History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 47

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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In the Autumn of 1839, Presbytery held its stated meeting at Allentown. After the adjournment, we returned in extra stages to Philadelphia.

I was so fortunate as to get a seat in the same coach with Mr. Barnes. In the course of the day, Rev. Anson Rood said, " Bro. Barnes, I have a question I would like to ask you. In closing your defence before the General Assembly at Pittsburgh, you said that nothing had taken place during the long trial in Presbytery, and again in Synod, nor yet in that General Assembly that had at all lessened your respect for Dr. Junkin, or weakened your confidence in his piety. Now what I want to know is this. Is your opinion of Dr. Junkin still unchanged, or have you had any reason to modify it ?"

Mr. Barnes sat silent for a few moments, during which he seemed to be weighing carefully the answer he would put into words. At length he said " I owe a great deal to Dr. Junkin. I think he has added ten years to my life. I was laboring too hard, and must in a short time have broken down entirely. But that winter's rest from my pulpit duties has proved most beneficial so that I have felt like another man ever since." That was his answer. Of course it left us to our own conjectures as to whether his views of Dr. Junkin's character had not undergone some modification ; but if they had. he did not say so. He would suf- fer no word to pass his lips, that could by any igenuity be construed as implying a doubt in his mind in regard to the perfect honor, and integrity, and purity of motives of the man who had been so long his most determined, and persevering, and ruthless prosecutor. If any thing had come to the knowledge of Mr. Barnes since the trial, to cast a painful doubt over his mind as to the holy principles and ends of his opponent, he would hide the fact from all the world : he would not reveal even in confidence, and

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by a single hint to his warmest friends and brethren, the existence of that doubt, or the grounds he had for changing his opinion of the man in any degree.

In regard to Mr. Barnes's views of punctu- ality, I have some very distinct recollections. At all our meetings of Presbytery and Synod he would insist most strenuously that no business however pressing should interfere in the least degree with our appointments for devotional exercises. They must not be deferred on any account whatever, but com- mence at the precise moment specified in the notice that had been given to the peo- ple. Any proposal to defer these services for a short time, until the business on hand should be disposed of, would draw him to his feet at once; and he would press the point that the notice that the religious ser- vice would begin at that hour was equivalent to a promise made to God and to the con- gregation, which we had no right to break. Let business wait ; but the people assem- bled for the devotional services must not be kept waiting after the appointed hour.

And this view of punctuality to appoint- ments I have some reason to know he con- stantly carried out in his own congregation. On one occasion I was in the city on Wed- nesday, and he invited me to lecture for him that evening, stating the hour at which the meeting commenced. I was a few minutes late, owing to the tea arrangements of the family with which I was staying. The bell stopped ringing when I was a little more than a square from the church gate. When I entered the house I found that the ser- vices had already begun. At the close of the meeting I apologized to Mr. Barnes for my tardiness, and said I was afraid I had given him reason to fear that I was going to.

disappoint him. His reply was, " The meet- ing always begins at the last stroke of the bell. This my congregation understand and expect." And then he added, " If you had not come to-night it would have put me to no inconvenience. I never attend any ser- vices in my church without being fully pre- pared to conduct it myself, no matter who has engaged to conduct it for me."

As illustrative of the very peculiar scru- pulousness of his conscience, let me give you an incident. Mr. Barnes had agreed to preach on a certain occasion at a place in

Chester County, some twelve or fifteen miles from Philadelphia. He went out in his own carriage and found the road exceed- ingly bad-rough, stony and cut up into deep ruts. It was a long, tedious ride, and he arrived at the place of his appointment very sore and weary, his horse, his carriage and himself well bespattered with Chester County mud. Now, before leaving his study he had selected the 122 Psalm, Ist part C. M., to be sung at the opening of the service. But when he opened the book and turned to it, his eye fell upon the second verse, " I love her gates ; I love the road." No, no ; that would not do. He had discovered nothing to love in the road he had travelled to Zion that day. He could not sing, "I love the road," neither could the congrega- tion honestly and heartily sing it, covered as they were with the dirt it had cast upon them as they came over it. That Psalm, beautiful as it was, could never have been intended to be sung in that place, in such a state of the public road. So he made another selection to be sung that contained no allu- sion to the road.

I furnish you this just as I heard it from one of the Philadelphia brethren a short time after the incident occurred. The inten- tion of the narrator was to show the almost painful delicacy of Mr. Barnes' conscience, even in little things. Perhaps it was only his sense of the incongruity.

In a somewhat intimate acquaintance with Mr. Barnes, extending over a period of thirty-five years, from 1835 to his death in 1870, I found only constantly increasing reasons to esteem and love him, as a kind brother, a conscientious man, a meek and humble servant of Jesus. I never heard a harsh or hasty or unkind word fall from his lips. I never saw him lose his temper, even for a moment. I never witnessed in him any indulgence in silly jesting or unseemly levity. He was " always an example to his brethren, in word, in conversation, in char- ity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." He never forgot his calling as an ambassador of God, nor lost sight of the example of his divine Master. As He who had called him was holy, so was he holy in all manner of con- versation. He was at all times and in all places the same humble and meek and de- vout man of God, leaving upon all around

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him the deep and abiding impression of his heavenly temper and spirit. Even those who took the strongest ground against him on account of certain doctrinal views, ac- knowledged his deep and sincere piety. Let me give you a single example of such acknowledgment, and it is not the only one I could adduce.

Rev. Ashbel Green, D.D., was, as you know, one of his decided and conspicuous doctrinal opponents. But even he, when the whirlwind of excitement had not yet fully passed, bore the most earnest and em- phatic testimony to the deep and fervent piety of Mr. Barnes. On one occasion,-I think shortly after the restoration of Mr. Barnes to the ministry,-Dr. Green was visiting a relative in the State of New York. One afternoon a young minister, who was also a visitor in the same house, was talk- ing to the Doctor about the heresies of Mr. Barnes. Somewhat abruptly the young man asked him if he thought it possible that such a man as Barnes could get to Heaven-evidently expecting a negative answer. The Doctor was walking back and forth across the parlor floor. After the question was asked, he still kept on to and fro on the floor for a time without making any reply and seemed to be absorbed in solemn reflection. At length the old Doctor stopped before his interrogator, and said most solemnly,-" Young man, if you and 1 are permitted to sit at the feet of Mr. Barnes in Heaven, we will have reason to bless God to all eternity. I never for a moment doubted his piety. I believed him to be unsound on certain doctrines, and on that ground I have opposed him. But his hon- esty and sincerity, and deep piety before God I never for a moment doubted. On the contrary, I consider him one of the best men in my knowledge." I got this years ago from my own dear brother, who was present on the occasion and heard the whole conversaiton.

but on the other, he was sure that such a man was not fit to be in the Presbyterian church. On the one hand he was sure that Mr. Barnes would occupy a very high seat

in Heaven, so that to sit at his feet there would be a glorious privilege ; but at the same time he regarded him as a very pest- iferous man in the church, and worthy only to be rejected by his brethren and cast out as a heretic, not delaying even for " the first and second admonition ' required by the apostle. However, I have no doubt that Dr. Green most sincerely believed what he said ;- that he really believed Mr. Barnes to be a "man of deep piety before God." I only wonder that it never occurred to him, that the same kind of doctrine that had borne such holy, heavenly fruit in the life and character of Albert Barnes would have been excellent in church and state, for the upbuilding of Christian character in minis- ter and people.

An apology is due to the readers of the RECORD for the delay in the issue of this month's number. That delay was due to imperative engagements, in another direc- tion, which presented the performances of the editorial duties requisite to prepare this number.

AN OLD DEED

For the burying ground at Whippany has been placed in the hands of the editor of the RECORD. The original paper is in the possession of William Howell, Esq., the present Sheriff of the county of Morris. by whose kind permission a copy is presented to the readers of the RECORD. It is copied verbatim, et literatim, et punctuatim.

"To all Christian People to whom These Presents shall Come : Greeting &c. Know Yee that I John Richards of Whipanong in ye County of Hunterdon in ye Province of New Jersey Schoolmaster for and in con- sideration of ye Love Good will & affection which I have and do bear towards my Christian friends and Neighbours in Whip- anong afores'd as also for ye desire & Re- gard I have to promote & advance ye Pub- lick Interest Especially of those who shall or may Mutually covenant by subscription

It seems from the above conversation that Dr. Green had two sets of opinions in regard to Mr. Barnes. On the one hand, he thought. him good enough for heaven ; to Erect Build and place (upon the Land by these Presents Granted) a Decent & Suit- able Meeting house for the Publick Worship of God Have Given & Granted and by these Presents do fully, freely and absolutely,

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Give, Grant, Alein, Convey & Confirm from or Procurement. In Witness whereof I have hereto sett my hand and seal this second day of September Anno : 1718 and in the fifth year of ye Reign of our Sover- eign Lord George by ye Grace of God of Great Britain ffrance & Ireland King De- fender of ye faith &c.

me my heires Executors & adm'rs forever unto those persons of my Neighbours as afores'd who shall Covenant by subscription and to their heirs and successors forever one certain piece or Tract of Land Contain- ing Three Acres and one half (be it more or Less) Scittuate lying and being in ye Town- ship of Whipanong on that part commonly called Peceepanong on ye North Easterly side of Whipanong River beginning sixteen Rods & a half distance above my house I dwell in : at a white oak tree standing by ye path side near by River, mark'd on two sides from thence runing seven Chains northwesterly Butted and Bounded South Easterly and Northwesterly with my own Land Southwesterly with Whipanong River and. North Easterly upon ye Highway Twenty Rods Distant from sd River. To have and To Hold the said Hereby Granted Land with the appurtenances : only for Publick use Benifit and improvement for a meeting house, Schoolhouse, Burying Yard, Training field, and such Like Publick uses to the said Covenantors by Subscription and their Heires and successors for ever furthermore it. is the true intent & mean- ing of Grantor and Grantee in these Pres- ents that ye sd Granted Primises is not to be Given, Granted, Bargained. Sold, Alinat- ed, Exchanged, Leased to farm Lett or Con- verted to ye particular use or Improvement of any person or persons neither for Pub- lick advantage or any other pretence what- soever or by any way or means whatsoever Alinated or Reverted from the Publick use & Improvement as afores'd and I ye sd John Richards do for myself my heires, Ex- ecutors and adm'rs Covenant Promise and Grant to and with ye sd Grantees who have made themselves so: or hereafter shall make themselves so by their subscribing, their heires and successors for ever shall and may from time to time and at all times forever hereafter Have hold use Occupie possess and enjoy ye above sd Land & primises to yuse above sd without any man- er of Lett Hindrance Molestation Eviction Ejection or Deniall of me ye said John Rich- ards my heires Executors administrators or assigns or by or from any other person or persons whatsoever by from or under in or by any of our means, Act, Privity Title

Signed sealed &

Delivered Inn JOHN RICHARDS L. S.

ye presence of

JEDIDIAH BUCKINGHAM JOHN COOPER."

The history of this old deed is interesting. It was found, after his death, among the papers of the late Calvin Howell, the father of Sheriff Howell, who was a prominent citizen of that part of the county of Morris, and who died several years ago, quite ar. old man.

The paper originally belonged to the Presbyterian church at Whippany, and although the records and papers, belonging to that parish, were removed to Hanover, when the Presbyterian church at that place was built, this deed must have been retain- ed, as, after the death of Mr. Calvin Howell, in searching through the drawers of an old desk, it was found in a sort of secret drawer.

The first church in Morris county, a Pres- byterian, was built upon the lot conveyed by this deed in 1718. The edifice fell into de- cay, and the timbers were utilized in the erec- tion of the church at Hanover. The lot is now used as a burial ground, and, in the in- closure is to be found the grave of John Richards, the grantor in this deed, marked by a head stone bearing Mr. Richards's name, the date of his birth and death. The stone is made from brown sandstone in the old-fash- ioned manner, subject to decay, but rever- ent hands have cared for it, removed the moss and preserved it from the operation of time and accident.

The congregation, worshipping in this church at Whippany, came from Morris- town, Madison, Parsippany, Hanover and Chatham, and the church was the centre. for many years, for all that region of country represented by these places. The church at Hanover was built in 1755, but in 1746 and 1748, other churches had been built in other parts of the county, one at Morris- town and the other at what was then called Bottle Hill, now known as Madison.

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

VOLUME IV.

JANUARY, 1884. NUMBER 13

[Printed with the Approval of the Session. ]

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Will be published monthly at Morristown N. J. Terms Și.oo 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.

THE ENLARGED SUPPLEMENT.

In the Supplement to this month's num- ber of the RECORD, will begin the publica- tion of the oldest records of the church. It is not the purpose to print these records in full, but matters of special importance and interest will be selected, so that the Supple- ments, from this date, may be bound in a separate volume, which will contain the salient facts in the history of the church, for the one hundred and fifty years of its existence. In order to make the volume complete in itself, a reprint of portions of the Trustee's book will be necessary. New matter, however, to the extent of 96 pages, or eight per month, for the twelve months of the year, will regularly appear ; and all necessary reprint will be furnished to sub- scribers, gratuitously in addition. It is calculated that the publication, in this form, will be completed in two years. If sufficient encouragement be given, a full list of all the names upon the Registers of the church, arranged alphabetically and grouped by families will then be printed, which may be added to this separate volume and be bound with it. In the meantime, the pub- lication of the chronological lists of Bap- tisms, Communicants, &c. will be continued.

This change'will, materially, interfere in the future conduct of the paper, with some cherished plans connected with the histories of the churches of the City and County and, also, with notices of persons identified with the past of the church. But, as these old records seen more important and, so much time would be required to print them, if the present mode of publishing the paper were pursued, it has been thought best to make the proposed change. The plan, how- ever, of giving sketches of the lives of pastors and prominent members of. the con- gregation, and of presenting histories of the churches of Morristown and vicinity is, by no means, abandoned. Considerable ma- terial has been gathered for that purpose, which will be utilized from time to time, so far as practicable.

MR. BARNES'S SERMON ; "THE WAY OF SALVA- TION."

William L. King, Esq .. has kindly placed a copy of this celebrated sermon at the dis- posal of the RECORD. It was preached, February 8, 1829, in the First Presbyterian Church, at Morristown, and was printed in 1830, by Jacob Mann, the proprietor of the Palladium of Liberty. At the time ofits de- livery, there was an extensive revival of re- ligion in the congregation.

It was stated. in the December number of the RECORD, that this sermon was the occa- sion of the trial of Mr. Barnes for heresy, This, perhaps, was an error; it may not have been the immediate cause of that trial, for,at the time of the charge against him, Mr. Barnes was Pastor of the first Presbyterian Church, at Philadelphia, and consequently, a member of the Presbytery to which that church was attached, and before which body he was impeached by the Rev. Dr. Junkin.

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But, if this sermon were not the immediate cause of the trial, the charges against Mr. Barnes were for holding sentiments, iden- tical with those declared from his pulpit at Morristown, and it was for holding these opinions, that he was deposed by the Synod to which Dr. Junkin appealed from the judgment of the Presbytery.

It is impossible for Presbyterians of the present day to understand the fierceness of discussion which characterized the contro- versy between the two branches of the church. Dr. Junkin, Mr. Barnes's great an- tagonist, pursued his opponent with an acrimony, which seemed, at times, to be any thing but brotherly. It is well that those dark times of trouble and dissension, when good and holy men could not agree upon doctrines, have passed away. Perhaps there would have been no real differences, if those, who so varied in opinion, could have alike understood the meaning of words and phrases.

The sermon was evidently, prepared by its author, with the greatest care. He has added foot notes, quoting numerous texts of scriptures, by which he sustained his various positions.

The sermon will be printed so as to pre- sent to the readers of the RECORD the utter- ance of this great man, than whom no one was more competent to give voice to views upon the distinctive dogmas of the church to which he belonged. It will be necessary, for want of room, to omit the quotations, and possibly, the foot notes ; but, it is hoped, that the space may be given to these notes, or at least to some of them, as they are suggestive, certainly, of one fact, that Mr. Barnes was aware, when writing the sermon, that he was not in accord with the standards of doctrine, as received by the Presbyterian Church.

THE WAY OF SALVATION.

" But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us. by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ onr Saviour ; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."-Titus, iii. 4, 5, 6, 7.

All men have some scheme of salvation. Except the very few cases where individuals are thrown into a state of despair, there are none who do not expect to be happy beyond the grave. The proof of this is found in the composure with which most men look at eternity, and in their indifference when warned of a coming judgment. It requires the utmost strength of human hardihood, when a criminal looks without trembling of limbs on the gibbet where he is soon to be executed; and we infer. that there is no hardihood so great, no courage so strong, as to look upon eternal sorrow with a belief that it will be ours, and be unmoved. When we see, therefore. so many unconcerned about their eternal state ; so many profes- sing to believe that they are exposed to end- less suffering, and still unanxious about it ; the fair conclusion is, that not one syllable of the book that teaches this is truly be- lieved. It is not, cannot be, human nature, to believe this, and still sit in indifference. Every man, therefore, has some secret scheme by which he expects to be saved. Yet it is perfectly clear that there can be but one scheme of Salvation that is true. If the christian plan is true, then all others are false. If others are true, then there was no need of the sacrifice on the cross, and the scheme is an imposition. The admission then-an admission which probably all the sinners that I address would readily make- the admission that the christian religion is true, is a condemnation of all other systems, and shuts out all who are not interested in the plan of the gospel, from all hope of heaven.

The text contains the substance of the whole christian scheme. It expresses, I believe, every point that is peculiar to Christianity. It may be regarded as one of those condensing paragraphs, or summaries of the scheme, expressing all that is original in the plan in few words, in which the sacred writers seem to delight. It brings together distant doctrines-scattered rays of light, to be surveyed in the near neighborhood of each other, and to set off each other by the reflected light thrown from one point of view to another.

It is not often that a subject so extensive as the whole Christian plan of saving men, is introduced into the pulpit, with a view of

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giving its great points in a single discourse. I endeavor, from week to week, to explain particular parts of it, and to press its promi- nent doctrines and duties on your attention. It has occurred, that in the state of things now existing in this congregation, there is demanded a full, single view of God's way of saving men. Such a view, according to the interpretation which we give to the Bible, I wish this morning to present. If a demand somewhat more than usual should be made on your attention, it will be remembered, I trust, that it is difficult to give even an out- line of the christian religion in a single dis- course ; and perhaps it will be deemed hazardous to have attempted it. Let me fur- ther premise, that I shall be indebted very much to your own knowledge of the Sacred Scriptures for the proofs of the particular points which I shall consider. I foresee that it will demand no ordinary degree of atten- tion on the part of my hearers to obtain, and do justice to the views which I shall present,-perhaps no ordinary candor to necessary obscurity of statement, and bar- renness of illustration. For the views them- selves, if fairly understood, I ask no indul- gence. They are the views, if I mistake not, of God; and I am bound only to present them with fairness, and you to receive them into good and honest hearts.

What, then, is God's plan of saving men ? What are the great leading points on which that plan is based, and to bring out which, is the design of the Bible? These are the questions which it is my wish, in few words, to answer. It will be seen at once, that the text ascribes all the honor to God, and none to men. It will be the design in this dis- course, honestly, in this respect, to follow the representation of the text. Sinners and saints, people and preacher, may expect from this plan an unqualified condemnation, and a pressing claim to lay aside all their own honor, and to ascribe all glory to God.

of mercy, had any of the elements of holi- ness ; or any traits of character, which could, by culture, be wrought into a texture of righteousness. then the design of interposi- tion in this manner would have been a work unnecessary, and would not have been done at all. The design of interposing to save mankind, supposed that in themselves they were lost and must be ruined, if left to their own guidance.

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 47

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