USA > New Jersey > Union County > Elizabeth > History of Elizabeth, New Jersey : including the early history of Union County > Part 53
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The Christian's, Scholar's, and Farmer's Magazine, Calculated, in an eminent degree, To promote Religion, to disseminate useful Knowledge, to afford literary Pleasure and Amusement, and To advance the Interests of Agriculture. By a Number of Gentlemen.
The first No. was for " April and May, 1789." It was " printed at E. Town, by Shepard Kollock, one of the Pro- prietors." It was conducted with more than ordinary ability. Its articles were mostly brief, instructive, entertaining, in good style and taste, and well adapted to interest and profit the reader. At the close of the first year, it was spoken of as a success, and was continued through the second year.
Mr. Kollock, about this time, was induced to enter largely into the publishing business, and the character of the works issued from his press would indicate that his pastor exerted a powerful and healthful influence over him, at least in the matter of suggestion. Among these were "Sermons to children,"-" Edwards' Narrative of the Surprising Work of God, 1735," - " Chapman on Baptism," - "Dr. Watts' Psalms,"-"Dickinson's Five Points,"-and similar works.
Mr. Austin began, in 1790, the publication, by subscription, of "The American Preacher," a serial, containing some of the choicest discourses of living American divines, without respect to denomination. The first two volumes were issued Jan. 1, 1791, the 3d volume, Aug. 1791, and the 4th volume, in 1793. Other gentlemen were associated with him in the enterprise, but it was his work almost wholly-begun and carried forward by him.
As early as Jan. 1, 1791, when the first two volumes made their appearance, Mr. Austin had begun to take an interest in prophetic studies. Nor was he singular in this respect. Everywhere, under the inspiration of the wonderful move -. ments of Divine Providence, men were studying the prophe- cies and applying them to the remarkable events of the period in which they lived. The pulpit resounded with earnest utterances, on the downfall of Babylon, and the
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speedy coming of the Millennial Reign of Christ and his Saints. The press was continually sending forth treatises, small and great, on the same fruitful, and, to many, fascinat- ing theme. In pursuing the study of these sublime and mysterious oracles, Mr. Austin was but gracefully yielding to the current that was sweeping everything beforeit. With his excitable temperament, his irrepressible activity, and his glowing imagination, it would have been strange, if he had escaped the contagion of the day-if he had not entered upon the study of the sacred prophets with his whole heart.
The rapid march of events in the old world, resulting in such mighty revolutions, both in Church and State, during the next two or three years, was interpreted by Mr. Austin and others, both in Europe and America, as indicative of the near approach of "the time of the end." In the spring of 1793, he preached a remarkable discourse, first to his own church, and then, on the evening of the Lord's Day, April 7th, at New York, that produced a profound sensation. This discourse, " delivered from short notes," he afterwards wrote out, amplified, and illustrated with numerous citations. It was printed by Mr. Kollock, and made its appearance, May 1, 1794, with this title :-
The Downfall of Mystical Babylon; or, A Key to the Providence of God, in the Political Operations of 1793-4.
In connection with this sermon, he republished the Rev. Dr. Bellamy's Discourse on the Millennium, and President Edwards' "Humble Attempt to promote explicit Agreement and visible Union of God's People in extraordinary Prayer for the Revival of Religion," &c. The whole formed an octavo volume of 426 pages, with this title :-
The Millennium : or, The Thousand Years of Prosperity, promised to the Church of God, in the Old Testament and in the New, shortly to commence, and to be carried on to Perfection, under the Auspices of Him, · who, in the Vision, was presented to St. John.
Mr. Austin's Discourse was, at the time, deemed sound and scriptural. The method of interpretation and the style of argument differed not at all from what was then almost
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universally accepted. Adopting the fanciful theory, that days of prophecy are years of providence, and that the thou- sand years of the 20th chapter of the Apocalypse are yet entirely in the future, he persuaded himself and the most of his admiring hearers, that the latter-day glory of the church had already dawned, and that the Redeemer of mankind would soon return to the earth to take possession of the king- dom, and reign, personally and visibly, in peerless glory, over all mankind.
This was becoming, more and more, from day to day, the absorbing topic of his thought, remark and effort. It is said, that this tendency was aggravated by a violent visitation of scarlet fever, in the year 1795, seriously affecting the balance of his mind. After his recovery, all his thoughts, his talk, and his preaching, seemed to run in this channel. He be- came perfectly convinced, that he had ascertained the precise day of the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. He delivered a series of discourses on the sixtieth chapter of Isaiah, with wonderful animation, and in language of surpassing elo- quence. The congregation were deeply moved-some not knowing what to believe, a few utterly unbelieving, but the greater part carried away with the holy fervor of their be- loved pastor. The excitement spread through all the region round about. The church was crowded, Sabbath after Sab- bath, by the eager multitude.
At length on the second Sabbath of May (Sth), 1796, Mr. Austin announced, that the Lord would surely come on the ensuing Lord's Day, the 15th. Of course, a prodigious excite- ment followed this announcement. In the midst of the ferment, Mr. Austin made all his arrangements to receive his adorable Lord in a becoming manner. Several young females were selected, for whom white raiment was prepared, that they might attend upon the Lord at his coming. Much of the time during the week was occupied with religious exercises. On the evening of Saturday, the 14th, a crowded and deeply agitated meeting was held in the Methodist church. Mr. Austin dwelt particularly on the example of the men of Nineveh, who repented at the preaching of Jonah, and
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urged immediate repentance on all his hearers. The effect was overwhelming.
The long-expected, dreaded, wished-for, day arrived-a bright, beautiful, spring-like day, of freshest verdure, of sweetest flowers. The church was thronged-the eager mul- titude more than filled it. The church-going bell tolled long, but the heavens gave no sign. Mr. Austin, after long and wearisome waiting, took the desk, and preached, taking for his text,-" My lord delayeth his coming." It is reported, that, in the course of the day, the clouds gathered, and low mutterings of thunder were heard, adding intensity to the frenzy that ruled the hour. A New York evening paper, on the Friday following (20th), thus noticed the occurrence :-
On Sunday before last, an Enthusiastic Preacher in a neighboring town predicted' the millenium would come that day week. Numbers of his weaker parishioners were frighted half to death, and came out of church wringing their hands and wiping their eyes, uttering the most howling lamentations. The news reached this city, that the world was coming to an end last Sunday, to the great terror of old women. The day however came-the sun rose as usual-and all went on well, till evening came to the unspeakable joy of the poor frightened dupes of a fanatic Preacher .*
A slight error in the computation of dates had been made -so it was suggested-and some were satisfied. But the congregation was distracted-the more substantial portion were disaffected and deeply grieved. Yet they bore with him, and bore long, for they greatly loved him. They re- monstrated with him in private. His brethren in the min- istry, also, sought to turn his attention to other themes. But all in vain. The delusion had taken full possession of his noble soul, to the exclusion of almost every other thought. He took the vow of a Nazarite, and gave himself up to the work of announcing his Lord's coming. His labors were incessant. Often he preached thrice a day-and went every- · where, through all the neighborhood, calling upon men to repent. Crowds resorted to hear him, and many souls were hopefully converted to God. Such of the church and session
* The Minerva and Mercantile Eve'g Advertiser, No. SST
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as opposed him were charged with the guilt of Uzzah. He claimed to be the forerunner of the new, as John the Baptist was of the old, dispensation-" called of God as was Aaron."
At length, the first week of April, 1797, a meeting of the congregation was held in the church, and a Committee appointed to wait on Mr. Austin. In his answer to the Committee, April 7th, he declared that it was his "fixed and unalterable determination, . .. to institute a new church & to set up a new order of things in Ecclesiastical con- cerns, independent of presbytery, of the Synod, or of the General Assembly." He professed to have received an extraordinary and direct Call from God to engage in the work.
The congregation met, April 19th, and determined to apply to the Presbytery for a dissolution of the pastoral relation, Messrs. Jeremiah Ballard, Benjamin Corey' and Shepard Kollock, being appointed to make the application. The Presbytery met, May 3d, at New York, received the application, and the next day called upon Mr. Austin to know if he concurred in it. Whereupon he renounced their jurisdiction and withdrew; and the Presbytery, after due deliberation, granted the application, and put on record their sense of the whole matter. Supplies were appointed, the same day, for the pulpit until the middle of October follow- ing, chiefly of the neighborhood, including the city pastors .*
However necessary his removal was, a large party in the church were greatly grieved by it, and still adhered to their pastor. He continued, however, but a short time-a few weeks only-in the neighborhood, when he removed to Connecticut. That the troublers still persisted in opposition to the course of the Presbytery, appears from the fact, that, as late as Aug. 30, the N. J. Journal contained a call for a meeting of the Presbyterian congregation on Saturday, Sept. 9th, at 3 o'clock P. M., " to come to some determina- tion respecting their absent Pastor, the Rev. Mr. Austin." The next week, a counter notice appeared, declaring the call unauthorized, and affirming that the pastor had been re-
* Records of the Presbytery of New York.
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moved by the Presbytery in May-leaving the pulpit vacant.
He supplied for a while, in 1797-8, the pulpit of the church where President Dwight had preached with so much ability for the twelve years preceding 1795, at Greenfield, in the town of Fairfield, Ct. ; after which he removed to East Haven, and found a home at the house of his uncle, Rev. Nicholas Street, his wife having returned to her father's house in Norwich .*
At New Haven he embarked in a building enterprise, involving a large outlay of money, by which he exhaust- ed his resources, and incurred obligations that he was un- able to meet. When asked as to his design, he was wont to reply, seriously, or facetiously, that he was providing warehouses for the Jews on their way to the Holy Land. His erratic course continued, but assumed much more of the humorous, one of his most marked characteristics through life.
In the circumstances in which they were left, it was not easy to unite the congregation in the choice of another pastor. A call was given to the Rev. John Gemmil, a popular preacher connected with the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and leave was given by the Presbytery, Jan. 9, 1798, to prose- cute it, but it was declined.+
Though destitute of a pastor, the church maintained their vitality, of which a remarkable illustration occurred in the summer following. At a meeting of the church held, Aug. 14, 1798, at which Gen. Elias Dayton presided, action was unanimously taken, to this effect :
When one of the most powerful nations of the earth, having no fear of God, threatens the destruction of the Christian Religion, and the abo- lition of its holy Sabbath,-when such principles of Infidelity, and their baneful consequences in society, are already prevailing in our land-when a pestilence in our cities, and approaching war, awfully warn us of the displeasure of Heaven; when judgments like these are abroad in the earth, it is incumbent upon the inhabitants thereof in an especial manner to learn Righteousness.
* Contrib. to the Ecc. History of Ct., 394.
+ Bacon's Ist Chh. New Haven, p. 279. Allen's Biog. Dict. Records of P. of N. Y.
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We, therefore, the Members of the First Presbyterian Church in Eliza- beth-Town, do associate and agree,
1. That we will aid the civil magistrates, in their endeavors to put into execution the laws against vice and immorality, every species of which we will check and discountenance by every reasonable means in our power.
2. That, unless prevented by particular circumstances, we will regu- larly attend divine service on the Sabbath, and encourage the doing the same, by our respective families. That we will not unnecessarily travel abroad on that day ; and that we will, by all reasonable means, endeavor to prevent every profanation thereof.
3. That we will avoid every irregularity which may tend, in the least, to interrupt and disturb the solemnities of the Lord's day, and the ser- vices thereof .*
The true old Puritan spirit animated these faithful soldiers of the Cross. The town has ever been noted for its reveren- tial observance of the Sabbath-Day.
Mr. John Blair Linn, a son of their former pastor, had just been licensed to preach by the Classis of Albany, in the twenty second year of his age. He at once took high rank as a preacher, and was greatly admired. The First church of this town, early in the spring of 1799, having obtained, April 16, leave from the Presbytery, presented him a call, and earnestly urged his acceptance. But, as he received about the same time, an invitation to be co-pastor with Rev. Dr. Ewing, of the First Presbyterian church of Philadel- phia, he accepted the latter, and declined the former. The brilliant career of this young man, doctorated when he was 26 years old, was terminated, by death, in August 1804, in his 28th year.t
In June, 1799, the church gave a call to the
REV. JOHN GILES,
who was received into the Presbytery of New York, at a meeting called here, June 20, 1799. As he was a foreigner, the action of the Presbytery needed to be confirmed by the Synod. In the meantime, he was appointed to exercise his ministry here.
He was a native of England, was educated in the Dis- * N. J. Journal, No. 774. t Sprague's Annals, IV. 210-5. Murray's Notes, p. 125.11
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senting Academy, at Homerton, near London, and was ordained pastor of an Independent church, at Wellington, Somersetshire, Sept. 26, 1786. He removed to Exeter, in 1795, and became the pastor of New Chapel, Castle street, where he remained until 1798, when, with his wife and six children, he migrated to America, arriving in September.
Shortly after his coming to this town, his wife was remov- ed by death, and her remains lie buried in the grave-yard with this inscription on her head-stone :
Here lie the remains of JANE, daughter of Benjamin and Elizabeth Peach, of Westbury, Wiltshire, Old England, and wife of the reverend JOHN GILES, of Elizabeth-Town, New-Jersey, who departed this life, on the 5 day of August, 1799, aged 36 years. She lived deservedly beloved, and died sincerely lamented.
The friends of Mr. Austin still cherished the hope that he might be restored to his charge again; and, with this encour- agement, he returned to this place in November, 1799, and embraced every opportunity of resuming his ministerial work. On the 26th of November, he announced, in the " Journal," the publication of "The First Vibration of the Jubilee Trump, in nine Numbers, 1s. or $1 a doz." Evi- dently, his mind had not recovered its balance ; yet he was treated by the people with great consideration. At the an- nouncement of the death of Washington, the corporation, Dec. 24, requested him to deliver a funeral oration in the Presbyterian church, and he complied with the request on the following day, delivering "a pertinent discourse in the presence of a great concourse of a people,"-a funeral proces- sion having been formed at Lyon's tavern, and proceeding to the church. On the following day, 26th, he performed the same service at the cantonment on Greek Brook, Scotch Plains, performing the service on horseback riding in front of the line. At Springfield, on the 1st day of January, he preached a funeral sermon for Washington, from 2 Kings xviii. 7,-" And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth ; and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not."
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The following advertisement appeared, evidently from Mr. Austin's pen, in the N. J. Journal, of Jan. 14, 1800 :-
An Holy Convocation of the American Israel, under the sound of the Jubilee Trump, consisting of Ministers and Elders, Deacons, Delegates, and People from the Churches of every Christian denomination through- out the United States, is proposed to be held at Springfield, New-Jersey, Wednesday, February 5th, A. D. 1800, at 2 o'clock P. M., for the purpose of laying the foundation of the NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. On this ground brethren from every tribe will hold themselves ready to give heart and hand to brother of every name. No corrupt design may pol- lute the offering, nor hand of Uzzah, nor the invidious spirit of a Tobias or Sanballat be there.
The exercises will commence by a discourse from one of the brethren, and will be continued as may seem most promotive of the interests of the Pentecostal scene.
The hymns and services of the day will be set to the tunes of Christian unity and Brotherly love.
Brethren of every rank and of every name, in the spirit described, are invited to attend. If any Achan appear there, may all Israel stone him with stones.
Elizabeth Town, January 13, 1800.
A Builder of the Temple of the Lord.
The following week, Rahway was substituted for Spring- field, as the place of meeting. Nothing further respecting this meeting is known to be on record.
He sought to make converts to his views, and to defend himself against opposers, by a long communication, in the N. J. Journal, of Jan. 28, 1800, signed " THE PHAREZ OF GOD." At the celebration of Washington's birthday in the " Union Camp," he delivered a very remarkable prayer, a copy of which appears in the Journal of the 25th of Feb. Another millennarian, or " Jubilee," article appeared in the Journal of the 4th of March, entitled, " A Prophetic Rebus." He must have left the town shortly after, as nothing further appears of or from him, at this time .*
The reception of Mr. Giles having been sanctioned by the Synod, the Presbytery installed him pastor of this church, on Tuesday, June 24, 1800; the Rev. Samuel Miller, of New York, preached, from 1 Tim. iii : 1; the Rev. Dr. Rodgers, of
* N. J. Journal, Nos. 841, 845, 846, 847, 850, 854, 855.
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New York, presided, and gave the charge to the pastor ; and the Rev. Mr. Roe, of Woodbridge, gave the charge to the people. The connection was of short continuance, as, on the 7th of October, the same year, Mr. Giles applied to the Presbytery to be released from his charge, and no objection having been offered by the congregation, he was released, and dismissed to the Fairfield East Association. No reasons for this course are recorded. Six weeks after, his son, Alfred, died, at New York. He retired to Connecticut, with health impaired, it is said. In May, 1802, he was settled at Trum- bull, Ct., and dismissed in September. The next year, July 20, 1803, he settled at Newburyport, Mass., where he died, Sept. 28, 1824 .*
In June, 1801, Mr. Austin applied to the General Assem- bly, then in session at Philadelphia, " to be taken into con- nexion with the Presbyterian Church ; " but, it being the closing session, no decision of the case was reached. The next year, May 22d, 1802, he renewed his application, and was fully heard in support of his petition ; but the Assembly, in kind terms, declined his request.
The congregation, a few days after the removal of Mr. Giles, united in extending a call to the
REV. HENRY KOLLOCK,
which was put into his hands by the Presbytery, Oct. 22, 1800, and accepted. He was ordained, on Wednesday, Dec. 10th, at 10 o'clock A. M. ; the Rev. Aaron Condict, of Hanover, preached from 2 Cor. ii : 16; the Rev. Dr. Mc- Whorter presided and gave the charge to the pastor; and the Rev. Samuel Smith, of Connecticut Farms, gave the charge to the people.
He was born, Dec. 14, 1778, in this town, at that part of it which was called New Providence, whither the family had retired for the greater security of the region. An uncom- monly bright youth, he was early fitted for college, at the academy in his native town, entered the junior class of the College of New Jersey in 1792, and graduated in Sep-
" Records of Presb. of N. Y. Murray's Notes, pp. 125, 6. N. J. Journal, Nos. 872, 892.
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tember, 1794, before he had completed the sixteenth 'year of his age. Three years he remained at home, assisting his father in business, and perfecting himself in general reading. Having, in the winter of 1796-7, while Mr. Austin was still pastor, become a member of the church, he was taken under the care of the Presbytery of New York, May 4, 1797, as a candidate for the ministry. In the autumn of the same year, he accepted an appointment as Tutor of the College of New Jersey, a position that he held for three years. His associate, the first year, was John Henry Hobart, afterwards the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; and, the remaining two years, he was associated with Mr. Frederick Beasley, afterwards the rector of St. John's church of this town. Mr. Hobart had spent a year with him in college, and, on renewing his Princeton life, became the bosom-friend of Mr. Kollock-an intimacy which was kept up by correspondence and otherwise after he left Princeton the second time.
Mr. Kollock received license to preach, May 7th, 1800, and at once, in his very first pulpit efforts, attracted unusual attention. He continued at Princeton until September, preaching every Sabbath afternoon, greatly admired and drawing the largest audiences-a popularity that followed him through life, and that nowhere was more strikingly manifested than among his own townsmen. In the summer of the year following his settlement he visited New England, proceeding as far as Boston, and producing, by his pulpit efforts, a great sensation wherever he preached,-a mere boy of less than 23 years.
Having been requested by the Standing Committee of Missions, then newly-appointed, to preach a missionary sermon before the General Assembly, he performed the service, at Philadelphia, May 23, 1803, from the text,-John iii : 30 .- " He must increase." The Assembly presented him their thanks, and published the sermon. His reputation as a preacher was thereby spread through the country. Calls were extended him from several important places. The Trustees of the College of N. Jersey appointed him, young as he was, Professor of Theology, and the Presbyterian
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church of Princeton called him to be their pastor. He deemed it his duty to accept these positions, and, the con- gregation consenting, he was released, Dec. 21, 1803, after a ministry of three years.
In 1806, he was honored by Union and Harvard Colleges, with the degree of Doctor of Divinity. About the same time, he accepted a call from the Independent Presbyterian church of Savannah, Ga., and removed thither in the autumn of 1806. He continued in this charge until his decease, by paralysis, December 29, 1819, aged forty one years.
He was married, in this town, June 1, 1804, by his friend, Rev. J. H. Hobart, to Mehetabel, the widow of Alexander Campbell, of Richmond, Va., and daughter of William Hylton, of the Island of Jamaica. The Hylton family be- longed to St. John's parish in this place. Mrs. Mchetabel Hylton, the grandmother of Mrs. Kollock, died here Oct. 16, 1810, aged 92 years. Dr. Kollock had no children. His widow survived him .*
Mr. Austin's admirers were not slow to inform him of Mr. Kollock's removal, and to invite him to return to his old home. Promptly and gladly he complied with the invitation. A meeting of the congregation was held, and a vote obtained to employ him as the stated supply of the pulpit for three months. The people, as before, were divided in respect to retaining him. At the close of his brief engagement, the question of his continuance was taken in a very full meeting of the people, and lost by one vote only.
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