USA > New Jersey > The early Germans of New Jersey : their history, churches, and genealogies. > Part 10
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Not long after his ordination he was married to Barbara Leidy, of Franconia township, Montgomery county. He con- tinued in this Pennsylvania charge till 1782, when he was called to the churches of German Valley, Rockaway and Fox Hill. This call he declined ; but, on its being sent to him the second
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REV. ROBERT VERMILYE, D. D.
REV. MANCIUS SMEDES HUTTON, D. D.
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time, he accepted it, and soon afterward removed to the Valley. Beside preaching in these churches, as pastor, he also supplied the congregations at Stillwater, Knowlton and Sussex Court House. A truly extensive charge ! If your minister should be heard to complain of the length of the drive to the Lower Valley, it might not be improper to remind him of Caspar Wack.
PREACHING IN ENGLISH.
When Mr. Wack first came to the Valley the preaching was all in German, but, in course of time, as the English came gradually to be the language of the majority of the congrega- tion, he adopted it in his pulpit ministrations ; and toward the latter part of his pastorate he preached only an occasional ser- mon in German to please the old people. As to the character of Mr. Wack's English in his earlier days, we may get an idea from a story that is told of a certain army officer, who happened on one occasion to be in the neighborhood where Mr. Wack was to preach. Having understood that Mr. Wack was a Ger- man, he went to church to hear how a German sermon would sound. On his return he expressed himself as very much pleased. He " never knew before that German was so much like English." He "could understand a great deal of what Mr. Wack said." It so happened that Mr. Wack's sermon on that day was in English ; or at least he meant it for English. In later years Mr. Wack came to understand English better, although he always had a decided German accent. It is said that there are some of his sermons still in existence, written with a great deal of care, in correct English, with the pronun- ciation of the words marked as he had found it in his dictionary.
Mr. Wack was possessed of some knowledge of music, and while in the Valley he
TAUGHT A SINGING SCHOOL.
This school met at private houses, and was attended with no little interest by the young people. The hymns sung were in German. I am told by one who was present in this school, as a child, that the "old Dutch singing was better than the English singing is now-a-days." It was generally in the fugue
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style-the various parts chasing each other about like snow flakes in a high wind.
In addition to his ministerial labors, Mr. Wack carried on a farm. His farm embraced that now [1870] owned by Mr. John Swackhammer, together with that of Mr. Andrew Creger. He lived on the spot where Mr. Swackhammer's house now stands. Beside the farm, he made use of the water power which he had on his place, to drive an oil-mill and a fulling-mill. With all these irons in the fire, he yet made money, amassing a consid- erable property while in the Valley.
As may be conjectured from the number and diversified character of his employments, and from his general success he was a man of no little activity, both bodily and mental. Though a short man and quite stout, he was very light on foot, and he was fond of exhibiting his agility. In those days, before eight hour laws or ten hour laws were dreamed of, he used to be out with his men at the first peep of day ; and when the call to breakfast came, it was usual for him to say, "Now, boys, a race !" and as tradition has it, he was rarely beaten. There are several stories told of the quickness of
HIS WIT.
A Universalist preacher, once attempting to dispute with him, affirmed that his doctrine was an old one-that it was preached in Paradise-meaning to claim the promise of the seed of the woman to bruise the serpent's head, as a proof of the doctrine of universal salvation. Mr. Wack replied, “ Yes, your doctrine was preached in Paradise, and the devil preached it ; his text was, Ye shall not surely die." At another time, a Restorationist was urging his false doctrine that after suffering a certain length of time, the wicked will all be released. " If that be so," said Mr. Wack, "I don't see what you have to do here, where I am doing all I can to prevent people from going to hell ; your proper mis- sion is in hell itself, preaching the gospel of prospective deliver- ance to those who are in torment." Another story is told of him which shows that he was not backward in rebuking sin. One day, while on one of his long journeys, which he always made
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on horseback, a young man stopped him and asked permission to ride. "Certainly," said Mr. Wack, "get up behind me." Now it happened that this young man was one whose life was a great way from the teachings of both law and gospel, and when once seated on the parson's horse, Mr. Wack gave him such an amount of wholesome admonition that the young man afterwards declared it to have been the hardest ride that he ever took.
Mr. Wack was regarded as a man of considerable learning for his day, and while in the Valley he had several students with him in course of preparation for the ministry. Among these was his only brother, John Jacob Wack. After complet- ing his course of study in the Valley, John Jacob Wack settled at Amwell, and afterwards removed to Fort Plain and Stone Arabia, in New York. He acted as chaplain in the army dur- ing the war of 1812.
The ministry of Mr. Wack in the Valley was not unsuccess- ful, so far as gathering members into the church is concerned. During the twenty-seven years of his pastorate, ninety-eight persons were confirmed as communicants.
Mr. Wack had one daughter, who died young, and nine sons, who lived to grow up. Of these, George became a minister and preached in Pennsylvania ; William lived in this Valley and became an elder of the church, and many of the old pastor's posterity are still with us.
Mr. Wack left the Valley in 1809, to take charge of the churches of Whitemarsh and Germantown, in Pennsylvania. He served the two churches for twelve years. He then gave up Germantown and served Whitemarsh for two years longer. This was his last regular charge, though he supplied some churches in Chester county for several years. The last four or five years of his life, he resided with his son, Dr. Philip Wack. He died at his son's house, July 19th, 1839, lacking only seven days of being eighty-seven years old.
After Mr. Wack left the Valley the church was vacant for four years. And not only was there no settled pastor, but there was a destitution of the regular preaching of the word. It was only now and then, at irregular intervals that the con-
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gregation enjoyed a visit from a minister. Still the church was held together, and the Lord's work went on. During the four years' vacancy, there were thirty-one confirmations.
But yet the people were not satisfied. They longed for the privilege of regular worship. And as from their remote posi- tion and other causes, the German Reformed Synod of Penn- sylvania was unable to help them, the people felt constrained to look to their Presbyterian neighbors. And as their only resource, they resolved, as a body, to seek admission into the communion and fellowship of the Presbyterian Church. The Reformed Synod remonstrated ; but the congregation answered that their only reason for desiring to change their ecclesiastical connection was necessity-a reason which is always satisfactory.
So here endeth the history of the German Reformed Church of German Valley.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GERMAN VALLEY.
In the year 1813, German Valley was within the territorial limits of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. When, therefore, the churches of German Valley and Fox Hill determined to enter the Presbyterian connection, they presented their appli- cation to the Presbytery of New Brunswick. Their request was made on the 5th of October, 1813, and on the 6th it was granted. On the same day, October 6th, they presented to the Presbytery a call for the pastoral services of
MR. JACOB R. CASTNER,
to labor in each of the churches one-third of the time. Mr. Castner was a native of Somerset county, brought up near Pluckamin. He had been licensed by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, at Newton, January 15th, 1812. He had preached in the Valley for a little time before the call was made out, and it was partly on his account, and through his influence, that the congregation had decided to connect themselves with the Presbyterians.
On the 9th of November Presbytery met in German Valley for the purpose of ordaining and installing Mr. Castner. He was first examined as to his views of the sacraments and church government. He then preached his trial sermon from John
.
REV. ISAAC ALYSTYNE BLAUVELT, D. D.
REV. EDWARD P. LINNELL.
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III : 16-" God so loved the world that he gave his only begot- ten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." These exercises proving satisfac- tory, Presbytery proceeded with the ordination and installation services. George S. Woodhull presided, Rob't Finley preached the sermon, and David Comfort gave a charge to both pastor and people.
When Mr. Castner entered upon his pastorate he found
HIS SESSION
composed of the following members : David Welsh, David Miller, Henry I. Huffman and William Delliker.
When Mr. Castner came here the church consisted of thirty- seven members, of whom Mrs. George Neighbour is the only one now living, in attendance upon the church ; and, partly as a consequence of the long vacancy, the state of religion and morals was not very encouraging. The new pastor, therefore, set himself to work as a reformer of abuses. Mr. Castner was admirably fitted for this. He was a man of superior mind, strong convictions, both as to truth and duty, great persever- ance and energy, and a spirit that was perfectly fearless.
Rev. D. X. Junkin, D. D., says of him : "What virtuous mind that knew him did not love and admire him? Had all my hearers known him, as many of them did, my task were done when his name was pronounced. But all did not know him. Bodily he was rather under medium stature ; but his frame was lithe, compact and firmly knit. Dark hair, a keen: and penetrating dark eye, acquiline features, a brow betokening great powers of thought, a mouth and chin indicating great firmness of purpose and of principle, a manner and gate quick and determined, made him a man of marked presence. He possessed a mind of decided force and acuteness. He grasped a subject with strength, and wielded it with power. He was a natural orator ; and one of the best, if not the very best, extempore speakers in the Presbytery or the Synod. His read- iness in this respect was probably a hindrance to the full development of his really great powers. His very active and laborious habits, and the multitude of his preachings, led him
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to rely too much upon his extempore powers, and prevented that culture in the study that would have made him one of the most polished and impressive pulpit orators of his generation. As it was, he was an able, laborious and successful minister of the Word. An early and fearless champion of the temperance reformation, he probably did more for that cause than any man in the bounds of the Presbytery. Once convinced that a thing was right, nothing could swerve him from its advocacy. He was utterly fearless-a man of unwavering moral courage. But whilst bold as a lion in defending the right and denounc- ing the wrong, he was gentle as a lamb and tender as a woman in the intercourse of social life. A warm-hearted friend, a sympathizing comforter, he was one of the most interesting conversers I ever met. A natural gentleman, he could be firm without arrogance, and entertaining without egotism. He was almost idolized in his congregation and was respected and beloved by his brethren and throughout the churches. Born at Liberty Corner, he pursued his classical studies at Basking- ridge and Princeton, and studied theology under Dr. Finley, of Baskingridge, for whom he always cherished great veneration. German Valley, Fox Hill and Black River [Chester], were the first field of his labors. At the formation of the Presbytery of Newton he was pastor of Mansfield, in which he was settled in 182c, and here he continued until on the 26th of April, 1848, when he was suddenly arrested by the hand of death, and borne from his earthly toils to his heavenly rest. 'He fell with his armor on. Long had he stood in the front of the battle. For thirty-five years he fearlessly confronted error, immorality and worldliness, as an ordained minister of Jesus Christ. The effect of his sudden exit from us is as when a standard bearer falleth.'"-[ Discourse at Jubilee Newton Pres.].
It was during Mr. Castner's pastorate that the first Sunday school in German Valley was established. This important event took place in the year 1816. The school was organized in an old red school-house, which stood at the southeast corner of the old grave-yard. Mr. Castner himself acted as Superinten- dent, though afterwards assisted by David Welsh, the third. A very efficient teacher in the school was a Miss Bracket, a New
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England lady, mistress of the day school. She was afterwards Mrs. White, and the mother of Rev. Dr. White, not long since pastor at Mendham. Among the other teachers in that first school were Conrad Raric, William and David Neighbour. They studied the bible and the New England primer. And not only did they learn the Shorter Catechism, but the Larger Catechism was also recited. Library books and children's papers there were none, but this lack was, perhaps, not in every respect a loss.
During Mr. Castner's pastorate there was no very extensive ingathering of members at any one time. Still, the preaching of the word was blessed, and there were additions to the mem- bership of the church every year except 1818. During the whole seven years of his pastorate, thirty-four were added on profession and four by certificate. In the winter of 1820-21, Mr. Castner removed to Mansfield (Washington, N. J.), where he labored until his death.
Mr. Castner was succeeded almost immediately by
JOHN C. VAN DERVOORT.
He preached here before he was licensed, while still a student of theology at New Brunswick. Dr. Campbell complained of this to Presbytery as an irregular proceeding, and, the Pres- bytery sustaining his complaint, it was brought before the Synod ; but no very decided action appears to have been taken by that body. Mr. Van Dervoort was soon after regularly ordained and installed as pastor of German Valley and Fox Hill. His home was in the Valley-the house now (1870) occupied by Mr. John Miller, at Middle Valley. This house was owned by the two congregations of German Valley and Fox Hill, in partnership.
Mr. Van Dervoort was not remarkable for his learning, nor for his ability as a sermonizer. But he was a good man, with a sincere love for souls. He had a remarkably fine voice, “a smarter voice than Mr. Hutton's," and showed a great deal of heart in his preaching. There are a number still living who remember the earnest, tender and affectionate manner in which he used to persuade people to seek the Saviour.
So far as the addition of members is concerned, Mr. Van
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Dervoort's pastorate was a successful one. In the year 1822 forty-three persons were added to the church at one communion season-forty-six during the entire year. The whole number of additions on examination recorded, from 1821-1825, was fifty- two. Mr. Van Dervoort left here in 1828 to take charge of the church of Basking Ridge. He died at Ghent, N. Y., in 1850.
The next pastor was
MANCIUS SMEDES HUTTON,
who, though born and brought up in the Dutch Reformed Church, had studied theology at Princeton. After his gradua- tion he labored for a short time at Wawarsing, N. Y. From there he came to German Valley in 1828.
When Mr. Hutton came to the Valley he found a church composed of seventy-two members. During his pastorate twenty-two were added on examination and ten by certificate. The first entry made by Mr. Hutton in the sessional records is the account of the nomination by the session on February 6th, 1829, of David W. Miller, George Neighbour and Geo. Crater as ELDERS
of the church. They were all elected on the 18th of February and ordained soon afterwards.
One of the most important events of Mr. Hutton's pastorate was the building of the
NEW CHURCH.
It came about in this way : A new congregation had just been established at Clinton, and, as Mr. Hutton had been preaching there, greatly to the edification of the people, they called him to become their first pastor. This call Mr. Hutton was inclined to accept, but the Valley people were loth to lose him. There- upon, Mr. Hutton promised the congregation that if they would build a new church, he would decline the call to Clinton. So, partly under the stimulus of a desire to retain a much beloved pastor, and partly from a conviction that a new house was needed, the people set to work to build.
It was determined that the new house should belong to the Presbyterians exclusively, both congregations being convinced that it was not advisable te continue the partnership business
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any longer. The Lutherans accordingly built a church at the same time, 1832, and the two congregations have been indepen- dent of each other ever since.
In the building of the church, there was a great difficulty in determining the location. At one time, it was decided to build on the hill near Middle Valley, on the ground now occupied as a cemetery. Afterwards a lot was chosen a little below the present residence of P. W. Swackhammer, in a wheat field-and the unripe wheat was actually cut off to clear the ground for the builders. Finally, however, the present site was chosen, and the lot was given by Mr. Hager and Mr. Swackhammer. But this was not done without much discussion-Mr. Swack- hammer being anxious to save his garden, and Mr. Hager finding it hard to spare his favorite pear tree. The lot question being settled at last, the next thing was a plan for the new church. This Mr. Hutton procured from Mr. M. Thompson, a New York architect, the father-in-law of Robert Carter, the celebrated publisher. Such a thing as an architect's drawings had never been heard of in German Valley or any where in this part of the world. The event, however, proved the wisdom of Mr. Hutton's course in this particular ; for when the church was finished it was esteemed a marvel for beauty, and for many years it retained its pre-eminence as the handsomest church by far in this whole region of country.
The cost of the building was about three thousand dollars. This was raised by subscription. The largest amount given by any one man was three hundred dollars, from Leonard Neigh- bour, the father of all the Valley Neighbors. Considering the circumstances of the times, and the amount required for the building,this subscription was about equal to one of a thousand dollars at the present day. An example of liberality which is truly admirable, and well worthy of imitation.
Mr. Hutton left the Valley in 1834, to become the colleague of Rev. Dr. Matthews, in the pastorate of the South Dutch Church of New York. The congregation to which they min- istered afterwards divided, one portion with Dr. Hutton as pastor, forming the church on Washington Square. Dr. Hutton still continues in this charge, and has become one of the most
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prominent and influential ministers in the denomination to which he belongs.
Mr. Hutton's successor was
REV. JAMES SCOTT,
a licentiate of the Presbytery of New York. Mr. Scott was a man of considerable learning, and superior ability as a preacher. He was a Scotchman, and he had the Scottish habit of preach- ing long sermons. But his sermons were not mere long strings of words ; there was solid timber in them. Some objected to his preaching that he was always harping on fore-ordination. And it is certainly not a little remarkable that within so short a space of time this church should have had two pastors-Mr. Castner and Mr. Scott-who were ultra Calvinists. Mr. Scott seems to have presented these doctrines out of their proper proportion, and in such a manner as to lead many to mistake the decrees of God for a blind fate. A good old man, a mem- ber of the Lutheran Church, remarked that he "believed the Articles of the Synod of Dort, and that he liked to hear Mr. Hutton preach election, but that Mr. Scott he could not go."
Soon after Mr. Scott's settlement he became involved in some difficulties with respect to the
LOWER VALLEY CHURCH.
The church building in the Lower Valley was erected in Mr. Hutton's time. It owed its origin in part to a disappointment in the location of the Presbyterian Church. Some time after- wards the Presbytery of Raritan organized a congregation in the Lower Valley. This action Mr. Scott opposed, but his opposition was ineffectual. Thereupon an appeal and com- plaint was made to the Synod by the session of the church. In advocating this appeal before Synod, Mr. Scott went into a somewhat elaborate explanation of the relative position of German Valley and Schooley's Mountain ; and in the course of his speech he gave the Synod to understand that "the Valley does not extend up over the mountain." The Synod sustained the appeal of the session, and although the Presbytery of Rar- itan never rescinded its action, the Lower Valley Church soon died out.
As already remarked, the Church of German Valley, when
REV. J. H. MASON KNOX, D. D., J. L. D.
REV. HENRY M. VOORHEES.
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it first became a Presbyterian Church, was connected with the Presbytery of New Brunswick. Afterwards, when the Pres- bytery of Newton was formed, the Valley Church fell into the new Presbytery. Still later, when the Raritan Presbytery was formed, this church was connected with it. But the congrega- tion, not being pleased with the action of Raritan Presbytery, with respect to the organization of the Lower Valley Church, by a unanimous vote, the Synod was requested to transfer the church to the Presbytery of Newton. The transfer was made accordingly, and the church continued in Newton until 1861, when it was set back again into Raritan.
Soon after Mr. Scott entered upon his duties here, the total membership of the church was reported at sixty seven. Dur- ing the eight years that he continued here, forty-six were added on examination and fourteen on certificate. His Scotch dread of new measures and religious excitements, appears in a minute made on the reception of seventeen new members in 1843. " These," he says, "were the fruit of a genuine revival of religion ; the session being well satisfied of their piety, and all of them having been exercised for a considerable period, the most two, three and even four years."
On the 6th of October, 1839, the session resolved to nom- inate MR. DAVID NEIGHBOUR to the office of ruling elder. On the evening of October 13th, after public service, Mr. Neigh- bour was elected by a unanimous vote of the congregation, and was at once ordained. Immediately after the ordination, the session elected Mr. Neighbour to represent the church at the meeting of the Synod to be held in Trenton, on the following Sunday. So immediately did Mr. Neighbour enter upon the responsible duties of his office. And from that day to this- with the exception of a few years, during which he resided outside of the bounds of the congregation-he has been con- stantly and actively engaged in the service of the church. Long may he live to bless the church with his wise counsels and his good deeds ; by his faithful discharge of duty, his gen- erous liberality, and his earnest devotion to the cause of Christ, to furnish an example and a stimulus to a younger generation !
There can be little doubt but that in former years the
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church had been making contributions to benevolent objects. but there is no record of the fact before Mr. Scott's day. For the year ending in April, 1839, the church is reported as having raised " Missionary Funds" to the amount of $60. Two years later $72 are reported as contributed-$40 to Foreign Missions, $10 to the Bible Society, and $22 to the Theological Seminary. In 1842 the session ordered that hereafter quarterly collections be taken for benevolent objects, beginning with the Board of Foreign Missions, on the first Sunday in May.
At the beginning of the year 1843, Mr. Scott received a call from the Reformed Dutch Church of Newark, which he decided to accept. The Presbytery of Newton released him from his charge in the month of February. After he went to Newark he took a prominent position in the Dutch Church, and soon received the honorary degree of D.D. He died in 1858, at the age of forty-nine years.
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