History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 1, Part 63

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 974

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Alex. Lowe, Francis M. De Klyn, Thomas C. Throckmorton, James Lloyd, David Sut- phen, William I. Thompson, Joseph Coven- hoven, Levi Solomon, Nathaniel S. Rue, Wil- liam Johnston, William Covenhoven, Dr. Gil- bert S. Woodhull, David Craig, James H. Bald- win. Whether these persons were all present at that first meeting that came together sixty- seven years ago to establish this society, and how many others were present whose names do not appear, there are no means of ascertaining. By one who was present it was described as a "very interesting and well-attended meeting, especially by the ladies, and gave much encour- agement to the friends of the Bible cause."

This may, to some, have the appearance of a mere local or church organization, seeing that there was only one Christian minister present and participating. It may throw some light on the early operations of this society to observe that ministers in this country were at that time scarce, and of organized churches there were but few. The minister of the congregation nearest to Dr. Woodhull, and which, with it, occupied, for the most part, the territory for many miles around Freehold as a centre, was about being released from his duties on account of his age and infirmities, and his successor had not yet been inducted into office. While it is true that Dr. Woodhull and the people of his charge were largely instrumental in effecting the organization, yet it is also true that among the laymen participating on that occasion were those representing at least three, if not four or more, Christian denominations ; and the first act of the society was to manifest its catholic character by organizing all the townships in the county, and appointing agents in them to collect funds and carry on the work.

We have here the first phase of the society in its organization. It was the first step in the beginning of a great work. Benevolent indi-

1 By Henry Cooke, M. D.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

viduals may have been found willing to give At the anniversary meeting in 1822, fifty-one copies of the Bible to poor persons under cer- 'dollars were reported in the treasury, of which tain circumstances ; but now a combined effort ' thirty were appropriated for Bibles and ten for is inaugurated which is to secure the Bible to Testaments. all. Though this may appear to have been a 1

In June, 1823, the board of managers met. "day of small things," it was a day when men's ' A committee consisting of the Rev. Eli F. faith wrought and was tried. The whole field Cooley, Thomas Henderson and William Lloyd of operations was then new and unexplored, and reported amendments to the constitution ; a cir- paths which are now plain had to be searched cular was issued to the " ministers, congrega- out and pursued. They began by showing us . what to do, and afterwards how to do it.

At the first anniversary, in 1818, the treas- urer reported in hand thirty-six dollars and of November following. Of this meeting there

fifty cents. Fifty Bibles had been purchased, at sixty-two cents each, of which twenty-five had been given away, and the rest were on hand. The next year (1819) fifty dollars was appro- priated for Bibles and ten for Testaments, twenty of which were to be given to the "Sunday- school of the Methodist Meeting-house in Howell."

At the annual meeting in 1820 the president reported the purchase of the books before or- dered, and the society again appropriated fifty dollars for Bibles and Testaments. Five dol- lars of this money was to go to purchase Testa- ments for " William Rogers' school," and five dollars in the same way for the "school at Squan Neck," and the remaining forty dollars was to be expended in Bibles. At the next annual meeting in 1821, the sum of twenty-five dollars was added to the former appropriation for Bibles.

In the minutes of the board of managers dated June, 1822, this record appears, -" Isaac K. Lippencott was unanimously chosen Treas- urer to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of our worthy and lamented brother-member, Caleb Lloyd, Esq." The active members of much later times will remember Mr. Lippen- cott, who for so many years served his society with great care and fidelity in the position to which he was chosen at this early day.

To this meeting a prisoner in the jail sent up · a respectful petition, to be presented with a Bible, as he had no religious book to read and was too poor to buy one, when the board, in response, presented a copy of the Scriptures to the jailor for the use of the prisoners.

tions and friends of the Bible" in the county, when the board adjourned for the anniversary meeting of the society on the second Tuesday

- is no record, nor are there any minutes from this time till 1832. Meetings were held during this time, but how often, there are no means of determining. That the meeting was held in November, 1823, is as certain as indirect evi- dence can make it. The treasurer's book, which at that time was kept with great care, was footed up to date of November 13th, as though in immediate preparation for the annual meet- ing, and a balance indicated of forty-nine dol- lars and fifty cents as donations received. It is, however, likely that this was the last meeting for some time, as the treasurer's book show no trace of further operations. Rev. Dr. Wood- hull was, up to this time, president of the society, and appears to have been its chief execu- tive officer, and his death occurring soon after the meeting in 1823 may mark the point where the regular meetings were suspended. The secretaries of the society during these years were Nathaniel S. Wikoff, Isaac K. Lippencott and Dr. Gilbert S. Woodhull. Besides these, the minutes of the society show that they had good and faithful workers among them ; they did a good work and the blessing of the Master was upon it. From 1817 to 1823 there was collected, accord- ing to the records, $267.50, for which one hun- dred and fifty-six Bibles and ninety Testaments were purchased and put in the way of doing good. With regard to the missing record, the vacancy would be a sad one were the labors of the next ten years to be forever lost to knowl- edge. A great work was before the society, and had she been certain that she was making history, she would no doubt have been careful to preserve the record.

355

MONMOUTH COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

It is known, however, that as this society entered upon its second ten years' life, a new movement was made that developed a new phase in its workings. It then entered upon the regular, thorough and systematic distribution of the Bible. The information on this subject is derived mainly from a report made to this society, at its annual meeting in 1847, by the Rev. Dr. McLean, the secretary.

The report says that "in June, 1827, Luther . Halsey, Sr.,-a soldier and officer of the Revo- lution,-a warm and decided friend of the Bible, deeply impressed with the conviction that in places distant from Bible depositories there would be found a great destitution of the word of God, determined to spend some time in the county, exploring the destitution and en- deavoring to supply it. He soon found that a far greater number were without the Bible than he had even supposed, and that combined and systematic effort on the part of the friends of the Bible were greatly needed in this work of love and mercy." So strong and earnest were the representations that he made to many of the pious and benevolent of the county that it was determined to resuscitate the County Bible Society.

" Accordingly, on the 23d day of July, 1827, a pub- lic meeting of the former members of the Bible So- ciety and friends of the Bible was held in the Court- House in Freehold, and after the representations then made in regard to the deplorable destitution of the Scriptures in the county, so great was the convic- tion of inexcusable neglect of duty, and so deep was the impression on the minds of many present in re- gard to the necessity of immediate, great and com- bined effort to supply the destitute, that the following resolution was offered by the Rev. Job F. Halsey, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Freehold, viz. : Resolved, in reliance upon Divine aid, that be- fore a year has passed every destitute family in the county shall be furnished with a copy of the Holy Scriptures."

An eye-witness and participant in the meeting describes the discussion of the resolution as most animated and exciting. The proposition was to some not only new and unheard of, but wild and visionary. Others felt that while the object proposed was a good one, it contemplated more than could be accomplished, and so was to be approached with caution, while the friends of

the measure felt strong in their purpose and confident of success. It was proposed to meet the case by having depositories of Bibles in different parts of the county, to which the people in want could have access ; to which Mr. Halsey Sr., replied : " The people are not hungry for the bread of life ; we must take it to them, and open their mouths, and then they will not eat it." The resolution, it seems, was first offered in this form, "Resolved, that we will supply every destitute family," etc. The cautious ones, however, wanted some saving clause behind which to shield themselves in case of the antici- pated failure; and one wanted " We will en- deavor," another, " We propose," others, " With the help of God." This last was sharply con- tended against. The sanguine men did not want to have that in. They said " We will do it." The resolution was adopted.

The report continues,-

" A subscription was opened on the spot and about $77 was subscribed, which was increased in a few days to upwards of $300 by the exertions of Mr. Halsey and Dr. John T. Woodhull, and it is but jus- tice to say that no one was more active or exerted greater influence than Mr. Halsey.

"Though a number of Bible Societies had existed in different parts of the country for six or eight years, and had done much to circulate the Scriptures among the destitute, and though a society in the county of Monroe, New York, had resolved to supply the desti- tute within their bounds, and had, during the previ- ous year, in a good degree carried out their resolu- _ tion, still this movement of the Monmouth County Bible Society was, in its consequences, decidedly the most important movement that had ever been made in the Bible cause. It roused the whole State of New Jersey from apathy to duty in seeking out and sup- plying the destitute with the bread of life, and the influence of our movement was speedily felt through- out our whole land, and even in foreign and distant lands. Just one week after this society adopted the above resolution the Nassau Hall Bible Society, in Princeton whose original organization preceded ours only four years, held its anniversary meeting. The Rev. Job F. Halsey and Dr. John T. Woodhull at- tended as delegates from the Monmouth County Bible Society.

" With strong faith and ardent zeal, the Rev. Mr. Halsey proposed at that meeting that the Nassau Hall Bible Society, with the co-operation of the other Bible Societies of the State, should resolve to supply, within one year, every destitute family in the State of New Jersey with a Bible! This resolution was

356

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

most warmly and eloquently advocated by Mr. Hal- sey and a few others, while it was warmly opposed as wild and impracticable by a number of others."

The report informs us that after a long dis- cussion the resolution, slightly modified by Rev. Dr. Alexander, was adopted.

The report continues,-

"This effort of New Jersey, which owed its origin to the resolution of our society and the active zeal of one of its members, disclosed such astonishing facts in regard to the destitution of the Bible that other counties and States in a short time undertook the same work; and the American Bible Society, two years after, viz. : in 1829, resolved to supply the whole United States ; and scarcely had this been done, when the New Jersey Bible Society resolved to supply the Sandwich Islanders with such parts of the sacred oracles as were then translated into the language of these Islands ; and next the American Bible Society, in 1833, passed resolutions looking to the supply of the whole accessible population of the globe within a given period."

The report then speaks of the movement that had been made in promoting the interest of Sabbath and day-schools, and traces them to the influence which this same meeting had ex- erted in bringing to light the existing igno- rance and destitution of the word of God. It then proceeds :

"Immediately after the society had adopted the resolution to supply the county, the board of mana- gers resolved that they would supply the townships in which they resided, and that those townships in which no managers lived should be supplied by such agents as the New Jersey Bible Society should send. Between the 1st of August, 1827, and the 1st of January, 1828, one thousand Bibles were ordered, at a cost of $729.82, and most nobly was the resolution of the society redeemed before the expiration of the year. Dr. John T. Woodhull and Dr. J. S. English explored and supplied the township of Stafford, the most remote part of the county of Monmouth (now Ocean). Shrewsbury, Dover and Howell were sup- plied by young men from one of the institutions at Princeton ; and Freehold, Middletown and Upper Freehold by the managers, assisted by the young men from Princeton. About one thousand families were found destitute of the Bible. Five hundred and thirty dollars was collected and paid for Bibles, leav- ing the society in debt, when the supply was com- pleted, $199.55."

After this, as before stated, there are no re- ' cords till 1832, and it is almost certain that no

meeting was held after the one in 1827 up to this time, when, on the 5th of June, the society convened with Dr. John T. Woodhull in the chair, and the Rev. J. R. Converse as secretary. The only item of its business recorded was a report on the state of the debt. This was now reduced to $136.50.

In October, 1833, the society again met, Dr. J. T. Woodhull in the chair, and Rev. D. V. McLean secretary. At this meeting delegates were appointed to a State Convention of the friends of the Bible, then in process of being called by the executive committee of the State Society. From this time there are no minutes, and it is conceded that there was no meeting of the society till 1837.

A meeting was held at the court-house in Freehold on the 6th day of March, 1837, when the Rev. Joseph L. Schafer presided, and Rev. D. V. McLean was secretary. The pro- ceedings of this meeting premised that there had been no meeting "for near four years," and a resolution was passed to reorganize the society and assume the debts of the former one. A new constitution was adopted, making the society auxiliary to the American Bible Society. The following persons were elected officers : Rev. James Otterson, president ; William Lit- tle, Dr. John T. Woodhull and Rev. Wesley Robinson, vice-presidents; Rev. D. V. McLean, secretary ; Isaac K. Lippincott, treasurer; Wil- liam Lloyd, Jr., depository ; directors, B. F. Randolph, Esq., J. C. Whitlock, Joseph Mur- phy, J. F. T. Forman, Rev. J. T. B. Beekman, Rev. Levi S. Bebee. Mr. McLean offered a set of resolutions, which were adopted. The society then adjourned to meet at the court-house " on Wednesday morning succeeding the fourth Tuesday in January, 1838." The board of managers met immediately after the adjourn- ment, "and chose the following executive com- mittee to meet in this place on Saturday next, at 3 o'clock, P. M., and afterwards on their own adjournment, viz. : Rev. D. V. MeLean, B. Du Bois Smock, Esq., .Dr. J. T. Woodhull, Joseph Murphy, I. K. Lippincott."

With the new organization the decree went out that the "Monmouth County Bible So- ciety " should live; and to perpetuate its life, a

357

MONMOUTH COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

greater amount of effort was called for during the decade upon which it had now entered than at any other period of its history. As the band of active and influential laymen that had gathered around the Rev. Dr. Woodhull at the foundation of the society had, for the most part, passed away or withdrawn their co-operation, and as during the last decade the society, having had but little more than a mere nominal exist- ence, had failed to create an influence in its favor or raise up helpers to the cause, the bur- den of sustaining it, increased as it was by this want of a popular sympathy in its behalf, came upon comparatively but few. They ac- cepted the service and assumed the burden. They dared not shrink from it, for the year of grace was past when the religious interests of Monmouth County could afford to do without an efficient Bible Society. It was was maintained. and from that time, has never failed to have its annual meeting, and its annual report from the executive committee ; and in no year has it failed to do something for the Bible cause. And it is proper to add, in this connection, that dur- ing that critical period through which the society was then passing much was due to the energetic and .persistent efforts of the secretary for the re- sults which have been ultimately reached.

At this meeting it was " Resolved, that in re- liance upon Divine aid, and the co-operation of our fellow-citizens, we will use our best en- deavors to supply every destitute family in the county of Monmouth with a copy of the Bible, and every child under the age of fifteen years, that is destitute, with a copy of the New Testa- ment, before the 1st of July next." Another resolution welcomed the agent of the State So- ciety to aid in the work.

At the next anniversary, held January 24, 1838, a report was made showing the results of the effort determined on at the previous meet- ing. Rev. J. J. Aiken, the State agent, had been employed to visit the different churches and con- gregations in the county, to collect funds from auxiliary societies and to engage suitable persons to distribute the Scriptures. This report shows that even after the great work performed ten years before, there were found destitute of the -Scriptures in the township of Shrewsbury, one

hundred and thirty-three families ; Middletown, ninety-five families; Freehold, seventy-seven families ; Stafford, sixty-two families ; Howell, eighty-one families ; Dover, forty-eight families.

In Upper Freehold nothing was done, for the reason that the society was anticipated in its work by an agent of the State Society. Leaving out this township, it will appear that four hundred and ninety-six families were found des- titute of the Scriptures. Four hundred and fifty Bibles and eleven hundred Testaments were distributed by sale or gift. The receipts into the treasury were $477.36, but it is not known what part of this was in donations.

In the next year the only thing remarkable is that, after such a great work as had been per- formed the year before, the receipts should amount to no more than $52.25. The next year they amounted to $128.68, and in the year fol- lowing, ending with March, 1841, one hundred and one Bibles and twelve Testaments were pro- cured and distributed, while the receipts were $98.75.

At the anniversary held in March, 1841, the following resolution was passed by the society : " That, with the blessing of God and the co- operation of the ministers and officers of the churches, professors of religion and all other friends of the Bible, we will endeavor to sell or give a Bible to every family in Monmouth County, and to every youth and child that can read, a copy of the Holy Sciptures."

The resolution contemplated a new feature in the work of Bible distribution,-not only to se- cure a Bible to every family, but to every child that could read. The executive committee, when they came to act upon it, felt that the work be- fore them would cost more than either prudence or piety would warrant, and that the spirit of the resolution would be measurably carried out by giving additional Bibles to large families when sales could not be affected, so that every child that could read might have access to the word of God. They therefore determined to give a Bible to every destitute family that was not able to buy, and in families where a num- ber of the inmates could read, and where there was but one Bible, to sell, if possible, as many copies as would supply them all ; and failing to

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

sell any, to give one or two cheap Bibles, accord- ing as the number of persons able to read was less or greater. Cheap Bibles were also to be given to domestics or apprentices, when those employing them refused to purchase for them. According to this scale, the society has continued its operations ever since.

With this view of their duty the committee entered on the work assigned them, meeting, as the supply progressed in different parts of the field, as often as once a month, enlisting laborers as they went. The ministers of the churches took an active part in the work in their vicinities. For the southern townships, young men from the institutions at Princeton were employed, and so the work was completed throughout the county.

This was a great work and was thoroughly done. Of the results, uniform statistics were not furnished, and so no intelligent compilation could be made of the details of the work. Two thousand two hundred and eighty-two Bibles and ninety Testaments were procured, of which one thousand and forty were put in circulation, leaving the remainder on hand for future opera- tions. A debt was incurred to the parent society for $920. The donations this year were about $275, while in the year after they amounted to only $64.75.

This is a fact of the same nature as had been witnessed on previous occasions. When a great work has been accomplished the efforts of the society have been relaxed, sometimes even to abso- lute suspension. The churches had responded to loud calls when a great work was to be done, but they failed to realize that in the Bible cause a good work was to be done every year. Their benevolence had its channels all marked out, and the Bible Society, as a new purveyor of their gifts, was a long time in getting its proper place and share among them.

At the anniversary in 1844, Isaac K. Lippin- cott resigned the office of treasurer, which he had held for twenty-two years. The society reluctantly accepted his resignation, with a cordial vote of thanks for his long and faithful services. The Rev. D. V. McLean was elected to fill his place, who, from this time, united in himself both the offices of secretary and treas- urer.

In the year closing with the annual meeting in 1846 considerable efforts were again made in circulating the Scriptures, though no general exploration was undertaken. One hundred and twenty-three families were found without the Scriptures. Two hundred Bibles and one hun- dred Testaments were distributed.

In the same year and the year after, Mr. William C. Patterson, a colporteur of the American Tract Society, was employed to search out and supply the destitute in the southern portions of the county in connection with his own appropriate work. In this way, as appears from the treasurer's books, he put in circulation three hundred and sixty-five Bibles and one hundred and forty-five Testaments.

Entering on this period of the society's life, and coming up to the anniversary of 1847, it must be recognized as a permanent institution. It had stood during the last ten years without a single lapse, and was strengthened by the effort. It had outgrown the spasmodic habits of former years, and had found that there is neither grace nor logic in relaxing effort because the county is well supplied, when such vast regions lay beyond it calling for help.

The society, according to the already quoted report of this year, was free from debt, and had a balance in the treasury of $147.61. It had also $175.28 credited on the books of the parent society, awaiting orders for Bibles, making $2753.96 remitted for Bibles since 1837, when it became auxiliary ; to which add $1020.50, the sum expended before that time, and we have $3,774.46, or over eleven hundred dollars more than had been remitted for Bibles by any other Bible Society in the State.

In 1849 a resolution was again passed to supply the county, it having been eight years since the last general supply was made.

At the anniversary of 1850 the Rev. Dr. D. V. McLean resigned the offices of secretary and treasurer, the former of which he had held for seventeen years and the latter six. His resigna- tion was accepted with great reluctance by the society, and a vote of thanks, recounting his long, faithful and efficient services, was adopted.

The Rev. John M. Rogers was chosen secre- tary and the Rev. Harvey D. Ganse treasurer.

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 1, Part 63

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 974

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 974