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 7
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Equally just and liberal were their transactions with the savage aborigines. The testimony of an aged In-
* Whitehead, p. 72. mitted to Andros, till contrary orders + Newark Town Records, p. 78. came from England. See Answer to Bill in Chancery, p. 11.
# Whitehead, p. 74. It appears that after this, the people of the Province sub-
61
TREATMENT OF THE INDIANS.
dian, given in the year 1832, concerning the people of the State generally, belongs in an eminent degree to their puritan fathers in this settlement. "Not a drop of our blood have you spilled in battle-not an acre of our land have you taken but by our consent."* Taught by their experience of former perils, they pre- pared themselves for defence, and took especial care to guard against surprises ; but taught also by the same experience to understand the Indian character better than it was understood in New England at an earlier day, they succeeded by their fair and kind treatment in avoiding all occasion for violence.
The settlers of Newark were an eminently indus- trious, + enterprising, public-spirited race ; firm, without bigotry; gentle and affectionate, without weakness ; VERY KIND AND LOVING PEOPLE, as the plain Scotch-
* See Field's Provincial Courts, p. 5, his encouragement to settle in the town note. Grahame, p. 465, attributes the purchasing of all the lands to be occupied by the inhabitants from the aboriginal claimants, to the prudence and equity of Philip Carteret, to which the Proprietors acceded. But it was certainly no sugges- tion of Philip Carteret that led to the pur- chase of the Newark tract, for he abso- lutely refused to have any thing to do with the matter. Indeed, the Elizabethtown tract was purchased in like manner, be- fore the Proprietors came into possession. It was the Puritans who first adopted the equitable rule. Grahame probably refers to a rule subsequently adopted, the object of which was to prevent any but the Pro- prietors from purchasing, and thereby laying claim to a legal title irrespective of them.
+ The encouragement which they gave to manufactures has often been remarked upon. In 1669, and again in 1670, Jona- than Sargeant had lands granted him "for
and follow his trade."-Records, pp. 26, 30. In 1673-4 it was "agreed that the weavers, Thomas Pierson and Benjamin Baldwin should be considered by the sur- veyors." So in 1680, Samuel Whitehead was permitted to become a settler on con- dition of "his supplying the town with shoes." Among the reservations of land at the beginning, there was a miller's lot, a tailor's lot, a boatman and a seaman's lot. Rockwell, the boatman, was admit- ted to town privileges in March, 1668, upon condition "that he doth this very spring season come and settle here in our town, and maintain this or such like sufficient boat for the use of the town, or particular persons in the town, on [such] considerations for his boat as he or they [shall] agree, so long as the Lord shall enable him therefor." Shortly after, Az- ariah Beech was admitted on similar con- ditions. Town Records, pp. 15, 17.
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THE CHURCH CONGREGATIONAL.
man's observation taught him to regard the Puritan race generally in East Jersey ; and yet bold defenders of their rights. The same promptness, energy and good management marks their entire procedure, and the same fidelity to all the claims of justice, and religion. The men who, in conjunction with their worthy pastor, laid the foundations of this ancient Church, have shown by all the traces of them which remain, that they were men who united strong practi- cal common sense with the purest morals and devoted piety.
But it is time for us to pass to matters more strictly ecclesiastical. The Church, organized as we have seen in Branford, Conn., in the year 1644, and transferred to Newark in 1667, was unquestionably at this period settled in the Congregational order, and that of the most primitive and distinguishing type. The ministers of New Haven Colony, who were present at the framing of the Cambridge Platform, adhered to that foundation, and were averse to any material deviation from its provisions. What were the methods of public worship and religious instruction pursued in Newark, besides the regular services of the Sabbath and a stated lecture, we are not informed. Had we their rec- ords, we should doubtless learn that, as in the Church- es of the mother Colony, the people "were strict in their admission of members to full communion," and " those who were admitted generally made a public re- lation of their Christian experiences, by which they gave satisfaction to the Church of their repentance,
HOUSE OF WORSHIP ERECTED. 63
faith, and sincere friendship to the Redeemer."* It was their purpose to appoint a ruling elder, and with that view a lot of ground was set apart for his use. But as we find no other traces of such an officer, and the land after a few years was granted piece by piece to other settlers, it is probable that that feature of an- cient Congregationalism was never adopted in New- ark.+
The first movement towards the erection of a house of worship was made on the 10th of September, 1668, when the town voted to " build a meeting-house, as soon as may be ;" and, "for the better carrying it to an end," made choice of five men, namely, Deacon Ward, Sergeant Harrison and his son John, Sergeant Edward Riggs and Michael Tompkins, “with full power for the management of the building," promising " to lend them their best help according to their pro- portions," whenever due warning should be given, and requiring each man to work at least two days, if called out, or give satisfactory reason to the contrary. Pres- ently after this, a bargain was made with three of the men-Deacon Ward, Sergeant Harrison and Sergeant Riggs-to build the house for a certain sum, and build it soon and well, " with some abatement in the price if
* Trumbull, Hist. Conn., vol. i, p, 313. + " The business of the ruling elder was to assist the pastor in the government of the Church. He was particularly set apart to watch over all its members, to prepare and bring forward all cases of discipline, to visit and pray with the sick, and in the absence of the pastor and ly agree together." "No Church act can teacher, to pray with the congregation and expound the Scriptures." Trumbull,
vol. i, p. 283. "This power of govern- ment in the elders," says the Cambridge Platform, " doth not in any wise prejudice the power of privilege in the brotherhood ; as neither the power of privilege in the brethren doth prejudice the power of gov- ernment in the elders ; but they may sweet- be consummated without consent 'of both."
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64
ASSISTANT PASTOR.
they can afford it." The building was to be of very humble dimensions, 36 feet in length, 26 in breadth, and 13 feet between the joints, " with a lenter to it all the length, which will make it 36 feet square." * By the 12th of March following, the timber was cut and hewn and the frame of the house ready to be raised ; and Thomas Luddington and Thomas Johnson were contracted with, for five pounds, to accomplish that part of the work, with the town's help. Then a supply of nails must be provided "for the closing in of the meeting house," and this they determined to do by joint contributions, each man being required to say how many he would undertake to furnish. The whole business was now put into the hands of the " towns- men ;" but it was not till more than a year and a half later, that the house was ready to receive a permanent floor, and even then it seems to have been but partially completed.+
Meanwhile, the venerable pastor was becoming ad- vanced in years, and his eldest son, a young man of great promise, having finished his studies in College,
* That every one may form his own notion of the shape of this primitive edi- fice, I transcribe the following from the Town Record: "Item. The town hath bargained with Deacon Ward, Sergeant Richard Harrison and Sergeant Edward Riggs, for the sum of seventeen pounds, to build the same meeting house according to the dimensions agreed upon, (i. e. those already stated,) with a lenter to it all the length, which will make it thirty-six foot square with the doors and windows and flue boards on the gable ends." Could we ascertain the precise angle of the roof, determine what are meant by flue boards,
and be sure of the punctuation in this ex- tract, it might be easy to describe the form of the house very exactly. As it is, much must be left to conjecture. p. 10.
+ The flooring was to be done in a very substantial manner. "The town agreed with Thomas Johnson about his flooring half the meeting house for four pounds; of good chestnut or oak, of two inches and a-half plank, and they are to find and do all, to edge and lay down the floor on seven good sleepers; and in like manner they have bargained with John Brown, Mr. Burwell, John Baldwin and Joseph Riggs, to do the other half." Records, p. 32.
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ASSISTANT PASTOR
and begun to preach, had been solicited unanimously by the people of Woodbridge to become their minis- ter .* Unwilling to lose the services of so desirable an assistant, the town, immediately upon this, "by their unanimous vote declared their freeness to desire and call Mr. Abraham Pierson, junior, to be helpful to his father, in the exercise of his gifts in the ministry, for the space of a year ;" and, for his encouragement, al- lowed him for the year the sum of thirty pounds. This was done on the 28th of July, 1669 ; and the re- sult was, that the proposals from Woodbridge were not accepted, and Mr. Pierson continued to assist his father, on the terms specified, a little more than two years. On the 14th of November, 1671, ten pounds were added to his salary and lands allotted to him "on condition that he settles and abides with us a consider- able time, carrying on the work of the ministry." But
* By the favor of Wm. A. Whitehead, Esq., author of the "History of New Jersey under the Proprietors," I am permitted to insert the following extract from " Contri- butions to the Early History of Perth Am- boy and the Surrounding Country," yet in manuscript, referring to Mr. Pierson :
" The first movement towards obtaining the services of a clergyman [in Wood- bridge] was on the 8th June, 1669, when a Committee was appointed to go to New- ark, as messengers from the town, to de- clare to Mr. Pierson, junior, that the in- habitants were all willing and desirous that he would be pleased to come up to them and help them in the work of the ministry ; and anticipating an acceptance, Robert Dennis was appointed to enter- tain him with "meat, drink and lodging," and when on the west side of the Creek- called in the records Papiack Creek- similar accommodations were to be af-
forded by the constable, John Smith. The application to Mr. Pierson was not, how- ever, favorably considered by him. The advanced age of his father, who was the pastor of the Newark congregation, ren- dered the services of an assistant neces- sary, and measures were in progress to secure the son in that capacity. The ap- plication from Woodbridge probably brought the matter to a conclusion, as the ensuing month Mr. Pierson was regularly employed as an assistant minister."
The settlement at Woodbridge was one of the very oldest, and should have been mentioned on p. 22, in connection with other towns of nearly the same date. Men from Newbury, Mass., purchased the tract on the 11ih of December, 1666, (See Bill in Chancery, p. 121. Answer to Bill in Chancery, p. 37,) and gave it the name of their junior minister, Rev. John Wood- bridge, a lineal ancestor of the writer of this narrative.
5
66
PASTOR AND TEACHER.
by this time the work had come to devolve chiefly upon the junior minister, and it was thought desirable that his relations to the people should be more close and permanent. Accordingly, a vote was passed in the town meeting, on the 4th of March, 1672, "that the Church should call Mr. Abraham Pierson, junior, to be joined with his father, in time convenient for the or- derly effecting it; and they have agreed," it is said, "upon his taking office, he shall have and enjoy his accommodations granted him," that is, his lands, &c., "upon the same tenor and terms that other men in our town generally hold the same."* And so, " upon good experience of him," testifies one of his parishioners, " he was called and ordained to be our teacher."+
During the space of seven years, the town main- tained two ministers at an annual expense of one hun- dred and twenty pounds, with the exception of one year, in which, in consideration of hard times and many expenses, the ministers agreed to remit twenty pounds, and accept jointly the sum of one hundred.
* We find it recorded under date of Jan- I, 1671-2, that "Mr. Pierson hath the con- sent of the town given him to buy the house, or any part of the lot, that belongs to Elizabeth Ward."-Rec., p. 41. Turn- ing to the Town Book of Surveys, Deeds, &c., we find John Catlin and John Ward, turner, administrators of the estate of the late Deacon Lawrence Ward, convey- ing to " Abraham Pierson, Jr., Clericus," "with consent of Elizabeth Ward, relict of Deacon L. Ward, the dwelling-house, well, yard, barn, garden and orchard, with one acre and three roods of land, contained by and adjacent to the same, according to a bill of sale bearing date, Feb. 1, 1671-2, as also one great wain- scot chair, one chest, two hogsheads, one
kneading trough, and two joint stools, for- merly belonging to the said Lawrence Ward, deceased." Query. Is this the chair now preserved as a curious relic, in Yale College, and called Rector Pierson's chair?
+ Obadiah Bruen. (See Memoirs of Matthias Bruen, p. 12.) Primitive Con- gregationalism made provision for two ministers in each considerable Church- pastor and teacher-with distinct offices. Here the father seems to have been the pastor, and the son the teacher.
# It is doubtful whether the reduction here agreed upon ever took place, as the town voted the next year that "the vote made Feb. 6, 1676, concerning the minis- ters, shall be now void and of none effect."
67
DEATH OF ABRAHAM PIERSON, SENIOR.
On the ninth day of August, 1678, the venerable Abraham Pierson, senior, departed this life. He had been emphatically a pilgrim, having no fixed abode during most of his earthly life. Where he was born, who were his parents, what was his early education, when and in what circumstances he first gave his heart to the Saviour, when and precisely where he was set apart to the sacred office and began to preach the everlasting Gospel, we are not informed. Precisely in what spot his honored bones rest, no record tells us, and no stone points out. But his life, full of piety to God and service to his fellow men, has left behind it precious memorials. As early as the 10th of August, 1671, he made preparation for his departure, by dis- posing of worldly affairs, "being firmly persuaded," as he said, "of the everlasting welfare of my soul's estate ; and my body's resurrection to eternal life by Jesus Christ, my dear and precious Redeemer." His will breathes throughout, the spirit of domestic affection and fervent piety. Nor can we doubt that when the last hour came, it found him still resting peacefully in the same confidence. "He left behind him," says Cot- ton Mather, "the character of a pious and prudent man-a true child of Abraham-and now safely lodged in Abraham's bosom."* His name deserves to
(Town Records, p. 66.) The occasion of pant, Capt. Sanford, was confiscated and sold during the continuance of the Dutch power, and afterwards restored by the Proprietary government, without remu- neration to the purchasers. See Town Records. it seems to have been a severe loss, to which the people had just before been subjected, by purchasing from the Dutch authorities during the time of their sway, the tract of land lying between the Passaic and Hackensack, called Barbadoes * Magnalia, B. iii., ch. 8, “ In sinu Abra- neck. This tract, for which they had hae," is the writer's own language. He been before in negociation with the occu-
adds the following " Epitaphium : Terris
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ABRAHAM PIERSON, JUNIOR.
be kept fragrant, and surely it will be as long as Christian piety and holy energy and zeal are held in estimation, and the Church, of which he was the first pastor, knows how to value her brightest ornaments .*
About seven weeks after this event, the town met and made arrangements for the permanent support of their now'sole pastor. The agreement was made with great unanimity-" every planter being called upon by name ;" and the salary, being fixed at eighty pounds a year, with a supply of firewood, and freedom from taxation, appears not to have been altered during the remainder of Mr. Pierson's ministry.
Abraham Pierson, junior, the second pastor of this Church, was born in Lynn, Mass.,+ in 1641, graduated at Harvard College in 1668, and was called to be as- sistant minister here on the 28th of July, 1669. His term of service was a long one, amounting in all to about twenty-three years ; nearly three years as assist-
discessit suspirans gaudia coeli. Patriam Thomas Pierson, Jr. There was an Abra- Piersonus scandit ad astra suam."
ham Pierson living on the allotment of
* Mr. Pierson married a daughter of Thomas, junior, who died in 1756, at 80 Rev. John Wheelwright, of Exeter, N. H., years of age, and was probably his son. (see Thompson's Hist. L. I., vol. 1, p. 337,) Thomas Pierson, senior, was probably a near relative. He was married to Mary Harrison, daughter of Richard Harrison, at the same time and place with Abigail Pierson and Mr. Davenport. His name appears among the original subscribers, and from an old deed in the Town Book as well as from the Records, we learn that he was a weaver by trade. (See Town Book, p. 8.) His will was made in 1698, and proved in 1702. His sons were Sam- uel and Thomas. Samuel was admitted a planter in January, 1686-7, on condition of " submitting to all wholesome town orders." (Town Records, p. 109.) who was a brother of the famous Ann Hutchinson. They had four sons-Abra- ham, Thomas, Theophilus and Isaac-of whom the last two were to have each "one half of the homestead." Four daughters are mentioned in his will, and one had probably died before him. They were Abi- gail, married Nov. 27, 1662, at Branford, to a son of Rev. John Davenport, and whom he calls "my choice and precious daughter Davenport ;" Grace, married to Samuel, son of Robert Kitchel ; Mary, who is men- tioned in the will by that name; and Su- sanna and Rebecca, whose names are to be found in the Branford Town Records. + Thompson's Hist. Long Island, p. 337. Thomas was called, by way of distinction,
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69
ABRAHAM PIERSON, JUNIOR.
ant to his father, six and a half as his father's col- league, and a little less than fourteen as the sole pas- tor. He was a regularly installed pastor of this Church about twenty years. During the most of this period, both before and after his father's death, great harmony and affection seem to have marked the intercourse of the minister and people. The annual appropriations for his support were made without dispute, in the same way as for other expenses of the town, and the people spoke of him as following in the steps of his honored father in godliness, and congratulated them- selves, that though God had embittered their comforts by taking their elder shepherd to Himself, He had not left them destitute of spiritual enjoyments, but had given them a faithful dispenser of the word of God- " a young Timothy," a man after God's own heart, well rooted and grounded in the faith, and one "with whom they could comfortably walk in the doctrines of the faith."*
12. * Town Records. Life of M. Bruen, p. God's own heart, well rooted and ground- The following letter, written by ed in the faith, one with whom we can comfortably walk in the doctrines of the faith. Praise to our God. Obadiah Bruen to his children deserves notice, both as giving some facts relating to the history of the Church, and as illus- trating the character of the writer, who was one of its most honored founders.
"DEAR AND LOVING SON AND DAUGHTER-
" Hoping of your health, with yours, as we are at present. Praise to our God.
" It hath pleased God hitherto to con- tinue our lives and liberties, though it hath pleased him to embitter our comforts by taking to himself our reverend pastor, Aug. the 7th, 1678, Mr. Pierson.
" Yet hath he not left us destitute of spiritual enjoyments, but hath giv- en us a faithful dispenser of the Word of God-a young Timothy-a man after
" Upon good experience of him, he was called and ordained to be our teacher, Mr. Abraham Pierson, who follows in the steps of his ancient father in godliness. Praise to our God.
"Loving son, I would entreat you when your own occasion serves going to New London, that you would make some in- quiry for me about some land I have in the General Neck, thirteen acres, and six acres in two parcels, both lying near to Goodman Rogers, his farm. I am inform- ed Goodman Rogers his sons have made improvement of it before I heard any thing of it, being far off. I know not what course to take in it; it is an incivil
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70
GLANCE AT THE CONGREGATION.
Let us now cast a glance upon the little assembly, as they were when the appurtenances of the house of worship were completed, and the settlement in the full tide of its youthful prosperity. We will select for the purpose the year 1682, and take some bright Sabbath morning early in June, when the strawberries are red among the green grass, the birds singing in the mead- ows in a full chorus, and the apple blossoms scarcely yet fallen in the orchards, for which Newark had even then become noted. On the west side of Broad street, then as now the principal avenue through the town, and nearly opposite the site of the present First Pres- byterian Church, with an irregular marshy pond ex- tending nearly to Market street on the north-west, and a few graves marking a small burying-place on a little eminence not far in the rear,* stood a low and somewhat
part, and an ill precedent ; yet for peace and quietness's sake, if he will purchase both parcels I adhere thereunto. I esti- mate both parcels at ten pounds. When you know which of his sons it is, I pray you know of him how long he hath im- proved it, and why he would deal so un- worthily, to make discord among friends. Know of him what he intends to do, and whether he means to hold it in such an unrighteous way, or come to some com- position. When I hear from you, and understand the state of things rightly, I will accordingly apply myself to make some issue.
"It would much rejoice us to see you face to face, but Providence otherwise dis- posing, I desire to hear from you as often as opportunity will permit. Your brother, John Bruen, and his wife, desire remem- brance of their dear love to you, also your sister Hannah and her husband desire the same. All in health, praise to our God, with their children. Our dear love to you both.
"Will you remember our respects to Mr. and Mrs. Fitch, and love to all Chris- tian friends, as your opportunity will :per- mit. So praying for you, that your spir- itual and temporal comforts may be con- tinued to you and yours, I rest
"Your loving father, " OBADIAH BRUEN, "and mother, "SARAH BRUEN."
"Extracted out of the original, under Mr. Bruen's handwriting, 'per Ebenezer Hile, Recorder, July 2, 1681."
N. B. The above is taken from the Life of Rev. Matthias Bruen, and is said to have been copied from the Records of New London, Conn. It is a full length portrait of the Newark Puritans, or rather a daguerreotype likeness. VERY KIND LOVING PEOPLE, as worthy Peter Watson declared, yet not unmindful of their tem- poral rights.
* The following description of the ground on which the Church stood, is given by Dr. Macwhorter in his manuscript
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FIRST MEETING HOUSE.
singular looking wooden edifice, without chimney or cupola, spreading out to the breadth of thirty-six feet square on the ground, and at most sixteen feet high in front beneath the eaves, and somewhat less in the rear ; the roof sloping down the back side near to the ground, and covering an appendage called a "lenter" or lean-to, ten feet wide, after the manner of some of the old farm houses, of which remnants may still be found in the country. There it stood, with the gable ends north and south, and the broad-side "nigh front- ing on a square with the street," in the precise spot which Mr. Pierson the elder, Deacon Ward and Mr. Treat had assigned for it. It is OUR FIRST MEETING HOUSE *- the place of worship and the place of busi- ness-the theatre of all important transactions, civil, military and religious, in the town of Newark, during the first forty years of its existence. There the towns- men " after lecture"+ held their regular stated meetings,
history : "Behind it," that is, the Church, "and between that and the hollow or swamp, upon the brow of the hill, was the old or first training ground. Beyond the hollow or swamp was the burying place, on a rising knoll or tongue of land, which divided this from a greater swamp * The old Puritanical word "meeting- house," is an almost literal translation into plain Saxon English of the word "synagogue"-the source from which the Christian Church derived the model of its worship. It was preferred to the word " Church," because the latter had been ap- propriated in our English Bible to desig- nate the body of Christian people, whether general or local. or pond, westward of which the land rose into another bill, then presently sunk into a flat and brook, called "the watering place." This last hill was the original burying ground; but long since, more than one hundred years ago, it, some way, became private property, has been occu- pied and cultivated as such, and not a trace of a cemetery there remains." Again, he speaks of the same ground as + It is recorded, Jan. 1, 1676-7, that "John Baldwin, junior, Thomas Pierson, lin, William Camp, Azariah Crane and George Day are chosen townsmen for the " poor land, chiefly swamp, comprehend- ing three small knolls of high and dry junior, Thomas Pierson, senior, John Cat- land fit for a cemetery. The western knoll of the three was early relinquished as a
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