USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > The Sesqui-centennial, or, The 150th anniversary of the Deerfield Presbyterian Church, Cumberland County, New Jersey, celebrated Thursday, Aug. 25th, 1887 : historical sermon, addresses, etc > Part 3
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On the 30th of April, 1820, a Sabbath School was started at the West Branch School House, numbering about eighty-five scholars. John More was its first Superintendent, and served at least in that capacity for twenty-five years. This was a branch school-being in sympathy and aim with the church school. It was carried on faithfully and successfully during all these past years, until a few years ago it merged into the Deerfield Church School, for the purpose of concentration of christian effort.
The Harmony Sabbath School, held in the District School House, about four miles distant from the church, which was organized in 1845, is a union enterprise. David Long was its first Superintendent. For some years past G. Wilbert Moore and John Ott have served in that capacity-each presiding during alternate years. It is made up of Presbyterians and Lutherans. A number of our people are usefully employed on
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Sabbath afternoons at that place, and are doing a noble and self-denying work for the Master. The school numbers about fifty-four. The average attendance is about forty-four. Dur- ing the Rev. R. Hamill Davis' ministry the "Elfie Mission Band" was organized, August 14th, 1872, with twenty-four members; drawn principally from the Sabbath school or schools. It still has a living existence, and is doing a good work in aid of the Mission cause. Miss Ella F. Garrison was its first and much esteemed President. At present it is under the efficient supervision of Miss Belle Flanagan as President. Miss Mattie A. Biddle is Secretary, and Miss Lillie Ballenger is Treasurer. The band was named "Elfie"-called after a boat by that name, furnished the mission at Corisco, Africa, by the children of this country.
Under the same pastorate an "Auxiliary" to the "Woman's Foreign Missionary Society" was organized February 23d, 1872. The number of persons induced to become members the first year was about sixty. Notwithstanding deaths and removals have thinned their ranks, reducing their members to between thirty and forty, I believe they have never paid out less than $50 a year to the cause of Missions, except perhaps one year. No means is left untried to increase its membership, deepen the interest, and swell the contributions. With such a laudable object before the society as the salvation of the mil- lions of heathen, and especially the elevation of their own sex, I bespeak for it a bright and prosperous future. Mrs. R. Hamill Davis was its first President. The present officers are: Presi- dent, Mrs. Cordelia M. Richer; Secretary, Mirs. Rhoda D. Moore; Treasurer, Mrs. Sarah M. Ott.
There is in connection with the church also an "Aid Soci. ety," sometimes known as the "Church Sociable." The object of this association is to develop the social element of tlie congregation, and to raise funds by regular and small contribu- tions for such uses and improvements as the circumstances and condition of the congregation may require. The fund raised is supplementary to the regular income of the church; and often comes to the relief of the church when embarrassed for the want of means. It accomplishes a good work, and ought to enlist the sympathies of the entire congregation. It was organ-
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ized March 13th, 1878, in the early part of Mr. Heberton's ministry. The whole amount raised from 1878 to 1887, only nine years, is $875.58. From members fees, $249.98. From festivals, $621.82, and by cash, $3.78. The present officers consist of: President, Mrs. A. J. Snyder; Secretary, Miss Mat- tie A. Biddle; Treasurer, Mrs. Cordelia M. Richer.
Let us now take a brief survey of the church buildings, in which the congregations have worshipped, of which I have said nothing heretofore. Tradition says that in the year 1732 there came to this country from Scotland and the North of Ireland and from Germany, a small colony of Presbyterians, bringing their Bibles and catechisms in their trunks, and the Spirit of God in their hearts, and settled in what is now called Deerfield and Hopewell townships, then a wild wilderness, wooded with large timber and inhabited by Indians, with very little of the soil cleared. There was, however, a clearing not far from where this old stone church now stands, of some hundreds of acres of new land, and very fertile, on which the grass grew luxuriant, and the wild deer came out into this clearing in large numbers to feed, from which the place derived the name of Deerfield .* Those men distributed themselves; they bought land in differ- ent parts of those two townships, as it is now arranged, and erected their log houses; for there were no other kind in those days. And when they procured houses for their families, they met together and concluded to erect a building for a school house, and in which they might also hold religious services. In that building the people met together for worship, some of them coming a long distance, and taking their turns in bring- ing their tallow candles, with which to light up the house for the evening service. Whether they had a preacher at that time or not we cannot tell, but we do know that they met together for worship, and their numbers increased until the little log school house became too small. In the year 1737 they were
*Thomas Shourds' History and Genealogy of Fenwick's Colony says : About 1725 Benjamin Davis purchased 1000 acres of land in North Cohansey precinet of Dan. Cox, the great land speculator, a resident of Burleighton, for which he paid ten shillings per acre. The price which he paid Cox was considered by the inhabitants of the pre- einet VERY DEAR; hence they called it a DEARFIELD. Why the name has been changed to DEERFIELD I ean't imagine. In after time that and other lands adjacent were set off as a township called DEERFIELD.
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organized into a church, and resolved to erect a church build- ing, which was known as the Log Church. They came with their ox teams, for they had no others. They cut down the cedars and carted them to the place designated for the building. And log after log was hewn and notched, and dove-tailed together, and at last there appeared the beautiful Log Church in the forest .* The fathers dedicated it to the worship of Almighty God, and named it the Deerfield Presbyterian Church. And for thirty-four years they worshipped in the old Log Church, which stood in the adjoining grave yard, a little south of the present church building. It has nothing to mark its location, except the grave of John Leake, which is said to be beneath or near the old pulpit, at his own request.
It would be a noble deed for the people of this generation worshipping here, to place a handsome monument over this grave, with suitable inscription upon it, which marks the spot where the old church stood, and where our ancestors worship- ped. Although not a vestige of the old Log Church remains, yet the old Brittannia Communion Service, supposed to be the first used by our forefathers, out of which they ate and drank in commemoration of the dying love of Jesus, may be seen on the table in front of this platform to-day .; Some years ago a new service was secured, and the old service placed in the hands of Dr. J. Barron Potter, of Bridgeton, N. J., for preser- vation, and to prevent their use for common vessels.
If there is any reliance to be placed on tradition, thie mem- bers of this church in its early history manifested a high appre- ciation of the gospel, and practiced great self-denial to hear it dispensed. Mr. Charles S. Tyler, son of the Rev. Benjamin Tyler, now deceased, but fifty years ago the pastor of this church, sends me the following: He says, "My mother has told me upon the authority of very old people in Deerfield, when she lived there, that a common way of getting to Green- wich church from Deerfield, with those that had horses, was to
*At this point a little Log Cabin was exhibited, made of the pith of corn stalks, to remind the congregation of the days of old, when their forefathers worshipped in the little Log Church.
tIt was placed on the table on this occasion to exhibit for the gratification of the congregation assembled.
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ride and hitch. Part of the family would start on foot, and afterwards another or more would mount the horse or horses and ride on ahead of the others and hitch, and walk on. The others, when they reached the horse or horses, would mount and ride forward; and so continne until they reached the church." He says, "A mode of church going unheard of by the majority of people at this time." The probability is that the Greenwich church was connected with Deerfield church in one charge at the time referred to-a distance of about ten miles.
I am credibly and reliably informed also, that mothers with their children, and others also, would walk the entire dis- tance from Deerfield to Greenwich to a Sabbath morning ser- vice. In some instances they would carry their shoes and stockings until they had almost reached the place of worship; then they would stop and wash their feet in the little stream by the wayside, put on their shoes and stockings, and appear in the house of God as clean and tidy as their neighbors, who might be more highly favored with greater facilities for travel. But time has brought with it great changes. A single mile is now considered almost too long a distance to walk to the "place where God's honor dwelleth and His name is recorded." New modes of locomotion have been devised, making it far easier · and more convenient to reach the house of God. New methods also for heating the sanctuary have been discovered; insomuch that the ancient foot stove, at one time used in this place of worship, has been dispensed with; a sample of which may be seen on this platform to-day .* In the face of all these facts, "Say not thou, what is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this."-Eccl. 7: 10.
The present church building was erected in 1771; or rather the building of which this is the enlargement. It was accom- plished during the pastorate of the Rev. Enoch Green. Evi- dently the people struggled long and hard to secure their new church home. The edifice was 38 feet by 48 feet, with a curved
*One of those ancient foot-stoves was secured from one of the families of the church and placed on the platform on this occasion for the curiosity of the rising generation.
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THE STONE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF DEERFIELD -- BUILT IN THE YEAR 1771.
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ceiling. In the course of some years it was remodeled inside, and a flat ceiling substituted in the place of the curved one. When the church was enlarged to its present size, the ceiling was¿curved again as we now see it, and according to its origi- nal form. In 1852 a new roof was put on the building. The addition to the church of 25 feet, with a recess of 7 feet for the pulpit, was made during the ministry of Rev. Thomas W. Cat- tell. On Monday morning, August 16th, 1858, the first stones were taken out of the end wall; the estimated cost was about $3,000. The building committee consisted of the Trustees of the church, and are as follows, viz: David Padgett, Ephraim B. Davis, Robert More, Lucius Moore and Arthur Davis.
Fortunately for the church, at this time she had an accu- mulated fund at interest of about $2,850, which was used to cover the expenses of enlargement and improvement. The fund referred to was obtained from the sale of timber from the eighty acres of woodland in possession of the church-property secured by our forefathers and handed down to us as a legacy for the use of religious purposes.
During the ministry of the Rev. James D. Hunter some extensive improvements were made, at a cost of from five to seven hundred dollars. The walls were newly frescoed, the wood-work painted, the pulpit changed, and the recess fitted up for the choir. In addition to this an old debt of three hundred dollars was cancelled about the same time.
During the present pastorate, near $300 was raised and expended on this building in making alterations and improve- ments-the people giving cheerfully and liberally. The floor of this church had never been carpeted, except the aisles and pulpit platform, until last spring, when the entire floor was covered over with a rich and beautiful carpet. At the same time the doors of the pews were removed, the pews re-num- bered, and partitions placed beneath all the pews. There is another improvement that might be made, and which would add very much to the beauty of this ancient structure, and serve likewise a valuable purpose; I mean a suitable tower, with a sweet-toned bell hanging in it, to call the people to the house of God. This would not disturb the sleeping dead who repose in their dusty beds, but it might be instrumental in
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awakening some sleeping soul, and bringing to the enjoyment of spiritual life those who are dead in trespasses and sins.
The question of building a chapel to be used in connection with the Deerfield Presbyterian Church, was agitated as far back as the year 1858, when the Rev. Thomas W. Cattell was pastor, who recommended the starting of a fund to be used for that purpose. Nothing was accomplished in the way of getting a building until the year 1873, when a festival was held to establish a fund for the object in view. The money realized at the fair and festival was loaned out for a time, and when paid in the principal and interest amounted to $346. In the spring of 1878, the Rev. E. P. Heberton, (who was pastor at that time), agitated the matter, and at the annual meeting held April 27th, 1878, the following named gentlemen were appoin- ted a committee to contract for and erect a suitable structure in which to hold Sabbath School, evening meetings, lectures, &c., viz: Rev. E. P Heberton, Edo O. Leake, Elmer Biddle, Moses Peacock, Sr., and Robert More. The Chapel was erec- ted and is 30 feet by 50 feet, with 14 feet posts, and a vestibule 62 feet in width. The contractors for the building were the firm of Conover & Ackley, of Bridgeton, N. J. The cost of the building was $1317; the cost of the furniture, including the blinds, was $324.40, making in all $1641.40. The two stoves included in the furniture were a present from Elmer Biddle, and cost $25. In addition to the above there are two organs used in the chapel; the cost of the larger one was $200, and the cost of the smaller one was $20. The Treasurer, Edo O. Leake, made this very cheering and satisfactory statement, he says: "When the building was finished it was all paid for and $10 left on hand." An unusual experience! Really, this is something new under the sun! But the most surprising thing is that this church did not avail herself of this great convenience many years sooner. I do not know that the treasurer of the church to-day can rejoice in a surplus, as in the case above; but I am happy to announce on this Anniversary occasion, that the church is entirely free of all debt. I apprehend that it has been characteristic of this church to guard against such inconveni- ences. Thirty dollars was expended last summer in painting
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the walls of the chapel to give them a more attractive appear- ance and better finish.
I almost failed to note that about the same time a neat chandelier, with three burners, was purchased and suspended from the arch of the recess of the church for the benefit of the choir and speaker; besides, six additional burners were secured for the main part of the audience room. The cost of the above improvement was about $20, and was paid by the Aid Society.
The Rev. Enoch Green was the first pastor who occupied a parsonage in this charge, or Deerfield Presbyterian Church. It consisted of fifty acres of land, with a brick house and other needed improvements. In the course of about fifty years, and during Mr. Ballentine's ministry, the brick house gave way to a frame building, well constructed, on a more beautiful site, and a little farther north of the stream. The building still stands, now over sixty years since its erection. This property was used as a parsonage, or home for the pastor of the church, until the present pastorate, when the subject of a change was extensively agitated throughout the congregation; most of them favored the change, and yet there were a few exceedingly loath to part with the old parsonage. They loved it-their souls, as it were, cleaved unto it. Like the Psalmist, when he said: "My soul cleaveth unto the dust."-Psalm 119: 25. And no wonder, it was a beautiful spot. It had been in possession of the church one hundred and thirty years, handed down to them by their forefathers, to be used for such a purpose. But the contem- plated change did not imply alienation of the property; only that the proceeds of the farm be invested in another home, more suitable for the pastor in these times.
At a meeting of the congregation held August, 1884, it was decided, if the way be clear, to sell the farm and secure another property to be used as a parsonage, and the trustees of the church were appointed a committee to carry out the wishes of the congregation. The trustees at this time consisted of Enoch Riley, Edo O. Leake, George D. Davis, Daniel Pad- gett and Elijah R. Parvin. In a very short time about an acre of ground was purchased of Elijah R. Parvin, to be used for the purpose, for the sum of $400, situated in the southern part of the village of Deerfield. Arrangements were entered into at
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once to erect suitable buildings thereon. Mr. A. F. Randolph, of Bridgeton, N. J., contracted for the work, which was begun and carried on so speedily as to enable the present pastor to take possession on the 18th day of Marchi, 1885. The old par- sonage was sold at public sale on the 18th day of December, 1884, to Lewis M. Brooks, for $62 per acre, amounting to $3100; Mr. Charles Barker was the auctioneer. The new prop- erty cost, including the land, about $3,287.65, and is a conve- nient and very desirable place of residence; I may say it is a model home. To make up the deficiency to pay for the cost of the new property, a sufficient amount of timber was sold from the woodland to cover the additional expense; hence it is free from debt, and made so without burdening a single member of the congregation. One hundred dollars was added to the pas- tor's salary by a considerate people, who thoughtfully consid- ered the shrinkage of his income by the change. I may add here, that ever since some time during Mr. Davis' ministry, only seven acres of the fifty in the farm were cultivated by the pastor, he wishing less care; the balance of the farm was used for the benefit of the church. It was not until the year 1810, during Rev. Nathaniel Reeve's ministry, that the church became an incorporated body, and a Board of Trustees was elected. Before this period the congregation appointed committees to attend to the temporalities of the church.
The present Board of Trustees consists of Daniel Padgett, Elijah R. Parvin, Charles D. Moore, Joseph L. Davis and G. Wilbert Moore; one trustee is elected annually to serve for five years. The present organist is Miss Anna P. Veal, who has served faithfully for the past three years. Her immediate predecessor was Miss Ella Moore, (now Mrs. Davis); she served for a short period of time and did her part well. Pre- vious to this Miss Juliet Moore occupied the position for twelve years, and with great acceptance. Mr. Wm. Laning is the pres- ent efficient leader of the choir, and has filled that position for the past five or six years. Mr. Elijah R. Parvin was his prede- cessor, who held the position for sixteen years. Ilis long con- tinued and self-denying labors need no comment; they speak for themselves. For the past five years a musical committee appoin- ted by the congregation, selects the members of the choir.
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Elijah R. Parvin is the present sexton, and has occupied that position for the last fifteen years. During that period he has opened one hundred and forty-seven graves, and all but two in the yard on the eastern side of the street. His prede- cessor was Mr. David Ott.
In the early history of the church the salary of the sexton was only $6 a year, it has now reached $75 a year; and is still too limited for the amount of labor required.
If time and space would allow, we might speak of men born and reared in this community with large mental capacity and endowments, and who filled very important positions in this and other localities. But I cannot resist the temptation to refer to a few. The first I shall notice is Dr. Holmes Parvin. One of his successors, Dr. Charles C. Phillips, pays the follow- ing tribute of respect to him: In a Sabbath School address, delivered in 1876, he says, "Holmes Parvin, a name familiar to all, was born in this county December 7th, 1794. After re- ceiving an English education, he attended the medical lectures in the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1815. He immediately commenced and continued to practice in this village until 1829, when he emigrated West, settling in 1830 in Cincinnatti, where he soon had an extensive practice, but which in 1836 he abandoned to give himself up to other pursuits; espec- ially to investigate his favorite science of electricity. Long before Professor Morse's name had any connection with the telegraph, Dr. Parvin had commenced, and so far perfected his instruments as to communicate with adjoining rooms, and prophesied to his friends that the time would come when we, by electricity, would communicate with our most distant acquaint- ances. They thought him mad, but we of to-day see his prophecy verified. To continue his experiments and communicate his theories to scientific men, he removed in 1838 to Philadelphia, but his health soon failing, he removed again in 1840 to Cin- cinnatti, where he died February 6th, 1842, leaving two chil- dren, one of whom, Rev. Robert J. Parvin, an Episcopal Cler- gyman, recently perished in the flames of a burning steamer on the Ohio river." Dr. Parvin was intimately associated with the Sabbath School of this church.
Neither would this history be complete without making
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allusion to such men as Col. David Moore and his son Dr. Sam- uel Moore. Mr. C. S. Tyler, of Greenwich, gives me the fol- lowing information: He says, "From one of the oldest of the Deerfield families was descended Mary Secley, wife of Rev. Mr. Tyler; her mother Elizabeth Moore, was the only daughter of Col. David Moore, an officer of artillery in the Continental Army, who, after recovering at home, where he was allowed to be nursed, from a grape shot wound received at the battle of Germantown, returned to the service of his country. During the dark night of September 18th, 1777, when over-confidence and wine had led General Wayne, at the Paoli Tavern, Chester county, into the neglect of duty, and enabled General Grey, of the British army, to surprise and massacre many of our forces, even after numbers of them had surrendered, Col. Moore, with Captain John Beaty, were the only ones that succeeded in sav- ing a cannon from the hands of the enemy. And to his son, Dr. Samuel Moore, virtually belongs the honor of the famous Missouri compromise measure. Born in Deerfield February 8th, 1774, he graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1791, where he afterwards served as tutor. In 1796, after a thorough course of study, he graduated in medicine. After commencing the practice of his profession in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, his health failed; and by the advice of Dr. Rush he sailed for Canton, and with such happy results, that he afterwards made four other voyages to Canton, and one to Calcutta. In 1808 he settled permanently in Bucks County, where his upright life and remarkably winning manners joined to unobtrusive ability, gained him such influence among all classes, that in 1818, while absent upon business in the west, he was nominated by the Whigs and elected to Congress, and twice re-elected. In 1824 he was appointed by President Mon- roe, Director of the Mint, which office he continued to hold during the administration of Mr. Adams, and part of that of General Jackson, who refused to pay any attention to the many efforts made to displace him. When informed by Dr. Moore of his desire to leave the Mint, the President requested him to keep the matter a secret until a successor was selected, and asked Dr. Moore to name a suitable person for the office, when at his suggestion his brother-in-law, Dr. Patterson, was appoin-
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ted, the public first learned of a contemplated change. Upon leaving that office he was honored with a complimentary testi- monial of General Jackson's esteem.
It was owing mainly to his efforts that the appropriation from Congress was secured for the building of a new Mint, and under the immediate superintendence of Dr. Moore, that the present Mint on Chestnut street was erected, and the works removed from the old building on Seventh street. Dr. Moore retired from the Mint in 1835, and became President of the Hazleton Coal Company, which position he retained until the time of his death, February 18th, 1861. Although in his eighty-eighth year when he died, he seemed never to grow old through the loss of interest in knowledge in all its departments at home and abroad. At his death he and Professor Silliman, of Yale College, were the oldest members of the American Philosophieal Society.
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