History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 19

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942

USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1 > Part 19

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" 22. Hannah, wife of John Rodgers,* aet. 52, remitting-fever.

25. Alexander Johnson, aet. 66, con- sumption.

28. Tabitha, widow of Daniel Frost,* aet. 75, old-age.

A child of David Brown,t fits.

" 30. Esther, wife of David Fithian, aet. 21, child-bed.

Apr. 2. Isaac Searing, aet. 82, old-age.

26. Cornelia, daughter of Daniel Phœ- nix, jun., aet. 2, scald.

May 9. Hannah, daughter of Jacob Ball, aet. 2, sudden.

Sarah, wife of John Crowell, aet. 37, inflammatory-fever.

21. Daniel, son of Doct. Ebenezer Blachly,t aet. 19, bleeding at the lungs.

" 30. Rhoda, wife of Daniel Sturges, aet. 22, consumption.

June 16. Lewis, son of Lindsley Burnet, aet. 5, fits.

" 15. Daughter of Jonas Goble,t aet. 10.

30. Moses Willis, aet. 40, found dead.

Aug. 6. Joseph, son of Joseph Lewis, relax. 26. Mary, widow of Timothy Pierson, aet. 76, fever.

31. Stephen Conkling, jun.,* aet. 38, fever.

Sep. 5. A child of Samuel Mills, jun., still- born.

" 28. Phœbe, wife of Zophar Freeman,* aet. 54, fever.

Nov. 5. Daniel Freeman, aet. 71, arthrax.

Dec. 9. Samuel, son of Ephraim Lyon, aet. 15, fever.

" 27. Rebeckah, wife of Eliphalet Clark,* aet. 63, fever.

1789.

Jan. 17. Benjamin Freeman, aet. 77, peri- pneumony.

" 25. Esther, wife of Benjamin Freeman, aet. 70, fever. (To be continued.)

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THE RECORD.

( Continued from page 128.) TRUSTEES' BOOK.

At a meeting of the congregation of the First Presbyterian Church, at Morris Town, the 15th day of March, A.D., 1792.

Voted that Jonathan Dickerson serve as Moderator; that Joseph Lewis serve as Clerk.

A letter was presented by Silas Condit, Esq., signed by Jacob Arnold, dated Feb. 25, 1792. On motion whether the said letter shall be read, it passed in the affirmative, and is in the words following : "Gent'n., I know not who to direct to, but if I understand the Subscription, the Subscriber is at liberty at the end of every year to declare of from Mr. Collins, if so the second year ends next March ; I declare of from paying any fur- ther Sallery to Mr. Collins as a preacher than two years, and further : if his subsistance as a preacher depends on the trustees to the congregation, I declare off and mean to ap- ply to the Presbytery to silence or discharge said Collins from Morris Congregation as a preacher. This notification I give in be- half of myself and the Congregation. I re- main Gent'n. Your humble Serv't, Jacob Arnold.

Silas Condit, Esq., president of Morris Con- gregation & to the Deacons & Elders of said church."

On motion whether Mr. Arnold was au- thorized by the Congregation to give the aforesaid notice, and sign said letter in their behalf, it passed in the negative. On motion whether the Congregation approves of the contents of said letter, it passed in the neg- ative. On motion, it is resolved, that this Congregation highly disapprove of the con- duct of the said Jacob Arnold, as it directly tends to disunite and disturb the peace of this congregation and that his assuming to act in behalf of this Congregation in a matter of so great importance and that so essentially affects their interests and happi- ness, without their knowledge or consent & contrary to their desire, is altogether un- justifiable, and that he the said Jacob Arnold be discharged from the office of Trustee to the congregation.

At a meeting of the Trustees at the House of Mr. Mills on the 12th day of May, 1792. Present : the President, Mr. Mills, Mr. Lind- sley, Mr. Johnson & Mr. Ogden attended t the close of the business.

Voted Mr. Mills & Mr. Ogden be appointed to collect Mr. Collins' rate for the present tax.

Voted that Mr. Johnson's acc't in the books of the Trustees be discharged by way of the land sold to the proprietors of the Academy.

At a meeting of the Trustees at the house of Caleb Russel, Esq., 5tlı day of September, 1792, The President, Mr. Lind- sley, Mr. Ford, Mr. Mills, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Ogden being met, a deed being made out for one hundred feet of land in front and one hundred and thirty feet deep on the hill opposite the Conners land agreeable to a vote of the parish requesting the trustees to act discretionary on this affair, the 22d Feb. 1792-the sd. deed was then signed conveying twenty-nine hundredths of an acre of land to the proprietors of the intended Academy for the sum of thirty pounds Jersey money. Caleb Russell, Esq., gave his obligation for sd. sum. A committee consisting of Mr. Condict, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Ogden was appointed to examine the acct. of the mana- gers of the new Meeting House.

At a meeting of the Parish on 24th Jan.1793, Dea. Gilbert Alling chosen Moderator, and Isaac Canfield chosen Clerk, Silas Condict, Esq., one of the committee appointed to ex- amine the acct. of the managers of the new meeting house-reported a settlement of sd. accounts.

Resolved, That in order to discharge the debts contracted, on acct. of Building sd. Church and to proceed in further furnishing the same that the sum of twelve hundred pounds be raised this year by subscription.

Resolved, sd. subscription be payable the Ist of April next. Resolved, that Israel Canfield draw the subscription, and that Deacon Alling and George Tucker call on the people of the parish to subscribe on or before the first of March next.

The parish proceeded & chose Joseph Marsh in place of John Mills who declines as manager. Doctor William Canfield, man- ager in place of Joseph Lewis who declines. Benja. Linds, Esquire, declines serving as manager, whereupon Israel Canfield was chosen manager in his stead. The congre- gation having been advertised agreeable to law in order to chose a Trustee, Benjamin Pierson was duly elected to that office.

(To be continued.)

THE RECORD

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MORRISTOWN, N. J.

" THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME."-Psalms 102 : 18.

VOL. II.

JUNE, 1881. NO. 6.

(Printed with the approval of Session.)

THE RECORD

Will be printed and published monthly at Morristown, N. J. Terms, 50 cents per an- num in advance ; 75 cents after June.

Subscriptions will be received at the book-stores of Messrs. Runyon and Emmell, or through the mail. All communications should be addressed to the

EDITOR OF THE RECORD,

Lock box 44. Morristown, N. J.

Vol. I. complete, 75 cents. Entered at the Post Office at Morristown, N. J., as second class matter.

-: 0:

( Continued from page 132.) HISTORICAL SERMON-No. 2. By REV. DAVID IRVING, D.D. Preached Thanksgiving Day, 1862.

In our preceding discourse we traced the history of this church till the death of Dr. Johnes, its first pastor in the year 1794, but prior to this there were two important movements which exerted a great influence upon the after prosperity of this Zion ; the one, the visit of Rev. James Richards, re- sulting in his settlement; the other, the building of the edifice in which we now worship. We have glanced at the exterior and interior of the old building when en- larged and improved in 1774 to meet the growing necessities of the congregation, but as the population of the township in- creased that structure became too small, and in an attempt to repair it in 1788, those who had been agitating the subject of a new building objected to the plan proposed. Finding the opposition . influential, the trustees agreed to call a parish meeting which convened in the church May 13, 1788; there the congregation voted that repairs be omitted and that Justice Lindsly, Major Lindsly and Jos. Lewis be a committee to

make an estimate of the expense of a church to be built of timber, and that Deacon Prudden and Justice Carmichael be a com- mittee to make an estimate of the expense of a brick church 65 feet long and 45 feet broad. and that both estimates be laid before the congregation on June 5th On that day the congregation assembled, and after con- sultation and debate the votes were taken, when it was decided by a " considerable ma- jority " that the house should be built of timber. A committee was appointed "to carry a subscription through the parish to get a sufficient sum for erecting a new meet- ing house 65 feet long, 50 feet wide and 25 feet high to be enclosed with shingles." This committee were successful and report- ed to the Board of Trustees on the following year, that " there was a sufficient sum sub- scribed for enclosing a house of timber ac- cording to the estimate heretofore made." This was laid before the parish meeting Dec. 11, 1789, when Elder Philip Condict and others opposed the whole movement, alledging that the old house would do for a number of years with some repairs, but to this the majority would not listen, and it was again voted that a new house should be built after one year. Deacon Prudden and those who sympathized with him were still anxious for a brick structure, but were a second time defeated by a large majority.

This subject occupied much of the thoughts of the people in their social inter- views, both as to the size, shape and loca- tion of the building. Before the expiration of the year the parish are assembled to talk over the new enterprise, when the follow- ing resolutions are passed :

"That the Committee of Directors pro- ceed to provide materials for the new meet- ing house as soon as convenient.

" That the house be built 70 feet long and 50 feet broad, with the privilege of adding to

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or taking from any number of feet not ex- cceding five.

" That a committee of council be appoint- ed to give further instructions to the Com- mittee of Directors from time to time as they may think proper, &c.

"That the said committees have leave to apply to the Legislature for the privilege of a lottery to raise a sum of money equal to the expense of building the new meeting house."

If this application was ever niade it was refused, as we hear no more about it .*

The meeting was held Oct. 8. 1790, and in a memorandum book of one of the commit- tee for the purchasing of materials, we have the following entry : "Timber to be all white oak, cut in old moon of Dec., Jan'y or Feb'y, and delivered on the green by the --- day of - next, Nov. 1790." Then fol- lows the prices of the posts, girts, plates, beams, rafters. &c.

After various plans had been canvassed the committee decided upon the one adopt- ed-to have the building 75 feet long, 55 wide, the steeple 20 feet square, 9 of which were taken from the main building, leaving ing an audience room of 66 feet in length. The work was commenced in the spring of 1791. The head carpenter was Major Jos- eph Lindsly, assisted by Gilbert Allen, both Elders in the church and men of great moral worth and highly beloved by the congrega- tion. The frame was raised on Sept. 20, 1791, and on several successive days. Some 200 men assisted in the work, from which we may form some conception of the amount of timber embraced in this noble edifice, which says one, "for strength, sol- idity and symmetry of proportion was not excelled by any wooden building of that day in New Jersey."

The first site selected for the building was in the grave yard not far from the old church ; this fact is gathered from an ac-

count book of that date, which has been very much mutilated but in which is the following entry :

" William Cherry, Cr.

By one days work done in the grave yard towards the foundation where the house was first ordered to be built, 5, 0" It was changed chiefly through the agency of Dr. Jabez Canfield, but why, I can find no satisfactory reason ? The location has never given satisfaction and several at- tempts have been made to move the church but without success, and it will no doubt stand where it is until superceded by a new house of worship.

It is very difficult to arrive at any defi- nite conclusion respecting the cost of the building from the different (and seemingly conflicting) statements on the parish re- cords. In Jan'y, 1792, it is " resolved, that in order to discharge the debts contracted on account of building said church and to proceed further finishing the same that the sum of £1,200 or $3,000 be raised this year by subscription." More than two years after this, a committee of 24 is appointed to go on and finish the building and all that is paid beyond the sums subscribed and received shall be assessed on the pews when sold. On January 1, 1796, another committee is chosen to make an equitable assessment on the parishioners for the purpose of raising £4,000. This subscription list we have seen containing 394 names, and the total sum as- sessed amounting to £4.496, 8, ranging from £5 to £100'; but several demurred to the amount affixed to their names which had to be lowered and several refused, and in twenty cases I find that the assessment on the property was too low and they were taxed higher. The sums thus corrected fell £527 below the £4,000 needed, so that this method failed and the one finally adopted was, after reserving certain seats, appraising the remainder so as to yield $10,000; at that time the estimated expense of the building on which 5 per cent. was to be paid to meet the minister's salary. On Nov. 26, 1795, the congregation worshipped in this house for the first time, though it was not until sev- eral months afterwards that the whole was completed. The pulpit was not finished and furnished until some time in 1796, when this fell as in later times to the ladies who col-

*We need not however be surprised at this resolution for lotteries were at that time resorted to and for more than half a century previous, to raise funds for particular objects both personal and public. Thus we find in one year lotteries ad- vertised in the New York papers for the following objects : to build a parsonage at Elizabeth Town, another at Turkey, (New Providence,) another at Hanover to buy a parsonage bouse and land, another at Amwell to finish the Presbyterian church, and another at Newark for completing the church, and among the managers of this we find the name of Col. Jacoh Ford. In 1759 we find a scheme for making an addi- tion to and repairing St. John's Church, Elizabeth Town. Tickets to be had of the Rev. Mr. Chandler : another for building Trinity Church, Newark, the highest prize $1,000.

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lected from their own sex the sum of $125 " for the purpose," as their subscription paper ran-" of dressing the pulpit, getting curtains for the large windows of the meet- ing house, a new funeral pall, and a gown for the minister." In the following year the walls were whitewashed and " the inside of the church ordered to be a light blue." Gradually the whole was finished at a cost considerably over $10,000. We have heard the sum stated at $12,000.

This for the times was a great undertak- ing. Commenced soon after the close of the protracted war with Great Britain when taxes were heavy and must be paid ; when the country was burdened with debt; paper money the only currency ; nearly every farm mortgaged and when creditors ran from their debtors, afraid of the Continental money, when a silver dollar was scarcely seen, and gold was if anything rarer-yet steadily was the work prosecuted in the midst of the most trying discouragements while the willingness of the people to be taxed nearly $10,000 for the purpose of de- fraying the expenditure, shows a noble spirit; and the readiness with which so many came forward-over 360 persons in all to contribute to the undertaking, reveals the fact that more were willing to share and bear the burdens of the sanctuary than at pres- ent. The communicants at that time num- bered but little more than half of the sub- scribers as scarcely 40 pews were reserved for sacramental days, and only the name of one person now living is on that long list, telling us of death's doings in 64 years, and showing us how one generation goeth and another cometh.

The house commenced in 1791 ; conse- crated in 1795, completed in 1797 ; still stands as firmly and compactly as when first erected. Twice has it been struck with lightning, oft has its lofty spire creaked in the wintry blast, against it have the storms of Heaven beat, but all have been in vain to injure and destroy. It still points in all its massive grandeur to Heaven, and though the work of a former it may well be the pride of the present generation, and should be cherished by us as a spot hallowed by the sweetest memories and as the grand achievement of a noble ancestry.

Twice has it been renovated to corres-

pond with the demands of the age ; the first time in 1841, when the floor was raised and the ceiling lowered, the high backed and square pews reduced in size, and other cor- responding improvements at a cost of some $3,000 ; the second time in 1859, when a thorough alteration was made in both the interior and exterior at an expense of some $6,000. The church can boast of three pul- pits ; the first small in size and high in po- sition, remained till 1819. When the church was thoroughly painted and cleaned at a cost of $817, then the old pulpit was remov- ed and given to the church at Newfound- land, and another more modern in style was built which cost nearly $300, and which was enlarged by two new panels in 1841. The present pulpit was erected last year at much less expense than the former and is in every way to be preferred.

The first pastor of the new church was Rev. James Richards ; the old edifice which stood 60 years and was taken down in 1797, could boast of but one pastor-this of many; both were built in troublous times and in the midst of much that was oppressing ; both were erected by men of a former gene- ration ; both have been blessed to the good of hundreds of souls, who are now in glory and have been of incalculable benefit to this region of country. Our fathers may have wept when they saw their old shepherd re- moved and the house in which he had so long led them to the green pastures and the still waters of the gospel ; some may have wept when they thought of the glory of the former in 1764 and 1774, the years of the right hand of the Most High, but in this we can truly say that "the glory of this latter house is greater than the former."

The building of the new church was the development of a new life and the introduc- tion of a new order of things. The Revolu- tionary war gave new views to the country, higher conceptions of its. future which brought the different States into one grand union, and under one and the same consti- tution. This had a great influence upon the different Christian organizations of the land, making all in time independent of the civil power and sweeping away every vestige of colonial law that interfered with the re- ligious rights of the people. Under the in- fluence of this, hopeful progress and expan-

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sion came to our ecclesiastical body, which in 1786 determined to form a constitution adapted to the state of the Presbyterian church in America, to form four Synods and a General Assembly composed of dele- gates from the several Presbyteries, so that whilst delegates from different States were in session at Philadelphia framing a consti- tution, ours was formed and being discussed in the lower judicatories, and was adopted and went into operation near the same time as that of the United States .* With something of this expansive feeling was our own church building contemplated ; at first in 1787 the old house 30x50 was good enough, then a new structure 65x45 was needed in 1788 which was enlarged to 65x50 in 1789, which grew to 70x50 in 1790, and when the frame was raised in 1791 assumed its present proportions 75x55.

As Dr. Johnes had come from Long Is- land to mould and consolidate this church in its infancy ; so from the same place came Richards in its transition and formative state with all the energies and vigor of youth around it to direct its interest, con- trol the energies of its members, guide their impulses and lead their heaven born ten- dencies to God and truth, Like Johnes he was also of Welsh descent, and was born at New Canaan, Ct., Oct. 29, 1767. In his early years he suffered much from bodily weakness, but gave at that same time great evidence of fine intellectual powers. Rear- ed in a Christian home, strong religious im- pressions were made in the buddings of youth upon his heart, which were never af- terwards effaced. In his 19th year he be- came thoroughly awakened to his condition as a sinner and soon afterwards publicly consecrated himself to God, and united with the Congregational church in Stanford. The reigning desire of his heart was now to live for God in the work of the ministry and who opened. up a way for his young servant to enter upon a preparatory course of study, which though interrupted by se- rious sickness was assiduously prosecuted until his licensure in 1793 when he com-

menced the active duties of the ministry ; first laboring at Ballston, N. Y., and then supplying two small congregations on Long Island.

Soon after the dismissal of Mr. Collins, a parish meeting was called for the especial purpose of consultation, prayer and inquiry as to the best mode of supplying the pulpit, which resulted in the appointment of a dis- creet and influential member of the church to take such measures as his judgment would approve to obtain a suitable pastor for the church. In the discharge of their trust he was led to consult several ministers and was finally led to Dr. Buel, the early and constant friend of Dr. Johnes and his college companion, who directed him to young Richards then laboring in the adjoin- ing parish, who listened on the Sabbath to his pulpit ministrations and with which the commissioner was so well satisfied that he invited him to visit Morristown, which he did, bringing with him the highest testimo- nials from Dr. Buel who was well known to the congregation, and who wrote: "the man who on a thorough acquaintance with James Richards does not love him, cannot himself be deserving the love of any man." He not only preached to the people with great satisfaction but also to the aged pastor in his own dwelling that he might judge of his fitness, and to both with such acceptance, that on the 21st of July, 1794, a call was made and put in to his hands the same day, in which he was to receive $440 salary in quarterly payments, the use of the parson- age and fire wood. This was in due time ac- cepted by him, and on the Ist of May, 1795,* he was ordained and installed pastor of the church by the Presbytery of New York. Dr. McWhorter, of Newark, preached the ordination sermon from Acts 20 : 24. Dr. Rogers, of New York, presided ; Mr. Aus- tin, of Elizabeth gave the charge to the people.

(To be continued.)

*The two following facts are of interest in connection with this date : George O'Hara advertised that his stage would commence running from Morristown to Powles Hook (Jersey City), on first Monday of April, 1795, twice a week for 9 shillings, and one penny a pound for all baggage above 7 lbs., way passengers 4 d a mile. Morristown post office was the only one in the county in 1795. In it letters were advertised for persons at Bedminister, Mendham, Baskingridge, Bottle Hill (Madison), New Market, Flanders, Hanover, Bound Brook, Franklin, Mt. Hope. Pompton, Ramapaugh.

"And here we may remark on the authority of Chief Jus- tice Tilghman that in determining the structure of our national government the framers of the United States constitution bor- rowed very much of the form of our republic from that form of church government found in the constitution of the Presby- terian church of Scotland.

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( Continued from page 133.) MEMBERS.

[The third column on this page is the work of the RECORD. Information which will lead to the correction of any mistake, or the filling of any blank, will be thankfully re- ceived .- ED.]

Names. When Received. When Dismissed or Died.

Jonathan Johnson,

July 2, 1790.

" Moved."

Phebe Johnson, (Jonathan,)

Sarah Meeker, (William,) .

Ephraim Muir,

Abraham T. Schenck, Nov. 5.

Bathsheba Carmichael (Dan.,)

Rhoda Pierson, (wid. of Isaac,) .

Ame Byram, (16 yrs. old,)

Elizabeth Burnet, (Lindsley,)

June 26, 1791.

Phebe Burnet, (Matthias), Burnet, (Ralph),

July 4,

Jacob Pierson,

Jacob Ball,

Mary Ball, (Jacob),

Phebe Lindsley, (Isaac), .

[This completes the list of those who united with the church upon profession of their faith, during the pastorate of Rev. Dr. Johnes, 424 in all. Add to these 179, who " were in full communion when the ch. was first collected and founded, together with the num- ber of those that came since from other churches," (RECORD, p. 12), and we have the total number of 603 communicants under Dr. Johnes' pastorate of half a century. Besides these, is a list of 589 " half-way " members, found on pages 28, 36, 44, 52, and 60, of THE RECORD,-ED.]

REV. AARON C. COLLINS, COLLEAGUE OF REV. DR. JOHNES.

Bethuel Hayward, Jan. 3, 1791.

Temperance Hayward, (Bethuel),

William Hamilton,

May 23, "

Hamilton, (William)

Abraham Munson,

July 2,

Abraham Conkling, . Sept. II. -

Jemima Conkling, (Abraham),

Gabriel Ford,

Oct. 6,

Frances Gold Ford, (Gabriel),

Charlotte Ford Condict, (Silas, Jr.), Dec. Jeptha Wade, Jan. 2, 1792.

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 19

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print Number of Pages: 942

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942