USA > New Jersey > Burlington County > Burlington > History of the church in Burlington, New Jersey : comprising the facts and incidents of nearly two hundred years, from original, contemporaneous sources > Part 44
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+ "PLAN FOR DISTRICT VISITING.
"The persons in charge of the various districts will consider themselves responsible to God, through the ministers of the Parish, for the poor persons living in their district, and requiring assistance : their rule of action to be St. Paul's; tending, though not to the exclusion of others, to the preference of Church families-' Do good unto all men, especially unto such as are of the household of faith.'
"The frequency of visits (under a sense of their responsiblity) can be best regulated by the Visitors themselves; from their general experience and their acquaintance with the peculiar necessities of the families to be relieved.
"All new cases should be reported to the Clergy as soon and as minutely as- possible ; and a general report of all cases relieved, stating the manner and the amount of relief, should be made in writing, on every second Saturday, from 3 to 4 o'clock P. M., at the Vestry room of the Old Church.
"The Visitors will obtain from the Assistant Minister the names of certain families, to whom they may send persons, in their district, for broken meat,. clothes, &c .; and a card, signed by the Visitor, stating their most urgent wants, should in all cases be sent by them.
"Cases of spiritual want must be carefully, and at once, inquired into; and' reported without delay, to one of the Clergy, to be dealt with, by them.
" Money must be rarely and sparingly given; and all donations should first be given to one of the Clergy, to insure their equal distribution.
"The amount of other things, varying of course with the number and needs of different families, may be graduated from the following amounts, for a: family of six :-¿ cord of wood or } ton of coal, not oftener than three times during the five months ; 6 lbs. of flour, 4 of Indian meal, } 1b. of tea (or 1 1b. of coffee) and 1 lb. of brown sugar, with now and then 3 lbs. of pork or a peck of potatoes, and in cases of sickness, 1 1b. of rice or 1 lb. of crackers. The groceries may be got for the upper part of the town from the store of Mr. Wm. A. Rogers, and for the lower part of the town from Mr. Alex. A. Larzelere ; coal and wood from Thomas Milnor, Esq. ; and medicines from Mr. F. Brother. The accounts should stand in the name of the Assistant Minister, and the printed order should be always used.
" DISTRICTS AND VISITORS.
" I. Delaware St. from Wood to St. Mary's. Mrs. Hyde. "II. Pearl St. from the Sluice to Stacy. Miss Watson. "III. Pearl St. from Stacy to the River; and St. Mary's from Pearl to Broad. Misses Aertsen. "IV. Union St. from Main to St. Mary's. Miss Heiskell.
"V. Broad St. from Talbot to Stacy. Misses Boudinot. "VI. Federal St. from Main to York.
Mrs. Cleveland and Miss Foote.
" VII. Federal St. from York, and Taylorsville. Geo. H. Doane.
" VIII. Wood St. with the Alleys and Temperance Row. Miss Doane. "IX. Broad St. from Stacy to the Creek ; and Greene St. Miss Cole ..
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have been full of their works of mercy, through the winter ; and have a supervision of the girl's school, particularly in the instruction in sewing. The Bible class is under the charge of the Rector's Assistant. The music of the Church is admirable. The introduction of the ancient plain song makes it really con- gregational worship; and the choir have made beautiful the service of song in God's house, with anthems and services, exquisitely rendered. Mr. Alfred Shapter is still the organist ; and the choristers, nine men, three women, and seven boys, sing, for God's glory, and for love's sake. Mr. Frost's faithful assistance is still most acceptable in the Parish."-Parochial Report, 1856.
OPENING OF ST. BARNABAS' CHAPEL.
" On Sunday evening, 30, (Advent Sunday, and St. Andrew's Day,) 1856, I opened St. Barnabas' Free Mission Chapel, in Burlington, with appropriate services. This movement, undertaken, by my son, after long consideration and deep reflection, has my consent, approbation, and blessing. It is a work, loudly called for. For years, I have looked to a Missionary Station, in the Eastern portion of the City, as due to its increasing population, not only ; but to the peculiar circum- stances of the locality. It would have been begun, two years ago ; if a suitable place for the services could have been had. That is supplied, for the present, by the vacancy of the Public School House, on the corner of the Church property ; a new one having been erected. The. Rev. William Croswell Doane having ceased to be my Assistant, in St. Mary's Church, has been appointed Priest of the Mission. The building has been purchased, and fitted up, for religious services : and, so far as its
"X. York St. from the River to Broad St. Mrs. Dr. Gauntt.
"XI. York St. from Broad to Fed- eral, and Clarkson St. from York to St. Mary's. Miss Parks.
"XII. York St. from Federal to Belmont, Belmont and Pudding Lane. Miss Blackney.
"XIII. Stacy St. from Pearl to Bel- mont; and Earl's Court.
Misses Swann.
"XIV. Main St. from Broad ; and Wrightsville. Mrs. Haven.
"XV. Dillwyn St. and Underhill's Row. Miss Mitchell & Miss Wistar."
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capacity extends, is very well adapted to that use .; There are four services there, every Sunday; and the evening service, every day. Nothing is spared, that much experience and unre- served devotion can contribute, to a favorable result; and with God, to bless it, that is certain. Its sole reliance for support, is on voluntary Offerings. The building, on the night of opening, was crowded to excess. The services were of deep and solemn interest. And the pleasure expressed by the people, to whose immediate neighbourhood, the ministrations of the Church had, thus, been brought, could not be misunderstood."}-Episcopal Address, 1857.
THE LAST DAYS OF BISHOP DOANE.
"During the winter," writes the Rev. William Croswell Doane, of his father, " we had noticed now and then, a weariness of walk and look. But he was never fresher-hearted, never fuller of vigour of mind, never freer in the luxuriance of grace- ful thought. His cable speech, and ' cable song;' his Washing- ton oration, his last address at St. Mary's Hall, are among his greatest works. He spoke oftener, of being tired, and went earlier to bed. But no thought or fear of what it meant, ever crossed our hearts. He had conquered so many times ; his strength of soul and body were so superhuman ; his necessity to us, to all his work, to all God's work, was so great, that no one ever thought, he could die. And in such an atmosphere, of
+ "The congregation has largely outgrown the Chapel, and the commence- ment of a new Chapel is needed and intended, at once. Alterations since last year have added about twenty-two sittings. But the congregation numbers 300, and the Chapel seats 220. A girls' school has been added, and the two schools are most faithfully and successfully taught. Only six children of the Mission, are in the public schools. The music is congregational, hearty and devotional, led by a choir of boys and girls, under the training of Mr. George S. Lewis, whose devotion and ability, are given without salary, for the glory of God. About $175.00, was obtained outside the Mission, for the alter- tions spoken of. There is no Sunday School connected with the Mission. The children of the Parish Schools are taught by their own Teachers, on Sunday ; and the few other children, by the Priest. All are catechised openly, every Lord's Day."-Parochial Report, 1857.
*"On Saturday, 27 November, 1858, the Bishop dedicated the School Chapel of St. Barnabas' Free Mission, in Burlington. The request for dedica- tion was read by the Rev. William Croswell Doane, Priest of the Mission, and the sentence of dedication by the Rev. Edward M. Pecke."-Bishop Doane's Journal.
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521
IN BURLINGTON.
sacred sorrow, of unusual pleasure, of serene refreshment, of gathering, growing peace, the winter passed away, through what he called 'the old and new year's isthmus,' till the spring brought his visitation duties, again. Closely and constantly confined with the examinations at the two Schools, he wrote his address to the graduates, on the morning of the day it was de- livered. 'I had not one idea,' he told me afterwards, 'till I went out and saw your bees, this morning.' And after all the weariness of that day, he set off so early the next morning, to his month of work, that our parting kiss and blessing, were over night. The visitation, entered on, as all his notices ran 'if it please God,' covered thirty-two parishes, and was to be made in twenty-one days. He visited fifteen. During the last week of incessant storm, he was in the most exposed parts of the Diocese, near the seashore, and travelling only in carriages. His last day's work, included Shrewsbury, Middletown, and Red Bank. And in Trinity Church, Red Bank, on the evening of the fifth Sunday in Lent, (Passion Sunday) April 16th, he officiated for the last time, preaching his last sermon from those great words, ' The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord ;' with these last solemn words, that close it, ' Thou, who didst die for us and rise again, bid us to die to sin, help us to rise to righteousness ; that bearing here Thy cross, we may hereafter share Thy Crown.' We had not looked for him at home, until Wednesday. But news of the death, at Mt. Holly, of his old and beloved friend, the Senior Presbyter of the Diocese, Dr. Morehouse, hastened him back. He had made a day, among his last at home, to go to him, with sympathy and cheer, and the Church's words of comfort. And when his death was announced, he came at once, to be there for the burial. When I first saw him, in the garden with a bunch of flowers, he seemed weary, and stiff, and lame. And at din- ner, everything was an effort, and he was subdued, and quiet, and worn. He went at once to bed. Still he counted on going to Mt. Holly, the next day, and told me how to arrange his plans. We thought but little of it. Exposure and fatigue seemed fully to account for it ; and after one day's just such ill-
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ness, a month before, he had left home for a visitation, at sunrise, the next morning. But in the morning, he could not leave his bed ; for the painfulness and helplessness of the rheu- matism. Still he would have me go, and lying there, forgot his suffering, to writet a line of sympathy, by me, to those, who wept over their father's coffin. Until Thursday night, he was almost, just the same. We saw no alarm. He thought the most of it, but said very little. Indeed, until the very last, our only cause of alarm seemed his unwillingness to put off, his long- ing for rest, and God's gracious purpose of giving it to him. On Thursday night, he was more ill : and when I came in from Evening Prayer, told me he 'was very sick,' and begged me to pray with him. Again he was better, giving various directions, postponing, most reluctantly, and only one by one, his appoint- ments ; but subduing, by silence or by contradiction, our hope- ful and confident assurance that he was less ill than he thought, and already somewhat better. But on Wednesday, for the first time we were alarmed, and from that he grew gradually worse. On Maundy Thursday morning, his thoughts wandered to his visitation, but came back to us when we spoke ; and that night, the end began. Towards midnight, his mind was more thor- oughly, and for a longer time, unhinged. And all through Good Friday, our hearts were darkened by the veil that hid us from his mind. He was communing with God, and his own soul. Step by step, in his 'sublime delirium,' with burning words of eloquence, he talked to his Parishioners, of their duty in obeying the Church, of the need of more frequent and better attended services ; and of the duty to support the services in all their details. His speech was clear and forcible, and full of strength, all set to his loving tones of earnest, anxious pleading, and in perfect unison with the teaching of his life. As the night waned, he was in his Convention, with all the majesty and power of his eloquence, stirring them, to a maintenance of the great Catholic principles of the Church, against the insidious approaches of the enemy, on grounds of compromise and popular favour. And through that long and bitter day of the Passion,
+ "It was his last note; a type of his life-long love and sympathy." W. C. D.
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utterly uncontrolled by reason, and yet so perfectly himself, he was on his visitation, and wanting to get home. But when ex- hausting struggles stretched his weakness on the bed, he was with his class in Theology, dividing those blessed texts, of unity, and God's love, and Jesu's prayers and promises, in the last chapters. of St. John's Gospel, often with a directness and force of argu- ment that sanity could not have improved. That delirium was- a most amazing thing. It was God's own witness to the single- mindedness, the absorption in duty, the devotion to holy works, of his long life. There was no reason to control, there was no thought of approbation, there was no room for any motive what- soever ; but the burning, glowing, glorious, God-like thoughts, that had been born, and grown, and lived ever, in his brain, let loose, with no directing hand, poured out a torrent of earnest, kindling eloquence, and his soul uttered itself, before God. In it, all concealments of policy, or propriety, or hesitation were removed : and his soul, and heart, and mind lay open, and there was nothing there, but love of God, devotion the Church,. anxiety for souls. t' Delirium ensued ; a noble, generous delir- ium, in which the mind was not so much unhinged, as unveiled ; in which the great pastoral heart, that had throbbed so long for the Diocese of New Jersey, and the Parish of St. Mary's, for St. Mary's Hall, and for Burlington College, poured itself out, without measure and without restraint : in which the Christian warrior fought his battles over again, in appeals, in remonstran- ces, in prayers, in words of burning eloquence and sententious pith. It looked as if reason had resigned the chair for a season,. merely that it might be seen how noble and well ordered those faculties were, over which it ordinarily presided.' There could not be higher testimony to the power of his mind, the unselfish- ness of his heart, the purity of his soul. And with the blessed Easter Even, rest came to him ; the calm, still, quiet, child-like sleep that brought on Easter day, such dreams of hope to all our hearts. ¿ As the night drew on he said to his most faithful,
+ The Rev. Dr. Mahan.
į His visitation appointment, for Easter Eve, was at St. Barnabas' Chapel, Burlington. W. C. D.
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loving servant, 'This is Easter-Eve, I should have been at St. Barnabas, to-night.' And so the Easter light grew brighter, hopefully to the watchers, peacefully for him. But he was not a sharer in our hope. From the beginning, God seemed to have revealed to him the promise of rest. And he lay down content, thankful, as though he would not break the peace that gathered on his soul, by any effort to be well. Our selfish entreaties were in vain. 'I cannot create a will,' he said to his physician, only not his son in all love and devoted tenderness, 'if I had one, I would use it, but I cannot create a will.' When one of his physicians asked him what was his prevailing feeling, he said ' stillness.' 'You mean a sense of wretchedness,' the doctor said. But my father corrected him most earnestly, ' no, not wretched- ness, doctor, but just stillness.' He was waiting so, to see the salvation of God. No pain wrung any murmur from his lips. His gentle ' thank you ' which eyes and lips both said, followed each dose of medicine. 'God be praised for that,' he said, when we gave him iced water. And so with a halo of patient joy, that went out from him, through his sick room, he waited and waited for the end. On Easter Tuesday night, (April 26,) the last change came but it did not touch his mind. He was self-pos- sessed and undisturbed. And when at 4 o'clock on Wednesday morning, I waked him for his medicine, and saw the change, and asked him if he would receive the Blessed Communion, he said, in his old, life-long, quiet, gentle, loving way, ' Yes, darling boy, it
had better be at once.' And so we gathered round his bed. It was Croswell's Communion Service. There was the triumph of the Easter Preface, with the Angel's Hymn. His eye on mine, his low voice taking all its part, his deep look of love, as he took the sacred elements from his t child's hand ; his faltering voice, in the benediction of peace, which he pronounced himself, giving to us in part, what fully, God so soon should give to him ; his calm self-possession, confidence without presumption, quiet-
" And when my days are numbered all, And all my labours done, My death-bed, with the Church's prayers, Console and cheer, my son.
G. W. D. to w. C. D., 1844.
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ness without insensibility, and then, one by one, to the many of his beloved, that were near at hand, the kiss, and word of love and blessing : these are the memories of that morning, fadeless while life lasts. And then he was alone, with the nearest and dearest of his own name, and his own doctor, and his faithful servant .; There were such wise and anxious words about the work, he loved so, and was leaving; such messages of love to his heart's darling that was away ; such utterances of love for those who were near him .; such divine faith; such perfect human love; such a precious blessing for us all. As each. ap- proached, one by one, he left off the silent communion of his con- templation; and all love's memories came fresh before him ; 'My dear sweet Archdeacon,¿ are you here, too; God bless you' to one, his tried and true friend, who always bore that name ; and to his darling grand-child, "My little pleasant angel, God bless you.' Hour by hour, the day passed on ; that our love longed to lengthen into years. 'How long is it?' he said so often, and ' now I must go home,' and then would come more word's of love, of gratitude to the faithful and devoted skill that tried, and would have died, to save his life ; 'God bless you, dearest Doctor, you have done all that man's skill and devotion could do.' And then his soul went back to catch the ever nearing glimpse of rest and peace. Twice more, he turned from it, to us, for words of faith and love. 'I die in the Faith of the Son of God, and in the confidence of His One Catholic and Apostolic Church. I have no merits ; no man has, but my trust is in the mercy of Jesus.' And from the clear, calm utterance of these Nicean words, his voice lowered, and his hands were lifted, ' Unto God's gracious mercy and protection, I commit you. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace both now and for
¡ "'Michael,' who was a part of Riverside, has a warm place in the hearts of all my father's friends ; in life, the most faithful servant, with no interest, but his master's; in sickness, and death, the untiring, devoted nurse; the loving, dearly-loved friend." w. C. D.
į The Rev. Frederick. Ogilby, D. D., whom he was accustomed to call his " Archdeacon."
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evermore.' And as he gave us peace, God gave it fully to him. There was only quiet after this; the pressure of the hand, the eye that took in each of us, in turn, into its depth of love, his grateful acceptance, and his earnest Amen, to the prayer for his departing soul. And at ten minutes before one, God let his ser- vant depart in peace."-Life and Writings of Bishop Doane, Vol. I, pp. 514-518.
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE WARDENS AND VESTRY- MEN OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
" FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God, in His wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased Bishop and Rector, the Rt. Rev. GEORGE W. DOANE, D. D., LL. D .; and whereas, his life was devoted to the service of his Divine Master, and his labors were incessant while he lived ; and whereas, he was the instructor of the uninformed ; the pro- tector and friend of the humble and destitute; the comforter of the desolate ; the adviser of the weak and erring; and minister and father for all: we, the Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Mary's Church, Burlington, New Jersey, who have so often and so recently met him at this council-board, who, having been in intimate daily intercourse with him for a long series of years, and knowing him best, lament him most, and who now so poign- antly realize his absence on this mournful occasion ; for our- selves, and for those we represent, deem it proper to manifest some expression, however feeble and inadequate, of our profound sorrow-Therefore,
"1. Resolved, That while we bow in humble submission to His will, who, for some good cause, has seen fit ' to visit us with trouble, and to bring distress upon us,' we desire to record these expressions of our profound respect and love for our late Rt. Rev. Father and Rector.
"2. Resolved, That during the period of the twenty-seven years of his Episcopate, and the twenty-six of his Rectorship of this Church, he faithfully discharged with the greatest acceptance, all his duties as Bishop of this Diocese, and as Rector of this Church, and his numerous other duties, which he undertook with cheerfulness, and which few other men could have borne.
"3. Resolved, That we deeply sympathize with his afflicted family, who, by the dispensation of Divine Providence, have been deprived of a most loving father, husband, and brother.
1
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"4. Resolved, That as an expression of our regard for his memory, the Church shall be draped in mourning.
" 5. Resolved, That we will attend the funeral (subject to the concurrence of the Diocesan Standing Committee,) in the badges of mourning.
"6. Resolved, That we recommend every member of the con- gregation of St. Mary's Church to wear crape on the left arm, during the procession and ceremonies of the day of burial.
" 7. Resolved, That this preamble and resolutions be signed by the Curate of the Parish, and Wardens, and Vestrymen, and published in 'The Churchman,' ' Banner of the Cross,' 'Epis- copal Recorder,' 'Church Journal,' and 'The New Jersey Dol- lar Newspaper ;' and also, that a copy be made, and sent by the Clerk of the Vestry, to the afflicted family of our late beloved Bishop and Rector.
" CHARLES F. HOFFMAN, " Curate.
" Thomas Milnor, Wm. A. Rogers, Wardens.
"J. B. Jones, Franklin Gauntt, M. D., Charles S. Gauntt, Samuel Rogers, Elias Howell, J. Howard Pugh, M. D., Hamilton McDowell, Wm. J. Watson, Vestrymen." April 28, 1859.
FUNERAL OF THE LATE BISHOP DOANE.
" The funeral of the lamented Bishop Doane, took place on Saturday, at half-past one o'clock, P. M., from his late residence, Riverside, Burlington, N. J., in the presence of some three thousand persons of all classes.
" The houses in Wood street, and other portions of the town, which were in the vicinity of St. Mary's Church, and the Bishop's residence, were all closed, the doors, window shutters, &c., being hung with crape.
" The train from Jersey City bore a number of Clergymen and other distinguished gentlemen from New York, Troy, Brooklyn, Hoboken, Jersey City, &c., and arrived at Burling- ton at a quarter past twelve, when the clergy and others at once proceeded to Riverside. On arriving at St. Mary's Hall, a large crowd of persons appeared assembled on the steps and in the building. The present is vacation in this establishment ; nevertheless, more than one hundred ladies, belonging to 'the
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family,' came from their homes-many of them several miles distant to attend the funeral.
" The body of the deceased was laid out in the hall of his resi- dence, clothed in full Episcopal canonicals, with a black wooden cross, about a foot in length, on his breast. His countenance wore an expression of calm serenity, indicative of a happy de- parture. The coffin was of the kind denominated a ' wedge" coffin, broad at the top, and gradually narrowing toward's the foot. It was lined and covered with Episcopal mourning ; on the lid was a large raised cross, with three steps beneath, and on the end, (not on the lid,) was a silver plate, bearing the follow- ing inscription :
The Right Reverend GEORGE WASHINGTON DOANE, D. D., LL. D., Bishop of New Jersey. Born 27 May, 1799. Died 27 April, 1859.
" There was also an outer coffin, of cedar, which was placed in the grave to receive the other ; on the lid of this, was a brass plate bearing a similar inscription.
" There were present at the funeral more than one hundred clergy in surplices, of whom the following were among the principal :
The Rt. Rev. the Provisional Bishop [Horatio Potter] of New York.
The Rt. Rev. the Bishop [John Henry Hopkins] of Vermont.
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