The Record of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, N.J. : v. 1-5 Jan. 1880-Dec. 1885, pt 1, Part 18

Author: First Presbyterian Church (Morristown, N.J.); Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925
Publication date: 1976
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826


USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > The Record of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, N.J. : v. 1-5 Jan. 1880-Dec. 1885, pt 1 > Part 18


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20. Mary, widow of Robert Goble, Esq., t* aet. 85, old age.


" 25. Mary, daughter of deacon John Ball,t decay.


Mar. I. Richard Walker, aet. 73, old age.


2. Isaac, son of Capt. Job Brookfield,t aet. I. dysentery.


“. 5. A child of Jedidiah Burwell.


21. Elizabeth, widow of Benjamin Hinds. aet. 80, palsy.


" 30. Phœbe, daughter of Deacon Allen, aet. 18, consumption.


May. 9. Aseneth, wife of Stephen Burnet, consumption.


" 22. Phœbe, daughter of Joshua White- head, aged 19, consumption.


" Phœbe, wife of deacon John Ball,t* aet. 41, consumption.


" 24. Elisha Johnson,t aet. 51, pleurisy. June 3. Phœbe, wife of Ephraim Youngs,* aet. 34, nervous fever.


16. Rachel, widow of Stephen Arnold, aet. 98, old age.


July 18. Sarah, wife of Samuel Oliver,* aet. 53, rupture.


" 20. Widow of Aaron Furman, aet. 30, consumption.


Aug. 27, James Searing, aet. 47, tetanus.


" 30. Phœbe, widow of William Losey, aet. 70, old age.


Sept. 21. Mary, widow of Francis Casterline, aet. 62, fever.


" 23. A child of John Pool the third.


28. Child of Wm. Hulbert.


Oct. 15. Esther, wife of Caleb Edy, aet. 30, jaundice.


". 27. Sarah, wife of Dan Trowbridge,taet. 42, asthma.


Nov. 4. A child of Price Thompson. " 'Zenas, son of Jesse Muir, aet. 24, . remitting fever.


" 18. Mary, wife of John Vancourt, aet. 26, consumption.


". 22. Elizabeth, wife of Peter Fairchild, aet. 33, fever.


Dec. 19. Sharod Fairchild, aet. 22, consump- i. tion .. .. 1


(To be continued.)/


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( Continued from page 120. )


TRUSTEES' BOOK.


November 24th, 1790.


The Trustees met at Mr. Lewis', present : the President, Mr. Lindsley, Mr. Ford, Mr. Johnson & Jonathan Ogden attended in consequence of his being appointed instead of Joseph Lewis, who had resigned his seat in the board, & Mr. Ogden being duly sworn, and subscribed the oath as the law directs, took his seat in the board.


Voted that the subscriptions signed for the purpose of building a New Meeting House, dated 15th day of Sept., 1788, be de- livered to Joseph Lewis, Moses Esty & Daniel Phoenix, Jr., appointed a Committee of Directors to superintend the said Build- ing-and that the several sums therein sub- scribed be, & the same are hereby made pay- able to them.


Voted that Mr. Ogden be & he is hereby appointed Clerk-voted that the Clerk call on such persons as are indebted to the board on note or otherwise, for the interest due on sd. Notes or Obligations, & that he receive the Interest now due, or renew the Obligations, or prosecute for the whole debt as the Clerk shall judge most proper. Voted the President do purchase a stove for the use of the Reverend Mr. Collins, agreeably to the vote of the Parish.


Voted Mr. Johnson be appointed with Mr. Lindsley, in the stead of Mr. Lewis, to take care of the house where Jonathan Brown now lives. Voted that Mr. Lindsley, Mr. Ford & Mr. Johnson be a committee to view the lands proposed by Jonathan Dick- erson to be exchanged for a part of the par- sonage wood-lot, and report the terms of Mr. Dickerson, & their opinion thereon.


At a meeting of the Trustees on the 11th day of April, 1791, Mr. Condict, Lindsley, Johnson, Mills & Ogden being present. Agreed to continue on the present base of Mr. Duykink to Mr. King for the House the Rev. Mr. Collins now lives in.


17th October, 1791.


The Congregation being met, Mr. Jona- than Ogden & Mr. George Tucker was ap- pointed to collect the present arrear of the last Church Tax, including the Rev. Mr. Collins' salary.


At a meeting of the Trustees on the 6th day of Feb., 1792, the President, Messrs. Lindsley, Mills, Johnson & Ogden being present, The Rev. Mr. Collins wished to know if he could have one & a half acres of the parsonage land adjoining Esquire Car- micals garden, for the purpose of a building spot and garden. Ordered that Mr. Mills pay William Cherry twenty-one shillings & nine pence, for repairs done to the Clock by Christian Bachman.


Resolved a decision on the Rev. Mr. Collins application be postponed. Thomas Miller's account for assessing the Ministers' Tax, presented by John Mills for settlement, postponed to the next meeting of the Trus- tees, Mr. Mills to give said Miller notice to attend. Resolved all the moneys now due to the Parish on Bonds, Notes or other ways be immediately collected by the Clerk.


At a meeting of the Parish on the 22nd Feb., 1792. Voted that in the room & stead of a Dwelling House an addition be made to the Rev. Mr. Collins' Salary equal to the interest a House proper for a Minister would cost ; to be estimated by a committee consisting of Benj. Lindsley, Deacon Alling, Joseph Lindsley, John Britton, Silas Condict, Cornelius Locy & Jonas Phillips. The Trustees wished the Parish to determine on the propriety of selling the Parish land to the Rev. Mr. Collins for building on. And the proprietors of the Academy for a build- ing spot on which to place an Academy.


Voted the Trustees shall act in the busi- ness above mentioned as they think proper.


At a meeting of the Trustees on the 22nd, Feb., 1792. The President, Messrs. Lindsley, Ford, Mills, Johnson, Arnold & Ogden being present. A Committee being appointed to inquire of Silas Howel the terms on which he would relinquish his reserve on a piece of land purchased of him by the Trustees, lying directly between the dwelling. house of Caleb Russell and the dwelling house of Elisha Ayres, Esq. Report-Silas Howel will quit claim to said land on condition his Note of hand in the hands of the Trus- tees, & his subscription for the new Meet- ing House be canceled. The Trustees agreed to accept the same.


(To be continued.)


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THE RECORD


FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MORRISTOWN, N. J. " THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME."-Psalms 102 : 18.


VOL. II.


MAY, 1881. NO. 5.


(Printed with the approval of Session.)


THE RECORD


Will be printed and published monthly at Morristown, N. J. Terms, 50 cents per an- num in advance; 75 cents after June.


Subscriptions will be received at the book-stores of Messrs. Runyon and Emmell, or through the mail. All communications should be addressed to the


EDITOR OF THE RECORD,


Lock box 44. Morristown, N. J.


Vol. I. complete, 75 cents.


Entered at the Post Office at Morristown, N. J., as second class matter.


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( Continued from page 123.) HISTORICAL SERMON-No. I. By REV. DAVID IRVING, D.D.


As to the benevolence of the church in matters pertaining to the well being and furtherance of Christ's Kingdom, but little can be gathered. At the time of Mr. Johnes' installation David Brainard was preaching to the Stockbridge Indians, and in 1744 he came to the Forks of the Delaware, and in 1745 he visited the Indians at Crosswicks, near Freehold of this State. He was in that day the missionary of the church, and of the monies collected in 1745 in connection with his mission, I find in his life the sum of {1, 5 credited to Morristown. This was the first Foreign Mission collection ever made by this congregation.


The only other record is of sums contri- buted to Princeton College. This institu- tion commenced its operations in Elizabeth- town in 1746, under Jonathan Dickinson- removed to Newark in 1747, and was under the control of Aaron Burr, and was then re- moved to Princeton in 1757. In 1769, Dr. Rodgers was appointed by Synod to visit the churches in Morris county, but in Jan- uary of the same year the session of this church determined, notwithstanding, the public expense now lying on them to exert the west end of the building and a bell hung


themselves in behalf of the college, and collected the sum of £140-of which Dr. Johnes gave £9, and Jacob Ford £21. In 1787, the sum of £41 3s. 9d. was sent for the education of poor and pious youth in the college.


The first church edifice was no doubt reared some time before the coming of Mr. Johnes. We judge that this was so from the fact that prior to his induction there were no less than nine public confessions. It was a wooden building nearly square and stood a few rods east from this structure on land given by Benjamin Hathaway and Jon- athan Lindsly for a parsonage and burial ground. On this land the house already mentioned and occupied for many years by Dr. Johnes was reared and the land enlarged by purchase by order of trustees in 1762. It was stated by some of those who seceded from Hanover that when the frame was raised, a small platform of boards, with a chair and small table served for a pulpit and the congregation were seated on the sills and on other timbers. The congregation slowly increased-at the First Communion six were added and in the next 21 years 67 were admitted to full communion on profession and more by certificate-from which we infer that the growth of the coun- try was not rapid -- among this number was Kezia Ludlow second wife of the pastor. At this time the taste and ability of the congregation were somewhat improved. The barn-like church did not suit them with its shingled sides and its plain exterior. After considerable discussion, the trustees ' granted permission on January 24, 1764, to the congregation to erect a steeple, and also agreed that Col. Ford should have the care, management and oversight of its erection which he accepted-a tower with a spire was raised to an elevation of about 125 feet, at


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6th ssrs. ting ì of 'ar- Ing ills 18 ck r. S t.


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-the same bell which still summons the people to the house of God. The tradi- tional history of this bell is that it was pres . ented to the church at Morristown by the King of Great Britain. It has on it the im- press of the British Crown and the name of the makers, "Lister & Pack of London,- fecit." The vane of this steeple decorated the spire of the old Academy of New Ver- non.


In the year 1771, (Sept. 7) "the trustees, Henry Primrose, Benjamin Bayles, Benja- min Cox, Samuel Roberts, Joseph Stiles, Samuel Tuthill and Stephen Conkling, in consideration of £5 and also for and in con- sideration that the Justices and Freeholders of Morris county, and successors do con- stantly and continually keep full and in passable repair that part of the hereafter mentioned Lott of land commonly called the Gully (a portion of the present 'Green ') containing one acre strict measure for the sole use and purpose of a Court House, Gaol," etc. This deed specifies " that if the Court House aforesaid shall be removed to any other place then this indenture and everything herein contained to be void and title to the aforesaid lot of land to revert to said Henry Primrose," etc. When the pres- ent Court House was built, the land reverted to the church. But the whole now em- braced in the park was sold by the trustees in 1816 to certain parties for $1,600, and in virtue of this sale, the land occupied by the Court House became according to the deed a part of the "Green."


By the revivals of 1764 and 1774, the church was greatly enlarged, so that room could scarcely be had for the congregation in the old square building-on the latter year the trustees agreed that the Society might enlarge the meeting house at their discretion-whereupon the timbers running lengthwise were sawn asunder in the centre and the western half moved about 25 feet and the space built up to conform with the old parts-a spacious gallery was raised on the front and each end-the pulpit high and cup like in the centre of the north side, the main entrance door on the S. side in front of the pulpit. Two other entrances, one at each end were provided, and thus in this building the first pastor of Morristown be- gan and ended his labors.


Such was the church and the minister, but ere we can complete the whole, we must glance at the congregation. The Sabbath was the great day of the week-the ser- mon the principal event and chief topic of converse. There were two services on the Sabbath, with an hour intermission. In winter there were no means of warming the old church, yet from all parts of the parish, embracing a much larger circumference than at present, they came-many on foot, espe- cially the boys and the men-and the rest on horseback. Sometimes in carts with a sheaf of straw laid across for a seat. Before the Revolution there were very few wagons or carriages-all are warmly clad especially in cloth of domestic manufacture, prepared for the rigors of winter-the females having generally foot stoves. They enter the build- ing and a division made nowhere else in all their social and religious customs at once takes place. The men are seated promis- cuously on the W. side of the broad aisle, which serves for a partition, the wives and the little ones on the opposite side-the same distinction holding good in the gallery, and kept up until this house was reared. Access was to the galleries by two stair- ways, and this part of the building was re- served for the youth and the unmarried. A few overseers of grave character were distributed through the galleries to preserve order, and which seems to have been neces- sary in those days. As there were no pews claimed as private property the front seats were generally filled by the old. The ser- vices begin-the prayer is offered-the Psalm or Hymn read. Watts' was alone used in those days and continued until sup- planted by the "Church Psalmody." When the pastor sits down, up rises the Psalm set- ter as was his title in those days, and stand- ing at the foot of the pulpit commences the tune-when the first line is sung, the second line is read which was also sung, and thus reading and singing alternately till the end of the Psalm. It was nothing very un- usual to have considerable variety both in the music and the sentiment of the line, some forgetting the words and some the tune adapted to the metre of the line.


This part of worship was in due time remedied through the labors and persever- ance of the pastor, who as a lover of good


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sacred music, was instrumental in organiz- ing singing schools in the parish. He en- couraged the young to attend and was often present himself, advising with the teacher in the proper selection of music suitable for the sanctuary. By degrees a great reform was effected. Psalm books were procured. The rising generation could read, which was not true of all their fathers, and in time the lining was discontinued to the joy of the younger, but to the grief and displeasure of some of the older members of the congre- gation. We have heard that one good man was so incensed at this innovation that he would not come to Communion for years. Improvement in singing led to the forma- tion of a choir, and during the latter part of the ministry of Dr. Johnes, the superiority of the Morristown choir was universally admitted.


For many years this was the only house of worship in Morristown-then the Bap- tist church was organized. Benedict in his history of the Baptists says, "As early as 1717, (this is a mistake) one David Goble with his family of the Baptist persuasion re- moved to this place from Charleston, S. C., and some ministers of the same order began to preach at their house ; a small company after many years of patient effort were col- lected as a branch of old Piscataway, which in 1752 was formed into a distinct church." The first building was erected on the lands of the said Goble, about two miles from town and just beyond the brick school house on the road to Baskingridge. In 1770 their first building in the village was erected.


wheels as in that year of suffering and sad- ness. Every public building was seized for the soldiery-the church was a hospital, and often in the morning were the dead found lying in pews. Dr. Johnes, son of the pas- tor was intrusted with the care of the sick. This state of things compelled the congre- gation to meet in the open air for divine service. As the time of Communion drew near, which was then observed semi-annu- ally, Washington accosted Mr. Johnes with the inquiry "if membership with the Pres- byterian church was required as a term of admission to the ordinance." To which he replied " that all who loved the Lord Jesus were welcome.". This pleased and satisfied the General, and on the coming Sabbath in the cold air, he was present with the con- gregation assembled in the orchard in the rear of the parsonage, and in the natural basin, still found there, he sat down at the table of the Lord, and in the remembrance of redeeming love obtained no doubt relief from the scenes that appalled and the cares that oppressed him. The common opinion is that the Lord's Supper was administered in the church. This is so stated in Spark's life of Washington and by other writers, but the true version is as already given. The church was occupied by invalid troops till the close of the year 1777, if not till some time in 1778, as the records of the trustees show. This was the only time after his en- trance upon his public career that Washing- ton is certainly known to have partaken of the Lord's Supper.


There are many matters of a private and public character with which the name of Dr. Johnes is connected, but I must pass by all and allude to one of historic value, re- lating to a religious act in the life of Wash- ington. At the commencement of the year 1777, Washington reached Morristown and took winter quarters at the Arnold tavern- scarcely had he arrived before he encoun- tered a new enemy-the small pox. It at- tacked soldier and citizen so that we find from the Bill of Mortality 68 deaths in this congregation alone from this terrible dis- ease, and during the year from various causes 205 deaths in the parish, exclusive of soldiers. Never in the history of the town has death chained so many to his chariot prayers that were registered in the court of .


We have seen Mr. Johnes in different parts of his ministry, let us look at him at the grave. It is towards the last of Octo- ber, 1775 ; the foliage is changed and falling; in the spring, he had stood there in the same spot and deposited the remains, in the open tomb, of a beloved grandchild. Now it is over all that is mortal of a Godly elder that he is deeply moved. The coffin is low- ered-he lifts his voice in prayer-of the weeping and afflicted mourners, one is ab- sent, a wayward youth, at that time captain of a company, and seemingly hardened in guilt. For that son earnest petitions are arising to a covenant God, that he would answer the cryings and intense desires of the departed for that erring boy, the


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heaven for him-that son draws near, he has visited his home and found it desolate-a neighbor has told him of the death of his father, and of the funeral services-he has- tens to the grave and unseen by the pastor he listens to the allusion to the prayers that are on high. These words reach his soul and by the Spirit they are instrumental in leading him to Jesus, when he consecrates himself to his service and for his glory.


Thus did God own his labors, in the per- formance of his official duties at the grave of a friend-let us follow him a few years later to the couch of the invalid-to one who has seen service in the army. He is approaching his end. The ambassador of Christ tells him of deliverance and beseeches him to be reconciled to God. The message thus brought finds a lodgment in his soul, it drives him to the cross, when a change great and marked is apparent to his Quaker wife. This with his death so affects her that she too is touched, and in due time she em- braces Christ as her only hope, and pub- licly professes her faith in Christ in the old church. The faithfulness of the aged pas- tor impresses itself upon the mind of the orphaned boy, which never lost his power over him. That boy grew to man's estate and for 54 years was a member of this church -and his children's children are members of it to-day-while numbers of his descend- ants in various parts of the country are con- nected with the Presbyterian church. In 1783, Mr. Johnes received the degree of D. D. from Yale College, no mean honor in those days. Soon after this he began to feel the infirmities of age, but kept on la- boring actively till the year 1791, when Aaron C. Collins was installed as Collegiate pastor, which lasted only for a short time and was in no way fruitful of good.


About this time Dr. Johnes fractured his thigh bone by a fall, which confined him for months to his bed, and made him a cripple for the remainder of his life. After more than a year's confinement he was able to at- tend public worship. Aided by one or two of his elders he reached the desk where seated on a high cushioned chair he would occasionally address the people. In this condition he preached in 1793, his half cen- tury sermon to a crowded assembly, who · camo from all quartors to hear it. His text


was, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course," etc., 2 Tim. 4; 6 -- 8. Of that review of his ministerial labors and their results no trace is found. In the de- livery of that discourse he manifested un- usual animation, and in the closing prayer he seemed to breathe out his whole soul in fervent petition for the peace, prosperity and salvation of his people. The service closed by singing the 7Ist Psalm-"God of my childhood and my youth," etc. In reading the Ist verse says an eye-witness, " his voice began to falter and became tremulous. He proceeded with much emotion, whilst the tears trickled over his venerable cheeks, and before he could utter the last line his voice seemed to die away amidst the sobs and tears of the whole assembly."


Seldom did he address his people after this. In the following winter, as he was riding to church on Sabbath morning his sleigh was upset a short distance from his house which broke his other thigh bone. He was carried to his home and never left it till he was removed by the hands of others to the graveyard, where he had so often stood, his body to repose in silence to the resurrection morn. He died Sept. 15, 1794, in the 78th year of his age, and 52d of his pastorate and 54th of his ministry, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.


His tombstone bears the following in- scription " as a Christian few ever discov- ered more piety-as a minister few labored longer, more zealously, or more successfully than did this minister of Jesus Christ."


He received into communion with the church over 500, baptized 2,827 persons and married 948 couples.


As a people have we not reason to-day to thank God for this church, and as a church have we not reason to bless its great head for such a pastor-so well suited to lead his people to Christ-to preach the great doc- trines of redeeming love, and to exemplify in his life so much of what he recommended to others-reason to be thankful for his moulding influence-his strong Christian character by which he guided the young and the old in the ways of truth and right- eousness ;- and whilst we thus seek to re- vere the memory of the departed and tell to those who knew them not their virtues and achievements, we desire in the acts to honor not the mere instrument but God the agent. To him be all the glory.


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( Continued from page 124.) MEMBERS.


(The third column on this page is the work of the RECORD. Information which will lead to the correction of any mistake, or the filling of any blank, will be thankfully re- ceived .- ED.]


Names. When Received. When Dismissed or Died.


Elizabeth Alwood, June 30, 1786. Oct. 25, 1820, aet. 81. 16


Sarah Serren,


[Country."


Aaron Riggs.


29, 1787. Dis. June 12. 1811 to " Western


Sarah Allen, widow,


Aug. 23, " Nov. 28, 1789, aet. 92. -


Daniel Burnet,


44


30,


Esther Burnet (Daniel),


Elizabeth Eddy (Thomas) Joshua Lambert,


Nov. 2, ..


Abigail Munson (Abr.),


25,


Feb. 14, 1803, aet. 73. Dis. Feb. 11, 1810 to N. Y. State.


Moses Wilkerson,


July 4, 1788. "Moved."


Hannah Wilkerson, (Moses)


..


6,


John Burnet.


Sept. 15,


=


Samuel Day,


28, Aug. 12, 1796, aet. 44.


Ezekiel Ludlam, Nov. 9, Dec. 1, 1800, aet. 44.


Joseph Woodman,


Feb. 27, 1789.


April 4, 1809, aet. 100.


Ann Woodman (Joseph),


Jesse Cutler,


July 5. Sept. 4, 1827, aet. 70 y. 6 m. 14 d.


Mary Broadwell (William)


Aug. 9, June 19, 1790, aet. 25.


Charity Goble (Aaron)


Sept. 6, June 4, 1795, aet. 44.


Martha Johnson (Richard),


Nov. 7, 1825, act. 75.


Nathaniel Bruen,


.6 " Moved."


Kezia Pierson,


Armstrong Johnes,


Oct. 23,


April 28, 1790, aet. 34. Jan. 30, 1809, aet. 62.


Leah Johnes, (Armstrong,)


Phineas Chitester,


Excom. Sept. 24, 1808.


James Chitester,


Excom. July 15, 1807.


Phebe Wick (William.)


..


John Alwood,


Cap. Joseph Halsey, .


Nov. I,


Rachael Redman,


Jan.


3, 1790. =


Martha Ward,


.€


..


.6


Phebe Plummer,


..


12,


Elizabeth Cutler (Jesse)


=


Hannah Johnson,


.6


.6


John Lindsley,


April 30,


Excom. Jan. 11, 1821, aet. 60.


David Lindsly,


Tahpenes Lindsly (David),


..


.6


..


" Moved."


Samuel Tuthill, Jr.,


July 27, 1834, aet. 71.


James Stiles,


Dis. April 26, 1813 to Basking Ridge.


Phebe Schenck (Abr.),


..


Dec. 21, 1835, act. 73.


Eunice Johnson,


..


.. " Moved."


Ruth Johnson,


..


( To be continued.)


"Moved." May 18, 1811, aet. 56. " Moved." ..


Moses Johnson, Jr., .




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