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 16
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"2. They agree that in matters of dis- cipline, and those things that relate to the peace and good order of our Churches, they shall be determined according to the major vote of ministers and elders, with which vote every member shall actively concur or pacifically acquiesce; but if any member cannot in conscience agree to the determination of the majority, but sup- poses himself obliged to act contrary thereunto, and the Synod think themselves obliged to insist upon it as essentially ne- cessary to the well-being of our Churches, in that case, such dissenting member promises peaceably to withdraw from the body, without endeavoring to raise any dispute or contention upon the debated point, or any unjust alienation of affection from them.
"3. If any menber of their body sup- poses that he hath any thing to object against any of his brethren with respect to error in doctrine, immorality in life, or negligence in his ministry, he shall not on any account propagate the scandal until the person objected against is dealt with according to the rules of the Gos- pel and the known method of their disci- pline.
"4. They agree that all who have a com- petent degree of ministerial knowledge, are orthodox in their doctrine, regular in their lives, and diligent in their endeavors to promote the important designs of vital godliness, and that will submit to their discipline, shall be cheerfully admitted into their communion.
" And they do also agree that in order to avoid all divisive methods among their ministers and congregations, and to strengthen the discipline of Christ in the Churches in these parts, they will mair. tain a correspondence with the Synod of Philadelphia, in this their first meeting, by appointing two of their members to meet with the said Synod of Philadelphia, at their next convention, and to concert with them such measures as may best promote the precious interests of Christ's kingdom in these parts.
"And that they may in no respect en- courage any factious separating practices or principles, they agree that they will not intermeddle with judically hearing the complaints; or with supplying with ministers and candidates such parties of men as shall separate from any Presbyte- rian or Congregational Churches that are not within their bounds, unless the matters of controversy be submitted to their juris- diction or advice by both parties,"
At the same meeting they prepared and adopted "a testimony to the work of God's glorious grace, which has been carried on in these parts of the land." Minutes, pp. 232-3.
174
OLD SIDE AND NEW SIDE.
Two distinct bodies now existed side by side, hold- ing the same doctrine and the same platform of Church government, free to rival each other in their operations on the same field, and having no other connection than that of an occasional more or less friendly correspond- ence. They were called, and had been from the be- ginning of their divisions, in the current language of the day, the OLD SIDE and the NEW SIDE. The Old Side were still the Synod of Philadelphia, and the New Side formed the Synod of New York. As such they remained separate till the year 1758, a period of thirteen years.
With the history of this Church, at the period now under review, are connected the organization and the early fortunes of the College of New Jersey.
This institution, like most of our most eminent lit- erary institutions, owes its origin entirely to religious considerations, and grew out of the religious necessities of the times and circumstances to which we have just referred. From the first settlement of the Province, the want of an adequate supply of well qualified ministers had been bitterly felt in this region." The dependence of the Churches was, chiefly, on the two Colleges of New England, together with such individuals as might emi- grate from Europe after completing their education. To meet this deficiency, the venerable William Ten- nent, senior, established under his own care, at Ne-
* The letters of the early Scotch settlers speak of this deficiency more than once. James Johnstone, of Spotswoode, in his letter to his brother, John Johnstone, druggist in Edinburgh, Dec. 12, 1784, said, " What I most earnestly desire of you, for
the encouragement of the Plantation, is [that] you would be instrumental to send us over some ministers, who, I dare en- gage, shall ever after be thankful," &c. Model of the Government, Whitehead, p. 299.
175
COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY.
shaminy, a classical and theological school, which ob- tained, from the building in which it was kept, the name of the "Log College."" The supposed inade- quacy of the instruction received in that institution, together with the views and feelings which marked its spirit and distinguished the preachers who came forth from it, was undoubtedly one of the causes of the jeal- ousy which ended in the disruption of the Presbyte- rian Church. As the scenes of the great revival passed along, and the necessity of more numerous and more fervent preachers to meet the wants of the peo- ple on the one hand, and the mischiefs of employing men of inadequate qualifications on the other, became more and more apparent, the two parties were contin- ually reproaching each other, the one complaining of deficient piety, and the other of deficient education in their candidates introduced into the Gospel ministry.
To meet the difficulty, some efforts had been made in the Synod before the separation, to establish a liter- ary institution adequate to the wants of the times. An overture to that effect was introduced in the year 1739, and a committee, consisting of Messrs. Pemberton, Dickinson, Cross and Andrews, were appointed, with directions that two of their number should be sent to Europe to prosecute the affair, if possible, and if it should be necessary, that Mr. Pemberton should go to Boston " pursuant to this design." This committee entered
* Log College, by Dr. Archibald Alexan- der, p. 14. Whitefield, in his journal, p. 280, under date of November, 1739, speaks of this school as follows : "It is a log house, about twenty feet long, and near as many
broad, and to me it seemed to resemble the schools of the old prophets." In a note he adds in 1756: " This is now in- creased to a large College now erecting in the New Jerseys."
176
ORIGIN OF THE COLLEGE.
upon their work, and laid out plans for its prosecution, " but the war breaking out," say the minutes, " be- tween England and Spain, the calling of the Synod was omitted, and the whole affair was laid aside for that time." It was resumed subsequently, and an in- stitution founded, but it never rose above the dignity of an academy.
Immediately after the separation, the Synod of New York, who were certainly no less deeply sensible than their brethren of the value of education, finding the school at Neshaminy in a state of decline, began to take measures for the institution of a College within their own boundaries. One of the motives which urged on the design is said to have been the ill treat- ment which the devoted Brainerd received at Yale, aided perhaps by the dissatisfaction shown by the offi- cers of that institution towards the ministers who now composed the Synod, for having ordained David Brainerd after they had expelled him from their Col- lege. Indeed, it is asserted, on the authority of very direct tradition, as a remark of Mr. Burr, that "if it had not been for the treatment received by Mr. Brain- erd at Yale College, New Jersey College never would have been erected." **
The germ out of which the College ultimately grew, was planted at Elizabethtown, under the care of the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson. This distinguished divine and scholar-the leader of his party in the old Synod, and the first moderator of the new-having been ac-
* Log College, by Dr. Alexander, p. 127.
177
FIRST CHARTER.
customed, as is supposed, for several years, to carry on, in connection with the duties of his ministry, a school for instruction in classical studies, had at this time under his care, a considerable number of young men who were pursuing a regular course of liberal educa- tion. Measures were accordingly adopted, as soon as practicable, to obtain a charter, and erect this school into a college. Such a charter was granted, and passed the great seal of the Province of New Jersey, under the administration of John Hamilton, President of His Majesty's Council, and officiating as Governor after the decease of Governor Morris, on the 22d of October, 1746 .* The persons to whom it was granted were Jonathan Dickinson, John Pierson, Ebenezer Pember- ton and Aaron Burr, ministers of the Gospel, and some others, probably in part laymen, whose names I have not been able to ascertain; and the name of the institution so incorporated was "The College of New Jersey." The trustees thus empowered and encour- aged, lost no time in carrying the worthy purpose into execution. On the 9th of February following, they notified the public of their appointment through the press, declaring their intention to open the College during the Spring, some time in May at latest, and in- ยท viting applications for admission from all persons duly qualified by their studies. Before the end of April
.
* The following extract from the State Records at Trenton, is published by Dr. Green, in the notes to his Discourses, p. 283.
this Province of New Jersey tested by John Hamilton, Esq., President of His Majesty's Council, and Commander-in- chief of the Province of New Jersey, the 22d of October, 1746." The charter itself
"Mem. of a charter for a college. A charter to incorporate sundry persons to never was recorded. found a college passed the great seal of
12
178
PRESIDENT DICKINSON.
they published another notification, fixing the time and place of opening, and making known to the public the formal appointment of the Rev. Jonathan Dickin- son as President of the intended institution .* There can be no reasonable doubt that the College was actually organized during the last week in May, 1747, at Eliza- bethtown, and that Mr. Dickinson having accepted the appointment, then and there entered upon the duties of his office. But these fair and hopeful beginnings were destined to a speedy disappointment. President Dick- inson officiated in his new station only four months and a-half, when he was seized with a pleuritic disease, and died on the 7th of October, 1747, in the 60th year of his age.t The unanticipated event disconcerted the
* The notification, which is to be found Trustees of the College of New Jersey in the "New York Gazette, revived in the weekly Post Boy," under date of Feb- ruary 9th and February 16th, 1746-7, is as follows:
"Whereas, a charter with full and am- all persons suitably qualified may be ad- ple privileges, has been granted by His mitted to academic education." Majesty, under the seal of the Province of This notice is inserted in each success- ive paper up to the 25th of May, when it ceases to appear. New Jersey, bearing date the 22d of Oc- tober, 1746, for erecting a college within the said Province, to Jonathan Dickinson, + The following obituary notice, which I find in the New York Gazette and Week- ly Post Boy, under date of Oct. 12th, 1747, illustrates the character of this distin- guished man whose name has been so of- ten mentioned in connection with this his- tory, and whose influence was so impor- tant and valuable over the course of af- fairs in this congregation. John Pierson, Ebenezer Pemberton and Aaron Burr, ministers of the Gospel, and some other gentlemen, as Trustees of the said college, by which charter equal liber- ties and privileges are secured to every denomination of Christians, any different religious sentiments notwithstanding. The said Trustees have therefore thought proper to inform the public that they design to "Elizabethtown in New Jersey, Oct. 10. open the said College the next spring, and notify any person or persons who are qual- ified by preparatory learning for admis- sion, that some time in May next at latest, they may be there admitted to an academ- ical education."
The following is from the same paper, under date of April 27th, 1747 :
"This is to inform the public that the
have appointed the Rev. Mr. Dickinson President of the said college, which will be opened the fourth week in May next, at Elizabethtown, at which time and place
" On Wednesday morning last, about 4 o'clock, died here of a pleuritic illness, that eminently learned, faithful and pious minister of the Gospel, and President of the College of New Jersey, the Rev. Mr. Jonathan 'Dickinson, in the 60th year of his age, who had been pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in this town for near- ly forty years, and was the glory and joy
179
STUDENTS REMOVED TO NEWARK.
plans, caused an abrupt suspension of the infant enterprise, and led subsequently as we shall see here- after, to a new organization, on a new and independ- ent basis. On the decease of Mr. Dickinson, the pupils, eight in number, were removed to Newark, and placed under the care and instruction of Mr. Burr .* He, like Dickinson, had been in the habit of instructing in the classic languages, and as early as 1746 had under his direction a large Latin school. After receiving Mr. Dickinson's students, he still continued the charge of his own, employing one or more assistants, as he had before been accustomed to do, and the school went on in this undefined shape, probably without the appointment of another president on the part of the trustees of the College, about the space of a year.
of it. In him conspicuously appeared when the Rev. Mr. Pierson, of Woodbridge, preached his funeral sermon, and as he lived desired of all so never any person in these parts died more lamented. Our fathers where are they and the prophets, do they live forever ?" those natural and acquired moral and spir- itual endowments which constitute a truly excellent and valuable man, a good scholar, an eminent divine, and a serious devout Christian. He was greatly adorned with the gifts and graces of his Heavenly Mas- * The number has been heretofore stated at about twenty. Such is the statement of Dr. Green, p. 296. He took his esti. mate from the fact, that according to the catalogue, nineteen persons took their first degrees within four years from the date of the removal. But it is too much to as_ sume that all the graduates of the first three classes had been under the care of Mr. Dickinson. Nothing is more com- mon than admission to advanced stand- ing, even in well established colleges. Thus in March, 1750, the three classes of ter, in the light whereof he appeared as a star of superior brightness and influence in the orb of the Church, which has sus- tained a great and unspeakable loss in his death. He was of uncommon and very extensive usefulness. He boldly appeared in the defence of the great and important truths of our most holy religion and the Gospel doctrines of the free and sovereign grace of God. He was a zealous promoter of godly practice and godly living, and a bright ornament to his profession. In times and cases of difficulty he was a 1751, '52, and '53, contained only twenty- ready, wise and able counsellor. By his five students, yet the number of graduates death our infant college is deprived of the benefit and advantage of his superior ac- complishments, which afforded a favorable prospect of its future flourishing and pros- perity under his inspection. His remains were decently interred here yesterday,
in those classes amounted to thirty-one. See letter to Joseph Shippen, and compare triennial catalogue. The estimate above given is on the authority of Mr. Burr's obituary, and may I presume, be relied upon.
180
GOVERNOR BELCHER.
But the noble design of establishing a College on an adequate and permanent foundation had not been abandoned. The same year in which Mr. Dickinson died, and not far from the same date, that distinguished patron of learning and religion, Jonathan Belcher, as- sumed the government of the Province .* The infant seminary immediately engaged his attention, and se- cured his most cordial encouragement. As early as the 31st of May, 1748, we find him in correspondence with President Edwards, from whom he had before that date received a communication respecting it.+ Deploring the religious errors which he fears are gain- ing ground in the New England Colleges, "in destruc- tion of the doctrines of free grace," and commending the new enterprise, which he denominates an embryo college, as "a noble design, and destined, if God pleases, to prove an extensive blessing," he says: "I have adopted. it as a daughter, and hope it may in time become an alma mater to this and the neighbor- boring Provinces." He was at that time getting ad- vice and assistance in the draught of a " charter," and, expressing his cordial thanks to the illustrious New England theologian for his kind hints, promises, like Mary, "to keep all these things, and ponder them in his heart," adding the assurance that so far as God should enable him, he would exert himself in every
* Governor Belcher arrived in New Jer- Governor-in-chief of the Province of New sey about the end of the summer of 1747. Jersey, to the Council and General Assem- bly of said Province, on Thursday, the 20th of August, 1747." The New York Gazette and Post Boy, un- der date of August 31st, contains a notice of "The Speech of His Excellency, Jona- t Life of President Edwards. Works, vol. i, p. 267, ed. New York, 1830. than Belcher, Esq., Captain General and
181
NEW CHARTER.
way to bring the College to maturity. Smith, in his history of New Jersey, speaks of the charter given by Governor Belcher as an enlargement of the old one, but both its history and its terms indicate the con- trary. It is in all respect an original document, con- taining other privileges, and conferred upon a new selection of trustees. No former charter was recog- nized in it, and the probability is, that although the former charter had been accepted and acted upon for a time, and though the Trustees in announcing that fact to the public, were free to denominate it "a char- ter with full and ample privileges," yet the hopes raised by the accession of Governor Belcher to the chair of office, a friend of the Presbyterians beyond all who had preceded him in that station, had induced them on the decease of President Dickinson, to let the old charter fall into disuse, in order to try what might be accomplished by a new beginning .. The procedure, whatever may have been its character and motives, did not give universal satisfaction. It is well known that the change of men to whom the power of direct- ing the College was intrusted-some who had been named in the old charter or elected under it, being left out, and others, among whom were the governors of the Province for the time being ex-officio, introduced, was such as to give great offence to some of the earliest promoters of the enterprise, and one of them at least, Gilbert Tennant, was for a considerable time resolved to have nothing to do with the undertaking .*
The charter which Governor Belcher prepared, and
* Edwards' Works vol. i, p. 275.
182
COLLEGE RE-ORGANIZED.
under which the College was at length re-organized, and now flourishes, was granted in the month of Sep- tember, 1748. A small majority of the trustees named in it, convened at New Brunswick, on the 13th of Oc- tober, and, having accepted the charter, and chosen a clerk, the president of the board being absent, adopted an address of thanks to Governor Belcher, which had been drawn up by Mr. Burr, and adjourned to meet at Newark during the following month.
The organization of the College thus incorporated, took place at Newark, in the house of worship belong- ing to this congregation, on Wednesday, the 9th day of November, 1748, of which a full account I under- stand is preserved in the College records .* The Gov- ernor, who was ex-officio president of the board of trustees, and several other members not present at the preliminary meeting, having been qualified, the clerk certified that he had duly notified every member of the corporation, "and then took the oath of office as the charter requires." Thereupon the Rev. Aaron Burr was unanimously chosen President of the College, and the vote of the trustees being made known to him, says the record, "he was pleased modestly to accept the same," and took the oath of office required by the charter. A class of seven young men, namely, Enos Ayres, Benjamin Chestnut, Hugo Henry, Israel Reed, Richard Stockton, and Daniel Thane, all but one of whom afterwards became ministers of the Gos- pel and he one of New Jersey's most distinguished jurists, having already completed their studies and
* Discourses of Dr. Green, note, p. 301.
183
FIRST COMMENCEMENT.
been examined and approved as qualified to receive their first degree, it was voted, that "the Commence- ment for graduating the candidates go on this day."
To the people of this congregation, that day must have been one of intense interest, and those who can remember how important an event was even an ordi- nary Commencement in the quiet villages of former days, may imagine the profound excitement which must have prevailed here, when the hopes cherished for years by the best men being at length realized, the people saw a well chartered college spring into being in the midst of them, and their own beloved and almost idolized pastor placed at the head of it, and presiding with princely grace and dignity over the distribution of its first honors.
The exercises of the occasion commenced in the fore- noon, with prayer by the President, and publicly reading the charter in the meeting-house. In the af- ternon, the President delivered a "handsome and ele- gant Latin oration," and the students having performed their parts in the " customary scholastic disputations," received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. His Ex- cellency "was pleased to accept of a degree of Mas- ter of Arts," and then after a salutatory oration pro- nounced by Mr. Thane, the whole was concluded with prayer by the President. The evening was spent by the trustees in adopting a code of laws for the College, and making arrangements for its future stability and advancement.
Thus was the College of New Jersey, after long ex- ertions and hopes deferred, at length brought to a full
184
BURR AS PRESIDENT.
and permanent organization. Hitherto it had existed rather in purpose than in realization-in noble efforts frustrated at the very moment of attainment, and re- quiring to be attempted anew. Here, however, it had reached a point from which there was to be no re ceding ; and its progress has been from that time con- tinually onward. The illustrious Dickinson, who stood foremost in the incipient measures which resulted in its establishment, and for a few months presided over it in its incipient or tentative stage, deserves the highest place on its escutcheon, as its projector and father. But considered as a permanent institution, established upon a legal basis, the organization to which I have referred was doubtless its true beginning ; and of this institution, so established, Aaron Burr must be allowed to have been the first President .*
* The writer is by no means disposed upon the duties of his office during the to detract in the least degree from the last week in May of that year The writer hopes he may have contributed something to fix that honored name in its place by a more satisfactory tenure. credit due to the distinguished man whose name, with an affectionate reverence which cannot forego the honor of such a name, is placed in the College catalogue as the first Still, however, it is due to another name not a whit the less worthy of honor, that the relation of each to an institution of which our country is justly proud, should be accurately stated. The representation given above is the only one which will harmonize the somewhat discordant testi. monies which have been given respecting the origin of the College. in the series of its Presidents. It was placed there, as he understands, on the authority of tradition only. Dr. Green says of that period of the College history : "Who were the trustees named in that charter, or appointed under it, when or where they met, or at what time and in what manner Mr. Dickinson was appoint- ed, cannot now be known, and it is useless It is worthy of remark, that the Rev. Caleb Smith, the son-in-law of Mr. Dick- inson, his pupil in divinity, and assistant in the instruction of that very classical school out of the College grew, is perfect- ly silent in regard to the fact of his Presi- dency, both in his sermon at the funeral of Mr. Burr, and his preface to Mr. Burr's ser- mon on the death of Gov. Belcher, which led him to speak of the history of the in- stitution. Mr. Burr himself is equally si- to conjecture." The pamphlet entitled "History of the College of New Jersey, by a Graduate," takes the same ground, and makes the same representation. But the extracts given above, from the New York Post Boy, supply in a good measure the deficient evidence, and enable us to affirm that Mr. Dickinson was appointed some time between the 16th of February and the 27th of April, 1747, and entered
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