USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Hamilton Square > The centennial of the Hamilton Square Baptist Church, Hamilton Square, N.J. > Part 3
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We had a number of precious ingatherings during my pastorate. There were one hundred and forty-four baptized; two of the present deacons, John W. Tindall and R. Ellsworth Haines, were among this number.
One of the greatest revivals was at Clarksville in the autumn of 1874. While preaching in the summer afternoons, once a month, I felt that this revival was coming. The meetings were held in the schoolhouse. When the revival came it was what I had believed would come. It extended all over the community. Old men and wicked men were among the converts; while some united with other churches the greater part united with this Church.
For many years there has been on the second Sabbath of May what is called "the great May meeting." The services in the Church are simply those of the regular communion service. People would come from many places to this service. There was a great difficulty
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in the old Church to find seats. Some of the sporting part of the visitors would race horses in the afternoon through the town until the practice became a nuisance; several times the power of the law had to be invoked. It was a great time for the display of fine horses. fine carriages, handsome women with handsome hats and handsome dresses. During my pastorate this "Great Meeting Day" was in its glory; it evidently was not helpful to the religious life to any large extent.
The-building of the present edifice is another reminiscence. Pre- vious to 1880 the Church possessed between seven and eight thousand dollars which had been given in legacies. The people were desirous of a larger and more conimodious edifice. A special meeting was called for February 28th. 1880. At this meeting it was voted that when $3,000 in good subscriptions were obtained that the Church should proceed to build. These subscriptions were afterwards obtained and the contract for the building given out for $13,000. After many delays the building was completed; the new house was dedicated October 19th, 1881.
On the day of dedication a call from the Holmdel Baptist Church was given to the Pastor; he offered his resignation a short time afterward. The Church refused to accept it; the Pastor, how- ever, decided to go to Holmdel and so a pastorate of nearly ten years and two months was closed the last of November, 1881.
This Church has always disliked short pastorates; there has been a feeling that a Pastor cannot perform the most effective work if he only stays a few years; the most of the pastorates have extended over a number of years.
It is an easy church for any level headed and faithful man to get along with. It is as free from troublesome elements as any church of its size in the State. While many churches of a hundred years history have had many difficulties this Church has had very few dif- ficulties.
This Church has stood for an old fashioned faith and the grand old Book. I know that in my day the presentation of what are called the Calvinistic doctrines was received with the heartiest approval.
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During my pastorate also Mrs. Case and I were the recipients of many appreciated gifts. These gifts were sometimes in the form of meat, butter, money and sometimes large jugs of milk. At the tenth anni- versary of the Pastor's marriage there were generous remembrances. During this pastorate a Woman's Mission Circle was formed, over which Mrs. Case presided and afterwards presided over for many years by that noble woman, Miss Amanda Fowler. There is one matter that I must in honesty mention : the Church did not always come up to my ideas on missionary lines. This often caused me much grief. I taught here as elsewhere that a church does exist simply to bring about the salvation of its own community but for the salva- tion of the whole world. I sincerely hope that the next hundred years will show a great growth on the lines of missionary activity. I am sure that as a result there will come larger growth to the church.
In closing, I desire to speak a few words about one member of this Church whose life of more than 94 years covers the greater part of the history of this Church. She has known almost all of the Pastors. Her name is Mrs. Jane Clark. She has been a faithful friend of Jesus Christ-a friend to the Pastors and a true member of this Church. I thank God for her noble life.
The kindest wish of the oldest living ex-pastor is that God will give you all many years of happy existence in the second century of the life of the dear old Hamilton Square Baptist Church. He also wishes that in this second century that large influences may go out to bless the world.
CINCINNATI, OHIO. April 3d, 1911. William T. Robbins, Clerk of the Hamilton Square Baptist Church', Hamilton Square, N. J .:
MY DEAR BROTHER :
I duly received your official letter extending invitation to be present at the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Hamilton Square Baptist Church. I thank you for same and regret deeply that the dis- tance and pressure of work will not permit my being with you on the historical, interesting and profitable occasion. I shall be with you, how- ever, in spirit and praver and profound gratitude for what God did
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for me through this dear old Church, and what this great Church has done for the cause of Jesus Christ during the past one hundred years. I thank my God upon every remembrance of the great good ac- complished by and through this Church. I recall quite a few of the men who have served as pastors, and men and women who have served as officers, and many others who have borne its burdens and wept and prayed for this branch of God's Zion. I wish you would extend my congratulations to all present who have in any way con- tributed to the welfare of the Church and the advancement of the divine kingdom unto the uttermost parts of the earth.
I am one of "the boys licensed and sent out by the Hamilton Square Baptist Church to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
I am sure you will pardon a personality, inasmuch as it mani- fests the goodness and glory of God and a little part of the gracious work of the Church whose anniversary is being celebrated. During the years of my ministry it has been my pleasure to serve two churches, the First Baptist Church at Hoosick Falls, N. Y., where I was pastor twelve years, and the Lincoln Park Institutional Baptist Church of this city, where I have been pastor twenty-three years. During these two pastorates it has been my pleasure to receive over twenty-seven hundred new members; build two large church edifices and one chapel; send out three new churches, have over a dozen men enter the ministry (two go forth as foreign missionaries), build one parson- age, purchase two large pipe organs, and have a part in many move- ments, civic and social and religious and philanthropical and educa- tional and political, and other things that have been for the progress of the cause of humanity and Christ Jesus. I am still very happy in my work and the Lord is daily adding his blessings. God has given me a choice family, and only this month given me a brand new home into which we have just moved. My highest esteem and my love to all assembled at the One Hundredth Anniversary of the Grand Old Historical Hamilton Square Baptist Church Anniversary.
Lovingly and gratefully,
One of your boys,
G. R. ROBBINS.
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Following the carefully prepared address of Dr. Maxwell, Rev. Enoch Fullaway, who had served the Church as stated supply for six months previous to the pastorate of Rev. J. G. Booker, the present incumbent, was introduced and in the course of his address spoke as follows: "The inspiring presentation of facts and figures set forth so effectively by Dr. Maxwell should incite our prompt, enthusiastic, ag- gressive, and expectant effort along all lines of missionary endeavor. We need in this respect the energy and diligence of the Jew as they are evidenced in the business career of these persevering descendants of Jacob. To do business is the main object of life with the average Jew, and in the prosecution of business nothing is permitted to hinder the accomplishment of his purpose. A Jewish salesman, with whom I was well acquainted, on his return from a business tour, said to one of his employers, a fellow Jew : "What you dink, one of my customers kicked me out to-day." In reply his employer said, "You didn't go back, did you?" The salesman quickly responded, "Go back! why not, I sell him goods." "Well," said the employer, "You've got no pride," and the salesman earnestly said, "Pride ! I sell him goods." With him being kicked out did not matter if he could make a sale by ignoring such rough treatment. In further illustration of the point he had in view, the speaker recited several incidents of a like character, closing his remarks in this regard with the story of a Jew who was a passenger on a railroad train which was boarded by several train robbers who compelled the passengers to give up their money and other valuables. This unfortunate representative of the Jewish race had in his possession two hundred dollars which he very reluctantly laid out before the robbers, but after doing so he took four dollars from the pile, and replaced them in his pocket. One of the robbers immediately asked him why he took back the four dollars, to which he replied with a pleading tone, "Ah, my friend, you certainly wouldn't refuse me two per cent. discount on a strictly cash transaction like this." Business was business with him, even when he was being robbed. This business like trail was characteristic of the early dis- ciples who were many of them Jews. In the prosecution of the Lord's business they displayed the same enterprising and energetic spirit,
S H. Robbins.
Forman Hulick.
I.iscomb Tindall.
Walter Haines.
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as it is written regarding them "then they that were scattered abroad, went everywhere, preaching the word. When persecuted in one city they went to another." They were "always abounding in the work of the Lord." The large majority of Christians in these days lack the grace of steadfastness in the Master's service. They are fervent in spots and diligent in spurts. They are too easily discouraged because their efforts do not meet with immediate success. They are careless regarding their covenant vows. They do not give God a square deal, while they demand and expect a square deal for themselves, and the words of the Master were never more true than they are to-day: "The harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few." This present wide-awake age demands alert, consecrated, persistent service in be- half of God and humanity. A college professor in addressing the graduating class on commencement day said, "Young gentlemen, the elements of success may be expressed in three words: 'Choose, begin, stick,' and that is all there is to it. A volume could not say more." Seek among the best gifts that Paul earnestly exhorts us to covet, the gift of persistency. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
The Up-to-date Baptist.
DANIEL G. STEVENS, JR.
It may seem strange that when one would speak on what is up-to- date, he turns back the pages of history for nearly three hundred years in order to find suggestion of the latest word on progress. Yet I have the example of our divine Master himself. When the Jews asked him for the latest word on divorce he carried their thoughts back, far back, to the origin of the institution of marriage as recorded in their Scrip- tuic. So, to-night, in speaking of the up-to-date Baptist, I must ask you to think of the Baptist who declared himself not long after the feet of the Pilgrims touched Plymouth Rock.
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In October, 1635, Roger Williams, by the sentence of the general court of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, departed into the wilderness, exiled as a dangerous, undesirable citizen. What was his offense that he should be marked with this brand? He had maintained that there is no power of church or state with authority to put restraint upon conscience : "All men may walk as their consciences persuade them. everyone in the name of his God."
The idea of religious freedom was not original with him. The New England Puritans, who judged him unwelcome company, had themselves crossed the ocean to find a land where they could worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences. But freedom, as they established it, was simply the freedom of their own church ; and he who would not willingly conform to their ideas must be forced to yield, or suffer penalty. Their organization would not accept the overlordship of others, but themselves would be other men's masters. History was simply repeating itself in their case: "Just as the Eng- lish government had thrown off the tyranny of the Pope, to establish the tyranny of the bishops, they threw off the tyranny of the bishops, to establish the tyranny of the brethren." These men "who had suf- fered and sacrificed so much for conscience-proposed that all others who might differ from them should likewise suffer. In the theocratic commonwealth they were building up there was no room for the asser- tion or propagation of any opinion that did not entirely coincide with theirs." In Massachusetts Bay the civil power was used as the tool to coerce the opinions of thinking men to conform to church rule. Roger Williams summed up the New England Puritan's conception of re- ligious liberty in the following terms: "Yourselves pretend great liberty of conscience, but alas ! it is but self, the great god self, only to yourselves !" Williams had grasped the noble principle in its bigness, hence they could not endure him. He went forth and founded a colony of which that principle should be the mould and atmosphere. In Providence Plantation was founded a community that should forever be, as Williams said, "a shelter for the poor and persecuted, according to their several persuasions."
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In the year 1638 some Baptists came from Massachusetts to Providence. "It is not surprising," says Oscar Straus, "that Williams should have been drawn to this sect, which, throughout its entire his- tory, preached the gospel of love, abhorred and abstained from persecu- tion, and pre-eminently maintained the rights of conscience." He was baptized by one of them, and in turn baptized the administrator and ten others. This event has been regarded as marking the establish- ment of the first Baptist Church in America. But Williams severed his membership after a very short time; still he had given occasion to be regarded as our first apostle in this land.
In the great principle for which he gave the endeavors of his life, behold our own.
We Baptists have been accused of bigotry. But to think for your- self and to decide for yourself is not bigotry. He is the bigot who will not allow to others the liberty of opinion and decision himself enjoys. That refusal has no place in Baptist doctrine and practise.
A word of Jesus one day stirred some of his disciples to apprehend they had made a mistake. "Master," said John, "we saw one casting out demons in thy name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us." Said Jesus: "Forbid him not; for there is no one who does a good work in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me." The Baptist, therefore, does not tell a member of another denomina- tion that he is no Christian because he does not follow the path of Baptist understanding ; the Baptist does not deny to others the right to call their organizations of believers in Jesus churches, and to prac- tise what they understand are the ordinances of Christianity. These other believers may hold views vastly different from what the Baptist believes to be the truth; the other churches may observe the ordi- nances in what seem to the Baptist very distorted forms. But a Bap- tist is not mind and conscience for others; he knows no right to seek to impose his judgment in religion upon others. His attitude towards them is not that of tolerance. "To tolerate" sounds as if you had the right to forbid, but indulgently, graciously forbore. Such is far from Baptist understanding of religious freedom. We hold freedom our- selves, but we acknowledge the freedom of all others, not as a conces-
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sion to them, but as their right. We believe that others are mistaken in some views and practises. But whatever adjustment can be made must come, not through abuse of others, not through imposition of our mind upon them by force, but through reasoning-and courteous, brotherly reasoning at that.
Mr. George Harvey, accomplished and patriotic editor of Harper's Weekly, reminds us of the differing opinions held by men who are, all of them alike, citizens of our country; a member of a financial com- munity places commercial stability above all other considerations; a resident of the seaboard deplores immigation and incites aggressive resistance to it; manufacturers demand protection, excessive protec- tion, as many believe; tillers of the soil would abolish custom houses ; poverty insists that wealth should hear the main cost of maintaining government, and wealth would, and does, as many believe, place an unequal and consequently unfair burden of taxation upon poverty. When we citizens observe these facts, we remark that there are motes, yes, beams, in somebody's eyes. But, as Mr. Harvey urges, we may rest assured that beams and motes cannot "be removed by common ob- jurgation or by willful misrepresentation of purpose. Reason affords the only resource. * And just as we cannot hope to convince an individual by impugning his veracity, but may induce him to ac- knowledge his error through presentation of evidence, so only through acquaintanceship and respectful consideration of the needs, no less than the attitude, of a community, can the harmony essential to true unity be obtained."
If, as good Americans, we ought to be respectfully considerate of others who, with all their possible faults of party and platform, are still our fellow-citizens ; much more, as good Christians, ought we to regard with respect the convictions of others who, however far from our understanding of the truth, are none the less members with us of the household of God. This sound American principle was first sound Baptist principle.
How big is this principle of liberty of soul? How far will it lead us if we are willing to go the length of its road ?
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I do not pretend to say that every Baptist has looked to the end of the royal highway, or has kept marching along, never departing front its lines. Civil liberty has a history of advance; and the last step has by no means been taken. Believers in religious liberty like- wise move on. When Baptists recognized the right of private judg- ment in matters of faith, they received orders, not to camp, but to go forward. Such a principle leads on, out of those conditions in which men humbly accepted the dictates of authorities, into the field of thinking for self, deciding for self. But what is the nature of this field? Is it a chaos of conflicting opinions, each man riding his own little hobby without regard to the others? On the contrary it is the field in which each recognizes the right of the others to the same lib- erty himself possesses, each respects and cherishes his fellow's right: a field of brotherhood. We are American free men: this State and Pennsylvania and the others are free States. But that does not mean that our land should be a hideous exhibit of "states dissevered, dis- cordant, belligerent, a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched with fraternal blood." American liberty means the American Union; liberty and union, such is the civil principle with us. So it is in Christianity : soul liberty and the brotherhood of souls, such is the mind and spirit of the principle.
Whither will that carry us? Were I the son of prophets I might say. Said Jesus to his disciples at the end of his three years course with them : I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." How astonished those men would have been to hear whither the spirit of loyalty to Jesus would lead them and their associates ! It would lead Peter to sit down as brother with brother at the table of an uncircumcised Gentile. How unready believers in Jerusalem were for that step to which the Christian spirit called them ! How they struggled to put upon Gentile converts the require- ments of Jewish law ! It took a brave man, a man with clear thought . and heroic soul, even a Paul, to say plainly that the Gentile Christian and the Jewish Christian were brothers equally in the Master's house. Are we brave enough, true enough, to go whither the principle of each man's right of private judgment takes us, or will we climb off the
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Edward C. Hutchinson.
Wm. T. Robbins.
Paul Indermuhle.
Elijah M. Vanness.
back of it, as I, learning to ride the bicycle, climbed off the back of the machine at the first gentle dip of a mile-long hill? Courage, confi- dence grew in me with experience and increasing mastery of the wheel so that since that day I have fearlessly negotiated long slopes with many curves. So we Baptists have had, and have now, need to grow in understanding and application of our own great principle. The Baptist mind was not born like a car wheel, a thing cast in a mould, it is a living, growing intelligence.
The up-to-date Baptist is himself a brother, and stands, and works, for brotherhood. He knows that whatever heterodony is dangerous, whatever heresy is rank, there is none so foul, so destruc- tive of all that is Christian as unbrotherly spirit and conduct. Jesus had trouble in bringing his disciples to recognize this. James and John were loyal to their Master, respected and loved him; when therefore the people of a Samaritan village slammed their doors in his face, James and John proposed invoking fire and destruction upon them for disrespect to Christ. Jesus said: "You know not of what spirit you are." Not of his spirit certainly : ignorant loyalty brought them to disloyalty, to wild misrepresentation of Christ. But those men lived nineteen hundred years ago. You know better. Up-to-date loyalty to Christ means love that bears, forbears, is patient, plans and works no evil.
Christian assertion that we occupy a position of superior grasp of the true and the right is not made by snobbish or brutal refusal to acknowledge that others have any claim to the honor of any such posi- tion. Pharisees declared that they stood in the line of a kind of apos- tolic succession reaching all the way back to Moses, to whom God had spoken ; but, as for Jesus, what bishop of the scribes had laid ordain- ing hands upon him? Your up-to-date Baptist cannot be a successor of those old-time representatives of religious snobbery, the worst type of snobbery, which is blind to the only excellence that gives title to real aristocracy-the aristocracy of character. Jesus one day talked with a lawyer on the subject of orthodoxy, and they went forthwith to the heart of the matter; he is orthodox who loves God with all his being and his neighbor as himself; and Jesus told of the Samaritan who
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proved himself a neighbor. That Samaritan, heterodox, heretic, was in the succession of the real sons of God, and he proved it in noblest, most convincing way by producing his credentials in his Godlike deed. We Baptist can prove that we are a superior people by being charitable, neighborly, brotherly. If a man's assertion that he is a gentleman is backed by such conduct as that he will not be courteous to others, or holds others in the diich lest the upstarts take too much on themselves, we can but believe that his title-deed to the estate of gentleman is flawry. Our Master acknowledged the good in other men, touched lepers, treated the woman who was a sinner as a true brother treats his sister, was a friend of publicans and outcasts, and felt not the need of bolstering his dignity, because his gentleness proved him ever the gentleman, his lofty self-respect showed its evidence in his respect for others.
Doctrines and ordinances are important. But as to doctrines, the greatest of these is love; and as for ordinances, the up-to-date Bap- tist is earnest to learn the modern meaning of the ancient word, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice."
Incidents of the Day.
The day opened bright and balmy; the weather during the month had been somewhat stormy and cold, the farmers were backward with their work and many fears had been expressed as to the success of the day. But fervent prayer had been made to our Heavenly Father, and as the day dawned and progressed, the fears were removed and gave place to great rejoicing and thankfulness. It was certainly a great day ; as was often remarked, "the weather was made for us," and each speaker was in good trim for his task.
As the time approached for the opening session the speakers began to arrive; a spirit of animation and expectancy was manifest. Deacon Charles Smith motored to Trenton to meet the speakers from Philadelphia. The congregation was some half hour late, which de- layed the opening devotional service. Dr. J. K. Manning, an old
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