History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 45

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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Children are regarded as members of the church by right of their birth. The ordi- nance of baptism is not, therefore, strictly an initiating ordinance; but a public recogni-

tion of their relation to the Church. It is also the duty of parents, as well as an ex- pression of pious feeling, to dedicate them thus to the Lord.

As members of the church they should be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. They are subject to the watch and counsel of those set over them in the church. They are to be taught that it is their privilege, as well as their duty, early to devote themselves personally to his pur- pose. See " Directory for Worship," ch. ix. Š I.

When baptism is administered, the par- ents are addressed in the following or similar words :

Baptism was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Head of the Church, to be a seal of the Covenant of Grace. The water in this ordinance implies guilt and pollution, and the necessity of the gracious operation of the Divine Spirit to cleanse us from sin. It represents to us regeneration, and sanctification by the Spirit of God. It is the public sign of admission to the privileges of the Church of God. But you are not to imagine that any external rite will cleanse from sin. A deeper, far deeper work, than can be accomplished by the use of any external ordinances, is re- quisite, to prepare the souls of these child- ren for the Kingdom of Heaven.

The authority for administering this rite to children is based on the conduct of Christ and his Apostles, and on the privileges granted to the ancient people of God. In the time of our Saviour, the Jews regarded it as an inestimable privilege, to devote their offspring to the God who gave them, in the rite, which had been appointed to their fathers. That rite had been directed by the authority of God. There is no intimation in the New Testament of any purpose to de-

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prive them of this privilege, in the new economy. If there had been any such de- sign of exclusion-any such material change in the mode of administering the mercies of God to his church-it is fair to suppose that our Saviour would have been at pains to have satisfied the Jews of the intention. If it had been the design of the Founder of our Religion to abridge the privileges of those who should embrace his religion-of cut- ting off by one fell sweep all children from the communion of the faithful, and of over- turning an economy that had been sanc- tioned by God, and endeared by long ob- servance, they had a right to expect that there would have been some formal reason given of a proceeding so remarkable, and of an act that interfered so much with what they deemed their dearest rights, and the appropriate expression of parental feeling.

So far from it, however, there is not the most distant intimation in the New Testa- ment, of any design of excluding children from a public dedication to God, or of exclud- ing parents from devoting them to him. On those who deny the right to such a dedica- tion, it is incumbent to allege the proof of any such purpose.

The contrary of any such design, is fairly gathered from the New Testament. Our Saviour encouraged parents to bring their children to him. He reproved those who would have prevented such a purpose, and who would have maintained that they were to be excluded from a public presentation to him. He said, " of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

The Apostles acted as the Saviour did. They baptized households-that is, families -without any intimation that they were all adults-a thing that in itself is so impro- bable, that if it had been the case, we might have expected a formal statement of the fact. No allusion is made, however, to any such unusual state of things-nothing to lead us to believe that these families differ- ed from others-or in others words, no in- timation that there were no children in them. When men speak of households, with- out any qualifying or limiting expressions, we are to suppose that they do not differ essentially from other households. Such we may fairly suppose the households men- tioned in the New Testament to have been

-that is, until the contrary is shown, we have a right to suppose that children and servants were baptized.

It is an indubitable fact, moreover, that very early in the Christian church the prac- tice was universal. The first mention of the subject implied that it was common .* Such an early universal practice could have had no other origin than the practice of the Apostles.

You have a right, therefore, to offer these children to God in this ordinance. It is a proper expression of pious parental feeling. It is suitable to invoke the blessing of your and their Great Father on them, in the be- ginning of their years, and to commit them thus early to his guidance. Their souls are immortal. They have commenced an exis- tence which can never end. None but God, can befriend them in the temptations and trials before them ; and it is right, therefore, to seek for them the guidance of his hand.

They are committed to your care. On your conduct will depend much of their use- fulness and respectability on earth. But they are doomed to an eternity of being ; and on you also will, in a most tremendously responsible degree, depend their destiny beyond the grave. Be prepared, then, to resign their spirits into the hands of God who gave them, when he shall call for them.

If it shall please God to spare your lives, and the lives of your children, until they come to years capable of receiving instruc- tion, it will be your duty to teach them, or to cause them to be taught, to read God's Holy Word; to instruct them in the prin- ciples of the true religion-the history of man-the creation and fall-the law of God -the economy of the ancient society of be- lievers-the promises of a Saviour-his ad- vent, life, instructions, sufferings, death, re- surrection, and ascension-to teach them the necessity of the new birth, and a holy lite-to remind them that they must die, and that after death will be the judgment, and to endeavour to direct their thoughts as the great, supreme object of their living, to the tremendous scenes of the eternal world-to pray with them, and for them ; to set an example of pietv before them ; to

*In the third centry. See Milner, Ch. Hist. Vol. I. p. 320 ;

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govern your temper, and speak the truth ; to exercise a wholesome discipline, and to endeavour to show by your life the com- parative worthlessness of wealth, and fashion, and amusement, and adorning, and the transcendant excellence and value of the things of religion ; and to endeavour, by all the means in your power, and by all attainable aid, and direction from heaven, to train them up for a world of holiness. These duties, or whatever else you are con- vinced or shall be convinced, from the word of God, are binding on you as Chris- tian parents, you do promise and covenant, in the presence of God and this church, that as God shall give you strength, you will endeavour faithfully to perform .- (Here the parents bow assent.)

It is recommended to those who have offered children to God in baptism, frequently, and with careful self-examination, to persue the preceeding Form. The hopes of the church rest in the rising generation. These hopes can be expected to be realized only in the faith- ful discharge of duty on the part of parents.

CHURCH NOTICES.

I. The seasons of SACRAMENTAL COM- MUNION occur in this church only in the months of March, June, September, and December, on the first Sabbath in each month.

2. A lecture, preparatory to the solemnity. is attended in the church, on the Friday pre- vious to the Communion, in the afternoon, at half past two o'clock in December and March, and at half past three in June and September. The baptism of the children and servants of believers is administered in the commencement of the services.

3. A church meeting-that is, of the communicants alone, is held, by a resolution of the Session, in the months of January, April, July, and October, on Thursday af- ternoon, in the Session House, at such times in the month as the pastor may ap- point. The object of this meeting is mutual prayer, exhortation, and praise. It is de- signed to promote Christian acquaintance ; to make firm the bands of Christian fellow- ship; and to present the united wants of the church, as such, before the Throne of Grace. At this meeting, which, from its nature, is one of special interest, and which has in other churches been followed with a

special blessing, it is peculiarly desirable that every member should be present.

4. The session of the church meet re- gularly on the first Tuesday of every month, at the house of the pastor, for united pray- er, and consultation on the state of religion in their own hearts, and in the church.

Their other meetings are held in the Ses- sion House, agreeably to notice given pre- viously from the pulpit. Their ordinary time of meeting is on Thursday afternoon, in the week but one next preceding each communion. Before the Session, at a regu- lar meeting, must application be made in person for union to the church. The appli- cant is examined on his knowledge of re- ligion, and personal piety, and his wishes in coming to the communion, and on his pur- poses of life; and if approved, is publicly propounded for admission to the commun- ion of the church ; and, if there are no valid objections offered, on the day of the next communion, publicly admitted as a member of the church in full and equal fel- lowship. The meetings of the session are properly public ; and any person has the right of access to accompany any applicant, propose any business, enter any complaint, or claim any redress which may properly relate to the jurisdiction of the session.

5. It is proper that individuals should seek and cultivate acquaintance with the elders. They are appointed to guard the interests of the church, and to promote the welfare of religion. Persons thoughtful, or anxious about their condition, will al- ways be welcome to the attentions and counsel of any of the elders, or of the pas- tor.

6. It is proper for persons who are sick, to send for any of the elders or the pastor to visit them at their own houses. (James v. 14)-Is any sick among you? let him CALL for the Elders of the church. It is at no time considered as any interruption of the appropiate business of the pastor to be invited to visit the sick in any part of the congregation. On the contrary, such in- vitations will be thankfully received, and promptly attended to. It is regarded as a privilege to be admitted as a friend and comforter, to the room of the sick, and the bed-side of the dying.

7. It is wished that FUNERALS should be

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attended, when convenient, in the afternoon. The duties of a large charge require that the pastor should have a portion of his time in which he may be free from inter- ruption. All that is wished or desired is, that he may not be liable to such interruption in the forenoon. Where distance of relations or peculiar circumstances in the family, make an earlier hour desirable, however, the funeral will be promptly attended. Exercises at funerals, and at all other ser- vices, commence precisely at the hour of ap- pointment.

8. A collection for the aid of the poor members of the church is taken up at each communion.

9. The deacons of the church have the care and service of the table of communion ; and the management of the poor fund, and its distribution. They are responsible for a just appropriation of this fund ; and are required to make report at the end of each year, to the church, of the distribution that has been made of it, and of the wants of the poor members of the church. It is proper for any poor members of the church to ap- ply to them for aid.

This important and deeply beneficial charity deserves the particular attention of the members of the church. We have not many members of the church in indigent circumstances, but "the poor" are "with" us -and they are worthy of aid. There is no danger that this charity will be abused. It is committed to the hands of respectable men, and it is a proper expression of our regard for our brethren, as well as to our Saviour, that we should give of our abun- dance to those who are poor and needy.

IO. A weekly lecture is kept up regularly in the Session House on Thursday even- ings ; and preaching once a fortnight is ex- pected in some other part of the congre- gation.

II. The monthly concert for prayer is at- tended on the evening of the first Monday in the month, in the Session House, and in other parts of the congregation. Addresses are made, missionary intelligence communi- cated, and a collection taken up in aid of Domestic Missions.

12. A Bible Class is attended in the Ses- sion House once in a fortnight, on Tuesday evenings ; and every Sabbath afternoon in

one of four neighbourhoods in some other part of the congregation. About five chap- ters constitute a lesson. Sacred geography, chronology, and biblical history are taught, and a doctrinal and practical exposition of the lesson given. The classes are compo- sed of persons of both sexes, and spectators are admitted. Though designed principally for the young, no age is excluded.

13. It is the duty of the members of the church to watch over each other, to aid each other in the Christian life, and to give and receive faithful counsel "in the spirit of meekness." They should never unneces- sarily publish delinquencies and faults ; but when a brother goes astray, and private ad- monition and entreaties are found unavail- ing-which should always be the first mea- sures-it is their duty to report the matter to the Pastor or Session. (See Matth. xviii. 15, 16, 17.) To this neglected, but incum- bent duty, their solemn church compact, their covenant engagements, and the com - mand of their common Lord, solemnly bind them. No church can flourish, nor will re- ligion live, where its members do not "speak the truth in love"-and " provoke one an- other to love and good works"-and main- tain a sacred regard for the purity of the Christian character-and " strive to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things."

14. A Sunday School for the benefit of both sexes, is kept in the church, on the afternoon of the Sabbath ; and schools are also established in other parts of the con- gregation.

15. The following is a LIST of the BENE- VOLENT SOCIETIES existing in the con- gregation :

Ist. Gentlemen's Association-formed to aid the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission. Officers-a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, three Directors, and nine Collectors. Time of the Annual Meeting, fixed by the Morris County Auxiliary Society.

2d. Ladies' Association-formed for the same object, and with a similar organiza- tion.

3d. Morristown Domestic Missionary So- ciety-auxiliary to the New-Jersey Mission - ary Society. Officers-President, Vice- President, Treasurer and Secretary, and

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Board of Managers. Annual Meeting, in September. This Society, now on the de- cline, has been the means of establishing two churches, and supporting the school at Split-Rock for two years, and has accom- plished much good.

4th. Tract Society of Morristown.

5th. Sabbath School Association. Officers -First and Second Directress, Secretary, Treasurer, and five Managers. Annual Meeting, first Monday in April.

6th. Morristown Female Charitable Society -designed to aid the poor. Officers-First and Second Directress, Secretary, Treasurer, and six Managers. The Managers meet monthly. Annual Meeting, second Monday in November.

7th. Tract Society of Monroe. Officers- President, V. President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Annual Meeting, first Monday in September.

Sth. Tract Society of New-Vernon.

9th. Society for the Promotion of Temper- ance-Monroe. Officers-President, Trea- surer, and Secretary, and Board of Managers. Annual Meeting, in April.

Ioth. Female Cent Society-for the use of the Theological Seminary at Princeton. [*]

PRESBYTERIANISM.

[The following sketch was prepared, by request, for another publication. In its reproduction here several paragraphs have been added, which are of more interest to Presbyterians than to the readers for whom the sketch was prepared.]

The Presbyterian Church rests its right to be on the need of emphasizing certain principles which it finds in the Bible, and particularly in the New Testament. These principles respect three classes of subjects, doctrine, government and Church-member- ship. In the space at hand only the barest outline of these subjects is possible, but tlais may be given largely in the words of the late Dr. Charles Hodge.

DOCTRINE.

The latest embodiment of doctrines is contained in the Confession of Faith, to- gether with the Larger and the Shorter Catechisms, issued by the Westminster As-

[* In addition to what has been reprinted in THE RECORD, Mr. Barnes's Manual contains, " List of Ministers," " List of Ruling Elders," " List of Deacons," and "List of Trustees," from the earliest records down to Mr. Barnes's pastorate, to- gether with " List of Present Communicants," for the year 1828, and fifteen ," Questions for Self-Examination," taken from the Laight Street Presbyterian Church, New York. These will not now be reprinted.]

sembly in 1646 and 1647. All candidates for the diaconate, the eldership and the ministry are required sincerely to receive and adopt this Confession, as containing the system of doctrine taught in the Holy Scriptures. The definition of this subscrip- tion is the key to the creed of the Presby- terian Church, Dr. Hodge makes the fol- lowing points. (1.) The Confession is not adopted for " substance of doctrine"; be- cause this is obviously not the meaning of the phrase, it is contrary to the decisions of the Church, and, in short, " substance of doctrine" has no definite assignable mean- ing. (2.) Nor does the candidate profess to adopt every proposition contained in the Confession as a part of his own faith ; be- cause this, too, is contrary to the plain meaning of the phrase, to the decisions of the Church, and it is impracticable. But (3.) subscription is simply and only to the system of doctrine which the Confession contains. There can be no dispute as to what this system is. It includes three dis- tinct classes of doctrines, First, those common to all Christians, which are sum- med up in the ancient creeds, the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian. Secondly, those common to all Protestants, and by which they are distinguished from Ro- manists. Thirdly, those peculiar to the Reformed Churches, by which they are dis- tinguished from the Lutherans, Arminians and other sects of later origin. As opposed to the Lutherans, the system of the Confes- sion affirms a real, but a spiritual rather than a physical, presence of Christ in the Sacraments. As opposed to Arminians and others, it affirms the five points of Augus- tinianism, which were assented to " at the Synod of Dort by all the Reformed, Churches, namely, those of Switzerland, Germany, France, England and Scotland, as well as Holland." These five points are (I.) The imputation of the first sin in penal con- sequences to all the human race ; (2.) The innate sinfulness of human character, (so that there can be no self-conversion,) and consequently the efficacious grace of the Spirit ; (3.) The special reference of Christ's work to those who had been promised him by the Father, by which their salvation is rendered certain ; (4.) Gratuitous, personal election to eternal life ; and (5.) The per-

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severance of the saints. " It is a matter of history," says Dr. Hodge, "that these doctrines constitute the distinguishing doc- trines of the Reformed Churches. And, therefore, any man who receives these several classes of doctrine, (viz .: those com- mon to all Christians, those common to all Protestants, and those peculiar to the Re- formed Churches,) holds in its integrity the system of doctrine contained in the West- minster Confession. This is all he professes to do when he adopts that Confession in the form prescribed by our Constitution." The Confession also contains deliverances on other topics, but assent to these de- liverances is not required. (See Dr. Hodge's Church Polity, pp. 317 to 342.)

GOVERNMENT.

The principles of government were also enunciated by the Westminster Assembly, though their statement has been expanded and amended by different bodies of Presby- terians at various times down to very recent dates. Says Dr. Hodge : " There are fixed laws assigned by God according to which all healthful and normal action of the body is regulated. So it is with regard to the Church. There are fixed laws in the Bible, according to which all healthful develop- ment and action of the external Church are determined. But, as within the limits of the laws which control the development of the human body, there is endless diversity among different races. adapting them to different climes and modes of living, so also in the Church. It is not tied down to one particular mode of organization and action, at all times and under all circumstances,

* * The leading principles laid down in Scripture, regarding the organization and action of the Church, are the parity of the clergy, the right of the people and the unity of the Church."

As to the parity of the clergy. In the New Testament, connected with the minis- try of the word and the oversight of the Church, three classes of officers are men- tioned ; apostles, prophets and presbyters or bishops. By the scholarship of all Churches it is now conceded that, in the New Testament, the titles of presbyter and bishop designate but one office, or order of the clergy. The old claim, that the New Testament bishops were a distinct order from

the presbyters, has been abandoned on ac- count of the overwhelming array of facts against such a claim. And now-a-days the Churches which assert the divine right of bishops make them the successors, not of the New Testament bishops, but of the apostles. We hold, on the contrary, that the apostles and prophets were temporary offices and have had no true successors, for the follow- ing reasons : (1) There is no command in the New Testament to continue them ; (2) There is no specification of the qualifications to be required in those who seek these of- fices ; (3) There is no record in the New Testament, or in the first century after- wards, of any one recognized as a true suc- cessor of an apostle ; (4) An apostle, as Paul defined his right to the title, must have seen Jesus so as to be a witness from personal knowledge, must be able to work miracles, must be inspired ; and no one, since the New Testament times, has ever possessed these three essentials of an apostle.

On the other hand the gifts of teaching and ruling, which constituted a New Testa- ment presbyter or bishop, are continued ; the command to ordain them, the authority of presbyterial as opposed to apostolic or- dination, their qualifications, and the ac- count of their appointment, are minutely re- corded in the New Testament : and they continue in unbroken succession wherever the Church is found. Every pastor in the Presbyterian Church is a bishop, in the New Testament meaning of the title, as con- ceded by the ablest scholars of the Church of England, as well as by others. These presbyters, or bishops, says Dr. Hodge, "are the highest permanent officers of the Church for which we have any divine war- rant. If the Church, for special reasons, sees fit to appoint any higher order, such as the bishops of the Lutheran Church and the superintendents, clothed with the pow- ers of a presbytery, in the early Church of Scotland, this is merely a human arrange- ment. The parity of the clergy is a matter of divine right ; they all hold the same office, and have the same rights, so far as they de- pend on divine appointment."

" As to the right of the people to take part in the government of the Church, this also is a divine right. This follows because the Spirit of God, who is the source of all

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power, dwells in the people, and not exclu- the instinct of Christian feeling the Church in all ages, has striven after this union of subjection, and recognized its violation as inconsistent with the law of its constitution. This, again, by necessity and divine appoint- ment, is a representative union, and hence the provincial, national and œcumenical councils which mark the whole history of the Church." These councils among us sively in the clergy ; because we are com. manded to submit ourselves to our breth- ren in the Lord; because the people are commanded to exercise this power, and are upbraided when unfaithful or negligent in the discharge of this duty ; and because, in the New Testament, we find the brethren in the actual recognized exercise of the au- thority in question, which was never dis-| are known by the names of The Presbytery, puted in the Church until the beginning of embracing the Churches of a small district and meeting frequently ; The Synod, includ- ing the Churches of a State, meeting annual- ly ; The General Assembly, in which all the Churches of the nation are represented, also meeting once a year ; and The General Council, where Presbyterians of various names and all lands meet by delegates every three or four years. (See Dr. Hodge's Church Polity, pages 118 to 156, and page 242.) the dark ages. This right of the people must, of necessity, be exercised through repre- sentatives. Under the Old Testament, in the assembly or congregation of the peo- ple, this principle of representation was by divine appointment universally recognized. By like authority it was introduced into the Christian Church as a fundamental princi- ple of its organization. This is the broad, scriptural jure divino foundation of the office of Ruling Elder." Ruling elders are laymen, CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. and, as representatives of the people, com- While candidates for office in the Presby- terian Church are required to assent to the system of the Westminister Confession, no such assent is required of candidates for Church-membership. The rule of the Church is briefly as follows : pose the Session, which exercises the spirit- ual government of a particular congregation, and of which the minister is, ex officio, the moderator or president. The other courts of the Church are composed of equal numbers of ministers and elders, and in these the el- Those baptized in infancy are to receive Christian instruction, and when they come to years of discretion, if they be free from scandal, appear sober and steady, and to have sufficient knowledge to discern the Lord's body, they are to be informed that it is their duty and privilege to come to the Lord's Supper, and be examined as to their knowledge and piety by the Session. ders have the same rights and powers pos- sesed by ministers. Deacons, like those ap- pointed for the Church in Jerusalem, are also laymen ; and, for the most part, their duties are simply the care of the poor in the local congregation, though in some cases they also hold the trusteeship of the church property.

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 45

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