History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 41

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

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What became of the old building ? When was it destroyed ? What was its history ? Who can tell ?

At the beginning of this century a library was in existence in Morristown. It was in connection with an association called the Morris County Agricultural Society. A collection of about fifteen hundred volumes were gathered ; many of which, when the Morristown Library and Lyceum was forin- ed, were transferred to the shelves of that institution. The history of this library as it existed in connection with the Agricultural Society and afterwards under the auspices of the Apprentices library, is given by Rev. R. S. Green in his history of Morristown.

Hamilton College, at its last commence- ment, did itself honor in conferring the title of D. D. on the Rev. R. S. Green, our for- mer pastor. We congratulate the college and the Rev. R. S. Green, D.D., and hope we are the first in Morristown to annex the title to the name so deserving the honor.

THE RECORD.

CLIPPINGS.

I would rather believe all the fables in the Talmud or the Alcoran than to believe that this universal frame is without a mind. -Lord Bacon.

A holy life is a voice, it speaks when the tongue is silent, and is either a constant attraction or a perpetual reproof .- Christian Advocate.

It was believed that leap year had been caused by Joshua, when he made the sun stand still. A writer of the tenth century notices this as the opinion of some " un- learned priests."-Wright Biog. Liter.

Southey says that it was not till about the middle of the eighteenth century that a circulating library was first opened in London. It was set up by Samuel Fan- court, a dissenting minister.

Pamphilius, presbyter of Cæsarea, who flourished A. D. 294, erected a library at Cæsarea, which according to Isidore of Se- ville, contained 30,000 volumes. This col- lection seems to have been made merely for the good of the church, and to lend out to religiously disposed people. St. Jerome particularly mentions his collecting books for the purpose of lending them to be read ; and this is, if I mistake not, the first notice of a circulating library .- Adam Clarke.

Chamber's traditions of Edinburgh states that Allan Ramsay in 1725 set up a circulat- ing library at Edinburgh, which was the first "known in Scotland." It was however only "for plays and other works of fiction."

The first Christian library was established by Hilary, Bishop of Rome. He was elect- ed in 461 .- LeClerc.

A library existed in the Whitby monas- tery " about 1180 A. D." It had eighty- seven volumes, sixty theological and twen- ty-seven grammatical or classical. In the theological department, most of the authors were of the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth centuries. It had scarcely any of the early Greek and Latin fathers, except Origen ; none of Augustine, Jerome or Cyril. In the classical department were found Homer, Plato, Cicero, Juvenal, Per- sius, Statius and Boethius. Virgil's name does not appear, but he must have had a place in the library as a volume appears in

the catalogue, called " The Bucolics."- White's History of Whitby.

[It must be remembered that these were manuscripts .- EDITOR.]

The "highest library" at Greenwich con- tained according to inventory, three hun- dred and twenty-nine volumes .- Harlcian Mis.

At the beginning of the seventeenth cen- tury there were only three public libraries in Europe; the Bodleian founded in 1612; the Bibliotheque Angelique, at Rome, founded in 1620, and the Bibliotheque Am- broisienne, at Milan, founded in 1608 .- Radel.

Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was very fond of reading. He succeeded his father in 1467. It is quite remarkable that a man of such a stormy life and whose great ambition seemed to be constantly engaged in war, should have employed himself in so peaceful an occupation as reading. His li- brary was quite extensive. In it were enu- merated the Romances of King Arthur and Lancelot of the Lake and the Chronicles of Pisa, translated from the Italian, for the Duke. In 1405, before the reign of Charles the Bold, the work of John Mandeville, the traveller, was found in this library. This was in the lifetime of Philip, the Good, the father of Charles, a different man from his son, a gatherer of books, and who had collected some of the volumes in his library for the education of his son .- Various.

" I will and bequeth to the abbot and con- vent of Hales-Oweyn, a book of myn called Catholicon, to theyr own use forever ; and another book of myn wherein is contaigned the Constitutions Provincial and De Gestis Romanorum, and other treatis therein ; which I will be laid and bounded with an yron chain to some convenient parte, within saide church, at my costs, so that all preests and others may se and rede it when it pleas- eth them."- Will of Sir Thomas Lyttleton, the famous lawyer, who died 1481.

[This will explain two subjects of interest to scholars-the value of books, at the time, and the custom of chaining them in churches. They were generally fastened to the altar and were read at stated times to audiences, by some one appointed for the purpose .- EDITOR, |

THE RECORD

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MORRISTOWN, N. J. " THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME."-Psalms 102 : 18.

VOLUME III.

AUGUST, 1883. NUMBER 8.

[Printed with the Approval of the Session.]

THE RECORD

Will be published monthly at Morristown. N. J. Terms $1.00 per annum, in advance.

Subscriptions may be made at the book- stores of Messrs. Runyon and Emmell, or to Messrs. James R. Voorhees and William D. Johnson, or by letter addressed to the

EDITOR OF THE RECORD,

Morristown, N. J.

Entered at the Post Office at Morristown. N. J., as second class matter.

DOES IT PAY.

" For about twenty years, there has been no place in Edwards county, in Illinois, where intoxicating liquors could be obtain- ed as a beverage. There is a satisfactory condition of things in that county that is one of the best of temperance sermons. The taxes are 33 per cent. less than in any other county in Illinois. The length of the sessions of its court is from two to three days. The justices of the peace are called but little from their ordinary pursuits. From one to two persons in five or six years are imprisoned in the county jail. It has sent one man to State's prison for killing his wife while drunk on whisky obtained in a neighboring county. Its expenses in pro- viding for paupers are $500 per year, while the county next to it, where licenses are is- sued, though only half as large, annually pays for the same purpose $6,000. In May, 1879, but two mortgages were on re- cord in the county. A very large per cent. of the inhabitants are religious. Such ex- emptions in the midst of a people weighted down with alcoholic burdens ought to have the effect to open their eyes, and to cause the universal banishment of the bottles and

barrels and beer kegs, under which they are now staggering.

Will some one, who believes in licensing saloon and grop shop, calculate the taxes paid by the citizens of Morris county for the various expenses of providing for county poor house, police offices, Court House and Jail ; paying for the fees and salaries of the several officers of the law, where their ex- penses are the legitimate consequence of the sale of rum by licensed saloon and groggery? When the appalling result is reached, by an honest inquiry, then continue the calcula- tion, in all the ramifications of the subject and record the misery and woe to wives and children, to families and the community by the traffic, licensed by those who were put into office by the good tax paying citizens. A series of meetings has been recently held at Ocean Grove in this State, under the auspices of a Temperance Association. At one of these meetings Neal Dow, that veteran in the Temperance movement, made an address, in which he referred to the often reiterated statement that prohibition in Maine was .a failure. He proved conclu- sively, however, by figures, that Maine fi- nancially, as well as morally and religiously, was a gainer by the enforcement of the Maine law.

Space does not permit a repetition of his arguments and statements; but they were full and convincing. Of course, as society is now constituted, even in Maine, it is an impossibility to stop entirely the use of intoxicants. But, if the experiment of prohibition be fairly tried with good results to the taxpayers, the citizens and the fam- ily, so much at least, has been gained. Tak- ing, then, the results in Maine and in the small county of Edwards, Ill, would it not pay to make trial of the same experiment elsewhere ?

THE RECORD.

MORRISTOWN LIBRARIES.

When Mr. Spaulding had charge of the Morristown Academy, a school paper called the Avalon, was edited and published by his scholars. A very interesting history ap- peared in it [Feb .- April, 1879,] of Morris- town Libraries, which, by permission of Mr. Oscar Babbitt, its young author, is trans- ferred to the RECORD. The patient exami- nation which Mr. Babbitt gave to his subject resulted in the production of an article which is worthy of reproduction in a form where it may be preserved for future refer- ence.

There is nothing, perhaps, which awakens more vivid reminiscencesjof the old citizens of this county, than the sight of the present beautiful library whose magnificent building graces our street and the scholars of whose school win laurels at foot ball and the ad- miration of their friends at their studies.

The oldest man was but a small boy when the first library was organized in Morris County. This was in 1792. On the 21st of September of that year, eleven of the in- habitants of Morris County, met at the house of the venerable Benjamin Freeman, at Morris Town, and " advised and consult- ed" upon the propriety of organizing a society which should be called, " The Morris County Society for the Promotion of Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures." It was a great step for these ancient gentle- men, but they succeeded nobly.

Captain Pet Layton (a relic of the revolu- tion) was chosen chairman, and Col. Rus- sell, clerk. The constitution presented was rather defective. A committee was appoint- ed to revise it. The meeting then adjourn- ed to meet at Mr. Freeman's house, on Sep- tember 25th, 1792.

Such was the first meeting of the kind ever held in Morris County, and so far as we know, in New Jersey. These noble patriots, scarce ten years after the great war, were now seated peacefully together advising a plan to help their less favored brethren from the slough of ignorance. These pa- triots realized the necessity of an education. They understood clearly that our infant re- public could not be of " one mind" long, if her citizens remained uneducated. They could not organize schools, and if they did,

there would be few who would be able to avail themselves of the advantage, since our forefathers had literally to work for a living. They had their long evenings, and these wise men conceived a plan by which all miight obtain the desired knowledge without neglecting their families.

The eventful week rolled round. The committee had been busily engaged in re- vising the old constitution, informing their neighbors and friends of the great work con- templated, and requesting their attendance. When the hour for meeting came, there were one hundred people present.

Samuel Tuthill, was installed chairman, with Col. Russell again clerk. The con- stitution was read as revised, and was adopted. From it, we take (Art. VIII.) the following " * * upon the applica- tion of any member of the society for a book, he shall deliver him one, and at the same time, take a promissory note for the same, to be returned in one (1) month from the time, on paying one shilling for every week over time." On October 7th, 1793, this was amended, and the librarian was only to keep an account of the book taken. Article XI. informs us that the dues were one dollar a year, " to be paid on the first Monday in October, of each year," and that the stock was transferable. Ninety-seven of those present then signed the constitu- tion, and a good portion of these paid several dollars over the assessment for the sake of encouragement. The total receipts were two hundred and twenty-seven dol- lars.

On October Ist, 1792, the election of of- ficers came off. Samuel Tuthill was elected President. Joseph Lewis, Vice President. Dr. W. Campfield, Secretary. W. Canfield, Librarian and Israel Canfield, Treasurer. Six gentlemen were then elected a commit- tee of correspondence.

It was resolved that the society purchase three books and a stamp for marking all books. "They then adjourned." The next meeting was April Ist 1795, at which the by-laws were read and adopted, and from which we learn that " the librarian was to be at the library to deliver books on all days, Sundays excepted, from six a. m. to nine p. m." and "that he shall collect all

THE RECORD.

dues in specie." The society started with ninety-six volumes. At the end of the year. the treasurer reported $35.47 on hand, and an addition of twenty volumes to the library.

The society thus organized, went along swimmingly, until 1812, when a " Morris Li- brary Association" was started, and the " Association for Promotion of Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures" merged into it.

February 3d, 1812, a party of gentlemen met at Bull's Hotel and agreed to the pro- per measures, necessary for the organization of a Library, and adjourned until February 24th, on which day G. H. Ford was elected President, and was to be Secretary as well. A seal was ordered to be engraved. At the next meeting April 6th, they elected Jabez Campfield, librarian. The seal was received, and was very unique. They received also a communication from the President of the " Society for the Promotion of Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures," who wished to sell out the old organization. It was duly accepted. The inventory showed 123 names, who were to be placed on the new company's books, together with 396 vol- umes, and other articles, amounting to $656.55. At this meeting, a code of laws was read and adopted, which was to govern the Library. It allowed a person holding a share, to have a book out not longer than one month, for which, each year, he was to pay fifty cents.

It also recognized strangers and non-pos- sessors of shares, but charged them ex- travagant prices for allowing them the use of books. No subsequent meeting is re- corded until February, 11th, 1815, but all this time the Library was in good running order. This meeting was of little impor- tance. In 1820, an amendment was made to the code of laws that any person, paying one dollar, was entitled to all the privileges of a stockholder. From the report of the librarian for 1820, the first report since its organization, we gather the following. The amount of scrip taken, is $417.00. The first year (1812) 144 books were taken out, at a fee to the librarian of six cents each, and in 1820, 600 were taken out, at two cents each.

In 1823 a number of shares were confis- cated by the association and advertised for

public sale in the Palladium of Liberty. They were all sold, except four. In 1825, the trustees presented Rev. A. Barnes, pas- tor of the first Presbyterian Church, with one of these (No. 1) shares, " to be used by him so long as he may remain pastor of the said church," and not subjected to yearly annuity. Mr. Barnes accepted the share, and was elected a trustee.

The next library, for public benefit at Morristown, was instituted June 16th, 1848. The books and chattels of the former or- ganization were purchased by the infant as- sociation, which started with the brightest prospects imaginable. This library was be- gun solely for the benefit of the apprentices of Morris County.

There were a great many in Morristown at the time who had none of the literary privileges which may be enjoyed now. This fact caused some of the best men in the town to get together and organize the needed society.

From the constitution, which is a finely written article, by Dr. R. W. Stevenson, we learn that "The capital stock of the Asso- ciation was limited to fifteen hundred dol- lars, divided into shares of three dollars each, half of which was in three months sub- scribed."

This was a wise measure because the ap- prentice for whom the library was intended received no money for his work ;- what money he did manage to obtain he must ei- ther receive as a gift from his guardian or secure in small sums by work done " after hours."

Outsiders-that is, those people who were neither stock holders nor apprentices- could secure books only upon the payment of excessive charges which were not limited but were at the option of the librarian.

The library started with fifteen hundred volumes, ranging with many and frequent gaps, from Mother Goose to the English Encyclopedia, and was considered for the times a very good collection. The library rooms were in the building now used by James Douglas as a drug store.

The association with various vicissitudes lived from 1848 until 1851. This library did without doubt, a great deal of good. The Apprentices' Library, at closing, had some twenty-five hundred volumes including all

THE RECORD.

from the ancient books of the " Society for the promotion of Agriculture and Domes- tic Manufacture" to the " latest edition of Shakespeare in eight volumes." By com- mon consent the library was closed and li- terary mechanics were unable to read at reasonable cost for some time.

The Morris Institute succeeded the Ap- prentices' Library Association. It lived however but a short time. It was founded February 11th, 1854, with G. T. Cobb, Esq. as its president and J. R. Runyon, Esq. its secretary. They rented rooms in " Mr. Marsh's building" which is now called Washington Hall. They purchased or rent- ed all the books of the Apprentices' Library and in addition liad a reading room with some of the prominent weekly and monthly peri- odicals. But the enterprise was not a suc- cess, the books were old and the privilege of reading cost so much that but few avail- ed themselves of it. The society dis- solved in two years and all the books were stored away in the building on the corner of Court and Washington Streets. Soon after this took fire and about half of the books were destroyed. The rest were stored in a safer place where they remained until they were claimed for the " New Library."

If any of the Associations whose history we have endeavored to give, met with any success it was because there were some who were really interested in the welfare of that institution. When this person died or his zeal abated, then, unless there was some one to take his place at the helm, the society likewise perished. Such seems to be the law of human nature,

About 1860, a number of gentlemen began to be impressed with the need of a library which might support itself and be in no way dependent upon the personal efforts of one or even two gentlemen.

In 1863, the Morris Lyceum took the mat- ter up and called a public meeting at Wash- ington Hall, December 26th, 1865. At this meeting, a committee was chosen consist- ing of Messrs. J. Whitehead, J. F. Voorhees, W. C. Caskey, W. S. Babbitt, J. T. Crane, E. J. Cooper, G. T. Cobb, A. Mills and Rev. R. N. Merritt. They arew up a charter which they presented at a public meeting, January 6th, 1866. It passed the State legislature in March of the same year.

The present library was really organized in 1872, although, as we have said, the com- missioners received the charter, several years prior.

The meeting for organizing the " Morris- town Library and Lyceum" was held in the Grand Jury room, May 11th, 1872. At which meeting $3,700 was reported to be uncondi- tionally subscribed while $9,500 more had been conditionally subscribed. The next meeting was held in the same place, May 25th, 1872, at which time, after some dis- cussion, a board of directors was chosen. They immediately met and elected Mr. W. L. King, President, Mr. J. Whitehead, Vice President, Rev. W. G. Sumner, Secretary and Mr. E. F. Randolph, Treasurer. A com- mittee was appointed to " further subscrip- tions" and another to " procure information as to a site." At the meeting November 30th, 1872, Mr.W. S. Babbitt was elected Se- cretary, having been the month previous elected a director, owing to the departure from town of Rev. W. G. Sumner. At the same meeting, a communication from a ma- jority of the stock holders of the Morris Academy was received. They expressed a willingness to transfer the deed of the pro- perty to the Morristown Library and Lyceum, provided that in the intended building there should be a part set aside for a classical boys' school, and that they should receive stock in the new institution, in pro- portion to the value of the Morris Academy property. The board accepted this favor- able offer and, the property having been ap- praised, they issued the necessary certifi- cates.

A legacy of five thousand dollars had also been received during the year. This be- quest was by Mr. M. Blatchley who had taken a generous interest in the library and now his executors paid over this amount solely for the purchase of books. At the meeting of the board of directors May 28th, 1873, Mr. J. E. Taylor was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Randolph.

The board of directors had secured the majority of the stock of the old Morris Academy. Still there was some out which could only be bought. So, at their request, the old academy property was sold, October 13th, 1873, by G. W. Forsythe, Master in

THE RECORD.

Chancery. for the sum of six thousand dol- lars, to the Morristown Library and Lyceum. About this time a very pretty piece of poe- try appeared in the Morris Republican writ- ten by " South Street," we clip one stanza. " My heart seem'd standing still, Tom, my eyes were dim with tears,

" I thought o' their taking it away, where it's stood for many years ;

" They're going to build a library, Tom, open'd to high and low,

" In the place of the old school-house of fifty years ago."

How true this appears, for the new library is indeed "open'd to high and low."

The resolutions presented at the meeting January 10th, 1874, were two, the first offer- ing all architects an opportunity to submit plans for a proposed building ; the second " that immediate steps be taken to remove and store in a safe place, the old 'academy bell." The academy building was sold to Mr. Kelly for a small sum who removed it from the grounds. March 28th, 1874, a meeting was held at which it was decided to have the proposed building of stone ; and each architect was requested to change his plan accordingly. May 22nd Mr. G. B. Post was selected as the architect as his plans conformed most closely to the designs of the board. Stone was discovered of fine quality and attractive appearance on the land of the Morris Aqueduct near the Jockey Hollow road. On testing it, it proved all that could be desired and as there seemed to be an abundance, the board accepted the friendly offer of the Aqueduct Company to give them the stone.

During the year 1875, the building had been entirely enclosed. A large number of governmental documents had been received from Washington and Trenton, as well.as a complete file of the " Palladium of Liberty" from the daughters of the publisher, Mr. J. Mann; these have been added to the li- brary.

nearly square. It has three ways of admit- tance, by the front door, eight feet wide, and by doors on either side of the building. The stage is 23x50 feet, with retiring room in the entresol beneath it. The gallery is made semicircular, conforming somewhat to the curve of the stage. Four furnaces throw their united heat, when desired, into the hall. There are four private boxes, two on either side of the stage, and they are very finely made. The whole room is fit- ted up with opera chairs. It has a seating capacity of about one thousand. The acoustical properties of the hall are pro- nounced perfect.

At this time the library and reading rooms were in a bare and unfinished con- dition. They had secured for it the books of the " Apprentices' Library." August 14th, 1878 was set apart by the directors for the opening of the Library and Lyceum and it was a splendid success. Almost everyone who had heard of the library came during the day and evening, and were shown over the building by the directors. The ladies of the city had trimmed the library and reading rooms with flowers, and secured a band for the evening.

The library and reading rooms open to- gether. The front room neatly covered with a fine double linoleum and furnished with elegant walnut tables and chairs, is used as a reading room. On the tables may be found all the latest periodicals of importance, as well as some German and French month- lies. These may be read by anyone gratui- tously. The other room is a very large one and is used for the library. It is fitted up in alcoves with shelves ranged around the room. There are at present, exclusive of Public Documents, some 5207 vols. and con- stant additions are being made. The charge for the privilege of taking books from the library is very small. That 2245 vols. were taken from the building in six months, is pretty conclusive proof that the people of Morristown really appreciate the efforts of the gentlemen who have devoted so much time and money to the library. In the rear of Library and running the whole width of the building is the Morris Academy, now a very flourishing institution.

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 41

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