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 8
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academical duties, the principal charge of the senior class. The labors attached to this station, in addition to his ministerial cares, proved too severe; they gradu- ally exhausted his strength, and a severe attack of pneumonia terminated in the death of one of the first characters in the church." He died in the forty-eighth year of his age, and in the twenty-fifth of his ministry, seventeen of which had been given to this congregation. His son, Daniel Harrison, whom he addressed so affec- tionately on his death bed, soon followed his father, dying August 28th, and was buried by the side of his honored parent. His beloved wife, after surviving her husband many years, a woman of sweet and amiable temper, and of an intelligent piety, was brought from the residence of her daughter in Newark, and "laid in the sepulchre in the full exercise of a holy faith that she would rise again."
The church had now been in existence ninety-four years, and Dr. Condict was the fourth pastor. They had all died while ministers of this church, and their graves are with us unto this day, a beautiful exhibition of the permanence of the pastoral relation, and of the affection existing between minister and people.
The church at this date was very much disheartened; with the loss of their pastor in the midst of rebuilding their church edifice, they felt that all was gone. But Dr. Livingston, by his counsel and encouragement, gave them new strength. He visited the sick, occupied the pulpit of the Presbyterian church at the service of this congregation in the afternoon, and stood in the place of a pastor for nearly two years. In the mean time the work of building went on, the principal amount of the labor falling upon two members of the committee, John Clark and Staats Van Deursen. The corner-stone was
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laid with appropriate ceremonies July 6th, 1811. The building was completed and occupied for the first time September 27th, 1812. The dedication sermon was preached by Dr. Livingston, from Ezekiel 43: 12: "This is the law of the house: Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house." The pews were sold on the fifth of the following January. So satisfac- tory was the whole arrangement, and with such care were the funds managed, that, on the final report of the committee to Consistory, they gave over the building into their hands free of debt, and, out of compliment, were presented with one of the square pews. The cost of the building was $16,415. The edifice was at that time one of the largest in the State, and is now the most commodious house of worship in the city. Its dimensions are ninety-four feet in length, including the tower, which projects four feet, and sixty-six feet in breadth, and will comfortably seat eleven hundred wor- shipers. This building will always attract attention, on account of its noble proportions and commanding situation, as well as from the interesting associations which it awakens. Since its erection, all the Presidents of our College have here been inaugurated, and the Professors of our Seminary, with only a single excep- tion, have here been inducted into office. Until re- cently all the commencement exercises have been held in this edifice, and hundreds of young men have looked upon it as the scene of their collegiate honors. It has stood for more than half a century in its massive pro portions, testifying to the integrity of the builders and the watchfulness of the committee. It has been twice remodeled-in 1847, by lowering the galleries, and erect- ing a new pulpit, and in 1862 by reseating and furnish ing the entire edifice.
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But, while the work of building was going on, the Consistory was not negligent of the great want of the church-a pastor. Negotiations were carried on with the trustees for two years to settle two ministers, who should hold the joint pastorate of the church and pro- fessorships in the College. But the plan was finally abandoned, and on May 25th, 1812, an urgent call was extended to the fifth pastor,
REV. JOHN SCHUREMAN, D.D.
This was a happy selection, and very pleasing to the whole congregation. He was one of their own sons, a great favorite, and universally esteemed. His ancestors had been active members of this church for more than ninety years, and were distinguished for their piety and influence. His father was Hon. James Schureman, the patriot of the Revolution, and at this time was a prominent member of the congregation ; and his mother was a descendant of the Schuyler family, who came to this town from Albany at its early settlement. His grandfather was Hon. John Schureman, after whom he was named, a merchant of this city, and frequently representing this district in the State Legislature-who was the son of Jacobus Schureman, the schoolmaster, who came from Holland with Mr. Frelinghuysen in 1720, with whom he diligently cooperated in the good work of building up the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom in this favored section of the church.
Dr. Schureman was born October 19th, 1778, near New-Brunswick, to which place his parents had resort- ed during the occupation of the city by the British army during the Revolutionary war. His religious exercises commenced in very early life, and when a
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mere youth he was often observed in the devout study of the Scriptures and prayer. In consequence of the absence of his father in the public service of the coun- try, his education devolved principally upon his aged grandfather, to whom he was much indebted for a sound religious training. Young Schureman displayed quite early those traits of character which shone so brightly through his whole life. He was cheerful and amiable in his disposition, affectionate and dutiful to his superiors, kind in his intercourse with his compa- nions, and beloved by all who knew him. He was received into the membership of this church on profes- sion of his faith, under the ministry of Dr. Condict, at the communion in April, 1797. That he was apt to learn may be inferred from the fact of his completing his literary course before he had finished his seven- teenth year, graduating from Queen's College Septem- ber 30th, 1795. After studying theology with Dr. Liv- ingston he was licensed in 1800. His first sermon was preached in the old church for Dr. Condict, and he at once gave promise of the solid, judicious minister which his subsequent life confirmed. His successive fields of labor were at Bedminster for six years, at Millstone for two and a half years, and in the Collegiate Church of New-York for two years. In the latter charge his health soon failed, and he came to New-Brunswick, suc- ceeding Dr. Condict as Vice-President of the College. But this institution was in a very depressed condition, and, in consequence of the exhausted state of its funds and other unfavorable circumstances, with all his dili- gence and ardor he was not able to restore it to its former honorable position. His love for the pulpit, and his recovered health, secured by rest from public speaking, induced him to listen to an urgent call from
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this church, and he was installed early in January, 1813. But the flattering prospects of usefulness which now opened before him were speedily disappointed; he soon found that his cherished wish to preach the Gospel was to be denied him, and in June of the same year he resigned his charge, and, in consequence of frequent hemorrhages of the lungs, he very seldom after this entered the pulpit.
The disappointment of the people was very great. He was a finished scholar and a Christian gentleman, That this church was attached to him may be seen in the fact that he had been unanimously called as a col- league with Dr. Condict in 1809, that he might devote more of his attention to the college, which call he de- clined in order to accept the invitation from New- York; and, while the actual pastor of this church, they not only relieved him of much of the burden of the ministry, but importuned him to remain in his official connection with the congregation, in hopes that a return of health would enable him to assume the full duties of a pastor. And they had reason to love him, for he was truly one of the excellent of the earth. In his subsequent intercourse with the people he was a most judicious and kind counselor, and his influence went far toward healing the unhappy division which arose during the ministry of his successor. Few men understood human nature better than he did, and no man could have been possessed of a heart more affectionate. As a preacher, he was sound in the faith, clear in his method of ar- rangement, simple and concise in his style, earnest and impressive in his delivery, tender in the very tones of his voice, not frequent but appropriate in his gesticula- tion, and would leave upon the minds of his hearers the impression that he had in his own soul a deep con-
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viction of the truth that he uttered, and was pervaded by an earnest desire that they should receive profit under his ministrations. That he did not arrest the attention by any bold and striking figures, or move his hearers by pathetic appeals to the passions, was un- doubtedly true; but he won his way to the heart by preaching Christ in a method so distinct, and with a manner so fervid, that it is no wonder that he became one of the most useful and popular ministers of his day. One of our ministers* writes: "He was my beau ideal of a man, a minister, and a preacher. Well do I re- member how he charmed my heart by his solemnity and suavity." Another,t who knew him well, remarks : "I may be thought to exaggerate his merits, but it is difficult to hold the pencil steadily when portraying a man. so uncommonly amiable. You loved him even upon a first interview, and you could not withhold your love after it was bestowed .. It seems but as yesterday," he adds, "when the venerable Dr. Livingston, in an address at the funeral of the deceased junior professor, turning to the theological students, said, 'My children, you will not, you can not forget your dear Schureman.'"
After his resignation of the pastorate of this church he was elected, October, 1815, a Professor of Ecclesias- tical History and Pastoral Theology in the Seminary, and died in that office May 15th, 1818. His grave is in the yard near that of Dr. Condict, the fifth of your deceased pastors, beneath a monument erected by Gen- eral Synod. At a meeting of that body, a short time after his death, the sentiments of the whole church were expressed in the following action : "The death of the late professor, Dr. John Schureman, is an event
* Dr. I. N. Wyckoff.
+ Dr. Gabriel Ludlow.
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which, however it may have been his incalculable gain, is deeply to be deplored by us. So amiable were his manners, so undoubted his piety, so acceptable his ser- vices, and so flattering were his prospects as to his use- fulness in the church, that we can not but mourn that such a man is removed from our institution." It was also provided that a plain tombstone be erected over his grave, with a suitable inscription declaring the im- portant station he occupied in the church, and the esteem which this body will long cherish for one whose praise was in all the churches.
The resignation of Dr. Schureman was followed by a short vacancy. October 2d, 1813, the church, with great unanimity, called, as the sixth pastor,
REV. JESSE FONDA.
He was born in the town of Watervliet, Albany county, N. Y., April 27th, 1786. He made a profes- sion of his faith in the Reformed Dutch Church of the Boght, and graduated from Union College, in 1806, in the same class with Dr. C. C. Cuyler and the Hon. John C. Spencer. His theological studies were pursued un- der the direction of ministers of our church, and he was licensed by the North Consociation of Hartford County. His first settlement was at Nassau, N. Y., where he labored with all the enthusiasm of a young pastor, and in which place his ministry is still remem- bered as one of great prosperity and usefulness. He removed to this city and commenced his labors in the month of November.
This church had suffered much for the want of pastoral supervision, Dr. Schureman's feeble health having pre- vented him from doing much active work in the congre-
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gation. Mr. Fonda found a large amount of labor upon his hands, and, blessed with a vigorous constitution and great energy of character, he gave himself fully to this ministry. He was systematic in his labors and intense- ly active. About this time an unhappy controversy commenced in the church in reference to the hour for holding the afternoon service on the Sabbath, which continued to disturb the peace of the church for a num- ber of years, and was the ultimate ground of his remo- val. The pastor and city portion of the charge desired a change to three o'clock, but the more distant members of the congregation were in favor of the plan which had been the established usage of the church. At one time the difficulty had grown to such proportions that the plan of a new organization was proposed. The matter in controversy was carried before Classis, who recommended, through a committee, the formation of two new churches, one to be located at Three Mile Run, the second at Milltown or on George's road. It would, no doubt, have been to the interest of the denomina- tion had this plan been carried out, and these churches organized in a spirit of harmony and with a desire to extend the Redeemer's kingdom.
But the existence of this controversy was not so absorbing as to divert the attention from spiritual in- terests. During the ministry of Mr. Fonda there was a healthy growth of the church, and at one communion twenty-eight persons made a public profession of their faith. The total number of communicants received into the church was one hundred and seven.
Mr. Fonda was dismissed from this congregation July 3d, 1817, in order that he might accept a call from the Reformed Dutch Church, of Montgomery-at that time, as at present, one of the most intelligent and flourish-
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ing congregations in our body. He preached his last sermon on the 28th of the month from the text, " Cast- ing all your care upon him, for he careth for you.". By request of his numerous friends the sermon was pub- ยท lished, and it exhibits, with great tenderness, the doc- trine of " confidence in God in the day of trouble." It is inscribed to his personal friends Drs. Livingston and Schureman, and to the reverend clergy of New-Bruns- wick, " brethren who dwell together in unity."
Mr. Fonda continued at Montgomery in the faithful discharge of his duties until his death in 1827. Few ministers excelled him as a preacher. He had a full, sonorous voice, well modulated, and would draw atten- tion by the pleasantness of his countenance. He pre- pared his sermons with great care, writing them out in full and then preaching from memory. He never paused for a word, but carried his hearers along in a train of rapid argument or pungent appeal to the close of his discourse. Dr. Livingston regarded him as one of our most finished ministers. It is said that he greatly excelled on extraordinary occasions. His min- istry occupied the important period of our last war with England. The public mind in this section of the country was intensely agitated, and seizing hold of these important national occurrences he enforced with great power the lessons of religion as taught by "the signs of the times." His sermon, preached April 13th, 1815, on the occasion of the close of the conflict, enti- tled "Thanksgiving for Peace," produced a wonderful sensation. This large building was crowded to its ut- most capacity, while he discoursed with great eloquence upon the passage, "Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O
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daughter of Jerusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy judgments." (Zephaniah 3: 14, 15.)
In 1814, Mr. Fonda was chosen a member of the Board of Trustees of Queen's College; and at the an- nual meeting of General Synod in Albany, June, 1823, he was chosen the President of that body. He has left, in his work on the Sacraments, a very fair reputation for authorship, which deserves to be reproduced from the press and given a wide circulation.
Mr. Fonda left here in the summer of 1817. In the graduating class of that year there was a young man, a member of this church, of fine abilities and of great promise, to whom all eyes were immediately directed. It was not necessary for him to preach as a candidate, for every one knew him, and so urgent was the Consis- tory that, even before he received his license, a commit- tee waited upon him with an informal presentation of a call. This student, who became the next pastor of the church of New-Brunswick, was
REV. JOHN LUDLOW, D.D.
His calls bears the date of September 17th, 1817, fifty years ago. The first invitation he declined, but on its renewal he accepted the charge with the under- standing that he was not expected to preach but once on the Sabbath during the first year, and be released from all pastoral labor. It is said that he broke through these conditions almost immediately, for he was a faith- ful pastor, and in the pulpit a Boanerges. Some of you remember him as he appeared when he first came among you, and the interest that was awakened in the church by having for their pastor a young man fresh
.
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from our Theological Seminary. His ministry, however, was short. Only two years after his settlement he re- ceived an appointment to a professorship in the Theo- logical Seminary, which he felt constrained to accept, and was accordingly released from his pastoral charge.
His character and history are well understood in this community, where the last years of his life were spent in the education of young men for the ministry. After spending four years as professor under his first appoint- ment by General Synod, he returned to the pulpit, for which he had special qualifications, and was for eleven years the pastor of the North Church of Albany, at that time, as at present, the first in position and influ- ence in the Synod of Albany. In 1834, he accepted the position of Provost in the University of the City of Phil- adelphia, which office he held for eighteen years; and only resigned that he might obey the will of the Gen- eral Synod in his election to the Professorship of Eccle- siastical History, Pastoral Theology, and Church His- tory in our Seminary, succeeding the venerable Pro- fessor Cannon, which position he filled with great ability until his death, September 8th, 1857. His grave is among the group of pastors and professors in the yard at the left of the pulpit.
Dr. Ludlow, as a man, a minister, and a Christian, was universally esteemed. The confidence which was reposed in him by the church is sufficiently indicated by his election at five different periods to professorships in our institutions. In the Northern Synod no minister exerted so wide an influence. If a church building was to be dedicated, or a corner-stone laid, or an in- stallation sermon preached, the services of Dr. Ludlow were solicited. In his early ministry in this church he developed rapidly, and soon exhibited all those traits of
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character which distinguished him in after-life. Says one of his early students : " We loved him as a preacher. He elucidated his texts fairly, strongly, with dignity, and as one ever under a sense of God's requirements. His subjects were rich and diversified. He loved what he used to call a good fat text, one full of Gospel truth and bearing on men's hearts and conscience." His brother remarks that "his strength as a preacher lay very much in his manner; in the fire of his eye; in the expression of his countenance-an expression very varied and corresponding very fully with his varied emotions ; in the stentorian tones of his voice-a voice that easily filled the largest buildings ; in his strong and well-placed emphasis; in his forcible gesticulation; in his positive, authoritative, confident manner." A most admirable analysis of his character was given by Dr. Bethune, who knew him well. Based on the thought that his leading quality was strength, he presents Dr. Ludlow as a man, "strong in person, strong in voice, strong in intellect, strong in will, strong in affections."
His activity in carrying forward all the great mea- sures of our church is deserving of high praise. And the noble result of his last labors for the church he loved-the Theological Hall-stands before us to-day as a monument to his memory. All those traits of cha- racter which distinguished him in after life he displayed at the commencement of his ministry, and while he was yet the pastor of this church. And it is not surpris- ing that they yielded to the will of General Synod with extreme reluctance, and "a general murmur arose through the congregation not easily or soon hushed."
The resignation of Dr. Ludlow left this church va- cant for the third time in the short space of six years. Rev. Gabriel Ludlow, the brother of the late pastor,
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was now called, but declined the invitation. The pul- pit was supplied by the professors in the Seminary for about one year, during which period the, attention of the Consistory was directed to another young student, who graduated from the institution in the first class under the instruction of their former minister ; and on January 21st, 1821, there was called, as the eighth pastor of this church,
REV. ISAAC FERRIS, D.D.
Dr. Ferris was installed pastor of the church on the third Thursday in April, 1821. Early in May, Rev. Samuel B. How, D.D., commenced his labors in the Presbyterian church, of which he was installed the pas- tor the 13th of June .* April 13th, Rev. G. S. Webb, D.D., became the minister of the Baptist church. It is a striking coincident that these three New-Brunswick pastors, all in early manhood, entered upon their work in this city the same spring, and it is not necessary to remark that the intimate relation then formed has con- tinued unbroken until the present. It is a pleasing feature of our anniversary that these servants of the Lord are all still living, with memories reaching back to their labors in this city. Two have their homes with us, spending the close of life among the people to whom they ministered for near a generation, and the other is in the discharge of active duties. As the
* The following have been pastors of the First Presbyterian Church : Rev. Gilbert Tennent, (1726-'43;) Rev. Thomas Arthur, (?) (1746-'51;) Rev. Israel Reed, (1768-'86;) Rev. Walter Monteith, (1786-'94 ;) Rev. Joseph Clark, D.D., (1797-1813 ;) Rev. Levi J. T. Huntington, 1815-'20; Rev. Samuel B. How, D.D., (1821-'23;) Rev. Joseph H. Jones, D.D., (1825-'38;) Rev. Robert Birch, (1839-'42;) Rev. Robert Davidson, D.D., (1843-'59;) Rev. Howard Crosby, D.D., (1861-'62 ;) Rev. William T. Beatty, (1863-'67,) and at present without a pastor.
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senior ex-pastor of this church, with great propriety the committee have solicited from him the favor, and the congregation will enjoy the pleasure, of listening to the closing address of our anniversary from one who, forty- six years ago, was set apart to the work of the ministry within these walls by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.
November 10th, 1821, there was received into the membership of the church, on profession of his faith, a young man, in the seventeenth year of his age, who subsequently became one of the most devoted of our foreign missionaries-David Abeel. His father was a man of great moral integrity and of remarkable energy of character; while his mother, Jane Hassert, was a woman of uncommon amiability of temper and of de- voted piety. There were beautifully blended in the character of young Abeel great firmness of purpose, a quick intellect, and an unusual development of gentle- ness and affection. He was one of those men who drew toward him the warmest esteem and admiration; and, when grace gave him a new heart, he was of all others the one whose soul would overflow with commiseration for the perishing heathen, and who was ready to conse- crate himself to a work which demanded the most he- roic sacrifices, and which he continued to prosecute with untiring devotion to the close of his life. The interest with which he was regarded by all those who knew him, as well as indicating one element of his strength, is sufficiently attested by the uniform name which he bore of "the beloved Abeel." His early death, at the age of forty-two, filled the whole Church with mourn- ing; for well she knew that such men are rare-men of similar faith and ardor, and of entire consecration to the cause of God and man. It is an honor to have
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