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 6
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" Most Reverend, Right Reverend " & Right Honorable, Your most ".Obedient & humble Serv'ts, " BURLINGTON, Nov'r 2, 1705.
Andrew Rudman,
" John Talbot, Ericus Biorck, Hen. Nicols,
Evan Evans, Geo. Ross,
Sam. Myles,
Tho. Crawford,
Tho Moore, Jno. Sharpe,
Æneas Mackenzie,. John Brooke,
Geo. Muirson,. John Clubb.""
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IN BURLINGTON.
THE LETTER COMMENDATORY. " To the Lord Bishop of London.
" MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP :
"We being convened at Burlington have drawn up an Account of the State of the Church in those parts which we think necessary to add to our last years Scheme. We have enclosed a letter to the Society which we humbly offer to your Lordships view. We have likewise drawn and signed a peti- tion to the Queen for a Suffragan Bishop, but have sent it to. Your Lordship not so much to present as to determine whether it be Convenient to be presented to her Majesty. Our inex- pressible wants of one to represent your Lordship here make us use all the means we can think of towards the obtaining that blessing. Indeed our case upon that Account is very lamentable and no words are sufficient to express it. We shall have the less need to lay before your Lordship the further want of Min- isters for West Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania &c., in regard our Reved Brother M' Talbot who has been an Itinerant Missionary is very capable of giving your Lordship a particular account of all our church affairs. We shall only desire Your Lordship to have a particular regard to what he shall say concerning the case of Mr Rudman, M' Boudet, MT Eburn and Mr Biorck whose circumstances are very pressing, and their labours have been very great and successful. We humbly beg Your Lordships blessing, and beg leave to subscribe ourselves, t
" My Lord
" Your Lordships most obedient Sons & Servis
"JOHN BROOKE. EVAN EVANS. GEO : Ross.
JOHN CLUBB. HEN : NICOLS. AND: RUDMAN.
JOHN SHARPE. ENEAS MACKENZIE. ALEX : INNES.
GEO : MUIRSON. THO : CRAWFORD. THOR : MOORE.
ERICUS BIORCK. SAM. MYLES."
" Burlington Nov. 21. 1705.
+ Some of the signers of these papers were clergy of the Church of Sweden -a beautiful instance of the Catholic intercommunion of those days.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
THE REV. THOROWGOOD MOORE.
Mr. Moore to Mr. Hodges.
N. York, Nov. 14, 1705. " DEAR SIR: * "I have now left Albany and the Indians without any thought of returning. I left Albany 12th the last and have since been in the Jerseys seeing where I may be most servicable and how I may regain the time I have lost. I find there great want of ministers and therefore shall spend my time chiefly there till I hear from the Society and particularly at Burlington the chief town there during the Rev'd Mr. Talbots absence I have proposed to the society my being Missionary ad Libitum and that they would allow another for some time till there are Missionarys sent to supply all places. Mr. Talbot is now going for England chiefly for the good of the Church and therefore I hope he will have your particular friend- ship and all the favour the society can give him. I can't say I ever saw a man of greater zeal and industry for the glory of .God, and the good of his Church. I am &c &c
"THOR: MOORE."
MR. TALBOT IN ENGLAND. Mr. Talbot to the Society for Propagating the Gospel. " London, March 14, 1706. " May it please the Reverend and
Right Honorable Society for Propagating the Gospel:
" After I had travelled with Mr. G. Keith through nine or ten Provinces between New England and North Carolina, I took my leave of him in Maryland. The Assembly then sitting offered me £100 sterling to go and Proselite their Indians; but my call was to begin at home, and to teach our own People first, whose Language we did understand ; so I returned to Burling- ton to finish the Church which was happily begun there. Mr. Sharpe came to my assistance where I left him to supply that hopeful and infant Church, whilst I went to East Jersey for Amboy, Elizabeth Town, Woodbridge and Staten-Island. This we did by turns about half a year till Mr. Mott dyed who was
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IN BURLINGTON.
Chaplain of the Queen's Fort and Forces at New York. I was offered this place also, where I should have Board and Lodging and £130 per annum, paid weekly; but nothing could tempt me from the service of the Society who were pleased to adopt me into their service, before I had the honour to know them. Mr. Sharpe was glad to embrace this offer ; so I travelled alone, doing what good I could, till last Summer, I met with Mr. John Brook who brouglit me a letter from my Lord of London and orders to fix at Burlington, as I did till November last. There was a general meeting of the Missionarys who resolved to address the Queen for a suffragan Bishop, that I should travel with it, and make known the requests of some of the Brethren abroad, whose case we had recommended formerly by Letter to the Venerable Society, but without success. It will be four years next June since I associated with Mr. Keith. I was allowed £60 per annum for three years, but for the last I had nothing neither here nor there. I have no Business here but to solicit for a Suffragan, Books and Ministers for the propagating the Gospel. God has so blessed my Labors and Travels abroad that I am fully resolved by his Grace to return, the sooner the better, having done the Business that I came about ; meanwhile my Living in Gloucestershire is given away, but I have no reason to doubt of any Encouragement from this famous Society who have done more in four years for America than ever was done before ; and your Petitioner will ever pray. God bless all our Benefactors in Heaven and Earth, and reward them for ever, for all the Good they have done to the Church in general and in particular to
" Your most humble servant and " Obedient Missionary, " JOHN TALBOT."
MR. TALBOT EAGER TO RETURN. Mr. Talbot to the Secretary. " London, April 16th, 1707.
" HONORED SIR :
" I have received several letters from my friends in America who long for my return, which I was forward to do once and
E
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
again, but Satan hindered me by raising lies and slanders in my way. But I have cleared myself to all that have heard me, and I hope you will satisfy the Honorable Society that I am not the man to whom that dark character did belong. Mr. Keith has known my doctrine and manner of life some years, what I have ventured, suffered and acted for the Gospel of Christ abroad and at home. I desire his letter may be read to the Honorable Board, and that they will be pleased to dispatch me, the sooner the better, for the season is far spent, and the ships are going out, and if I go at all, I would go quickly. I know the wants of the poor people in America. They have need of me or else I should not venture my life to do that abroad which I could do more to my own advantage at home. I should be glad to see somebody sent to North Carolina. I hope the Planters' letters are not quite forgotten. 'Tis a sad thing to live in the wilderness like the wild Indians without God in the world.
" Your humble Servant, "JOHN TALBOT."
A PRISONER IN FORT ANNE. Mr. Moore to the Secretary. " Fort Anne, Augst 27th 1707.
“ SIR,
"This comes to inform you of what at first without doubt will be no small surprise to you and that is that one of the Society's Missionaries is no other than a prisoner and his mission confined within the walls of a Fort. The missionary is myself, who am now a prisoner in Fort Anne in the city of New York ; but how I came into this province and what is my crime you can't I believe but be impatient to know : be pleased then to take the following acct and to communicate it to the Society.
" As to the first I was brought hither by force which was after this manner, (viz) about a month ago his Excellency my Lord Cornbury Gov" in chief of the Province of N. Jersey, N. York, &c, being then at York sent a summons for me to appear before him at N. York to answer to such things as should be alleged against me.
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IN BURLINGTON.
" I was not long considering what to do, being only to consult the legality of the summons and whether the law commanded my obedience, which, if it did not, I knew of no other obligation, but had many reasons to the contrary ; as the leaving my charge without any to supply my place, and the uncertainty indeed of my return (I being well satisfied that my Lord had often declared that he would remove me out of the province for reasons scarce worth while troubling the Society with) &c, so that I say I had only to consider whether my Lord had that power to summon me out of the province, and a little considera- tion was sufficient to satisfy me he had not ; N. Jersey being certainly a distinct province from this of New York, as Virginia is ; and the power of Government (I am well informed and it necessarily must be so) upon the death or absence of my Lord Cornbury to be lodged in the Lieutenant Governor and upon the death or absence of the Lieutenant Governor, in the council. But upon my not obeying this summons, His Excellency, the Lord Cornbury sends a warrant dated from N. York, to the Sheriff of Burlington, to bring me safe to his Lordship's house, at Amboy, about 50 miles from Burlington, in the same province, which accordingly he executed. He took me into his custody the 15th and brought me to Amboy the 16th inst., being Satur- day, where we found his excellency arrived from N. York. His excellency told the Sheriff he had done very well in bringing me thither and ordered him (by word of mouth) to secure me and bring me before him on Monday morning, which accordingly he did, but his Excellency, it is to be supposed, being otherways busy'd that morning, ordered I should be brought in the after- noon and then the next morning when he was pleased to send for me into a private room where were only the Lieutenant Gov- ernor and himself. His excellency, after some words of anger, not worth mentioning, and which if I did, would oblige me to say a great deal more in the order to explaining them, began to condemn my behaviour to him ever since my first arrival into America, siding with his and the Government's enemies ; and that I was a preacher of Rebellion (which I think he seemed to intimate I did by my conversation and not by my sermons, though I think he might have said the one as well as the other)
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
and that I had shown my rebellious temper particularly in not obeying the Lieutenant Governor's suspension of me. But this now obliges me to say something of that matter which in short shall be this : Upon my not obeying my Lord's summons to York (which I told you I received about a month since) the Lieutenant Governor, Coll: Ingoldsby told me before two or three persons that for that reason he suspended me from preach- ing or performing any divine service in Burlington ; but I told him I did not think he had that power and so I left him. But he I suppose, thinking that that was not sufficient, was resolved to publish it by writing and so ordered the secretary of the province to draw up a form which accordingly he did and the Lieutenant Governor signed it and commanded him to take care that it was set up at the churches doors ; but the Secretary con- sidering that he had no sufficient warrant for so unaccountable proceedings went to him the next day and told him that he did not think he could safely do it ; but that if it was to be set up it was, he thought, the church wardens business, accordingly he ordered the paper to be directed to the church wardens and delivered to them. The secretary himself was one and went with the paper to the other church warden to know his mind, but he being more than ordinary averse to it, they agreed not to set it up, so that I believe I can obtain the original paper signed by the Lieutenant Governor, but however I can get a copy of it attested by the church wardens. But to return ; His Excel- lency, my Lord Cornbury told me the Lieutenant Governor had done very well in suspending me-that he confirmed his suspension and discharged me from preaching any more in that or the neighboring province. I told his Excellency that I was very sorry to hear that and beg'd his Excellency would judge favorably of me if I did not obey him in that particular, and believe that it proceeded from a sense of duty that I ought not and not out of obstinacy, but however I would take the best advice I could get about this and act according to my conscience. He told me that he would be obeyed, that my conscience should not rule him. I told him I could not expect that, but begged I might be excused if it did me. He told me that he would be obeyed and that if I did not he would use me like other Rebels.
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IN BURLINGTON.
He asked me farther who I thought myself to bee. I told him a minister of the church placed at Burlington, both by the laws of God and man as being placed there by my Lord of London. He told me my Lord of London did not place me there. I told him I humbly conceived he did by a letter I had from the Secretary of the Society of which my Lord of London was a member, and so I read him part of the letter relating to that matter. He told me my Lord of London (and I am pretty well satisfied he said the Society too) had no power to place me there nor anywhere else in his Government, neither ever did he place any, and that the Queen had invested him with that sole power and that he was ordinary.
" I told him if he was ordinary, I would not make any oppo- sition, but that I was not sensible of, &c. But to conclude, his excellency told me that since my obedience was so uncertain, he would secure me from disobeying, and so ordered the Sheriff (which came into the room a little before) to continue me in his custody, so he took away his prisoner and so I continued till Saturday when I was commanded to attend his Excellency whom I found gone from his house in order to go aboard of his barge for N. York. I found him at a house about a Bows shot from the water side. The Sheriff having spoken to my Lord, told me he was commanded to attend me into the barge. I told him I could not understand that, however that I would not go unless I was forced, but the Sheriff going again to my Lord into the house (for I was at the door) and returning with fresh commands, I went a little way with him to the other side of the house, where I found my Lord. I told his Excellency what I told the Sheriff. His Excellency asked me then whether I wanted to be carryed. I answered him something like it. He then commanded the Sheriff again to do his office, but he being unwilling to do that which his Lordship called so, his Lordship commanded the Amboy Sheriff who stood by to take me and force me to go (upon which the Lieutenant Governor command- ing him likewise) he took me by the sleeve so we went with the rest of the company towards the water side, but as we were walking I told the Sheriff the danger of what he was doing and
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
bade him have a care how he forced me. When I was come pretty near the barge I told his Excellency that I wished him a good voyage and that I designed to go not farther unless I was forced to it (for the Sheriff had not then hold of me) my Lord in great anger bid the Sheriff again do his office, and the Lieu- tenant Governor commanding the same, but the Sheriff refusing to obey them, my Lord comes himself to me and takes me by my gown and sleeve and leads me about ten paces, but being perswaded by the Lieutenant Governor, or rather more probably by other reasons he leaves me again to the Sheriff, who, encour- aged by my Lord's example and the earnestness of the Lieuten- ant Governor to him to take me, did so, and took hold of my gown and went before me into my Lord's barge in which my Lord brought me to York, being about 40 miles from Amboy. When I came ashoare I went with my Lord and the rest of the company to the Fort, thinking it in vain to make any farther opposition then and likewise being disswaded from that by one that I know wished me well. When we came into the Fort my Lord desired his Chaplain to take me into his room and told the officer of the guard that I was a prisoner and ordered him to give directions to the under officers to prevent my escape, and here I have been ever since.
" The day after I came in being Sunday, Mr. Sharpe, my Lord's Chaplain, asked my Lord whether I might not go to church ; he told him no, and moreover said that I should not go without the walls till I was sent to England. I thank God I fare very well here, his Lordship having given orders that I should want for nothing.
" And thus I have told you as near as I could how I came hither with almost every particular circumstance ; and withall my crime. This can't but seem to the Society very strange and wou'd so to everybody here, were they not by unhappy ex- perience but too well acquainted with his Ldship's conduct. I know not how long his Exc'y will keep me here, I am apt to. think a good while and therefore hope the Society will apply to. the Queen as soon as may be that I may be released and that no. Governour may attempt the like for the future, but I refuse not.
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IN BURLINGTON.
to be tryed before proper Judges in the most publick manner if her Majesty thinks fit, being conscious to myself that I have done nothing that deserves the usage I have met with; but if I have offended I hope I shall very willingly suffer the deserved punishment.
" I hope my present and late sufferings will be no disadvan_ tage to the Church. I am well satisfyed in my mind of the con- trary and that I shall have reason to bless God for enabling me to act as I have done in relation to my Lord Cornbury and the Lieutenant Gov" by which and other means I hope her Majesty will in time be well acquainted with those Gentlemen. I think 'tis time now to think of concluding. I will therefore only add that I know not the least shadow of a reason that my Lord Cornbury can produce to the world for the usage he has showed me and therefore hope the Society will be as speedy as may be in applying to the Queen for my relief and for prevention of anything of the like for the future.
" I am Sir, " Your very humble Servant, " THO : MOORE."
CAUSES OF CORNBURY'S DISPLEASURE.
Mr. Moore to the Secretary. " Fort Anne, Augt 1707
" SIR
" It is but just now almost that I finished a long Letter to you which goes by the way of Barbadoes ; if that came safe to your hands, I suppose it did not a little surprise the Society by acquainting them with the imprisonment of one of their Mis- sioners which is myself now confined in Fort Anne in the city of New York brought hither in the most arbitrary and illegal manner that I believe they ever heard, the particulars I will not now mention because a Copy of that whole Letter (if you have not already received it) will be sent or delivered you with this, for the Revª M" John Brooke (to whom I deliver this unsealed) has a Copy of it which with this he will send (though he is
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coming himself) by all occasions. He is going towards Boston in Order for England if he be not confined before he leave this place which I am something fearful of and am well satisfied he would be if his Excellency My Lord Cornbury knew of his design of going home.
X -X-
"I am thinking the Society will be inquisitive to know the reason of my Lord's displeasure against me, but when they are acquainted with his Lordship's Character I am sure they will cease inquiring and be satisfied I could not faithfully discharge my duty, and shew my respect and value for men of piety and real worth and have his Friendship ; and indeed I know noth- ing has more contributed to my displeasing his Lordship than my acquaintance and intimacy with those I thought good men and promoters of the public Good some of which have been my acquaintance and intimate friends from my Erst arrival in America and which is the worst of it, I know none of them either in New York or New Jersey that are his; but in short the chief nay only cause of his Lordship's pulling me out of New Jersey and transporting me to York I do verily believe is his persuasion that I have been and still am a block in the way of some of his designs (though I thank God I don't know I ever troubled myself with state matters) which with some others must necessarily be removed. What his Lordship designs to do with me now I know not; I am apt to think I shall continue here a good while, for the same reason that induced his Lordship to confine me, will probably prevail with him to continue me where I am; I am apt to think till I have the Queen's Commands for my release nay longer, if his Lordship (which God forbid) continues in the Government, I say God forbid he knows, not for my own sake but the good of others; for I bless God through his assistance I am very easy being well convinced that there is nothing of this that has happened to me but what is ordained by the wise hand of providence ; and I can truly say I am scarce sensible of the difference between Liberty and confinement.
" I am tempted to say something of the illegality of his Lord- ship's proceedings, I think I could show a Gradation of very many unlawful steps he has taken from his first summons of me
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IN BURLINGTON.
to York to his confining me there but you will easily see them in the Account I have given (and which M' Brooke will con- firm) of the matters of fact ; I need only add, what I remember I omitted in my last, that there is a County (I think it is called Middlesex) between Burlington and Amboy through which my Lord by his Warrant which MT Brooke will show you, com- manded the Burlington Sheriff to bring me.
" As to the irregularities his Lordship seems to intimate I am chargeable with in his summons and warrant (both which M' Brooke has) they may easily be imagined to be only preten- ces for sending them. I bless God I know of none that I am accountable to him for. His Lordship indeed has told me of some things in his anger which either he did or would have me think were so, but I think them not worth mentioning, only one I will and that was that I had the Sacrament too often (which I had when I well could once a fortnight) which fre- quently he was pleased to forbid but I minded that as little as I the Lieutenant Governor and afterwards his suspension, thinking his power in both much the same and this puts me in mind of the several times his Lordship commanded me to appear before him, and that the last from York was but the 4th command. I had to attend him twice before he called me from Burlington to Amboy which are 50 miles distant.
"Sir, though I would not be tedious yet I can't forbear making a humble proposal to the Society which is that they would be pleased to use their Interest with her Majesty in order to their obtaining leave for the recommending proper persons to be Gov- ernors of these parts, men of good morals if not of true religion, but alas ! why not the latter, every one knows the powerful influence of the example of the King or Governor and indeed the Society will find themselves extremely deceived and the success not answerable to their pious care if there be not very different men sent over for these parts than what are now and have been heretofore. But, I must think of concluding which shall be with my best wishes and hearty prayers for the truly Venerable Society that God would give them true wisdom fer- vent zeal and indefatigable Industry in the prosecution of that great and glorious work they have undertaken; their minutes
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now are very precious for they are now laying the foundation of a Church in a flourishing part of the World which must be well and speedily laid. I am " Sir " Your very humble Servt " THOR : MOORE."
MR. TALBOT ARRIVES FROM ENGLAND.
Mr. Talbot, having reached America, was in Boston, in November, 1707 ; where he was "much surprised to meet" Mr. Moore and Mr. Brooke. They gave him a detailed account of the treatment they had received, and how they had escaped ; and . told him of their determination to embark for home. He remonstrated against their taking a Winter passage ; "but," says Talbot-writing about it nine months afterwards-"poor Tho- rowgood said, if they were sunk in the sea, they did not doubt but God would receive them, since they were persecuted for doing their duty to the best of their knowledge."
THE WILL OF REV. MR. MOORE.
" Being now abt to Leave America & not knowing whether it shall please ye Allm: God y' I ever shall live to return; I do by these presents declare yt, if I do not, I do freely give all my Books now at ye House of Rob' Wheeler Esq" wth a large Chest to put them in, to ye use of ye Minister for ye time being of ye Church of England in Burlington in New Jersey & to his successors for ever, Reserving ten pounds worth sterling of them weh belong of Right to ye Venerable Society for propaga- ting ye Gospel in Foreign parts & Hamond on ye New Testamt, wch I leave to my Faithfull Friend Mr Robt Wheeler of ye sa Town of Burlington.
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