USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > New Brunswick > Historical discourse delivered at the celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the First Reformed Dutch Church, New Brunswick, N.J., October 1, 1867 > Part 11
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In 1810, when Dr. Livingston removed from New-York and opened the Theological Seminary, Dr. De Witt entered it, and had the privilege of being received into the family of the Rev. Dr. Condict, and had thus an opportunity of forming an esti- mate of his character. With little of animal spirits, and, per- haps, in the depth of his humility, inclined to despondency, there was a uniform breathing of deep piety. His counsels were always wise, and marked with practical sound sense.
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His preaching, without brilliancy, was always sound, instruc- tive, and experimental. At this time, Queen's College had been revived, and he was the acting President. He stood among the most distinguished in the church for faithful and useful labors in the revival of the College. In the summer of 1811, he was seized with violent disease. During the progress of the sickness, his soul was in conflict as to his spiritual state. On the night of his death, when it was supposed he was sink- ing fast, he aroused, and spoke calmly, deliberately :" Jesus is mine, and I am his. I know whom I have believed. He giveth me the victory." On the Sabbath following the death of Dr. Condict, as the work of pulling down the old church had commenced, Dr. Livingston preached a sermon in the Presbyterian church on the text, "I AM THE GOD OF BETHEL," which was one of the most powerful he ever preached. His allusion to the cotemporaneous breaking down of the earthly tabernacle of Dr. Condict and of the church edifice wherein he had labored so long was most happy.
ADDRESS OF REV. SAMUEL M. WOODBRIDGE, D.D.
Dr. Woodbridge represented the Theological Seminary, and spoke substantially as follows :
I bring to this venerable church the salutations of the most ancient theological seminary in America. It is proper we should mingle in your festivities ; for not only have the inte- rests of the church and the school of the prophets been almost identical, but we have received from you benefits we ought and do now gratefully acknowledge in the name of genera- tions of the sons of the prophets. It is not merely that you have assisted the Seminary pecuniarily, nor that you have given two of your pastors to be its professors, but that to your solemn assembly we have been permitted to come from week to week to gain strength for the duties of life, and to express publicly to God the adoration of our spirits. For there is nothing can take the place in the Christian life of the worship of the great congregation ; no private study or meditation, no instructions in the lecture-room, no private or social prayer. It is to the house of God the Christian turns when he would
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find rest, and here he finds the special supply for the great want of his spiritual nature. Here hundreds of our ministry, perhaps the majority of those now living, have joined in praise and supplication, here have listened with gladness to the sounds of the blessed Gospel, and here have gathered around the holy supper to commemorate the dying love of the Lord, and gone away refreshed, and to carry the influences here received through all future life. I have felt for years, and the feeling increases, that we can hardly overrate the influence of the pastors of these churches upon the students who look to them as living exemplars of what, in the Seminary, can only be taught as the- ory; and I can not here forbear giving testimony (and I am sure I speak the sentiment of all who have been witnesses) to the faithfulness of that servant of Christ who yet lingers amongst us, and who for thirty years ministered to this peo- ple ; and I am sure all my brethren will agree in saying that never have we seen in him an act unbecoming a pastor over the flock of God, nor have heard from him a sentiment un- sound or unevangelical. But the church has also received great benefits from the Seminary, too great to be told. Here its professors, one after another, have preached the Word of Life. I shall never forget the impression made upon me when I first entered this house and thought of the eloquent, and venerable, and godly men who had here proclaimed the truth. It seems as if upon these walls yet lingered the echoes of their voices-the voices of Livingston, Schureman, Woodhull, De Witt, Ludlow, Cannon, Van Vranken, and McClelland. These stones may be silent, but the words of these men yet resound in living hearts.
What thoughts arise at the mention of a hundred and fifty years in connection with the history of this church! As Dr. De Witt was speaking of the death of Dr. Condict, I was led to think of the unwritten history of the Church of Christ. How little we know of the true glory of the church, buried out of our sight, seen only by the eye of God and of angels! Those deep experiences of the saints, those inward joys and griefs with which no stranger intermeddleth, those prayers with strong crying and tears, those triumphs of the soul over fear, and death, and hell-what know we of these? We see but just
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the surface of this great ocean, whose depths are penetrated by the eye of Him who searcheth all things. How glorious must have been this secret history for a hundred and fifty years !
What a work, too, has been accomplished here, a work so wonderful that the angels have gazed upon it with joy and praise ! The arrest of the sinner on the path of death, the con- viction, the illumination, the conversion, the repentance, the faith on the Son of God, the struggle against sin, the wres- tling of the soul against principalities and powers, the victory- who can doubt angels have been within these walls anxious spectators ? A greater than angels has been here in the midst of his brethren; and he also, who on the day of Pentecost came down like a rushing mighty wind, has made this place awful and this city tremble by His presence. How many of those now in their graves have been cheered and comforted here ; and this leads us to think of the close connection of the earthly and the heavenly church. The living and the dead are one in Christ, nay, the dead are the living. We have sometimes regretted that our cemeteries are being so removed from the churches. There is a beauty in the spectacle of the graves by the house of God, as if signifying that the church has not lost its interest in those reposing in the dust. They are still citi- zens in the kingdom of Christ, that glorious kingdom which disregards death, extending into the heaven of heavens, and in its vast circumference taking in the general assembly and church of the first born, and the spirits of the just made per- fect, reaching also to our poor world and embracing the mise- rable and fallen, the trembling sinners who seek refuge in Jesus.
And we are reminded, too, of the perpetuity of the church. Our fathers, where are they ? and the prophets, do they live forever? The fathers are gone, but instead of the fathers are the children. The church can not perish, because God is hier life. Human associations rise and pass away, but the society of Jesus, by a few simple appointments of her divine head, sends down her name and principles from generation to gene- ration. In her history a century and a half is but a brief period. She counts her years by thousands. Arts, codes of laws, kingdoms perish, the earth may be removed, and the
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mountains carried into the midst of the sea, but the city of God remaineth.
ADDRESS OF REV. CHARLES S. HAGEMAN, D.D.
Dr. Hageman represented the ministry that had been reared by this church. In a feeling and impressive manner he de- scribed the scene when thirty years ago he stood here and gave himself to God and to the ministry of reconciliation, and gave some interesting incidents connected with the great re- vival which shook the city and brought so many into the church, when so many of his class were converted and dedi- cated themselves to the ministry. He alluded to the ability, the fidelity, and zeal of the former pastor of this church, (Dr. How,) and to others who had preceded him, to illustrate the influence of the ministry, and to show the influence of this church ; that the fires that had been kindled upon this altar had burned upon many other altars lighted by those who had gone from this church; that by her ministry she had exerted an influence both in church and state which could not be fully known. The influence of a ministry of one hundred and fifty years was inconceivable; that such men as Frelinghuysen and Leydt had prepared the way for the establishment of our in- stitutions, and of civil and religious liberty; that they had been faithful to the cause of their country, had labored ardu- ously and successfully for God, and their country, and human- ity during the Revolution, and others with their spirit had battled nobly for truth, and justice, and liberty in the conflicts of later days, and helped to free it from oppression.
He hesitated not to affirm that the state, with her illustrious names of senators, governors, statesmen, owed more to the ministry for the welfare of the country than she would ac- knowledge.
Some of these men had lived previous to the establishment of our literary and theological institutions; before the great benevolent enterprises of the church were undertaken; they prepared the way for them, and indeed made their organiza- tion necessary.
He referred to the fact that no record had been found to in- dicate the burial-place of the first pastor of the church, as an
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illustration of the neglect with which great men are sometimes treated.
One of the striking results of the labors of some of these pastors was that many young men were induced to enter the ministry. In this respect they were worthy of our example.
He said that the influence of the ministry that had gone forth from the church was inconceivable. To have some idea of it, it would be necessary to collect together those who had been saved by them, all the kind words spoken, the hearts comforted, the minds impressed and directed; to look into the golden censer and see the prayers offered by them, to see the harvest from the good seed sown, and even to look within the vail to those redeemed and saved through this ministry. The influence of a faithful ministry was cumulative, like the rising sun culminating in noontide glory, like the flowing tide increas- ing in volume and strength until it overflows the strand.
He urged his brethren to thank God and take courage, for though ministers died and passed away, yet the Lord lived and his church would triumph.
· ADDRESS OF REV. WILLIAM H. CAMPBELL, D.D.
Dr. Campbell, President of the College, said :
I find the meaning of this day's exercises, as well as the war- rant for them, in Psalm 48 : 12-14, "Walk about Zion, and go round about her : tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following. For this God is our God forever and ever : he will be our guide even unto death."
In obedience to the command, we have walked about this Zion; we have gone round about her for the hundred and fifty years of her history, we have told her towers, marked well her bulwarks, and considered her palaces. And now in view of it all we cry, "We have thought of thy loving kindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple." "Out of Zion, the perfec- tion of beauty, God hath shined." It is emphatically a histo- ry of divine loving-kindness. And with grateful hearts and strong confidence in a covenant-keeping God this church will tell to generations following what God has done for them, and
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will assure the children and the children's children that this God, who has done all these great things for the fathers, is our God forever and ever ; he will be our guide even unto death.
And now, in a word, what has God done so signally for this church ? What are these towers, bulwarks, and palaces which he has here erected ? Let us have definite notions on this point, for indefiniteness here will be imparted to our thankful- ness, and to all the experiences and duties which are founded upon it.
And the great noteworthy fact in this history of a hundred and fifty years is this : God has made this church a uniform attestant, in doctrine and life, of the truths for the teaching of which he founded the church.
The great purpose of the founding of the church is given by Zechariah, in the fourth chapter of his prophecy. The sym- bol of the golden candlestick, with its seven branches and its seven times seven pipes for the full supply of the oil of illu- mination, teach, that the church is to shed abroad the light of divine truth in the world; and the "two anointed ones," (verse fourteen,) denoting Joshua the high-priest and Zerubbabel the king, the two official ones of the theocracy at the time of the vision, symbolize the two great doctrines of religion-the high priest Joshua symbolizing the atonement, the divinely ap- pointed sacrifice for sin ; and Zerubbabel the king symbolizing the doctrine of obedience, in other words, the sanctification of those for whom atonement had been made. These two truths are the great doctrines for the dissemination of which the church was founded. And here for a hundred and fifty years, in the pulpit and in the life of this church, these two doctrines have been uniformly, persistently, unceasingly held up to the world. Here hundreds and thousands have heard these truths, and witnessed the influence of them, and been blessed by the preaching and example. All the life of this church has been spent in exhibiting these truths and in furthering the influence of them. What church can show such a galaxy of pastors as this? They, twelve in number, from Frelinghuysen down, may be fitly called the twelve apostles of this church.
It was for the furtherance of these two great truths that Queen's, now Rutgers, College was founded. The thought of
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the College originated with Frelinghuysen, the pastor of this church, and the thought was carried out and made a fact by Dominie Leydt, Dr. Condict, Dr. Hardenbergh, and all the others. And the College was placed here rather than else- where just because this church was here, and because the Col- lege was the natural outgrowth of the life of this individual church. And whatever Rutgers College now is or may here- after become it owes, in large measure, to this church, just. as the child owes its future well being to the parent. Rev. T. J. Frelinghuysen, as I have already said, conceived the idea of the College. And you have heard from the Historical Dis- course of your pastor, delivered this day, what the pastors Leydt, Hardenbergh, Condict, and Schureman, and the others, did for it. This church gave the time of Drs. Hardenbergh and Condict as instructors in the College ; it has always given money liberally for its endowment and prosperity. On the last effort for its endowment the work began in this church. Dr. How, the pastor, presented the subject to the people on the Sabbath morning and declared that the success of the measure depended upon what the members of the Dutch churches in New-Brunswick thought of the College and did for it. He said the College must have a recommendation from our churches in New-Brunswick in form of a large subscrip- tion to endowment, or it could not succeed. Then on the next day he called on you at your houses, and you, as well as him- self, did give nobly. And as Dr. How, your pastor, and you, the people, then did, so your pastors and this people have ever done for the College from the beginning down to the present day. And all this has been done that Christ, the atoning sac- rifice for sin, and the Holy Ghost, the sanctifier for pardoned sinners, might be known, believed on, and everywhere influen- tial. And thus the great purpose for which the College was founded was to hold up these two great truths.
How great, then, the influence of this church! Dr. Thomas De Witt, a few moments since, compared that influence to a river. The figure is eminently scriptural. How beautifully and clearly is all this brought to view in Ezekiel's vision of the Holy Waters, (chapter 47.) The prophet sees waters issu- ing forth from the house of God, and they pass along at the
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south side of the altar of atonement. Now, these waters are the streams of influence for good which go forth from God's house and God's people. Their flowing forth from the sanc- tuary, and in such close proximity to the altar of burnt offer- ing, shows not only the source whence the influence comes, but also the only ground upon which any influence can be availing for good; it must stand in the closest connection with the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Mark, too, the growth of the stream. At a thousand cubits from their source the waters reach to the prophet's ankles, a thousand cubits fur- ther they reach to his knees, a thousand cubits further they reach to his loins, a thousand cubits further and the waters had become a river which the prophet could not pass over; the waters had risen and had become waters to swim in. How vast, then, the growing influence of good men! Mark, too, the effects of these constantly augmenting waters. They flow on in full stream to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Sodom-that spot which, above every other on earth, stands as the symbol of spiritual death and of the wrath of God. And as soon as the full stream reaches the desolate spot, all revives. The waters of the Dead Sea are healed, they abound with fish, and men spread their nets from town to town upon its once more thick- ly populous shores.
How striking and beautiful is this lesson of the prophet ! The influence of the church, exemplifying in teaching and life the renewing and sanctifying doctrines of Christ, shall convert the spots of earth where spiritual death reigns into a para- dise of God. Such is the history of this church which you are to tell to the generation following, assuring them that "this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even unto death."
ADDRESS OF REV. P. D. VAN CLEEF, D.D.
As we follow the history of the church of God, we seem to be tracing the course of some noble river as it rises in a clear mountain spring, and rolls on through rocky gorges and ver- dant meadows, fertilizing every land, and bearing upon its bosom rich argosies freighted with the happiness and the hopes
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of humanity. The history of each congregation resembles that of the church at large, and is marked, both in its origin and progress, by the same wonderful providences. With deep interest and devout thankfulness we have followed your be- loved pastor this morning, as he piloted us along the course of this tributary of the great river of life. We have rejoiced in the shade, and have been refreshed by the fruit of the trees that lined its banks. This stream, like the famous river of Egypt, has diverged into numerous branches, which have irri- gated many a harvest-field. One of these water-courses it has been made my pleasing duty to explore, and I bring you some of the fruits found growing in the fields it lias fertilized.
We have heard of the long line of pastors who, for the space of one hundred and fifty years, have served this church. Let me speak of those who have been converted under their minis- try, and have gone forth to perpetuate their influence. In this way we may gain some conception of the moral forces that have been developed here during five generations. The influ- ence of this church has no geographical limit. The world has been its field. The good it has done is not to be estimated by the number who have gone from this sanctuary to swell the redeemed throng before the throne of God and the Lamb. How often have angelic messengers ascended to heaven with glad tidings, as one after another, parent and child, through successive generations, has been born into this household of faith, and taken his place at the sacramental table, and become a light in the world, and a grain of salt to spread the savor of a godly life. But how grandly that idea of influence looms up when we remember that nearly fifty young men, admitted to their first communion here, have gone into the world to preach the everlasting Gospel. Some of them, doubtless, had been trained in youth under other faithful pastors ; but here they first publicly gave themselves to Christ.
It can not be out of place on this memorable day to recall the names of our brethen who, though absent in body, many of them, are with us in spirit. The following list includes only those who were received on confession of faith. . (For a list of members who have gone from this church to preach the Gospel, see Appendix V.) There are nearly as many
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more who were members by certificate at the time of their licensure ; for at one period the most of our graduates were, for the sake of convenience, licensed by the Classis of New- Brunswick.
Many of these have ceased from their labors on earth; the remainder, with a few exceptions, occasioned by age or phy- sical disability, are actively employed. Time will not permit me to speak of all these brethren and fathers. I must recall the name of one, however, who was cut off in early life. Abraham V. Wyckoff was a child of this church. Amiable, studious, and consistent, he was beloved by all. His examination for ordi- nation took place at the same time with my own, before the Classis of Greene, within the bounds of which he spent the greater portion of his ministry, which it pleased the Master to limit to six short years, when he was called to receive his crown.
And now pause and reflect upon the influence that has gone forth from this church through the sons she has given to the ministry. The average ministerial career of thirty six of these pastors is, up to this time, twenty-three years, and the aggre- gate, eight hundred and twenty-four years. They have pro- bably preached a hundred thousand sermons, and have been instrumental in bringing many others into the ministry. And yet how feeble the conception we can gain from all this of the power of a single church among the moral forces which, under Providence, control the destinies of the world.
But the sons of this church have been called to other posi- tions. Four of them have filled, and three are now occupying professorial chairs. Others have carried the Gospel to the heathen. The records of the church are adorned with the names of David Abeel, Frederick B. Thompson, and William H. Steele. These were the men who hazarded their lives for the Gospel. The first was the pioneer missionary of our church to the Chinese Empire, and the others remained and labored on the island of Borneo until the last hope of estab- lishing our mission there had expired. Yet they labored not in vain. The Dyak people were not converted and made a Christian nation, as we fondly hoped; but may we not in- dulge the pleasing thought that at least one Dyak voice shall
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at last mingle with the hundreds and thousands from China in the everlasting song of the redeemed ; that some will rise up from the Archipelago, as well as from the Celestial Empire, to bless this church, and to bless the men who carried the Gospel to benighted Asia ? Thus this church has spread like the great banyan tree of the East. A branch has stretched across the con- tinent and taken root in the fertile soil of the West. Another has reached over the ocean and rooted itself in the eastern hemisphere. These spring up, and in their turn take root again; and thus the process will go on until all the living churches of God shall have intertwined their spreading branches, and formed one vast tree of life under which the nations shall find a shelter.
It would be interesting to know by what steps God, in his providence, has conducted each of his servants into the minis- try. I can not speak for others, but may be pardoned for say- ing that, in reviewing the chain of providences that led me to become a minister, the link that I recall most distinctly was a simple question from my pastor, the Rev. Dr. How, when, a Sab- batlı-school scholar, during the precious revival of 1837, I was examined for admission to the communion of this church. He said, " Have you thought that you would like to study for the ministry ?" I could give no direct answer, but the words dropped like seed-corn in the soil of memory and reflection, and they germinated and grew into a desire, and then ripened into a purpose to preach the Gospel. Oh ! how much a faithful pastor can do, by the most simple and easy methods, to kindle a desire for usefulness in the young heart, and how great the debt of gratitude he has a right to claim from those whom he has instrumentally led into the gospel ministry. I take plea- sure to-day in recognizing this obligation to my former vene- rated pastor, to whose repeated conversations in his study I was so much indebted, when, with unwearied kindness, he in- structed me, removed my doubts and difficulties, and threw the light of wisdom and experience on my path.
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