USA > New Jersey > Somerset County > Raritan > Forty years at Raritan : eight memorial sermons with notes for a history of the Reformed Dutch churches in Somerset County, N.J. > Part 28
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to the matter, and what they advise shall hereafter be done in regard to Mr. Wack." This permission was soon afterward re- ceived, and, although the date of his ordination is not known, it took place, no doubt, soon after this date. He was the first young man of American birth who received license and ordination in the German Reformed Church in America. He seems to have labored at Rockaway from 1782 to 1789. A call is extant ad- dressed to him as " present preacher of the Valley and Foxhill," dated 1786. He is represented as a man of great activity, wit, and resources, preaching in his early days entirely in German, but in time coming into the use of the English in his public ser- vices. What kind of English it really was may, perhaps, be suffi- ciently learned from a remark of an English officer who went to hear him, and came home very well pleased, saying he never knew before that the German language was so much like the English. Ile was, in fact, farmer, music-master, and preacher, all in one, and the young people enjoyed his evening singing-schools . greatly. 1Ic left behind him a name fragrant with many genial, kindly, pleasant, and holy memories. He went, in 1809, to the churches of Whitemarsh and Germantown, in Pennsylvania, and died there at the house of his son, Dr. Philip Wack, July 19th, 1839, being eighty-seven years old, lacking seven days.
We have had furnished to us a copy of the inscription on his tomb. It is in the following words : "The Rev. Caspar Wack, who departed this life the 19th July, A.D. 1839, aged eighty-seven years."
The register of baptisms for the Rockaway church is dated, on 1768, the title-page, August 5th. 1762. The first entry is November 6th, and it is continued in the same handwriting until September 27th, 1784. Some of the first records seem to be wanting. On November 6th, 1768, Peter Ebcher and Cathrine his wife had a child named Johannis baptized. The next names are Hanis Rothenbach and Anna Bikel, August 27th ; the next, Pieter Bothersfield and his wife Cathrine; then Pieter Hofman and Anna Sharpenstein; then occur the names of Conrad Kreuger, Peter Ops, Adam Hochenbach, William Becker, Adam Humer, Nicholas Linenburgh, Balthes Henderschot, Adam Epcher, Cor- nelis Lair, Peter Law, Christian Diltz, Wilem Schurz, Arian Deneik, Nicolas Kramer, Hanes Ohlbach, Michel Schenk, and Wilem Eich. These names represent some of the earliest families belonging to this church. The record, after it commences, is,
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apparently, quite complete, and manifests both attention and eare. In subsequent pages we should, no doubt, find all the names peculiar to this part of our State, but we can not continue the quotation, and proceed to note some of its subsequent for- tunes. It was, in some measure, isolated by its language and lineage, and a change in its relations became imperious. It felt this, and soon sought it.
September 11th, 1788, the church beeame incorporated under an act of the Legislature, and the names of the trustees are as follows, namely, George Gearheart, president, Peter Aller, Jacob Gearhart, John Hufman, Peter Himry, Peter Young, and Hans Peter Apger. The elections are regularly recorded in subsequent years, for a long period of time.
In 1793, moneys were eollected on a subseription list to repair the church edifice. There is also, subsequently, another subserip- tion list put on record of names giving various sums for the same purpose, among which oceurs, at the head of the list, the name of Caspar Wack for $13.33. In 1816, the old church was taken down, and a new briek house erected in its place. This was superseded by the present commodious edifice.
After Lebanon beeame a vacant church by the removal of Mr. Wack, supplies from the German source began to be increasingly diffieult of attainment. The church stood there many Sabbaths in its silent loneliness. The German, as a language, had passed away almost entirely from among the people, and the question arose, why not seek another connection, and obtain preaching from another source ? The White Houes church was new and comparatively weak, struggling to maintain itself under the minis- try of its first pastor, Cornelius T. Demarest. Overtures of union were made and accepted in 1813; but just before the union had been consummated, Mr. Demarest left, and accepted a call from the English Neighborhood, Bergen County. His absence, how- ever, did not prevent the future consummation of the eontem- plated union. The two congregations united, September 29th, 1816, in a call on the candidate Jacob J. Schultz, and he was or- dained and installed pastor, November 26th, 1816, of the two combined churches. He decided to make Lebanon the place of his residenee, and, consequently, it was to the Lebanon church that the larger part of his pastoral services were rendered, but he preached on alternate Sabbaths in either place. Here he spent
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eighteen years of his earlier life, beloved, useful, and doing an efficient work. A new church was built soon after he came ; the people were carefully catechized and taught, and sought to be trained effectually in every Christian duty. Few men labored more diligently and successfully, and saw better results from their labors, than he did at White House and Lebanon. .
Jacob J. Shultz was born at Rhinebeek, 1792, of parents who had originally emigrated from the Palatinate. He graduated at Union College, 1813, and from the seminary at New-Brunswick in 1816, being licensed as a candidate, by the Classis of New- Brunswick, in May. In the autumn of the same year he received a call from the churches of White House and Lebanon, and was settled there. Ilis intellectual faculties were good. He had evi- dently a consciousness of power in him, and spoke with dignity and authority. He was an effective preacher, never using notes or reading his sermons from manuscript. He studied his text, analyzed it, broke it up into its logical divisions, and then he dis- cussed them, trusting for the proper words to flow in upon him from the impulse of the moment. He preached well; intelligent minds felt themselves instructed and edified by his discourses. He gathered large audiences in his churches-probably the largest ever convened in them; he did good. The accessions to the churches were numerous, and he was literally and truly a pros- perous and successful minister. But disease had begun early to prey upon his system ; he had turns of melancholy; he lost, at times, almost the control of his faculties. He went to Middle- bush. The change did not benefit him. He grew worse, and had to abandon what he loved as his life, the preaching of the Gos- pel. He died at Middlebush, October 22d, 1852. He had been disabled from public service since 1838 by constitutional infirmi- ties and disease.
The memory of Jacob J. Shultz at Lebanon and at Whitehouse will long be cherished by those to whom his ministry was blessed. He was an earnest man ; he did his work in the spirit of his Mas- ter, and gained many converts to the truth.
After Shultz had left Lebanon the connection with Whitehouse ceased, and in 1835 the church called Rev. Charles P. Wack, a grandson of Rev. Conrad Wack, to be their pastor. He com- menced his services May 18th ; his first record of baptism is Sep- tember 28th, 1835. He continued to serve them for five years ; then went to Trenton, for four years, to a German Reformed
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church, which he induced to unite with the Classis of New- Brunswick. Then he himself passed over into a connection with the German Reformed Church, but finally returned to Lebanon and died September 29th, 1866. He was a student of the semi- nary at New-Brunswick, and received his license in 1829. He was a good preacher and a man of considerable learning. He understood the Gospel, and preached it with discrimination and elearness ; but certain eccentricities of character hindered his suc- cess as a pastor. That he was a good man no one doubted who really knew him; and that, with a little more of "the wisdom of the serpent," he might have done great good, was equally elear. HIe was an able man in the pulpit, and when he preached he knew only Christ Jesus and him crucified. The inscription on his tomb reads, "Rev. Charles P. Wack. Died September 29th, 1866, aged fifty-nine years two months and twenty-one days.
" Suddenly his work was closed ; 'Twas sufficient here. lle was summoned to a service In a higher sphere, And the pearly gates unfolded To admit him there."
Lebanon was served by Rev. Robert Van Amburgh from 1840 to 1848 ; by Rev. John Steele from 1848 to 1853; by Van Am- burgh, the second time, from 1853 to 1869, and by Van Benscho- ten, from 1869 to 1872.
The congregation have recently repaired their church edifice- originally built in 1854-and beautified it. It is now one of the most attractive and commodious churches in the county. There is a large and wealthy congregation worshiping in it, and it ought to prosper abundantly.
WHITE HOUSE, ROCKAWAY.
THE church was originally formed out of persons who had been connected with Readington, with a few families from Bed- minster, a few from the Presbyterian church at Leamington, and also a few from the Lutheran church at New-Germantown. It is first spoken of in the minutes of Synod in 1793 as a place in which religious services were rendered, and called Potterstown.
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John Duryea rendered a part service there, from 1800 to 1801, preaching in the barn of Abraham Van Horn. John Schureman attended a catechetical elass within the bounds of the congrega- tion while he was at Bedminster. The church at White House was formally organized in 1792, as becomes evident from the following extract from the minutes of consistory: January 10th, 1792. The committee from the Rev. Classis met at the house of Mr. Abraham Van Horn, together with the members in full communion of the neighborhood of the White House, and, being opened with prayer by the Rev. John Duryea, proceeded to the choice of a consistory, when the following persons were chosen, namely, Cornelius Wyc- koff and Aaron Lane as elders, and Henry Traphagen and George Covenhoven as deacons. Concluded with prayer by the Rev. John M. Van Harlingen.
In consistory at the house of Cornelius Wyckoff the following persons were received, on confession of their faith, as members of the congregation, namely, Abraham Van Horn, Matthew Lane, John Wyckoff, Cornelins Wyekoff, Jr., Garthy Wyckoff, wife of Abraham Van Horn, Cathrine Sutten, wife of John Wyckoff, Altie Cowenhoven, wife of Matthew Lane. Concluded with prayer. -John Duryea. These were the first members in communion.
September 8th, 1795, the following were elected elders and deacons in the place of those first chosen, namely, George Cowen- hoven and John Wyckoff, elders, and Abraham Van Horn and Cornelius Wyckoff, deacons. Concluded with prayer .- John Duryea, V.D.M.
January 19th, 1796, received on confession of their faith, Wil- liam Van Horn and Cornelia Wyckoff.
March 15th, 1796, received on confession, Lidia Burnet, wife of George Covenhoven, Elizabeth Van Horn, wife of William Van Horn.
May 10th, 1800, Abraham Ten Eyck and the following elected in consistory, namely, Abraham Van Horn and Abraham Van Doren, elders ; Matthew Lane and William Van Horn, deacons. Closed with prayer .- John Duryea, V.D.M.
April 2d, 1802, the following were chosen for consistory : Cor- nelius Wyckoff and Abraham Van Horn, elders; Abraham Ten Eyck, deaeon ; and they were ordained June 27th, 1802, by Rev. James S. Cannon.
There were meetings of consistory August 25th, 1804, presided
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over by Rev. William R. Smith ; August 31st, 1805, and August 20tl1, 1808, by John S. Vredenburgh; October 14th, 1806, by Ira Condit ; and July 8th, 1808, by James S. Cannon.
At lengthi the church had so increased that they proceeded to settle a pastor, and the choice fell upon Cornelius T. Demarest, a student of Dr. Froeligh, but a native of the city of New-York. The eall is dated August 2d, 1808, and he was ordained and in- stalled pastor by Rev. John S. Vredenburgh, Rev. Henry Pol- hemus, and Rev. Peter Studdeford.
The principal families besides the names already mentioned were, Dennis Wyckoff, Nicholas Stilwell, Abraham Ten Eyek, Andrew Ten Eyek, Cornelius Messler, John Ditmars, William Ditmars, Jacob Neff, Matthew Rulofson, John Vanderbilt, John Reger, and others.
In 1807, a church edifice was erected and partly finished-that is, it had a roof, weather-boarding, and floor, but neither pews, pulpit, or ceiling. The seats consisted of boards resting on timbers on the floor. In this condition C. T. Demarest preached in it for several years. He was the first pastor. He came to White House immediately on receiving his license, and continued for. five years. It may be said that he really gathered and established the church. He was admired as a preacher, and extensively popular-a faithful, earnest, zealous man; and he did a great deal of good during the time that he labored among the people. Ile preached the Gospel with discrimination, perhaps rather in a con- troversial strain and spirit; at all events, he was fond of debate, and sometimes dealt with his adversary with marked severity. It may have been necessary in his estimation to adopt such a strain of preaching, sinee the materials out of which the church had been formed were a little heterogeneous in their character. He was himself a rigid Calvinist, and could not endure lax views in any form. He left the church with almost universal regret, and was remembered by many with all the fondness of first love.
The church remained vacant for more than two years, and finally called the candidate Jaeob J. Schultz, in connection with Lebanon. After Schultz left, in 1834, Peter S. Williamson, a student just licensed from the seminary, was called. He accepted, and was ordained and installed in 1835, and continued to preach for the people four years, resigning in 1849, and becoming a mis-
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sionary in Brooklyn; then teaching at Sehoharie, Belleville, and Jamaica, Long Island, and finally emigrating to California in 1852, where he still resides.
After Rev. P. S. Williamson had resigned, Rev. James Otter- son accepted the call and ministered to the people for five years, when he resigned and went to the Presbyterian church at Johns- town, New-York. His ministry was vigorous, and resulted in good. He was born in the city of New-York, 1791, graduated at Columbia College, 1806; studied theology with Dr. John M. Mason, and was licensed by the Associate Reform Church in 1821. 1Ie was of Scotch parentage, and had most of its peculiari- ties. He succeeded Dr. Alexander Proudfit in the church of Broad Albin. IIe came into the Dutch Church at first by a call from the churches of Oyster Bay and North-lIempstead, Long Island, in 1829, and to White House from Freehold, New-Jersey, where he had been settled three years. It is said of him, "he possessed a clear and analytic mind, which showed the effect of early culture. He was a good scholar, a sound and able theologian, and very instructive and edifying as a preacher. His style of sermonizing was clear and forcible. His speech flowed smoothly from his lips, as he touched the heart and reached the conscience. He was an able expounder of the divine word. In the ecclesias- tieal assemblies of the church he had few. superiors. It was not merely as a parliamentarian, or as one skilled in debate, that he excelled, but as possessing a strong practical mind that could lead the way through difficult and perplexing questions; that could see the end to be reached, and how to reach it." lle died in the city of Brooklyn in 1869.
Goyn Talmage, just from the seminary, was called in 1845, and ordained and installed as successor to Otterson. He did a grand work at White House. The church had run down, needed repairs-in fact, removal and a new edifice ; and he accomplished this important work successfully. Under his active ministry, the church waked up, and did more to secure future prosperity than had been done at any time before. But he left, after six years, to the regret of all his friends.
He was succeeded by Lawrence L. Comfort, also a student from the seminary at New-Brunswick; and was ordained and installed in 1852, but only remained for two years, when he was called to New-Hurley, New-York, where he is still ministering.
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Then the church called Rev. Aaron Lloyd, in 1855 ; and he remained only one year, when he went to Pekin, Illinois.
The next pastor was Rev. Smith Sturges, who preached at White House until 1867, and resigned.
The Rev. William Bailey was called in 1868, and remains the successful pastor. The congregation under his ministry is grow- ing, and promising to become a compact, energetic, and respec- table church.
White House is not in Somerset County, nor is Lebanon; and yet they have both always been so intimately connected with the churches of the county, that we did not feel inclined to disassociate them. Hence, they have a place in these notes of the Somerset churches. They are one with us in spirit, if not absolutely within the limits of the territory of the county. They have been so long associated with the other churches that it would seem, in some respects, invidious to deny them a place in our memo- rial.
It only remains for us now to name the other churches in the order in which their organization has been effected. They have grown, in almost every instance, out of the territory first included in the older congregations, and owe their existence to the desire of the people to have the services of the Sabbath nearer to their residences, and to be able more conveniently to attend on them. They have been from the beginning, in nearly every instance, self-sustaining churches. Hence, they came into existence because it was proper for them to do so, and not from disaffection or partisan strife.
THE RECENTLY-FORMED CHURCHES.
THE new churches in Somerset County can hardly be said to have a history, and yet we are not disposed to deny them a place in our memorial notes. We give to each at least the date of its organization and the succession of pastors, in the order in which these events have occurred and are recorded in their records.
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1. NORTH-BRANCH .- This church was organized September 10th, 1825, at the house of James Ten Eyck, by a committee from the Classis of New-Brunswick, out of families mostly belonging to the old church of Raritan. During the great revival in 1821 and 1822, religions services had been frequently held in the vicinity of Bay- ley's Mills, on the North-Branch. One large concourse, consist- ing of more than 1000 people, is especially remembered in the barn of Mr. Abraham Dumont, at which Rev. Messrs. Schultz, Fisher, Studdiford, and Osborne were all present, and took part in the services. The great awakening of attention to religion, no doubt, occasioned the want of church services to be felt in that vicinity, and brought about the organization of the church, after an application duly made to the Classis of New-Brunswick, and at once a church edifice was begun to be built. George II. Fisher, a licentiate of the Seminary, was called and settled November 25th, 1826, as soon as the church edifice, finished that year, was pre- pared for the services. He preached to the people during four years' labor, and proved himself a successful pastor. Upon his removal, the Rev. Abraham D. Wilson was called, September 17th, 1831, and remained until 1838. He was succeeded in October of the same year by Rev. James K. Campbell, who ministered until 1854, more than 15 years. In 1856, Philip Melancthon Doolittle was settled, and still continues the successful pastor of a prospe- rous church.
The first consistory was composed of Jacob Ten Eyck, John Vanderveer, John Runk, and Abraham Quick, Sen., as elders, and Ralf Van Pelt, Matthew Van Pelt, James Staats, and James Ten Eyck, deacons.
The first church edifice was built in 1826, the year after the organization was effected. It was built of brick, after the pattern of the Somerville Church, and in dimension was 40 feet by 52. The corner-stone was laid without ceremonies, and whether it was ever formally dedicated is not known. It stood, and continued to be the place of worship until 1863, when it was taken down and gave place to the present commodious edifice. The resolution to rebuild was passed August 20th, 1863, and it was dedicated by a sermon from Rev. G. H. Fisher, the first pastor, 1864. The congre- gation, during the forty-seven years of its existence, has increased, until it is now an efficient church. It is remarkable that all its
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pastors are yet among the living. It numbers 116 families and 170 communicants.
2. BLAWENBURG .- The first movement toward the organiza- tion of this church took place October Ist, 1829, when Cornelius Kershow, Peter Voorhees, Ralf Johnson, and John A. Voorhees appeared before the Consistory of Harlingen, in behalf of them- selves and fifty subscribers in the district of Blawenburg, and applied to the consistory for permission to erect a house for public worship, to be styled the Second Reformed Dutch Church of Harlingen. This application was cheerfully granted. At a subsequent meeting, in November, the following building com- mittee was appointed, namely, Peter A. Voorhees, Colonel Joseph Duryea, Ralf Johnson, John A. Voorhees, and John Van Zandt. On the 31st of May, 1830, they reported that their house of wor- ship was so nearly completed as to be ready for dedication at any time. It was resolved to invite Rev. Dr. Milledoler, of the Theo- logical Seminary at New-Brunswick, to perform that service on Saturday, the 14th inst. The invitation was accepted, and on the day appointed, after sermon, he solemnly set apart the house to the service of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
February 2d, 1832, upon application of the people worshiping in the above congregation, to be organized into a separate and distinet church, and to be discharged from their relation to the church at Harlingen, the pastor, Rev. Peter Labagh, and Peter Skillman were appointed a committee to grant dismissions to those who might apply. On the 2d of March, 1832, a number of the male members with their certificates assembled, according to previous notice, in the church at Blawenburg, and after earnest supplication for the Divine presence and blessing, a separate and distinet church was regularly organized, a consistory chosen, and arrangements made for their ordination. At this meeting the Rev. Peter Labagh and the ekler Abraham Skillman acted as a committee from the consistory of Harlingen ; and Bernardus Van Zandt, William Duryea, Abram Satphin, George Sorter, Samuel Terhune, Thomas Davis, Cort Williamson, Henry Terhune, Joseph A. Skillman, Henry Skillman, John Van Zandt, William D. Van Dyke, Peter Sutphin, Peter Voorhees, represented the people of Blawenburg. The consistory elected consisted of Henry Skill- man, John Van Zandt, William Cruser, and Joseph A. Skillman,
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elders, and Henry Duryea, Peter Voorhees, Thomas Davis, and Samnel Terhune, deacons.
The earliest records are dated July 26th, 1831, and speak of the consistory of the Second Church of Ilarlingen meeting in the consistory chamber at Blawenburg, and of the corporate name of the church being changed to be the Reformed Dutch Church of Blawenburg.
The Rev. Henry Heermance was the first pastor. He was called in 1832, and served the people three years. IIe was succeeded by Rev. James R. Talmage in 1837, who remained until 1849. The same year, T. B. Romeyn was called and ordained, and served until 1865. He was succeeded by Charles W. Fritts the same year, and he in 1870 by W. B. Voorhees.
Of IIenry Heermance, who has ceased from among the liv- ing, we may say a very few words. He was born at Nassau, N. Y., 1801, graduated at Union College in 1826, studied in the Seminary at New-Brunswick, and was licensed by the classis in 1826. After a short settlement at Oyster Bay, Long Island, and a missionary term of service at Sandbeach, N. Y., he came to Blawenburg and served faithfully for three years Preaching afterward for a year in 1855-6 at Kinderhook, he died in 1846. He was the subject of religious impressions during a revival in Nassau, N. Y., and retained ever afterward more or less of a revival spirit. It has been written of him that " he had a com- prehensive and well-balanced judgment up to the point where feeling becomes enlisted, when his honest ardor somewhat blinded him to remote results. His sensibilities were unusually keen, but they never prompted retaliation, nor had they any tineture of resent- ment. Ilis energy was great, and his purpose indomitable. Hence, when his sphere of action was limited, and his mode of action de- fined, as was the case with his agencies, his executive efficiency was of the very highest order. As a preacher, he was solemn, affectionate, earnest, pungent, and lucid. His style was senten- tious, and his appeals direct and forcible. His general mode of preaching was to arouse the conscience, at times producing the greatest manifestations of awe even among Christians, and writh- ings, under a sight and sense of their condition, among sinners. Yet he was not deficient in abilities to depict the beauties of holi- ness, and the grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ. He was stricken down by apoplexy in the midst of his days, just as he was
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