USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > Hardyston > Hardyston memorial : a history of the township and the North Presbyterian Church, Hardyston, Sussex County, New Jersey > Part 14
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I was never installed here by action of Presbytery, but with- out the ceremony of an installation I have been just as much the pastor, and the congregation my people. This relation has been preserved when all the churches in the counties of Warren and Sussex, with a single exception, have changed their ministers, and after very short pastorates.
The membership of the church in 1865 was by the roll of Mr. Bell thirty-eight. To say that the church was feeble does not fully describe it. A former pastor said, "It was weakness itself." The attendance at the church, excepting upon funeral occasions, had been reduced to a mere handful. One Sunday School was held at Franklin Furnace with about forty scholars. There was no prayer meeting or weekly lecture, and but one ad- dition had been made to the membership for over three years. There were two elders, my father, Daniel Haines, who was mostly a resident of Newark, where he held his courts, and James Con- gleton, eighty-five years old. I had therefore to walk by faith and
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not by sight when I declined other invitations and determined to remain in my native place.
We began with service every Sabbath morning at the North Church, and preaching every Sabbath evening in the old school house at Franklin. On Sabbath afternoons I preached in the school houses at Harmony Vale, at New Prospect and Monroe Corners. Our progress was very slow. We reported to Presbytery forty members in the spring of 1866, forty-two in 1867. and sixty- seven in 1868.
In the fall of 1867 and the winter following there was special concern for eternal things in the North Church Sunday School, and several boys and young men were converted. We soon began" extra services, with meetings for inquirer> at Mr. Price's house. Quite a number came to these inquiry meetings. some of whom became hopefully pious. The work promised to become more general, yet did not attain the dimensions expected. Still the year 1868 was one of blessing, and in 1869 we reported a membership of seventy-three, having almost doubled our nulu- bers in three years.
In the fall of 1870 the presence of the Holy Spirit was very marked. Much prayer prevailed, the meetings were well attended. and throughout the congregation there was great tenderness of feeling. I invited the Rev. Almon Underwood to assist me for : fortnight. Conversions took place at Hamburg, the North Church. and at Franklin, and in the neighborhoods where we held cottage meetings, and the school house appointments. In the spring of 1871 the membership was 98, with the addition of thirty-one re- ceived the year previous. This was the largest increase for more than thirty years.
By 1877 we had attained the number of 117; having in eleven years trebled our membership. From this time we began to suffer by deaths and removals, and the strength of the church was greatly diminished. We continued to receive additions but these were outnumbered by our losses. In 1881 we were reduced as low as S1 members. In 1882 we had but S5; in 18-3. 92, and in 1884, 99.
Until the summer of 1883 I had not been confined to the
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house by sickness for many years ; then I was laid aside from parish duties for more than a month. The following summer, not being in good health, I went to the sea shore in hope of benefit, and was taken seriously ill at Berlin, Maryland, the place of my first settlement in the ministry. Although enabled to return home after a few weeks, it was long before my strength was regained. While laid aside, the services of the Sabbath were sus- tained by the Elders and church members.
At the communion service in November, 1884, three were added by profession. Some seriousness was shown, and as much as my strength allowed, I held extra prayer meetings in private houses. The attendance was small at first, but after a few conver- sions had taken place the numbers increased until our rooms were crowded. A memorable meeting was held one evening in the honse then occupied by Theodore Talmadge, whose wife was dying with consumption. There was no special indication of feel- ing until near the close of the meeting, when the presence of the Holy Spirit was manifest. Tears and sobs filled the room as one young person after another asked our prayers. or declared the inten tion of accepting Christ. The house was afterwards burned, but the memory of the meeting has not yet passed away. Another prayer meeting was held in my own house, when twenty arose to say they had found Jesus precious to their souls. When we held the spring communion a large number at Hamburg were received into the church.
Much serionsness prevailed in the North Church part of the congregation. Several who attended meetings at Monroe Corners, professed conversion there, but came back to unite with their own church. We had no help from other ministers, and my strength and powers were limited, but God showed us that we were more dependent for success upon him than any ability of our own.
At the spring meeting of Presbytery, 1885, we reported an accession during the year of forty-two upon profession of faith, and ten by letter, making the total membership 142. In 1886 we reported fifteen added upon profession ; and in 1887, twelve accessions, the entire membership being 162, the greatest number for more than forty years.
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As in the winter of 1870 and 1871, so at this time, simulta- neously with our own church's quickening, was there a season of awakening at Rudeville, when numbers were reclaimed from a careless, worldly life.
In 1865 there was but one Sunday School, held at Franklin, in a room over the store house, with forty scholars. The North Church Sunday School, instituted in 1818, had been suspended. We re-opened it, at first with few present, but the second and third year it grew to be the largest ever held within our congrega- tion, the average attendance for the season being ninety scholars and teachers. It was held before morning service, and often the house of worship would be well filled with the school. As before noticed some of our earliest conversions were among the scholars. The Sunday School at Franklin enlarged and was transferred to the school house, and afterwards to the church, where it became almost as large as the one at the North Church.
We organized Sunday Schools at Harmony Vale and New Prospect, which were maintained several summers with full num- bers, but were closed in the winter. The wants of the population upon the Hamburg Mountain were brought to our notice, and a Sabbath School was opened in a log house. This led to the build- ing of the Log Chapel, and the maintenance of a Sunday school for several years. The school has had as many as eighty schol- ars, and its influence for good is still felt in that mountain com- munity. We succeeded in having a common school district set off to give the children the opportunity of instruction. Rev. Nathaniel Pettit was the County School Superintendent ; we secured his interest in the enterprise, and he appointed Patrick McManus its first teacher. A large number of children and youth who were growing up in ignorance, learned to read, and were taught the principles of religion. This Sunday School was for several years mainly sustained through the efforts of an Elder, who with great fidelity continued to go there at all seasons.
When our five Sunday schools were in full prosperity we had two hundred and fifty scholars ; the yearly gatherings at the North Church to celebrate our anniversary brought them all together, and we often gave dinner under the trees to five hundred per-
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sons, old and young. Thanksgiving evening was another occasion when the old church would be filled with boys and girls.
The Sunday School at Hamburg, in the new Presbyterian Church, was organized the first Sabbath in December, 1869, and has since continued without intermission. It drew somewhat from the North Church, but the majority of its scholars first attended here.
We may speak of some of the enterprises successfully carried out by our congregation. Very early attention was directed to the old graveyard. It was overgrown with briars, and had be- come like the churchyard of Stoke Pogis, a neglected spot. Ad- ditional land was purchased to the extent of one acre and a tenth, which was enclosed with the old part by a wall, and laid out in lots. Their sale has covered all the expenses incurred in the pur- chase, grading and planting the cemetery with evergreen trees. In sixteen years the new ground was so fully occupied as to make a futher enlargement necessary. Four more acres were bought in 1885, and the ground is in process of preparation, with some of the lots already occupied. The death of Benjamin Northrup oc- curred in 1774, as inscribed upon his tombstone, and this spot was set apart and used as a burial place as early as that year if not be- fore.
The crowded audiences at the Franklin school house seemed to demand better accommodations there. The new owners of the furnace and mines were spending much money, and expressed their purpose of making the place a great manufacturing town.
At first we intended to erect a very modest chapel in propor- tion to our means. After a while a lease was effected upon the stone church for ten years. This belonged to the " First Particu- lar Baptist Society of Franklin," whose membership was greatly reduced by removals and deaths. The walls were very substantial, but the wooden parts of the structure were much out of repair. We expended one thousand dollars in renovating the church, and it was opened for service in the fall of 1867. The services were well attended, and we soon gathered a membership of thirty. The frequent changes among the workmen in the mines and furnace sent away many religious men and their families, and other influ-
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ences prevented the growth of a permanent and strong organiza- tion. In the spring of 1875 by the vote of the congregation at their annual meeting, and by the order of the Session, our servi- ces at Franklin were suspended, and we ceased to have stated preaching at the church.
Many of our families at Hamburg found it difficult to attend the North Church, and others could not do so at all. The matter of having Sabbath services here was under consideration in the summer of 1869. One day Mr. Samuel Beardslee said to me, " We ought to have a church of our own at Hamburg, and one man has promised to give $250, if others will contribute the rest." The same evening I saw the person mentioned, and he introduced the subject of a new church. I said, " If you will secure $1,000 we will put up a chapel." In three or four days he called to say he had that amount subscribed. The subscribers met and ap- pointed a committee to secure a site and begin the ercetion of a building. Two different lots were offered us, one adjoining the Hamburg school house, and one on the high ground toward Har- dystonville. We finally compromised and chose a location mid- way between the two, where land was given on the corner of the Turnpike and Rudeville roads. Here formerly stood the school house, with two chimneys, in which religious services were held in earlier days. Ground was broken September, 1869, and forty- two days after laying the first stone the entire stone work, designed to be put up at that time, was laid. The other work went on rapidly, and we opened for worship a part of the house, and held a service the first Sabbath afternoon of Decem- ber, 1869, having expended $2,200. The largest contributor was Daniel Haines, and the next Judge William E. Skinner. Much of the success in carrying ont this enterprise was due to Samuel A. Beardslee. A number of others contributed largely, so that we had no difficulty in paying off the indebtedness incurred.
The Sunday School was large from the beginning, the con- gregations fair for our numbers in the village, and we received accessions at the different communion seasons. Among our male membership were a large number qualified to take part in prayer meetings, or to conduct them acceptably themselves. We felt
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the good hand of our God with us, and anticipated prosperity for days to come. In January, 1877, the death of Elder Daniel Haines occurred. This was followed by other deaths, and the removal of many who had been influential. We were greatly re- duced in strength by this umexpected loss of so many prominent men.
The extension of the church was necessarily delayed from weakness and poverty. In the summer of 1879 Mrs. Matilda Fairchild, the widow of Rev. Dr. Elias R. Fairchild, one of our former pastors, encouraged me to renew the attempt to build, by the gift of $200, and the promise of more if required. This she afterwards supplemented by the additional gift of $500, making $700 in all. IIad it not been for her sympathy and donations, the work would not have gone on. My friend, Colonel Henry L. Pierson sent me word that he would give $250. The matter was laid before the Board of Trustees, who authorized me to go on as long as the money lasted, but not to incur any debt.
Considerable money was raised among ourselves ; the work moved slowly, and we paid as we progressed. With various hin- drances and interruptions, and notwithstanding onr limited re- sources, the completed house was dedicated to the worship of God May 18th, 1881. The following minnte was entered in the Ses- sion Book : " The church was dedicated free from debt, and the congregation gratefully acknowledge the kindness of the Lord God in so abundantly prospering their endeavor to build a house to his name."
The rear window was put in in 1883, the expense of which was $360. The steeple was erected in 1884 at a cost of $450. The walls were frescoed in 1887. The total cost being nearly $8,000. Some parts of the building still lack completion. It may be rightly said that this was a great enterprise for our con- gregation when our numbers were so depleted and our financial strength so weak.
I bear testimony to the affectionate kindness my people have ever shown me. In general every proposition I have made to them for temporal improvement or christian labor has had their approval. We have often been compelled to move slowly because of limited means, but in the end have carried ont successfully
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every project upon which we have entered.
Time will not permit us to go over the full roll-call of be- loved brethren who have gone before us to glory. Death has been very busy, and wonderful changes in our population have taken place. Of the thirty-eight communicants who formed the church in 1865, five only are attending members. We have laid more in the churchyard than we meet on the Sabbath day. Could we summon back again all those whom we have buried, a whole church could not seat then.
From the eldership, we have lost the venerable James Con- leton, one of the best of men, at the age of ninety-one ; Daniel Haines for forty years an elder, our counsellor and guide ; Eras_ tus Congleton, who gave promise of great usefulness, and was called away while still a young man ; also Levi Congleton, who returned to us from Sparta.
Among those not elders, such good men as Lewis C. Roe, Charles Wade, Thomas Schofield and Henry W. Couplin have passed away. There were others who did not become communi- cants, yet whose hopes and sympathies were always with us, and who were most useful in the congregation, such as Doctor William H. Linn, John II. Brown and Samuel A. Beardslee. Among christian women we have a noble record of those who loved their church and were ready for every good work. Of these we men- tion Mrs. Sarah Beardslee and Mrs. Lucilla Price. There was one, a member of another church, but ours in every other respect, a friend to the poor, and a helper in every benificent enterprise, Mrs. Lucy Lovell Brown.
Think not that invidious distinctions are made, if all who have been honored and useful are not mentioned in this connec- tion. We have their names on record, and their memories are cherished in our hearts. May God ever give onr congregation more men and women such as they.
Something of this church's history for the past twenty-three years has been given, but how much more might be said. There are many incidents precious to memory, yet so personal and in- dividual that they are hardly suited to a ; printed book. In the humblest efforts I have seen the happiest results in winning souls.
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Sometimes men have been won in a moment; at other times after repeated and persistent appeals.
During the year 1887 we lost by dismissions twenty ; by deaths four, and six became non-resident, so that the report of April, 1888, gave 137 as the membership upon the revised roll.
HAMBURG BAPTIST CHURCH.
THOMAS TEASDALE came from Yorkshire, England. He brought strong letters of recommendation to the Presbytery of New York to whom he applied for license to preach, but failing in the qualifications required his license was not given. He then became a Baptist and removed to Sussex. His house was in Ver- non, a little beyond McAfee, at the foot of the mountain. He preached in school houses and private dwellings, and organized a church in Pochunk in 1798. This was afterwards merged inte the Hamburg Baptist Church, which was formed in 1811. His church increased in numbers, but suffered by the disruption of 1823, when an influential body withdrew and formed the Frank- lin Baptist Church. Mr. Teasdale was not always sound in doc- trine, yet a good man, sincere and earnest, and influential with many. He spoke a broad Yorkshire dialect, and was very sharp in denouncing sin and used cutting words in argument. He died in 1827, aged 75 years, and was buried at Hamburg.
Extract from letter written by T. Lawrence, Esq., to his grandson, James Ludlum, Jr. :
" We could not expect in this retired situation to be gratified in every refinement, and altho' the person under whose charge Providence has placed us for our religious instruction is not pos- sessed of those superior attainments that many others are, yet we are fortunate in having one who from the purity of his heart, his perfect acquaintance with sacred writ, and the unexceptionable tenor of his conduct, is able to teach us our duty, and what he may be deficient in manner is made up to us in matter. I trust you will agree with me that I have done no more than justice in delin- eating to you the character of our worthy pastor, Mr. Teasdale."
He took pains to educate his sons who rose to prominent
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positions, and was succeeded by his son, John, who preached in Hamburg four years, and afterwards at Newton.
For two years the church was supplied by Elders C. Park and Elias Frost, of Franklin.
WILLIAM HI. SPENCER was a blacksmith in Pochunk at the time he professed conversion. He was called to this charge in 1838, and remained for seven years and a half. He succeeded in bringing a great many into his church, and its membership was for a time the largest of any congregation in the county.
THOMAS DAVIS, who was born and educated in England, came for one year, 1846 ; and some time later supplied the pulpit on Sab- bath afternoons while he was pastor at Papakating. This excellent man, useful wherever he lived, died recently in Beverly, N. J His son, Lt. Colonel Ebenezer W. Davis, was Major of the 15th Regiment N. J. Vols.
Jons DAVIS succeeded his brother Thomas in 1847, and was here for nearly three years, when he was followed by Mr. Hope.
J. M. Hork accomplished much for this church, and with some interruptions continued his ministrations for several years. It was mainly through his endeavers that the meeting house was rebuilt, and the parsonage and lot secured. Ilis preaching was spiritual, and although fewer were brought into the church than under some others, it gained in substantial strength.
DAVID SILVER began his ministry here January 1st. 1865. He remained until 1879, when he accepted a charge near the Dela- ware River, in New York State, and afterwards another some miles from Princeton, N. J., where he died. While here his labors were successful, and one winter nearly one hundred per- sons united with his church.
CHARLES MILLINGTON was twice called to be pastor. In the the interval between his two terms of service, EDWARD D. SHULK was minister. U. B. GriscARD has recently been supplying the church.
The congregation sold their parsonage property in Upper Hamburg, and have built a more commodious house for their minister nearer their place of worship.
The FRANKLIN BAPTIST CHURCH was organized December
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11th, 1823. Its corporate members were Lucretia Rorick, Michael Rorick, Noah Hammond, Catharine Hammond, Catha- rine Clay, Clarissa Sharp, Hannah Van Wart, Mary Hammond, Spencer Scott, and Fanny Rull. They assumed the title of " The First Particular Baptist Church of Hardyston." Rev. Zelotes Grenell was Moderator at the constituting of the church, which has had some strong members, and was useful while it continued. Death made inroads among their numbers and so greatly reduced them, that the regular services ceased in December, 1853.
The house of worship, erected in 1832, was leased for ten years to the Presbyterians of the North Hardyston congregation, by whom it was remodeled and put in substantial repair. It is now used by the Franklin Reformed congregation, which was organized in 1877, and of which Rev. GILBERT S. GARRETSON is pastor.
The Catholic Church of Franklin, CHURCH OF THE IMMACU- LATE CONCEPTION, was built in 1863, under the superintendence of Rev. EDWARD MCCOSKER, who was its pastor until 1880. The house is substantially constructed of brick, thirty feet wide by seventy feet long. Rev. GEORGE A. CORRIGAN, brother of the Archbishop of New York, succeeded Mr. MeCosker, and he was followed by Rev. J. HI. IFILL, who has recently been transferred to Rahway. The congregation possesses a handsome brick par- sonage, which is finely located. The charge was divided in 1SS1, when a congregation was organized at Ogdensburg, and the Church of St. Thomas of Aquin was built.
THE CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
The Protestant Episcopal Church of Hamburg was built in 1872-73, upon a lot of land donated by the heirs of Robert A. Linn. The building is of blue lime stone, twenty-five by forty feet, with the chancel extending in the rear. The ceiling is pan- nelled with oiled wood, and a handsome memorial window to the memory of Miss Kittie Lawrence, is placed in the chancel. A large, sweet-toned bell occupies the belfry.
Rev. H. B. Stuart Martin, who was born in India, was the first
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missionary pastor. He was succeeded in 1878 by Rev. Levi Johnson.
The church was consecrated in 1880, by Bishop Starkey, of Northern New Jersey, and Bishop Quintard, of Tennessee. Rev. JOSEPH H. SMITH, formerly of St. Paul's Church, Newark, is the Rector. His ministry began in 1882. He officiates also at St. Thomas Church, in Vernon.
A handsome legacy has been left to the church for the pur- chase of a memorial organ.
The SNUFFTOWN M. E. CHURCH was built sixty years ago. Manuel Force was then Presiding Elder, and Shaw and Dandy were preachers upon the circuit. Ketcham, the carpenter, came from Warwick. Stated preaching has been maintained there ever since its erection. It has been blessed withi many seasons of revival in which the hardy dwellers on the mountain have been gathered into its fold.
CHAPTER XIII.
REGISTER OF NORTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HARDYSTON.
MINISTER ..
Edward Allen, from June, 1819, to December, 1820. Burr Baldwin, from July, 1821, to May, 1824. Nathaniel Conkling, from June, 1824, to June, 1828. Elias Riggs Fairchild, from September, 1829, to May, 1838. Joel Campbell, from May, 1838, to October, 1856. David C. Meeker, from April, 1857, to August, 1859. Goodloe Bowman Bell, from October, 1859, to Oct., 1864. Alanson Austin Haines, from July, 1865, to present time.
ELDERS.
John Linn, May, 1819, died 1821. George Buckley, May, 1819, dismissed 1837.
Thomas Beardslee, Dec., 1821, dismissed 1831. James Congleton, Dec., 1821, died 1871. Samuel Tuttle, May, 1823, died 1861. Daniel Edwards, April, 1824, dismissed 1825. Jacob Kimble, June, 1827, died 1863. Andrew Linn, June, 1827, dismissed 1848. Daniel Haines, July, 1837, died 1877. Elias L'Hommedieu, July, 1837, dismissed 1845.
Simon W. Buckley, April, 1848, dismissed. Joshua Predmore, April, 1848, dismissed.
" Samuel (). Price, February, 1866. Levi Congleton, February, 1866, dismissed 1879.
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John L. Brown, February, 1868, dismissed 1881. John E. Congleton, October, 1876, died 1879. William E. Skinner, Oct., 1876, dismissed 1878.
Charles HI. Linn, April, 1878.
* W. Ilooker Ingersoll, April, 1878.
Now in office.
CHURCH MEMBERS.
NOTE .- Those uiting upon certificate are marked thus "(."
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