History of the First Presbyterian Church of Jersey City, New Jersey : in four discourses preached in the month of July, 1876; also, the discourse preached at the close of services in the church building, Sunday morning, April 29, 1888, Part 7

Author: Imbrie, Charles Kisselman, 1814-1891
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York : Randolph
Number of Pages: 152


USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Jersey City > History of the First Presbyterian Church of Jersey City, New Jersey : in four discourses preached in the month of July, 1876; also, the discourse preached at the close of services in the church building, Sunday morning, April 29, 1888 > Part 7


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It is with pleasure we record that of our communicants four have become ministers of the Gospel, and three have gone to foreign lands, and one to the far West, as missiona- ries. We have also received to our communion one from the far East, a Chinaman, who, after examination through an interpreter, publicly renounced heathenism and was pub- licly baptized in the faith of Christ in the presence of the congregation.


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I have already spoken of the first elders, Messrs. Strong, Stowell, and Hardenburgh. Since then there have been in- stalled as elders,-June 30, 1850, Thomas H. Shafer and Justus Slater ; January 26, 1851, Ellis F. Ayers and James S. Davenport ; May 6, 1855, William R. Janeway and Will- iam H. Talcott; December 14, 1863, Bennington F. Ran- dolph and Edwin Wygant; December 8, 1867, Horace S. Allen, Nathaniel C. Jaquith, Titus B. Meigs, David M. Stiger, Thomas H. Shafer, A. S. Jewell, and John Rodgers. All these having been previously duly elected, were ordained and installed, or simply installed at the times above named, with the exception of Messrs. A. S. Jewell and John Rod- gers, who declined to serve. Mr. Shafer was reinstalled December 8, 1867, he having been absent in another city for a time and having returned.


In the early years of the church the Elders served also as Deacons until the year 1850, when Mr. Abraham Hoagland and Mr. Ellis F. Ayers were elected deacons. Mr. Ayers declined to serve and Mr. Hoagland was ordained alone June 30, 1850. Since that time there have been elected and ordained to this office,-January 26, 1851, Joseph Bunnell and Edwin Wygant ; May 6, 1855, N. C. Jaquith and Erwin Crane ; December 8, 1867, Henry W. Buxton, James R. Henry, Charles Jaquith, and Joseph F. Randolph, Jr. Of all the Ruling Elders, Messrs. B. F. Randolph, D. M. Stiger, and T. B. Meigs alone remain with us. Messrs. H. S. Al- len and James S. Davenport have removed from the city, but have not withdrawn their membership. Of the Deacons, Messrs. James R. Henry, Joseph F. Randolph, Jr., and Henry W. Buxton only are still among us .* These officers


* In 1876. Since this date the following were elected Elders, De- cember 7, 1879, viz. : Messrs. Henry W. Buxton, Flavel McGee, Mat- thias Smith, and William Ewan. Mr. Smith declined to serve; the others were ordained January 4, 1880. At the same time (December 7th) Mr. John B. Huntting was elected deacon. He declined serv- ing, and was therefore not ordained. He has nevertheless ever since rendered most efficient service to the congregation in every duty which the office could require.


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have all proved faithful men. And it is an exceedingly great comfort to your pastor, as I am sure it is to the mem- bers of this church, to call to recollection the many years of service during which they have gone in and out among us, steadily performing their official duties to this church and honoring the Lord by their Christian deportment. No dis- cord has ever marred our delightful intercourse with one an- other. Some of them have passed away in blessed hope to their reward ; others have left this field to be diligently em- ployed in other spheres of Christian service. A few, as I have said, still remain, to be, under the Lord's hand, our helps and guides to the congregation as we pass through the wilderness to the land of rest,-wise counsellors, kind friends, Christian brethren, all. Doubtless, when the chief Shepherd shall appear, they "shall receive the crown of glory which fadeth not away."


The early Trustees, chosen in 1844, I have also mentioned : Gregory, Henderson, Strong, Hardenburgh, Southmayd, Randall, Alexander. These are names still well remem- bered in this congregation. Since that time many others have been elected to manage our temporal affairs whose names will be found on a subsequent page .* To the labors and discretion, and, in a number of cases, to the untiring energy and large liberality of these men this church owes much, under God, for its continuance, for its prosperity, sometimes under critical circumstances, and for the success- ful prosecution of our work. If the spirit which has per- vaded their body be any proper criterion, we must believe that what they have done has been done with a desire to promote the honor and success of Christ's Church. And although they derive their authority from the State only, as the incorporated representatives of the congregation in civil affairs, yet the service which they have rendered and the zeal which they have manifested without any hope of per-


* See list of the Trustees of the church during the successive years of its history on pages 121-125.


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sonal reward and oftentimes at much sacrifice is not forgot- ten of Him whose servants all faithful officers in any de- partment of His cause, truly are. May His reward be given to them and theirs in that day. The present Board is com- posed of the following members, viz. : Flavel McGee, Benj. G. Clarke, H. A. Coursen, Wm. E. Stiger, T. B. Meigs, J. A. Kunkel, and A. S. Jewell.


It has always been the aim of the pastor to bring this church to recognize its obligations to aid in the preaching of the Gospel through all the earth and to be alive to the appeals arising from the wants and sorrows of men, tem- poral and especially spiritual, everywhere ; in a word, that this church should fulfil the Lord's command to " preach the Gospel to every creature," and the Apostle's injunction, "to do good to all men as we have opportunity, and especially to them of the household of faith." And for this reason he has invoked the prayers and the gifts of this people in be- half of these objects. I have spoken of the sending forth from our number representatives to the Home and Foreign fields. Besides this the gifts of this congregation have been yearly bestowed in generous measure to all the Boards of the Church, and to many other affiliated schemes for fulfill- ing Christ's work on earth. I had thought of presenting to you in full the amounts bestowed for these objects by this church and which I have enumerated to you year by year. But let this pass. I am sure that in the very highest and most self-sacrificing contributions, we have done little com- pared with the great mercies received by us from Him who gave His very self for us. Let me then only say that these gifts have increased yearly and that the donations made by this church to help others have quite equalled or even ex- ceeded what has been done for the maintenance of the truth among ourselves.


For assistance in this beneficent work of the church, we have been much indebted to two institutions whose work has been conducted by the ladies of the congregation.


The oldest of these is the Ladies' Mite Society. It would


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be hard to set forth specifically the large amount of work done by the faithful women who have labored in this de- partment. It has not only given generous and wise aid in meeting many specific wants for the comfort of the congre- gation, but besides this it has given large aid in meeting the need for clothing by our missionaries in the West.


The other association of the ladies is of more recent growth. It was founded indeed since the union of the Old and New School branches of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. It was organized at first, and soon after the union, as the " Zenana Society "; and more recently, in November, 1872, as our "Woman's Foreign Missionary Society." Year after year it has labored on steadily in this cause and has raised hundreds of dollars an- nually to assist in establishing the Gospel in Japan and other places. It has been cheered in this work by the ready aid of the youthful members composing "The Chrysanthe- mum Band."


Our Sabbath-school has occupied so important a place that the history of the church would not be complete with- out a somewhat detailed statement respecting it. This has been carefully prepared by our esteemed deacon, Mr. James R. Henry, who has for many years been connected with our Sabbath-school and who long occupied the position of its secretary. The statement will be found on a subsequent page.


I must not forget to state that for many years this church has been entirely free from any debt, each year's accounts being fully met as the year passed. At the beginning of its history indeed it was necessarily thus incumbered by reason of the large cost of the building. Notwithstanding the lib- eral donations made at the outset toward the building fund, there still remained a considerable amount of indebtedness when the building was finished. This consisted mainly of a balance owed to Mr. Dudley S. Gregory and to the estate of David Henderson, deceased, who had liberally advanced the money for the completion of the church building. This


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balance amounted to $12,000. Besides this, there was due also to these gentlemen, for other bills paid, the sum of $3,169, making a total of $15,169. To the architect, Mr. Andrew Clerk, also there was a considerable sum due. He, however, very generously offered to remit all other claims against the church upon receipt of a bond at 6 per cent. for $350. There was further due to Mr. Gregory for the organ, beyond what the ladies had raised, the sum of $1,625, making a total indebtedness by the church at the start of $17,145.


In addition to the above, when the Rev. John Johnstone resigned his pastoral office here, the Trustees, as already stated, had given him a bond for the payment of $600 annu- ally during his lifetime, as a token of respect and an acknowl- edgment of the value of his services by the congregation.


It may be readily understood that all this was a consider- able burden to the young church in its early history. For relief from this indebtedness the church was under obliga- tion, first of all, to these gentlemen themselves, who held the bonds. Mr. Andrew Clerk, having at the first released the congregation, as just stated, from all obligations to him whatever, beyond the bond for $350 at interest, some years after, very generously released them entirely by returning the bond itself, and received from the Trustees a special vote of thanks for this new token of his kindness. The Hon. Dudley S. Gregory also, and the heirs of David Henderson, Esq., after remitting, in 1855, the interest which had accrued upon their bonds for the preceding five years, agreed to de- mand no interest on the bonds for the future, if the Trustees would engage to pay regularly the annual interest due to the Rev. Mr. Johnstone. This the Trustees agreed to do, with a vote of cordial thanks to those gentlemen for this arrange- ment, as being substantially a yearly gift of that amount to the church. This sum of $600 per annum was regularly paid to Mr. Johnstone up to the time of his death in Scotland, May, 1864, and afterward continued to the surviving mem- ber of his family for the rest of the current year. An ad-


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ditional act of kindness was done by Mr. Gregory and the heirs of Mr. Henderson, in subsequently agreeing to cancel all further obligation of the church to them, in consideration of two bonds of $5,000 each, given them by the church, with interest at 6 per cent. Mr. Gregory further agreed to remit all accrued interest on the balance still due him for the organ, and to receive, as payment in full, the part of the principal, $864, yet unpaid. These generous proposals were also accepted by the Trustees with special thanks. This con- tinued until 1864, when Mr. Johnstone died. Meantime a number of the members of the congregation had been very liberal in their donations, so that notwithstanding the above obligations, the current expenses were paid, the church was once and again refitted and repaired at considerable outlay, the salary of the pastor from time to time generously in- creased, and also the standing debt in a measure reduced. But in November of 1863, on a motion in the Board of Trus- tees by Mr. F. B. Betts, it was decided to make an effort to remove the church from all remaining indebtedness. To carry out this resolve, Messrs. Benjamin G. Clarke, Hampton A. Coursen, and James R. Thompson, hearty and liberal supporters of the church, were appointed a committee. Their efforts were completely successful. By their own personal liberality and the generous contributions of other members of the congregation at their solicitation, they reported in April, 1864, just previous to Mr. Johnstone's decease, that funds had been collected to pay off the entire standing and floating debts of the congregation, and to leave some balance for future use. This was a great satisfaction to the congrega- tion, and called forth a vote of hearty thanks to these gentle- men for their assiduity. From that time to the present hour the church has been entirely free from debt, any remaining deficiency at the close of the year being met by special gifts at the time.


[Note added, October 10, 1888 :


The next effort was to remove, if possible, the ground-rent of $60 per annum, which had been paid from the early his-


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tory of the church. This effort was made about the year 1872. The direction of this matter was committed by the Trustees to Flavel McGee, Esq., one of their number. By his faithful and wise efforts arrangements were made with the parties then living in New Haven, Conn., who held the ground-rent of the lots. The money was paid, and a con- veyance of the quit-rents was made by Theodore B. Wool- sey and his wife to Benjamin G. Clarke, Esq., dated May 5, 1873, at New Haven, Conn. Mr. Clarke, a member of the congregation and Board of Trustees, held the same until the releases spoken of below were effected, and then made a con- veyance of the quit-rents to the church under date of No- vember 5, 1880. And the property, from that time, came into the unincumbered possession of the congregation.


The last effort as to the property was to obtain release from certain conditions imposed in the original deeds given to the church, and which stood in the way of the sale of the property at any time, or the removal of the church elsewhere, or the cessation of public worship there. It was, I believe, at the suggestion of the Hon. Bennington F. Randolph, and with the expressed wish of the Hon. D. S. Gregory, not long before his decease, who saw, from the changes taking place in the population of the city, that it would be desirable for the congregation to remove at some time, that the effort was undertaken. Mr. Gregory himself, and also Mr. David Henderson, were the grantors who had caused the insertion of these conditions in the original deeds. Mr. Gregory con- veyed a release to the congregation from the restrictions June 7, 1871 ; and he advised that application should be made to all the heirs of the estate of David Henderson, de- ceased, to grant a like release. Mr. Flavel McGee undertook and effected this service. Application was made to all these heirs in this country and abroad for their individual release. It was in every case granted, the last release being made April 16, 1880. From this time the whole property became the unconditioned possession of the congregation to sell or to remove it, as they might deem proper.]


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I have already stated why this church was organized by the Presbytery of New York instead of one on this side of the river. It continued in this connection until the year 1870, when the union between the Old and New School branches of the Presbyterian Church having been effected after thirty-three years of separation, the new Presbytery of Jersey City, covering the three counties of Hudson, Bergen, and Passaic, in New Jersey, was formed and this church was thus transferred, from the Presbytery of New York and the Synod of New York, to the Presbytery of Jersey City, within the bounds of the Synod of New Jersey.


As we look back to the year 1844, when this church was organized, what great changes do we discover in both our „city itself and the number of churches erected for worship in it. From being a territory, bounded by the river on one side and Mill Creek on the other, and extending in the north and south direction from Hoboken to the Morris Canal, the city now reaches as far as Greenville and takes in Hudson City. And instead of a population of 4,500, it has now 82,000 .* And as to the churches, we have seen, during that time, the one Presbyterian organization grow until we number six congregations, besides two of the United Pres- byterian body, or eight in all. The Reformed churches have increased from two to nine. The one Baptist church has enlarged to six and the single Episcopal church has grown to nine. The Methodists, in the early years of the city, had one organization on York Street, and a previous one (called, I am told, " The Ranters") occupying a build- ing in Grand Street, near to Greene. The Methodists have grown from such feeble beginnings until they now number fourteen churches. The Congregationalists and Lutherans, at that time both unrepresented, have since then each be- come two organizations. In short, instead of the four churches occupying then the ground, together with the Reformed church in Wayne Street, Jersey City now num-


* In 1876. In 1888 the population is 153,513.


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bers (1876) fifty Protestant churches, besides the eight of the Catholic Church, which has greatly increased during the same time.


On the other hand, among these changes we cannot fail to note the rapid alterations which have taken place in the surroundings of this building and the changes in the persons who attend these services. As already intimated, instead of our being surrounded by a dense and church-going popu- lation, as was once the case, this population has for a num- ber of years been flowing to more remote parts of the city and to other places of habitation. Even indeed before this drift of population away from us became so general, the changes in the audience have been very great, by reason of the places of the many who left being occupied by others. This has been so much the case that our audience-room has been occupied and vacated by three almost entirely different audiences in the thirty-two years during which the building has stood. As I look around to-day I can discern only eleven families of those who greeted me about twenty-five years ago, when I first stood in this pulpit. And of the 233 communicants then on the roll, only nine are yet with us. All the rest are either deceased or gone to other places of residence. Thus we have had our trials while we have had our great mercies-a changing church while yet a prosper- ous one, and a united people. In the midst of all these changes the congregation has kept onward, endeavoring to do its work for the Lord in its place. Suggestions have been put forward, indeed, at times, looking to the possibility of our removing to some remoter and more promising local- ity for future continued work. But it has been judged that our work in this spot is not yet finished and no serious mo- tion has been made for a removal.


And now, as we look back in review, surely we can say with David, " Goodness and mercy have followed us con- tinually." During the thirty-two years gone by since the day of our organization, a whole generation has passed away from the earth. With the poor heathen, alas! their tem-


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ples and superstitious worship are all that they possess in their religions. For these have no spiritual power or any efficacy to impart or to continue life to the soul of the wor- shipper. They leave no blessing behind. Though their temples may have stood for centuries, they have conveyed no spiritual benediction from one generation to another. How different is it with the passing years of a standing Christian church ! Each year leaves its impress behind it for good. And as you and I look down to-day and see before us these once young children now grown up here to take the place of their fathers, and remember the sweet greetings with which we have, under this same roof, wel- comed so many of them to the Lord's table, and afterward seen them bring their offspring in turn and devote them to the Lord God, whom we together, during these years, have been worshipping and still worship, we feel deeply how blessed and abiding are the holy influences of every stand- ing sanctuary of God. Let us live, then, in the future, to appreciate more heartily the value of God's house while our day lasts. Let us be in earnest in its work and wait habit- ually within the doors of its courts. And while we, of course, look most desiringly " to be clothed upon," each of us, " with our house which is from heaven," and long there- fore most for our Lord's appearing and kingdom, let us not forget that it is by our faithfulness and service for our Lord while we are here in this present world, that the degree of our joy and blessedness will be measured in the day when He comes " to give to every man according as his work has been."


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PREFACE TO SERMON V.


As was stated in the closing sermon of the preceding series, preached in the year 1876, it had been even at that time increasingly evident, for some years, to all interested in the First Presbyterian Church of Jersey City that, owing to the constant removal of families from the part of the city where the church stood, and the growing pressure of business interests in the same section, the congregation sooner or later must remove from that locality. Without any formal resolution, however, it was tacitly agreed that they were not yet ready to resign the situation. And in reply to the question as to any change in the pastorate, it was considered best to continue as heretofore as long as possible. For this purpose, therefore, the annual expenses of the congregation were cheerfully met by those still re- maining, the ordinances regularly continued, and the work of beneficence in the church carefully prosecuted. This continued until the year 1888. At the opening of the spring in this year it was found that not only had the re- moval of families much increased, but also that the building itself was in need of large repairs at a heavy expense, if it was still to be occupied. This brought the matter to a crisis. Upon a suggestion of the pastor it became a ques- tion whether some new step was not now advisable. Meet- ings were held, first of the Trustees, and afterward of the Trustees and the Session together with the pastor, wherein the whole situation was freely discussed. It was then agreed by all that the time had arrived when the question should be fairly proposed to the congregation, whether services in that building should not now cease. In order to give the congregation the opportunity to act entirely untrammeled in the case, the pastor gave notice that he would now do as


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he had always intended doing when this crisis should arise, and request from the Presbytery a dissolution of the pas- toral relations. This was at first opposed as inexpedient by the meeting then assembled, and afterward by the con- gregation. But upon the statement of the pastor the con- gregation at length acquiesced under the circumstances. After due notice from the pulpit the congregation met in the church building March 28, 1888, and subsequently on two other occasions. The question being plainly stated to them, it was at length unanimously agreed by all present that services in the building should cease at the end of the month of April, and that the closing exercises should be held on Sabbath morning, April 29, 1888. On April 17, 1888, the Presbytery of Jersey City met at Passaic, and at the request of the pastor, the congregation acquiescing, the pastoral relation was dissolved, to take effect on April 29th ; and the pastor, after being appointed Moderator of the Session, was directed to preach the closing sermon and to declare the pulpit vacant.


Under this appointment the discourse which follows was delivered by the pastor in the church on Sabbath morning, April 29, 1888. There was a very large audience, which in- cluded very many who had been formerly communicants in this church, or had regularly attended its services. As may be easily understood, it was a solemn and impressive scene. The pastor conducted the services throughout. After a voluntary by the choir and the prayer of invocation, the congregation joined in singing the following hymn :


" O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home !


" Before the hills in order stood, Or earth received her frame,


From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.


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" Thy word commands our flesh to dust : ' Return, ye sons of men '; All nations rose from earth at first, And turn to earth again.




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