History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 123

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth county, New Jersey > Part 123

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The contention respecting the change from Dutch to English preaching commenced with the settlement of Mr. Du Bois. The English language was introduced in the Freehold con- gregation during the first year of his ministry, without much opposition. But not so at Mid- dletown. In that congregation there were some who yielded a very reluctant consent, and a few who bitterly opposed it to the very last. At a meeting of the consistory in 1766, held at Freehold, it was " Resolved, that those who wish to enjoy the services of our minister in

In 1817, Mr. Du Bois was relieved from the ac- tive duties of the ministry by the labors of a col- league, but he was never declared Emeritus, and the pastoral relation was dissolved only by his death. He was the settled pastor of this church for sixty- three years. That is by far the longest pastor- ate in the history of the Reformed Church in America. IIe received one hundred and sixty- six persons into the communion of the church, baptized twelve hundred and eighty-three in- fants, married seven hundred and twenty-five couples. The last marriage ceremony he per- formed was September 28, 1818, when he united in marriage Denise Denise and Altie Hulse. He died August 21, 1827.

During the ministry of Mr. Du Bois, com- munion Sabbaths were called Great Meeting days. The audience was larger than at any other time. Every communicant, if possible, was present. The services were long. Many brought a lunch to eat between the morning and afternoon sessions. It was a time of reunion and friendly cheer, as well as of holy communion with God. But this is not all. There were in those days, as now there are, those who im- proved every opportunity to make a few pennies. There was in front of the old church a large chestnut-tree, and under that tree, on Great Meeting days, there was always to be seen a man with a wagon offering for sale cakes and small beer. Nor were customers lacking.

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After the sermon the great majority of those who were not communicants were in the habit of leaving the church and thought it no harm to refresh themselves with the offered cake and beer. There are those now living who can re- member, that as children, they beguiled the time of service by feeling of the pennies in their poekets, with which they expected to treat them- selves at the small beer wagon when the sermon closed.

In 1817 the Classis of New Brunswick, in answer to an application from the consistory of the Reformed Church of Freehold and Middle- town for ministerial supplies, because of the infirmities of their pastor, appointed three young men, who had just been licensed, to ocenpy the pulpit. One was afterward known as Rev. Isaac N. Wyckoff, D.D., for many years pastor of the Middle Reformed Church, at Albany. Another was afterwards known as Rev. John Ludlow, D.D., LL.D., professor of Hebrew, ecclesias- tical history, church government and pastoral theology. The third was afterward known as Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken, D.D., professor of didactic theology. In September of that year the consistory presented a call to the Rev. Mr. Van Vranken. His ordination and instal- lation as pastor took place in the Freehold Church the first Sabbath of April, 1818. The sermon was preached by Rev. John L. Zabris- kie, Revs. James S. Canon, John S. Vreden- bergh and Benjamin Du Bois delivering the charges to the pastor and people, and taking part in the devotional exercises.

Since the organization of the church its pas- tors had resided in the Freehold congregation, and now, as the parsonage at Freehold was oe- cupied by Mr. Du Bois, the Middletown people desired their new pastor to dwell among them. To gratify their wishes, the eonsistory inaugu- rated measures for the purchase of a parsonage at Middletown. The property selected was that now occupied by Rev. Dr. William Reiley, of Holmdel. There Dr. Van Vranken commeneed honse-keeping, and there he dwelt until 1826. He was born at Hopewell in 1790. He gradu- ated from the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick in 1817. A short time, after he married Miss Maria Gansevoort, of Albany, a

descendant of Wessel Gansevoort, of Groningen, "one of the Morning Stars of the Reformation in Holland." This lady died while Mr. Van Vranken was pastor of this church. Dr. Van Vranken was again married twice,-first, to a Miss Swift, of Poughkeepsie, and then to Mrs. Mary Boulden, of Delaware.

In 1834, after a pastorate of sixteen years, Dr. Van Vranken accepted a call to the First Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie. There he remained about three years, when he removed to New York and became pastor of the Broome Street congregation, from which position he was called in 1841, by the General Synod of the Re- formed Church, to occupy the chair of didactic theology in the seminary at New Brunswick. This position he filled with eredit to himself and honor to the church until the day of his death, January 1, 1861.

In 1825, seven years after Mr. Van Vran- ken's installation, the consistory petitioned the Classis of New Brunswick to organize two churches out of the church they represented. The causes which led to such a request were the great extent of the congregation and the dis- tance which many were compelled to travel every other Sabbath to enjoy divine worship. There were twenty-seven gates between the house of Mr. Uriah Smoek, near the village of Marl- borough, and the church at Middletown, to be opened and shut, both in going to and returning from church. Many other residences were shut in in like manner. And now the imperative necessity of a new house of worship at Free- hold, the location of which had occasioned con- siderable feeling, and disturbed to some extent the peace of the congregation, brought on the issue, Shall we continne under one pastorate or become two distinet churches ?

Dr. Van Vranken desired to build one large church in the centre of the two congregations, to take the place of the two houses of worship in which he was then preaching on alternate Sab- baths. The people were divided in opinion. The Classis appointed a committee to investigate the matter, possessing talent enough to settle the gravest questions of state. Its chairman was Rev. James S. Canon. Associated with him were Revs. John L. Zabriskie and James B.

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Hardenbergh, and the elders, John Freling- huysen, of Somerville, and Jacob R. Harden- bergh, of New Brunswick. This committee, after holding divine service in the church at Middletown, met with a committee appointed by the two congregations to present their views, and then conferred with other prominent and influential ones who chanced to be present. The meeting was harmonions, and with one mind desired the division of the congregation, believ- ing it would tend to the enlargement of each of the congregations, and be the means also of making friendship therein. Dr. Canon recom- mended the formation of the two congregations, according to the requirements of the church constitution. The Classis adopted his recom- mendation, and also, with others, the following resolution : " That the line which divides the township of Freehold from the township of Middletown be recommended to be the line of division, for the present, between the congre- gations of Freehold and Middletown, when formed." By this action of the Classis, the united congregations of Freehold and Middle- town, which for nearly a hundred and twenty- five years had enjoyed the labors of the same pastors, had mingled their voices in the worship of God, had consecrated their children to the Lord at the same baptismal font and had gathered about the same communion-table, were severed in twain, November 28, 1825, the larger portion becoming the First Reformed Church of Freehold, the other the Reformed Church of Middletown, which has since been incorporated the Reformed Church of Hohn- del.

Henceforth their history flows in two distinct and separate channels. It is proposed to trace here the course of only the main branch of the divided stream,-the First Reformed Church of Freehold. Eighty families and sixty-eight communicants were represented by this cor- porate title. The consistory was composed of three elders and three deacons. Garret Wyckoff, Daniel I. Schenck and Aaron Smock were the elders; Joseph Van Cleef, Denise Schenck and Garret G. Conover were the deacons.

a call to the Rev. Samuel A. Van Vranken to become their pastor. It was aceepted at once, and Mr. Van Vranken's relation to the " United Congregation of Freehold and Middletown" dissolved by Classis April 19, 1826. On Sunday, the 22d of the previous January, he had preached a farewell sermon to the Middle- town congregation, and, vacating their parson- age, had moved within the bounds of the Freehold congregation April 11th. Mr. Van Vranken was a very popular preacher, and his great popularity as a pulpit orator caused the Classis, when dissolving his pastoral relation with the united congregations, and approving the call of the First Church of Freehold, to adopt the useless and impracticable resolution, "that it be enjoined upon the consistories of Freehold and Middletown, so soon as may be convenient, to take the late recommendation of Classis, in regard to a division line between the two congregations, into their serious consider- ation." It was never convenient. The con- sistories were wiser than the Classis. No body of men can dictate the place where Christian families shall worship. Convenience, inclina- tion or preference will invariably determine church relations. Arrangements were made, but never perfected, for the installation of Mr. Van Vranken at the Frechold Church, on the third Sabbath of July. A question was raised in relation to the necessity of installation ser- vices. As Mr. Van Vranken had already been installed the pastor of the same people who now called him again, and had never vacated the pulpit he occupied, it seemed to many a superfinous thing to have him reinstalled. It took the Classis two full years to decide the

matter. The letter of the law was obeyed, and formal installation services were held April 16, 1828. The Rev. James Romeyn preached the sermon. The Rev. James B. Hardenbergli delivered the charge to the pastor and the Rev. J. Tenbrook Beekman the charge to the people.

The settlement of the affairs of the two con- gregations was pushed forward with energy. At a meeting held the 2d day of January, 1826, it was unanimously agreed "that the

The first act of the consistory was to extend | church edifice, and grounds adjacent thereto,

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

should be considered the exclusive property of the congregation worshiping therein; that all the other property, whether real or personal, belonging to the corporation of the United Con- gregations at the time of their separation, shall be equally divided between the two, the one moiety, or half, to each ; that all moneys in hand at the time of their separation, or there- after to be collected, shall be equally divided, whether arising from snbseriptions, bonds, notes or otherwise and that all debts shall be equally borne by each, and paid previous to any di- vision of the property." A fairer settlement could not be adjusted. Its realization was at- tended with difficulties. Ill feeling was engen- dered, bitter words were spoken and the peace of the two congregations greatly disturbed. The storm soon passed by, the final settlement between the congregations taking place May 6, 1826. At this settlement the consistory of this chureli received $2555. They were the . possessors, also, of $2500 received from the estate of Tunis G. Van Der Veer. They also had $3750, the half of the sum received from the sale of the parsonage farm,-making a total of $8805, with which to commence their inde- pendent career.

The only real estate of which they were pos- sessed was the land adjacent to an old church, so thoroughly out of repair that the building of a new one was an imperative necessity. They had no parsonage, aud for this purpose pur- chased the small farm of about eighteen aeres, in the southwestern portion of the congrega- tion, now owned and occupied by Mr. Daniel Van Mater. There the pastors of this church resided for nearly forty years. When the property was purchased, it cost the congrega- tion $3766.

Early in the spring of 1826 measures were inaugurated for securing a new church. There was considerable difficulty in determining its location. Some of the congregation desired to have it built on Hendrickson's Hill, the place already mentioned as the site of the first Re- formed Church in Monmouth Connty. But in April the consistory unanimously resolved to erect a new house of worship "on the site of the present church." They also determined

that the building should be forty-five feet wide and fifty-five feet long, and that it should be of briek, with a steeple and a gallery. Mr. James I. Baird and Mr. Garret H. Smock were appointed a building committee, subject to the direction of the consistory.

On Sunday, the 4th of June, Mr. Van Vran- ken preached a farewell sermon to the old building, which since 1732, a period of ninety- four years, had echoed with the praises of Almighty God, and to many was endeared above all the places of carth. After the old building was taken down, and while the new one was in course of erection, Mr. Van Vranken preached at the court-house, in Frechold village, and also in the vicinity of Colt's Neck, sometimes at Mr. Statesir's, and frequently in a barn on the old Stoutenburgh farm, the property now owned by Mr. Ryall. The work on the new church was pushed forward with energy and zeal. So far as practicable, the materials of the old building were used in the construction of the new. A well was dug, not far from the road, in the present churchyard, to supply the necessary water. This well remained many years after the church was finished. A shed for cooking purposes was put up on the church-grounds, not far from the building, that the laborers might be boarded, and much expense saved. The bricks were made and burnt on the farm now occupied by Mr. John H. Van Mater, ad- joining the church property. Captain Isaac Herbert, who was learning his trade with Mr. James Thompson, the blacksmithi, on whose anvil all the necessary iron fixtures for the church were wronght, carted the first load ot sand with an ox-team. The day was very warm, and one of the oxen, when returning home, fell dead in the road. The greater part of the earting was done by Joseph Van Der Veer, who, when the present pastor moved into the parsonage, came to bid him welcome, saying he had welcomed Dominie Van Vranken, and every minister since his day, to their home in the parsonage.

The corner-stone of the new building was laid some time in July, and the building was completed the following year. The marble tablet in the front of the building was the gift

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of Mr. Hull, a stone-cutter at Matawan. It

bears this inscription :

REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH.

ERECTED A. D. 1826.

"Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools." Eccle. 5: 1.

The first religious services held within the walls of the new church were the funeral cere- monies of the Rev. Benjamin Du Bois, Angust 23d.

The building cost about ten thousand dollars, rather more than less. Its appearance, when com- pleted, differed within from its appearance at present. The pulpit was higher; back of the pul- pit there was a window, and above the window a gilded dove. The elders' and deacons' seats, and other pews filling up the space, were each side of the pulpit, where the stoves now stand. The change was made in 1853, through a com- mittee of which Mr. Uriah Smoek was ehair- man. No other material alterations have been made.

The building was dedicated by the pastor Sunday, the 9th day of September, 1827. The pastor also preached a sermon suitable to the occasion. An original anthem and an original hymn, prepared for the occasion, were sung by the choir. The singing was led by Mr. Garret H. Smock. Among those who assisted him were Mr. John Conover, Mr. Garret S. Smock (deceased), Mrs. Sydney Schenck, Mrs. Benja- min Du Bois, Mrs. John Henry Van Der Veer, Mrs. Elizabeth Du Bois, Mrs. Jacob Probasco, Mr. Aaron Smock, Miss Phoebe Van Der Veer and Mr. Daniel Polhemus Smock, who after- wards for many years was the church chorister.

Mr. Van Vranken continued to occupy the pulpit of the new church for about seven years. In July, 1834, he received a call from the Reformed Church of Poughkeepsie, and his pastoral relation with this people was dissolved by the action of Classis the 23d of that month. During the eight years of his pastorate, imme- diately following the separation of the congre- gation, the eighty families and sixty-eight com- municants, with which the First Church of Freehold commenced its independent existence,

became one hundred and thirty families and one hundred and fifty-nine communicants.

The Rev. James Otterson was Mr. Van Vranken's snecessor. He was formally installed the first Wednesday of January, 1835. Dr. Abraham Messler, of Somerville, preached the sermon. The charge to the pastor was delivered by Dr. Howe, of New Brunswick, and that to the people by Dr. Sears, of Six-Mile Run. The relation thus formed was of short duration. It was dissolved November 27, 1838. Mr. Otter- son died of paralysis at the residence of his namesake son, in Philadelphia, September 17, 1867.

To succeed Mr. Otterson the consistory called the Rev. Aaron A. Marcellus in 1839. He was installed the last Wednesday of May. On this occasion the Rev. James K. Campbell, of North Branch, preached the sermon. The Rev. J. Tenbrook Beekman delivered the charge to the pastor and the Rev. J. C. Sears the charge to the people.

Mr. Marcellus was born at Amsterdam, N.Y., in 1799. His ancestors were Dutch. He gradu- ated from Union College in 1826, from the Theological Seminary at New Brunswick in 1830, and the same year was licensed to preach the gospel by the Classis of New York. His first settlement was as pastor of the Reformed Church at Lysander, N. Y. In 1831 he re- moved to Schaghticoke, in 1834 to Manhattan. In 1836 he became principal of the Lancaster Academy, which position he resigned, in 1839, to take charge of this church. This was by far his longest pastorate, extending over a period of twelve years. In 1851 he resigned his call and commenced teaching in New York City. In 1856 he assumed the pastorate of the church at Greenville, but after a ministry of about three years commenced teaching at Bergen, where he died in 1860.

In 1835 the rapid growth of the village of Freehold, and the large number of the families of the congregation residing in its vieinity, caused the consistory to purchase a lot in the village from Mr. Cyrus Bruen, and to com- mence the erection thereon of a house of worship. The corner-stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies by the Rev. James

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Otterson in the spring of 1836, but when the frame was raised and partly inelosed, work was suspended for want of funds. The build- ing remained in this unfinished condition for nearly two years. The consistory thought of abandoning the enterprise, and would have done so, it is said, but for the earnest protest of Mrs. John H. Smock. When her husband related the views of the consistory, she shook her head and made reply, saying, "No, John ; no. That church onght to be finished and must be finished." Mr. Smock was of the same opinion. He started a subscription, ad- vanced money and pushed the work forward with such suceess that the completed building was dedicated by the Rev. James Otterson, February 1, 1838. It cost the congregation, exelusive of the lot, about five thousand dollars.

At one time an attempt was made to again consolidate the Freehold and Middletown con- gregations, and eall two pastors for the three pulpits. When Mr. Marcellus was called, in 1839, it was stipulated that he should preach twice on the Sabbath,-in the Brick Church in the forenoon, and in the church in the village of Freehold in the afternoon. But this ar- rangement soon proved very nnsatisfactory to the village people. They naturally desired a morning service, and finally resolved to organ- ize the Second Reformed Church of Freehold. Mr. Ebenezer Conover and Mr. David Buek were appointed a committee to petition Classis, and the church was organized the first Tuesday in October, 1842. The church was formed almost entirely from this congregation, and they at once requested a full warranty deed for the church property in the village. The consistory refused to grant their request, because those still remaining in the Brick Church congregation had expended at least three thousand five hundred dollars in the erection of the building, and the congregation having been weakened in their ability to support a pastor, did not feel able to present the new congregation with a house of worship. But desirous of encouraging the enterprise, they offered to give them a elcar title for fifteen hundred dollars. This generous offer was not accepted. They then offered

the church for one thousand dollars, but even this magnanimous offer was rejected ; and so, finally, in 1846, four years after their organi- zation, the village congregation offered this con- sistory seven hundred and fifty dollars for the village church. The offer was accepted, and thus was consummated the cheapest transfer of real estate the county elerk has ever recorded.

The ministry of Mr. Marcellus was very greatly blessed, so that, although a church had been formed out of the congregation, he had the satisfaction of seeing their places more than filled. When commeneing his ministry the membership of the church was one hundred and thirty-seven. When the pastoral relation was dissolved it was one hundred and eighty-four. To the ministry of Mr. Marcellus two import- ant institutions of the church owe their origin, -the Sabbath-school and the week-day prayer meeting. The Sabbath-sehool was organized in 1840. It was held, for want of a better place, in the gallery of the church, and there it has ever sinee convencd. It is known as the Brick Church Sabbath-School, and is in session only through the warm months of the year. The first year of its existence it reported one hundred and eight scholars, with an average at- teudanee of eighty. Its first superintendent was Mr. William Statesir. He was sneceeded by Mr. William Spader, who superintended the school for twenty years with great ability and success. Mr. Lafayette G. Sehenek was super- intendent a short time, when Mr. Lafayette Schenck, the present superintendent, assumed the office. There are in this school four large adult Bible elasses, an infant elass, thirteen teachers and one hundred scholars.

In 1851 the Rev. Ralph Willis succeeded Mr. Marcellus. He was installed September 23d. Mr. Willis was a graduate of Rutgers College and of the Theological Seminary of New Brunswick. He was licensed by the Clas- sis of Philadelphia, and ordained to the gospel ministry as pastor of the Reformed Church at Bethlehem, N. Y., in 1842. His ministry here embraces a period of over sixteen years. The pastoral relation was dissolved February 28, 1868.

In 1852 a second Sabbath-school was organ-

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ized at Marlborough. It met in the district school-house, and was intended only as a winter school. It was at first superintended by Mr. Willis himself. Those who have occupied the office of superintendent are too numerons to mention. Those who have done so for the longest period are Mr. Lafayette G. Sehenck and Mr. John Baird. Since the erection of the chapel this school has been maintained both summer and winter. It is known as the Marl- borough Chapel Sabbath-School.

In 1855 the church-grounds for burial por- poses were enlarged by the addition of an acre of land on the west side of the church, and in 1866 a similar addition was made on the east side, and the sheds which formerly stood in the rear of the church were removed to their present position, greatly enhaneing the appearance of the cemetery, which is rapidly becoming one of the most picturesque and beautiful. The church building was also pnt in thorongh repair and the wood-work painted. The improvements cost the congregation about two thousand dol- lars.

In 1868 the Rev. George Swain succeeded Mr. Willis. He was installed September 1st. Ile was a graduate of the college and seminary at New Brunswick, and had been ordained, in 1866, by the Classis of New Brunswick, at Middlebush, Somerset County, N. J., which po- sition he resigned at the eall of this people. At his installation the Rev. Garret C. Schenck pre- sided and read the form. The charge to the pastor was delivered by the Rev. Samuel Lock- wood, and the Rev. James Bolton delivered the charge to the people. Mr. Swain's ministry proved to be a short one. He resigned his call in April, 1873, to take charge of the Gates Av- enne Presbyterian Church, of Brooklyn, N. Y. This position he occupied about two years, when he became pastor of the Old Presbyterian Church, at Allentown, Monmouth County, where he still resides.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 123

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co. Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148