History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1885 pt 1, Part 27

Author: First Presbyterian Church (Morristown, N.J.)
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 1014


USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1885 pt 1 > Part 27


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1830, Jan. 15. The Pastor stated that he had conversed with several of the persons who had been named as Elders, some of whom would consent to accept of the office, and others wished more time to consider the matter. Whereupon it was resolved, That in view of the difficulty of securing the number of Elders mentioned at a previous meeting of Session, no further action will be taken in the matter for the present.


1880, Jan. 30. A communication was re ceived and read from Mr. John R. Runyon, resigning his position as chorister, to take effect on the first day of April next.


1880, Feb. 25. The Pastor stated that he had begun the publication of an eight page monthly, devoted to the historical interests of the Church, and called THE RECORD ; and that the first number was published in January. He also reported, that, as re- quested by Session, he had revived the Monthly Concert ; the first Missionary talk having been given on Sunday evening, the Sth inst., on the subject of "Southern New Jersey as a Missionary Field."


1880, Mar. 4. The pastor reported, That the Canvassers appointed by Session had procured Io subscribers to the Foreign Missionary, and 13 additional [making in all 35] subscribers for the Rocky Mountain Presbyterian. Resolved, That the Pastor


مجم الحقي بعيد


162


PASTORATE OF THE REV. RUFUS S. GREEN.


be authorized to purchase 200 copies of the "Songs of Praise" for the use of the Sab- bath School and weekly prayer meeting, to be paid for out of the Session's Contingent Fund. Resolved, That Session nominate to the Church, for election as Elders, Messrs. Wayland Spaulding, James R. Voorhees and William D. Johnson, who have con- sented to such nomination ; and also Dr. Stephen Pierson and Aaron D. Whitehead, if their consent can be obtained ; and that this action of Session be announced to the Church on next Sabbath by the Pastor ; al- so that the election of Elders be held two weeks from next Sabbath.


1880, Mar. 21. After the usual Sabbath ser- vice a meeting of the Church was convened, and the Pastor led in prayer for Divine guid- ance. The names of the four brethren whom Session had previously notified the Church it would nominate for Elders, were mention- ed, and a full opportunity afforded for other nominations, in accordance with the notice of the previous Sabbath. Messrs. Aurelius B. Hull and Anthony I. Olmsted were nomi- nated, but declined to be elected. There- upon the meeting proceeded to vote on the nomination of Aaron D. Whitehead, Way- land Spaulding, James R. Voorhees and William D. Johnson, respectively, and each was unanimously elected. The name of Dr. Stephen Pierson was not mentioned because he declined to give his consent thereto.


1880, Mar. 23. Mr. Wm. H. Runyon was re-elected Chorister for the ensuing year, at a salary of $400., and the Clerk was directed to notify the Trustees of his election. Re- solved, That the Elders recently elected be ordained and installed next Sabbath morn- ing, immediately after the sermon.


1880, April 2. The resignation of Mr. James R. Voorhees, as Organist, was accept- ed, and the Committee on Music reported that they had engaged Mrs. Clara L. Cory, as Organist, for six months. for $100., her term of service to commence on Sunday, April 4th.


1880, April 4. The newly elected Elders, were solemnly ordained to that sacred of- fice ; and after their ordination assisted at the celebration of the Lord's Supper.


The 64th Annual Report of the Sabbath School, as prepared by the Superintendent, was read and ordered to be placed on file.


18So, Nov. 5. Elder Johnson was added to the Committee on Prayer Meetings ; and the Com. was instructed, with the aid of the Pastor, to prepare a list of subjects to be considered at the weekly prayer meetings during the next year, commencing Jan., ISS1, reserving, however, the first meeting of each month for the monthly Concert for Missions. The Com. on Music reported, That they had agreed with Mrs. Cory, the Organist, for her services until April I, 1881, at a salary of $4. per Sabbath, and an additional allowance of $1. per Sabbath, to- twards payment of her expenses, after she shall remove to New York.


1881, Jan. 13. A bill of $4.32 for tracts pro- cured of the Board of Publication ; also a bill of $1.13 for printing for the devotional meeting held on the 11th and 12th instant ; also the sum of $5 to Rev. Mr. Stocking for half the expenses incurred by him in his re- cent visit to lecture on the mission in Per- sia ; were ordered paid out of the Contingent Fund.


1881, March 2. Resolved, That as a Ses- sion we respectfully petition the Legisla- ture of the State of New Jersey to pass the General Local Option Law now before that body.


1881, April 1. The Pastor submitted a statistical report, which he had prepared for Presbytery at its approaching session, and stated that he should report the spiritual state of the Church to be encouraging ; which was approved.


1881, Sept. 28. The Pastor stated to Ses- sion, That he had been to Buffalo, to ex- amine the field to which a call had been ex- tended to him, as he had previously in- formed Session ; and found it an inviting one. After a full conversation in respect to that field and his present one, he said that he would. on the next Sabbath, call a meet- ing of the Church and Parish, to be held at 4 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon, to appoint Commissioners to unite with him in asking Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation now existing between himself and this Church.


1880, June 4. The sum of $Io. was voted to the State Temperance Alliance, to be 1881, Sept. 30. The Treasurer was re- paid out of the Session's Contingent Fund. quested to pay to the Pastor, out of the


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TRUSTEES AND PARISH.


Contingent Fund, $40, for the deficiency in paid. That, upon recommendation of the the receipts for " The Record" in paying its costs.


1881, Oct. 11. The Pastor announced, That Presbytery had met at his request, on the morning of this day, and granted his re- quest for a dissolution of the Pastoral rela- tion existing between himself and this Church, to take effect after next Sunday ; and that Dr. Irving had been appointed to declare the pulpit vacant on the succeeding Sunday. The Pastor further stated, That the Presbytery had granted to Session the privilege of supplying the pulpit until the next meeting of Presbytery. After a general and free conversation about the affairs and condition of the Church, it was Resolved, To invite the Trustees aud Deacons to meet with the Session, on some evening of next week, to confer upon the affairs and interests of the Church and Congregation, and espec- ially to consider what measures it will be well for the congregation to pursue looking to the settlement of a Pastor.


TRUSTEES AND PARISH.


Mar. 19, 1878. Annual Parish Meeting Mr. James C. Youngblood, Chairman. The "Trustees reported ; That the sum of $595.50 IWas raised by special application to the :members of the congregation, (the work ibeing in excess of the estimate of the Parish .Meeting and not included in it), and with this .amount the church was thoroughly painted, .and such minor repairs were made as ap- ¡peared to be needed. That the matter of a , parsonage coming up, and Mr. Green having .requested that the Trustees would, instead . of renting him an unfurnished house, pay .him such sum as they thought right towards . the rent of the furnished house of Mrs. Donaghe, he to make up the balance, your Board offered for this year to pay the whole rent of the said house furnished, amounting to $1,000, and the offer was accepted and the liability assumed. That for the purpose of having the pecuniary affairs of the Parish · conducted, even down to details, in a busi - ness-like manner, your Board added to the number of Standing committees an audit- ing committee, and has required all bills to be favorably reported upon by such com" mittee and signed by the President and counter-signed by the Clerk before being


Session, your Board ordered paid to the Treasurer of the Sabbath School, Mr. Phil. B. Pierson, the whole sum of $300, appro- priated for that purpose by the Parish, but the state of the finances of the Parish at the end of the year has permitted only the half of it to be paid. That during the year the subject of insurance upon the church prop- erty has received careful attention in detail, changes being made when wisdom dictated, in amount and in under-writers, until at this time, in spite of the financial troubles of many companies, your Board feels able to report that all the church property is care- tully insured. In this work especially the Board has had the valuable assistance of the Treasurer, Mr. A. B. Hull. That the need of some immediate action on the part of the Parish is felt by your Board to protect the chapel from injury by a system of gutters and drains, which will carry the water away from the walls and foundations, now being injured by it. That nothing having been accomplished by the committee appointed by the Parish at its last annual meeting to raise funds to build a parsonage, your Board felt called upon, as the Parish year drew to an end, to take steps to put the Pastor in possession of a house, for a term of years, and accordingly sought out a list of eligible houses, which could be had for what seemed a fair rent, and offered the choice of them to the Pastor, with the option of his re- ceiving the rent in money, fixing it at $700 per annum. The Pastor preferred the money payment and the Board has pledged the same to him for three years from the first of May next, in addition to the salary, in lieu of a Parsonage. That nothing has been done under the plan adopted at the last Par- ish meeting for securing at least a minimum revenue from each pew ; difficulties meeting the Trustees in the fact that the pews are so often not owned by the church, but by the occupants, making the plan impracticable. Your Board would recommend, therefore, the desirability of providing for the sale by the Trustees, of any pew, the owner of which does not contribute to our home work, an amount equal to the sum fixed by the Par- ish's special committee of assessment of pews. as the minumum revenue, which should hy produced by such pew.


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PASTORATE OF THE REV. RUFUS S. GREEN.


The Treas. reported :


Total Receipts,


Disbursements,


$7,280.72 7,280.72


Messrs. Charles E. Noble, Victor Fleury, Henry M. Olmsted, Andrew Reasoner. Dr. Stephen Pierson, J. Duryee Stevenson, George L. Hull, were elected Trustees.


On mnotion of Mr. Richard W. Stites, it was resolved to rescind resolution passed Oct. 18, 1861, viz : "That in the opinion of this Parish Meeting the appointment of an Elder of the Church as one of the Trustees is improper."


Mr. A. B. Hull was elected Treasurer, and James R. Voorhees, Parish Clerk.


March 11, 1879. Annual Parish Meeting. Mr. John Henry Johnson, Chairman ; 35 persons present.


The Treas. reported :


Total Receipts, $6,106.26


Disbursements,


5,977.58


Balance, $128.68


The following were elected Trustees : Aurelius B. Hull, Joseph H. Van Doren, Ed- ward Pierson, W. Spaulding, T. C. Bush nell, H. C. Pitney, Wm. E. Church. Mr. A. B. Hull was re-elected Treasurer, and Mr. James R. Voorhees, Parish Clerk. Resolv- ed, That the Pastor be requested to preach a sermon at his earliest convenience on the duty resting on each member of the Church and Congregation to contribute to its sup- port, according to his ability, and to do so in the mode which the Church may pro- vide.


March 16, 1880. Annual Parish Meeting ; 35 persons present. Mr. H. M. Dalrymple, Chairman.


The Treasurer reported :


Total Receipts, $6,420.41


Total Disbursements. 6,339.45


Balance, $80.96


Messrs. A. B. Hull, J. H. VanDoren, Ed- ward Pierson, W. Spaulding, T. C. Bushnell, H. C. Pitney, W. E. Church, were elected Trustees. Mr. A. B. Hull was re-elected Treasurer, and Mr. James R. Voorhees, Parish Clerk.


Resolved, [1st,] To request the Trustees, during the coming year to enlarge this Chapel for the better accommodation of our


Sabbath School ; also to build at the same time a Parsonage for our Pastor on the lot adjoining the Church; [=d.] That they raise for these two enterprises the sum of $10,000, or any other amount needed ; the work to commence when one-half the re- quired amount is subscribed, and that the whole suin be raised before its completion.


March 15, 1881. Parish Meeting : 35 per- sons present, Mr. John R. Runyon was nominated Chairman. The Trustees re- ported : That the Church buildings have been kept insured and all expenses for the year paid. That the interior of the Church needs to be re-painted; also needs new carpets and new covers to the cushions, &c .; but as it was found that something like $1,400. would be needed for this, it was thought advisable, inasmuch as an effort was being made to enlarge the Chapel, in- volving a considerable outlay of money, not to undertake the work. That, as to the en- largement of the Chapel, not until late in the season was there such an amount of money collected for this purpose as would seem to justify the Trustees in taking the necessary steps for the accomplishment of the work. That then we employed Mr. Cady, of New York, as architect to furnish the necessary plans and specifications, at the same time informing him of the desire of the Parish that the enlargement should not cost over $3,000 ; and as soon as the said plans and specifications had been re- ceived, they were placed in the hands of competent builders of Morristown for esti- mates. A number of these estimates have been handed in, and we regret to be obliged to report that we find our architect has gone far beyond the limit which had been given him, and that if his plans as furnished are carried out the expense will be nearly twice as large as contemplated,


The Treasurer reported :


Total Receipts, $6,148.02


Total Disbursements, 6,008.72


Balance, $139.30


Messrs. A. B. Hull, J. H. VanDoren, Ed- ward Pierson, H. C. Pitney, T. C. Bushnell, W. E. Church, G. E. Voorhees, were elected Trustees ; Mr. A. B. Hull was re-elected Treasurer, and Mr. James R. Voorhees, Parish Clerk.


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TRUSTEES AND PARISH.


Oct. 4, 1881. A meeting of the Congrega- tion. Rev. Theodore F. White, Moderator. About 200 persons present. At the request of Mr. Green two Commissioners were ap- pointed, Elder Joel Davis and Mr. Wm. E. Church, to accompany him to Presbytery and to ask for a dissolution of his pastoral relations with this Church.


It was stated that Presbytery would meet in this building on Tuesday, Oct. 11th, at 9:30 o'clock in the morning.


The following resolutions were unani- mously adopted : Resolved [[st,] That in acceding to the request of Rev. Rufus S.


Green for the dissolution of his pastoral re- lations with this Church, we desire to re- cord our sincere appreciation of his devout Christian character, and our deep sense and cordial acknowledgement of the faithfulness of his labors among us, in both the public and private ministrations of his office ; [2d.] That it is our earnest prayer that in the new field of labor to which he is called, he may meet with rich success in winning souls to Christ, and that in his heart, in his home and in all the work of the Gospel ministry he may receive abundant blessing.


PASTORATE VACANT, FROM OCT. 1881 TO MAY 1882.


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MINUTES OF THE SESSION.


1882, Jan. 19. In view of the repairs of the Church, now in progress, it was deemed ad- visable to omit the celebration of the Lord's Supper, which would regularly occur on the first Sunday of February.


1882, Feb. 15. It was Resolved, That the Church be requested to make our present condition a matter of special prayer, and more particularly for God's guidance of the committee to whom has been committed the responsibility of selecting and recom- mending a Pastor ; and also that the services of the Thursday evening meeting be di- rected to the same end.


1882, April 20. Resolved. That John II. Warner be employed as Organist, in accord- ance with the recommendation of the Com- mittee on Music, for three months from the 23d inst., at a salary of $300 per annum.


1882, May 7. Resolved, That an invita- tion be sent by the Clerk. in the name of the Session, to the Pastor and Congrega- tion of the South Street Church, to partici- pate in the service incident to the installa- tion of our Pastor-elect, on Thursday even- ing, May 11th.


TRUSTEES AND PARISH.


tion. In accordance with the two following notices, which were read from the pulpit on Sunday, the 12th, about one hundred and fifty assembled in the chapel.


[Ist.] " In pursuance of the recommenda- tion of the conference held last Monday evening, there will be a meeting of the con- gregation in the chapel on next Tuesday af- ternoon at half-past three o'clock, to con- sider the subject of making out a call for a Pastor, and if it shall then be thought to be advisable, to make out such a call.


"The conference on Monday evening was gratifyingly large, and it is believed was pro- ductive of good, and as the selection of a Pastor is so vitally connected with the future welfare of the church it is hoped that the meeting on Tuesday will have sut- ficient interest to secure a very large attend- ance.


By order of the committee." [2d.] " The annual Parish meeting of this church will be held in the chapel on Tues- ! day afternoon, March 14th, at half-past three. James R. Voorhees, Parish Clerk."


The Rev. T. F. White, D. D., was Modera- tor.


Resolved, [ist.] That a call be made to Rev. William Durant, of the 6th Presbyte-


Mar. 14, 1882. Meeting of the congrega- [ rian Church of Albany, N. Y., to become our


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PASTORATE VACANT.


Pastor. [ad.] That before voting on the question, an informal vote by ballot be taken, but not to appear on record. [3d.] That the final vote on the original question be taken by standing. The original ques- tion was declared carried, by a vote of 87 in the affirmative and 15 in the negative.


Mr. Theodore Little, from the Session. Mr. A. B. Hull from the Board of Trustees, and Mr. John Whitehead from the congregation at large, were appointed a committee to sign and prosecute the call. The salary was fixed at $3,000 per annum, with such sum in lieu of Parsonage as the Board of Trustees may name.


The regular business of the Parish meet- ing was taken up, and Rev. Mr. White being obliged to leave, Mr. Stephen Pierson, M. D., was requested to occupy the chair.


The Board of Trustees make the follow- ing statement :


For all information respecting the finances of the Church you are referred to the Treasurer's report.


The Trustees reported : That, in the mat- ter of the enlargement of our Chapel, on the 15th of October last, a contract was entered into with Messrs. Greenwood & Hays, to build an addition to the Chapel, consisting of an extension of the rear of the present building and a wing on the north side, ac- cording to plans and specifications agreed upon, for the sum of $3,975 .. the work to be completed by June Ist, 1882. Of this $3.975. the sum of $2.868.73 has been subscribed and paid in. For the balance we have good subscriptions to the amount of $574 .. and a written guarantee signed by responsible parties for $625. Total amount actually paid in, subscribed and guaranteed, $1,067.73. This $625. guaranteed as above stated, should of course be met by the Congrega- tion at-large. We understand that about $300 of this amount has been secured by means of a fair recently held by the young people of the Church and Congregation, leaving the sum of $325 yet to be raised. besides this some money will be needed for additional furniture for the Chapel, new matting, &c. That about $2,000 has been raised during the year by subscription and has been expended in the renovation of the interior of the Church,


The Treasurer reported :


Total Receipts, $5,632.37


Total Disbursements. 5,286.76


Balance, $345.61


Payments have been made with more regularity and promptness than in former years,and the unpaid balances of pledges for the year are much smaller, amounting at present date to $133.67, of which about one- half is good and collectable.


The cash balance in bank includes in the $345.61, the sum of $192.50 paid in advance for the new year which commences to-day, which reduces the balance proper to the year to $153.11.


The realized income of the Parish from all sources has fallen short of that of the pre- vious year $573.99, and but for the cessa- tion of expense of a settled Pastor since Oc- tober 19th, 1881, would have been insuffi- cient for the year's expenses, by the sum of at least $250. A majority of the occupants of pews still continue to pay less than the assessment of thirty-five per cent. upon the valuation of their pews, which assessment is required to produce the needful income to sustain our home work. With the excep- tion of cost of cleaning and repairing the organ not yet finished, there are no debts of any importance owing by the Parish, known to the Treasurer. A. B. Hull.


The Treasurer of the Sunday School. re- ported : Total Receipts,


$217.93


Total Disbursements, 204.02


Balance, $13.91


The following were elected Trustees : A. B. Hull, J. H. Van Doren, H. C. Pitney, Ed ward Pierson. T. C. Bushnell, W. E. Church, Stephen Pierson, M. D. Mr. A. B. Hull was re-elected Treasurer, and Mr. James R. Voor- hees, Parish Clerk.


Resolved. That a committee of three be appointed to request the Common Council to flag the walk from the crossing at Mrs. Greenmyer's corner to the crossing at the church, and to continue the present walk. now in front of the church to the flagging near the Police Headquarters in Speedwell Avenue, and to lay an additional and more direct crossing (at right angles) from near the easterly corner of the Park to the present walk now in front of the church. Messrs. T. Little, A. B. Hull, H. M. Dalrymn- ple were appointed said committee.


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1


MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS.


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ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.


Extract from the Minutes of the Synod of Philadelphia.


Sept. 20th, 1733. The affairs of Hanover coming under consideration, and many pa- pers being read to give light to the Synod in that affair, it was agreed that the com- mittee bring in an overture on said business at our next sederunt.


Sept. 21st, 1733. The committee having spent much time in reasoning on the affair of Hanover committed to them, at length agreed upon an overture on it in the fol- lowing articles, viz : First, That the Synod look upon the practice of submitting of con- gregational affairs to the decision of a lot, though accompanied with sacred solemnity. to be unwarrantable, inasmuch as lots are only warrantably used to decide matters that can't be otherwise determined in a ra- tional way; particularly by applying to higher judicatories.


Secondly. The Synod do think that in their present circumstances of poverty and weak- ness, it might be very advisable for the peo- ple of West Hanover, at least for some time, to join themselves with the congregations of East Hanover and Basking Ridge, as may be most convenient, until they, as well as the said neighbouring congregations, be more able to subsist of themselves separately. Yet in the meantime, as the case now stands with that people, if re-union between East and West Hanover be found impracticable, according to our above advice, the Synod judge that the people of West Hanover be left to their liberty to erect themselves intoa separate congregation. Withal we earnestly obtest and beseech, that nothing be done in that affair that may have a tendency to hurt the interest of religion in those places so far as in thein lies.


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The above overture being read was ap- proven by a great majority of votes.


Sept. 24th, 1733. Mr. Nutman represent- ing to the Synod, the great difficulties he is falled under, as to his continuing pastor of the congregation of East Hanover, by rea- son of the division and discord between them and the people of West Hanover ; they, viz : of West Hanover being allowed by this Synod, to erect themselves into a separate congregation (in case, as per min- utes of the Synod) the Synod considering the same, do earnestly recommend it to the Presbytery of East New-Jersey to travail with the people of West Hanover and East Hanover, in order to prevail with them to agree upon conditions of re-union, at least for a while, until they be better able to sub- sist apart. But if the Presbytery's endea- vors to this purpose should not have ef- fect, it is this Synod's judgment, that a


dismission may be granted to Mr. Nutman from the people of East Hanover, by the said Presbytery, upon his application for the same.


Sept. 19th. 1734. 10 A. M. Ordered that the last year's minutes with relation to Mr. Nutman and the people of Hanover, be further considered. 4 P. M. The affair of Mr. Nutman and Hanover continued.


Sept. 20th, 1734, 10 A. M. The affair of Mr. Nutman further considered. 3 P. M. The affair of Mr. Nutman continued.


Sept. 21st, 1734, 9 A. M. The affair of Mr. Nutman-yet continued. 4 P. M. Mr. Nut- man's affairs still continued.




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