiastical body, obligatory on its mem- bers or inferior judicatories, is called an act."
The overture of Mr. Gillespie with the action thereupon, as appears by the rec- ords, is as follows : "As we have been for many years in the exercise of Presbyterian government and Church discipline, as ex- ercised by the Presbyterians in the best reformed Churches, as far as the nature and constitution of this country will allow, our opinion is that if any brother have any overture to offer, to be formed into an act
by the Synod, for the better carrying on in the matters of our government and dis- pline, that he may bring it in against next Synod."
"The overture was carried in the affirm- ative by a majority of votes, and ordered by vote to be recorded."
" Mr. Jonathan Dickinson, Mr. Malachi Jones, Mr. Joseph Morgan, Mr. John Pier- son, Mr. David Evans, and Mr. Joseph Webb entered their protestation against the above mentioned act and the recording of it, and gave in the reasons of their pro- test, which are in retentis."
" Ordered that Mr. McGill and Mr. Mc- Nish draw up answers to the above said protest."-Minutes, p. 66.
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DIFFICULTIES SETTLED.
rian Church. For we learn that at the next meeting of the Synod, the answer having been prepared and and presented, and the case deferred from day to day, awaiting a favorable opportunity, the protesting brethren brought in a paper of explanations, contain- ing four articles, on the basis of which they were will- ing to acquiesce in the decision of the Synod. In this paper is to be found a very full acknowledgment of the fundamental principles of the Presbyterian system. And as to the right of making rules for the regulation of its members and inferior judicatories, they had no dis- position to deny that to the Synod, provided such rules were not imposed upon such as should conscientiously dissent from them. On the basis of these articles, which the Synod did not hesitate to approve and re- cord, both the protest, with its reasons and the answer which had been prepared, were withdrawn-the act in dispute was ordered to remain in all respects just as it was, and one thing being left to explain and qualify the other, "the Synod," says the record, "were so uni- versally pleased with the above said composure of their difference, that they unanimously joined together in a thanksgiving, prayer, and joyful singing of the one hundred and thirty-third Psalm." So auspiciously passed away the first heavy thunder-cloud which menaced the peace of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Webb being absent,* his name is not affixed to the articles, but there can be no doubt that he concurred
* From the record under the same date, sence from the Synod, was produced by we learn, that " a letter from Mr. Jo. Mr. Jonathan Dickinson, and the reasons seph Webb, containing his reasons for ab- were sustained."-Minutes, p. 67.
133
ADOPTING ACT.
1
with his friend Dickinson, by whom they were proba- bly composed .*
But a still more important measure was now soon to be agitated. Hitherto the Church had had no ac- knowledged form of government, and no explicit Con- fession of Faith. The general principles of the Pres- byterian polity regulated their practice; and as to doc- trine, they all agreed in holding the system generally denominated Calvinistic. But now an effort was made to secure some more definite standards, and a proposi- tion was introduced into the Synod, to require all its members to subscribe the Westminster Confession. Not to be hasty in so important a matter, the case was laid over for one year, and measures taken to secure a full meeting of the Synod. Meanwhile, great was the agitation which subsisted among the members. All the New England men were opposed to the measure, and all the Scotch and Irish were in favor of it. Mr. Dickinson was particularly repugnant to it ; not
* The articles of Mr. Dickinson are as these acts be not imposed upon such as follows:
"1. We freely grant that there is full ex- ecutive power of Church government in Presbyteries and Synods, and that they may authoritatively, in the name of Christ, use the keys of Church discipline to all proper intents and purposes, and that the keys of the Church are committed to the Church officers, and them only.
"2. We also grant that the mere circum- stantials of Church discipline, such as the time, place and mode of carrying on the government of the Church, belong to eccle- slastical judicatories to determine, as oc- casions occur, conformable to the general rules in the Word of God, that require all things to be done decently and in order. And if these things are called acts we will take no offence at the word, provided that
conscientiously dissent from them.
"3. We also grant that Synods may com- pose directories, and recommend them to all their members, respecting all the parts of discipline, provided that all subordinate judicatories may decline from such di- rectories when they conscientiously think they have just reason so to do,
"4. We freely allow that appeals may be made from all inferior to superior judica- tories, and that superior judicatories have authority to consider aud determine such appeals.
MALACHI JONES, JOSEPH MORGAN, JONATHAN DICKINSON. DAVID EVANS.
(Minutes of the Synod of Philadelphia, p. 72.)
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ADOPTING ACT.
because he or his brethren had any dislike to the doc- trines of the Confession, for they were all as thorough- going Calvinists as any of their brethren; but they were apprehensive that the measure would infringe on Christian liberty. "They say they are willing," says one of their number,* "to join in a vote to make it the Confession of our Church; but to agree to make it a test of orthodoxy and a term of ministerial com- munion they will not." Suspicions were afloat that one of the designs of the proposition was to produce a separation and compel the natives of New England to secede from their more strenuous brethren. Even the peace-loving and conciliatory Andrews, of Philadel- phia, though he was not willing to admit there was any such deliberate design, especially as far as himself was concerned, felt constrained to believe, as he con- fesses, " that some of us are an uneasiness to them, and are thought to be in their way sometimes, so that I think 'twould be no trouble to them to lose some of us"-" our countrymen being scarcely able to hold a way with the other brethren in all their disciplinary and legislative notions." This excellent man, burdened with apprehensions upon the matter, which, says he, " lies heavy on my mind," dreading the scandal of a division, and yet almost prepared to submit to it as an unavoidable evil, wrote a letter to Dr. Coleman, of Boston, in which he pours out his anxieties with fra- ternal confidence, and seeks advice as to the course which he should follow.t Pemberton, of New York,
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