USA > New York > New York City > A history of the Brick Presbyterian Church in the city of New York > Part 13
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Only two other items remain to be added to this
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already extended chapter. The first concerns the action of the Brick Church and its pastor in the pro- ceedings that led to the unhappy division of the Presbyterians into the Old and the New Schools. While Dr. Spring was absent in Europe a controversy, due to the spread of the New Haven Theology among some of the Presbyterians, came to a climax, and in 1837 the General Assembly, in which the staunch Calvinists had control, cut off certain western synods by what were called the Disowning or Exscinding Acts. Dr. Spring, as we know, rejected entirely the New Haven teaching; he was prepared to oppose it by all proper means; but he did not approve of the Exscinding Acts and he vigorously protested against them. "Error," he said, "has never been eradicated from the church by the severe process of adjudication. Where errors are not essential in their character. . the most effectual means of opposing their progress is the diffusion of light and the exercise of love. . . . Let the Church go forth unmanacled to the great work of converting the world." * When however, in spite of protest, the division had been accomplished, Dr. Spring and his church, since it was no longer a ques- tion how others should be treated, but what they themselves believed, unhesitatingly took their place in the ranks of the Old School. Blame, Dr. Spring tells us, was imputed to them by both parties, for what was deemed their neutrality. He claimed, however, that they had not been neutral. Their action had been, not negative, but positive throughout. It had been controlled throughout by the same clear and con- sistent principles. The plain fact was that they had
* "Life and Times," Vol. II, p. 55.
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allowed neither their strong personal views to make them unjust toward those who differed from them, nor their toleration to modify their own conscientious opinions; and their position is one that their descend- ants in the Brick Church regard with peculiar pride and gratitude.
Finally, it must be mentioned that not long after the event just described, Dr. Spring began to publish the books which soon became almost as influential in a larger field as his preaching had been within the limits of his parish .*
* He had published, in the earlier days of his ministry, a few small books and many pamphlets. The first of his larger works, referred to in the text, was "The Obligation of the World to the Bible" (1839). Next "The Attraction of the Cross," was issued in 1846. These were followed at short intervals by "The Power of the Pulpit" (1848); "The Mercy Seat" (1850); "First Things" (1851); "The Glory of Christ" (1852); and "The Contrast " (1855). Still later appeared "Pulpit Ministrations" (1864) and the "Autobiography" (1865). His completed works would fill twenty-two octavo volumes.
CHAPTER XII
RELIGION AND MORALS: 1810-1850
"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart."-Psalm 15 : 1 f.
"In what consists [Christianity's] true glory, unless it is in the fact that where it is thus ascendant millions of intelligent and immortal beings, in the solitude of their retirement and in the noise and bustle of the world, in the depression of their grief and in the tranquillity of their joy, in the secrecy and publicity of their devotions, in the rectitude, truthfulness, and benignity of their deportment toward God and their fellow-men, manifest his glory, who is 'the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth'?"-GARDINER SPRING, "The Glory of Christ," Vol. II, pp. 39 ff.
A S the last chapter was devoted to the pastor, so this one is devoted to the people of the Brick Church during this period of forty years. But the task now set before us is the harder of the two. Nothing, indeed, is more difficult than to ascertain the facts regarding the inner life of the peo- ple of former times, and in spite of a careful use of records and biographies and reminiscences, it is to be feared that we shall but attain to a picture of ex- ternals after all. It will be possible to state with some fulness what were the means used to bring the duties of religion home to the hearts of individuals and to control or correct their morals; but when we seek further a knowledge of the actual results, an acquaint- ance with the regenerated men and women themselves and of the thoroughness of their regeneration, we shall be able to do little more than catch a few tantaliz-
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ing glimpses, and must rely, far more than we should wish, upon a general knowledge of the church's strength, and a study (in the next two chapters) of the active Christian work of the congregation, in order to assure us that the means employed for moral and religious training were successful.
Most obvious among such means were, of course, the public services of the church. These, except for the necessary reduction of the number of Sunday services from three to two, continued as in the time of Dr. Rodgers. that is, morning and afternoon worship on Sunday, a prayer-meeting on Tuesday evening and on Thursday * evening a lecture. "The Old White Lecture Room," in which, until the build- ing of the new chapel in 1832, these week-night meetings were held, was remembered long after with an affection which assures us of the deep religious im- pression made by these gatherings. "What a foun- tain of sweet memories does its simple name unseal," exclaimed Mr. Horace Holden a short time before his death in 1862, "What deep and pungent convic- tions of sin! What tears of contrition! . .. What songs of triumphant rejoicing! It must be reserved for eternity to recount the triumphs of grace witnessed in the Old White Lecture Room."}
The story of how Mr. Holden himself, who after- ward became perhaps the leading layman of the church, was first introduced to this room, almost makes us feel as though we, too, had entered it. "In 1814," he says, "Stephen Dodge, a member of this church, . . . met me in the street and invited me to
* Changed to Friday for a time, beginning in March, 1825.
t "Br. Ch. Mem.," pp. 145 f.
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accompany him to your* Thursday evening lecture. I had never attended an evening religious lecture. I could not resist his polite entreaty. He called for me. He took me to the Old White Lecture Room, and seated me near the pulpit among the elders. The place was full. It was a new scene to me. I well remember the very spot I occupied on that memorable evening; and well do I remember the text, 'If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?' . . . From that night forward I became a regular attendant upon your ministry. That lecture decided my whole future."+
As will be evident from this passage the "lecture" was practically a sermon, so that this meeting de- pended wholly upon the pastor. Not so the weekly prayer-meeting. This, at least at certain periods, was conducted by the elders in rotation, and even if Dr. Spring was the leader, there were, he tells us, in those early days, no less than sixty men whom he could call upon to offer prayer. The meetings, under such circumstances, were, as may well be imagined, full of interest, and it is especially worthy of note that they were attended, not merely by the members of the church, but by many who were as yet uncon- verted. In 1820 it was even thought necessary to establish an extra meeting for prayer on the third Monday evening of each month, in order that the members of the church, meeting by themselves, might have the special benefit of more private and intimate communion.
Even two regular services between Sundays did not
* This is quoted from a speech addressed to Dr. Spring personally. t "Br. Ch. Mem.," p. 137.
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always exhaust the people's zeal. We learn that in addition "there were maintained for a long period twelve neighborhood prayer-meetings at private houses, on every Friday evening, in different parts of the congregation, sustained by committees averaging seven each, which were so distributed as every week to ensure a continual rotation."* It was certainly a strong church that could thus provide nearly a hundred men to carry on such a work. Other meet- ings held during the week, throughout the whole or a part of this period were the quarterly meeting, a large adult Bible class, the monthly concert of prayer for missions, t a class for instruction in the Shorter Cathechism, the singing-school, and the inquiry meeting. ¿
Only two of these demand at this time a fuller comment. The nature of the inquiry meeting may be learned from the following description, in which Dr. Spring was setting forth, under the form of a narrative, his conception of what such a meeting ought to be like. No doubt the methods here described were employed in the Brick Church. "I should judge there were from one hundred and thirty to one hun- dred and fifty persons present-chiefly of those who were from sixteen to thirty years of age, together with a few of more advanced years, and a few who were children. All were seated. . .. The meeting was opened by singing. . . When the hymn was closed, the object of the meeting was briefly stated,
* "Br. Ch. Mem.," p. 145.
t Toward the end of the period covered by this chapter this meeting was changed from the first Monday to the first Sunday of each month.
# This was probably occasional only, and may have been held on Sunday evening.
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and all were requested to kneel and unite in a few words of prayer. After prayer the pastor himself, together with three other gentlemen, who as I sup- posed were officers of the church, dispersed themselves throughout different parts of the room, and entered into conversation with the individuals who were present. Here and there were clusters of persons with whom they conversed collectively. The con- versation with individuals was sometimes continued two or three minutes, and sometimes elicited no answer. Sometimes it consisted of a single enquiry and an appended observation or two. And some- times it continued for eight or ten minutes. So that at the close of the meeting there were none who had not had the opportunity of a personal interview. . . . The conversation was conducted in rather a low tone of voice, and much as it would have been, had the parties been alone in a private parlor."*
The quarterly meeting, included in the list given above, was held during the week preceding each communion service, on Wednesday evening .; It was evidently what is now known as the preparatory service, and is described at one place in the records as "the quarterly meeting of the church with their children." It would appear that until 1816, new members were received into the church at this or some other weekday meeting, but in March of that year it was decided that this ceremony should take place "in the sanctuary and in the presence of the congregation." The "Profession and Covenant" used in the admission of new members is still in
* "Fragments from the Study of a Pastor" (1838), pp. 57-60.
t So in 1838. The day of the week may have varied from time to time.
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existence,* a very solemn and searching document. It required a somewhat extended declaration of faith in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and a confession of sin which included the following items: "the original and total depravity of your nature, the past enmity of your heart against God, the unbelief which has led you to reject a Saviour, and the manifold transgressions of your lives."
For a few months in 1845, "in view of the difficul- ties experienced in relation to the public profession and covenant," its use was discontinued, and it was ordered that "no other engagements be required of those received into the church save those entered into at the baptism of adults, as required by the Directory for Worship and those implied in actually coming to the Lord's Table." This change was soon reconsidered, however, and the church returned to its earlier practice.
It need hardly be said that candidates for admission to church membership underwent a careful examina- tion. It was necessary for all such persons to appear before the whole session and reply to such questions as were there propounded to them. In 1844, how- ever, an exception was made in the case of those who in the opinion of the pastor might be "deterred by diffidence or natural modesty" from submitting to this formidable examination. In their case, the pastor, alone or with the assistance of one or more elders, was permitted to conduct a more private inquiry into the candidate's "knowledge and faith." t Turning now to the Sunday services, we must re-
* See Appendix T, p. 539.
t In 1859 the examination of all by the session itself was again ordered.
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mark first of all that in those days there was, of course, no recognition of any of the festivals of the church year, so that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper,* observed four times annually ; in the simple and reverent manner of the non-liturgical churches,į was the only service that had a peculiar character of its own. To this one service, however, which he re- garded as the culmination of Christian worship, Dr. Spring gave a very marked emphasis. It was observable, we are told, that "he brought to it always, so far as he could, the most careful preparation on his own part and that of his people. . . . He gave it the highest prominence in his ministry, as the comfort of disciples, and the preacher of Christ to the world. At the communion table some of his most moving spiritual addresses were made."§
The character of a service upon an ordinary Sunday may readily be conceived by recollecting what has already been told regarding Dr. Spring's preach- ing, and from the following suggestive account of his
* In regard to the administration at this time of the other sacrament, that of Baptism, we know only that a silver bowl was provided for that purpose (see above, p. 81), and that the service was almost invariably held in the church. Only for very strong reason, such as sickness, was it allow- able to hold it elsewhere, and then at least one of the elders was present with the pastor.
Both the month and the Sunday in the month assigned for this service were changed from time to time. As an illustration may be given the dates assigned in 1827, viz .: the second Sundays of January, April, July and October.
# In regard to the silver communion service we have this note under the date, January 5th, 1819. "The committee (of the trustees) also reported that they had procured two pitchers, six flagons, two dishes, and one plate, making with the pieces previously belonging to the church a complete service." Four silver plates had been presented by a member of the congregation in 1813.
§ "Memorial Discourse," p. 25.
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manner of conducting public worship. "His prayers were wonderful," we are told by his successor, "rich in the letter and in the spirit of Holy Scripture, varied, most felicitous in all personal allusions, deep in the devotion of a Christian heart, comprehensive in their range, . . . even more remarkable than his sermons for marked impressiveness. . . . His reading of the Scriptures, his reading of hymns, were always accord- ing to the maxim so often used by Dr. John Mason, that 'correct emphasis is sound exposition.' One of the leading merchants of the city, whose name is the synonym for Christian benevolence, has told me that he never was able to shake off the religious impression made on him by Dr. Spring's manner of reading the hymn of Doddridge, 'Ye hearts with youthful vigor warm.'"*
Not upon the minister alone, however, did the character of the service depend .; The music during this period attained a considerable importance, and claimed a greater degree of attention than we should probably have supposed. When Mr. Spring came
* "Memorial Discourse," pp. 24 f.
t As to the customary or prescribed action of the congregation at the public services we know little. The following minute by the General Assembly of 1849 in regard to "Posture in Prayer" will, perhaps, be sur- prising to some readers: "While the posture of standing in public prayer, and that of kneeling in private prayer, are indicated by examples in Scripture and in the general practice of the ancient Christian Church, the posture of sitting in public prayer is nowhere mentioned, and by no usage allowed; but, on the contrary, was universally regarded by the early Church as heathenish or irreverent; and is still, even in the customs of modern and Western nations, an attitude obviously wanting in the due expression of reverence. Therefore the General Assembly resolve, that the practice in question be considered grievously improper, whenever the infirmities of the worshipper do not render it necessary; and that minis- ters be required to reprove it with earnest and persevering admonition." " Assembly Digest," p. 205.
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to the church the musical equipment consisted chiefly of the clerk, or chorister, as he was then beginning to be more frequently called. At first this official con- ducted the church's music by simply beating time and leading in the singing; but gradually his duties were, as we shall see, changed and enlarged. The gradual advance in his salary is an indication of this. The $100 paid in 1811 was soon increased to $150 or $200, with occasional relapses to the original figure. One especially valuable man, Marcus Alden, was allowed to augment his salary by a collection in the church. Later, in the thirties, the figure rose to $500, which was the highest reached up to 1850.
Seventeen different names appear on the list of choristers in the forty years, many of them for very short terms. Evidently it was a difficult position to fill. In 1813, for instance, Mr. Roberts, "a teacher of psalmody from Connecticut," is ushered in with a decided flourish, but even before the year is out Mr. William R. Thompson has succeeded him. Some- times the difficulty was increased by the fact that a man who could not properly lead the singing was, nevertheless, a faithful worker and an excellent Christian. There was one instance of this sort so striking that it deserves to be recorded for its illustra- tion of victory in defeat. Mr. S. P. Pond, who had served for several years, was told with regret, in 1841, that his work was not giving satisfaction. The com- mittee of the session, who presented the matter to him, reported, "that Mr. Pond treated the whole subject in a kind and Christian spirit, himself cheerfully re- signed his place, and suggested Mr. Comes as his suc- cessor." Also "that Mr. Pond is willing to continue
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his services in assisting Mr. Comes until the first day of February next." We are glad to hear that a hearty and appreciative resolution was passed and sent to this excellent man, and also that it was accompanied by a still more substantial recognition of his services.
Mr. Spring had barely been installed when Mr. Holbrook, the chorister of that day, obtained per- mission to teach sacred music in the session room on two nights in the week. Remembering what an im- portant part the singing-school in New Haven had played in the life of Mr. Spring himself, one fancies that his favorable opinion in regard to such institu- tions was not difficult to obtain. This new step- new, that is, for the Brick Church-is the first indica- tion of any decided movement toward the encourage- ment of the congregational singing in the church services. In 1815 Wednesday and Friday evenings were devoted to this enterprise. At first there was apparently no attempt to train any special group of people, general improvement in singing appearing to be the object in view; but in December, 1819, the session records the receipt of a communication from "the singers of the congregation" in regard to their instruction in vocal music. From this we may con- clude that the process of specialization had begun. Three years later they had advanced so far as to form a society which went under the formidable title of "The Association for the Promotion of Sacred Music in the Brick Church." What constituted this "sacred music" we do not know. At the church services most probably nothing but psalms in the metrical version and a certain number of hymns were permitted. Possi- bly a little more freedom was permitted at the "con-
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certs," which from 1819 were given in the church about once a year, partly as a benefit for the chorister and partly for some benevolent purpose or the church funds.
Some idea of the hymns admired and sanctioned in the church at this time may be gained from a little volume published in 1823 "by request of the mem- bers" and entitled "The Brick Church Hymns, De- signed for the Use of Social Prayer Meetings and Families, Selected from the Most Approved Authors, and Recommended by Gardiner Spring, D.D., Pas- tor of Said Church." Of the two hundred and fifty- odd hymns in this volume only about one-fifth con- tinue in use, and only one or two of these are among the really good hymns in our modern books; while some of the sentiments which were in 1823 com- mended to the use of Brick Church people will some- what astonish modern readers. For instance,
"Alas! this adamantine heart, This icy rock within! Alas! these active powers congealed By the deceits of sin."
It is no wonder that another hymn exclaims:
'My heart, how dreadful hard it is!"
Many of the selections dwell with painful persistence upon the lessons of mortality, such as that which begins,
"Death! "Tis a melancholy day,"
or that more famous one,
"Hark! from the tombs a doleful sound! Mine ears, attend the cry- 'Ye living men, come view the ground, Where you must shortly lie.'"
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Even in singing the glad tidings, the joy was not per- mitted to be unmixed; witness the uncompromising terms of the following:
"Go preach my gospel, saith the Lord, Bid the whole earth my grace receive. He shall be saved that trusts my word; He shall be damned that won't believe."*
It should be understood that the hymn books of those days contained the words only. The music was in a separate volume, and the bills for "music books" became, as time went on, a considerable item in the accounts of the treasurer. The fitting of tune to psalm (or hymn) was at first the work of a com- mittee of the session, consisting of the pastor and two elders, but afterward was evidently left to the dis- cretion of the chorister.
* Watts's Hymns, with additions by Dr. Timothy Dwight, had been "cheerfully allowed" by the General Assembly in 1802. Four years later they declared that other psalms and hymns than those expressly allowed might be used, but that sessions and presbyteries must keep strict watch to exclude "hymns containing erroneous doctrine or trivial matter." Down to 1820 the following books had been authorized: "Rouse's Psalms," "Watts's Psalms" and his three volumes of hymns, and Barlow's and Dwight's revisions of Watts. In that year the Assembly decided to have a book of its own prepared, which should include "a compilation of the metrical versions of the Psalms" and "a copious collection of hymns and spiritual songs from various authors, giving the preference to those now authorized, so far as good taste, sound sense, and enlightened piety admit." This book was issued in 1830. A revised edition appeared in 1843. At the very end of the period under discussion, namely in 1848, the Assem- bly appointed a committee on church music with special reference to the preparation of a book of tunes. One paragraph in the Assembly minutes is especially interesting: "It is proposed to add an appropriate selection of set pieces for special occasions, such as anthems and chants, both metrical and prose, adapted to our psalmody, and also to portions of the common prose version of the Book of Psalms and other inspired lyrics from the Old and New Testaments." This tune book, or "psalmodist " was completed in 1850. See "Assembly Digest," pp. 195 f.
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The musical society above referred to did not last long, unhappily. Ten months after its first mention in the records it is referred to as "the late association." But meantime it had made one hopeful suggestion. It had proposed that the singers in the congregation have assigned to them certain special pews in the gallery of the church. The trustees gave their ap- proval and bought certain pews for this purpose, making them free of rent for the singers' use. 'Then for the first time a choir might be said to have been assembled. This was in 1822. Shortly after this either the funds were low or applications for places in the choir became suspiciously numerous, for we learn that the singers, though continuing to occupy their special seats, were required to pay a pew-tax; but finally the more generous policy was resumed. Pews No. 86, 85 and 38 "in the front gallery" facing the pulpit, were set aside for the choir, and permission was even given to make such changes in them as would adapt them more perfectly to their purpose.
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