USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > Amwell > The history of the First English Presbyterian Church in Amwell > Part 5
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Last winter I called on Mr. Peter R. Young, then in his 90th year, and living with his daughter at Morris- town, to learn something of the old Church. But his memory had failed, and there was but little that he could give in a way that I could rely upon it. But this is a part of what he said. The floor of the Church was of brick and the means of heating was to build a fire of logs outside the Church. Coals from such fire were gathered into a large iron caldron or kettle and carried to the cen- tre of the Church. The fumes arising from these coals would some times cause persons in the gallery to faint. He had some interesting reminiscences about the Schencks who he said came to this country in 1630 and that they owned a very large tract of land, extending from Ringoes to Pennington. Also he said that General Washington advised the oldest of the Schencks then living not to join the army, but to continue on the farm to raise grain to feed the army. This reminiscence of Mr. Young I men- tion, but because of his failing memory, it is to be re- garded rather as a subject for inquiry, than as a statement of fact.
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
The Presbytery of New Brunswick was organized 1738, and directed to hold its first meeting August 8th, at New Brunswick. It was ordered at that meeting that "Mr. Wales preach at John Fraissier's upon the third Sab- bath of this instant, upon Monday following at Edward Barbers, and upon Tuesday at Amwell meeting house." Thus it appears there was a meeting house in existence in 1738. Hence the date I have quoted from Jasper Smith's paper, making the "Old House" our previous Church fifty-two years old in 1791, was not our first Church building, or else there is a slight error in the date. I think it altogether more probable that there was this still "older house" in existence, somewhere in the Amwell Val- ley, which was supplanted by the one built on the York Road in 1739.
A fact of greater historic interest than the date of the origin of the Church is the first meeting of the Presbytery at Amwell. The Synod, then the highest court of the Church, had ordered that every candidate for the minis- try, not having a degree from a university, must, in lieu of that, have a certificate from the Synod's Committee on Candidates for the Ministry, before it was in order for a Presbytery to proceed with his license. The Presbytery of New Brunswick, however, at its first session disre- garded this order of Synod. John Rowland, a native of Wales, appeared before the Presbytery and was taken on trials. It is true he was a graduate of the Log Col- lege, but that,by no means answered the requirement of Synod for a degree from some university. Neither had he the certificate in lieu of it, from Synod. September 7th, 1738, the Presbytery proceeded with his license,
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
claiming that to the Presbytery belonged the original jurisdiction in granting a license, and that the Synod had no right to interfere. The Synod at its next meeting en- tertained a complaint of this action of Presbytery, and expressed its disapproval. At the meeting of Presbytery just mentioned, which was held at Freehold, more sup- plies were requested by Amwell. Though there was a great scarcity of ministers John Rowland was appointed to preach at Amwell. The Rev. William Tennent was also appointed to preach at Amwell the first Wednesday in September, 1739. In that same month the people of Amwell offered a petition for the ordination of Mr. Row- land. That meant his settlement as pastor. On the 11th of October, 1739, the Presbytery met at Amwell, with a view to ordain Mr. Rowland. This is the first meeting of Presbytery at Amwell. It held its first session on the evening of the first day at the house of Michael Henry. Among those present were William and Gilbert Ten- nent, also graduates of the Log College, under their fath- er. The record of this meeting in the minutes of the Pres- bytery of New Brunswick, which is the authority for these statements, is as follows:
"The affair of Mr. Rowland being resumed, the Pres- bytery do report that, after deliberate consideration upon the present circumstances of Amwell, inasmuch as they desired, but one-third part of Mr. Rowland's time and labors among them, judged it improper to ordain him to that place in particular, and therefore the necessitous state of the Church so requiring, they proceeded to ordain him, sine titulo, i. e. to the ministry of the word in general." Hence he was not installed as pastor at Amwell. He,
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
however supplied Amwell and Lawrenceville for about six months, and this ordination took place in the Amwell Church. There is to-day, 1898, an added interest ad- hering to this license and ordination of Mr. Rowland, because the license was granted contrary to a standing rule of Synod, and the ordination in face of the admoni- tion of Synod; and because the act, and the plea that original jurisdiction in this matter belongs to the Pres- bytery, and not to the Synod, is substantially the same as the case of the Presbytery of New York, which claims original jurisdiction in the matter of granting license, and disregards the deliverance of the General Assembly, which grew out of the Briggs case.
And this was maintained with great spirit and earnest- ness, only two weeks ago, in the Presbytery of New York, so we had substantially a Briggs case in the Presbytery of New Brunswick, and this old Amwell Church, directly concerned in the matter as long ago as in 1739. And while this act of the Presbytery was a leading factor in causing the Schism of 1741, yet it is pleasant to know that New Brunswick acted without personal bitterness, and long before the union in 1758, came to recognize the fact that unity was much to be preferred to division, and that authority and mutual concession are better than dis- order and variance.
It will be interesting to have a brief account of Mr. Rowland's labors on this field. At the time "the piety of the Church, both among the ministry and laity was in a languid condition." There had been an awakening a few years previous, in Freehold, under John Tennent. This began to be felt in other sections. Whitefield came to
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
America in 1738. His preaching deepened this interest. The Tennents and Whitefield were in full accord in Spiritual matters and withal sometimes uncharitable, not to say unchristian, in their utterances about what they regarded as an unconverted ministry. Rowland embraced the views of Whitefield and the Tennents. He writes that at the Presbytery in 1738, the congregations of Maid- enhead (Lawrenceville) and Hopewell (Pennington) put in a supplication for me. The opposition to him that arose afterward about the manner of his license increased to so much dislike to him at Hopewell (Pennington) that the use of the Church was denied him. Hence he preached in private houses, and in barns. Shortly after the people of the Hopewell Church, who desired him, obtained permis- sion from the Presbytery, and erected a Church for his use. It was nearer the river than the present Church at Pennington. After the reunion, this part of the congre- gation returned to the old Church, and the new building went down. Rowland labored zealousy in these two Churches. He writes "there is another town (township he means) lying contiguous to Hopewell, which is called Amwell. The people there, are something numerous like- wise, and having none to labor among them, they peti- tioned for a part of my time, namely, one Sabbath in three." His ordination for this field, as we have seen, led to the serious difference between the Presbytery and the Synod. He continues, "there was a small number in Hopewell and Maidenhead, truly acquainted with vital religion, as far as I could judge, before I came among them. They seemed so earnest in prayer, night and day, to have the gospel in power among them, as if they would
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
take no denial. But in Amwell there were very few who knew the Lord Jesus when I came among them. Yet in many ways they were an agreeable people."
"The subjects I insisted on for about six months were conviction and conversion. Usually I made use of the most rousing and awakening texts. Some began to be convinced that they were in misery, and knew not the way to the Kingdom of heaven. I commonly preached at night as well as in the day, and frequently on week days. The people of God were much enlivened to see poor sin- ners convinced of the perishing nature of their State, and their absolute need of Christ. The effect was they bore great love to one another, and sweet peace among them- selves, so that I was not interrupted from my work, in making up differences among them."
"In the month of May, 1739. I began to preach on the most inviting and encouraging subjects. A sermon from the text, The Master is come and calleth for thee, was brought home, through the divine influence, upon many Souls. Solemn weeping, and deep concern appeared throughout the congregation."
Again in Amwell, July 27th, 1740 and in Maidenhead August 3rd, God was pleased to magnify his grace, in vis- iting poor sinners. He opened their eyes, to see themselves without Christ, and without hope in the world. Their convictions were attended with great horror and trem- bling, and loud weeping, which I suppose could not be stopped so easily as some do imagine for I observed that many did continue crying in the most doleful manner along the road, on their way home."
On one occasion after sermon I enquired of these per-
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
sons the real cause of their crying out in such a manner. Some answered me "that they saw hell opening before them, and themselves ready to fall into it. Others an- swered that they were struck with such a sense of their sinfulness, that they were afraid the Lord would never have mercy on them."
"As to the issue of these convictions, many of them were followed with sound conversion. Others backslided and became stiff-necked again, though the numbers of the back- sliding in these towns, was not so great as I have seen in some places. One great means to prevent backsliding from convictions in Amwell was this; when the husband was taken, the wife was also taken; or, when the wife was visited, the husband was also; so they were ever stirring up each other. Many such instances are in the town of Am- well, upon which account that congregation appears to me peculiarly beautiful. As to Maidenhead and Hopewell, I believe that one great means the Lord used there to prevent backsliding, was the care and diligence of some of the Christian people in conversing with the convinced." Mr. Rowland was a real Boanerges in denouncing the terrors of the law against impenitent sinners, and because of his faithfulness, the ungodly nicknamed him "the hell- fire Rowland."
A very brief notice of Mr. Rowland after he left Am- well, Hopewell and Maidenhead, will show how the in- fluence of the first Amwell preacher has been extended. He went from here to the Great Valley of Providence and Norristown, Pa. While laboring there, the grandfather of Archibald Alexander was converted .* Also the an-
*Dr. Murphy's Log College Presbytery.
5
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
cestors of Revs. Robert, Samuel and Hugh Hamell, D. D., were converted under his ministry. Likewise under his preaching and that of Whitefield the soul of that pre- eminent preacher, Rev. Samuel Davies, afterwards presi- dent of Princeton College caught its inspiration. Another fact of deep interest was the visit of Whitefield to Am- well. He was undoubtedly the greatest preacher since the Reformation. Mr. Webster and Dr. Mott have placed this visit of Whitefield to the Amwell Church in 1739. Long ago I became convinced there was an error as to this date, believing the time to have been in 1740, I wrote to Rev. Mr. Dulles, librarian of the Theological Seminary Library at Princeton, asking him to investigate the matter. He answered that I was correct, since a volume in the library made Whitefield's visit to Amwell in 1740.
I was not satisfied to make the correction on this tes- timony alone. Hence, when I was in Philadelphia re- cently, searching for material for this history, I looked up the matter of Whitefield's visit. In the memoirs of the Life of Whitefield, compiled by Rev. John Gillies, D. D., and published in 1772, I found extracts from Whitefield's journal, written by William Seward, White- field's companion in travel.
In a continuous extract from that journal we have:
April 13, 1740. Mr. Tennent informed us of the great success which had attended on brother Whitefield's preaching when last here.
April 14. Mr. Jones, a Baptist minister, told us of two other ministers who were affected with our brother White- field's spirit, viz., Mr. Treat and Mr. Morgan.
April 18. This day was published our brother White-
-
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
field's letter to the inhabitants of Md., Va. and N. and S. Carolina about their abuse of the poor negroes.
April 22nd. Agreed with Mr. Allen for 5,000 acres of land at the Forks of the Delaware for 2,200£ Sterling; the conveyance to be made to Mr. Whitefield, and after that assigned to me, as security for my advancing the money. Mr. Whitefield proposes to give orders for build- ing the negro school on the purchased land before he leaves the province.
April 24th. We came to Mr. Wigner's plantation in Skippack, where many Dutch people are settled, and where the famous Mr. Spalenburg, (Spangenburg) resided late- ly. It was surprising to see such a multitude of people gathered in such a wilderness country, thirty miles distant from Philadelphia ( !) Our brother was singularly carried out in his sermon to press poor sinners to come to Christ by faith, and claim all their privileges, viz, not only righteousness and peace, but joy in the Holy Ghost. Af- ter he had done, our dear friend, Peter Boehler preached in Dutch, to those who could not understand our brother in English. Before our brother left Philadelphia he was desired to visit one who was under a deep sense of sin, from having heard him preach. And in praying with this person, he was carried beyond himself, so that the whole company who were about twenty, seemed to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and magnified the God of heaven.
"April 25th. We rose at three o'clock and though our brother Whitefield was very weak in body, yet the Lord enabled him to ride near fifty (50) miles and to preach to about five thousand (5,000) people at Amwell, with the same power as usual. Mr. Gilbert Tennent, Mr.
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Rowland, Mr. Wales, and Mr. Campbell, four godly ministers, met us here. These brethren are said to have given the people three sermons before the arrival of Mr. Whitefield. Saturday, April 26, we came to New Bruns- wick, and preached there and on Sabbath to seven thou- sand people. New Jersey Archives XII, page 26, corrob- orates this date. The statement of 5,000 at Amwell April 25, 1740, looks almost like an impossibility. Know- ing how people are prone to overestimate numbers at any gathering, I so regarded it when I first saw it. But the evidences convince me it may be received as accurate. Let us remember the intense religious feeling now awakened, and the marvellous oratorical powers of the preacher, Ben- jamin Franklin went to hear him in a cold calculating way to find out the secret of his power, but soon found himself a captive. His statement is that so loud and clear was Whitefield's voice and so distinct his articulation that he estimated he could be heard by 30,000 people. He was less than a month in Philadelphia and yet so great was the change wrought that there was religious service held every day for a year after, and three times on Sabbath. Twenty-six associations for prayer were formed. The judges at Chester hearing he was to preach in their town, sent him word they would adjourn the court until after the sermon. A platform was erected and he preached to seven thousand. At Wilmington he preached twice to five thousand. At Philadelphia ten thousand assembled on Society Hill to hear his last sermon. On Sabbath at White Clay Creek to eight thousand. When he left Phil- adelphia, a thousand people accompanied him on horseback out of the city. But where did the five thousand come from? From far and near. As evidence, an Indian Chief
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
was known to walk fifty miles to attend communion at Crosswicks in the days of David Brainard. When White- field arose at three o'clock in the morning so weak as to need help to mount his horse, and rode from Philadelphia to Amwell to preach, could not the people go an equal distance. The reputation of the man, his matchless ora- tory, and the intense interest of the people make it possi- ble. To-day people interested, will go from twenty to forty miles to attend a State Fair, to see some machinery, some fancy work, some fine horses, cattle or sheep, because interested. Those were the days, when a man was thought to be better than a sheep, and an interest in the Kingdom of more moment than the success of a party, and a man's soul of more value than earthly goods. So I believe it, "Five thousand at Amwell to hear Whitefield." And as we are to-day working and preserving and honoring every house where Washington may have stopped for a night or a few days at most, so may we count it an honor, and cherish the fact with much pleasure that April 25th, 1740, Whitefield, the prince of preachers, honored our church with his presence and his labors, and drew together this vast audience of five thousand people to hear him. Of course the sermon was delivered by the Church, not in it.
After Mr. Rowland left Amwell, the Church continued to be served by supplies. August 2nd, 1742, a call was presented to Presbytery for the services of a Mr. McCrea, (supposed to be Rev. James McCrea, licensed by Presby- tery November 5th, 1739, and ordained August 4th, 1741). The answer of Presbytery was that Mr. McCrea supply Amwell as formerly. He continued with the Church, as supply until May 28th, 1745. May 26th, 1746, Mr. Davenport was appointed to supply Second
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
Bethlehem one-quarter of his time, Amwell one-half his time, and the remaining quarter at Hopewell and Maiden- head. May 19th, 1747, Amwell petitioned for three- fourths of Mr. Davenport's time, which was granted.
This arrangement soon ceased. Mr. Davenport sup- plied Amwell only occasionally after that, in 1747, and in 1748. In October, as already stated, the Rev. Charles Beatty was appointed to supply Amwell one-fourth of his time, and Mr. James Campbell three Sabbaths before our next. Mr. Beatty, you remember, married Ann, daugh- ter of Governor Reading. He and Mr. Campbell, Mr. Allen and Mr. Chestnut were among the supplies. Mr. Campbell was the principal supply until June 12th, 1750, when he declined a call to Amwell, previously received, and accepted one to New Providence and Charlestown.
It will be a surprise to many, I am sure, to be informed that May Ist, 1749, this Church held a Lottery. This was a common practice at that day among the churches and colleges when they wished to raise money. The Col- lege of New Jersey did this, (See New Jersey Archives, Vol. XII, First Series), which also gives an account of the Amwell Lottery, as here presented, and of many others. The Legislature, however, passed an act at that very time, making them unlawful.
SCHEME Of The
Amwell in New-Jersey LOTTERY,
For raising Six Hundred and Thirty Pounds, for the finishing the Presbyterian Meeting-House, and buying a Parsonage.
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
Number of Prizes.
Value of Each.
Total Value.
2
of
£100
are
£200
3
of
50
are
150
8
of
30
are
240
12
of
15
are
180
25
of
IO
are
250
40
of
5
are
200
150
of
3
are
450
200
of
2
are
400
990
of
£
I .IOS.
are
1485
Prizes
I430
First drawn
5
Blanks
4170
Last drawn
IO
5600
From which
3570
Tickets at 15s. each, is £4200
deduct 15£ per
630
Cent. is
£4200
The Drawing to commence on or before the First Day of November next, at the Meeting-House abovesaid, if filled by that Time, under the Care and Management of Martin Ryerson, Esq .; and Messrs. Peter Prall, Mich- ael Henry, and Emanuel Coryel, who are to dispose of the Tickets, and to be under Oath for the faithful Man- agement of the same. The Fortunate are to receive their Prizes entire; the 15 per Cent. being deducted from the whole Sum produced by the Sale of the Tickets be- fore the Drawing begins, and not from the Prizes after they are Drawn: Fourteen Days Notice at least to be given before the Day of Drawing; the Prizes are to be
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
printed in this Paper, when the Drawing is concluded .- The Pennsylvania Journal, September 1, 1748.
The Managers of the Amwell Lottery, hereby give Notice, that they intend to put the Numbers in the Boxes, the latter End of April next, so as to begin the Drawing thereof on Monday the first Day of May, when they will certainly proceed therein without any further Delay or postponing; Mean while there remains some Tickets in the Hands of the Managers to be sold as usual .- The N. Y. Gazette Revived in the Weekly post Boy, Feb. 27, 1749. See N. J. Archives, First Series, Vol. XII, page 483.
THE FIRST PASTOR, REV. ELIAB BYRAM. 1751-1754.
The time came at length, however, for relief from the unsatisfactory system of supplies. The first settled pastor of the Church, was the Rev. Eliab Byram. Mr. Byram was born at Bridgewater, Mass., and graduated at Har- vard College in 1740. His ancestor Nicholas Byram, set- tled in Bridgewater in 1660. He became pastor of Roc- siticus, now Mendam, New Jersey, in October, 1743.
Rocsiticus was placed under the care of the Presbytery of New Brunswick in 1738, but at its own request was restored to the Presbytery of New York, the next year, Mr. Byram was present at the formation of the Synod of New York in 1745.
The celebrated David Brainard had Mr. Byram for his /companion in his first journey to the Susquehanna in 1746. Brainard speaks of him with much affection. Mr. Byram afterward labored in 1746, and 1747, in Augusta Co., Va., and his labors there were greatly blessed. The
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THE COLONIAL PERIOD
awakening resulting therefrom, lasted until 1751 (Web- ster). Falling Spring and Providence called him in 1747, having had experience of his faithfulness and ability, but he declined to settle in Virginia. His very success in Vir- ginia, brought him into trouble, for there was a very bit- ter feeling excited against him by "The Old Side," which stirred up the government of Virginia against the reviv- alist .* Mr. Byram had Mr. Deane, of Brandywine Manor, Pa., and a graduate of the Log College, with him, in these missionary labors in Virginia.
Mr. Byram joined the Presbytery of New Brunswick May 22nd, 1751. He became at this time a supply for Am- well. He was called to the pastorate of this Church June 25th. He was duly installed as pastor of Amwell First Church, August 14th, 1751.
He married "Phebe, daughter of Ephraim Leonard, of Raynham, of an ancient and honorable family," the his- torian says. So there was a good beginning in the first pastorate of this Church in this, that the pastor's wife was as is becoming, of an "honorable family." And we must not overlook, what it is very pleasant to record, that the first pastor of this church, was so imbued with the mis- sionary spirit, that he was an acceptable companion to the Sainted Brainard, the great missionary to the Indians, and that he himself gave a part of his early years to other missionary labors. In the Amwell Valley, after he settled here, he cherished the same spirit, for we learn that here Mr. Byram's labors were so successful that in 1754, the year of his death the Presbytery was petitioned by the
*Dr, Mott,
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AMWELL FIRST CHURCH
people bordering on the Delaware," to give them the privilege of building a meeting house for their own con- venience. This was granted, and a separate congregation was formed, and a Church built at Mount Airy, which was called the Second Amwell Church. These two Am- well Churches continued as united charge, served by the same pastor down to 1818, (Dr. Mott). The petition presented to Presbytery for the organization of a church at Mt. Airy was presented "by the people bordering on the Delaware." This gives the western boundary of the charge as at first constituted, and continued until the church at Lambertville was organized. On the east there was no church until you come to Reading Town, as it was then called. Many of the strong families on the north came from Flemington and miles beyond, as the nearest churches in that direction were those of Bethlehem and Kingwood as now named. The only churches within these boundaries was the Episcopal Church at Ringoes, and the Dutch Calvinistic Church at Larison's Corner, organized in 1749. To the northwest was the German Baptist Church at headquarters organized in 1732 (Con- verse).
Upon this territory constituting the pastoral charge of Mr. Byram, when he was installed, and from all parts of which he had members in attendance, there are now seven Presbyterian Churches, two Reformed Churches, and many Methodist and Baptist Churches.
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