The Record of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, N.J. : v. 1-5 Jan. 1880-Dec. 1885, pt 2, Part 2

Author: First Presbyterian Church (Morristown, N.J.); Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925
Publication date: 1976
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1080

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 2 > Part 2

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It has takn les time to see all these things than to describe them, and the first hym is not finisht when we ar startled by a com- motion : the singing sudnly stops, every- body is looking, sum ar hastening, towards one particular pew. ,It is that of Miss O.,

who thankt elder M. for bracing the door open. She has bin gasping with the heat ever since she enterd, and now her fears ar realizd; she lies in a ded faint. Two or three sympathizers carry her to the breezy porch, and then return with rathful faces, determined to put out the fires in the sin- ful stoves; when the discovery is made that ther has not bin a spark of fire in them ; the temperature is down to freezing ; and it was nuthing but prejudice and imagina- tion that sent Miss O. off in her faint.

After quiet is restored, the minister rises to giv out the notices. He is a man of sliht bild, rather under than over the average hight, but looking larjer than he really is by reason of the flowing blak silk gown he wears,-a gift from the ladies of the congre- gation. His face and manner at once show spritual unction and win unusual regard even from strangers .* He reads the folo- ing :

(1). It is my painful duty to inform the congregation, that Mr. H., agenst whom ther hav bin reports in circulation for sum time, charging him with gross dishonesty, is after all not a member of this Church, as appears from his own assertion when cited before the Session, and upon an examina- tion of the Sessional Records. "After sum deliberation, the Session Resolved that they hav no authority to proceed in this business, and therefore that it be dismissed. Resolved further, that inasmuch as Mr. H. has for many years been looked upon as a member of this Church, entitled to its privileges and subject to its discipline, and in view of the Church and of the world, the Session are responsible for their faithful- ness to him as a member, Therefore they feel bound, in justice to themselves and to the cause of religion, to make a full and candid statement of his case to the Church ; that it may be known that we are not re- sponsible."

(2). A meeting for special prayer, insti- tuted by the Session, wil be held at Jona- than Ford's, Tuesday next at 2 o'clok in the afternoon ; in which the ministers and Churches of Hanover and South Hanover hav bin invited to join, as the place is con- tiguous to those congregations.

.* Dr. Wm. A. McDowell, Pastor from 1814 to 1823. The ouly record of a gown is one given to the elder Dr. Richards.

"The remains may now be seen in the loft of the steepl, whither the pulpit was removed about 1860, to giv place to a more modern and much cheaper desk, which in its turn gave way to the present one about 1870,

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(3). A meeting wil be held at John Mills' this evening at erly candl liht.

(4). I wil make my quarterly visitation on Watnung (Morris) Plains, Thursday next ; and in the evening a meeting for special prayer wil be held at Mr. Turner's, when children may be presented for bap- tism. [None this morning ; hardly a Sun- day without infant Baptisms in Dr. Johnes' pastorate of fifty years ; he baptized 2,800 and more.]

(5). The 'Trustees hav voted. that 'the money collected last Sabbath be applied to the support of missionaries on the frontiers.

(6). The foloing resolutions hav bin adopted by the Session : Whereas it is the duty of the Session to assist the Pastor in catechising and instructing the children, resolved, That, in addition to the stated catechetical instruction givn by the pastor, the Session wil catechise the children in the several districts of the congregation at least twice a year; and for the accomplish- ment of this important object, that they be classified in the foloing manner, Viz. Messrs, Vail, Cutler and Youngs be one class to catechise the children in the district on Watnung plain, at Littleton, and near Demas Ford's ; That Z. Freeman, Mr. Pier- son, and Mr. D. Lindsley be one class to catechise the children in Green Village, Mulbery and New Vernon districts : That Mr. S. Freeman and Halsey be one class to catechise the children in the district near Jacob Goble's in Jockey Hollow and near Mr. Vincent Guering's : That Messrs. John- son and Mills be one class to catechise the children in Morristown. Resolved, That the above classes attend to the catechising of the children in their respectiv districts, in the months of March and October ; and, if providentially prevented, as soon there- after as Providence permits." [This is a measure of Dr. Fisher's pastorate, adopted a few years before the Sunday-school origi- nated.] :

(7). The Rev. Samuel Whelpley has pre- sented a certificate of membership and or- dination in the Baptist denomination, and after examination by the Session he has bin received and wil enter into covenant with this Church Sabbath next. :

(8). The foloing persons appeard before the Session: Thursday last, desiring to be

receivd to the full" communion' of the Church. After conversing with them indi- vidually, and being satisfied with their nolej, the evidence of their piety, and their views in desiring to cum to the holy ordi- nance of the Supper, The Session agreed to propound them to the congregation ; and they wil be publicly receivd to full commu- nion Sabbath next, unles sufficient reason to the contrary shal be made known to the Session in the meantime : Silas Johnson, Abigail, widow of Joseph Prudden ; Amos, son of Joseph Prudden, deceased ; Deborah Tuttle, widow ; and Anna, wife of Silas By- ram. [This is an innovation. No examin- ations by Session til 1791. Only 38 adults Baptized by Dr. Johnes, and only 3 of these on Sunday ; the 400 and odd admitted to communion in first 50 years wer granted the privilege, in virtue of their baptism in infancy, upon his approval."Propounding candidates as above appears only in records of Dr. McDowell's pastorate.]

(9). The holy ordinance of the Lord's Supper wil be administerd Sabbath next, and the Preparatory Lecture wil be held in the Meeting house Friday afternoon at 2 o'clok. [Another innovation. Previously there had bin 6 communions every year from 1743 down : the Ist Sunday in Jan. and Ist of every alternate month. After 1817 only 4 a year wer observd, falling on the Ist Sun- day in each quarter : this continued until after Sept., 1858, in the pastorate of Dr. Irv- ing ; when the present custom began, which gives 6 a year, on the Ist Sunday in Feb. and ist of every alternate month.]

(10). No person professing to belong to any sister church, can be admitted to occa- sional communion in this Church, for more than one year, without producing a certifi- cat of regular standing in the Church to which such person professedly belongs. [This last notice marks an innovation of 1808, and seems to hav bin red annually for . 1! nearly twenty-five years. While its aim' is good, it is one to be souht by. persuasion and not by command, to be decided by the con- science of the communicant, not by any ec- 1:1 clesiastical authority in this off-hand man- ner.' Ther is no such rule in force here to-' day ; ther never has bin any warrant in the constitution of our Church for such a rule; (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.

VOLUME V.

JUNE, 1885. NUMBER 30.

[Printed with the A pproval of the Session. ]

THE RECORD

Is published monthly ; terms $1.00 a year, in advance. Single numbers for any month, 10 cents each.

Subscriptions should be made to Mr. James R. Voorhees. Matters pertaining to the publication should be addressed to the

EDITOR OF THE RECORD.

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

SUPPLEMENT.

The Supplement for this month completes the Minutes of the Trustees and Parish for the pastorate of Mr. French ; covers all the Minutes for the period of the vacancy that followed; and brings the Minutes of the Session during Mr. Green's pastorate down to Nov. 7, 1878.

CALENDAR FOR JUNE.

4. Thursday : Prayer Service, 7:45 P. M.

5. Friday ; Preparatory Service, 3:30 P. M. Baptism of Infants.

7. Sunday : Communion. Collection for Missions among Freedmen.

11. Thursday : " Indifference to Distress," Matt. xxv. 42, 48-Missions in Africa.

14. Sunday : Children's Day and Anni- versary.

18. Thursday : "The Great Change," II. Cor. v. 17.

24. Wednesday: Session Meeting,: 7:30 P. M.

25. Thursday : " How to hear . the Word," Heb. iv. 2.

EVERY WEEK.

Sunday : Church Services, 10:30 A. M. and 7.30 P. M. School of the Church, 3 P.

M. Young People's prayer meeting, 6.45 P. M.

Tuesday : Pastor at home afternoon and evening.

Thursday : Young Men's prayer meeting,

7:15 P. M. Church Mid-week service of Prayer, 7:45 P. M.

Saturday : Bible-class and Teacher's meet- ing, led by the Rev. Dr. Erdman, 4 P. M.

WOMAN'S HOME MISSIONS.

The regular meeting of the Home Miss'y Society will be held in the Chapel on the afternoon of Monday, June 8th, at 4 o'clock.

It is pleasant to see the increasing inter- est in this Society manifested in various ways, especially by increased contributions, thus enabling its work to be more extended and efficient.

NOTEWORTHY VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE IN ENGLISH.

CAEDMON, monk of Whitby, made met- rical parafrases of historical portions about 680.

VENERABLE BEDE (672-735) completed a translation (some say a commentary only,). of St. John's Gospel on the day of his deth, May 26, 735.

ALFRED THE GREAT (849-901) prefixt a version of the Ten Commandments to his Code of Laws : and began, but did not live to finish, a version of the Psalms.

THE ORMULUM, by Orme, or Ormin, a parafrase of the Gospels and Acts, in the latter half of 12th century.

JOHN WICLIF (1324-1384) laid the founda- tion of liberty of conscience, by appealing to the Bible as the sole standard of truth, and began the Reformation in England, 1360. Translated Apocalypse, 1356; com- pleted N. T., 1380 ; and O. T., 1384. First English version of whole Bible, but made from the Latin. Price of a copy equivalent. to about 200 dollars in our money ; yet very many sold, at least 170 being still in exist- encs.

(Important connecting events : Invention

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of Printing with cast metal types, 1452 ; Re- vival of Learning, on dispersion of Greek refugees thru-out Europe, after capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453 ; and beginning of Luther's Reformation in Ger- many, 1517.)

WM. TYNDALE (1484-1536). the father of the Bible in present use, strangld and burnt at the stake, by order of Henry VIII., near Brussels, Oct. 6, 1536. Publisht, at various places in Europe, translations of Matt. and Mark, 1524 ; of complete N. T., 1525 or 6; of Pentateuch, 1531; and before deth had translated O. T. as far as II Chron., with Book of Jonah. First printed portions of Bible in English and first versions made from the original Hebrew and Greek. By order of Henry and Cardinal Wolsey copies, and some who possest them, wer burnt when found in England.

MILES COVERDALE, in 1535, publisht first version of whole Bible, using Tyndale's work as far as printed, and, for the remainder, translating from Luther's and other recent versions : dedicated to Henry VIII., and freely admitted into England.

THOMAS MATTHEWS, pseudonym of John Rogers, a friend and assistant of Tyndale, martyrd in 1555, under Mary. Publisht re- vision of Tyndale's and Coverdale's work in 1537, the first complete publication of Tyn- dale's translation, having on title-page, " set forth by the King's most gracious licence." A copy ordered to be placed in every parish Church.

GREAT BIBLE, so called from large size of book, sometimes called Cranmer's Bible ; edited by Coverdale at the direction of the government, on the basis of the Matthew's version. Source of Psalter in present Book of Common Prayer. First version to print, in different type," words needed for English sense, but not found in the originals.

GENEVAN BIBLE, undertaken by English exiles at . Geneva, Wm. Whittingham (brother-in-law of John Calvin), being chief editor ; with Tyndale's' work as its basis. N. T. publisht June 10, 1557, and whole Bible in '1560. The best version with the exception of King James', and for more than half a century continued to dispute with latter the right to popular favor. First version in size small enuf to meet the want of a family Bible, to be printed in Roman type

insted of the usual black'letter, and to hav the chapters divided into verses. Sometimes called the Breeches Bible, because of the word " breeches" instead of "aprons" in Gen. iii. 7. Puritan and republican tone of marginal comments made it offensiv in cer- tain quarters.

BISHOPS' BIBLE, also known as Parker's Bible, published in 1568, and so called because Archbishop Parker engaged 15 learned men, 8 of whom wer Bishops, to prepare the work. A revision of the Great Bible. Disappointed expectations as to scholarship, and never came into general favor. By appointment of King James made basis of version now in use.

CATHOLIC BIBLE: N. T. publisht at Rheims in 1528; O. T., at Douay in 1609. Translated from the Latin, in some instances so blindly as to be unintelligible; but has many felicitous words and expressions, some of which wer adopted into King James' version.

KING JAMES' BIBLE, first publisht in 1611 ; our present version. Undertaken in 1604, on the informal order of James I., by 47 emi-' nent scholars, divided into 6 classes, two sitting at Westminister, two at Oxford, and twoat Cambridge ; with oversight by " three or four most ancient and grave divines not employd in translating," and finally revisd by two delegates from each class and six others. It was never formally or truly " Au- thorized ;" but gradually won its way to general favor. Aside from the Bishops' Bible, of the previous versions in English, " that of Geneva most influenct the render- ings of our Bible, and that of Rheims and Douay the vocabulary." Changes in spelling, punctuation, italics, marginal readings and references hav been made from time to time ; but otherwise the Bible in common use to-day is the same as that publisht in 1611.

THE ANGLO-AMERICAN REVISION, now completed, has for its object "to adapt King James' version to the present state of the English language, without changing the idiom and vocabulary, and to the present standard of Biblical scholarship, which has made very great advances since 1611." It originated in the Convocation of Canterbury, May 6, 1870, The American, Committee was organized in 1871, by invi-

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tation and approval of the British Revisers. [ you (pointing to some Horses) he said, such The two committees have numbered 101 mames. In Jan. 1879, ther wer 79 active members, 52 in England and 27 in America. It is the first " inter-national and inter-domi- national effort in the history of the transla- tion of the Bible." N. T. publisht 1881 ; O. T., 21 May 1885.

NOTES OF THE PAST.

SUPPLIED BY WILLIAM KELBY, ESQ., OF THE NEW YORK HIST. SOC.

THESE ARE TO GIVE NOTICE .- That on the' third Wednesday of May next there will be Sold at publick Vendue to the high- est Bidder, the House and Plantation of John Hayward situate in Whippany, now called Hanover in the Province of New Jersey. The Conditions of Sale are to pay one third Part at the Time of making the Deed of Conveyance and the two thirds of the consideration Money, to give good Se- curity to Jonathan Crane & Nathaniel Whee- ler of Newark and John Haywood of Han- over. The Premises to be put up to Sale being about two hundred Acres of wood- land part thereof cleared, and about one hundred Acres of rich Meadow, ditched and drained, most part thereof now in English Grass for mowing, and made fit for Corn, Hemp Flax and other Things with a good bearing Orchard, Dwelling-House and Barn, and other improvements. Whoever are in- clined to purchase the same, may repair to the said Crane, Wheeler or Hayward, and be further informed of the Premisses and of the Clearness of the Title.

The New- York Gazette, April 3, 1732. . New Jersey and County of Hunterdon, in Hanover Township, May 1, 1732.

would sell down in Maryland for 14 or 15 Pounds a piece, and that at this Season of the year they were plenty in the Woods, being turned out to get Flesh against ploughing time; and that he would take them, and go back of the Inhabitants to Maryland, to sell them ; and if they did not sell amongst the English, he would sell them to the Indians, and there they would sell for Skins at a better Value. And that many new Plantations were settling to- wards the Head of the Potowmack River, where a great Number of Negroes was to be had, Ten or a Dozen at a Time, and take them back to the French Indian Traders to sell them. And that he would assure any one that would join with him in this Pro- ject, more than One Hundred Pounds in Three Months time; and that it should be so nicely wrought (or carried on) that none should be suspected, of doing any wrong ; And he also proposed to take this Depo- nent, as a Partner in this wicked Design who absolutely refused, And this Depo- nent further saith, That the said Burcham and Fitzrandolph, are absent from their Wives and Children, and suspected to have been persuaded to undertake the above said Project with the said Hillyard, and fur- ther saith not.

Sworn before me John Budd, Justice. Note. In other Depositions, it was proposed to carry Horses and bring Negroes and sell them in New-York Colony, or New-Eng- land, and that he stole a Negro and sold him on Long Island. and had several times of 2 or 3 Horses, at first setting out, made 10 or 14 of them, before he came to Mary- land or Virginia, to sell them. He particu- larly mentioned Powtowmack for stealing Negroes from the new Plantations, where abundance of them are under Overseers. Its well known that Burcham is gone with Hillyard, and believed Fitzrandolph also.

John Haywood, of full Age, deposeth, That on or about the 22d Day of April last past, in the Forks of the North Branches of Raritan River in said County, one Ben- jamin Hillyard, late from Potowmack River in Maryland, or, Virginia but formerly of The New- York Gazette, June 26, 1732. .. Piscattaway in New Jersey, Black-Smith, Took this Deponent aside, and there spoke A SUNDAY IN THE FIRST CHURCH. : BETWEEN 1800 AND 1825. to this Deponent as follows, viz : That one Timothy Burcham, and others were HISTORICAL SERMON BY THE PASTOR, PREACHED 13TH APRIL 1884. d-ned fools, that they would not be per- suaded to go with him, with whom they might get Money as fast as Heart could (Concluded.) 1 wish. Then added, D-n it, I'll show land I wonder at the temerity which thus

les he in Df

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undertook to fence the Lord's tabl, for logically it is a usurpation over privat judg- ment of the same sort as the Romish denial of the cup to the laity.]

I would urge upon you alla more general interest in the classes for the instruction of the young, which are held on every Sabbath morning before meeting. [Under date of 30 Jan. 1816, in the pastorate of Dr. Mc- Dowell, the Minutes of the Session contain the following : "The order of the Synod in regard to the formation of societies for the instruction of the young in the Scriptures was red, & the Moderator was appointed to draw a plan for the establishment and re- gulation of such societies or classes." This was probably the outgrowth of the idea suggested by the Rev. Robert Finley, of Baskingridge, which received the en- dorsement of the General Assembly in 1815 : and undoutedly the origin of the Sunday- school of this Church.]

The "long prayer" foloes the notices, occupying about twenty-five minutes, during which the congregation stands. Then the minister takes up Watts' Psalms and Hymns, the only collection ever yet allowed in the Meeting house, and an- nounces " Psalm 51st, 2d part, long metre." On opening to the place, we find that the title reads : " Original and actual sin con- fessed." We sit to sing the Psalm, and at its "close, the pepermints and sweet-flag having bin unrold from the corners of hand- kerchiefs, we are prepared to listen to the sermon. This does not impress us very much at first, since the exordium contains many generalities and much labord inter- pretation ; but as the preacher gets into his subject, and especially when he has warmd up to the improvement of his theme, we feel his power more and more. The tears stream copiously down his own face in the fervor of his appeals, and nearly every one in the congregation is weeping. We jot down a few of the closing sentences, but cannot copy their eloquence and power of pathos and persuasion. The preacher says : " From this subject, we see what excludes men from Heaven. It is not a want of ful- ness and freeness in the plan of mercy. It is not that God is unwilling to save the sinner. It is simply because yon will not be saved. You choose your own pride, your own vanity, your own lust, your own course in life-the path that leads to hell- No other being will bear the guilt but your- selves-forever and forever, you will welter in eternal woe, bearing your guilt unpitied

and alone-Nor will it be a trifling crime to be damned. It is not a thing which you are at liberty to choose. You have no right to go down to hell and become the eternal enemy of God. You are under solemn ob- ligations to be saved. Let me also remind you, if you go from this place to woe, you will inherit no common damnation. Here this amazing plan of God's mercy has been presented again and again. Here God's Spirit has striven. Many of you have been before awakened and lived through revi- vals of religion. Others have pressed into the Kingdom ; and you have felt and known,: that you must repent or die. Go home this day, impenitent sinner, if God spares a rebel like you to get home-go home and reflect, that if you pass through this revival un- moved, the probability is that you will be damned, and the certainty is, that you only will be to blame if you are. I do not say that you will certainly be lost, I say that a most fearful probability thunders perdition on your guilty path. What should move you hereafter if you are not moved now ?. You know your duty, and your doom if you do it not. You are in the hands of a Sov- ereign God. There I leave you. I have no other power than to spread out the scheme of mercy-to entreat you by the love of Jesus, and the mercy of God, and the value of the soul, to embrace the offer of life ; and if you will perish, I must sit down and weep as I see you glide to the lake of death, Yet I cannot see you take that dread plunge- see you die, die forever, without once more assuring you that the offer of the Gospel is freely made to you. While you linger this side the fatal verge, that shall close life and hope and happiness, I would once more lift up my voice and say ; see, sinner, see a God of love. He comes to you. He fills the Heaven, the skies, the earth. Hear his voice as it breaks on the stillness of this house. Listen to the accents of the ever- living God-" As I live I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that he turn and live : turn ye, turn ye, for why will ve die ?" Then in an earnest, heartfelt prayer, he bears the congregation to the throne of grace; imploring the Lord to spare this people, and save these dying sin- ners. "Oh. most holy, blessed and merciful Saviour, deliver them not into the bitter pains of eternal death ! Amen."[1]

Another Psalm is sung, the benediction is pronounced, and we pass out with the husht and awed assembly, to ponder what we have herd, while we eat our lunch, in a sheltered spot, during the intermission be- fore the second services at 2 o'clock.[2]

[I. From close of Mr. Barnes' sermon on " Way of Salva- tion."

2. At service when this Historical sermon was preacht, the Scripture lessons were red from Pulpit Bible presented by Col. Jacob Ford before 1777, and the hymns from the Pulpit copy of Watts in use by Mr. Barnes. }

je to are It to thal ob- lind YOU ere pen d's ten vi- .to n. is el

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

VOLUME V.

JULY, 1885. NUMBER 31.

[ Printed with the Approval of the Session. ]

THE RECORD

Is published monthly ; terms $1.00 a year, in advance. Single numbers for any month, 10 cents each. Subscriptions should be made to Mr. James R. Voorhees. Matters pertaining to the publication should be addressed to the

EDITOR OF THE RECORD.

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

AN UNSIGNED PLEDGE.

On March 28th, 1884, a pledge was sent to the Treasurer of the Manse Building Fund, for $18., but the sender neglected to sign it. ' Will the person who sent the pledge please give the name, and also oblige the Commit- tee by an early payment ?

J. R. VOORHEES, Treasurer.

WOMAN'S FOREIGN MISSIONS:

The regular meeting of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society will be held on Monday afternoon, July 13th, in the Chapel, at 4 o'clock. An interesting program is in progress, and a full attendance is hoped for.

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The Record of the First Presbyterian Church of Morristown, N.J. : v. 1-5 Jan. 1880-Dec. 1885, pt 2, Part 2

Author: First Presbyterian Church (Morristown, N.J.); Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925 Publication date: 1976 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1080

Author: First Presbyterian Church (Morristown, N.J.); Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925
Publication date: 1976
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1080