USA > New York > New York City > A history of the Stanton Street Baptist Church, in the city of New York : with a sketch of its pastors, and a register of the entire membership > Part 5
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
I am dying ! Will you promise me that you will seek the Lord ?' He answered that he would try. Our young brother then spoke to an aunt present, who was far advanced in life, and exhorted her to prepare for death. Then he attempted to sing, repeating-‘ Hal-le-lu-jah- glory-O that eternal weight of glory-hal- le-lu-jah-I would not live alway, I ask not to stay,' etc. Then, turning to his only brother, he said, in sweetest accents : 'Live for God. Be thou faithful unto death, and meet your brother in heaven.' After this, reverently turning to his father, he said: 'My dear father, did you ever contemplate the glorious plan of salvation ?' 'Yes, my son,' replied his father. 'Is it not majestic ?' responded William. ' It is, my son,' answered the father, adding, 'and you will soon behold it with immortal sight.' 'Oh, my father,' said the dying son, 'I see it now five times as bright as you do. Oh glory !' 'Oh 'tis not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy that he saves us-hallelujah-glory !'
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HISTORY OF THE
" ' O sing to me of heaven, When I am called to die-
Sing songs of holy ecstasy, To waft my soul on high.'
"Then to his mother he said : 'This is death ! I am dying ! I've got my senses-I can see-I can hear-but my breath'-(gasping for breath as he was speaking). 'Oh this machinery. Je --- Jesus is precious. Downy pillows were never so soft as a dying bed with the presence of Jesus.
Hallelujah ! After remaining quite silent and motionless for a few moments, he suddenly became animated, and cried out: 'The chariot of the Lord and the horsemen thereof.' One word more-' hallelujah !'-fell from his faltering tongue, when he ceased to breathe, and his sanctified spirit was unclothed of its earthly house, and soared aloft to glory and to God, to be clothed upon with that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. He requested to have inscribed on his tomb-' LIVE FOR GOD.' "
The funeral sermon was delivered in the Stanton street Church by the pastor, from these words, selected by himself during his last ill-
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
ness-" I have found a ransom."-JOB, xxxiii. 24.
For some months, an inquiry had been going on relative to the propriety of administering the ordinance of baptism in the meeting-house instead of in the river, as hitherto. It was thought that the expense of engaging convey- ances to the water, the noise caused by them in passing through the streets, thus disturbing the worship of other churches, and the extreme dif- ficulty of securing a suitable place along the river, were reasons that would justify the con- struction of a baptistery within the meeting- house. On the twenty-third of June, 1847, there- fore, the church authorized the Board of Trustees to erect a baptistery, with necessary rooms adjoining. They immediately entered upon the work, and caused a building to be erected in the rear of the meeting-house, contain- ing two rooms and the pulpit, under which was placed the baptistery.
While these alterations were taking place, the pastor was sojourning in Europe. There his health greatly improved, and he visited the
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HISTORY OF THE
birthplace and grave of John Bunyan, and many other places frequented by that good and remarkable man-a fact that accounts, in part, for the success of brother Remington's series of lectures on Bunyan and the Pilgrim's Progress, delivered after his return.
It should be remarked that the first discourse delivered by the pastor in the new pulpit, was founded on Nehemiah, viii. 4: " And Ezra, the scribe, stood upon a pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand ; and on his left hand Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and Hashbadana, Zecha- riah, and Meshullam." The appropriateness of the text to the circumstances under which the discourse was delivered, was somewhat remark- able.
It is worthy of notice also, that a copy of their large illustrated Bible was presented for pulpit use by Harper & Brothers, and the church acknowledged their courtesy in a suitable man- ner .- One of the first persons baptized in the
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
meeting-house was brother D. H. Miller, who was licensed to preach on the 4th of April, 1847. Five persons were immersed in the new baptistery on the first Sabbath of November. In the summer of this year heaters were substituted for stoves, and the next year new pews were put in at a cost of $1,650. These changes greatly improved our meeting-house.
The winter having now come, and the provi- dences of God opening the way, the church resolved, on the evening of the 24th of Decem- ber, "that relying on the great Head of the Church for a blessing on their efforts, they would, commencing with the new year, hold a series of religious meetings every evening except Saturday, so long as the providence of God might seem to justify the same." A preparatory resolution had been passed on the 22d, "that the first Monday of the new year should be observed as a day of humiliation, fast- ing and prayer, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church and the world." As the result of these means put forth, three persons were baptized upon the first Lord's day in
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HISTORY OF THE
January, 1848, and on the evening of the 31st, twelve persons related their Christian ex- periences and were received for baptism. The work now went forward; twelve persons were baptized on the last Sabbath in February, and eight on the first Sabbath in March.
The number of baptisms during Mr. Reming- ton's ministry was two hundred and eleven (211), the total received to our fellowship amounted to three hundred and thirty (330); and though we numbered five hundred and twenty-eight (528) when he left us, only one hundred and seventy- eight of them were members with us when he took charge. These facts show how soon a church would die without constant additions from the world around. These continual fluctu- ating and changes do not, however, weaken the cause at large. Many colonies and members have gone out from this body to constitute and strengthen other churches, and scores have left us for the better land.
In the letter to the Hudson River Association, for the year 1848, the death of Deacon James Cowan was announced. Brother Cowan was a
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
native of the north of Ireland, where his child- hood and youth were spent, and where he was trained by pious parents for the service of the Lord. In the year 1800 he emigrated to this country, and was for some years a teacher in the Sabbath school connected with the church of which Rev. J. Chase was the pastor. Being once invited to open the exercises of the school with prayer, he with great mortification, de- clined-a circumstance which led him imme- diately to make up his mind to be a Christ- ian. This resolution he by divine grace put in practice, and in April, 1827, he came be- fore the Union Church and related the Lord's dealings with his soul. His baptism was admin- istered by Elder Eastman, on the first Sabbath in March, in the North River. From this time until the day of his death his labors were abun- dant. For seventeen years he was connected with the Sabbath school, thirteen of which he bore the responsibilities of the office of super- intendent ; and although he was released from these severe cares for the four years preceding his death, he, nevertheless, lost none of the lively
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HISTORY OF THE
interest which he had ever manifested in the welfare of children. The last words he uttered a few moments before his departure bear witness to this. "Tell the Sunday-school teachers," said he, "to be faithful. Tell the church and the pastor to be faithful." He was a member of the first Board of Trustees ever elected by this con- gregation. During the many years in which he served his brethren in this capacity, his integ- rity, prudence and correct business habits were remarkable. As a deacon, he was faithful to his brethren and his pastor, and as a church clerk, he was prompt, careful, and accurate to the most minute particular. The church was be- reaved in his death, but they were rejoiced in the continued grace manifested in his last moments, and in the evidence he gave of his adoption into the family of Christ. A series of resolutions was passed at the church meeting held April 28th, which, considering his well- ordered life as a legacy to Zion, the church ordered to be placed upon the records. His companion still lives to mourn his loss, and con- tinues to look forward with the Christian's hope,
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
to the time when they shall be reunited. Brother Cowan was the only officer of the church who has died while in its service.
For some years preceding his decease, brother C. had not enjoyed robust health, but on the Sabbath of the week in which he died, he was in his place as usual. On the following Sunday the meeting-house was crowded on the occasion of his funeral.
In June, 1849, Rev. John Pettes, a brother greatly beloved, was removed by death; and we lost two excellent brethren by the cholera in the summer of the same year.
On the evening of July 10th, 1850, a deeply interesting farewell missionary meeting was held in our house of worship. It was the eve of the departure of Rev. Eugenio Kincaid and Dr. Dawson for Burmah. In the course of his re- marks, brother Kincaid said: "I was born in the northern part of this State, near the St. Law- rence. When quite a lad, I had a strong desire to obtain an education. asked my pastor if he knew any learned minister of the Bap- tist denomination. He informed me that there
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HISTORY OF THE
was one by the name of Hascall, residing some- where out in Madison County. We got our best, though imperfect, map of the State, and ascer- tained its location, and with a bundle under my arm, I started off, one hundred miles on foot, to find the place. While pursuing my studies at Hamilton, under elder Hascall, I heard a sermon from a returned missionary, Rev. Luther Rice. I then resolved, before he was half through with his sermon, that if the Lord would open the way, I would become a missionary. I went to Bur- mah, and remained there thirteen years. If, in my first going out, there was anything like ro- mance in it, I am certain there is none now. We know where we go, and what trials we shall be called to endure. We know not that any- thing new can happen to us. I have spent many happy days with Christians in my native land, but never was I more happy than when upon the banks of the Irrawaddy, far away from civil- ized society, and surrounded by pagan darkness. We go six hundred and fifty miles beyond any missionary station and from a post-office, in the heart of the Burman Empire.
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
"My dear Christian friends, we shall probably never see your faces again in the flesh. We shall often, when far away, visit, in imagination, your dwellings, meet in your public assemblies, bow with you at your family altars, and sit with you at your tables. Then pray for us. Fare- well !"
He was followed by Dr. Dawson, who said : "In 1830, while on heathen shores, I heard a sermon from a missionary, and when going from the meeting, putting his hand upon my shoulder, the missionary remarked, 'My lad, you are young, but not too young to serve God.' That remark was the means of leading me to Christ. And now, how mysterious the Providence that I should be permitted to return in company with the same missionary."
Rev. S. H. Cone, D.D., then said : "At the request of this Church, and also of the Board of the Missionary Union, I arise to address a few words to you. Twenty years ago you preached in the old Oliver street meeting-house, upon the eve of your departure for the heathen. Taking
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HISTORY OF THE
your text from Ephesians, you dwelt upon the distinguishing doctrine of grace. We rejoiced that you were going far hence to preach such a Gospel. I remember well while you were preaching at that time how the perspiration poured from your face. I slipped a white hand- kerchief having my name marked on it in full into your hand, with which you wiped away the tears and big drops, and, apparently refreshed, continued your discourse with new vigor. After sermon you handed me the handkerchief. I said no; it is not mine. Brother Kincaid tells me he has that handkerchief still. You say there is
no poetry in the work now. Why, my brother, it is all poetry. Did you not preach to us last Sabbath morning from these words, ' Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheri- tance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession.' Do we not read, 'They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.' Is not all this poetry-the poe-
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
try of the Bible? What shall I say in parting with you, my brother ? The Lord Jesus Christ be with you ; when you come to see the heathen land, you will need the Lord Jesus Christ with you. Though you go six hundred and fifty miles beyond any missionary, and into the heart of Burmah, yet if you have the Lord Jesus Christ with you, you will have nothing to fear." Then taking them by the hand, he said: "I bid you farewell. If you were my own son," said he to brother Kincaid, "I could not feel a deeper in- terest in you. It will be but a short time before we shall shake hands on the battlements of the celestial city. Twenty years ago I said we should not meet again. I thought so then ; I am very sure of it now. I am going soon to my narrow home. Farewell !"
Rev. John Dowling, D.D., then read the 105th · hymn of the Supplement to the Psalmist (by the missionary Sutton):
"Hail! sweetest, dearest tie, that binds Our glowing hearts in one ; Hail! sacred hope that turns our minds To harmony divine.
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It is the hope, the blissful hope, Which Jesus' grace has given- The hope, when days and years are past, We all shall meet in heaven !"
The entire congregation rose and sung this hymn with deep feeling, and after taking up the collection, which amounted to some seventy dol- lars, the benediction was pronounced by brother Kincaid.
The words of Dr. Cone were lamentably true. He passed away from the scenes of his toil before brother Kincaid revisited his native land.
The pastor, who was with brother Benedict when he died, preached a suitable discourse upon the subject, November 26th, 1848, from Daniel xii. 3. " And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament ; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever." Mrs. Elizabeth Noe, one of our con- stituent members, departed June 10th, 1848, in the 65th year of her age, and the 42d of her Christian pilgrimage. Miss Malvina Harris, and others greatly beloved, passed away from time to time, and on Sabbath morning, December 7, 1851, :
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
Mrs. Eliza Ann Remington, wife of our pastor, deceased, after a long and painful illness. Her funeral was attended in the meeting-house on Tuesday by an immense crowd of sympathizing friends. The Rev. Thomas Armitage preached on the occasion, by request of the deceased, from 1 Peter, i. 3, 4, 5. Her remains were removed to Greenwood.
Soon after this event, on the 24th of December, the pastor tendered his resignation, and his con- nection with this church terminated February 1st, 1852. His farewell sermon was preached from Phil. i. 27, and the church voted a cordial ex- pression of their fraternal feeling for brother Remington, in a letter from which the following extracts are taken :
" DEAR BROTHER : In parting with you, we rejoice to know that the kindest feeling exists between pastor and people, and we only become reconciled to your leaving us from the fact that you feel fully persuaded that the Mas- ter has a more important work for you in another part of his vineyard. In surveying the
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HISTORY OF THE
past, we well remember the discouraging pros- pects which attended your coming among us.
. . . We were then just passing through
severe trials ; our former pastor leaving us and taking with him a colony of above one hundred of our number, and one-fourth of our congrega- tion. Our house of worship was, how- ever, soon filled with attentive hearers, and many happy converts were added to us. . And now, dear brother, in parting with you, we are happy that, as we have lived together in peace and harmony, so we part. Our prayers go with you to your new field of labor. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit ever- more. Amen."
On the 15th of May, 1852, we lost a lovely young Christian brother in the death of Washing- ton Lewis. While health enabled him, he was an efficient and faithful Sunday-School teacher, but it was soon evident that he was fading away. Some time was spent in Georgia for the benefit of his health, and he also visited the South of Europe, but all in vain. He died in great peace,
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
the pastor being with him, and closing his eyes. On Sunday the young men bore his body to the meeting-house, and brother R. preached from 1 John, iii. 2. The body was placed in front of the pulpit, where so many loved ones have lain, and the entire congregation passed around to take the farewell look. His remains repose in the beauti- ful cemetery in Second street, but his ransomed spirit has, we believe, ascended to its Father and its God.
From New York, brother Remington went to Philadelphia, and took charge of the Third Baptist Church in that city. After a pastorate of some two years in Philadelphia,* he re- moved to East Brooklyn, and assumed the pas- toral care of that church, to which he minis- tered nearly five years. In the spring of 1859 he resigned, spent a few months with the church at Gloversville, N. Y., and then accepted the unani- mous call of the Mount Olivet Baptist Church in this city.
* From Philadelphia brother Remington went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he spent a few months.
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HISTORY OF THE
Changes during the Fourth Period.
ADDED BY
DIMINISHED BY
YEARS.
Baptism.
Letter. .
Expr'e and Rest'n,
Total.
Letter.
Death.
Exclusion.
Dropping.
Total.
-
From Nov. 15, '46, to June, '47,
28
18
7
53
129
4
6
4
143
June,
'47,
'48,
75
35
2
112
28
6
7
1
42
1
'48,
'49,
39
20
1
60
19
6
3
0
28
'49,
-
'50,
38
15
1
54
24
7
6
1
38
'50,
'51,
28
10
1
39
34
4
11
1
50
66
'51, to Feb., '52,
3
5
4
12
25
3
8
0 36
Total,
211 103 16 330
259 30 41 7 337
Number when brother Remington came, ..... 535 Gain, 330
865
Loss,
337
528
a
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
PERIOD V. MINISTRY OF THE REV. EDWARD T. HISCOX, D.D., SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1852.
AGAIN was the church without a pastor for the period of seven months, the first two of which were well supplied by Rev. Marvin W. East- wood; and we have reason to believe that under his labors, souls were added to the Lord as well as to the church. As he would not entertain a call, the body looked elsewhere for a spiritual head, and on the first of March an invitation was extended to Rev. D. G. Corey, of Utica, who had been with us for a brief period. But Mr. C. preferred to remain at his old post, and the attention of the church was next directed to the Rev. E. T. Hiscox, of Norwich, Connecticut. At a meeting of the members, held April 25th, 1852, the committee on pastor recommended that brother H. be chosen as our future minister, and accordingly a call was ordered by a unani-
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HISTORY OF THE
mous vote. It was also agreed that the salary should be $1,500 per annum, instead of $1,200, as formerly. This invitation was accepted by brother Hiscox, June 4th, and he entered upon the discharge of his duties on the first of Sep- tember: it should be stated, however, that he spent a number of Sabbaths with us previous to that date, and baptized several into the fellow- ship of the church.
Edward Thurston Hiscox, was born August 24th, 1814, in the town of Westerly, Rhode Island. He remained at home on the paternal estate until thirteen years of age, when he accepted the invitation of an elder brother, resid- ing in another part of the State, and with him he spent several years, visiting home only at occa- sional intervals. He was religiously instructed from his infancy, his mother being a pious mem- ber of the Society of Friends, and his father, with his ancestors for many generations, belonging to the Seventh-day Baptist connection. Indeed, the Rev. William Hiscox was the first pastor of the first church of that denomination in this country. His son, Rev. Thomas Hiscox, having
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
been educated in England, succeeded his father, and was an honored and influential minister of the Gospel. The advantages for obtaining an education which the young Edward enjoyed, were such as the children of that day possessed, and they were extremely limited. He was fond of reading and study, however, from an early period of childhood, and eagerly perused the few books within his reach. For some years after he left home he had access to a considerable library, and though he enjoyed but little leisure time, he accomplished a wide range of general reading. From the very nature of the case, these efforts were not critical and systematic, being prosecuted by himself without teacher, associate, or guide; and, to a great extent, in hours taken from needful rest. Still, whatever gain or progress in knowledge was made in after years, much must be referred to this period of his life. It was during these years that the ground was examined, the foundation laid, and many of the scattered materials gathered for subsequent use.
At length the way was opened to gratify
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HISTORY OF THE
long-cherished desire to pursue a more sys- tematic course of study ; and by the generous aid of an older brother, he entered the Plainfield Academy, in Connecticut, then and for many years one of the best high-schools in New Eng- land. His classmates were young men fitting for college, and with them he pursued the clas- sics and other required studies, and with such success, that at the close of the first year he was prepared to enter college himself. But obstacles arose ; his sight was much impaired by too close application, especially at night; and for two years any considerable effort at reading or study was impracticable. And besides, the want of the necessary pecuniary means seemed to raise a barrier to his further progress, even if nothing else should prevent. But out of all this dark- ness light arose. The religious training of his earlier years began to show its results, and at the age of fifteen he obtained satisfactory evi- dence of his conversion. He was away from home at the time, and surrounded by circum- stances calculated to discourage even a convert of maturer age. Four years passed before he made
:
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STANTON STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.
a public profession of his faith; but in Septem- ber, 1834, he was baptized into the fellowship of the First Baptist Church at Wakefield, R. I., by the Rev. Flavel Shurtleff, pastor. Immediately after uniting with the church, he commenced attending and taking part in all social religious meetings accessible to him. In this way, his talent for usefulness in the church was deve- loped; and thoughts of the Gospel ministry, which had possessed his mind at intervals for a long period, became more deep and frequent. Still, feeling himself entirely unfit for the work, he was induced to engage in teaching, and for a year he devoted his energies in that direc- tion. At the expiration of that time, one of his brothers, who was engaged in a lucrative busi- ness, placed an establishment at the young man's disposal, with all the capital necessary to command success. Though not to his mind, the generous offer of his brother proved too tempt- ing, and he accepted it. But before the expira- tion of the first year, the crisis of 1837 came on the flattering prospects of pecuniary success were blasted, and he closed his business without
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HISTORY OF THE
profits and without regrets. In February, 1838, he received a license from the church at Wake- field, to preach the Gospel. For a few months he gave himself to study, and then he was invited to the charge of the male department of a boarding-school about to be established in Lebanon Springs, N. Y. This invitation was accepted, but at the expiration of six months he was requested to supply the pulpit of the Baptist Church in that place, the pastor having removed. After preaching there for half a year, he re- solved to go to Hamilton ; and entering nearly a year in advance, he completed his collegiate course in the summer of 1843. The winter fol- lowing he spent in supplying a church in the eastern part of Connecticut, and in the spring of 1844 he accepted a call to become the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Westerly, R. I., his native town, the church having given him a similar invitation the year previous. On the first of May, 1844, one month after his settle- ment, he was married to Miss Caroline Orne, of New Hampshire, a graduate of Mrs. Willard's celebrated seminary at Troy. During the three
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