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 9
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upon our church-rolls the name of such a man, and to have sent forth into the Gospel ministry and into the heathen world David Abeel.
In addition to Dr. Abeel, there were six young men from this congregation who consecrated themselves to God in the work of the ministry, and who united with the church by profession during the ministry of Dr. Ferris. The whole number of additions to the church during the period under review was seventy-eight by profession and twenty-seven by certificate, and of the whole number, one hundred and five, only seven are now in communion with us.
The pastoral relation between Dr. Ferris and this congregation was dissolved in October, 1824, when he removed to Albany and was installed over the Second Reformed Dutch Church of that city, succeeding Dr. John De Witt, who had recently assumed the Profes- sorship of Biblical Criticism, Ecclesiastical History, and Pastoral Theology in our Seminary. The successive fields of labor occupied by Dr. Ferris were, in Albany twelve years; in the Market Street Church, of New- York, twelve years; and, since 1852, as the Chancellor of the University of New-York, in which honorable position may he long be spared to serve the cause of education and advance the interests of the Redeemer's kingdom.
Forty-three years ago, when the ministry of Dr. Fer- ris terminated, New-Brunswick was an ancient town. Those who were then familiar with the city would now recognize only a few things which have not passed through changes, and the inhabitants with whom he was then familiar would no longer be seen in our streets. The population, numbering about four thou- sand five hundred, lived between New street at the south,
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Somerset street at the north, and George street at the west, with a few families on the outskirts of the town. This building, without a steeple, had stood for twelve years, and at the time of its erection it was thought that it would be too far distant from the centre of pop- ulation, as at that time only a few families were living further west.' About one half of the congregation were from the country, and of the city charge about fifty families resided in Burnet street, thirty in Church, in Water and Albany streets there were forty, and the balance were living in Neilson, New, Peace, and Hiram streets. All that portion of the city beyond George, New, and Somerset streets was out of town. The Col- lege was standing in an unfinished condition on quite a barren hill. The grounds now occupied by the Semi- nary and the beautiful residences beyond were desolate in the extreme, presenting the remains of the old forti- fication of the British army during the Revolution. The Presbyterian congregation was worshiping in their second edifice, fronting Paterson street, a short distance below the present site. Dr. How had preached his last sermon in this church October 5th, 1823, to accept a call in the city of Savannah, and they were now va- cant. The first building of the Baptist church was standing on the spot now occupied by the depot, sur- rounded by a cemetery of about one acre, where they continued to worship until 1837, when the property was sold and the present edifice erected." There was
* This society was connected with the church at Piscataway for several years, the pastor serving both congregations. The first church edifice was completed in 1812, and the church organized September 21st, 1816. The following have been pastors : Rev. James McLaughlin, (1812-17,) Rev. John Johnson, (1818-19,) Rev. G. S. Webb, D.D., (1821-43,) Rev. George R. Bliss, D.D., (1843-49,) Rev. Shobel S. Parker, (1850-52,) Rev. George W. Kempton, (1852-57,) Rev. Thomas R. Howlett, (1858-59,) and Rev. Mor- timer S. Riddell, D.D., since 1860.
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only one Methodist church, in Liberty street, built in 1811. A trip to Philadelphia was an event to be plan- ned some weeks before the undertaking, and a journey to New-York and return consumed two days.
The successor of Dr. Ferris, and the ninth pastor, was
REV. JAMES B. HARDENBERGH, D.D.
He was called April 2d, 1825, and was the second minister of this name who held the pastoral office in this church. He was born in Ulster county, N. Y .; graduated from Union College in 1821, and from our Theological Seminary in 1824; immediately after which he was installed Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church, of Helderberg, in the county of Albany. He was holding this position when the Consistory of this church presented him an urgent call through one of their deacons, Mr. H. H. Schenck. He remained in connec- tion with this church until December, 1829, discharg- ing his duties with great fidelity and success, in order that he might accept an invitation to labor in a new enterprise in Orchard street, New-York City, from whence he removed to Rhinebeck for six years, to the First Church, of Philadelphia, for four years, and thence to the North-West Church, in New-York, for fourteen years.
The property on which our church edifice stands was enlarged, in the years 1823 and 1825, by the purchase of two lots of forty-three feet front on Bayard and Paterson streets, with a depth along the alley of two hundred and forty-four feet, at a cost of $395.50. The first lecture-room owned by the congregation was erected in 1826, on the corner of the alley and Bayard street, at an expense of $1468. All the weekly services of
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the church were held, up to this date, in the Lancaste- rian school-room in Schureman street. The church edi- fice was still further improved by the erection of a steeple in the year 1827, under the direction of three very efficient members of the congregation, Staats Van Deursen, Matthew Egerton, and Peter Spader. The amount expended was $2725.
On our list of church members received during the ministry of Dr. Hardenbergh I find the name of that excellent missionary, Rev. Frederick B. Thompson. Through the influence of his pastor he was induced to commence a course of preparation for the gospel min- istry. His missionary life commenced September 17th, 1838, when he reached Singapore, on his way to the island of Borneo, where he spent several years labor- ing with great industry and devotion for the cause of Christ among the benighted Dyaks. His course was soon finished. He died in the city of Berne, Switzer- land, January 17th, 1848, in the thirty-ninth year of his age, "just at a time when his great usefulness be- came apparent, and at a peculiar crisis, when the church most needed his labors. Had he lived," adds his bio- grapher, "to the ordinary age of man, he would, un- doubtedly, have stood among the very first missionaries of his age." In a commemorative discourse, preached in this church after the news of his death had reached America, Dr. How remarked, "The life of our departed brother has been short, but it has not been in vain; and we doubt not but that, hundreds of years hence, the name of Frederick B. Thompson will be pro- nounced in Borneo with blessings upon it." The mem- ory of this godly man is still precious in our church, and it was a privilege in the pastor to have received him into her communion.
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Dr. Hardenbergh's resignation was not accepted until repeated efforts had been made to retain his services; but, under a conviction of duty, he was constrained to leave an established and prosperous church for a new enterprise in the city of New-York.
The last three pastors of this church, Drs. Ludlow, Ferris, and Hardenbergh, were young men, educated in our own Seminary, and called to exercise the work of the ministry at a most interesting period in the his- tory of the church. They lived at a time when all the great benevolent institutions of the age were set in operation, and the Kingdom of Christ was organized for more efficient activity against the kingdom of dark- ness. They all identified themselves with the promi- nent schemes of Christian benevolence, and aided in carrying forward the plans of religious enterprise.
The date of the reorganization of our College occurred during this period. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees in May, 1825, a committee was appointed to increase the endowment of the institution, so that its literary department might be revived and the machi- nery of education set in full. operation. Rev. Jesse Fonda was chairman of the committee, and Rev. J. Lud- low and an elder of this church, Jacob R. Harden- bergh, were members. The plan was successful, and so promptly was the effort responded to throughout the church that, at an adjourned meeting of General Synod, held in September following, the gratifying report was made that subscriptions for a third professorship to the amount of $26,000 had been obtained, principally within the bounds of the Synod of Albany, and ar- rangements were made for the revival of the College. At the same time the name of the institution was changed from Queen's to Rutgers, in honor of a noble
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Revolutionary patriot, a liberal contributor to its funds, and a distinguished elder in the church. Since that period the College and Theological Seminary, which have given such distinction to our city, have in- creased in prosperity and usefulness, until, by the mu- nificent endowments recently procured, they have been placed on a substantial foundation, and have obtained a position of great prominence among the institutions of our land.
January 20th, 1825, an event occurred in the congre- gation which clothed not only this church but the whole denomination in mourning. I refer to the death of the venerable Professor Dr. John H. Livingston. He was a resident of this city and a member of the con- gregation for fifteen years, and during all this period he was the honored head of our institutions and the acknowledged leader of all religious enterprises. Dr. Livingston was a man of mark in every position he oc- cupied, the observed of all observers. Many things in this city remind us of him. The name of one of our most beautiful streets is called after him, Livingston Avenue. The seat which he always occupied in this sanctuary was at the head of the elders' pew, with a form erect even amid the infirmities of age, and an attention that never wandered for a moment. This building re- minds us of him. He laid the corner-stone with an appropriate address, and, when it was completed, he preached the dedication sermon. He presided at the ordination of pastors ; during the time of vacancy was chairman of meetings of Consistory, and directed the affairs of the congregation ; he offered consolation to the people on the death or removal of their ministers, and stood himself in the room of a shepherd. It was re- garded as a great privilege to hear him preach, and
to
fil
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communion Sabbaths in the church of New-Brunswick always drew a large congregation ; for the duty devolved upon him, by the courtesy of pastors, to take the promi- nent place in the services. And it is said that, while he was always excellent, on these occasions he was supe- rior. The subject in which he most delighted was Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant, and at the Table of the Lord he would grasp the doctrine of the cross with a comprehensiveness which was peculiar to him- self, and present it in a manner so adapted to his theme that all hearts would melt in the presence of Infinite Love.
Dr. Livingston's sudden death was almost like a translation. On the day preceding he had delivered an important lecture in the institution, and, retiring to rest at the usual hour, during the night he was received into the glory of the Lord, at the ripe age of seventy- nine years. His funeral was attended in this building by an immense concourse of people, and an address de- livered by Dr. Milledoler. A commemorative sermon was preached on a subsequent Sabbath by Dr. John De Witt, and by request of the Consistory was pub- lished. His monument is in our churchyard, beneath which his precious dust is resting until the resurrection into life eternal.
It is forty-two years since this noble man was taken from the church, and yet the impressions left upon the minds of hundreds in our city are as vivid as if they had met him in our streets only yesterday. Indeed, not one who saw him in the pulpit could ever forget him. His clerical dress of the old style; his tall, erect, digni- fied form ; his deliberate but elastic step; his counte- nance so regular, with a blended expression of benignity and intelligence; his tones of voice so full, varied, and
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flowing; his style animated, tender, colloquial, often sublime, would arrest the attention of the youngest hearer. I have heard descriptions of him, most accu- rate, from persons who at the time of his death were mere children. There must have been something pe- culiar about him to stamp on the mind an impression which is so permanent. "As a preacher," writes Dr. Sprague, "he was among the most prominent of his day; his sermons teemed with the richest evangelical truth, presented in the most luminous way, and in a style of delivery impressive, majestic, and yet singularly unique. He was for many years recognized as the patriarch of the Dutch Church, and his memory is embalmed in the gratitude and veneration of the whole church."
The General Synod immediately made choice of Rev. Philip Milledoler, D.D., one of the ministers of the Collegiate Church in New-York, as the successor of Dr. Livingston in the chair of Didactic Theology, and at the same time he was appointed President of Rutgers College. This position he filled for fifteen years, during which time he was a constant attendant upon the ser- vices of this church, occupying one of the square pews, at the head of which he always sat, giving devout and reverent attention to the preaching of the word.
Dr. Milledoler was a most useful and excellent man, and at one period of his life his services were sought by some of the most important congregations in New- York and Philadelphia. In the latter city, as the suc- cessor of Rev. John Blair Smith, in the Pine Street Church, his ministry was eminently successful, and for several years it was blessed by an almost uninterrupted revival. Previous to the organization of Princeton Seminary, the Presbytery of New-York appointed him
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the instructor of students in theology, and he had the honor of sending out into the ministry several useful and well-prepared young men. Dr. Sprague has fur- nished us with the following picture of the man, the correctness of which will be recognized by all who knew him: "Dr. Milledoler was a man of rather more than the medium height, well-proportioned, with a grave countenance, dignified manners, and good pow- ers of conversation. His mind, naturally of a superior mould, was well-disciplined and well-stored. His Chris- tian character was marked by great consistency and a uniformly fervent devotion. His sermons were always highly evangelical, and delivered with a marked viva- city and unction that could scarcely fail to command attention. But nothing pertaining to him was, so un- mistakable as his prayers; it seemed as if he were literally speaking to his Father in heaven face to face ; simplicity, tenderness, fullness, freedom, and variety were their leading characteristics."".
We are brought, in the progress of our narrative, to the year 1829. Rapid changes had taken place in the ministry of this church. Dr. Ludlow had hardly be- come acquainted with his people when the General Synod called him to the Seminary; Dr. Ferris has only commenced his work when Albany calls him to the va- cant pulpit of Dr. DeWitt; and Dr. Hardenbergh is induced to accept a new field of labor in the city of New-York after serving this church for about four years. It is not to be disguised that these short pastor- ates were very unfavorable to the real interests of the church. Frequent occurrence of vacancies interrupted the steady progress of religious work, and agitated the congregation with the natural anxiety respecting a suc- cessor. It is almost surprising that the selections were
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made with such a spirit of unanimity, and that this large church so soon rallied around these young men sent to them by the Lord of the vineyard.
The period of vacancy was short. Dr. Hardenbergh's resignation took effect in December, 1829, and only two months subsequent, namely, on February 23d, 1830, a unanimous call was extended to the tenth pastor,
REV. JACOB J. JANEWAY, D.D.
He had previously been called to the Presbyterian church in this city, as the successor of Dr. Joseph Clark, in 1814, which invitation he declined. Previous to his settlement over this congregation he had occupied some of the most prominent positions in the Presbyte- rian Church, and at the date of his call had just resigned the Professorship of Theology in the Western Theolo- gical Seminary, at Alleghany, Pa. He was not installed until May 26th, though he assumed the charge of the pulpit early in the spring. The church now felt that they had secured a pastor of middle age, who would long remain among them, and give his ripe experience and sound instruction to the upbuilding and establish- ment of the congregation. He came to this city with a well-furnished mind, a large stock of experience, tho- roughly orthodox in his sentiments, and at once, though he had spent his whole ministerial life in the Presbyte- rian Church, identified himself with all the interests of our denomination. Indeed, he was only returning to his first home. His parents were members of the Col- legiate Church, in New-York, into whose communion he also was received on confession of his faith after graduating from Columbia College. His theological studies were pursued under the direction of Dr. Liv-
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ingston, for whom he cherished an unbounded rever- ence, first as his pastor, then as his instructor, and through life as his cherished friend. The College testi- fied their confidence in him by electing him a member of their Corporation, and the General Synod by elevat- ing him to the Presidency of that body in 1833.
About the time of his settlement the plan of organ- izing a church at Middlebush was agitated, and pre- liminary measures taken to carry it into effect. A memorial was drawn up with great care by that por- tion of the congregation residing in this district and laid before the Consistory. The commissioners were Henry V. Demott and Frederick J. Van Liew. They argue in this paper the importance of establishing a church not only in that immediate neighborhood, but also on George's Road. The Consistory encouraged the movement, and by immediate resolution proposed to give, as their subscription, the parsonage lot of three acres on Somerset and Hamilton streets. Dr. Janeway was a warm advocate of this measure, and although it was not carried into effect during his ministry, yet he regarded the enterprise as essential to the prosperity of the church; and, marking the indisposition of the people to leave his ministry, in a spirit of great self-sacrifice he immediately determined to resign his charge, hoping that this important plan would soon be accomplished.
The expectation of the church that the ministry of Dr. Janeway would be of long continuance was to be disappointed. The extent of the congregation, the amount of labor incident to a great country as well as city charge, and the need of an immediate organization in some part of this extensive field, induced him to seek from the Classis a dissolution of the pastoral relation, which was effected February 24th, 1831, after serving the church only one year.
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After a short residence in the city of New-York, Dr. Janeway returned to New-Brunswick, and in 1833 was called to the Vice-Presidency of the College, and to the Professorship of Belles Lettres and the Evidences of Christianity, which positions he filled with eminent ability until his resignation in 1839.
He died at his residence in Livingston Avenue on Sabbath evening, June 27th, 1858, in the eighty-fourth year of his age; a man greatly beloved for his many virtues, and of distinguished position in the church. It was a sentiment to which this entire community re- sponded, uttered at his funeral by his intimate friend Dr. Hodge, “ After a life devoted with singular simpli- city of purpose to the service of his Master, he descends to the grave with a reputation without a blot, followed by the benedictions of hundreds and by the respectful affection of thousands. A long, prosperous, happy, and useful life has been crowned with a truly Christian death."
The resignation of Dr. Janeway in the winter of 1831 again left this church vacant. After making an effort to secure the services of Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, and having the pulpit supplied by Rev. Henry Hermance for about six months, the choice of the church, as the eleventh pastor, was my immediate predecessor,
REV. SAMUEL B. HOW, D.D.
Dr. How was born in the city of Burlington; gradu- ated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1811; was licensed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1813 ; first pastor for two years of the church of Salisbury, Pa .; then five years of the church of Trenton, N. J .; then two years as the minister of the First Presbyterian Church of
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this city; then for seven years pastor of the Indepen- dent Church of Savannah; and after laboring for a short time as President of Dickinson College, Pa., and also in a new enterprise in New-York, he was called to this church May 18th, 1832.
You have now followed me to a period in the history of our church within the recollection of nearly every middle-aged man. The pastor who now filled this pul- pit is still living, and the time has not yet come to form an estimate of character or to sum up the record of re- sults. The briefest statement of facts occurring within the next thirty-five years will be all that is expected pre- vious to closing our narrative.
The period that now comes under review may be re- garded as the era of church extension and revivals. In both of these departments there has been an advance beyond that of any preceding period. In regard to the muliplication of churches, the following facts will arrest attention : Of the ten organizations now consti- tuting the Classis of New-Brunswick, when Dr. How commenced his ministry, only two, in addition to our own, were in existence-the churches of Six Mile Run and Hillsborough. The original Classis, numbering four- teen churches and eleven ministers, extended from Mid- dletown, in Monmouth county, to Lebanon in Hunterdon, and embraced also three churches still farther north, in Orange county, N. Y. Now, within the same territory we have three Classes, thirty-four churches, with a body of forty ministers. That we have multiplied to the ex- tent that we should in all parts of the field is not to be presumed, and the question should press upon us whe- ther we ought not to stretch abroad the curtains of our habitation.
Almost the first act after the settlement of Dr. How
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was the organization of the long talked of church in the country portion of his charge. Once more the sub- ject came before the Consistory in a memorial from that part of the congregation residing in the vicinity of Mid- dlebush, and an earnest resolution was adopted that the time had now fully come in which to arise and build. The concurrence of the surrounding churches having been secured, by an act of Classis the Reformed Dutch Church of Middlebush" was organized March 17th, 1834, by a committee consisting of Rev. Messrs. Jacob I. Shultz, H. L. Rice, and A. D. Wilson. That church has always been looked upon with interest as our own enterprise, and nothing affords the old First more joy than to learn of their prosperity. And to-day we offer our congra- tulations that, under the administration of her young pastor, she is assuming new vigor, and is beautifying the sanctuary of the Lord.
It pleased God, in the year 1837, to pour out his Spirit in a remarkable manner upon New-Brunswick, and bless this church with a revival of religion such as is seldom enjoyed. The work of grace commenced in the Baptist church some time in the month of March, and soon spread through all the other congregations. Of this re- vival, two interesting narratives were published at the time in the religious newspapers ; one by Dr. Jones, pas- tor of the Presbyterian church, and the other by Dr. How, giving a detailed account of the work in his own charge. In respect to this congregation Dr. How states that "for several years previous it had been peaceful and prosperous, and had steadily improved in its spirit- ual interests." Two events are spoken of in the nar-
* The pastors settled at Middlebush have been Rev. J. I. Shultz, (1834-38,) Rev. John A. Van Doren, (1838-66,) and Rev. George W. Swain, the present pastor.
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