USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1 > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132
Wade, (Jeptha),
Matthias Crane, from Ist ch., N. Y.,
46
Jane Crane. (Matthias),
Henry Vail, June
I,
Nov. 12, 1832, aet. 79. March 28, 1814, aet. 56.
Damaris Hall, (Jacob),
64
Pruda Marsh, (Joseph),
Died Feb., 1821.
Enoch Miller,
Sally Miller,
Sarah Clark, (Enoch),
64
Joseph Marsh,
Sept. 2,
Excom. Oct. 3, 1797,
Abigail Mills, (Timothy),
Anna Losey, (Cornelius),
(To be continued.)
.
Died March 6, 1850, born Dec. 8, 1776.
Dis. Jan. 7, 1825, to Union Town, Pa.
Phebe Vail, (Henry), .
66
Died in 1821.
Feb. 12, 1830, aet. 63 y. 6 m. and 19 d. Aug. 30, 1803, aet. 62.
Dis. Nov. 26 to 3rd Ch., Newark.
Dec. 10, 1828, aet. 78.
- Nov. 6, Excom. Dec. 16, 1816, Nov. 26, 1808, aet. 60. May 14, 1833, aet. 81.
142
THE RECORD.
( Continued from page 134.) BAPTISMS.
1772.
Aug.23. Elder John Lindsley & wf., ch. Phebe, born July 7, 1772.
" Nathaniel Morris on wf's account, ch. Elizabeth, born July 28, 1772.
" Usual Coe & wf., ch. Matthias, born July 30, 1771.
" 30. Henry Gardiner & wf., ch. Esther, born July 20, 1772.
" " Matthias Burnet, Jr., & wf., ch .- Sept. 4. Sarah, wf. of William Charlot, adult.
" Wm. Charlot & wf, ch. Stephen, born Feb. 16, 1772.
" 6. James Miller on wf's acct., ch. Eliz- abeth, born Aug. 20, 1772.
Oct. 4. Joshua Guering & wf., ch. Aram, born July 2, 1772.
" II. John Redman & wf., ch. Rachael, born Sept. 10, 1772.
15. Abijah Cheever, adult.
" Abijah Cheever & wf., ch. Abijah, born Aug. 10, 1772.
" 25. Geo. Phillips & wf., ch. Ruth, born Sept. 28, 1772.
" Isaac Pierson & wf., ch. Phebe, born Sept. 3, 1772.
" Ezekial Day & wf., ch. Abigail, born Sept. 1, 1772.
" " John Prudden's wf., husband absent, ch. Anne, born Sept. 15, '72.
Nov.15. Jonas Phillips & wf., ch. Mary, born Sept. 18, 1772.
" Jedidiah Gregory & wf., ch. Mabel, born Oct. 6, 1772.
" " Peter Norris & wf., ch. David, born Sept. 18, 1772.
" Jno. Jacks on wf's acct., children, Wm., born May 8, 1770, Lidia, born Oct. 23, 1772.
" 20. Abraham Ludlam bap. and with his wf. had ye family bap. John, born Mch. 15. 1762, Sarah, born Aug, 21, 1763, Abigail, born Dec. 4, 1766.
Dec. 6. Moses Johnson & wf., ch. Catharine, born Sept. 12, 1772.
" " Wm. Charlot & wf., ch. Aaron, born Oct. 20, 1772.
Dec. 6. Benoni Hathaway & wf., ch. Silas, born Oct. 26, 1772.
13. Ichabod Carmichael & wf., ch. Phebe, born Oct. 24, 1772.
Hezekiah Stebbins on wf's acct., ch. Hannah, born Oct. 11, 1772.
1773.
Jan. 10. David Phillips on wf's acct., ch. Jonathan, born Oct. 24, 1772.
17. Doc. Goold, ch., at wf's, request & grandmother presenting, was bap. name, Wm. Budd.
" 24. Zenas Condict & wf., ch. Sarah, born Nov. 2. 1772.
16 " Caleb Munson & wf., ch. Silas, born Dec. 23, 1772.
" Silas Ayers & wf., child Abigail, born Nov. 28, 1772.
" " Zebedee Brown on wf's account, ch. John Thompson, born Nov. 24, 1772.
31. Moses Prudden & wf., ch. Moses, born Dec. 17, 1772.
Feb. 14. Moses Lindsley & wf., ch. Sarah, born Jan. 10, 1773.
= " Richard Johnson & wf., ch. Hannah, born Jan. 8, 1773.
' 28. David Day on wf's acct., ch. Silas, born Oct. 9, 1770.
" Ichabod Cooper on wf's acct., ch. Samuel, born Jan. 15, 1773.
Mch.21. James Brookfield & wf., ch. John, born Feb. 13, 1773.
" " James McBride on wf's account, ch. Mountrose Irwin, born Jan. 9, 1773.
" " Jonathan Tichenor & wf., ch. Da- vid, born Feb. 6. 1773.
" Joséph Pierson, Jun. & wf., ch. Ezekiel, born Jan. 17, 1773.
Apr. I. Peter Condict & wf., ch. Lewis, born Mch. 3, 1773.
" Joseph Bears & wf., children Silas, born Apr. 23, 1771, Hannah, born Feb. 8, 1773.
" II. Dr. Timothy Johnes & wf., ch. Elizabeth, born Jan. 13, 1773.
Thomas Tuttle & wf., ch. Ebenezar, born Feb. 22, 1773.
= Sam'l Allwood & wf., ch. Joseph, born Feb. 16, 1773,
.. Widow of Solomon Southard, ch. Benjamin, born Feb. 14, 1773. (To be continued.)
143
THE RECORD.
( Continued from page 135.) BILL OF MORTALITY.
1789.
Jan. 30. Child of Ziba Ludlow.
Mar. 2. Mary, daughter of David Freeman, worms, aet. I.
..
22. Esther, wife of Joseph Tuttle,* con- sumption, aet. 36.
April 3. Lucinda Lee, daughter of Ephraim Youngs, meazles, aet. I.
" 22. Sarah, widow of Solomon Boyles,* old age, aet. 80.
" 23. Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Kinney, Esq.,dropsy of the breast, aet.53.
" 24. A child of Luther Axtell.
May 30. Samuel, son of Daniel Coleman.
June 7. Ephraim, son of John Sutten, dropsy, aet. 17.
9. Mary, widow of Michal Tennery,* fever, aet. 41.
July 6. A child of Reuben Woods, still-born, " 24. Esther, wife of William Johnes, consumption, aet. 21.
" 29. Abraham Canfield,* tabes, aet. 57. Aug. 5. Phinehas Ayres, drowned, aet. 38. John Lyon, drowned, aet. 40.
" 13. A child of Abraham Hudson.
" 15. Daughter of John Powers, fever, aet. 20.
15. Joseph Youngs, obstruction in the bladder, aet. 57.
" 18. Herrick Benjamin, old age, aet. 70. Sept. 3. Child of John Morris.
Oct. 4. Richard, son of Zenas Mills, con- sumption.
" 12. Sarah, daughter of Richard John- son, fever, aet. 3.
" 21. Shadrach Howard,* fever, aet. 65. Nov. 1. Child of Benjamin Thomson. .
" 16. Child of Vincent Guering.
" 19. Jonathan Elmer, son of Jonathan Dickerson, lingering decay, aet. 8.
= Child of Thomas Johnson.
" 24. William, son of Joseph Marsh, colic, aet. I.
" 28. Widow Sarah Allen,* old age, aet.92.
" 30. Hannah, widow of Jonathan Linds- ley, old age, aet. 77.
Dec. 1. Widow Stillwell, old age, aet. 87. " 15. Abiel Fairchild,* consumption, aet. 50.
1790.
Jan. 13. Ruben Cooper, fever, aet. 32.
Jan. 24. Hannah, widow of John Burwell, carbuncle, aet. 65.
Feb. 7. David Godden,* dropsy, aet. 66.
" 18. Joanna, daughter of Abraham Gil- bert, phrenzy, aet. 15.
Mar. 6. Robert M'Calvey, inflamed brain, aet. 66.
" 17. Cyrus, son of David Freeman, fever and ague, aet. 3.
Apr. - John Crowell,* hasty consumption, aet. 45.
= 3. Child of Joseph Shipman.
21. Daniel Beers,* drowned, aet. 37.
28. Armstrong Johnes,* consumption, aet. 34.
May 2. Sam'l Pierson, consumption, aet. 42.
10. Hubert Duburk, dropsy, aet. 52.
II. Stephen Smith Lyon, sudden, aet.26.
" 21. Deborah, wife of David Day, con- sumption, aet. 43.
22. George Riddles,consumption,aet.38.
June 4. Rachel, daughter of widow Conk- ling, worms, aet 5.
66 5. Matthew Fairchild, nervous fever, aet. 69.
12. Thomas Guering, fever, aet. 77.
19. Mary, wife of William Broadwell,* consumption, aet. 25.
July 1. Sophia Burk, consumption, aet. 23. ..
6. Margaret, wife of Michael Mounts, consumption, aet. 25.
= 24. A child of Isaac Mills, still-born. Aug. 9. A child of James Stiles, fits.
" 24. Isaac Pierson, dropsey of the breast, aet. 53.
Sept. 9. Daughter of Peter Carr, consump- tion, aet. 13.
.. " Servant child of Benjamin Freeman, fits.
66 16. Hannah, daughter of Jacob Caster- line, fits.
21. An illegitimate child, found dead.
25. Elizabeth, daughter of John M'- Collom, consumption, aet. 2.
Oct. 7. A child of Solomon Brown.
14. Huldah, daughter of Benjamin Pierson, consumption, aet. 3.
Dec. 25. Hannah, wife of Timothy Peck,* dropsey, aet. 79.
" 31. A child of Daniel Nixon, aet. 3. 1791.
Jan. 8. A child of Nathan Reeve.
" 25. Mary, daughter of Simeon Broad- well, sudden, aet. I. (To be continued.)
I44
THE RECORD.
( Continued from page 136. ) TRUSTEES' BOOK.
At a meeting of the Trustees at the house of George O'Hara, the 28th Jan'y, 1793, the President, Mr. Lindsley, Mr. Mills, Mr. Ogden, and Benjamin Pierson attended in consequence of his being elected-who, be- ing duly sworn and subscribed the oath as the Law directs took his seat in the board.
Joseph Munson applied for a piece adjoin- ing the lands of Sam'l Morrison and James Pitney. Voted, Mr. Munson shall have the Refusal of a building spot at sixty pounds per acre. Mr. Munson, satisfied with the conditions, a committee consisting of Mr. Condit and Mr. Mills be appointed to survey sd. land and make out a Deed.
At a parish meeting held at the meeting house, 2nd Sept., 1793,
Resolved that the confession made by the Rev'd. Aaron C. Collins before the associ- ation, be read.
Whereas, the Rev. Mr. Collins has re- quested to be discharged from this Church and congregation as their pastor, and at the same time submitted to them to fix the period when his salary should terminate, and the church and Congregation having maturely considered the same, Resolved that they agree to his proposition for a separation from him as their pastor. Re- solved, that the Trustees take charge of the parsonage & that they settle with Mr. Col- lins with respect to that part thereof which contains the nursery of mulbery trees agree- able to justice at their discretion. Resolved, that Silas Condit, Jacob Arnold, Caleb Russell, Gilbert Alling, Joseph Prudden, Benj. Lindsley, Jonas Phillips, Jonathan Stiles, Joseph Lewis, Matthias Crain, Dr. Wm. Campfield & Timothy Johnes, Jr., be a committee to ascertain and settle with Mr. Collins the arrears of salary that may be due to him.
Resolved, that the Deacons & Elders of this church be a committee for supplying the pulpit-that the said committee be au- thorized to employ any person duly quali- fied to preach the Gospel whether as Sup- plies or Candidates for any time not more than three months, & in order that such service be duly rewarded, the said Commit- tee are directed to prepare and present a subscription tothe parishioners of this Con-
gregation for the purpose of raising the sum of one hundred pounds or there abouts to be appropriated for the payment of such supplies or Candidates, including the service already performed by the Rev. Mr. Baldwin, & if the sum so raised should not be all ex- pended as above directed previous to the settlement of another minister in this Con- gregation-that such remaining sum shall be disposed of as the Congregation shall hereafter direct, & the sd. Committee are directed to keep an accurate account of their receipts and disbursements & lay the same before the Congregation whenever thereunto required, and, whereas it becomes us as professing Christians always to take notes of & wisely improve the dispensations of Divine Providence & as it is abundantly evident that God is now frowning on us as a Congregation, not only in permitting our pastor to conduct unbecoming his character and profession, but also in suspending those divine influences which are absolutely necessary to the being & continuance of Christian Love and Unity, the lamentable consequences of which obviously appear in the recent divisions & animosities that take place among us, with this view of our situation and in the same measure sensi- ble of our guilt and vileness, our lukewarm- ness, sloth & want of Zeal in the cause of Religion, and of the justice of God in his dealings with us. and of our entire depen- dence on him for every degree of grace, wisdom and prudence; we think it proper and do agree to set apart the day of this as a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer to Almighty God that he would pour out his Spirit upon us and grant us that penitent & forgiving temper of mind that may dispose us to peace and union and that he would direct us in the path of duty in our future endeavours for the settlement of the ministry and perpetuating the Ordi- nances of the Gospel among us.
(To be continued.)
The part of the second historical sermon by Rev. Dr. Irving, published in this num- ber of THE RECORD, will be especially in- teresting in its account of the building of the present edifice in which the First church worship. The frame was raised Sept. 20, 1791.
THE RECORD
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MORRISTOWN, N. J. " THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME."-Psalms 102 : 18.
VOL. II.
JULY, 1881. NO. 7.
(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.
( Continued from page 140. ) HISTORICAL SERMON-No. 2.
By REV. DAVID IRVING, D.D.
Between the period of his call and his in- duction into the pastoral office, the aged and faithful shepherd was gathered to his fathers-his last hours cheered with the thought of his flock again united under one whom Providence had sent to heal the breaches occasioned by the misconduct of Mr. Collins. "The unanimity and cordiality in the settlement of Mr. Richards was as the balm of Gilead to his wounded spirit." Mr. Richards was paid for his services as a supply till September 12th, when his salary commenced, and from that time to this, this | for his pulpit ministrations. The doctrinal, has been the close of the fiscal year of the parish.
This congregation was at that time the largest and most influential in the whole of this region. It had outgrown in strength the mother and the younger members of the same family ; so that it was a post of great responsibility to the young licentiate, and owing to its peculiar state, one requir- ing great tact, prudence and discretion, but he proved himself equal to the task and more than met the expectations of the flock. his spirit upon his labors and 75 were added.
In alluding to the state of things, at his settlement in a letter to Dr. Condict in 1840, he says : "your fathers differ greatly in opinion and for a time were strongly op- posed to each other in feeling, but they judged it best not to divide but to make sacrifices and endeavor to harmonize ; their endeavors were successful ; they were har- monized ; peace and brotherly love became the order of the day and with some slight exceptions have niarked the course of things in the congregation for almost half a cen- tury." Whilst thus seeking to unite the people to each other, he was instant in sea- son and out of season in striving to make them better acquainted with the Lord Jesus. He was abundant in labors. "I had," says he, " the sick and afflicted to visit, the dead to bury, the wandering to look after, the captious and uneasy to soothe, besides schools to catechise, and lectures to preach and prayer meetings to attend ; altogether creating a vast amount of labor, indepen- dent of regular family visitations and pre- paring for the pulpit." Besides these he had social calls to make and receive, and duties at times outside of his congregation to occupy his attention and time, but in his movements among his people and especially among the more spiritual and devoted, he sought to derive instruction and subjects practical and experimental were _thus blended both to his own and the profit of those who listened to his preaching. Im- mediate fruits among the impenitent were not so perceptible as among the members of the church. Harmony with each other was more speedily seen than harmony be- tween the wicked and God. Only three were added to the communion of the church during the first two years of his ministry, but in the two following years God poured
146
THE RECORD.
This revival occurred in the spring of 1797, and took the congregation by surprise ; few were looking for it and when it came the members evidently were unprepared for such manifestations of divine favor. As the result of this awakening about 100 united in this and the succeeding year ; of the fruits of that revival but two remain, Phebe Burnet, widow of John Burnet, and Lewis Mills, the one received on March 5th, 1797, and the other May Ist, 1797. Once and again did God manifest his revival power during his pastorate, comforting and strengthening saints and bringing many aliens into the family of heaven. Whilst thus blessed at home, and highly revered by his people, his influence over the surrounding congrega- tions was great, as well as extending over the church at large. In the year 1801 he received the degree of Master of Arts from Princeton College, and in 1805, at the age of 37, was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. We can find no trace of anything published by him whilst here, but in 1816 he preached in this church a discourse entitled " This world is not our rest," which was afterwards printed. He was ever ready to assist others by ministerial labor and sought in this way to extend the Kingdom of the Messiah. One plan pursued by him and some of his brethren was to meet together in private or in school houses, in places lying between their churches and hold union meetings in some afternoon of the week, which were occasions of interest to the people and a means of mutual profit; an- other plan adopted in his day and for years afterwards was with some other minister to make preaching tours among the mountains or sparsely settled regions, now occupied by the Presbyteries of Passaic, Rockaway and Newton, and there proclaim Christ and him crucified to many destitute families or feeble struggling churches. In one of these excursions he met Dr. Griffin and spent the night with him in pleasant and profitable conversation. Part of this conference is detailed by Dr. Stearns, in which matters experimental and doctrinal are discussed, and doubts proposed and dissipated. On the atonement, Griffin unburdened his heart and spoke of his difficulty in apprehending Christ as a proper substitute, whereupon
Richards disclosed to him a distressing con- flict which he had formerly upon that point and which was quieted by à transporting view of Heb. 7 : 26, " For such an high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the Heavens." At this the agitation of Grif- fin's mind became relieved and he fell asleep, "when I awoke," he adds, "that same glori- ous High Priest was before me, just as he is expressed in Heb. 7: 26." The influence upon the character of such men by these conversations and the influence of labors such as they put forth beyond the limits of their own charges for the spiritual well be- ing of others, eternity only can disclose. Their flocks were willing to be unsupplied an occasional Sabbath that their pastors might break the bread of life to those de- prived of the stated means of grace, and they did not suffer in consequence. "They that water shall themselves be watered." Revivals here and there have been traced to these self denying but pleasant labors.
The old church building was vacated in Nov. 1795, and was soon afterwards taken down and sold in lots. And as truth must be spoken a large part of it was converted into a distillery and cider mill, and which, in Water street, did their work of mischief in those times of ignorance for many years. That church in which the sainted Johnes so long preached, where Drs. Buel, of Long Island, and Rogers of New York, and Mc- Whorter of Newark, proclaimed the words of life : where the voice of Green, and Dar- by, and Elmer, and Caldwell, and others was occasionally heard warning men of sin and pleading with them to be reconciled to God; those walls that echoed back the praises of those, now at rest, and everything about it hallowed with the most joyous remem- brances ; where sweet communion with the unseen was enjoyed, and solemn vows made; that building converted to such an use must have been trying to those who had been blessed in the privileges there possessed and who were attached to it by the sweetest and holiest memories.
The new edifice was first occupied on Nov. 26, 1795, the sermon preached by Mr. Rich- ards, but from what text I have not been able to discover. On the 18th of Feb. 1796, the seats of the new church were sold and
147
THE RECORD.
the old plan of rating and collecting was discontinued ; several of the pews on the first floor were large square pews, and were appraised considerably higher than the single pews, (four of them at {120 each), the number of the pews in the main audi- ence room was 101 ; in the gallery 57. The number of the pews since the alteration is 126 in the former and 57 in the latter besides the reserved seats for the choir. The prin- cipal seats in the body of the church ranged in value from $70 to $87, on which 5 per cent. was assessed to meet the current ex- penses of the congregation ; 8 pews were reserved for the poor and some for the deaf. The number purchasing or renting pews or parts of pews was 158, who paid the sum of $533.35. The expenses of 1797 were for " salary $440, sweeping the church $15, sex- ton $15, cake for wood cutters $19, printing $2, cyder $5.62." The salary continued the same till 1804, when it was increased to $565, with certain privileges, the current expenses for that year were $605.
Among matters of note and that peculiarly belong to the annals of the church we may mention the spinning and wood frolicks, as they were called. The spinning visit was collecting together the various amounts of linen, thread, yarn, and cloth, proportioned to the "gude" wife's ability or generosity. The thread was woven into cloth for the use and comfort of the pastor and his family, and as it was not always of the same tex- ture and size, it sometimes puzzled the weaver to make the cloth and finish it alike. The wood frolick . brought together the greater part of the congregation, the ladies preparing supper at the parsonage, which was heartily enjoyed by those who were busy during the day in bringing together the years supply of fuel for their minister, which averaged about 40 cords. We find the amounts expended by the parish for these frolicks in 1797, to be for cake and cider, $25.62 ; 1798, bread and beef, $18.94 ; in 1799, I cwt. of flour and 200 lbs. of beef, $10.83. Besides these remuner- ative tokens, his own heart was oft re- freshed and his family benefitted, by numer- ous acts of kindness performed by his peo- ple
times sectional animosity was bitter if not' unscrupulous. As an instance of this in our own State we find that Thomas Paine, a strong partisan of Jefferson, wished to ride .. in the public stage from Trenton to New York, but the proprietors of both stages were Federalists and refused with strong oaths to give a seat to an infidel. If not carried to such an extreme in this region, parties were as decided, zealous, and preju- diced as in any other part of the State, and were as jealous of pulpit interference as at the present day ; hence its utterances were watched and faithfully scanned on fast days" or occasions on which allusion"was in any way made to public men or matters of State! ' On one of the fast days held during the ad- ministration of John Adams, a sermon suited to the times was preached by Mr. R., with which but little if any fault was found by the congregation. A few years later, Mr. R. preached again on a similar occasion, during Mr. Jefferson's administration, which gave great offence to one of the political parties as seemingly reflecting'upon their men and measures. Sectional feeling was ' at once aroused and could only be allayed. by some of the leaders waiting upon Mr. R., acquainting him with 'the facts and if need be require a retraction. The committee' called ' upon the preacher ; to their statements and grievances he politely listened, when he're- plied that they had approved of all that he had said. This they denied, he then told them that owing to a pressure of other mat- ters upon him, he was unable to prepare a sermon, he therefore found that upon a ' perusal of the discourse preached a few" years previous, that it was well suited to the + present times ; with it then no fault was found, but commendation was bestowed upon it, he had therefore repeated it as it was written and this was the only thing which they could blame. They saw / the MS. and knew that it was the old ser- mon. Perceiving that they were caught, the committee soon retired and the matter was at once hushed. Here as elsewhere Mr. Richards showed that' discretion ' and ' tact for which he was famed, a prudence that characterized all his movements among this people and that made him'a wise coun- sellor, a strong leader, a faithful pastor and
During his ministry here, politics largely agitated the public mind, and as in later la true friend, so that he was regarded a
148
THE RECORD.
model minister, throughout this region and the church at large.
Except some slight friction in his pastor- ate, like the one alluded to, Mr. R. lived in the affections of his people, they treated him with respect and esteemed him highly for his work's sake. His charge was laborious but pleasant, of the relation in after years, he thus speaks: "Never was a minister more happy with his people than I with mine during the 15 years I spent among you. I can truly say that if there be a spot on earth to which my mind turns with more than ordinary affection it is that where I was or- dained to the work of the gospel ministry." Of one thing he felt that he had ground to complain, and that was of an inadequate support. His salary as we have seen was $440 per annum, with certain perquisites. Immediately on his marriage he purchased a lot of the church in South street, consisting of half an acre for $300, on which he erected the house now occupied by Mr. George King, afterwards he purchased 1 1-2 acres for $200 and enlarged the grounds attached to it. Some of the congregation lent him money, which he paid when convenient. His salary was increased in 1804 to $565 per annum. But this was inadequate to meet the growing necessities of his family. For a time he kept boarders, which added large- ly to his cares and against which some of his warm friends demurred. To relieve him of this burden and pay him a salary more in proportion to the ability of the congre- gation and his just claims a parish meeting was called in 1808. To this measure some were opposed, as they could not see why the minister could not live on his salary, which was more than many received ; others were in favor of the movement, but thought it was ill-timed. These two combined car- ried their motion for delay over those who were anxious for immediate action. The matter was postponed till the next parish meeting ; they met, talked and separated without coming to any result. Again they met and did the same. This was a severe trial to the pastor and preyed upon his mind. But rising above the trials and the mortification attached to it, he devoted himself with greater energy to his work, believing that God would make all things plain. Thus laboring, an application was
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.