USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Clinton > The Presbyterian Church of Clinton, New Jersey, a historical sketch, an address delivered on the occasion of the semi-centennial celebration, September 14, 1880 > Part 2
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Mr. Hutton afterward became pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Washington Square, New York. He went to join the Church above on the 11th of April of the present year. He was a scholar, but his wisdom was greater than his learning. He was a man of very superior mind, but his heart was greater than his head. He was a man of extraordinary presence, but his character was more admirable than his person. Of all the men I have ever known, there is not one who seems to me to have been more successful in imitating the pattern which was given by Jesus Christ.
About a month after Mr. Hutton's declinature, the con- gregation extended a call to the Rev. James Murdock Huntting. Mr. Huntting was a graduate of Yale College ; had studied theology at Princeton ; had been ordained as an evangelist by the Presbytery of New Brunswick ;+ had preached as a stated supply at Shrewsbury, N. J., and had acted as agent of some society. The same day that the
* November 8th, 1831.º
t June 9th, 1829.
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Clinton call came to him, he received another from the Church of Westfield, New Jersey. At a considerable pe- cuniary sacrifice, he declined the call of this Church, and accepted the one from Westfield. Mr. Huntting was the faithful pastor of the Westfield Church for many years. After resigning his charge there, he engaged in teaching at Jamaica, Long Island. He gave up his School several years ago, but still resides at Jamaica-far advanced in years.
Disappointed thus a second time, the congregation next sought to secure Mr. Alexander Macklin. Mr. Macklin was born in Ireland, near Belfast, on the 15th of January, 1808. He was descended from a godly Scottish ancestry. The faith of his mother is spoken of with peculiar approba- tion. His grandfather was an elder of a Church in Ireland, performing the duties of the office for more than fifty years. He died when Alexander Macklin was yet a child. As the boy stood by the bed of his grandsire, the departing saint laid his hand upon his head, and prayed that God would bless him, and make him useful. Then turning to the parents, he enjoined upon them to train up their child for Christ and for the ministry : "For," said he, "it is a great thing to be an ambassador for Christ." At the age of seventeen years, Alexander confessed Christ in the Church of which his grandfather had been an elder. His studies for the ministry were carried on at Belfast, the cost of his education being paid from a sum of money which his grandfather had bequeathed for that express purpose. He was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Belfast in the year 1831. Soon afterward he sailed for America, arriving in New York January 1st, 1832. It was very soon after his arrival that he was called to Clinton. This call was presented to the Presbytery of Newton meet- ing at Amwell Church, April 24th, 1832. At the same time Mr. Macklin presented his credentials from the Presbytery of Belfast. The Presbytery then proceeded to examine him. He showed proficiency in scholarship, but in his ex- amination on experimental religion, he made a peculiar im- pression on the Presbytery, by answering all questions from
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a theological rather than from a practical or personal stand- point. As he was a foreigner, Presbytery received him as a candidate,* but refused to ordain him, and retained the call of the Church in its own hands. The Church there- upon requested that Mr. Macklin be allowed to labor here as stated supply for a twelvemonth. This request the Presbytery granted, and Mr. Macklin at once entered upon his work at Clinton. The next spring the Presbytery sent a communication to the General Assembly, giving a history of the entire affair. The General Assembly ap- proved the course taken by the Presbytery, and Mr. Mack- lin having now been under probation for a year, the As- sembly recommended that he be received under the care of the Presbytery as a licentiate. Accordingly, at a meeting of Presbytery held in Clinton, June 11th, 1833, Mr. Macklin was received as a licentiate, and then ordained to the ministry, and installed as pastor of Clinton Church.
At the time of Mr. Macklin's coming to Clinton the num- ber of persons in the communion of the Church was but thirteen. But during the year that he acted as stated supply, thirty-six persons were added on confession of faith, and seven by certificate from other churches. Dur- ing the first year of his pastorate, twelve persons were added by confession, and twelve by certificate. The same year, sixteen infants were baptized. The ten communicants with whom the Church had been organized increased under Mr. Macklin's pastorate to seventy-six, and the spiritual condi- tion of the Church is said to have been excellent.
Soon after the settlement of Mr. Macklin the Ladies' Mis- sionary Society was formed. The date of the organization was October 6th, 1833. The first officers were: Mrs. Mary Bray, Directress ; Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Treasurer ; Mrs. Lydia A. Miller, Secretary ; Mrs. Adaline Taylor and Mrs. Ann Field, Managers.
This Society has continued in existence to the present day. The attendance upon its meetings has not generally been large-has often been very small. The Society has
* " He appearing to be a person worthy of encouragement."-Minutes of Pres- bytery.
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not attempted great things, but, in a quiet way, it has done an excellent work. It has usually made annual contribu- tions to both Home and Foreign Missions, and in the forty- six years these contributions have amounted to a very con- siderable sum. But besides the money directly contributed to the cause, the Society has been useful in promoting an interest in the missionary work of the Church.
During Mr. Macklin's pastorate two elders were added to the Session, Messrs. David Miller and Adam Stiger. The election of both of these brethren was unanimous, and they were set apart to their office in this Church on the 7th of June, 1835.
Mr. Miller came to Clinton from German Valley. He had been an elder of the Church there, and a man of decided influence among the Valley people, and he commanded the respect of this community in an unusual measure. He not only performed the ordinary duties of the eldership, but for several years he was Superintendent of the Sabbath- school. He was a man of generous hospitality, and was specially celebrated for keeping open house for ministers. He had a large family of sons and daughters, and they all did him credit. One of them, William, was an eminently brilliant lawyer, but he died young. Another son, Jacob, represented our State for twelve years* in the United States Senate. On the 28th of April, 1839, Mr. Miller-or Major Miller, as he was commonly called-was dismissed from this Church, to connect himself with the First Reformed Dutch Church of Paterson. He died at Paterson not many years afterward.
Adam Stiger had been an elder of the Bethlehem Church. He became a member of this Church August 3d, 1833. He succeeded Major Miller in the work of superintending the Sabbath-school. He was a man of decided character, with very strong convictions of truth, and with a great horror of all departures from a strict orthodoxy. Mr. Stiger retired from the active duties of the eldership in 1846-after a little more than eleven years of service. But he continued to
* 1841-1853.
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love the Church through the whole of his long life. He was a remarkable example of mental and physical vigor preserved to extreme old age. It was a rare sight, when he was above eighty years of age, to see him stand on the ground by the side of his black pony and spring on his back like a boy, and then canter off wherever business or inclination might lead him. He had two rules for health and longevity : "Never allow yourself to be heated by ex- ertion in the after part of the day !" and, " When you feel tired, go and take a horseback ride !" One day, after a pleasant family meeting, he said to me : " I am getting too old to go to dinner-parties. Hereafter I must follow Job's example. When my children meet together to feast, I must stay at home and pray for them." Whether or not he was ever present at such a company after that, I am unable to say. He died July 31st, 1869, at the age of eighty-five years.
Mr. Macklin was an excellent preacher, his sermons being of a peculiarly instructive character, and the same thing is said of his conversation in the family and in the social circle. A lady tells me that when she saw Mr. Macklin come to her father's house her thought always was, "Now I shall learn something." Mr. Macklin was highly respected for his personal character as well as for his talents. And it must have been a serious loss to the young Church when he left it to take charge of the Scotts'* Church in Philadelphia. This event took place in the autumn of 1835.+
Mr. Macklin's subsequent career was a useful one. In process of time he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity. After a twenty-four years' pastorate in Phila- delphia, he died in Baltimore, July 6th, 1859, in the fifty- first year of his age.
The second pastor of the Church was the Rev. Arthur B. Bradford. Mr. Bradford had been a student at Princeton Seminary, although he did not complete the full course of
* Called the Eighth Church of Philadelphia in the Minutes of the Presbytery of Newton.
+ Pastoral relation dissolved by Presbytery meeting at Hackettstown, October 6th, 1835.
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study. At the time of his coming here he was a member of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. He had been ordained by that Presbytery, and had been laboring in the First Church of Southwark. He was installed as pastor of this Church June 29th, 1836.
Mr. Bradford's pastorate was a short one, lasting only a little more than two years. During that period twenty- seven names were added to the communion roll. The pas- toral relation was dissolved October 2d, 1838.
After leaving Clinton, Mr. Bradford took charge of a Church at Darlington, Pa., where he continued for about fifteen years. After that he labored for several years at New Castle, Pa. In 1847, with his congregation, he re- nounced all former ecclesiastical connections, and united with several other ministers and Churches in forming the Free Presbyterian Church. The distinctive principle of this denomination was a refusal to hold Christian com- munion with slave-holders. When slavery was abolished* the Free Presbyterian Church was disbanded-"its mission being ended." Mr. Bradford then connected himself with the N. S. Presbytery of Pittsburg. Soon afterward he re- ceived an appointment as U. S. Consul at some port in China. Since his return to this country he has withdrawn from the ministry. He is now living at Enon Valley, Pa.
Two months and a day after the Presbytery released Mr. Bradford from the pastorate, the Church invited Rev. Al- bert Williams to serve as a stated supply, and he seems to have entered upon his duties at once. A regular call was afterward extended to him, and he was installed on the " second Tuesday of May," 1839. Mr. Williams was a na- tive of Orange, New Jersey, a graduate of the College of New Jersey, and a student, though not a graduate, of Princeton Theological Seminary. He was licensed and or- dained by the Presbytery of Newark, and had been Sea- man's Chaplain at Mobile, Ala., for four years, before com- ing to Clinton. In addition to his pastoral labors, Mr. Williams carried on a school during a portion of the time that he was here.
* 1863.
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During this pastorate a very important addition was made to the session, in the person of Col. Azariah Whitfield Dunham. He was ordained to the eldership April 7th, 1843. Col. Dunham was the youngest of the Dunham brothers, but in many respects he was the most active of them all. Not only was he punctual in his. attendance upon all the ordinary duties of the eldership, but for any special service, at home or abroad, he was al- most always the one selected. He also succeeded Mr. Adam Stiger as Superintendent of the Sabbath-school, and, until failing health compelled his retirement, his fidelity was most unwearying. He was a man of remarkably agree- able manners, and he had a great power in winning the affec- tions of children .* He was not a faultless man, but he had the rare grace of being able to make frank acknowledg- ments of his faults, not only to his Maker, but also to any of his fellow-men whom he had offended. He was an ac- knowledged leader, not only in the Church, but in society, and in all public enterprises. Hardly any good thing was attempted in Clinton without Col. Dunham as prime mover. Probably no man has ever lived in the village who more completely combined a universal popularity, eminent capacity for affairs, and high-toned Christian character. He was taken away August 28th, 1863, in the sixty-second year of his age.
On the 22d of September, 1845, the church building was destroyed by fire. This was a severe blow to the little con- gregation, but with a commendable energy they set them- selves to the work of rebuilding. Some assistance was received from outside friends, and several congregations manifested their sympathy by contributions. The result was that the new house was finished and dedicated in the month of November, + 1846.
Two years later Mr. Williams resigned his charge. The pastoral relation was dissolved by the Presbytery of Rari- tan, November 22d, 1848. Soon afterward Mr. Williams
* This is the only remark which I make from personal observation, for it was only as a child that I knew him.
t Precise date not recorded.
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removed to California. He was the founder and first pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of San Francisco. He has lately published an account of his experiences on the Pacific coast in a book entitled, " A Pioneer Pastorate and Times." He still resides at San Francisco, although for several years he has been without pastoral charge.
During the ten years of Mr. Williams' pastorate one hundred and four names were added to the Church roll.
The next pastor of the Church was the Rev. James C. Watson, D.D. Dr. Watson was born in Donegall Town- ship, Lancaster County, Pa., January 27th, 1805. He graduated from the college of New Jersey, September 26th, 1827. He studied at Princeton Theological Seminary for two years and a half, but did not graduate. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Philadelphia in April, 1830. He labored for two years in Northampton County, Pa., under the direction of the Board of Missions. On the 4th of October, 1832, he was ordained and installed pastor of the congregations of Gettysburg and Great Conawaga, Pa. He was installed as pastor of this Church on "the third Wednesday of November," 1849, but he seems to have labored here for some months before his installation. Dur- ing Dr. Watson's brief pastorate he was very popular as a preacher. The congregation increased so much that the house began to be too strait to accommodate all. To meet the requirements of the growing numbers at small cost, the pews were crowded closer together, and this to the sore tribulation of all long-limbed or large-hooped worshipers for many years thereafter.
Dr. Watson was released from this Church by the Presby- tery of Raritan, December 3d, 1850. He afterward labored for a few years at Kingston, N. J. In 1854 he became pastor of the Church at Milton, Pa. In the affliction which came upon him in May last, through the burning of his Church and library and most of the buildings of the town, our hearts went out to him in sympathy. He looked for- ward to this occasion with interest, and expected to be with us to-day, but he has been suddenly called away from earthly scenes. He died in Philadelphia on the 31st of
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August, just two weeks ago. He was in his seventy-sixth year.
After Dr. Watson's removal the pulpit was supplied for the most part by the Presbytery for nearly two years. On the 23d of November, 1851, the Rev. John McNair was in- stalled as pastor. Mr. McNair graduated at Jefferson Col- lege, and studied theology at Princeton. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Erie, November 7th, 1833. Before coming here he had labored at Warren, Pa .; Philadelphia ; Vincennes, Ia .; Milford, N. J .; Stroudsburg, Pa .; Muscon- etcong Valley, N. J., and Lancaster, Pa.
For several years there had been but two acting elders in the session, Nehemiah and Col. A. W. Dunham. This state of things continued until the close of 1858. On the 28th of December, 1858, the following persons were elected to the eldership, viz .: Nelson Bennett, Peter F. Huffman, Morris S. Stiger, Eli Bosenbury and Nathaniel W. Voor- hees. Of these, Peter F. Huffman declined the service ; the rest were duly ordained on the 9th of January, 1859. These have all continued to perform the duties of their office to the present time, with the single exception of Morris S. Stiger. He died December 5th, 1867. Had he lived one day longer he would have completed his fifty-sixth year. When I made his acquaintance he had retired from business ; but he had a reputation as one of the best merchants that Clin- ton ever had. His judgment and taste in the selection of goods were particularly remarked. He was greatly trusted as a man of integrity and business capacity ; and when the town of Clinton was incorporated, he was chosen to be the first Mayor. When I came to Clinton he took me to call on every communicant and on every pew-holder, and also on some others who were only occasional attendants upon the Church services. It was a work of nearly every afternoon of each week for a number of weeks; and that one thing is but a specimen of the whole course of the man. He seemed never happier than when he was doing something which he thought would help on the Church of Christ. He succeeded Col. Dunham as Superintendent of the Sabbath-school, and was a marvel of punctuality in his attendance upon the
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duties of that office. And this, too, but illustrates another trait of his character : he was a very exact man ; he did nothing by halves ; he was a man of great energy and force of character. The Church had reason to rejoice also in his liberal contributions to her treasury. The minute in the session-book sums up the truth with respect to him : "He was a man who tried to do his duty."
* Dr. McNair's pastorate was somewhat interrupted in its earlier part by his acting as financial agent for Lafayette College, and afterward by his serving as chaplain in the army. But with these exceptions he continued to serve the Church until February 2d, 1864. He was thus the pastor for more than twelve years. After leaving here Dr. McNair was never settled over any Church. He removed to Lan- caster, Pa. For some time he supplied the pulpit of the Presbyterian Church at Strasburg, near Lancaster. He died January 27th, 1867, at the age of sixty-one years, and was buried in the cemetery at Clarksville. He was an able preacher. He is specially remembered for his bold, faith- ful and powerful denunciations of every form of sin that might raise its head in the community. He was the author of a "Book of Poems."
The next pastoratet commenced very soon after Dr. McNair's dismissal. Although I was not installed until June 14th, 1864, I actually began my work with the 1st of May. The most noteworthy event of this pastorate was the remodeling and virtual rebuilding of the church edifice. The young people who have grown up since that day would hardly believe their eyes, if they could see the thoroughly unattractive, box like structure in which the congregation had worshiped up to that time. The building was consider- ably shorter than it now is, with no spire or tower, and little to give it a church-like look, except the long windows, the grave-stones around, and the tie-posts in front. Within, the narrow pulpit, the gallery on three sides, and the entire absence of anything upon which the eye could rest with pleasure, were in marked contrast with what we see to-day.
*He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity while at Clinton.
t My own.
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Col. Dunham had often wished that he might live to see an improved church edifice, and in particular to hear the ring- ing of a church bell, but he died without that pleasure. * "About August 1st, 1864, the work of enlarging and remod- eling the church building was commenced. Mr. Graham, of Jersey City, was employed as architect, and Mr. Eli Bosenbury, an elder of this Church, as builder. The con- gregation continued to worship in the church during the months of August and September. From October till De- cember, t service was held in the third story of the Academy building. In January the basement of the church was oc- cupied, and service was held there till the church was com- pleted and furnished." The cost of the improvements was about fifty-five hundred dollars, and the furniture and bell cost about thirteen hundred-making a total expenditure of about sixty-eight hundred dollars. The remodeled church was dedicated on the sixth of June, 1865. At the time of the dedication there was a small debt still unpro- vided for by the subscriptions which had been previously made. This was allowed to continue until January, 1866, when, by a new subscription, the entire debt was paid, and a small surplus was left in the treasury.
The session having been reduced by the loss of two highly valued members, ¿ on the 26th of February, 1868, the follow- ing persons were elected to the eldership : John A. Young, Henry Field, Samuel Parry, Peter Van Pelt and Whitfield Dunham. The two last-named were ordained on the 17th of May, the other three declining to serve. On the 28th of May, 1872, Mr. Van Pelt was dismissed to the Presbyterian Church of Knoxville, Illinois. Mr. Dunham continues in the service of the Church.
After my dismissal, July 28th, 1868, the Church continued without a pastor for more than a year. Religious services were held every Sabbath. For five months the Presbytery supplied the pulpit on each alternate Sabbath ; but from the first of January, 1869, an engagement was made with
* Records of Session.
t And great were the discomforts of those three months.
# Nehemiah Dunham and Morris S. Stiger.
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Rev. William Cornell, of Somerville, a member of the Classis of Raritan, to supply the Church regularly. Mr. Cornell preached here for about six months with much acceptance. He was the efficient principal of a classical school in Somerville, and when he died,* a useful man was gone.
But not only were the regular services of the sanctuary maintained without a pastor, but it was at that time that the comfortable and tasteful parsonage on the hill was erected. The same architect and the same builder were employed that had done so good work in the remodeling of the Church. The lot chosen was a most admirable one for the purpose, and the congregation have every reason to rejoice in the delightful home which they have provided for their pastor.
The present pastort was installed on the 28th of October, 1869. His term of service is thus already longer than that of any other, with the single exception of Dr. McNair. And there has been no pastor who has had the pleasure of seeing so many names added to the communion roll. These num- ber ninety-nine by confession and forty -eight by certificate -in all one hundred and forty-seven. So with the usual trials and drawbacks, there is yet abundant reason to thank the Lord for the blessing which is following the labors of His servant.
With respect to the Presbyterial relations of this Church, it has been stated that it was organized by the Presbytery of Newton. That Presbytery at that time covered a very extensive territory, not only in New Jersey, but also in Pennsylvania. This Church continued under the Presby- tery of Newton until it was assigned by the Synod of New Jersey to the new Presbytery of Raritan. That Presby- tery held its first meeting at Flemington, November 5th, 1839. The connection of this Church with that delightful little Presbytery was continued until after the reunion of the Old School and New School branches of the Presbyte- rian Church. In June, 1870, the Presbytery of Raritan was
*September 11th, 1876.
t Rev. John Ewing.
:6
merged in the Presbytery of New Brunswick, but this Church was assigned to the Presbytery of Elizabeth.
Mention has been made of the formation of the Ladies' Missionary Society in 1833 ; but besides what has been done by the ladies, the Church has been a regular contributor to missionary and benevolent objects. Considerable sums have also been given by the Sabbath-school. During the later years of its connection with the Presbytery of Raritan, this Church gave more money to missionary purposes, in pro- portion to its membership, than any other Church in the Presbytery, and it continues to exhibit a liberal spirit.
The history of the Sabbath-school, which is older than the Church, has been so well written by Judge Voorhees, that I need say nothing more with respect to it. The faith- ful work done in the school through more than fifty years has received the Master's blessing.
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