USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Tennent > History of the Old Tennent church : containing : a connected story of the church's life, sketches of its pastors, biographical references to its members, all its earlier record lists, full quotations of its earlier historical records, a complete list of burials in all its graveyards, many of its local traditions, most of its important illustations and maps, an account of the battle of Monmouth, and a large collection of genealogical notes > Part 12
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145
REV. DONALD McLAREN, D. D.
In a congregational meeting held May 28, 1805, it was "Resolved that It be requested that the Tunes which make part of the Public worship be sang without the use of the pitch pipe. Resolved that it is the sence of this meeting that all Psalms which shall be sung dur- ing Public worship shall be raised or carried from the desk or square. Resolved that the Psalms intertroducing, sacred worship, Is recom- mending to be sang by reading the line."
Again, April 20, 1824, the congregation "Resolved, that William Sutphen, John T. Woodhull, John W. Maxwell, N. S. Rue, Hugh McChesny be appointed Clerks, to raise & Carry the sacred musick in the church, and that the said Clerks use their own disscretion weather to sit in the square or in the front pews in the gallery." Later than this, it is known that there were three men who acted as precentors. They stood in the lower pulpit of the square, gave the pitch and led the singing. These men were John T. Woodhull, M. D., Nathaniel S. Rue, and David Sutphen ; Dr. Woodhull leading, and the other two assisting.
After this a choir of singers was formed during the ministry of Mr. Van Doren. This choir was organized and led by Dr. John T. Wood- hull ; and it stood in the gallery opposite the pulpit. Toward the close of Dr. Woodhull's service as chorister Joseph C. Conover was appointed to assist him in 1846, probably about the time the choir was formed.
Still later than this Edward Redfield, a professor of music, was engaged by the congregation to lead the choir for a year, and teach a singing school for six months. This singing school was held on Saturday evenings in the church building. Mr. Redfield led the choir during church services with a violin, and the choir stood in the south gallery opposite the pulpit.
Probably the next step in the history of church music in Old Ten- nent was the leading of the choir by C. Augustus Craig. He was first elected chorister in 1848 with Enoch Cowart assistant. Augustus and his brother James used violins, and were accompanied with a violoncello, a clarionet and a flute. There were about twenty singers in this choir of men and women, and it was still stationed in the gallery. Others also were appointed chorister at different times ; John Van Doren 1851, James Craig 1856, Peter Clayton 1858, Peter R. Bergen 1860 with J. M. Voorhees and E. L. Cowart assistants. In Mr. Bergen's choir, his wife, and Mrs. Kate H. (Forman) Clayton,
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Mrs. Hannah (Hartshorne) Abrams, Mrs. Mary (Hartshorne) Conover, and Hon. Wm. T. Hoffman were some of the singers. But for many years Augustus and James Craig were the leaders of music and singing in the church.
About 1856 a melodeon was purchased by the congregation, of the Estey & Green manufacture. C. Augustus Craig was the chorister, and his brother, James B., was the first to play this instrument in the leading of the church music. This modest melodeon was the first musical instrument of the organ character that the church possessed : though previously it had purchased a violoncello and a clarionet for the use of the choir orchestra. The melodeon was placed in the gallery. About 1872 a Mason & Hamlin pedal organ with two manuals was purchased. C. Augustus Craig was the first to use this as an organist, and the organ was set in the gallery, but about 1878 it was moved to the lower floor into the square in front of the pulpit.
The last step in the history of music in Old Tennent was made in 1890, when a pipe organ was built by M. P. Moller, of Hagerstown, Md., under order of the congregation, and set on the west side of the pulpit in a recess built for it. This was made a one manual organ with five octaves, eight full registers, and 442 pipes. It was used in the church service for the first time, on Sunday, Dec. 14, 1890. J. Chalmers Rue was the first to use this organ as an organist in leading the choir.
Watts' Hymn Book was used by the church in the early part of the nineteenth century. About the time Dr. John T. Woodhull formed the choir in the church, the hymn book entitled "Psalms and Hymns," published by the Presbyterian Board of Publication, was introduced and used about thirty years until 1875, when the congre- gation began to use a book containing both hymns and tunes, and entitled "Hymns and Songs of Praise," and this book is still ( 1904) in use in the church.
There have been a number who sang in the choir and some who were organist at different times, whose names have not been men- tioned in the above sketch. Simply the chief features in the story of Old Tennent's church singing and music have here been given.
During the pastorate of Dr. McLaren the old historic parsonage was taken down, mention of which has been made in Chap. III, but some further details may here be added. As a dwelling place it was
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REV. DONALD McLAREN, D. D.
Old Tennent Parsonage in its Dilapidated Condition, and Showing Kitchen Attachment. From an Old Picture.
last used as a tenant house, at least the kitchen portion of the build- ing which was of later erection than the main part. As has been said, during the last years of its standing the old house became very much dilapidated. It was put to various purposes, being used once as a hay barn on the farm ; and also at another time as a shop for making chairs. While Wm1. Potter was owner of the farm the old portion of the parsonage was taken down May 1860 (a more exact date than is stated in Chap. III) for the sake of using the lumber in the house before it should be spoiled by further exposure. Gilbert Applegate. who lived at that time on the farm, assisted in taking down the building. His son David once found a cannon ball imbedded in the cellar-way of the house. Subsequently the kitchen part of the house was moved up near the barns and used as a barn-shed. Some of the framework of the old parsonage barn still stands in the frame of the present main barn on the farm. A few of the sticks of timbers from the old parsonage house may still (1904) be seen in the mnow
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
floor of one of the barns : most of these timbers are supposed to be of Jersey pine, which is a noticeable hint as to the enduring qualities of that variety of lumber.
Canes, as mementos, have been made from lumber out of the old parsonage, and are now treasured in widely separated places like the influences of the godly home life in that house. The frame of the old building was evidently in such a state of preservation that it might well have been repaired, of which it was worthy. It is to be regretted that the church, when they sold the farm, had not reserved the old house with the lot around it, and kept it in repair ; or that it had not been purchased by a company like the Monument Association, for it would have proved an exceedingly interesting spot, to visitors on the battlefield, as a witness to the struggle of that memorable day. Joseph Breakley is now the owner of this old parsonage farm.
149
REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB.
CHAPTER XVI.
REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 1863-1881.
The twelfth pastor of Old Tennent was Rev. Archibald P. Cobb, a man of plain habits, active mind, and earnest heart. Parsippany, N. J., was the place of his birth, Nov. 9, 1821. His parents were Henry Cobb and Maria Baldwin (maiden name). His father was a farmer. The Christian life of his godly mother, who presented all her children for baptism in their youth, manifestly marked the character of his mature years. At thirteen years of age he went to work in a store at Madison, N. J., and afterwards in a dry-goods store in Newark. Subsequently he held a position in the wholesale dry-goods store of H. B. Claflin & Co, New York City. He was converted in the twenty-second year of his age, and united with the church of his mother's early life, the First Presbyterian of Newark, N. J. Immediately he decided to study for the ministry. Returning home he prepared for college under the tutelage of Rev. John Ford, and entered Princeton 1847 in the Sophomore class. As a scholar he stood in the foremost rank, being one of the Junior Orators in 1849 and graduating with the highest honors of his class in 1850. In the autumn of that year he entered the Theological Seminary at Prince- ton, and continued his studies in that institution for two years. Hav- ing it then in mind that he would enter upon Foreign Mission work, he spent the third year of his course at Union Seminary, New York City, that he might attend medical lectures in connection with his theological studies. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Newark, April 20, 1853. From 1853 to '54 lie was a tutor in mathe- matics in Princeton College, and at the same time lie acted as Stated Supply to the Witherspoon Street church (colored) in Princeton. April 19, 1854, he was ordained as an evangelist by the Pby. of Newark. His first pastorate was in the Southwark Mission church, Philadelphia, being installed there Dec. 23, 1855. Here he remained for six years in successful labors in the gospel : then he withdrew from the active pastorate, and for two years was without charge 011 account of impaired health. His last and longest pastorate was in
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
REV ARCHIBALD P. COBB.
151
REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB.
Old Tennent, where he was installed pastor Aug. 8. 1863, and con- tinued thus until his death Feb. 26, 1881. He died at his home, of rheumatism of the heart. Among his last words were "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." At his funeral service a large concourse of friends and parishioners gathered in his spacious dwelling house, and his body was buried in the cemetery of Old Tennent. A granite boulder, smoothed on one side, and inscribed with his name and dates of birth and death, surmounts his grave. His session, with whom he had been many years happily associated, adopted, among others, the following resolution "That we record with reverence and sincere affection, our admiration of his eminent talents and learning, his fervid eloquence and great earnestness, his consecration to the cause of Christ and our good, his labors most abundant in season and out of season, his powerful pulpit utterances, his kindness to the poor, his charity and faithfulness toward all." In this same high esteem the Historian of the Pby. of Monmouth writing a biographical sketch of Mr. Cobb said "Here (at Tennent) he gave himself to the work of preaching the Gospel with a zeal seldom equalled, never excelled. * His friends said he did too much ; his people say 'we never asked him to do so much ; ' he himself felt he never could do enough." (J. G. S.) Such tributes are unusual, and all the more so because so very truthful. Mr. Cobb married Miss Marianna C. Brown, daughter of Robert J. Brown of New York. She with two daughters survived him.
Oct. 23, 1867, Mr. Cobb and his wife purchased of the congrega- tion what was known as the "Roy Parsonage," mentioned before in previous chapter. On this property he gave a mortgage to the con- gregation in the sum of $3,000. But the congregation allowed Mr. Cobb to hold this amount free of interest as long as he remained their pastor, presumably in lieu of the use of a parsonage. After his death his heirs paid this mortgage to the trustees of the church. This "Roy Parsonage" house Mr. Cobb finely remodelled and enlarged. But it had scarcely been finished and handsomely furnished, when taking fire it was burned to the ground, on a Sunday afternoon July 25, 1869. Besides the great loss that came to Mr. Cobb by this fire, the church also suffered the irreparable loss of its sessional records, which lamentably subtracts from the writing of a more informing and complete history of the church, and possibly from giving full and accurate lists of communicants and of marriages. Afterwards Mr.
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Cobb and his wife erected a larger house near the same spot, and in this house he lived until his death. Presumably as an encourage- ment for him to rebuild, and an inducement for him to remain as their pastor the congregation on Aug. 25, 1869, unanimously passed the following, "Resolved that the three thousand dollar Mortgage belonging to the Tennent Church, now on the property known as the 'Old Parsonage,' now occupied by James B. Rogers, be given to Rev. A. P. Cobb, at such a time as he may have begun to build a house for his residence, as pastor of said church within the limits of said congregation." Nothing ever drew Mr. Cobb away from this people, though at one time he received an enticing call from another congre- gation, prominent in position and offering a large salary.
Mr. Cobb was a man of excellent parts, and of indefatigable labors. He possessed splendid gifts in preaching, and sometimes seemed almost inspired. During the Sabbath day, and through all the week following, the number of services he attended and conducted, and the long list of pastoral calls he made, were enough to appall and exhaust most men ; except one like him, who apparently possessed an abundant store of nervous energy and a strong physical constitution. An idea of the size and condition of the Old Tennent congregation about this time may be obtained from a record made by Mr. Cobb in the Minutes of session. This record was the result of a careful visitation in 1870, after the loss of the old records by fire, and with the design of finding "exact names of church members, what children have been baptized, what number of families visited by the pastor and identified in general with his pastoral care." It is as follows : "Entire number in the congregation 1660. Adults 983. Children and Youths 677. Fami- lies 412. Church Members 390. Baptized children and Youths 267. Those who should present letters of admission to church membership 27. Those who should be encouraged to profess faith in Christ 23. Children of Parents professing which were not baptized 70. Children not baptized of Parents who should profess their faith in Christ (i e) be counselled to do so 30. Members of our church in Englishtown village 74. Baptized Children in Englishtown 55. Members of our church in Freehold 17. Baptized children there 5." The spiritual results of Mr. Cobb's ministry in Old Tennent cannot be measured nor counted. The records of the ingatherings are beyond the usual in a rural church. While he was pastor 501 persons united with the communion, of whom 388 were on confession of their faith. There
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REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB.
was not a single year of his pastorate in which there were no acces- sions to the church. The lowest number of any one year was 6 and the highest 142. This blessed revival time occurred in 1876, which year the membership of the church numbered 480, the largest nuniber of members during the incumbency of Mr. Cobb, and within one of the largest number the church ever liad in one year during its history.
Mr. Cobb, being a man of fine musical taste and ability, a great lover of song and an excellent singer, labored for the best develop- ment of praise in his congregation. He made a searching study of the different hymn books with notes then published for use in con- gregational singing, and decided in favor of the one entitled "Hymins and Songs of Praise." This book was introduced into the church to take the place of the old hymn book in 1875 ; and the school houses in which Mr. Cobb preached were also furnished with this book. It was his custom to conduct evening singing services in Englishtown, when the tunes of the church hymn-book were practiced. These singing services were largely attended and enthusiastically conducted.
While at all times the preaching of Mr. Cobb was energetic and attractive, some of his sermons were more prominent than others in the minds and memories of his hearers. His sermon on the life, character, and death of Rev. Win. Tennent, Jr., preached in the church in 1877, a sermon on the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth, preached in the church to a large gathering of people on a Sunday morning in June 1878, also a sermon on a comparison between Alexander the Great and Paul the Apostle preached in Freehold, and a sermon on the subject of Temperance preached in Englishtown a few months before his death, were among the most thrilling, impressive, and memorable of his Tennent pastorate.
God's gracious providence to the congregation of Old Tennent was manifested in the preservation of their historic sanctuary from a threatened devastation in the summer of 1878. On Thursday, Aug. I of that year the church was struck by lightning at nine o'clock in the evening, and set on fire. Through the prompt efforts of Lemuel Bedle and a few of the near neighbors, the building was preserved from destruction. The session in behalf of the congregation adopted resolutions of thanks and commendation to Lemuel Bedle, John Snyder, Luther D. Bugbee, John R. Sutphen and others "for their instant attention and zeal in arresting the burning." It seemed a providential provision that R. Perrine Craig, the sexton, had on that
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
-
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Old Tennent Church 1903, Showing Antique Steeple, and the Gable End of the Building.
I55
REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB.
very evening placed a barrel under one of the corner leader-pipes of the church for the purpose of collecting water for the use of those desiring to water flowers in their grave plots. The water collected in that barrel from the same thunder shower that brought the light- ning stroke contributed largely if not made it a possibility to the extinguishing of the flames. The people of Old Tennent deserve credit for their constant and careful repairing of the old sanctuary ; without which care it would long since have crumbled to the ground. Among all the times of repairing probably none has been more exten- sive or expensive than that in the summer of 1869. At that time papers were carried through the congregation by four men, Wm. Perrine, John W. Craig, George Quackenbush, and R. Perrine Craig, soliciting contributions "for the purpose of Painting, Upholstering and carpenting the Tennent Church." The people gave generously, the subscriptions showing sums of $2, $10, $25, $30, $50 per name. A considerable sum was collected, and pastor Cobb and Mrs. Cobb added a large contribution. At that time two pews were taken out in front on each side of the middle aisle ; the floors of the aisles were raised about three inches to a level of the floors of the pews ; the seats were raised up about four inches ; the interior was painted and the pews grained in walnut ; cushions were put into the pews ; and car- pets were laid on the aisles and in the square. Besides this, the exterior was given two coats of paint. The outside was worn nearly bare of paint, and the shingles were very dry, so that it required about 1200 lbs. of English white lead to give the exterior these two coats. The whole cost was about $1800. Each year added to its history endears the old building and yard to the church people, adds to its value as a sacred heritage, and increases its interest to visitors. It has suffered somewhat from vandal hands, so much so indeed that the church people in 1867 resolved to give notice of caution against disfiguring the church seats in the gallery ; and to procure signs warning persons who visit the church not to mutilate it by tear- ing off pieces of shingles from the enclosure. To this old building and its high narrow pulpit Mr. Cobb became more and more attached, loving it as an endeared home. In its preservation he ever took a keen interest, and also in the improvement of the surrounding grounds. The church people, and those of neighboring communities, cherished the memory of Mr. Cobb long and beloved ; which fact together with his successful labors and earnest faithfulness combines to
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
emphasize what once was said of him that he was not unlike his illus- trious predecessor of a century before, the famous Win. Tennent, Jr.
ENGLISHTOWN CHURCH.
After Mr. Cobb had been at Tennent for thirteen years, a consider- able portion of the congregation was formed into a separate church at Englishtown. Preaching services had been maintained in this place for some years in connection with Old Tennent, and a building had been erected in which the meetings were held. In 1876 a peti- tion for the organization of a church was presented to the Presbytery of Monmouth by residents of Englishtown and vicinity. After delib- eration on the matter, through a committee appointed to visit English- town, Presbytery granted the request, and accordingly a Presbyterian church was organized there, Thursday, Dec. 14, 1876. Of the com- mittee on organization, there were present, Rev. Benj. S. Everitt, Moderator of the Presbytery at that time and chairman of the com- mittee, Rev. J. M. Anderson, and Rev. Rufus Taylor, D. D., with elders Ezekiel Silvers and Wm. R. Murphy. Fifty-seven members from Old Tennent and one from the First church of Cranbury, N. J., were enrolled as first members in the new organization. Four elders were chosen and ordained, Charles H. Van Derveer, Andrew S. Sickles, Matthew Rue, Jr., and Wni. C. Lefferts : and three deacons were also chosen and ordained, John M. Dey, Taylor S. Clayton, and Symmes H. Dey. Soon after its organization the church secured the services of Rev. Donald McLaren, a former pastor of Old Tennent. Mr. MeLaren had recently returned from a naval cruise in Chinese waters and while waiting orders from the Government was residing in Princeton. He was not called upon to resume his duties as a Chaplain for more than a year, and during this period he supplied the pulpit of the new church at Englishtown. Thus it will be noticed that the history of the formation and early life of the church at Englishtown is very similar to that of "The Village Church at Freehold." Concerning the Englishtown church building see p. 143.
I 57
REV. GEORGE GARDNER SMITH.
CHAPTER XVII.
REV. GEORGE GARDNER SMITH. 1881-1885.
Ou May 30, 1881, the congregation extended a call to Rev. Geo. G. Smith, a native of Pennsylvania, born at Pittsburg, Nov. 22, 1838. In the call $1,000 was promised him as a salary, and house rent free. Mr. Smith graduated at Williams College, Mass., 1861, and at Western Theological Seminary 1867. He was ordained by the Pres- bytery of Carlisle 1868. His installation at Old Tennent took place June 27, 1881 ; in which service his uncle, Rev. Job F. Halsey, a former pastor of the church, gave him his charge. Mr. Smith con- tinued pastor at Old Tennent until April 1, 1885. One of the most beneficial accomplishments of his ministry at Tennent was the organ- izing and establishing of a Woman's Missionary Society in the church. It was organized Oct. 8, 1881, "to promote the spirit of Christian benevolence among its own members, and throughout the congrega- tion and to give and to work in aid of various fitting objects of Mis- sionary enterprise, and especially of the Boards of the Presbyterian Church." The first woman president of the Society was Mrs. Red- ford J. Gulick. This Society is still in flourishing operation, meeting twice each month from October to April in different homes of the families of the congregation. It has accomplished much good in the church, and is this day an efficient means toward increasing Old Tennent's benevolences. During the summer months this Society devotes its collected funds to the aid of its own churchi.
The money which Mr. Cobb's estate returned to the trustees of the church after his death was used in the purchase of the home of James Rue, who had died a few years previously and was an elder in the church. The date of purchase was October 22, 1881, and the amount paid for the property was $2,643.50. This house is situated about one mile south of the church on a beautiful eminence 131 feet above mean sea level, and it has four acres of ground attached. This has been the parsonage of the church from the time of its purchase, where all the pastors since that time have resided, Mr Smith being the first to occupy it.
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HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Fi
REV. GEORGE G. SMITH.
Between fifty and sixty persons united with the communion of the church during the pastorate of Mr. Smith, and when he left the church its membership numbered 295. Mr. Smith still lives, and his home is in Pittsburg, Pa. In 1903 he published a book in the press of D. Appleton & Co., New York, with the title "Spencer Kellogg Brown, His Life in Kansas and his Death as a Spy." It is a book of intense interest and historie instruction relating to the times of the Civil War.
REV. ROBERT CRAWFORD HALLOCK, PH.D., D. D. 159
CHAPTER XVIII.
REV. ROBERT CRAWFORD HALLOCK, PH. D., D. D. 1885-1889.
The congregation made out a call to Robert C. Hallock, Sep. 3, 1885, with an annual compensation of $1,000 and free use of parson- age and lot. Mr. Hallock was born at Holliday's Cove, West Vir- ginia, Nov. 9, 1857. He graduated at Princeton College 1882, and also at Princeton Theological Seminary 1885. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Monmouth Oct. 16, 1885, in session in the Old Tennent church, and the same day installed its pastor. Like a num- ber of preceding pastors his first charge was in Old Tennent. There he remained for four years, until Nov. 19, 1889, when he removed to become pastor of the Presbyterian church at Southampton, Long Island. Mr. Hallock, during his pastorate, published a paper in the interest of the church, chiefly for congregational reading. At the first it was issued monthly, and afterwards every week. The paper was named "The Old Tennent." It was largely subscribed to by the church people, was greatly enjoyed, and was the means of doing much good throughout the congregation.
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