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 8
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"The assembly, in their turn, told the governor by address ; that they esteemed it their great happiness, that her majesty had placed a person of so much temper and moderation over them, and made no question he would surmount every difficulty with honour and safety.
" That her majesty's reign would make a bright leaf in his- tory ; that it was the advantage of the present, and would be the admiration of future ages, not more for her success abroad, than prudence at home ; that tho' their distance had and might sometimes be disadvantageous to them, yet they experienced the effect of her princely care, in putting an end to the worst admin- istration New Jersey ever knew, by sending him, whose govern-
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ment would always be easy to her majesty's subjects here, and satisfactory to himself, whilst he followed so great and good an example."+ Smith's History, pp. 355-357.
" BOLDLY CONDEMNING VICE." Monsr. Neau to the Secretary. Extract. New York, 27th Feby 170; " MOST HONORED SIR :
" Now Sir I must answer you to what you ask me in relation to Messieurs Moore and Brooke-those Gentle- men were assuredly an honor to the Mission and laboured with much vigour for the enlargement of the Kingdom of our glorious Redeemer, and one may say without prejudice to the rest that they were the Glory of all the Missionaries the Illustrious Society has sent over hither. The purity and candour of their manners preached as efficaciously as their mouths, insomuch that we cannot sufficiently lament the loss of these two good servants of God, the occasion of whose disgrace was as follows; My[Lord Cornbury has and does still make use of an unfortu- nate Custom of dressing himself in womens Clothes and of exposing himself in that Garb upon the Ramparts to the view of the public ; in that dress he draws a world of spectators about him and consequently as many censures especially for exposing himself in such a manner all the great Holidays and even in an hour or two after going to the Communion, this turns the heart of such as fear God against him; 'M' Moore knew all this though he was at Burlington, and this made him censure the Ministers of those parts, who according to him were guilty of a neglect of their duty in taking no notice thereof, and he made no scruple to say publicly that his Lordship deserved to be ex- communicated whereupon My Lord Cornbury, who knew all that was said of him (and who had been informed that Mr Moore had suspended from or at least refused to give the Com-
+ Lord Lovelace died May 6th, 1709, less than six months after his arrival, and having never been so far in this province as Burlington. He was suc- ceeded in the summer of 1710, by Brigadier Hunter. Among the twelve members of Council, in his instructions, were Lewis Morris, Daniel Coxe, Hugh Huddy and Robert Quarry. Among the members of the new Assem- bly, those for the town of Burlington, were Isaac DeCou and Robert Wheeler.
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munion to the Lieut' Governor upon the account of some Debauch and abominable swearing to which that Gentleman is unfortunately addicted) writ to M' Moore to come hither, to the end that he might send him to Albany but he refused to come saying that the Gentlemen of the Society had allowed him to reside at Burlington till the arrival of Mr Talbot; this refusal exasperated my Lord, who went to Burlington where the Lieutt Governor heartily joined with him to take a public revenge upon Mr Moore; My Lord who intended to receive the Sacrament at Burlington, was surprised to find nobody the Sunday following, but his own Chaplain to give it him for Mr Moore was gone about 12 miles from thence to administer the same to some poor people and this action of his finished the design they had to ruin him, but because they would not discover the motives of oppress- ing this good man they accused him of intermeddling with the affairs of the Assembly, because he was seen often in the com- pany of Colonel Lewis Morris, but they could never produce against him any evidence worthy of Credit. M' Brooke was looked upon to be no less criminal because he said Amen to all that M' Moore did, in fine Sir (for I observe that I grow tedious, but it would require a volume to relate every particular of this unfortunate story) My Lord brought hither with him Mr Moore and without any form of Trial imprisoned him in his Fort to the end that his friends might not see him, however I was there every day ; afterwards My Lord went to Albany leaving him under a Guard of Soldiers who let him go out, since which time we have never seen him more. He was not treated so favorably as the presbyterian Ministers, who having given security were suffered to go where they would. M' Brooke was here the day that M' Moore made his escape from the Fort and was diligently sought for by the Officers who intended to have imprisoned him in the stead of Mr Moore; all that night I had two Centinels before my door, but M' Brooke was not in my house, I caused him to be hid by one of my friends, since which time I have not seen him neither for which I am very sorry, I protest I had no. share in the escape of Mr Moore, though I was accused of it as Mr Vesey. Orders were given to stop Mr Brooke at Amboy in case he were found there, of which he having had notice was of
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the opinion (and so were his friends there too) that it were better to take a Journey to London than to expose himself to the fury of a powerful enemy. This in substance was the Cause of the disgrace and ruin of those two Illustrious servants of God, whose Crime was for opposing and condemning boldly vice and im- morality but the friends of Debauchery and corruption of man- ners affirm that these ministers exceeded their power, and that it did belong only to the Diocesan to suspend or exclude from the Communion persons in authority ; so that, since we have no Bishop any body may metamorphize themselves into Devils with- out fear of punishment. You see Sir what a Condition we are re- duced to. Judge therefore Sir whether we can labour effectually in the reformation of manners, whilst those who Govern us are our chiefest opposers ; I make no doubt that you will have heard that my Lord Cornbury is under arrest for debts he has contracted here, he is selling his household goods but there are. several Warrants against him ; I have been to see him once since he was arrested, but I did not find him like M' Moore; I am assured that he continues to dress himself in Women's Cloths, but now 'tis after the Dutch manner. I beg you to excuse this. long Letter and take leave to salute you with a profound respect as being
" Most Honored Sir, " Your most humble and most " obedient Servant " ELIAS NEAU." +
NOT THE QUEEN'S FAULT. Col. Morris to the Secretary. Extract. "New York, May 30th, 1709.
* " My Lord Cornbury Colonel Nicholson Colonel Quary and Colonel Ingoldsby who now succeeds in the govern- ment as Lieut. Governort have all hopes to be governors either
+ Mr. Neau was the Society's Catechist in New York. " Honest Elias Neau," Col. Morris calls him.
¿ Upon the death of Lord Lovelace, the government devolved npon Lieut. Gov. Ingoldsby, who was almost as odious, to the people of New Jersey, as Lord Cornbury had been. Field's Provincial Courts of New Jersey, p. 78.
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of York or Jerseys; but pray Sir use your best endeavors that we fall not a prey to the Monsters of such arbitrary principles and so ungovernable tempers. Ingoldsby was the cause of the loss of Moore & Brooke triumphs in it quarrels with the whole order says they are all a pack of rascals and knaves never a Barrel of them the better herring and affronts as many of them as comes in his way and I hope the clergy will convince him that they are not to be the scorn of every reptile if they do not his example will be transcribed, and the Clergy become the Con- tempt of America. Tis not the best return for the charge and pains I was at in surrendering the government of the Jerseys to the Queen but it is not her fault she has suffered more than I by committing the powers of government to persons unable to govern themselves and which I hope will not always be so."
THE BEST HOUSE IN AMERICA FOR A BISHOP.
Mr. Talbot to the Secretary. " Burlington, 30th June, 1709. “ SIR :
" I received your long letter and find Certamen est de lana Caprina. For your moderation, which is nothing in the world but a name which St. Paul never used in all his Epistles nor anything like it, but one where 'tis wrong translated ; it should be let your gentleness be known to all men, which I am for as much as anybody, towards man and Beast too ; but if you mean moderation in Religion, as one said here, 'I don't care whether I go to Heaven or Hell.' Good sir pardon your servant in this thing, but let us not differ about words, but follow the things that are for peace, and things whereby we may plant the Gospel and edify the Church of God. I am very glad to find by the President's letter, that the members of the Honourable Society are convinced, that a head is necessary to the body, but if he don't make haste he will come too late, for here is nothing established, but such a moderation to all that is good, and such a toleration of all that is evil, yea of the most damnable Heresies, which by the way is a damnable Toleration, and worse than the worst persecution that ever was in the world; for that only
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destroyed men's bodies, but these destroy body and soul in Hell for ever, which is damnable with a vengeance and will make the last State of poor America worse than the first, if not timely prevented. Is it not strange, that so many islands should be inhabited with Protestants, so many provinces planted by them -so many hundred thousand souls born and bred up here in America ; but of all the Kings, Princes and Governours, all the Bishops and Archbishops which have been since the Reforma- tion, they never sent out anybody here to propagate the Gospel ? I say to propagate it by imparting some spiritual gift by ordi- nation or confirmation. I thought the Society had set up to supply these wants, and to take off this horrible scandal from the Protestant Churches, but truly they would not hear of it till they had lost their best missionaries (may lose all the rest for ought I know before it be legally obtained.) What! is there a law against the Gospel ? Let it be taken out of the way as Popish and Antichristian ; we can't Baptize anybody hardly now for want of God fathers and God mothers, for who will be bound where they are not like to be discharged ? I can't get children here to be catechised, for they are ashamed of anything that is good, for want of school masters to teach them better. There is one Mr. Humphreys come ever with my Lord Love- lace, I suppose not unknown to you by Mr. Congreve ; he is a pretty sober young man and graduate of Dublin college ; I have got him £20 subscribed, but that is not enough for one that has a family. If the Society please to add so much to it as they think fit, it will be as good a work as they can do. Mr. Evans liked him so well that he would have had him for a free school at Philadelphia, but that wanderer Mr. Ross, has got in there I believe by this time, for they would not be quiet till they got poor Mr. Club to resign. I pity Mr. Jenkin's case, and I hope the society will restore him, for he is young enough to move pity and to amend ; or if he cannot live there, let him be Itine- rant in this province and I will help him what I can ; the churches in east Jersey are falling to the ground for lack of looking after, I can't go there above once or twice a year to administer the Holy Sacrament that they be not quite starved. It had been better not to have put these poor people to the
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charge of building churches, than have nobody to supply them, I can't get so much as a Reader here for any of them, and it were to save their souls. You that live at home in ease and plenty, little do you know what they and we do bear and suffer here, and how many thousand souls are legally lost whilst they at home are legally supplying them. Who will answer it to Jesus Christ who will require an account of us all, and that very speedily too, meanwhile He has charged all to take care of his flock not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy Lucre but of a ready mind; then they who don't care whether they go to Heaven or Hell will have no reward for that moderation. I find in your books that one Mr. Sergt. Hooke is willing to give the tenth of his Land to the Church at Hopewell ; pray let him send me a power and I will take care of it, and get him a purchaser for the rest. I have got possession of the best house in America for a Bishop's seat; the Archbishop told me he would con- tribute towards it and so I hope will others ; pray let me know your mind in this matter, as soon as may be, for if they slip this opportunity, there is not such another to be had. Our church here does flourish, God be praised, and the town too is much more populous than it was ; I hope we shall soon be out of Debt, meanwhile I take nothing of them, there is my mode- ration ; besides I bless God, I have kept the peace where no- body else did or could, and that is no sign of immoderation ; now I have shown you my moderationt by my works, pray show me yours that I may learn more how to approve myself as I ought.
" Yours &c
" JOHN TALBOT." "Pray for God's sake send us some books of all sorts, especially Common Prayer books.
¡J. Bass, in a letter to the Secretary written about this time, says: "I must not omit here to assure you, that that good man, the Reverend Mr. Tal- bot, deserves as much the care and regards of the Society as any minister amongst us, and hath been in my opinion as universally useful. Notwithstand- ing some things that you in your Letter desire he might be more moderate in, his conversation is unblameable, and his care and concern more for the interest of the Church and the glory of God than for any thing that can concern himself."
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"A CLOUD OF MELANCHOLY THOUGHTS."
· Mr. Talbot to the Secretary. " Burlington, 27th September, 1709.
" SIR :
" Though I have sent you several letters of late, yet I can't omit so good an opportunity as this by Mr. Hamilton of giving my duty and service to the Honorable Society ; my comfort is I have always told them the truth both at home and abroad, though I was not believed till it was too late. When I reflect on the progress of the Gospel (I will not say the Church for we never had it here, nor never shall till there comes over a propa- gator to plant and to build it up) a cloud of melancholy thoughts throngs upon me; for when the Shepherds are smitten the sheep of the flock must need be scattered abroad. Mr. Moore, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Muirson, Mr. Rudman, Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Urqu- hart, all worthy men, dead in less than two years, and almost all the rest run away, as Black, Crawford, Nichols ; Ross is a wandering star, we do not know where he will fix; meanwhile he does not well to supplant and undermine, let him be confined to some place where there is need, and not stay altogether in the town to do more hurt than good ; there's Mr. Evans, Mr. Ross, and Mr. Club all at Philadelphia, and none else in that Province, where the Society have sent most ; at Chester there's none, at New Castle none, at Appoquimony none, at Dover hundred none, at the whorekills none, and the people in all these places so abated of their zeal, that I'm sure it had been much better to have sent none at all, than none to supply the death and absence of these men. Here is not one come to sup- ply the loss of these 10 missionaries, and if there does come any what will they do but find great discouragements, and the last state of their several places worse than the first; wherefore my advice is, with humble submission to my superiors, to keep their money and give us leave to come home, and send no more till they think fit to send a propagator of the Gospel ; for other- wise their planting the Gospel is like the Indians planting gun- powder, which can never take root, but is blown away by every wind. Poor brother Jenkins was baited to death with musqui-
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toes, and blood thirsty Gal-Knippers, which would not let him rest night nor day, 'till he got a fever at Appoquimony, came to Philadelphia, and died immediately of a Calenture ; my brother Evans and I buried him as well as we could, it cost us above £20 for, poor man! he had nothing, being out of Quantum with the Society, and his bills protested. If you please to call to mind, I told the Society when I was there, that those places must be served by Itinerants, and that it is hardly possible for anybody to abide there, that is not born there, 'till he is mus- quito proof ; those little things are a great plague in some parts, and when a man is persecuted in one place he should have leave to go to another, or else, he has very hard measure, especially in these parts where our life is a kind of Penance both winter and summer, and nobody can tell, which is the worst, the extreme heat or cold. I hear Mr. Vaughan is arrived at Bos- ton, but is not yet come into this province, he will have enough to do to supply Mr. Brook's charge at Elizabeth Town, Amboy, Piscataway, who have had none since he left them ; but I have done for them, may be once in a quarter or so ; somebody occa- sionally passing by that way, but poor Hopewell has built a Church and have had no minister yet ; and he had need be a. good one that comes after Mr. Moore ; there be many more in England but none so good as to come over and help us, that I can see or hear of. As for the account of what Indians we have converted, truly I never saw nor knew any that were Christians indeed ; but I know there are hundreds, yea thousands of our white folks, that are turned Infidels for want of looking after. Let them that have the watch look out and see what they will answer ; for he that is higher than the highest regards. I have received nothing from the people in this province, nor will not till they be out of debt for building the church. I leave honest Mr. Hamilton to give you a farther account of our affairs, and how we do; he has been one of our benefactors and given us £10. I hope when he returns, the Society will be so kind as to send us some Common Prayer books which we very much want here and at Hopewell, Maidenhead, and everywhere. I pray God direct and prosper the designs of the sacred Society, that
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Religion and learning, piety and virtue, may be established among us for all generations : so I rest sir,
"Your's &c. JOHN TALBOT.
" I hope you will put the Society in mind of what we have- often desired, a school master, for there is none in Town nor in all the province that is good ; and without, we can't instruct the children as they ought to be in the Catechism, for they will not be brought to say it in the Church till they have been taught at school."
THE WILLS PROVED ..
Nearly a year had elapsed since Messrs. Moore and Brooke. set sail for England, and no tidings of the ship, or of any one on board, had been received.
With this in mind, the following have a sad and touching interest.
" Burlington the 18th Octo. 1709.
" Then appeared before me, Jeremiah Bass Esq, commis- sioned and appointed by the honorable Coll Richard Ingoldsby Lt Governor & Comd in Chief of the Province of New Jersey, John Talbott, Clerke, one of the Witnesses to the within written Will and made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God that he was present and saw the Testator Thorowgood Moore. signe seale & publish the within writing to be his last Will and Testament and that at the time of the signeing thereof he was of sound and disposing memory to the best of his knowledge & beliefe and that at the same time he saw Samuell Miles Thomas Barclay and John Brooke sign the same as Witnesses thereto in. presence of the testator.
" Jurat. Coram Me
".J. BASS."
" Burlington the 18th Octor 1709.
" Then appeared before me Jeremiah Bass Esq" Commission- ated and appointed by the honorable Coll Richard Ingoldsby Lieut Gover' & Commander in Chief of the Province of New Jersey &c, John Talbot, Clerke, and made oath on the holy Evangelists of Almighty God that he was present and saw the. within named John Brooke signe seale publish and declare the within written Instrument to be his last Will and Testament and that at the time of the signeing thereof, he was of sound &
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disposing mind and Memory to the best of his knowledge and beliefe and that at the same time he saw Robert Owen John Brocass and Hugh Venables signe the same as witnesses thereto in presence of the testator.
" Jurat. Coram me
" J. BASS."
THE WILL OF THOMAS LECITER.
"IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. I, Thomas Leciter, of the Towne of Piscattaway, in the Easterne Division of this her Majestys Province of New Jersey, being Well in health, and of Sound understanding and Judgement, praised be God for the Same, I Sett considering the uncertainety of humane life and the Certainety of Rendring up my Soule to God that Gave it at Such time as it Shall please him to Require it that I may Settle that estate that it hath pleased God to give me far above my desert I make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in Manner and forme following. First I give my Soule to Almighty God who gave it to me firmely believeing that I shall Attaine to life Eternall in heaven above through the merits and mediation of my Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and my body to be decently interred and as to Such worldly Good as I am possest of after my Just debts are paid and Satisfied I Give bequeath and dispose of the Same in manner following: I Give & bequeath unto the Church of St. Anne in Burlington in her Majestys Province of New Jersey that Is to Say the ministry of the Said Church, two hundred and Six ackers of Land lyeing and being upon Stoney Brooke in the Easterne division of this Province which I bought of Richard Stockton for the use of the Said Church and Noe other: I also Will and bequeath all the Rest of my Estate now in the possession of Joseph Worth to the onely use benefitt and behough of him the said Joseph Worth his heirs or Executors. I doe nominate and Appoint Mr. Robert Wheeler, of Burlington Merchant my Sole and onely Executor of this my Last Will and Testament Revoakeing hereby and disanulling all and all manner of other or former Will or Wills Testament or Testaments and doe desire and Request that this onely may be deemed and Esteemed, and
-
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taken as my true and onely Last Will and Testament. In wit- ness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and affixed my Seale this tenth Day of July in the eighth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lady Anne over England &c Queen Annoq Dom 1709."
" THOMAS LECITER. [ L. S.]"
[Proved before Jeremiah Bass, Nov. 14th, 1709.]
" LETTERS PATTENT" FOR ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
" ANNE, by the Grace of God of Great Brittain France and Ireland Queen Defender of the faith &c To ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE to whome these presents shall come GREETING. WEE being very well Assured that nothing can tend more to the pros- perity and Welfare of any people, than the Establishment of the true Religion, and promoting of Piety and Virtue, which wee have always thought it our Duty as much as in us lies to incourage in all those places that are under our Care and Gov- ernment, That God may be Glorified, and the Inhabitants Duly Instructed in the principles of the Christian Religion; and knowing that it will be highly Condusive to the Attaineing of those Ends, that all Possible Encouragement be given for the Erecting and Building of convenient places for the preaching of the word of God, and Administring of the holy Sacraments, ac- cording to the Doctrine and Liturgy of the Church of England ; and also that a sufficient maintenance be Provided for an Otho- dox Clergyman to live and Reside amongst them. And whereas the Reverend Mr. John Talbot, minister of the Church of St. Mary in our Towne of Burlington, Daniel Coxe and Hugh Huddy, Esqrs., two of our Councill for the sd Province, Jeremiah Bass, Esq our Secretary, Alexander Griffith, Esq our Attorney Generall of our Province of New Jersey with Divers others have by their petition to our Trusty and Well-beloved Coll Richard Ingoldesby, our Lieutenant Gov and Commander- in-Chief of our sd Province Desired that they might have our Royall Grant and Charter, Enabling them to Act as a Body Corporate by the Name of the Minister, Church wardens and Vestrymen of the Church of St. Mary in Burlington and that they might have power to Receive Gifts, to Purchase Lands and Houses, to make Leases, and to make such Rules and Orders for the Disposall of their Church Affairs as shall be Agreeable to the Laws and Constitutions of our Kingdome of Great Brittain KNOW YEE therefore that we have for the Considera- tions Aforesd of our Special Grace Certain Knowledge and
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