USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Frenchtown > Semi-centennial history of the Frenchtown M.E. Church with a chapter of reminiscences, and brief sketches of the pastors, also, a chapter on the part this church bore in suppressing the rebellion > Part 5
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The writer spent a night at his house only a few days before his sudden transition. He spoke of his severe sickness through the winter -how near he came to passing over the river, and how God brought him back as from the gates of death. He referred to the struggle he had in reaching the Conference before the roll-call, saying he had only missed once in forty-one years. We call up the devotional hour of that night before retiring. How happy he seemed ; what quick and earnest responses he made as we thanked the Lord for His saving grace, and the triumphs of the Cross through our humble efforts. Evidently God was preparing him for the chariot and the crown. He had done his work. His reward awaited him on high. His classmates loved him ; we all loved him. The earth is better for his having lived in it, and heaven is richer for his entrance there. May we be ready when the Bridgroom cometh. May our sunsetting be radiant with peace, and our spirit pass away into the brightness of immortality.
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HISTORY OF THE M. E. CHURCH,
His funeral services were held in the Hackettstown Methodist Episcopal Church, April 18th, 1885, under the charge of J. A. Munroe, his pastor .- Newark Conference Minutes.
Rev. S. W. Decker.
Brother Decker was born in Orange County, New York, October 18th, 1807. His parents were exemplary and respectable members of the Old School Presbyterian Church, and brought him up in the fear of the Lord. At an early age he engaged in teaching school. In 1832, he attended a camp-meeting near Flemington, N. J., and heard a sermon by Rev. Charles Pitman, P. E. He and his young wife were thoroughly aroused to a sense of their danger, and sought and found the pearl of great price, and soon after offered themselves as probationers to the M. E. Church, and were received by Rev. J. L. Gilder, late of the N. Y. East Conference.
In 1837, he was licensed to preach. In 1838 Rev. Manning Force, P. E., appointed him as a supply for Springfield. At the Conference in 1839, he was admitted on trial, and returned to Springfield. His subse- quent appointments were as follows : 1840, Orange; 1841-'42, New Prospect, where he was engaged in a glorious revival, and hundreds were brought to Christ; 1843-'44, Vernon, Ct. : 1845-'46, Stanhope; 1847-'48, Stillwater ; 1849-'50, Quakertown; 1851, New Egypt ; while at this last appointment, he was made chaplain to the state prison in Trenton, where he was continued two or three years. To sustain his growing family, he engaged in the mercantile business, and became deeply involved in debt. Greatly embarrassed, and under great mental depression, he withdrew from the ministry, saying, "How can I preach the Gospel when I owe $1,000 ?" He gave up all his property to his creditors and moved to Jersey City, and, after earnest prayer, he again commenced business, promising, if success attended him, he would pay all his old debts. He was greatly prospered, and, though not legally bound, yet he felt himself morally bound to pay every debt, principal and interest, which he was able to do. This was a noble example of honesty. While in Jersey City such was his godly life, and his religious influence, that the preachers felt he ought to be restored to the Conference, and his name was re-entered upon our Conference roll as a supernumerary with work. He moved from Jersey City to Paterson, and spent the most of his later years in that city, where he was looked upon as a man of God, pure in life, and an efficient worker in the church. He supplied a number of appointments in the vicinity, and was ever ready to work for Christ and souls. He died at Paterson, April 25th, 1884 .- Newark Con. Minutes.
REV. S. W. DECKER. (See Page 60.)
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FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
Rodney Winans.
The Rev. Rodney Winans was born on Governor's Island, on the 6th day of January, 1813. He died at his home in Branch Mills, near Westfield, New Jersey, September 15th, 1882.
He was converted, and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Newark, in March, 1832. While yet a youth, he became a highly esteemed and useful class-leader. Brother John Scarlett (at that time a professed infidel) was induced to attend his class, and about a year after was converted.
Brother Winans was licensed as a local preacher in 1838, in Carlisle, Pa. He had already entered Dickinson College in 1835. There, by his diligence, he showed his belief that "gaining knowledge is a good thing ;" but he also believed that " the winning of souls is a better." The journal of his student days is largely occupied with accounts of class-meetings, quarterly meetings, and sermons. A good part of his education at Carlisle was the inspiring influence of Dr. Durbin, the President of the college.
He longed to be engaged in the regular work of the ministry, and was received into the New Jersey Conference at its session, held in Bridgeton, April, 1838.
During his active ministry he filled the following appointments : Mendham, Asbury, Cokesbury, Dover and Millbrook, Woodbury, Moorestown, Medford, Haverstraw, Trenton, Quakertown, Clinton, New Providence, Woodbridge, New Dover, Newton, North Haverstraw and Ramapo.
Among his early colleagues were Thomas J. Stewart, George Bang- hart, Joseph J. Sleeper, and (as his juniors) M. C. Stokes and Charles Lareu.
Dr. Lareu remembers him as remarkable for " the charms of his thought, the keen analysis of his subject, and the conciseness of his expression." His sermons were always thoroughly studied and evan- gelical. He loved an argument. His mind was naturally metaphysi- cal. Solid theological books (always of the Wesleyan type) were his favorite studies. The thoughtful listeners were always best pleased with his preaching, the tendency of which was rather to the edification of believers than to the awakening of the irreligious. But he con- tinually longed for revivals, and was not infrequently blessed with them. The most notable of these occurred on the Moorestown and Medford circuits, where the people still testify that "his name is as ointment poured forth .-- Newark Con. Minutes.
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HISTORY OF THE M. E. CHURCH,
Joseph Horner
Was admitted on trial in the New Jersey Conference in 1850, and was sent to Freehold as junior preacher, with J. W. Barrett ; Quaker- town circuit, including Frenchtown and Everittstown in 1851, with Rodney Winans.
There was a gracious revival of religion at the last named place. J. F. Case, of Everittstown; Joseph Everitt, of Quakertown, and the writer (then of Everittstown), were among the number of converts.
His next appointment was New Prospect. His field of labor in 1854-'55 was Rockland Lake; 1856, Milltown, and in 1857 the minutes return him as supernumerary.
Curtis Talley.
Brother Curtis Talley was born November 19th, 1807, near Wilming- ton, Delaware, and died at Pennington, New Jersey, December 5th, 1855, aged forty-eight years. His parents were respectable people and his mother was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, con- nected with one of the societies of old Chester circuit, Philadelphia conference. Brother Talley spent his youth at home, dividing his time between labor and books, except a winter or two passed at an academy in a neighboring town. His father's home being not far from one of the regular preaching places on the circuit, he was from his earliest years an attendant on the worship and familiar with the doctrine and ways of the Methodists. In the twenty-third year of his age he was converted and united with the church, and the next year was appointed class-leader and licensed as an exhorter. He was zealous, laborious and acceptable in conducting religious service at the little neighborhood meetings and saw much good done. Two years later, in 1833, at a quarterly meeting held by Lawrence McCombe at the Grove church he was licensed as a local preacher, and three months afterward at an annual conference was received as a candidate for the itinerant min- istry. Brother Talley often referred to his labors as an exhorter and local preacher on Chester circuit. Among his neighbors and friends many souls were converted during the last years of these his early ministrations, and he seemed to regard this period as the happiest, and he sometimes said, the most useful part of his life. One incident, which he used to relate is worthy of record, as an example of the diversities of operation wrought by the same God which worketh all in all. Brother Talley had been conducting a series of meetings at a school- house and a revival was in progress. One evening the room was filled
REV. WM. M BURROUGHS.
(See Page tis.
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FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
with people and the meeting waxed warmer and warmer. Seven persons were kneeling at a bench seeking the pardon of their sins, while all were engaged in fervent importunate prayer, there came an awakening influence as sudden as the rushing mighty wind and the tongues of fire on the day of Pentecost. Every believer at the same moment felt its power, and either bowed beneath it in speechless rap- ture, or shouted aloud in an ecstasy of holy joy. At the self-same instant the seven persons seeking peace with God passed from death unto life, and began to weep happy tears, or praise the Lord aloud for his pardoning grace. Brother Talley was received on trial by the Philadelphia Conference in April, 1834. The subsequent appointments were as follows :- 1834-'35, Asbury circuit; 1836, Caldwell circuit ; 1837, Belleville ; 1838, Madison ; 1839-'40, Somerville; 1841-'42, Wood- bridge; 1843, Perth Amboy ; 1844-'45, Crosswicks; 1846,-'47, Nyack ; 1848-'49, Springfield ; 1850-'51, Pennington ; 1852, Rahway ; 1853, Quakertown.
In November, 1836, he was united in marriage to Miss Agnes C. Crain. They had one daughter, Helen, the sunshine of the home. Twenty years, as shown above, filled the measure of Brother Talley's life in the effective ministry. For some years previous to his death there were symptoms of pulmonary disease and his health was gradually declining. He struggled on however, hoping against hope, until at last his disease became so aggravated that he could no longer hide from his own eyes the fact that he must seek at least a temporary respite from labor, and at the New Brunswick session of the New Jersey Conference in 1854, he was constrained to ask a supernumerary relation. The love of life was strong within him, and love for the work of the ministry was even stronger.
As the weary months passed on and strength declined, and while the cough of the consumptive grew more and more hollow and painful, he clung to the idea that he should yet return to the work with new energies of body and soul. In the last stage of his disease he was confined to the house only nine days and to his bed only three. A few days before his departure he said, " O, if I could only preach the blessed Gospel once more to my fellow men, how would my heart rejoice." When he felt that the end was at hand he was perfectly resigned to the Divine will, saying to a brother in the ministry, " I feel now that my work is done; If my good Lord would cut the cord which binds me to earth, how delightfully would I pass away and be at rest. I wish you, my brother, to give my love to the conference, say to the preachers that I still love them; and that the same doctrines preached by me while in health afford me the greatest comfort now when I am about to die." He then exclaimed-
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"Jordan's streams shall not o'erflow me, While my Saviour's by my side ; Canaan, Canaan, lies before me, Rise and cross the swelling tide."
This calm faith and hope sustained him to the last. His mind never wandered for an instant. Reason was unwavering, even clear and strong to life's utmost verge, and then his dying testimony is unclouded by even the falling shadow of a momentary delirium. He lingered until past midnight on the morning of Wednesday, December 5th, 1855, so gently that they who watched the scene knew not when his spirit passed away. As a Christian, Brother Talley was devout, earnest and conscientious, publicly and privately, in word and deed. The Gospel of peace was his chief joy and he clung to its blessed truths with a confidence that never wavered. The leading features of his piety were reverence and conscientiousness. As a preacher he did not excel in those qualities which attract the superficial hearer. His sermons were remarkably scriptural, abounding in the very words spoken by the Holy Ghost throughout, and deriving their illustrations principally from the scripture narratives. His knowledge of the Bible indeed was uncommonly full and accurate. In preaching, his range of subjects was not extensive; Christ the Redeemer, the Holy Spirit, the sanctifier and purifier were his favorite themes; he led to Christ, to repentance, faith and holiness, nor did he care to tread in speculation beyond what God had r vealed.
As a pastor and manager Brother 'Talley excelled. His work is done and his sun has gone down but not out. It shall come forth again like the star of the morning to shine amid the splendor of an eternal day .- New Jersey Con. Memorial.
James Harris
Was admitted on trial in the New Jersey Conference in 1854, and stationed at Frenchtown.
The writer infers from old manuscript now before him that Brother Harris was abundant in labor while on this charge. His next appoint- ment was Westfield, N. J.
We are not able to trace his ministerial record further, as his name drops out of the minutes of the conference.
Wm. M. Burroughs.
Rev. Wmn. M. Burroughs was born in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, N. J., June 21st, 1814, and died at New Prospect, N. J., April 17th, 1864. We have but few facts connected with his early life.
REV. GEORGE H. JONES.
(See Page 72.1
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FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
The event which ultimately shaped his life-work was his conversion, which took place at Pennington in his nineteenth year. Soon after, on the 13th day of October, 1832, he was baptized and received into the M. E. Church on probation, by Rev. Wm. H. Bull, for whom he always cherished a deep affection.
Filled with the love of God and of precious souls, as well as diligent in the use of all the means of grace, it was not long before he was deeply impressed with the conviction that it was his duty to preach the Gospel.
Yielding to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in obedience to the call of the Church, he began to preach on Asbury Circuit in 1837, in connection with Rev. Jos. Chattle and C. S. Vancleve.
When the young itinerant left his paternal home to engage in his high vocation, his father gave him a horse, saying: "Go and do all the good you can for I have never done any." His future career shows that he obeyed both the spirit and the letter of that injunction. In 1838, he labored in Newton Circuit in connection with Rev. J. S. Swain. In 1839, he was admitted on trial in the New Jersey Confer- ence. His subsequent appointments were the following: Warren, 1839; Vernon, 1840; Hudson, 1841; Port Jervis, 1842; Milford, Pa., 1843; Ramapo, 1844-'5; Dover, 1846-'7; Bergen, 1848; Rome and Wantage, 1849-'50 ; Stillwater, 1851-'2; Hope, 1853-'4; Newton, 1855-'6 ; Frenchtown and Milford, 1857-'8; Kingwood, 1859-'60; Wesley Chapel, 1861; Piermont and Tappen, 1862; New Prospect, 1863 He was just beginning his second year on the last-named charge, when he was called from labor to reward. The last seven years of his life were in connection with the Newark Conference, with which he became identi- fied at the division of the New Jersey Conference. On his return to his charge after the last session of our conference, he entered upon his labors with cheerfulness and hope, but his labors were soon to close.
Suddenly and with great violence he was attacked with congestion of the brain, resulting in apoplexy, which speedily terminated his earthly career.
Thus fell Brother Burroughs in the ripeness of his manhood, having served with fidelity the church to whose ministry he had given himself more than a quarter of a century before.
From the time that he was attacked by the disease, he was unable to speak. He could not give his dying testimony in favor of the religion of Jesus, but he has left to his bereaved family, and to our afflicted Church, the precious testimony of a Christian life.
Our beloved brother needs no eulogy from us. He rests from his
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labors and his works do follow him. He was a kind husband, an affectionate father, a true friend.
As a pastor he devoted himself earnestly to the welfare of his people, and secured both their respect and affection.
His mental powers were solid rather than brilliant, and his sermons were compact, instructive, and useful.
His discourses near the close of his life are said to have been marked with peculiar unction and power.
He preached with much tenderness not long before his death, on the seventh chapter of Revelation, from the thirteenth to the seventeenth verses, dwelling with rapture on the glories of Heaven, and on the blessedness of those who reach it. Is it wrong to believe that God was leading the mind of his servant to contemplate more and more that blessed home into which he was so soon to enter ?
Without bigotry, he was at the same time a firm believer in the distinctive doctrines of Methodism and loved to preach them.
He was a man of even temper, a lover of peace, and a promoter of harmony.
He was one of those rare men whose modesty and reserve prevent the full appreciation of their merits.
Those who knew Brother Burroughs best esteemed him most. Having faithfully done his duty in every position to which the Church assigned him during a ministry of twenty-five years, Brother Bur- roughs has been gathered to the companionship of those who have turned many to righteousness, leaving a wife and three daughters to the care of the church.
When our work on earth is done may it be said of each one of us, what we can all say of our departed brother: He was a "good Minister of Jesus Christ."-Newark Con. Minutes.
George H. Jones
Was received on trial in the New Jersey Conference in 1852, and was sent to Clinton, as junior preacher. In 1853, New Dover and Metuchen ; 1854, New Prospect ; 1855-'56, Cranbury ; 1857-'58, Cokesbury ; 1859, Newark City Mission ; 1860, Frenchtown; 1861, Harmony ; 1862-'63, Vernon and New Milford ; 1864, Rockaway.
In 1865, at the annual conference held at Elizabeth, N. J., he was returned as supernumerary, and now resides in Camden, N. J.
C
REV. JOHN W. BARRETT.
(See Page 75.)
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FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
John W. Barrett.
Brother Barrett was born at Camden, N. J., September 20th, 1819. He was admitted on trial in New Jersey Conference in 1843. His appointments were as follows: Clinton circuit, 1843; Rahway, 1844; Hope, 1845; Bergen, 1846; Madison, 1847; Bargainstown, (as junior with W. C. Nelson), 1848-'49; Freehold (as junior preacher), 1850-'51 ; Perth Amboy, 1852-'53; River Church, 1854-'55; Sharpstown, 1856; Woodbridge, 1857-'58 ; Frenchtown, 1859; Mendham, 1860; Verona, 1861; Rockaway, 1862-'63; Springfield and Milburn, 1864; North Haverstraw, 1865, and Flora Falls, 1866.
In 1867, he was returned as supernumerary, and is thus marked in the minutes for the next seven years.
In 1875, he is again in the active work with Walpac Center as his field of labor. Broadway, 1876-'77 ; Centerville and Greenville, N. Y., 1878-'79; Hibernia, 1880; Kingwood, 1881-'82; Mt. Horeb, 1883-'84 ; Mt. Hope and Tebo, 1885; Hibernia, 1886-'87-'88-'89-'90.
. After thirty-eight years of active work in the ministry he was returned supernumerary in 1891, and now resides in Newark, N. J.
Walter Chamberlin.
Brother Chamberlin was born in the Township of Sharon, Litchfield County, Connecticut, April 12th, 1822. His parents were Rufus and Olive Chamberlin. He was converted at the age of twelve, near the place of his birth. Though his parents were members of the M. E. Church, and the good old Bible lay on the stand, and used every morn- ing and night, yet the immediate means of leading him to Christ, in so early a period of his life, was an invitation given him by an elect sister to go to a Methodist altar. The principal part of his education was from a graduating course at Amenia Seminary, Erastus O. Haven, finally Bishop Haven, was principal, Gilbert Haven, also Bishop Haven, was one of the teachers.
He joined the old New Jersey Conference in 1849, and was sent to the Delaware circuit, about thirty miles in extent on the west side of the Delaware. The Master gave him that year 150 souls. 1850-'51, Otisville; 1852-'53, Stanhope ; 1854, Palisades ; 1855-'56, North Haver- straw; 1857-'58, Boonton ; 1859-'60, Springfield ; 1861-'62, Frenchtown ; 1863-'64, Stillwater and Blairstown; 1865-'66.'67, Perth Amboy ; 1869-'70, Spring Valley ; 1871-'72, Glen Gardner ; 1873-'74, Deckertown and Wantage; 1875-'76'77, Thiells and Garnerville; 1878, Long Branch, First Church ; 1879-'80, Vincentown ; 1881-'82-'83, Denville ;
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HISTORY OF THE M. E. CHURCH,
1884, Raritan; 1885'86-'87, Asbury, thu's making thirty-eight con- secutive years in the work of the ministry.
W. E. Blakeslee.
The subject of this sketch, Rev. W. E. Blakeslee was born in Orange County, New York, May 19th, 1836. His father, Mr. J. D. Blakeslee, was a mechanic and a man of sterling integrity and well known in the county. His family of nine children were brought up in the fear of God and learned to love righteousness.
In 1851, the father with his family moved to Broome County and settled near Binghampton, where Brother Blakeslee received the prin- cipal part of his education, but spent considerable time afterward in a select school at Windsor, under the management of Rev. Rinker, pastor of the Presbyterian Church of that village; being an earnest student he made rapid advancement in his studies, and in 1856 he returned to Orange County and engaged in teaching school. Before returning to Orange County, he united with the M. E. Church at East Windsor, Broome County, when about twenty years of age; he had however, given his heart to God when about twelve years old, largely through the influence of his Christian parents. After teaching one year in Orange County, in November, 1857, he was called by Rev. B. Day, Presiding Elder, of Newton District to supply the pulpit in the church at Vernon, Sussex County, N. J., the health of the pastor having failed. Being young and inexperienced he entered upon his new work with fear and trembling, but fully persuaded that God had called him to the work of the Christian ministry. Here God wonderfully blessed his labors, and during these four months before conference, seventy souls were converted and brought into the church ; this settled his life- work. In the spring of 1858, he united with the Newark Conference at its first session held in Morristown. Some of the members of the class joining at that time have become noted men. Bishop John F. Hirst, H. A. Butts, D. D., S. L. Baldwin, D. D., and Sylvester Opdyke and A. Craig, who served successfully as Presiding Elder, were mem- bers of his class.
Brother Blakeslee has served the following charges within the bounds of the Newark Conference : Vernon, Oakland and Forestburg, Bloomsbury and Finesville, Milford and Little York, Frenchtown and Everittstown, Sparta, Lafayette, Tranquility, Andover, Rockaway, Wesley Church, Phillipsburg; Port Jervis; Eighth avenue, Newark ; Linden avenue, Jersey City ; First Church, Dover ; Perth Amboy, and is now serving Fulton Street Church, in the city of Elizabeth.
PUSH
REV WALTER CHAMBERLIN. (See Page 75.)
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FRENCHTOWN, NEW JERSEY.
In 1860, during his pastorate at Bloomsbury, he was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte R. Brown, of Broome County, N. Y., who was a student with him at the school in Windsor in 1856. During these years of his ministry she has shared with him his toils and his triumphs. He has not only enjoyed extensive revivals during his ministry, but has built one church and laid the foundation of three others; has built also three parsonages and did a good deal of hard work in raising money to remove cumbersome debts from the church property in his various charges. His pastorate at Frenchtown was one upon which he looks back with a good deal of pleasure. Though it occurred during the dark days of war and strife, still harmony prevailed in the church, the congregation remained large and souls were converted who remain till the present time as witnesses to the power of Christ to save.
Friendships were then formed that will be as lasting as eternity, and when the final harvest shall be gathered, sheaves from Frenchtown will be brought in to tell of earnest toil and honest labor for the Master.
Henry J. Hayter.
Henry J. Hayter was converted at the altar in the Somerville M. E. Church, at the age of eighteen years, under the ministry of Rev. R. B. Yard, November 22d, 1851, and connected himself the next morning (Sabbath) with the church. He was licensed to preach in 1854, by the Union Street Quarterly Conference, Newark, N. J. He was placed in charge of the South Orange Church by the Presiding Elder, Thomas McCarroll, in 1855. In 1856 he was received into the Annual Confer- ence and appointed to Basking Ridge and Bernardsville as junior preacher. He was sent to Frenchtown in 1865, remaining three years.
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