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* NOV 9" 1910 
 
 FORI^T YEARS AT liARITAK. 
 
 Eight MemoPiIAl Sermons. 
 
 NOTES FOR A HISTORY OP THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCHES 
 IN SOMERSET COUNTY, N. J. 
 
 ABRAHAM MESSLER, D.D., 
 
 PASTOR OF THE CHURCH OF UARITAN. 
 
 New- York : 
 A. LLOYD, No. 7 2 9 BROADWAY 
 
 1873. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in tlie year 1873, 
 
 By AARON LLOYD, 
 
 In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The first four sermons were originally published in 1852. 
 They are republished now, because they have been long out of 
 print. The whole includes a record of the views, sentiments, and 
 labors of forty years in one congregation, and are intended as a 
 legacy to friends. 
 
 The appendix is added to dispose of matter collected through 
 all these years, and which it is thought ought not to be lost. We 
 are indebted to the Plistorical Discourses of Rev. Dr. Steel and 
 E. T. CoRWix for man J' things relating to New-Brunswick and 
 Millstone. These discourses are almost invaluable. Other friends 
 have aided as they could, and have our thanks. The Avhole vol- 
 ume is a contribution of the heart to my own people, and gene- 
 rally to the churches in Somerset County. 
 
 ABRAHAM MESSLER. 
 
 SoMERViLLE, N. J., November, 1872. 
 
TABLE OF CONTEIS^TS. 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 iii 
 
 Sermon I. 
 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 
 V. 
 
 VI. 
 
 VII. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 A PASTOR'S MEMORIAL. 
 
 The Pastor longing for the Salvation of his 
 
 People /i 
 
 The Revivals in the Church op Rauitan 20 
 
 Experience and Death instructing Men 40 
 
 An Improvement of thp: Past , 58 
 
 Remembrance of former Days 75 
 
 The REHEARS.A.L OF THE PaST FOR INSTRUCTION 91 
 
 Former Things to be remembered and improa'ed . . 106 
 God with us Forty Years 125 
 
 THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF DR. MESSLER'S PASTO- 
 RATE. — The Prepai'atioiis — Cler<r.vmen present— Rev. Dr. G. Ludlow't; 
 Prayer — Dr. John A. Todd's Add ressr^— Addresses by A. M. Quick and 
 Rev. A. F. Tood — Prayer loy Rev. N. Conklinji' — Tlie Rece]ition — 
 Presentation Note 141 
 
 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 The Church of Raritan. — Early Settlement — First Settlers — In New- 
 Brunswick, Raritan — Tliree and Six-Mile Run — Churches org-anized 
 and visited by G. Bertholff— T. J. Frelinglinysen called to Raritan — 
 Three and Six-Mile Run, North-Branch — Meniljers of the Church of 
 the River and Lawrence Brook — The Character of Frelinfyhuysen and 
 his Labors — The Great Revival — Opposition to his Evangelical Doc- 
 trines and Preaching — The Advocate dissected — Notices of Mr. Freling- 
 huysen's Family — Date of Death not known — His son John succeeds 
 him — He is succeeded by J. R. Ilardenbergh — Dinah Van Berofh — 
 Hardenbergh's ('haractcr and Ministry — Raritan Churcli burned by the 
 Queen's Rangers — Hardenbergh resigns and becomes Piesident of 
 Queen's College — T. F. Romeyn called — John Duryea succeeds hini — 
 'i'lie Church reV)uilt — J. S. Vredenburgh's successful Ministry — R. 1). 
 Van Kleek's Pastorate — Dr. Messier succeeds him — Ministers from the 
 Raritan Church 150 
 
. vi • CONTENTS. 
 
 The Church of New Brunswick. — Early Settlement by John Inians 
 & Co. — The Church at Three-Mile Run — Early Sul;scription List — a 
 Church erected in New-Brunswick — Differences harmonized by services 
 in the town and at 'i'hree and Six-Mile Run — Nourished by Ministers 
 from Long Island — List of the Families in the River Church — T. J. 
 Frelinghuyseu called — "Old Gonferentie Families" — Emigrants from 
 Albany — V. Antonides organizes the Conferentie — Whitefield preaches 
 — J. Lej'dt settled by the Coetus — His Sons — J. R. Hai'denbergh Pastor — 
 Succeeded by Ira Condit — John Schureman's Pastorate — Jesse Fonda's 
 Ministry — Dr. John Ludlow's Labors — Succeeded in turn by Isaac Ferris, 
 J. B. Hardeubergh, and Jacob J. Janeway — S. B. How's long and faith- 
 ful Pastorate— R. H. Steele called 204 
 
 Six-Mile Run Church. — Churcli organized and the first House 
 erected — Heads of Families — New Church erected — Separates fiom 
 New-Brunswick and \inites with Millstone in calling J. M. Van 
 liarlingen — His Character sketched — Recollections of him by Dr. 
 Wyckoff — James S. Cannon called in 1797 — Sketch of his Life, Labors, 
 and Character — James Romeyn called — His Character and Ministry — 
 Succeeded by J. C. Sears 223 
 
 Church of Readington. — Record of Baptisms and Consistorial Meet- 
 ings — Conferentie Tendencies and Movements — Helpers appointed — 
 New Church erected and this replaced by another — New Consistory 
 elected — Action of the Coetus — Conferentie Statement of the Differences 
 between the Parties — Dom. Fryenmoet's Labors — Geriit Leydecker 
 preaches — S. Van Arsdale called — Peter Studdiford— John Van Liew's 
 long Pastorate — J. G.Van Slyke called 239 
 
 Church of Harlingen. — Organized by the Conferentie — Henricus 
 Coens — V. Antonideus' Labors — John Arondeus' Course — Action of the 
 Coetus respecting him — A Coetus Church organized, and a House 
 erected at Sourlaud — List of Members — Joli. M. Van Hailingen's 
 Pastorate — William Richmond Smith's Ministry — Name of Church 
 changed to Harlingen — Henry Polhemus — Blawenburgh secures a 
 House of Worship — Peter Labagh called — His Ministry — Estimates of 
 his Character by Drs. Ludlow and Bethune — John Gardener called .... 253 
 
 Church of Neshanic— Organization — Baptismal Register— J. R. 
 Hardenbi-rgh the first Pastor — Solomon Froeligh succeeds him — 
 Gabriel Ludlow called and still Pastor 208 
 
 Church of Millstone.— Organized as Presbyteiian— This replaced by 
 a Dutch Church — Seventy Families petition for Preaching Services — 
 House of Worshij) built — Parsonage secured — F. C. Foering's Minis- 
 try — Somerset County Court-house burned — S. Froeligh called — His 
 call acted upon directly by the Synod— His removal to Schraelenbergh 
 — Seccssif)n and Death— J. L. Zabriskie's Ministry and Character— He 
 is succeeded l)y John De Witt and E. T. Corwin 373 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 The Church of Bedminstek. — An Outpost of Ravitan — Organized — 
 House of V\"orslup built — History involved with that of Raritan and 
 Readinjjton — John Schureman called — Charles Hardenburgli called — 
 I. M. Fisher called — The Ministry of George Schenck — William Brush 
 called— Charles H. Pool, Pastor 382 
 
 The Church op Lebanon. — Of German origin — Michael Schlatter's 
 Missionary Labors in Lebanon, Amwell, and German Valley — John 
 Conrad Wirtz, the first Pastor — Supplied by William Kails, C. M. 
 Stapel, J. W. G. Nevelling, and F. Dalliker — Casper Wack's Pastorate 
 — Baptismal Register — German supplies failing — Unites with White 
 
 . House and calls Jacob J. Schultz — Charles P. Wack, Pastor — Robert 
 Van Amburgh, John Steele, and Van Benschoten. successively, 
 Pastors 290 
 
 White House. — Church organized — Admissions to — Calls C. T. Dema- 
 rest, and erects a Church Edifice — Calls J. J. Schultz and P. S. Wil- 
 liamson, James Otterson, George Tallmadge, L. L. Comfort, Aaron 
 Lloyd, Smith Sturgis, and William Bailey 297 
 
 THE MORE RECENT CHURCHES. 
 North-Branch Church. — Grew out of the great Revival — George H. 
 Fisher, A. D. Wilson, James K. Campbell and P. M. Doolittle, succes 
 sively, Pastors— Church Edifices erected 1826 and 1854 302 
 
 BIjAWENBurg Church. — Organized out of Harlingeu, and erects a House 
 of Worship — Henry Hermann, J. R. Talmage, T. B. Romeyn, C. W. 
 Fritts, and W. B. Voorhees, Pastors — A flourishing Church 303 
 
 Middlebush Church. — Organized out of NeAv-Brunswick — J.J. Schultz 
 the first Pastor — Succeeded by J. A. Van Doren, George W. Swayne, 
 and S. L. Mershon 305 
 
 Clover Hill Church. — Organized by S. A. Bumstead — Edifice dedicated 
 — Garrett C. Schenck, William Demarest, Pastors — Becomes Presby- 
 terian — Returns to the Classis of Philadelphia — Calls W. B. Voorhees. 
 and again B. Oliver 306 
 
 Raritan, Second Church. — Organized and built a House of Worship 
 — Call Charles Whitehead — He is followed by T. W. Chambers, E. R. 
 Craven, and J. F. Mesick 306 
 
 Stanton, or Mt. Pleasant Church. — Organized out of Readington — 
 Built a House and called J. R. Van Arsdale. — He was succeeded by 
 H. Doolittle, and he by Edward Cornell 307 
 
 New-Brunswick, Second Church. — Formed out of the First — Present 
 House of Worship erected — Succession of Pastors 808 
 
 Griggstown Church. — Organized in 1842— Builds a House — Calls J. S. 
 Lord— Then J. A. Todd, E. P. Livingston, and S. Searle 309 
 
vni CONTENTS, 
 
 BouNDBROOK CiiURCii. — Organized — Builds and dedicates a House, and 
 calls, successively, G. J. Van Neste, W. Demarest, H. V. Voorliees, B. 
 F. Romaine, and J. C. Dutclier 310 
 
 Raritan, Third Church. — A Chapel and Preacliiag Station prepares 
 for the organization — Church erected and dedicated — P. Stryker called, 
 and succeeded by J. A. H. Cornell and J. Lc Fever 310 
 
 Peapack Church. — Organized 1848 — Edifice built and dedicated — Wil- 
 liam Anderson called — H. P. Thompson, Pastor 311 
 
 Branchville Church. — Organized, builds and dedicates a House, 
 1850— Calls H. Dater, then William Pitcher 812 
 
 Easton Church. — Organized — Calls J. H. M. Knox — New Edifice dedi- 
 cated — This sold and another built— C. H. Edgar called 312 
 
 East Millstone Church. — Organized with 18 members — Build a 
 House— Call G. Vander Wall, then David Cole, M. L. Berger, W. H. 
 Phraner, and A. Mc William 314 
 
 Rocky Hill Church. — Organized — House dedicated — Martin S. Schenck 
 called, then Oscar Gesner and H. C. Berg .... 315 
 
 POTTERSVILLE CHURCH. — Organization — House dedicated — T. W. Jones 
 called— Succeeded by F. B. Carroll 316 
 
 High Bridge > Church. — Organization — House erected — Pastors, J. 
 Wyckoflf", K. Van Amburgh, J. Fehrnian 317 
 
 Clinton Station Church. — Organized out of Lebanon and supplied 
 by J. A. Van Doren 317 
 
 German Churches 317 
 
 Plainfield Church 318 
 
 Charter of the Five Churches 318 
 
 General Index 324 
 
A PASTOR'S MEMORIAL. 
 
 THE FIEST SEKMON. 
 
 PiJEACiiED Oct. 29Tn, 1837. 
 
 THE PASTOR LONGING FOR THE SALVATION OF HIS PEOPLE, 
 
 " On ! tliat my head were waters, aud mine eyes a fountain of tears, tliat I 
 might weep day and night for the slain of the daugliter of my people." — 
 Jeremiah 9 : 1. 
 
 The immediate occasion prompting tliis patlietic language 
 on the part of tlie propliet was tlie anticipated destruction 
 of tlie city of Jerusalem, as a consequence of the sins and 
 apostasy of its inhabitants. He could not see that sacred 
 city where was the sanctuary of Jehovah, and where " the 
 tribes went up to worship, even the tribes, in the temple of 
 the Lord," given to desolation, and all his kindred involved in 
 its ruin, without tears. The " slain of the daughter of his 
 })coplo" awaked his tenderest sympathies and made him feel 
 as if he ought to weep, even more than nature allowed him to 
 do. When he saw the dreadful scene, it appeared to him that 
 he was not adequately aifected by it— his conceptions were not 
 as vivid and his heart as sensible as the magnitude of the evil 
 rendered proper ; and he prayed for " a fountain of tears," that 
 they might flow continually ; for his " head to dissolve in 
 waters," that he might " weep day and night." 
 
 "When he considered the state of the people, ho did not find 
 any thing in their moral condition to afford him any hope ; 
 nor did their obstinacy seem to forebode any thing but a cer- 
 tainty that God Avould execute his threatened vengeance, 
 lie had not even pleasure in associating with them, on account 
 1 
 
6 MEMOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 of their marked impiety, and tlie filtlij conversation of the 
 wicked which pained his ears ; and he longed for the solitude 
 of the desert, where he might be alone and unvexed. " O 
 that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring 
 men, that I might leave my people and go from them." On 
 every side their provocations seemed rapidly to increase ; and 
 from every place the evidence of their apostasy appeared to 
 rise np, convincing him that it was impossible that the 
 threatened vengeance should fail. Nineveh had repented and 
 its guilty inhabitants been spared; even Sodom would not 
 have been consumed if there had been found five righteous 
 men in it ; but for Jerusalem, in its abounding corruptions, 
 and hardened impenitency, there w^as no hope : from the peo- 
 ple even to the priest, all did wickedly — all perverted judg- 
 ment, and hastened on the direful calamity that was to sweep 
 them almost entirely from the face of the earth, and make 
 their name a by-word among the nations. Was not the 
 prophet justified in manifesting such deep emotion? Was 
 the fervor of his feelings'any thing but what the scene, as he 
 saw it before him, was calculated to produce? 
 
 The text admits of a natural and profitable application to 
 our circumstances. There is no sin more heinous in tlie sight 
 of heaven than the ingratitude and impenitence of a Christian 
 l)eople. There is none which sooner and more certainly calls 
 down the vengeance of God. Have w^e any of it ? And shall 
 we then hope to escape ? Ah ! indeed, w^hen we consider what 
 our privileges have been and how we have improved them ; 
 what hardness, impenitency, and worldliness we have exhibit- 
 ed in our conduct ; how many warnings of his providence 
 have been in vain, and how many solicitations of his love have 
 failed ; what years of provocation and rebellion we have spent ; 
 we may well tremble; and our pastors and Christian friends 
 may well seek to move us, and express their sympathy for us 
 in the affecting language of Jeremiah, " Oh ! that my head 
 were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might 
 weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my 
 peoj^le." 
 
 Here is a striking and beautiful sentiment. Let us en- 
 deavor to improve it by making it the theme of our present 
 
HEMOEIAL SERMONS. 7 
 
 meditations. It may express the solicitude with wliich, after 
 so many years of vain effort, we regard you to-day. If we 
 consider it carefully we shall find it to yield us most important 
 and varied instruction. We remark — 
 
 I. It shows us the feelings of a Christian pastor, when his 
 w^arnings are unheeded, his expostulations fail, and he sees his 
 people stupid, imj)enitent, and hardened, while wickedness in- 
 creases and the word is as if it were sown amonix thorns or on 
 a rock. 
 
 Without feigning any thing or pretending what is not ex- 
 perienced, I appropriate it to myself, as I stand up before you 
 this morning, on the anniversary of my settlement as your 
 -pastor, and, after five years of earnest and prayerful expostu- 
 lation, find so many of you yet in your impenitence. If weep- 
 ing would effect any thing, I could weep over you ; if tears 
 had in them power to move, my tears could flow in copious 
 showers. Like the prophet, I could wish to weep even more 
 than nature allows ; exhausting the fountain of sympathy in 
 my heart, in order to reach yours, and subdue their enmity to 
 love. There is in the condition of impenitent men, under 
 tlie means of grace, everything to induce such feelings in the 
 heart of a faithful pastor. Let us consider this for a moment ; 
 it may be you have not reflected upon it, and are not prepared 
 to accredit what we avow ; and therefore the appeals which we 
 make to you may not reach that place in your heart in which 
 we would fain lodge them. They are more intimately con- 
 nected with your eternal state than you imagine. 
 
 The ministry of reconciliation is the only instrument which 
 grace in its deep compassion has determined to employ for 
 the salvation of sinners — and it is a sufficient instrumentality. 
 A faithful ministry makes constant appeals to the understand- 
 ing and the heart, to convince the one of sin and win the other 
 to God. No one can attend such a ministry, and remain in a 
 state of impenitency, without making constant opposition to his 
 convictions of right and to the dictates of his conscience. The 
 process which is going on necessarily, in the mind of every 
 impenitent man under the Gospel, is a hardening process. In 
 awakening appeals which every Sabbath are sounded from the 
 sacred oracles, there is created a necessity for renewed and in- 
 
8 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 creasing opposition, if he refuse to hear them and submit to 
 Grod. Under sncli an influence it is impossible to remain un- 
 affected — the heart of necessity grows harder, and the mind 
 becomes more insensible to the interests of eternity and to the 
 salvation of the soul. Every day is therefore in eflect a step 
 backward from the path of life, and renders the probability 
 increasingly certain that no means will be found so efficient, 
 no warnings so importunate, no expostulations so affecting, as 
 to brins: the rebel to the foot of the cross and bow his stub- 
 born neck to Christ. 
 
 Estimate now, if you can sufficiently, the demerit of such a 
 state. All sin is a gi-eat evii in tlie sight of God ; but impeni- 
 tence is a dreadful and aggravated evil. Its character is hate- 
 ful and its consequences are most appalling. It not only turns 
 our hearts awa}^ from God, but it makes him our enemy. " It 
 is an evil and a bitter thing (says the prophet) that thou hast 
 forsaken the Lord thy God, and that his fear is not in thee." 
 It produces a blind insensibility to all the mercy and compas- 
 sion of God, and leads us to disregard his vengeance and to 
 dare his Avrath. It obscures the understanding so that we can 
 not see our true interest, and hardens the heart so that we can 
 not estimate the danger of our position and our relation to 
 eternal things. It has an infatuating power which produces 
 blindness and leads us to call evil good, and good evil, and 
 waste upon the pleasures of sense and the vanities of time the 
 treasures of immortal glory. 
 
 Impenitence is opposed to the character of God, and the 
 claims of his righteous law. It contravenes directly his right 
 in us and the authority whicli he claims to rule over us. It 
 can not exist in any of his creatures without obligations of the 
 utmost moment, in the moral government of the world, being 
 violated, and claims the most affecting and tender being dis- 
 regarded. 
 
 Impenitence makes the cliaracter of man as a creature of 
 God hateful in the sight of his Maker by making him a de- 
 spiser of his goodness and long suffering. There are no cir- 
 cumstances possible which can so mitigate its evil or extenu- 
 ate its ingratitude as to deprive it of this hateful feature, or 
 prevent this fearful result. Hence he can not away with it. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. f) 
 
 Hence his deteriniiiatloii to punish it; because if it were sut- 
 fered to continue in this his moral empire, it would not only 
 destroy his right to reign as a sovereign, but absolutely endan- 
 ger the health of all his creatures. To refrain from punish- 
 ing it would be to abandon his cherished purpose, forego 
 the most solemn declarations of his truth, and prove unfaitli- 
 ful to himself where both his authority and our dearest inter- 
 ests were involved. Hence there are so many threatenings of 
 wrath, so many warnings, so many assurances that the sin- 
 ner shall certainly die, and that all the impenitent shall per- 
 ish forever from his presence in the burnings of his indigna- 
 tion. " The wages of sin is death." The sinner, though an 
 hundred years old, shall die. " God shall cast the fury of his 
 wrath upon the wicked and rain it upon them." 
 
 The Gospel furnishes to an apostate world the only means 
 of escape from the consequences of impenitence, which grace 
 has been enabled to devise, and in which God can be just and 
 the sinner obtain salvation. In the Gospel, the character and 
 work of Jesus Christ are clearly exhibited, and all suitable 
 promises of encouragement presented, to persuade us to em- 
 brace his righteousness by faith, and live ; while in its moral 
 influence we have the most effectual means to overcome the 
 enmity of our hearts and the pride of our unbelief. Through 
 the enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Holy Ghost, 
 it is " the power of God and the wisdom of God " to renew 
 the heart and cleanse the soul from sin. If this great instru- 
 ment fails and these means prove ineflicient, there remains to a 
 sinner no more hope ; for there is no other sacrifice for sin, 
 no other ]iame by which we can be saved, no other instrument 
 to awaken us to life. 
 
 This tlie faithful pastor knows, knows it well. He has a 
 double evidence of this soleuni truth. He has the determina- 
 tion of God as expressed in liis word, and a consciousness re- 
 sulting clearly from the work of grace in his own heart. He 
 has seen God's truth fructifying in the humble and contrite 
 lieart, and producing a meetness for heaven. He has witness- 
 ed, too, how upon the impenitent it produces hardness and 
 blindness, and how, the savor of it being lost, it works deatli. 
 If he be a true Christian, he has, besides this, experienced 
 
10 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 in his own soul tlie terrors of the wrath of God, and felt the 
 fearful dread of his indignation against sin. When he pleads 
 with men, he speaks, consequently, with all the earnest impor- 
 tunity of i*eal conviction, and with all the persuasive elo- 
 quence inspired by a sense of the danger which he sees ; de- 
 claring what lie hath seen, and urging what he hath known in 
 ]iis own experience. 
 
 In many cases, moreover, he feels a peculiar interest. For 
 some he is conscious of strong affection, for he is dealing with 
 those whom he loves; in others a yearning tenderness, for he 
 is pleading Avith those for whom he would willingly im])art 
 not the Gospel only but his own soul also to bring tliem to 
 Christ. "What affecting associations at the same time urge him 
 on in his work, and point tlie language in which he addresses 
 them ! He has seen them in affliction — he has sought to 
 comfort them in their sorrows. He has stood by their sick-bed 
 to warn — ^by their death-bed to entreat. He has met them in 
 the path of pleasure as a faithful mentor, and in the vale of sor- 
 row as a tender, sympathizing friend. He has borne them on 
 the arms of faith and prayer, in his retirement, at the throne 
 of grace, and with many strong cries and teare sought to bring 
 down the blessing of God upon their souls. For many long- 
 years he has followed them, and endeavored to impress their 
 minds with a sense of sin, and win their hearts to holiness. 
 But all seems to be in vain. Every means which he has con- 
 trived, every instrument which he has adopted, fails. All the 
 avenues to their heart appear to be closed, and insensibility 
 grows more insensible — impenitence more impenitent. Yeai*s 
 roll on — death approaches — judgment draws near, and the day 
 of grace is just ended ! What is he to do ? He knows they 
 must die; he knows just as well that they are not prepared to 
 die. Shall he abandon them? shall he throw off from his 
 mind and heart all interest in their welfare ? How can lie do 
 this ? They are associated with all his recollections of tlio 
 past. Their name rises up in all the solemn scenes of his life, 
 and their image is entwined with the tenderest feelings of liis 
 heart. He must therefore be sad, very sad, when thinking of 
 tlieir end ; and many gloomy, very gloomy anticipations must 
 crowd upon his mind as he follows them to the conclusion of 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 11 
 
 their course. lie expects to stand by tlieir deatli-bed, wlien 
 tlio hand of the destroyer is npon them, and the swellings of 
 flordan come into their souls : and he knows that that last 
 druggie must be a fearful one — that that last hour must be 
 Avitliout hope. Can he then cease to feel for them, to warn 
 them, to pray for them? Ah no! no! Like the prophet he 
 will weep in secret, and complain that the fountain of his 
 emotion is dried up. lie knows too well the whole of their 
 dreadful condition, and sees but too certainly the whole terror 
 of their fearful doom. If his head were waters and his eyes 
 a fountain of tears, he would weep daj" and night for the slain 
 of the daughter of his people. 
 
 This is one application of the sentiment in our text. It is 
 almost literally that of the Prophet himself. He saw a tem- 
 poral ruin coming upon his friends and fellow-citizens. We 
 have described the spiritual and eternal ruin which awaits the 
 impenitent. This is as certain as that which he foresaw, and 
 infinitely more awful in its consequences. If the vision of 
 the former tilled his mind with dreadful forebodings and drew 
 a flood of tears from his eyes, how much more must the latter 
 overwhelm an aflectionate Pastor with sorrow ! O impeni- 
 tent man! you do not know how much prayer and kindness it 
 becomes necessary for you to oppose and prevent in order to 
 hold on your guilty course. You do not know how much you 
 grieve the heart of your friend. How affectionately desirous 
 he is of your peace ; and how truly he can say with Paul, " We 
 are w^illing, not only to impart unto you the Gospel of God, 
 but our own souls also, because ye are dear to us !" Oh ! when 
 will you be wise, and cease to grieve his heart, and the heart of 
 that aflfectionate Saviour, who once died for you on the cross, 
 and still pleads for you in heaven ? 
 
 Need I pause to tell you personally to-day how much I de- 
 sire your peace ? Need I remind you that I have been seeking 
 it earnestly for five years ? Shall I call to your remembrance 
 all the prayers sent up to heaven in your behalf, which you 
 have prevented; all the warnings, urged witli importunity, 
 which you have disregarded; all the expostulations, earnest 
 and repeated, whicli you have set at naught? May I not ask 
 vou, isit nothing tliat all this has been in vain? Are there 
 
12 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 110 forebodings in it? Does it give no evidence of a moral 
 state, or a coming retribution ? Five years of earnest eifort 
 to save you, but in vain ! Then you liave iive years of neglect- 
 ed gospel privilege to answer for, and I charge you to look to 
 it ; for your eternal interests are involved in the answer you 
 will give to God when you stand in judgment. 
 
 II. Anotlier illustration is furnished in the feelings which 
 grow up between Christian friends. Suppose the existence of 
 strong bonds of affection between two individuals. Such en- 
 dearments are often formed to cheer and bless this scene of 
 misery through which we are passing in our earthly pilgrim- 
 age. They may have resulted from habitual intercourse and 
 many acts of reciprocated kindness. They may be the effect 
 of f amih'' alliance leading to intimacy and the appreciation of 
 mutual good qualities, as in the instance of David and Jona- 
 than. Or perhaps they result from similarity of sentiment 
 and taste — from kindred feelings and attractive accomplish- 
 ments. Love may have endeared the sacred bond, an antici- 
 pation have desired and agreed that it should be cemented and 
 consecrated at the matrimonial altar. The two hearts are now 
 perfectly united in sentiment and feeling, in taste and desire ; 
 but there is one subject where their views separate, and they 
 have nothing in common. The one is a follower of the Lamb 
 — the other rejects Christ and his Gospel. The one sees a 
 beauty in Christ and loves him ; the other is more than indif- 
 ferent, he tramples him under his feet. The one experiences 
 all the power of faith and hope, and tastes all the sweetness 
 of communion with God ; the other knows only the pleasures 
 of sense, and is moved alone by the fascinations of the world. 
 They are one_in all things, except that which is the most im- 
 portant to be agreed in, because it is capable of exciting the 
 strongest feelings, and really has the largest share in forming 
 character and shaping our destiny. Here they are obliged to 
 separate. Here there is no common bond of sympathy; and 
 they are mutnally afraid to touch the tender chord lest its vi- 
 brations should produce discord — perhaps even excite feelings 
 of dislike. Is all this nothing to their happiness ? It is ; 
 for how can the voice of affection and conscience be silenced, 
 the thoughts of eternity be prevented? 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 13 
 
 In this state of tliln'gs, tlierefore, how will the Christian be 
 affected ? lie knows the importance of the grand reality ; hnt 
 how shall he commnnicate his sense of it ? He is deeply con- 
 vinced of its value in every point of view, and for every pur- 
 pose of life, now as well as hereafter ; but how shall he impart 
 his convictions, and persuade hh friend to entertain the same 
 sentiments? Can he prevent his thoughts from wandering to 
 death and judgment ; or his imagination from picturing the 
 awful condition of tliat very friend^ Avhen the soul is lost ; or 
 fail to feel the anguish of a separation forever ? Think of 
 all his love — how often he has borne that friend on the arms 
 of prayer to the mercy-seat, how many contrivances he has 
 adopted to win his heart from sin and bring him to Christ, 
 how closely he is bound to him, and how many ties must be 
 broken in a final separation. 
 
 Is there nothing now in such a scene as we have painted \ 
 Will it not naturally engender the greatest anxiety, and pro- 
 duce the strongest yearnings of heart — anxieties and yearn 
 iugs proportioned to the blessings to be secured and the evils 
 avoided ? It is not a mere temporal good which is souglit ; 
 but an interest in the grace of God. The pearl is the pearl of 
 great price; and no earthly treasure has ever been desired 
 more ardently than Christian love hath often sought to enricli 
 the object of its affection with that priceless gem, or than it 
 has striven to turn away the wrath of God from him who is 
 d earto it. Tears have been copiously shed ; and oh ! how man \' 
 ardent prayers have ascended to heaven ! Think of it ! How 
 can we suffer a friend whom we love to go down to destruc- 
 tion without efforts to save him ? How can we day by day see 
 his onward course and not attempt to draw him back ? How 
 can we realize the wretchedness of his condition, and his hope- 
 less end, without feeling impelled 'by the interest which he 
 has in our hearts, to endeavor to arrest his career, and turn his 
 feet from death ? Ah ! yes indeed ! Many a tender Christian 
 heart hath wept in secret bitter tears — many a friend impor- 
 tuned Heaven to have mercy upon and spare his friend. 
 Many a pious wife or daughter pleaded long and earnestly for 
 husband or father ; and even sorrowed like the Prophet, after 
 the fountain of lier tears was dry, that she could not weep on 
 
14 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 and make tliem flow night and day. If tears and prayers 
 could save souls, tears would flow and prayers ascend perpetu- 
 ally to accomplisli that end ; hut they will not always succeed. 
 Impenitence is proof even against the power of the heart; and 
 who can tell the anguish experienced Mdien hope is lost and 
 despair throws its dark mantle over such a loving spirit ? 
 
 Oh ! that the impenitent knew how much they always resist 
 to continue in their sin ! The church prays for them, their 
 Christian friends pray for them, and their associates and bosom 
 companions in secret weep over their condition, and by strong 
 cries and tears seek to move Heaven to save them from perdi- 
 tion. Oh! that the impenitent knew what anguish of heart 
 their ungodly course causes those who love them to suffer • 
 Yes, and there are some of you who do know this, but it does 
 not move you. Your nature is so perverted — your heart so 
 hard, you love your idols so well — that after them you will 
 go, even though friends and lovers should weep ever so much. 
 Let me tell you, however, that you are sinning against your 
 own souls as much as you are sinning against affection ; and 
 that the bitterest dreg in your cup of trembling will be the 
 thought of what you have done all your life, in resisting so 
 stoutly the kindness of Christian affection. 
 
 Is it necessary now to remind you. Christian brethren, that 
 I stand related to each one of you individually as a friend ; 
 that I experience all the solicitudes of that relation ; that all 
 the earnest importunity that love has ever engendered in the 
 heart and employed in prayer, has been employed for you — 
 employed for these five long years ; and that all the bitterness 
 of disappointment mingles in the cup which you commend 
 necessarily to my lips, by your remaining in sin ? l^eed I ap- 
 peal to you on this ground, and remind you, as the apostle did 
 his Philippian converts, that " I have you in my heart V that 
 I liave been willing to impart to you all the treasures -whiijli 
 grace has laid up for us in Christ ? If kindness could have 
 won you, it must have done so before to-day ; or if importu- 
 nity had power to overcome your disinclinations to holiness, it 
 must have brought you to the feet of the Redeemer. Alas ! 
 that it has not ; and that the close of a cycle of years finds 
 you yet in the attitude of an opposer to Christ's authority, and 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 15 
 
 a rejector of liis niercj'. Will you continue so until you 
 die? 
 
 Ill, We may suggest another application of the sentiment 
 in our text. Tlie anguish of parental bosoms when their in- 
 structions, prayers, warnings, and expostulations all prove 
 vain. Many a bleeding heart has felt the import of the pro- 
 phet's language. Oh ! that my head were waters, and my eyes a 
 fountain of tears, that I might %veep day and night for the 
 slain of the daughter of my people ! 
 
 Among the interesting relations which are formed by that 
 ordinance of heaven which has " placed man in families upon 
 the earth," none is more sacred — none is stronger, than that 
 which exists between parents and children. On the one hand 
 there is all the instinctive love of a father or mother for their 
 offspring, strengthened by the care which it has rendered neces- 
 sary and the kindness which it has prompted. On the other 
 there is all the gratitude which a consciousness of these expres- 
 sions of love originates. ]N^o ties can be more sacred than 
 these, and no relation involves more feelings that are natural- 
 ly calculated to awaken sentiments of interest and kindness. 
 A parent experiences pleasure in seeking the welfare of his 
 child in all possible Avays. lie subjects himself to toil and la- 
 bor, to lay up for him a store of good things for the present 
 life. He denies himself many gratifications which he furnish- 
 es willingly to him ; and in doing so he regards not the self- 
 denial — he does not even count it a sacrifice ; for he finds sat- 
 isfaction in it — so deeply solicitous is he to advance the inte- 
 rests and secure the welfare of those he loves. If he could be- 
 stow a thousand times more, and deny himself a thousand 
 times oftener, he would not grudge it, could he only shower 
 down all upon the object of his affectionate solicitude. 
 
 Such is parental affection — so deep — so self-denying — always 
 so full of anxious concern — always so ready to make sacrifices. 
 It is a noble, a heaven-derived endowment. In it God's wis- 
 dom and his mercy to his creatures are both displayed. How 
 much the world is benefited by it ! 
 
 But the affection of a Christian parent, what is it? Has it not 
 the same deej) and instinctive feelings ? Has it not all of these 
 ennobled^ consecrated^ and directed to higher ends ? Does he 
 
16 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 not as a Christian necessarily experience a strong desire that his 
 chiklren shonld enjoy the liopes of religion, and be brought un- 
 der the a?g'is of its protecting power ? He knows how much it 
 will benefit them, for he has himself tasted of its fruits in his 
 own pilgrimage. He is sensible how much the heart of man 
 needs such a kind hand to soothe its anguish in the hour of 
 trial ; for he has himself been pelted by adverse storms. He 
 is conscious, from his own errors, that nothing can so effectu- 
 ally guard in temptation — guide in perplexity — and restrain 
 when corrupt desires importune, as'tliat blessed monitor. He 
 has tasted the bitterness of sin — has trembled before the aw- 
 ful judgment-seat — has gone down into " the valley of Baca, 
 weeping," and saw no " springs of water" there — and knows 
 well that there is no hope but in the consolations Avhich the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ imparts. His knowledge and experience 
 both confirm the declarations of divine Revelation, and con- 
 vince him that nothing but its influence, in converting the soul 
 and sanctifying the heart, can make salvation sure. 
 
 The depth and orce of these convictions may be shown from 
 several circumstances. You may consider the motive of those 
 careful instructions in the doctrines and duties of religion. 
 What was it but the manifestation of a desire on the parent's 
 part to bring his child acquainted with its power ? You may 
 consider the motive of Jiis example^ walking carefully before his 
 house — what was it but that he might be a guide to one w'hom 
 he knew to be prone to err and hard to be convinced ? You 
 may listen to his ijraye7^s ; and if you do so, you will clearly 
 perceive how affection deepens their tone of earnestness and 
 kindles an ardent flame of his devotion as soon as his little 
 ones engage his heart, and he begins to plead in their behalf. 
 
 But suppose now, that Christian parent called in providence 
 to witness the infatuated course of a prodigal — all his in- 
 structions despised — all his affectionate counsel disregarded — 
 all his prayers and pleadings in vain ! Sin, the monster sin, 
 proving too strong for all the barriers which he has opposed to its 
 power ; and like a victorious conqueror capturing one after an- 
 other the defenses set to protect the citadel of the heart against 
 its assaults. That beloved child who Avas trained so carefully 
 for lieaven, going forward in the forbidden way until his feet 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS, 17 
 
 take hold on liell. Wliat are his feelings now ? Is any pen 
 adequate to describe the bitterness of his heart, or paint the an- 
 guish of his bosom ? Ah! it is horrible ! There is a sense of 
 disappointment, a feeling of indignation, and a sentiment of 
 abhorrence and disapprobation, all mingling their bitter dregs 
 in the cnp which is presented to his lips, and which he is forced 
 to drink, which almost dries np his spirit. So many fond an- 
 ticipations are blasted, and so much enjoyment prevented, that 
 he can not cease. Tears are shed, and bitter tears, as often as 
 he remembers the lost one. lie almost feels, sometimes, as if 
 he could have given his life's blood, if it would have redeemed 
 that child from ruin. He never goes to a throne of grace but 
 lie remembers him there. He never bows himself in confes- 
 sion before God, but the bitterness of his sorrow is brought to 
 remembrance. The slain idol of his affections — the cherished 
 jewel of his fond desires — how can he forget him? "How 
 shall I give thee up, Ephraim ?" is his constant cry ! " Oh ! 
 that Ishmael my son might live before thee" — his daily prayer 
 — and often the anguish of his sj)irit breathes itself forth in the 
 language of David, " O my son Absalom, my son, my son 
 Absalom ! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, 
 my son !" " Oh ! that my head were waters, and my eyes a foun- 
 tain of tears, that I might weep day and niglit for the slain of 
 the daughter of my people." 
 
 And istliere not, in the relation of pastor and people, evenj 
 ^A?;?.^ that gives force and tenderness to that of a parent and his 
 offspring ? What then, I ask you, are my feelings to-day, in 
 being obliged, after five years of patient toil, to see you yet Avith- 
 out an interest in Christ ? Some of you may conceive of them 
 from experience. Perhaps your prodigal has wandered from 
 the shadow of your roof, and spent all his substance in riotous 
 living — ^perhaps your son has boon blind to the obligations of 
 duty, and the instincts of self-preservation, and lived in sin un- 
 der a plenitude of gospel light and influence. Perhaps you 
 liave often sought to M'in him, but in vain ; and now can only 
 yearn and yearn, even though hope seems denied. Ah Christian 
 parent ! you know the feelings of our heart. You can tell what 
 a weight lies upon it to-day — and why it is, that we endeavor 
 to give utterance to its deep emotions in the prophet's words. 
 
18 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 " Oil ! tliat my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of 
 tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the 
 daughter of my people." 
 
 Application. — Let ns now for a moment consider what mo- 
 tives the snbject presents to the impenitent to turn from sin. 
 We do not at the present time " reason with you of righteous- 
 ness, temperance, and a judgment to come ;" we do not seek to 
 move you by the love of Jesus Christ, or the grace of the Holy 
 Spirit ; we do not entreat you by the worth of your souls or 
 the joys of heaven ; nor warn you to beware, for there is 
 wrath. All this has often been done ; and alas ! with many it 
 has been in vain ! 
 
 "We seek to-day an avenue to your hearts less trodden, and 
 we hope, on that account, more sure of success. Perhaps your 
 feelings have become jaded by the frequency with which ap- 
 peals have been made to them — Gospel-ridden and grace-har- 
 dened, you have ceased to feel tlie force of religious obligations. 
 We tell you then to-day how much your pastor loves you — how 
 often he prays for you — what distress of mind your continued 
 impenitence causes him. Do you love him ? Are you sensible 
 that he is your friend, and that he is seeking to do you good I 
 Oh ! grieve no more his aifectionate heart ! Give him no more 
 cause to cry unto God, " O that my head were waters, and 
 my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night 
 for the slain of the daughter of my people." He can have no 
 rest while you live in sin. He can, as a minister of Christ, 
 know no comfort but in seeing your joys abound and your 
 hearts melting for the beatitudes of heaven. 
 
 We come also to tell you how your Christian friends and 
 companions feel, when they see you rejecting the only Saviour 
 and madly following after ruin. How they regret that amid 
 all the bliss of communion, and the pleasure arising from asso- 
 ciation of friend with friend in heaven, they can not anticipate 
 the joy of seeing you there. That their hearts now yearn over 
 you, and ceaseless prayers ascend to heaven in your behalf : 
 and to ask you whether all this tenderness, solicitude, and affec- 
 tion is to be in vain ? and shall it indeed be in vain ? 
 
 We come to call up to your remembrance the tears and 
 prayers of that parent who is perhaps now in heaven, looking 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 19 
 
 down from liis serene abode, and -watching yonr course — tliosc 
 prayers and tears Avliicli yonr welfare prompted, and wliich 
 your impenitence multiplied ; and to ask you, wlietlier tliey 
 are to be in vain. To remind you of that parental instruction 
 and example, under the influence of which your earliest years 
 were blessed, and to ask you, whether you are going to forsake 
 it finally and render it all abortive ? "We come to claim a place 
 in your hearts to-day, for we are speaking in the name of those 
 who have the best right to speak to you, and to ask you wheth- 
 er you have forgotten their love, and mean to disappoint their 
 hopes, disavow their counsels, and Avound them in their ten- 
 derest affections ? 
 
 Think how many hearts are burning to sec you in the way 
 of life. How many prayers have made you consecrate to God. 
 How many affectionate, how many solemn motives urge you 
 to-day to make your choice. Five years of warning and solici- 
 tude, of i^rayer and privilege, is no small account to answer 
 for to God. Shall they all prove vain ? Eternity will answer 
 the question, though you do not. 
 
THE SECOND MEMOEIAL SERMON. 
 
 Preached Oct. SOtii, 1843. 
 
 THE KEVIVALS OF RELIGION IN THE CHURCH OF RARITAX. 
 
 " Remember ye not tlie former tilings ; neitlier consider the tilings of 
 old."— Isaiah 48 : 18. 
 
 The inquiry of the Propliet implies astonisliment that any 
 men of consideration could be so reckless as to neglect the in- 
 struction of the past ; and well might he be surprised. "What 
 is our experience but the memory of former things, and the 
 judgment of reason in regard to them ? What is our prudence 
 but avoiding the evils of the present as we have learned them 
 in former days ? A course of life in which prudence and ex- 
 perience should both be neglected would be sure to end in 
 disaster. It is wise therefore always to remember " the for- 
 mer things" and " consider the things of old." When it is 
 Y^ossible for us to do so, it is also im23ortant to embody it in 
 the form of a narrative, that its lessons, being faithfully and 
 impressively presented, may the more deeply imj^ress our 
 minds and influence our hearts. 
 
 History therefore has by the general sense of mankind been 
 considered as one of the most important sources of knowledge. 
 All men seem to be aware how much " that which hath been" 
 is " that which shall be," and how necessary it is for us to 
 know it, in order to judge right and live to advantage. There 
 is, however, a moderation to be observed in the reverence Mdiich 
 we attach to " the things of old," and the use which we make 
 of their teachings. The manner in which it is sometimes 
 spoken of would almost lead us to infer, that it was regarded 
 as having embodied all truth and righteousness ; and that all 
 wisdom and good conduct have since failed from the earth ! 
 Such extravagance is unwise and mischievous. It arises from 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 21 
 
 tliat indiscriminate admiration, in wliicli neitlier reflection nor 
 jndgment lias been exercised. Lord Bacon seems to have 
 stated exactly the use of antiquity. " It deserveth that reve- 
 rence that men should make a stand thereupon, and discover 
 wliat is the best way ; but when the discovery is well takeu. 
 then to make progression." It is good as a Teacher, but not 
 safe or proper as a resting-place. 
 
 On the other hand, to disregard entirely, as some are disposed 
 to do, the experience of the past, and boldly launch out into the 
 stormy sea of life without a chart to guide us, may display a 
 venturous spirit, and be commended as such ; but certainly it 
 is not a mark of prudence or of wisdom. Says Burke, " "When 
 ancient opinions and rules of life are taken away, the loss can 
 not possibly be estimated. From that moment we have no 
 compass to govern us, nor can we know distinctly to what 
 ])oint we steer." This is true : and the wisest and best men 
 luive been those who were neitlier slavish in their reverence of 
 the past and their subjection to it, nor heedless of the many 
 lessons which it teaches ; not unwisely trammeled by it, nor 
 yet so self-confident as to rush forward without its guiding 
 Avisdom and instruction in the conduct of life. It deserves to 
 be well considered, but not " rested in." Bacon's '"progres- 
 sion" is the watchword of improvement, and by listening to 
 it the world has arrived at her present stage of advanced per- 
 fection, in almost every branch of human wisdom — to have 
 rested would have prevented all. 
 
 To-day seems to be a point from which it may be proper to 
 take a retrospective view of the dealings of Divine Providence 
 with us as a people. It is the anniversary of the tenth year 
 of my ministry among you : and I purpose to erect an Ebe- 
 nezer here and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. God's good- 
 ness has been great, and should be recognized ; and the poet 
 
 tells us 
 
 " 'Tis greatly wise to talk of our past hours, 
 And ask tliem what report they bore to heaven, 
 And how they might have borne far welcomer news." 
 
 There is inuch in the past that will be "of real advantage to 
 us by way of encouragement in the future. In reviewing the 
 history of this church only in one particular — the amount of 
 
 2 
 
22 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 spiritual influence wliicli God lias deigned to besto-s^' upon ns, 
 I have been so miicli delighted, as to indnce me to arrange the 
 facts in their order, and present tliem in the form of a succinct 
 narrative. Adopting the recommendation of inspired -wisdom, 
 to remember the former things and consider the things of old, 
 I shall present tlie history of those spiritual communications 
 with which God has been pleased to accompany the dispensa- 
 tion of the word and ordinances among the people of this 
 conm-esation. I believe there are but few churches in the land 
 that have records so full of the manifestations of divine good- 
 ness, or a history more rich in evidences of divine care. 
 
 During the first twenty years after the organization of this 
 church — March 9th, 1699 — it enjoyed only occasionally the 
 means of grace. The records would seem to indicate that 
 tivice, or sometimes thrice, in the course of the year, some 
 preacher visited them, and then children were baj)tized and 
 the Lord's Supper administered. From such a scanty seeding 
 of the ground no adequate crop could be anticipated ; and 
 yet, by the blessing of God, the church did increase, at least 
 in the number of those who attended on the means of grace 
 and aided in supporting them, until in process of time it 
 began to feel strong. About 171 S, in connection with New- 
 Brunswick, Six-Mile-Run, and North Branch,* the church 
 of Raritan ventured upon the effort to call, and agreed to 
 provide for the support of a pastor. The important docu- 
 ment, after having been duly prepared, was dispatched to 
 Holland, and the Classes of Amsterdam was expected to select 
 the pastor and send him out by their authority and with their 
 recommendation. It was an anxious tin\e among those who 
 loved Zion and prayed for her prosperity, and these prayers 
 were happily answered. The call was accepted by Theodorus 
 Jacobus Frelinghuysen, and he arrived in Kew-York in Janu- 
 arj'-, 1720. As early as February he assumed the duties of 
 liis pastoral relation, embracing in the wide range of it 
 almost the entire county of Somerset at that time sparsely 
 settled and almost destitute of roads and bridges and other 
 facilities of intercommunication. 
 
 * Now called Readinfrton, 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 23 
 
 It is impossible to ascertain accurately wliat was tlie state 
 of the cliiirclies at the time when Mr. Frelinghuysen as- 
 sumed the pastoral charge of them. Xo record remains, if 
 any ever existed, of those who had been admitted into its 
 communion previous to his day. There occur, however, on tlie 
 list of baptisms tlie names of about seventy families belong- 
 ing to the congregation. This indicates its numerical strength ; 
 and there had been three hundred and eighty children and two 
 adults baptized, during the preceding tM-enty-one years. There 
 must therefore have been at least a general external regard to 
 the ordinances of God's house by the first settlers of this sec- 
 tion of our State, and some benefit resulting from the occasion- 
 al services which they had enjoyed under all the disadvantages 
 of their circumstances, or these facts- would not remain as 
 materials of historj^. The baptism of the adults proves that a 
 church existed, preserving order and providing fur the admi- 
 nistration of sacraments ; and that the preaching of the Gospel 
 Avas blessed to the conversion of some. 
 
 But although the records of the church arc so meagre, we 
 are happily furnished with testimony from another source, 
 wliich will not be disputed, to aid us in forming an estimate 
 of the spiritual state of the church, though not immediately 
 referring to it. This testimony will show that althougli tliere 
 might be an external observance of the forms and the sacra- 
 ments of the Christian religion, yet that an experience of 
 their power was by no means a general accompaniment of 
 such observance. There must have been a great want o£ 
 practical and serious Christianity. It was the tViult of the ag;e' 
 and the natural result of the destitution of tlie cliurch. It 
 was the common fault of all the churches at that tim.e-, and 
 was true not only of Karitan but also of many other parts- of 
 the country. 
 
 Christianity, as it is revealed in the Bible, is always the 
 same, beautiful, bright, and pure — an emanation of divinity ; 
 but as it exists in practical life, embodied in* the faith and 
 conduct of different nations, communities, and ages, it exhil)its 
 almost an infinite variety of aspects and pliascs; Some of tliem 
 are dark, amounting almost to a total extinction of its light and 
 spirit, Mhile others are In'iglit and animwatdng, displayii'.g all it^ 
 
24 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 excellencies iu prominent relief for the edification of mankind. 
 It lias always been so, and will continne to be so until the end 
 of time. 
 
 The age succeeding the great Reformation, when the churches 
 in this country were planted, may be characterized by a single 
 word. It was a trcmsition state. It retained some of that 
 firm attachment to doctrine and purity of fiiith which had dis- 
 tinguished the period when martyrs shed their blood freely in 
 attestation of the truth ; but, by association with the spirit of 
 the world, in days of prosperity and peace, it had learned to 
 be content with a name to live, and rested in a faith without 
 works. Its vital piety had almost ceased, and the fruits of 
 godliness were stinted and scanty, though the forms and doc- 
 trines of a better time remained. Emigrating from the father- 
 land, our ancestors left behind tlieni, not only their pleasant 
 homes on the vine-clad hills of France and the verdant 
 meadows of the Low Countries, but also, for a season at least,_ 
 all the ennobling influences of their early associations and 
 their church privileges. In this wilderness they found no 
 Sabbath^ — no " sound of church-going bell," and no minister 
 of Christ to instruct, admonish, and lead them to the cross. 
 As a necessary consequence of such destitution their children 
 grew up almost in a state of nature, without any of the in- 
 fluence of those teachings and associations in which their 
 fathers had been nurtured. AVhen there was no persecutor to 
 endear by his violence the very faith he sought to destroy, 
 that faitli was less esteemed and had less power. Their 
 fathers' example and prayers, in the nature of things, would 
 not be entirely lost upon them ; but it was too much to expect 
 that they would transmit to their descendants the spirit of their 
 piety, or that the children would become what they would 
 liave been if the sanctuary and the Sabbath had lent their 
 aid to enforce parental precepts and example. Hence the 
 natural eflect of the position of the early settlers here would 
 be, to impart to them a veneration for their fiithers' faith, but 
 to leave them without the savor of its divine influence. !Now 
 that this was a fact, and that we have given a true picture of 
 their moral condition, is proved by competent witnesses, bear- 
 ino: testimonv of others in the same circumstances. Savsone, 
 
MEMOMAL SERMONS. 25 
 
 ''The difference between tlie clmrcli and the world was vanish- 
 ing away, church discipline was neglected, and the growing lax- 
 ness of morals was invading the church. The young were aban- 
 doning themselves to frivolities and amusements of dangerous 
 tendency; and party spirit was producing its natural frnit 
 among the old. The progress of Arminianism had beconu' 
 so manifest as to cause alarm." This is a picture of the Puri- 
 tan churches at this time, and there can be but little question 
 that the features Avere general, and applied as well to the 
 state of things in New-Jersey as in Connecticut and Massa- 
 chusetts. 
 
 We produce another. Tlie Ilcv. Samuel Blair, one of the 
 fathers of the Presbyterian church in America, employs the 
 following language in reference to the state of the churches in 
 Pennsylvania": " A very lamentable ignorance of the main 
 essentials of true practical religion, and the doctrines nextly 
 relating thereto, very generally prevailed. The nature and 
 necessity of the new birth was but little known or thought of. 
 The necessity of a conviction of sin and misery, by the Holy 
 Spirit opening and applying the law to the conscience, in 
 oi-der to a saving closure with Christ, was hardly known at all, 
 to the most. There was scarcely any suspicion at all, in gene- 
 ral, of any danger of depending upon self-righteousness^ and 
 not upon the righteousness of Christ alone for salvation.'' 
 
 But we havel;estimony which is still more applicable. We 
 come into the bounds of Mr. Frelinghuysen's very charge 
 itself ; and we hear Gilbert Tennant saying of the state of the 
 church in Kew-Brunswick in 1744, a little before the time 
 when Mr. Frelinghuysen's labors closed, " I examined many 
 about the grounds of their hope of salvation, which I found 
 in most to be nothing but as sand." He is speaking of his 
 own people, and not of those who had been converted under 
 Mr. Frelinghuysen's labors, as we shall show presently by 
 another extract from the same account. 
 
 Now this was the aspect of the field which was to be culti- 
 vated ; at least its moral condition could not have been more 
 tavorable than those of which we have given testimony ; and 
 if we consider the fact that for more than thirty years, most of 
 the inhabitants of this section of the country had been living 
 
26 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 in a wilderness without the Gospel, ye may think it neces- 
 sary to regard it as being even less favorable tlian they indi- 
 cate ; and this wonld be nearer to the truth. 
 
 Now mark the effect. Mr. Frelinghuysen commenced by 
 preaching pointedly and seriously the necessity of a new 
 heart, lie insisted on Christian experience as a preparation 
 for church membership and communion ; and restored disci- 
 pline to its legitimate place in the house of God. There was 
 immediately clamor, resistance, reproach;* but he was not 
 a man to be turned away from a course which he considered 
 it his duty to follow, by any such influences: and besides the 
 Holy Spirit had already begun to testify to the truth and ren- 
 der it the power of God and the wisdom of God to the 
 salvation of souls ; how could he refrain from j)reaching it 'i 
 As early as 1726, when there were probably not more than 
 twenty members in communion in the whole congregation, 
 and only six years from the time of his first settlement, during 
 all of which opposition and defamation had been rife, there 
 were admitted to the communion seven at one time on con- 
 fession of faith. It must have been a day of joy to his heart, 
 and of triumph to the cause of truth. It was indeed a great 
 day. Seven added to twenty is equal to an addition of forty 
 in a church composed of one hundred members ; and this 
 would, even now, be regarded as an extraordinary work. But ^^ 
 
 we must consider that this was the fruit of his work try^^ mT 
 RaHtaii. Now if the same state of things existed at Nortli- 
 Braiich, Six-Mile-Run, and New-Brunswick — and that it did 
 all traditional history asserts — and a corresponding number 
 were introduced into the churches in each of these congrega- 
 tions, it was indeed a great day for Zion. But it did not end 
 liere. There is evidence that it continued in subsequent years. 
 There were also accessions to the church of more than ordinary 
 numbers in 1729 and 1734. 
 
 Jjut the greatest blessing seems to have been enjoyed in 
 1739, simultaneous with the revival at Northampton under 
 
 * See tlie complaint published by a part of his Consistory, in which it is 
 ^attempted to be shown that his doctrine of regeneration is not the doctrine of 
 the CliurGli^r^ftud exceptions are taken to his whole course, especially his 
 discipline. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 27 
 
 Jonatlian Edwards ; and between tliese two revivals in other 
 respects there was a striking similarity. They both originated 
 in pointed doctrinal discussions, brought on a conflict between 
 formalism and practical Christianity, and stirred up some of 
 the worst passions in tlie luiman heart ; but while Edwards 
 was ejected from his charge, Mr. Frelinghuysen not only 
 maintained his place and his influence, but perpetuated the 
 work, until, finally, in the days of his successor. Dr. Ilarden- 
 bergh, even the hearts of his enemies were conquered. 
 
 The eifect of this state of things was to give an entirely new 
 aspect to the state of the congregation. Religion became a.n 
 object of almost universal attention and concern, and increased 
 the desire and necessity for pastoral labors so much that Mr. 
 Frelinghuysen was constrained to adopt an expedient, which 
 seems to have been original with him ; indeed, we have no 
 knowledge of its having been adopted at any time anywhere 
 else. lie appointed from among the most gifted and experi- 
 enced of his male members certain individuals whom he called 
 " helpers^'' whose ofiice was to expound the Scriptures in the 
 meetings for prayer and conduct theni'with order, visit and 
 converse with the anxious and inquiring, and to catechise the 
 youth. This step was considered as a bold departure from 
 long-established usage in the Dutch Church by those who ex- 
 cepted to Mr. Frelinghuysen's course, and would even no^v be 
 regarded as a " nevj measure''' of very questionable propriety 
 and usefulness. It may be that it was, upon the whole, nei- 
 ther wise nor safe ; although, from the character of the indivi- 
 duals, their prudence, zeal, and godliness, its eifects were seen 
 in the most favorable light ; but it is certain that his latter 
 days were greatly embittered with strife, arising from the 
 strong disapprobation expressed by some of the most influen- 
 tial members in his church of the course which he thought 
 proper to adopt. But whether it would have been possible, 
 with his views of truth, to avoid such a contest, may admit of 
 a doubt. It seems, at least, to be certain that in some sections 
 of the church, whatever the ostensible pretenses may have 
 been, the great contest of Coetus and Conferentie was, in fact, 
 a struggle of formalism against vital godliness — of the law of 
 progress against the inertia gendered by an admiration of the 
 
28 MEMORIAL SERMONS, 
 
 past. It was the spirit of tliis age and of tins land fighting 
 for liberty "svhen the attempt was made to bind it down by 
 forms, customs, and veneration for the fatherland ; and it 
 conquered then, as it always will conrpier in any future 
 struggles. 
 
 The records of the church warrant us in estimating the 
 fruit of this year as having been the conversion of at least 
 fifty souls Avithin the bounds of Mr. Freliughuysen's pastoral 
 charge. Of this number, ten are recorded as having united 
 with the church at Raritan on confession. The accession is 
 again equal to about one third of the Avhole number in com- 
 munion. The records of the other congregations have perish- 
 ed, or, we have no doubt, our conjecture would liave been 
 confirmed, by their names actually appearing upon them. 
 
 In summing up, then, the results of the ministry of Mr, 
 Frelinghuysen, we arrive at the following facts : There were 
 thirty-eight added to his churches on confession in 1720, 
 there were sixteen in each of the ^^ears 1729 and 1<34, and 
 there were fifty in 1739 ; the whole amount is one hundred 
 and twenty. We do not say that these numbei-s are abso- 
 lutely correct ; but we do say that the data furnished us by 
 the records of the church of Raritan fully sustain them, and 
 even more than sustain them. From the records of JS^ew- 
 Ik-unswick we have the following facts : About sixty persons 
 were admitted to the communion. Many names are undoubt- 
 edly omitted from the list, as some are not found there who are 
 known to have been in the communion. The largest number 
 received in any one year was in 1741, when there was an addi- 
 tion of twenty-two persons. If we add these numbers together, 
 we shall have in the two principal churches of his charge one 
 hundred and eighty added on confession. This may Avell be 
 regarded as evidence of a great revival. And when we consi- 
 der the work of grace in connection with the external cir- 
 cumstances of the age and the church in which it occurred, it 
 magnifies itself greatly in our estimation. There was much 
 ignorance, much laxity of moral principle, a leaning to Armi- 
 nianism, few preachers, and but little opportunity of hearing 
 or meeting to encourage one another. That one man should 
 wield such an influence, and be able to sustain himself and 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 29 
 
 liis principles in the very midst of the fire kindled to consnme 
 liini and them, is snrely an evidence of the divine favor, and of 
 special spiritnal communications from above. In fact, the 
 wliole work is as clearly marked with power and sanctifying 
 grace as any of those with Avliich the clnn'ches in other places 
 were blessed about this period, and stamps the ministry of 
 Mr. Frelinghuyseii as having l)een peculiarly favored and 
 nseful. The whole of its })ower we shall probably never 
 know. 
 
 There is also one other circumstance worthy of notice. 
 Several of the converts in this revival lived until within the 
 memory of some Avho are yet with us, and were uniformly 
 distinguished for their deep experience and ardent piety. 
 Fathers and mothers in Israel were they truly, always 
 abounding in every good word and work, Gilbert Tennent, 
 of JSTew-Brunswick, alludes to them in his letter to Mr. 
 Prince, of Boston, in ITII:. " The labors of Mr. Frelinghuy- 
 sen were much blessed to tlie people of JSTew-Brunswick and 
 places adjacent about the time of his coming among them, 
 which was about twenty-four years ago, (in 1720.) When T 
 came there, wdiich was about seven years after, divers of his 
 hearers, with whom I had opportunity of conversing, ap- 
 peared to be converted persons, by their soundness in prin- 
 ciple. Christian experience, and pious practice ; and these 
 ])ersons declared that the ministrations of the aforesaid gen- 
 tleman were the means thereof." This is conclusive as to the 
 spiritual character of the work. 
 
 Here we are disposed to award the honor which the zeal 
 and piety of this good man seem to demand from us. We 
 regard him as being the instrument, in the hand of Provi- 
 dence, to plant first the seed of truth and righteousness upon 
 tliis soil, where, in subsc(piont years, such abundant harvests 
 have been gatliered. He broke up the fallow grouiul and 
 prepared it for the glorious crop. He met and conquered the 
 spirit of worldliness, self-righteousness, and carnal security, 
 which had possession at least of the popular mind, if not of 
 the church itself. This whole region owes his memory a 
 debt of gratitude whicli it can never repay. Ilis labors were 
 the means of introducing earlu into the churches liere, a tone 
 
30 MEMORIAL SERMON'S. 
 
 of piet}'-, and a form of religious sentiment, wliicli lias been a 
 blessing to tliem ever since. Their spirituality and jDeace are 
 tlie fruits of it ; and we are yet enjoying the benefit of his 
 labors in many ways. 
 
 In order to understand the effect of his ministry, we must 
 remember that the doctrine of the necessity of a new heart 
 had almost entirely been lost sight of, and that formalism and 
 self-righteousness almost universally prevailed. Christians 
 were not ashamed to ridicule Christian experience, and many 
 had become very resolute in opposing it. " The common 
 names," says Blair, in reference to Pennsylvania, " for soul- 
 concern were melancholy^ trouhle of mind., or despair. The 
 necessity of first being in Christ, and in a justified state, 
 before our religious services can be well-pleasing and accepta- 
 ble to God, was very little understood or thought of ; but the 
 common notion seemed to be, that if people were aiming to be 
 in the way of duty as well as they could, as they imagined, 
 there was no reason to be much afraid." Upon this mass of 
 corruption and worldliness the pastor's denunciations of the 
 wrath of God were unceasingly poured out, warning, exhort- 
 ing, and entreating all men, with all long-suflfering and gen- 
 tleness. In his public disconrses he laid open the depravity 
 and selfishness of the human heart, showed its entire aliena- 
 tion from God, and insisted upon the absolute necessity that 
 it should be regenerated. His doctrine had no sympathy 
 with that heartless Arminianism which teaches the availa- 
 bility of sincere but imperfect obedience ; but plainly incul- 
 cated the great truth, that " the law is spiritual," and we are 
 '•'carnal, sold under sin," and therefore must be made new 
 creatures in Christ Jesus ; and that we are justified freely 
 through his grace, by the redemption of the Mediator, l^o 
 wonder that the slumbering lion was aroused, and shook his 
 mane in menace, when his den was thus invaded ; nor, on the 
 other hand, that God owned his truth, and attested it by the 
 quickening operations of his Spirit. It is only what he has 
 promised always to do. 
 
 We have spoken of " helpers " who were appointed in the 
 different congregations. Those for Karitan were Ilendrick 
 Fisher and Andrias Yer Meulen ; for Six-Mile Run, Euluf 
 
MEMORIAL SEEMONP, 81 
 
 l^evius cand Elbert Stotlioif ; and for Kortli Branch, Peter 
 Van Arsdalen and Jolm WyckofF, 
 
 The years 1750 and 1751 are marked on the records of tlie 
 chiircli as having witnessed more than an ordinary blessing 
 upon the ministrations of the second pastor of this chnrch — 
 the Rev. John Frelinghuysen. Twenty-seven were added to 
 the communion of the chnrcli on confession of faith. This we 
 record as the Second lievival at Raritan ; and it must have had 
 the effect of again strengthening and encouraging the hopes 
 of the pious. To understand its influence we must recollect 
 that now the whole church was rent to atoms. Party spirit 
 l)revailed to an alarming extent, and embittered the common 
 intercourse of life. In some places even personal violence 
 was done at the very doors of the churches on the Sabbath 
 morning ; and Raritan was one of the centres from which this 
 influence emanated, and where some of its bitterest spirit had 
 been exhibited. The church had divided, and, however 
 wrongfully, at least a respectable minority protested against 
 the course of the pastor and consistory. That in such a state 
 of things godliness should have triumphed, and brought so 
 many to confess a meek and lowly Saviour, can be accounted 
 for only by the presence of the " Spirit of peace." 
 
 The ministry of Jacob Rutsen Ilardenbergh, who succeeded 
 Jolm Frelinghuysen about 17G3, and continued to serve this 
 church until 17S1 — a period of eighteen years — was not 
 marked by any special revival of religion. There are, how- 
 ever, abundant evidences of his zeal and faithfulness in his 
 Master's work, his earnest efforts to build up the church, and 
 his ability as a clear, sound, and practical preacher, to attest 
 his character. In fact, if we remember that his ministry em- 
 braced the period of the Revolution, when all minds must 
 have been so entirely absorbed in civil affairs ; that the army 
 of Washington was encamped, for a time, within the bounds 
 of his congregation, and he himself was obliged to desert his 
 own house to secure his personal safety ; that there must have 
 been a flood of iniquity spreading itself through the whole 
 community as the effect of this state of things, no surprise 
 can be experienced that it should be so : a revival could not 
 be expected. And besides all this, the church edifice was 
 
32 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 l)urnt to tlie ground, and never restored until after lie had re- 
 signed liis charge ; so that tlie people were without a house of 
 worship. In such a time of trial, to save the " foundations of 
 truth and godliness from being removed" was honor enough ; 
 and this is the praise which his exertions and faithfulness de- 
 mand from us. He was a great and a good man. His influ- 
 ence was second to no minister of his time ; and the church 
 manifested her estimate of his excellence by appointing him, 
 soon after his removal from Raritan, to the presidency of 
 Queen's College, in New-Brunswick, where he ended his days 
 and was gathered to his fathers. He was a student of John 
 Frelinghuysen, and subsecpiently married his widow, a woman 
 whose piety has left a sweet savor in the midst of us. Juf- 
 vrow Hardenbergh, among the aged, was a pattern of all that 
 was good and gentle and sanctiiied ; and they have taught 
 even the youth to reverence her. 
 
 The period embraced between the years 1785 and 1789, im- 
 mediately after the death of the Kev. Theodorus Frelinghuy- 
 sen Romeyn, and the settlement of the Rev. John Duryea, ap- 
 pears to have been characterized by another outpouring of the 
 Spirit upon the word and ordinances. Eighty-two were added 
 to the church on confession of faith during this time — and we 
 record this as the Third Revival in the Church of .Rar item. 
 It extended through the first five years of Mr. Duryea's ministry, 
 and materially increased the amount of vital godliness in the 
 church. Many circumstances seem to have conspired to pro- 
 duce a favorable influence just then. The war of the Revolu- 
 tion had closed, bringing peace and independence to these Uni- 
 ted States ; and many had seen and acknowledged God's hand 
 in the result. The church now enjoyed almost the whole ser- 
 vice of her pastor, for Mr. Duryea only preached at Bedmin- 
 ster once in three weeks. The ministry of Romeyn had been 
 unusually spiritual and fervent, and had closed most impres- 
 sively in his sudden and early death. He was a gifted and ex- 
 traordinary young man, and his brief career left a deep im- 
 pression upon the hearts of many ; and God made his successor, 
 who was far inferior to him in pulpit talent, the instrument of 
 gathering the harvest which he had sown. 
 
 Again in 1802-3 and 4, there was a visible outpouring of the 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 33 
 
 Holy Spirit upon the labors of the Rev. Jolm S. Yredenbiirgli, 
 wlio had assumed the pastoral charge of the congregation in 
 1800 — seventy-seven individuals were received on confession of 
 their faith. This we record as the Fourth lievival of Religion 
 which God in his mere}" has granted to this church to edify 
 and build her up. And again in 1812-13 and 14 there were 
 added forty-six members to tlie communion, on confession of 
 faith, in the space of three years. We shall not enumerate 
 this as a distinct revival, but oidy refer to it as we pass on. 
 
 In 1821, Mr, Vredenburgh died suddenly after liaving con- 
 tinued to exercise the pastoral office for nearly twenty-one 
 years ; and as he descended to his rest, the Spirit came down 
 to bless his labors and raise up the seed which he had sown with 
 so much patience and prayer. This was a mighty shaking in 
 the valley of dry bones. In a year and a half, three hundred 
 and sixty-eight were added to the communion of the church. 
 This Fifth Revival of Religion will long remain as one of 
 the most remarkable eras in our history as a church. It 
 was indeed a Pentecostal season. The influence pervaded all 
 ranks, embodied all conditions in life, moulding and blend- 
 ing them into one mass, upon which the fear and love of God 
 was indelibly impressed. For months, religion seemed to oc- 
 cupy completely and almost exclusively the attention of tlie 
 whole community, and neither business nor pleasure was suffer- 
 ed to interrupt its services. ]3ut to record all the interesting- 
 incidents connected with it would require a volume to be writ- 
 ten. Its great distinction from many which have been more 
 loudly proclaimed, was its noiseless progress, its power and pu- 
 rity. It was a work remarkably solemn, deep, powerful, spi- 
 ritual ; and its results were such as are anticipated from sucli 
 ti'aits — permanent and abiding. Only two or three cases of 
 discipline have l)ecome necessary, in the whole multitude wliich 
 came thronging to the table of the Lord. This is the nu)re 
 worthy of note because it is so rare, and so distinctly indicates tlie 
 gracious nature of tlio wliole work, and how much of the Spirit 
 of God was in it. The effect I need not describe, since there 
 are here so many who witnessed it, and to whom its recullec- 
 tion is almost as sacred as that of Pentecost was to tlie early 
 Christians. Tlie cloven tono'ues of lire were not visible to the 
 
3-i MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 eve of sense, but tliey burned in every heart ; and what the 
 eye coukl not see the soul felt and enjoyed. 
 
 Durhif^ the whole time that tliis work of grace was in pro- 
 gress tlie congregation was destitute of a pastor, and continued 
 so until the settlement of the E-ev. R. D. Yan Kleek in 1824. 
 The public services were maintained by the generous assistance 
 of the neighboring ministry ; and a sermon of the Rev. Dr. 
 Livingston on the Sabbath succeeding the death and burial of 
 Mr. Vredenburgh was referred to by many of the converts as 
 a time when their first convictions were felt. The Consistory 
 also eno;ao;ed for six months the services of tlie Rev. Truman 
 Osborn, whose visits from house to house and various labors 
 and exhortations had a most happy effect in carrying out and 
 assisting the work. He seems to have been a man formed for 
 exactly such a scene, and in the kind providence of God was 
 sent to Raritan very opportunely for the accomplishment of 
 the Lord's work. He is yet affectionately remembered by many 
 of the converts of that Revival ; and his very dust will be 
 sacred in their eyes. He has entered into his rest, and his 
 works will follow him. 
 
 You must now allow" me to speak of things still more recent, 
 and pardon the necessary personality. They belong to a 
 complete view of the subject, and can not be omitted with pro- 
 priety. We have yet to record another which we shall denom- 
 inate the Sixth Revival of Religion enjoyed by the church of 
 Raritan. In the years 1837 and 1838 there is recorded an 
 addition of eighty members to the communion of the church ,* 
 the larger portion were received on two occasions, and were 
 the result of a very manifest blessing upon the word and ordi- 
 nances. They compose at the present time, to some extent, the 
 efficiency of the church ; and we should be ungrateful if we 
 did not record the mercy of our God, and speak forth our 
 gratitude by building up an Ebenezer of praise for the ful- 
 fillment of his promise to own and bless his truth. 
 
 The whole number of communicants whose names are re- 
 gistered on the books of the church is one thousand and sev- 
 enty-nine. Of them how large a portion are numbered M^ith 
 the dead, having been called to the service of the sanctuary 
 on high! Of this number three hundred and thirty-seven are 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 35 
 
 at present in actnal commnnion, traveling to the same inlicri- 
 tance of immortal blessedness and jo}'. 
 
 The past ten years have been most eventful years. That 
 little flock Avliose jonrney throngh the wilderness we have 
 traced in tlie preceding memorials, and which we have seen in- 
 creasing in number under the care and labor of faithful pastors 
 employed to edify it, and the dews of divine influence sent 
 from heaven upon it — has during these years been divided into 
 two bands. When this event occurred it j^roduced necessarily 
 a disruption of many tender ties and hallowed associations — 
 and was not eflected without many tears. This was to be 
 expected ; but now Ave are prepared to acquiesce in it, and 
 concede that it was right. The number in our communion 
 has already been so iucreased, by the blessing of God, as to 
 exceed what it was previous to the division ; and the accession 
 in families is nearly equal to the loss : so that the actual strentgh 
 of the church is not materially impaired by what has occurred. 
 
 The edifice in which our fathers so long worshiped has also 
 been replaced by one more commodious and better adapted 
 to the wants of the congregation ; and thus all those vexed 
 questions, which arose out of the necessity of enlargement or 
 reconstruction, and operated to the injury of our peace, are put 
 at rest for a long time. Unanin^ity exists to as great an extent 
 among all the members of the church, as it ever did at any pre- 
 ceding period. If we could only witness a deeper spirit of de- 
 votion in the house of God on the Sabbath day, and an enlarged 
 measure of prayer animating the Christian bosom, we should 
 be encouraged to hope for much. As it is, there seems to be 
 danger of a Laodicean temper springing up among us, saj'ing, 
 " AVe are rich and increased with goods, and have need of noth- 
 ing ;" while in spirituals we may become actually " poor, and 
 miserable, and blind, and naked." 
 
 The oldest living meml)er in the communion of this church 
 has now been connected with it fifty-flve years. This indivi- 
 dual sat with us at tlie table of the Lord on the last commu- 
 nion season. All those who were here when he united himself 
 with the people of God have gone to rest ; he alone remains, 
 to link the past with the present — the only remnant of a for- 
 mer half-century. During this long period, he has worshiped 
 
36 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 almost every Sabbatli-day arouiul the same altar. He Las 
 welcomed with joy all those who came to confess Christ, and 
 monrned at the graves of all the departed. Few in this chang- 
 ing world have been permitted to serve God so lojig in one 
 l)lace — very few to spend so many Sabbaths and communion 
 seasons in one house of Avorship — and fewer still have had the 
 privilege to welcome eight hundred and forty-four to the fel- 
 lowship of the church. Honored servant, may his end be 
 peace ! 
 
 During the period we are commemorating there have been 
 numerous changes in this community. Many, called in provi- 
 dence to other places, have been cheerfully and honorably dis- 
 missed, and some have gone to form for themselves another place 
 of worship and other associations. But this is not all ; the de- 
 stroyer has also been at work. The leaders of the host have 
 fallen in great numbers and with frightful rapidity. Among 
 those who welcomed me here and gave me their confidence, 
 when with fear and trembling I consented to assume the pas- 
 toral charge of this numerous people, but who are not here to- 
 day and will not be here again, are Howell, Talmage, Yeghte, 
 Frelinghuysen, Yan Doren, Vroom, Van Arsdalen, Van Dyke, 
 Van Arsdalen ; besides all the mothers in Israel, whose ardent 
 prayers were accustomed to rise like morning incense to hea- 
 ven and bringdown showers of blessings upon this heritage of 
 the Lord. So busy has the destroyer been among the strong 
 men and the aged, that now, when we look around, there are 
 only a few venerable heads remaining to counsel and encou- 
 rage. The jDillars of the sanctuary are falling around us — the 
 men Avho bore the ark disappearing — and as they fall, we feel 
 in each stroke as if we had one friend less. 
 
 Deatli ! great proprietor of all ! tis tliine 
 
 To tread out empire and to quench the stars ; 
 
 The sun himself by thy permission shines, 
 
 And one day thou shalt pluck him from his sphere ! 
 
 The complete number of deaths in our communion I have 
 not the means of ascertaining, but it has been large. The 
 number added on confession during ten years is two hundred 
 and thirty-two ; the number of intants baptized two hundred 
 and forty-live. Thus " one generation passeth away and an- 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 3/ 
 
 otlier cometli''' — tliG liviiii^ are taking tlie i)lacGS of the dead, 
 and treading upon their steps. From the cradle to the tomb 
 is only a span, but it is all we have to prepare for that va^t 
 eternit}' Mdiich ensues. It is like the vestibule to some mag- 
 nificent temple, the glory of which swallows up all our impres- 
 sions of what went before, and proves those only to be Avise 
 who so live as to secure an everlasting rest in heaven. 
 
 Application. — The practical lessons which we are taught 
 from this view of the past seem evidently to be, that God has 
 recorded his name here, and in that record left the promise^ 
 sure to be fulfilled, " I will come and bless." It would seem 
 to be sinful to doubt this, after what he has done ; and to form 
 any other expectation than that which embraces the fulfillment 
 of this promise would be culpable unbelief. There will be 
 seasons of dearth, and cold and chilling winters — the church 
 must pass through these ; but there Avill also come showers 
 from heaven, and the s})riug-tide will appear, with its profu- 
 sion of springing blades and opening fiowers, giving presage of 
 the fertility of the summer, and the fruits of autumn, to re- 
 Avard the faith and the toil of those who seek the good of Zioit. 
 Glorious things are spoken of thee, Zion, city of our God ! 
 
 The effect of all the jjast is encouragement. If we abound 
 in the work of the Lord, he will cause that our labors shall 
 not be in vain in the Lord. When we wait upon him, he 
 liears, and answers, and sends his Spirit down. But if we turn 
 from him, he will hide his face from us, send his judgments 
 to afflict us, and bring all our designs to naught. Should not 
 a people, therefore, seek unto the Lord their God \ Seek him 
 with all your heart, and he will be found. 
 
 It would not be just if we did not also notice here the fact 
 that in the relation of pastor and people we have enjoyed ten 
 years of uninterrupted peace. I acknowledge the kindness 
 with which. I have been uniformly treated, the favor with 
 which all my public services have been received, and the 
 promptness with which every failure (and 1 am conscious of 
 more than you seem to have noticed) has been passed over. I 
 liave been with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much 
 trembling; l)ut wliat 1 have attem])ted has been sincere and 
 with a good conscience. I have labored Ibi" y(»ur j)rt»ilt, and 
 3 
 
38 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 never furnished any but heaten oil for tlie light of the sanctua- 
 ry. This luTS not been always regarded in the right point of 
 view. There are some who would rather have a social visit 
 from their pastor than a good sermon, and there are some, too, 
 so unreasonable as to expect both ; but I can not consider them 
 wise or just. There may be others who think that it costs noth- 
 ing to preach well, bnt tliey know nothing. There are ministers 
 vrho shake their sermons out of their sleeves ; but are they 
 worth " the shaking" after they are out ? The flock soon 
 shows the kind of pasture npon which it has been subsisted. 
 For myself I do not know a more heartless thing, or one more 
 wicked, than for a minister to ascend the pulpit on the Sab- 
 bath, and, when souls are hungry for the bread of life, talk 
 nonsense in the name of the Lord ! If I have never done it, it 
 has not been for the want of temptation, nor from a disinclina- 
 tion to social intercourse ; but because I have been afraid. I 
 could not so trifle with your souls and my own responsibilities. 
 It is much easier^ and much more agreeahle likewise, to spend 
 an afternoon in a social circle, than in close and laborious think- 
 ino- in a silent chamber. It has not been for want of inclina- 
 tion that I have never been a great visitor, but because my 
 conception of what a faithful pastor ought to be embraced 
 higher traits of character than those which are gratified with 
 admiration in a lady's parlor; and if you are wise, and seek 
 the good of the church, you will allow me unmolested to pur- 
 sue this course : so far it has been well. 
 
 One generation passeth away and another cometh ! We are 
 now the living ; our children will be in a few years what we are 
 to-day ! We are passing away ; and they will take our places. 
 This solemn thought intrudes itself, like those efligies of the 
 dead with which the Egyptians adorned their feasts, into our 
 most sacred, as it does also into our most joyful, assemblies and 
 associations. The hand of the destroyer is upon us all, and 
 the gaping tomb waits to receive us. Oh ! if we could see to- 
 day what ravages another ten years will make, how deeply 
 Avould we be afl'ected. Who is to die? The pastor? Which 
 of the flock? If we are wise, we shall so live as to make our 
 calling sure ; and if we can conceive adequately of our responsi- 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS, 39 
 
 bilities to tlie cliurcli, the world, our own souls, work while the 
 day lasts ! 
 
 To the youth, the return of this anniversary Sabbath makes 
 a special appeal. You have seen how the blessing of God has 
 attended his word and ordinances, converting souls to God ; 
 how the ark has been sustained and carried forward ; how the 
 Lord has been with his church here, blessing her and making 
 her a blessing. The responsibilities which your fathers have so 
 nobly borne in past years, arc now coming upon you. Prove 
 yourselves worthy of the trust reposed in you. These walls 
 must be dear to you by many hallowed associations. They are 
 not only consecrated to holy things, but baptized by the Holy 
 Ghost and by prayer. AVithin this sacred inclosure the Spirit 
 has sealed your parents as the sons of God. If you desert them, 
 or ever suffer them to remain desolate, you will be as guilty as 
 though you liad suffered the sepulchres of your fathers to be 
 profaned. 
 
 It has likewise another voice by which it speaks. You have 
 enjoyed ten years of earnest appeal from the word and ordi- 
 nances of God. Why has it not resulted in your salvation ^ 
 Can you give any good account why you are yet in your sins i 
 Oh ! be persuaded to turn to God and live. Keligion is design- 
 ed for man. It is necessary to his happiness. lie is never 
 what he ought to be, nor does he ever enjoy what he is capable 
 of enjoying, without it. It sweetens every joy, destroys the 
 edge of grief, and helps to bear the cross. It is the cordial of 
 life — a sun to gild our path through the world, to light our 
 steps when they arc verging toward the dark valley, and to 
 shine upon us in noonday effulgence in heaven. Make it 
 yours. Where so much prayer has been answered, come and 
 consecrate yourselves to the service of the covenant-keeping- 
 God of your fathers, and make him your God and portion. 
 To-day is the accepted time — now is the day of salvatior:.. 
 May God bless his truth I Amen. 
 
40 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 THE TIIIED MEMORIAL SERMON. 
 
 Preaceed Oct. 31st, 1847. 
 
 EXPERIENCE AND DEATH INSTRUCTING MEN. 
 
 " Inquire, I prav tliee, of the former ago, and prepare thyself to the search 
 of their fathers : shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words 
 out of their heart? "—Job 8 : 8-10. 
 
 IIisTOKY, it lias been said, is " pliilosopliy teaching by exam- 
 ])le." " God," says D'Aubignc, " is in history." If this strik- 
 ing sentiment is true, then it mnst be important for us to bo 
 acquainted with tlie records of the past, because we shall bo 
 able to draw from them many practical lessons, enabling us 
 not only to live more wisely in the present, but to secure every 
 advantage from the future. 
 
 A poet has said of experience as it is taught us in history — 
 
 " 'Tis very pregnant ; 
 The jewel that we find, we stop and take it, 
 Because we see it : but what we do not see, 
 We tread upon and never think of it ; 
 Therefore be in eye of every exercise !" 
 
 Want of reflection, which is in fact inattention to the instruc- 
 tion of the past and a neglect of the lessons which it teaches, 
 is one of the most indubitable marks of a frivolous mind — a 
 mind that will not become wise, however great its advantages 
 •or its acquaintance with life. In Scripture such neglect is 
 ■characterized as a sin, and is charged as one of the occasions of 
 the punishment of the Jews. "Israel doth not know ; my peo- 
 ple do not consider." " If thou hadst known, even thou, in this 
 thy day, the things which belong to thy peace ; but now they 
 are hid from thine eyes." Inconsideration then constitutes the 
 ■very centre and heart of that afl:ectionate lamentation which 
 our Saviour poured upon Jerusalem, as he looked upon it 
 from the Mount of Olives, and foresaw how by rejecting and 
 ■crucifying the Saviour, sent to redeem it from ruin, vengeance 
 •TA-ould be armed against its gnilty people and fall upon them 
 
MEMOllIAL SERMONS. 41 
 
 ill utter desolation. Inconsiclerateness was in tlie case of that 
 doomed city the occasion of lier destruction. 
 
 There is, tlierefore, not only an intrinsic but also a personal 
 interest in the records of the past. It has tliose lessons to teach 
 us, wliicli we can not well be wise and neglect ; tliose instruc- 
 tions to give, which, if we refuse, we shall be almost certain to 
 regret. If God is in history, it must be important for all God's 
 creatures, if they would understand the order of his provi- 
 dence, to acquaint themselves with it ; for there they may de- 
 serve the w^ays of God — -how" he blesses those that seek him, 
 and destroys transgressors out of his sight ; proving in his 
 works what he has declared in his word, that " the willing and 
 the obedient eat the fruit of the land, but those that refuse and 
 rebel perish without remedy." 
 
 Barrow has expressed himself so justly and appropriately iii- 
 regard to the use of history, that we adduce his language : 
 " The perusal of history, how pleasant illumination of the mind, 
 how useful direction of life, how spriglitly inccntivx'S to virtue 
 doth it afford ! How doth it supply the room of experience', 
 and furnish us with prudence at the expense of others, inibrm- 
 ing us about tlie ways of action and tlie consequences thereof 
 l)y examples, without our own danger or trouble ! How ma v 
 it instruct and encourage us in piety, while therein m'c trace 
 the paths of God in men, or observe the methods of divine 
 providence, how the Lord and Judge of the world in due sea- 
 son protecteth, prospereth,blesseth, rewardeth innocence and 
 integrity; how he crosseth, defeateth, blasteth, curseth, j)un- 
 isheth iniquity and outrage ; managing things with admirabh' 
 temper of wisdom, to the good of mankind, and the advance- 
 ment of his own glory." If there are such lessons to be taught 
 us in history, and such benefits to be derived from it, we Ciin 
 not well be wise, guide ourselves properly, or secure all the ad- 
 \antages of our position without making the study of it a pai-r 
 of tlie serious busiiiess of our life. 
 
 And what is history but an aggregation of in(li\i(hial Uh' 
 and experience- — a record of that special care wliicli is extend- 
 ed by our Heavenly Father to each of his little ones? It is, 
 in fact, individuality in its social combinations. The men of 
 a nation, each o'.ie ga/.ingiq'on his oir/i jxvt/'nit, in tlie pictni\' 
 
42 :memokial sehmoxs. 
 
 which it presents to view — the good and evil of eacli separate 
 life seen in tlie common record of the whole. It is a snmming 
 lip of innumerable items, to enable us to conceive more impres- 
 sively the gross amount. And as God is the same yesterday, 
 to-da}^, and forever, there must be a certain degree of uniformi- 
 ty in his providence and Avays. What "has been is that whicli 
 siiall be, and there is no new thing under the sun." The future 
 is foreshadowed in the past. If we are anxious to know what 
 will be, we may read the record written in broad characters 
 upon tlie scroll of time. Hence there is an important indivi- 
 dual applicability in the recommendation of Bildad, the friend 
 of Job, as it stands in our text — " Inquire I pray thee of the 
 former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers • 
 shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of 
 their heart ?" 
 
 We intend on the present occasion to make a special, and to 
 some extent a personal, application of these words, and shall 
 not therefore spend any more time in illustrating their general 
 import or in enforcing their importance. This is a Sabbath of 
 peculiar interest — to me not only, but to you. It ought to have 
 a \oice and a jDower by which to speak to our hearts, so that 
 they shall not need to be spoken to again. The thoughts of 
 the past which it recalls and the emotions of the past which it 
 |)rompts are almost overwhelming. It completes fifteen years 
 <»f labor and care as thepastor of this church ; andwhenl tliink 
 of it — all the weight of responsibility involved in all those years 
 — the idea so burdens my spirit that I exclaim, " Who is suffi- 
 I'ient for these things V and tremble to realize that it must all 
 1)0 brought into account at the judgment. May God be merci- 
 ful to us for the sake of Jesus Christ ! I can see no other hope, 
 and have contidencein no other name. Grace affords the only 
 possible refuge. 
 
 WJien Joshua had l)rought the tribes over Jordan and they 
 actually stood within the precincts of their land of rest, he took 
 twelve stones out the river, and pitched them in Gilgal, the 
 ])lace where the tribes first rested, as a pillar of memorial — " a 
 heap of witnesses'^ — and spake unto the children of Israel, say- 
 ing, " When your children shall ask, saying, wdiat mean these 
 stones? then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 43 
 
 came over tliis Jordan on dry land ; for tlie Lord yonr God 
 dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were 
 passed over, that all the people might know the hand of the 
 Lord, that he is mighty, that ye might fear the Lord your God 
 forever." 
 
 Such a memorial of the past we mean to erect this morning ; 
 not in a pillar of stones — ^' a heaj) of ■witnesses''' — but by recall- 
 ing names and awaking memories once fresh in your minds, 
 and thus marking upon the tablets of your hearts, as deeply as 
 aifection and sentiment will enable us to do, the track of years. 
 They have been more or less eventful to every one of us, and their 
 passage has left traces upon our feelings, which all tliG friction 
 of the fnture, however tvcaring it may be, will not ul)litorate. 
 They have brought to us many lessons which are destined to be- 
 come '"'•fixed things'''' in eternity, constituting the matter of 
 our joy and sorrow, our weal and woe, throngliout the intermi- 
 nable revolution of all Us ages. Fifteen years, according to 
 political economists, is half a generation; and we may there- 
 fore consider ourselves to-day as standing amid the graves of 
 half of those who commenced this period of time with us, and 
 whom we have seen passing away under our own eyes. Here 
 is indeed a great " heap of witnesses" of what the Lord has 
 been doing by the instrumentality of " the king of terrors." In 
 our cemetery there are more than '' twelve stones," the witness- 
 es of " death's doings," the frail memorials of (crushed hearts 
 — efforts made by affection to make the dead live in the mem- 
 ories of the living. We must speak of some of them, and re- 
 call their image to your thoughts. Their names have indeed 
 (some of them ut least) huig since ceased to be heard in our 
 streets ; but \xo may repeat them in this sanctuary, and we 
 shall do it, but not without reverence. Many of them were 
 ^''Fathers and Ifothers in Israel," ami the memory of their 
 holy life and the testimony of their faith belongs to the church 
 for her encouragement and edification. Tliey were " pillars in 
 the house of God; " let piety and affection crown them with 
 flowers and perfume them with incense, an offering of grati- 
 tude appropriated to them where they stood, and wliere they 
 still stand, " distinct in memory's eye," as prominent helpers 
 and benefactors of the cliurch. Tlie first Subbatli of these fit'- 
 
44 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 teen years is renewed to-day to my consciousness ; and I see it 
 all, almost as distinctly as I saw it then. Two days before, I 
 had stood beside my mother's open grave, and saw it shrond 
 lier venerated form forever from mortal eyes ; and wlien its 
 morning dawned, instead of the cheerf nl vibration of the clnirch- 
 iroinir bell, there was a sound of death. We met for the first 
 time, not in the courts of Zion, but in a house of mourning ; 
 and my first exhortation to you was, " Prepare to meet your 
 God." Death had thus met me on the threshold with his 
 sable pall, and he strode on before me like a giant, dealing his 
 fatal blows in rapid succession, until Veglite, Frelinghuysen, 
 Van Doren, Talmage, and Howell — all men of consecrated 
 hearts, eminent for piety and influence, were no more — all gone 
 before two years had elapsed. I stood appalled amid their 
 graves, and anxiouslj- inquired, " What hath not the Lord done V 
 Ilath he indeed forgotten to be gracious ? Will he draw out 
 his ano^er to all venerations ? I remember that it has been 
 said, that just before the Babylonish captivity the pious and es- 
 ])ecially the aged in Israel died in rapid succession. It is men- 
 tioned as a well-known historical fact, in illustration of the lan- 
 guage of Isaiah, " the righteous perisheth and no man layeth 
 it to heart ; and merciful men are taken away ; none consider- 
 ing that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." 
 To the mind of the prophet the circumstance seemed so noto- 
 rious, and the efi'ect of the loss of their example and influence 
 so disastrous to religion, that he says, " Run ye to and fro 
 through the streets of Jerusalem, and see, and know, and seek 
 in the broad places thereof , if ye can find a man, if there be 
 any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth." It 
 seemed as if the godly had all ceased, as if all the merciful 
 men were taken away, and that the nation was ready for the 
 execution of delaying vengeance. " Go ye up and down her 
 walls and destroy ; take away her battlements, for they are 
 the Lord's," was the commission to the avengers, and the eflect 
 of it which followed — " abroad the sword devoureth ; at home 
 there is death." 
 
 So, in our circumstances, such a succession of bereavements 
 excited many fears that heaven had in store for us some 
 approaching judgment. There was more than one mind sym- 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 45 
 
 pathizing witli their feelings, and waiting with anxious solici- 
 tude for the leadings of Providence, It seemed indeed as if 
 some sore calamity was certainly impending over iis. But in 
 the result all our fears were disappointed ; the clouds in due 
 time passed away, and mercy was revealed instead of judg- 
 ment. 
 
 "When I recall that first Sabbath, and look around me for 
 those who sat here in the house of God, I am reminded of the 
 absence of many besides those already named. Vroom and 
 Davis and Tunison ; Van Arsdalen, the Bryants, Van Arsdalen ; 
 Taylor, Dumont, Ilardcastle, Van I^este, Quick, Black, and 
 Kerriot are all gone ; they have ceased from their labors, and 
 been promoted from a seat in these courts below, to a place 
 among the company of the redeemed who serve God in their 
 Avhito robes in the temple of glory. So faith judges, so hope 
 wliispers, and so imagination paints them to our view ; while 
 a rt'ection stands weeping beside their graves, and rears up her 
 frail monuments, inscribing upon them, " These all died in 
 faith.'''' How ])rivilcged ! how honored in their resting- 
 [>laco, rejDOsing as they all do on that magnificent couch — 
 
 " With patriarchs of the ancient world, with kinos, 
 The powerful of the earth — the Avise, the good. 
 Fair forms and lioary seers of ages past, 
 All in one mighty sepulchre ! The hills 
 Rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun ; the vales, 
 Stretching in pensive quietness between ; 
 The venerable woods ; rivers that move 
 In majesty ; and complaining brooks. 
 That make the meadows green : 
 Old ocean's gray and melancholy wastP, 
 Are but the solemn decorations all 
 Of the great tcnnb of man ! The golden sun, 
 Tiie i)lanets, all the infinite host of heaven, 
 Are shining on the sad abodes of deatli 
 Through the still lapse of ages ! All that tread 
 The globe are but a handful to the tribes 
 That slumlxu" in its bosom !" 
 
 And, what is more comforting for us to know, for it may 
 teach us how to die like them, they all " had hope in, their 
 death P'' Thev passed throuo-h " the swellings of JonhuT' 
 
46 MEirORlAL SERMONS. 
 
 " Sustained and soothed 
 By an unfaltering trust ! They neared the grave 
 Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
 About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams." 
 
 Nor must we omit to call to mind among tliat congregation 
 " those mothers in Israel " whose piety consecrated the me- 
 mories of the domestic iireside and hallowed all its associa- 
 tions, by breathing from thence toward heaven a perpetual 
 stream of incense, which warmed the fervor of Christian love 
 and drew down blessings upon the church. Many of them were 
 largely her benefactors, and we should be not only delinrpient 
 in duty, but ungrateful, did we not cherish the recollection of 
 their piety and engrave their names upon her recoi"ds. I see 
 before me, in imagination, the Mrs. Talmage, Yeglite, AVhite- 
 nack, Wortman, Stryker, Davis, Porter, Brokaw, Yroom, Yan 
 Derveer, Gaston, Yan Arsdalen, Yeghte, Taylor, Rockafeller, 
 Miller,"Tunison, Polhemus, Staats, Yan Neste, Beekman, Yan 
 Derveer, Black, Jobs, Cooper, Castner, Durling, Dumont, 
 Brokaw, Quick, Tunison, Hedges ! " And these too all died 
 in faith^'' and their precious dust was in succession gathered 
 to its mother, in whose faithful embrace every particle of it 
 will be preserved as seed, from which will spring up in the 
 morning of the resurrection so many glorified spiritual bod- 
 ies to inhabit Paradise. They Avalked with God, serving 
 him in their day and generation, and they are not, for God 
 took them, and their end was peace. They spent their last 
 Sabbath of privilege here in the worship of the sanctuary ; 
 sat with us the last time at the Supper of the Lord, attesting 
 their hope in Christ as a Bedeemer, and then, as if weary of 
 sin and panting for that heaven which they kept so uear in 
 view and longed so much to reach, broke away from all the 
 ties which bound them to earth, and soared up on high to join 
 the company of the white-robed saints in glory. There the 
 eye of faith has often contemplated them singing in the choir 
 of the church above, and longed to be with them, exclaiming, 
 
 " Happy songsters ! 
 Wlien shall I your chorus join?" 
 
 Besides these, there were others who were not in the com- 
 munion of the church, who gave their bodies to the dust, and 
 entered the eternal state, as Campbell, Gore, Sergeant, Tunison, 
 
MEMORIAL SEllMONS. 47 
 
 Torbert, Quick, Van Middleswortli, Beckmaii, Dolliver, and 
 tlie Mrs. Tunison, Vroom, and Fisher — and others still, sojonrn- 
 iiio- with ns for a season, as Perrine and son, Mrs. Todd and 
 Mrs. Eockafeller. Tlic -whole nuniLer of deaths among the 
 members of the chnrch has been sixtj-six. Sad memorial of 
 the power of the destroyer! But we have not jet called to 
 mind all the trophies of the king of terrors, nor recorded the 
 names of all who were once here, but are now in eternity. 
 The yonng have died likewise — ^William and Martha Bryan, 
 John and Edward Griffith, Elizabeth and Daniel Polhemns, 
 Harriet Toms and Elizabeth Kockafeller, yonng A''oorhee3 
 and Gaston. I have laid my hand upon tlieir fair white 
 brows when they were as cold as marble, and seen them 
 dressed out clean and beautiful, as if for a bridal, to be wedded 
 in their early youth to the dust. All the fond love, all the 
 passionate grief of parents and friends, all the bright hopes 
 of future good, all the strength of their young life, could not 
 restrain the inexorable archer, or shield them from his arrow! 
 His bow was bent, and the fatal shaft, true to its aim, sped, 
 and they lay prostrate in the dust. All that was left for 
 friendship and sympathy was to shed tears over their clay, 
 and carry them to their rest among the cold sleepers of the 
 cemetery. Monuments have perpetuated tlieir names, but 
 their voices are silent. Pale flowers have been planted around 
 their graves, and watered with many tears; but {\\o floicer.'< 
 will fade as they did, and drop tlieir withered petals on their 
 graves. "VVe have often mused over these signs of affection, 
 and felt the eloquence with which they spoke, when the leaves 
 of summer, touched by an early frost, lay scattered thickly in 
 the forest. Tlie poet was interpreter to our thoughts : 
 " Thou ]ovely eartli ! Since kindred steps 
 From tliy jrreen paths have fled, 
 
 A dimness and a hush have fallen 
 O'er all thy beauties spread ! 
 
 Tlie silence of the absent soul 
 Is on lue and around ! 
 
 My heart liatli echoes but for thee. 
 Thou still small warning sound ! 
 
 The sky-lark sings out as he sang 
 When they were by my side ; 
 
 And inournfal tones are in the wind 
 Unheard before they died !" 
 
48 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 And yet there are more claiming a record in tliis sad memo- 
 rial. Those " blossoms of being born and gone," which the 
 universal mother of all tlie living hath gathered back to her 
 cold bosom — "the early lost," as nature regards them, but 
 ''the early saved," as the visions of our scripture faith teach 
 us to esteem them, wlien in her holy records she points ns to 
 the Saviour's words, " Suffer the little cliiklren to come unto 
 me and forbid them not, for of such is the Tdnrjdoiii of GodP 
 Tliere are many, very many short graves in yonder cemetery, 
 and I never look upon them but I think liow loving and faith- 
 ful the Saviour is to his people, in taking so many of their 
 "'little ones" to himself, and garnering them in heaven before 
 sin could have power to pollute them, or tlie world ensnare 
 their feet in its slippery paths. We ought to thank him for 
 every one which he claims and takes home. There are so 
 many things to be dreaded, that the very tears wliich affection 
 sheds when she enshrouds tliem ought to be accompanied with 
 a consenting heart, and our loudest grief should be taught to 
 say, "lie hath done all things well." Our loss is their gain. 
 There are so many shipwrecks on the ocean of human life, 
 that it ought to be regarded more as a matter of congratula- 
 tion than of regret, to see one of these frail vessels launched 
 upon its surging waves, reaching early and safely the haven of 
 eternal rest. " God has made every thing beautiful in its sea- 
 son." How is it that we fall so much to discern the '■^heautf 
 of his providence and love in gathering the buds and opening 
 flowers of humanity into his own garner, before they have 
 here had time to wither and the bliglit to touch them ? I can 
 not be ftiith ; it is only nature that impels these gushing 
 tears. AVe must teach nature to cluisten her strong yearnings 
 by the power of faith's revealings, and become willing to thank 
 (lod if we have children in heaven. AVe must learn to gaze 
 ni)ward and " stretch our sight," until we see them in their 
 white robes among "the shining ones" in glory; and then, 
 coming back to our cares and toils, think how much happier 
 they are in having escaped them all. We must make our love 
 to them a living power to elevate ns above the influence of 
 our nature and our sin, and strengthen us until we are victors 
 in the conflict, and have permission to come away and join 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 49 
 
 them wliere we shall part no more. It is a divhie liopo, in- 
 deed, to tliiiik of meeting our loved ones in glory. It seems 
 to make lieaven nearer and dearer to us. We realize its exist- 
 ence as we could not do but from the fact that it is the home 
 and resting-])lace of those we love. They have not ceased to 
 be, because God has taken tliem ; they are only veiled from 
 our sight; death reached but the mortal part, and brouglit the 
 material form to the dust — the soul is with God. The blos- 
 som which withered here upon its stalk in the spring of its 
 beauty lias been transplanted there in a place of endurance, 
 and will expand in perfection and dift'usc its fragrance eternal- 
 ly, to gladden and refresh that spirit which now weeps out au 
 affection that has been sorely bruised. Oh! that our faith 
 could see this when Ave mourn the loss of departed ones. It 
 would assist us to say, 
 
 "There, like a dew-drop shrined 
 
 Within a crystal stone. 
 Thou art safe in heaven, my dove ! 
 Safe with the source of love, 
 
 The everlasting One. 
 And when the hour arrives 
 
 From flesh to set me free, 
 Thy spirit will await, 
 Tlie fii'st at heaven's gate. 
 
 To meet and welcome me." 
 
 II. There have also been many changes besides those result- 
 ing from death. Since the small beginnings of 1699, through 
 a period of one hundred and forty-eight years, this church has 
 m)t only experienced a variety of fortune and favor, but as the 
 effect of all, by the blessing of God, it has waxed strong and 
 become numerous. In thinking of those days in comparison with 
 the present, we may a])propriate the words of Jacob, "With 
 my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two 
 bands." It was natural that the pro])riety of a division should, 
 at the time it was made, be strongly doubted even by tlu; 
 wisest. The end of it could iu)t be foreseen — its effect upon 
 time-honored associations was feared: and perhaps we lacked 
 faith in the promise of God, which is as true of the church as 
 it is of an individual — "I will never leave thee nor forsake 
 thee." The parting hour was therefore an hour of sorrow. 
 
50 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 We felt that we liad reason to be sad. But at tlie present 
 time douLt is at an end, and even fear is removed. There is 
 no one who does not consider it a blessing, and is not prepared 
 heartily to pray, " Send now, O Lord, prosperity, I beseech 
 thee." The interests of religion generally, and of our own 
 denomination especially, have been materially strengthened in 
 this community as the effect of it. Oar neighbors have been 
 blessed abundantly, and from a mere handful grown up to be 
 a respectable church ; while at the same time our own numbers 
 have gone on increasing in a progressive ratio, equal at least 
 to what it was before, perhaps greater. So confident do both 
 these "bands" now feel in their strength, that they have re- 
 cently united in the erection of a commodious and beautiful 
 house of worship, which they intend to make the nucleus of a 
 " Third Church ;" and our prospects will need to be very sud- 
 denly beclouded, if such an organization is not actually effect- 
 ed before another year elapses. Fifteen years since, when my 
 ministry commenced here, the communion of the church con- 
 sisted of three hundred and forty-seven members; at the j^res- 
 cnt time there are the names of four hundred and seven record- 
 ed on our books. During this time there have been received 
 in all three hundred and fifty- one. If there had been no 
 deaths or removals, our communion would at the ])resent time 
 have been six hundred and ninety-eight ; but on account of 
 them, the actual increase has only been sixty. AVhat a change 
 this fact makes necessary ! It is almost equal to an entire re- 
 newal of the whole congregation, in the space of fifteen years. 
 The difference, however, is not in fact so much ; for on looking 
 around me I recognize here to-day many familiar faces — fami- 
 liar during the whole time that I have ministered where I now 
 do. They have been- here constantly when the tribes went 
 up, even the tribes of the Lord, to worship in his sanctuary. 
 Many of those who came to us have remained but a little 
 Avhile; but the great body of the church has been permanent, 
 and the larger number of changes has been confined to the 
 jiubGtuating and the transient. Except wdiere death has come 
 in to perform his work, few have left us. 
 
 Fifteen years of Sabbaths ! Seven hundred and eighty days 
 in which we have sat together in God's holy house and heard 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 51 
 
 his Gospel! It is along time. It embraces a vast amount of 
 privilege. You have probably heard in that time fifteen hun- 
 dred and sixty sermons. It has brought you acquainted witli 
 a vast amount of instruction, and it involves deep responsi- 
 bilities. So much opportunity of learning Christ ought to 
 liave enriched your minds with a wide range of gospel truth 
 and a rich experience of its power and sanctification. Paul 
 speaks of Andronicus and Junia as being of note among the 
 Christians at Home, because " they were in Christ before 
 him ;" as if their age and experience gave them a special claim 
 to attention and consideration. And ought it not to do so ? 
 Is it not a special privilege to have been in Christ early? to 
 have been long in his school? Yes, indeed, age is a blessing. 
 A long life is a j^rivilege, especially when its years have been 
 spent in the acquisition of knowledge and in the service of 
 God. It has a richness in experience, a maturity of under- 
 standing, a sobriety of judgment, a settled conviction of truth, 
 and a wisdom in discerning what is real from what is mere 
 semblance, the efiect of transient feelings and not of spiritual 
 influence and grace, which renders it always safe to walk by 
 its counsels when difficulties oppose or dangers are imminent. 
 It may not display the fervor of youth nor manifest the ardor 
 of its untried affections, it may sometimes be even too cau- 
 tious and sluggish ; but then it will have the advantage of 
 having fewer mistakes to correct and less frequent occasion to 
 repent and turn back. That, however, Avliich constitutes its 
 highest good is the opportunity which it aflbrds of doing so 
 much for religion, bearing so much fruit for Christ and pro- 
 moting the interests of righteousness so long — "laying up," in 
 the words of the Saviour, " a treasure in heaven with the 
 mammon of unrighteousness." AVitli such an end in view, a 
 Christian may well rejoice in a long life. 
 
 But when avarice, the vice of old age, is allowed to grow 
 and canker in the heart, and the veteran of years lives only to 
 hoard his treasures — when no heavenly liglit shines upon its 
 declining course and no religious topics sanctify the end of its 
 days, the sight of it saddens and distresses us. We can not hide 
 from ourselves the conviction that the rust of that unemployed 
 gold, accumulating year by yeai*, will be a terrible witness 
 
i>l MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 against those white locks as an unprofitable steward, and we 
 confess it would have been a blessing not to have lived so long. 
 Among us there are but a few of the old disciples remaining, 
 and this makes that small number who have been our friends 
 from the beginning more endeared. AYe can not therefore re- 
 frain from uttering one specific petition for them : may they 
 live long to adorn the religion they profess, and then, when 
 all their work is done, sleep peacefully in the bosom of that 
 Saviour whom they have loved and served. Our sentiment for 
 them to-day is — a long life of piety and a sweet rest in glory. 
 May they enjoy both ! 
 
 In noticing the changes of fifteen years, what is most admo- 
 nitory and impressive is, that death has been more busy among 
 the aged than the young. This is not ordinary. The spoiler 
 generally delights in " a shining mark." His most numerous 
 victims are the beautiful and the young. His mansions are 
 filled with lovely forms, and his favorite work is to destroy 
 bright hopes. But such has not been his course among us ; 
 the hoary head, and the form bending under a weight of years, 
 have more frequently been taken to rest than " the strong 
 staff has been broken and the beautiful rod." So great has the 
 mortality among the aged been, that only a few of the old pa- 
 triarchs, once the strength of the church, remain. This has 
 subjected us to a sore trial. We feel their loss deeply ; their 
 influence touched the cause of truth and righteousness in this 
 community in many important points ; and what is still more 
 to be lamented is, that in some instances they have left no re- 
 presentatives on whom their mantle could fall. The promise 
 leads ns to hope that " in the place of the fathers there shall be 
 their children," but in these cases the promise yet seems to 
 fail. May God work it out in his own time and way, for he 
 is able to do it, even though it should be necessary out of " the 
 stones to raise up children unto Abraham" ! 
 
 In this way the wealth which once was ours now seeks other 
 channels, and the influence which aided us is neutralized or 
 turned against us. We however do not mean this as a complaint. 
 With all our losses we are strong — increasing in strength in 
 many ways. What we need most is a higher tone, a wider range 
 of piety, and a greater abounding of our liberality. Deadness 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. bS 
 
 to the world and an earnest anxiety to do something for the 
 <;'lory of God wouki be a perfect remedy for all tliat we regret. 
 With a mind to work, wo should lind it eas}'' to meet every re- 
 quisition which the church imposes. The want of it has made 
 us groan, when we ought to have been singing songs of thanks- 
 giving and joy. 
 
 in. But all has not been change. Amid all that we have 
 mourned as we have seen it passing away, there is one thing 
 over the permanency of which we could drop a tear, a bitter 
 tear. It is the fixed, the unchanging, the unjdelding impeni- 
 tence of some of our people. We can not conceal it from our- 
 selves that there are some yet out of Christ who were here iif - 
 teen years ago, and w^ere then impenitent. They Avere halting 
 between two opinions then, and they are yet in the same posi- 
 tion ; they were almost Christians then, and they are only al- 
 most Christians now. Then they Avcre waiting for better 
 evidence, and now they are waiting for better evidence ; and 
 how much longer will they wait ? Fifteen years of Sal>- 
 baths, and strivings of the Spirit, and admonitions of Provi- 
 dence ! Is it not enough 'i How wonderful that heavcTi 
 should be so patient ! Where is there another friend that 
 would consent to stand so long and solicit a place in our 
 hearts ? AYhat love, other than the everlasting and the un- 
 speakable love of Jesus Christ, is so enduring — so inexhausti- 
 ble, lon£!;-sufferino-, and unabatino; ! The best friend would 
 have forsaken us, and, in despair for so much hardness, given 
 us over to ruin ; but the faithful, loving Spirit conies again and 
 again ; the tender, compassionate Redeemer renews his solici- 
 tations year after year, unwilling that any sinner, even though 
 he be an hundred years old, should perish while he stands on 
 " mercy's ground," and death and a fixed eternity have not 
 made his state irreversible ! It is wonderful to think of it. It, 
 gives us a most solemn view of the obstinate infatuation of im- 
 penitence — a living picture of the apostle's words, '" The natu- 
 ral man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; for they 
 are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because 
 they are spiritually discerned." It is a mournful proof of tlie 
 prophet's words, " Tlie heart of man is deceitful above all things 
 and desperately wicked ; who can know it?" What must tlie 
 4 
 
54 MEMOIllAL SERMONS. 
 
 moral state of sucli individuals be ? To "what can Ave compare 
 their hearts? Are they not akin to those eternal icebergs 
 which surround the "pole" — congealed at the beginning of 
 creation, when God first spake the earth into being, and never 
 giving forth a drop since, but remaining always sharp and 
 hard and fixed in tlieir forbidding impenetrability, and des- 
 tined to remain so, until the coming eternity shall have passed ? 
 Or like those seas of ice on the Alpine heights, glittering in 
 the beams of the sun and in perfect defiance of their power, 
 sending back his raja from their adamantine surface, ever 
 since the day when the power of Omnipotence upheaved them 
 from the solid crust of the earth and fixed them on their ever- 
 lasting foundations — emblems of hardened impenitence ? It 
 is a sad state to be in ; the thought of it is enough to move 
 any mind to tears ! Fifteen years of impenetrable obduracy 
 to all the invitations of the Gospel, all the solicitations of 
 God's most gracious Spirit, all the warnings of Providence, 
 and all the admonitions of the dying ! Oh ! it is too much to 
 think of. Has heaven done so much for us in vain ? Have 
 we lived so long, and only lived to heap up wrath and indig- 
 nation against the revelation of God's righteous judgment ? 
 lived so long only to make our death-bed more cheerless, and 
 our eternity a more intolerable depth of woe ? 
 
 To return again to our text : is there nothing in the former 
 age, in the experience of the fathers, that may teach you ? Is 
 their experience of no advantage to guide you ? Is your own 
 without instruction ? What profit have you had from all the 
 worldly things which you have pursued ? Have they compen- 
 sated you for that neglect of your souls which they have in- 
 duced ? Is a life of irreligion, in fact, an advantage ? We are 
 willing to leave the question with your own judgment and con- 
 science. Does it bring you an increase of happiness ? Does 
 it enable you to drink from the cup of life a sweeter draught ? 
 Does it make your social joys more exhilarating and your sor- 
 rows less oppressiv^e ? What is your answer ? If you are si- 
 lent and ashamed to speak, or if you have not marked any 
 definite results of experience, we can answer for you. It has 
 done none of these things ; and you ought to have known, be- 
 fore you adopted such a course, that it could not do any of these 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. * 55 
 
 tilings. But slionld von inifortunately doubt and be disposed 
 to try it further, or should you be in search of information, 
 we commend to you the recommendation in our text," Inquire, 
 T pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the 
 search of their fathers : shall not they teach thee, and tel^ 
 thee, and utter words out of their heart ?" " Can the rush 
 grow up without mire ? Can the flag grow without water 'i 
 While it is yet in its greenness and not cut down, it withereth 
 before any other herb ; so are the paths of all that forget 
 (lod ! And the hypocrite's hope shall perish ! His hope shall 
 be cut off, and his trust shall be a spider's web ; and the dwell- 
 ing-place of the wicked shall come to naught ! Have ye not 
 asked them which go by the way ? and do ye not know their 
 tokens, that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction '( 
 They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath : and the- 
 sinner, even though he be an hundred years old, shall be ac- 
 cursed." 
 
 Is this the testimony of experience ? Does the voice of the- 
 past age and of the fathers speak in this wise ? Then you are- 
 condemned as one that is living unwisely and running in the 
 face of evil. It is, in fact, one of the most singular phenomena 
 of human reason that impenitent men should read these denun- 
 ciations in the Bible, acknowledge them to be from God and 
 to be expressions of his determinations in regard to sin, and 
 yet live on in their rebellion. It amounts to this : that rea- 
 sonable beings are capable of acting very unreasonably, even 
 where the most important interests are at stake ; and, if any 
 thing can do so, proves most conclusively that the dlfliculty 
 with the impenitent man is not in his reason but in his heart :. 
 and if you mean to change him, it is to be done, not by argu- 
 ment, but ]n()ral influence. It is not because there is any want 
 of evidence in religion, but because the)' are opposed to it, and 
 therefore unwilling to be convinced by evidence or to listen tO' 
 the voice of reason, that most men continue in sin. This is the 
 testimony of Scri})ture : "the heart is deceitful above all things 
 and desperately wicked," and will not of itself come to God.. 
 This is the best explanation ever given of impenitence — the 
 onl}'- one that reaches all the facts of the case. But do you not 
 perceive that this only makes your condition more hopeless * 
 
r.D MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 Such a lieart can not be lia])j)j without God, and it is unHtte*! 
 for enjoyment with hiin. It is therefore morally disqualified 
 for heaven. Holy enjoyments in its sensual state are a contra- 
 diction ; the supposition that it can feel them is an absurdity ; 
 it must be changed ; conversion or destruction is the only 
 alternative. And so we conclude fifteen years of expostulation 
 with you, and begin another. "When will your hearts be al)le 
 t(T realize its privileges or turn cordially to its duties ? 
 
 A]}])l{cation. — It would seem as if one end, at least, of th(> 
 various changes of human life was to instruct men. Attention 
 to them will teach us wisdom. They are a mirror in which 
 we may see the image of the future ; and if we arrive at a 
 proper understanding of their character, it will tend to prepare 
 us to meet what is to come, if it does not enable us to avoid all 
 the evils it brings with it. Surprisals find us unguarded. An 
 unexperienced evil is greater on that account. Even death 
 becomes familiar by seeing it often. How much instruction, as 
 to the transitory nature of all earthly things, the changes ofthe 
 past bring ! We have loved, but where are the loved ones 
 now ? We have toiled for treasures and built garners for our 
 hopes, but they have all faded like a frost-bitten flower. Some 
 of you stand alone who once had companions to assist you in 
 bearing your burdens and share with you the sufferings of your 
 mortal state ; others have carried their children to the nar- 
 row house appointed for all the living. All feel that the pas- 
 sage of years lias wasted many things which they regarded as 
 jewels ofthe heart ! Learn, then, not to set your affections on 
 things upon the earth, but to lay your treasure up with God. 
 " Tliey build too low, who build on aught beneath the skies.'' 
 Heaven alone is pure, unchanging, and never fades aw'ay ! 
 
 It would seem as if the past was intended to encourage us. 
 In the midst ot all the changes, losses, and disappointments 
 which it brings, there are things that remain unchanged and 
 can not be lost. God is our Father still. In Christ we have 
 an undiminished portion of peace, enjoyment, and hope. 
 Heaven yet invites us, and waits with wide-expanded doors to 
 receive us into its mansions of rest. With God, and Christ, 
 and heaven, have we not enough ? Let us thank God. then, 
 and take coura2:e. 
 
MEMORIAI; SERMOXS. 57 
 
 It would seem as if tlie past also admonislied us. Is it gouo i 
 Mas it been wasted ? Does tlie tliouglit of it bring regrets ? 
 Let the time past of our lives suffice us to liave wrought the 
 will of the flesh ; henceforth let us live soberly, and righteous- 
 ly, and godly. Unprofitableness ought to induce repentance, 
 and repentance wisdom, zeal, and diligence. The time is short ; 
 the work is great. We have no more days that we can afford 
 to lose. Another may be tlie last ; and to lose it may be to in- 
 cur the loss of all things. May God make us wise and success- 
 ful in working out our salvation while it is called to-dav ! 
 
THE FOUETH MEMORIAL SEEMOK. 
 
 Preached Oct. 31st, 1852. 
 
 AX IMPROVEMENT OF THE PAST. 
 
 " I "WILL remember the years of the right hand of the Most Higli." — Psalms 
 77 : 10. 
 
 The Psalmist is recording a struggle M'liicli lie had in hh 
 inind with unbelief. He sought the Lord in liis trouble ; his 
 sore ran in the night and ceased not ; his soul refused to be 
 comforted. All around him was gloom and discouragement ; 
 but when he communed with his own heart, he found strengtli 
 and hope. He advanced in his inquiries, he made diligent 
 search, and said, "Will the Lord cast oft" forever? Will ho 
 be favorable no more ? Is his mercy clean gone forever "i 
 Doth his promise fail for evermore ? ' Hath God forgotten to 
 1)6 gracious ? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ?" 
 Xo, this is "an infirmity;" to believe so is sin. It is in fact 
 a denial of all God's care and kindness as they are shown in 
 his providence ; because the obvious and necessary inference 
 from the past is, that he is "long-suffering and abundant in 
 mercy, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." It is, there- 
 fore, instrnctive and important to "remember the 3"ears of the 
 right hand of the Most High." 
 
 God's " right hand " is the emblem of his power — " the years 
 of his right hand " are therefore those years in which any event 
 of providence displaying God's power has occurred ; and "re- 
 membering" them, is not only impressing their recollection on 
 the mind, but making a memorial of them for the purpose of 
 instruction and encouragement ; and our text is a scriptural 
 warrant and example for us to do so. Perhaps we ought to do 
 it more frequent!}^ than we have been accustomed. 
 
 To-day it is twenty years since I assumed the responsible 
 <-liarge of the pastorate in this congregation, and it has seemed 
 
MEMOEIAL SERMOXS. o9 
 
 to me to he necessary to make a memorial of it — to erect an 
 Ebenezer here, and remember the years of the right hand of 
 the Most High. 
 
 The text suggests our method. "We sliall group together 
 some of the occurrences of this period with a view to our en- 
 couragement and inqu'ovement in faith and piety. 
 
 Twenty years is ahnost one third of the period allotted to 
 man. It is a " score," and he has but " threescore and ten." 
 When tiiey are numbered, his strength is gone, his siglit 
 dimmed, his head bowed and blanched, and liis tottering stej)K 
 admonish him of the grave. One tlurd of a life is no small 
 thing to give to any cause or any object. To have given it, 
 supposes an obligation as to the effect of its devotion of n(» 
 small magnitude. I came herein comparative youth and inex- 
 perience. I had indeed but little, besides an honest purpose to 
 be useful, and some fortitude and courage in followinir tlie 
 opening path, to bring here and devote to you, as a return for 
 the confidence which you expressed in calling me. I came, 
 however, " as soon as I was sent for," and at the close of a score of 
 years, can only adopt the language of an apostle and say, " I 
 have been witli you in weakness and fear, and much trembling, 
 and my speech and my preaching has not been with enticing 
 words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit 
 and of power." If any thing has been efi'ected, the glory is 
 the Lord's. His spirit has given strengtli to weakness, made 
 the foolish wise, and pulled down the strongholds of the enemy 
 in the heart. Without feigning humility, we own his hand in 
 all, and render praise to his name. His goodness has been far 
 greater than our deserts, and his mercies liave exceeded in. 
 number tlie most sanguine expectations we have ever felt it 
 riglit to clierish. 
 
 Twenty years ! Will you go back with me in memory to 
 that Sabbath morning — some of you can do it ; and let us first 
 mark the things as they were, and then the changes that have 
 been induced. You retnember the old walls and seats — they 
 v/cre narrower than they are now, they were plainer, they 
 were less comfortable, they were not worthy of you as a people, 
 they did not indicate either your respect for God or your zeal 
 n his service ; and they were soon made to give place to otliers. 
 
60 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 You remember how we praised them for the good they had 
 done, and then bade them fiirewell with tears, as we wonkl 
 liave done " okl frieAds." They had been witnesses of many 
 solemn hours, and were copiously baptized with the Holy 
 Spirit. God has never wrought for himself and for your souls 
 in this house as he did in that. Three hundred and sixty-eight 
 as the fruit of one outpouring of the Spirit ! It was like Pen- 
 tecost. And some of you are yet here who enjoyed it, to weep 
 over it, rejoice in it, and pray to have it repeated. May God 
 in his mercy hear those prayers! 
 
 Ah! the recollection of that morning comes up in my 
 memory as fresh as if it were only yesterday. I can recall dis- 
 tinctl}^ many faces whom I shall sec no more; the warm pres- 
 sure of many hands, and some tea,rs, (were they of joy ?) 
 which fell there. I recollect the text and the sermon ; and I 
 remember a pledge which I gave you. I have sometimes 
 almost thought the time would come for me to redeem it, but 
 not quite. It was something like this : " If tlie time ever 
 comes that I shall cease to have the prayers and cooperation 
 of Christians here, that day will be the last to see me in this 
 pulpit." I hold it good yet to-day; and will be as ready to re- 
 deem it at any future time, as I have been always in the past. 
 I will not for a slight cause break the ties which bind us ; but 
 I would not remain a day, if I thought that I had lost your 
 regard and your prayers ; if there was even a respectable mi- 
 nority cherishing such feelings. 
 
 But when I bring that first Sabbath in connection with to- 
 day, and mark the changes, it almost appalls me. Among the 
 dead since, I reckon some of the best, the kindest, the truest 
 friends I have ever had, or ever expect to have in this world. 
 Some of them were great men in their day, and they stood in 
 this sanctuary like pillars with wreathed capitals for ornament 
 and for strength. They were " good men and full of the Holy 
 Ghost ;" or they were " mothers in Israel " like Jael, Deborah, 
 and Abigail. Women who knew how to pray, and who knew 
 how to act. They had hearts and hands both. We might re- 
 cite their names, but they do not need any eulogium. Tlieir 
 memorial is in heaven, and there they are reaping their reward. 
 Happy if we can make sure of the same rest, by imitating 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 01 
 
 tlieir patience and their faith. Let ns strive as the_y did to 
 enter in at tlie strait gate. 
 
 On that morning, there was but one pLace in which to wor- 
 sliip God in this vilhage, and even Avithin miles of it. Then 
 the whole strength of Christian influence and example centred 
 in one point ; and from this pnlpit went forth the only warning 
 to a sin-enthralled world, IIow they have multiplied ! How 
 various too the denominations, where all were one ! In the 
 midst of the present variety, it is at least to be hoped that all 
 may be pleased and profited. May it appear in the end that in 
 the diversity of gifts there is one spirit. May that spirit be 
 C/hrist's ; and may the work of Christ's grace be promoted. 
 
 There is but one " church redeemed with blood," and but 
 one " company of the saints around the throne;" but some do 
 not seem to think so, and seem to hope in a change of forms 
 and creeds to find an easier way to heaven. What chance of 
 success they have it is easy to determine. 
 
 The whole number of professing Christians in this church at 
 the time of my settlement (and it was the whole number in the 
 community) was about three hundred and fifty. Our two 
 churches now contain about nine hundred. This one fact is 
 suflicient to show what an extension of visible Christianity, 
 at least, there has been as the effect of the means of 
 grace ; and proves conclusively the necessity of onore 
 churches, if not of so many denominational divisions. The 
 strength of no one man could liave proved adequate to the 
 labor connected with their instruction and edification ; and 
 every Christian will rejoice that they have found in other com- 
 munions what they could not have enjoyed so fully in ours, 
 and will pray that they may be "built up in faith and good 
 works," and " sanctified for heaven." 
 
 To the original number of three hundred and fifty, there has 
 been added since, four hundred and thirty-five — of which two 
 hundred and fifty-three have made a confession of faith, and 
 <nic hundred and eighty-two have been received on certificate. 
 The largest number added at any one communion is forty- 
 one — in the autumn of 1S3T — and during the whole period 
 there has been but one communion season when none were re- 
 ceived on confession— and on that occasion two were added bv 
 
62 MEMORIAL SERMON'S. 
 
 certificate. There lias been only a single communion season 
 when but one came forward to testify of the grace of God in 
 its regenerating power. The highest number received in a sin- 
 gle year is sixty-three, and the smallest \9>four ; which occurred 
 in 1834r, when the congregation was divided by the organiza- 
 tion of the second church ; and during which year, in conse- 
 quence of being without a convenient place of worship, con- 
 fined to the old lecture room, there was but one communion 
 season observed by the church. 
 
 Of the three hundred and fifty in the commmiion of the 
 church at the time of my settlement, there are now only about 
 fifty remaining in actual attendance on the spiritual ordinan- 
 ces. All the others have either departed this life, or removed to 
 other places. Such has been the effect of the lapse of time, 
 and so rapid the changes which it has produced. Can you 
 wonder that I feel this morning almost as if I were standing in 
 the midst of another generation and ministering to another peo- 
 ple ? The circumstance originates mingled emotions in my bo- 
 som. It brings to my heart the memory of past joys, sweet and 
 pleasant to the soul. With many who are gone I had formed 
 pleasant associations, and often walked with them to the 
 house of God. With others friendships were only commenced, 
 destined to endure but for a little while and then pass away 
 like those gleams of sunshine which break from a clouded 
 sky. The recollection of the pleasure is saddened by regret 
 for the lost. I see in it a picture of human life, with its 
 transitory joys, its fading liopes, its failing promises. It is at 
 best but a journey in which we become acquainted with 
 various passengers, and then at its different stages part with 
 them again, each one to pursue his own course and seek after 
 his own interests. It is a troubled sea, navigated with a frail 
 vessel, from which one and another is continually falling, to 
 disappear forever beneath the foaming waves. We inquire 
 for them, but the answer is. They ai-e gone. Gone ! Ah, 
 where? Gone many of them to a long eternity. They shall 
 not return to us, but we must go to them. Oh ! if we can 
 oidy meet them on the happy shores of immortality. There^ 
 there will be no partings nor farewells, but associations such 
 
MEMOKTAL SERMONS. C'3 
 
 as spirits Ibrm with spirits, and enjoyments sueli as flow from 
 that higher life the full glory of which they taste ! 
 
 But all is not sadness^ that this memory of the past, as it 
 mingles itself with the present, produces. In place of the 
 fathers here are the children. Individuals and families have 
 happily perpetuated themselves, in many instances, in the 
 communion and support of the church ; and the sad remem- 
 brance of the departed mingles itself with the joyful recog- 
 nition of those who remain. Ties in many instances have 
 been severed with the one, only to be re-formed more pleas- 
 antly and hopefully with the others. It has in this way been 
 our privilege to see the covenant of God faithfully perpetuated 
 and its blessings descending from fiithers to sons, and from 
 mothers to daughters, to become a witness to the truth of the 
 promise, "to you, and to your children, and to thorn tliat are 
 afar off — even as many as the Lord our God shall call ;" and 
 many a dying patriarch has been comforted concerning the 
 church and the altars of his God, by the reflection that the 
 place which he left vacant in his holy lionse would be filled 
 after his departure by one bronght up upon his knees, and his 
 falling mantle, like Elijah's, come upon the shoulders of some 
 Elisha to carry on and complete the work which he com- 
 menced. Nor is the fact without its interest in this point of 
 view — that notwithstanding all the clumges, there are so many 
 of Xhafast and tried friends of the church who have perpetua- 
 ted themselves in its communion in their children. It ought 
 to be so. The place where our fathers worshipped is rendered 
 more sacred to us by that association. Is it not pleasant to 
 think, and does it not add to the impressiveness of our worship, 
 that these very walls which M'itnessed their joy and heard 
 their prayers, witness ours ? Does it not make the scene 
 more holy to ns to reflect that at this very communion table 
 they also, who are now in heaven, sat down and were fed with 
 living bread ? Can we ever consent to wander from these 
 sacred ways where they found so much peace, and Avere so 
 effectually sanctified for the enjoyment of everlasting bliss? 
 
 The whole number reported as having been dismissed in 
 good standing, and at their own request to become connected 
 with other churches, is one hundred and sixty-two. Of this 
 
04 MEMOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 number fifty-six went into the second 'cliurch, eitlier at the 
 time of its organization or immediately afterward ; and at 
 least thirty more have been separated from us for the purpose 
 of effecting the organization of the different churches built up 
 around us. The whole number is not large ; and the interest 
 in these statistics is in the fact, that they so clearly demon- 
 strate a warm feeling of attachment on the part of our mem- 
 bers to their own communion. It is not a small thing that 
 detaches from us any one who has once thrown in his lot here. 
 Tlie members of this church have not been given to change. 
 The majority of them at least, certainly, have never been 
 troubled with itching ears. The force of circumstances alone 
 has taken those from us who have come to ask for dismissions. 
 There is hardly an instance where dissatisfaction with the 
 church or the pastor has been the moving cause of a separation. 
 May it always be so. Such bonds ought not to be easily or 
 rudely sundered. Passion certainly should never furnish the 
 motive ; and it is no commendation to any Christian to have 
 been given to change, or to have belonged to many churches. 
 He is seldom benefited by it ; and more seldom still better 
 satisfied after the changes have been made. 
 
 In twenty years, only sixty-three communicants are report- 
 ed as having died. This number is unquestionably lower than 
 the reality, but there are no means of correcting it, and we 
 are therefore obliged to take it. It is to be accounted for in 
 two ways. The deaths have not always been all reported, and 
 some have died elsewhere, but not called for their dismission 
 previously, so that we have had no means of ascertaining it 
 until it was forgotten. In this way it becomes necessary 
 every few years to correct the lists of communicants in order 
 to preserve accuracy in numbers. 
 
 The number, however, is sufiicient to originate many solemn 
 reflections. In some instances, whole families are gone ; in 
 others, there are one or two left ; while in others still, the 
 " strong staff was broken and the beautiful rod ;" and yet in 
 others, " tlie desire of eyes" has been " taken away with a 
 stroke." The place of the dead has had to be enlarged, from 
 the multitude crowding into it. In all these scenes, so mournful 
 and moving, I have shared a part — into these habitations, filled 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. Gl) 
 
 witli lamentation and wo, carried tlie consolations of Christ's 
 blessed Gospel, tlie balm of wounded hearts. Some of those 
 scenes can never be effaced from my memory. They will livi,' 
 in vivid impressions among its records of the past, as long as 
 consciousness remains. I count them jewels of the heart, and 
 hope to derive from them a chastening power and a sanctify- 
 ing influence ever while I live. I would not forget them if I 
 could. I should regard the wish to do so as traitorous to 
 myself, and a dereliction of a most sacred duty. But not- 
 withstanding all our losses and all the changes going on 
 around us, we have been able to preserve and gradually to 
 increase our strength — at least in numbers. The communion 
 has at times exceeded four hundred ; but this year it falls a 
 little short of it. One thing ought to be remarked as an en- 
 couragement — no more church organizations seem to be called 
 for, and the increase of population will therefore, in a very 
 short time, even with an ordinary blessing, restore all our 
 wastes and close up all our breaches. Only the fathers who 
 are gone can not return to us ; and yet God, who has power 
 to raise up children unto Abraham out of the stones, may 
 give us those who Avill be mightier in prayer, and faith, and 
 good works than they were, to fill their places. It is a pleasing 
 hope that it will be so ; let us indulge it. 
 
 From this view of the changes we pass naturally to the 
 labors of the past twenty years. In speaking of them, I feel 
 it necessary to estimate them as Paul did his at Corinth, as 
 being performed " in weakness and in much fear ;" and to 
 avow that I am sensible of very many imperfections — probably 
 more than any of you have ever observed. In preaching I 
 have not studied to please men, but to speak " in demonstra- 
 tion of the spirit and of power, that your faith should not 
 stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." No 
 one can form a lower estinnite of the quality of my services 
 than I do ; and a review of them gives occasion at least for 
 //?/WM7/c^^^/o/^ if not for self-reproach. All I can say is this: 
 I have done what I coidd ; I have not sought yours but you ; 
 I have endeavored more to edify and instruct than to seek your 
 npjilause; I have not kept back the counsel of God, but by 
 alarming the sinner and attracting the self-righteous, sought to 
 
(36 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 draw them to Clirist and humble them at the foot of the cross. 
 If some have occasionally felt that I was too earnest, and search- 
 ing, and exclusive in preaching a salvation only tJiroiigh grace 
 and not by works, my answer is, that it is " so that I ha\-e learned 
 Christ." I know of no other trust or foundation to rest upon 
 " than Christ in you the hope of glory ;" and knowing of no 
 other, I can not preach any other to the lost and mined. For 
 me to do so, would be to invent another Gospel ; and this I 
 would not do to gain the undivided applause of the whole 
 world. I have yet to learn how the cross can be preached 
 and the offense of it avoided. I do not wonder, therefore, that 
 some have been found who could not endure such a cross, and 
 have sought relief either by absence, or by adopting other 
 denominational distinctions and another theology; or else 
 forming other connections in the hope of being better pleased. 
 For their satisfaction I now say, that it was always my aim 
 to push them to such extremities as to force them to become 
 Christians or to do something else. I know of no condition 
 more pregnant with evil, than the state of a self-satisiied, un- 
 godly man, and I have therefore labored to make all such 
 men entirely dissatisfied with themselves. My study has been 
 to knock from under them in succession every prop they were 
 leaning upon. I know of no Gospel which will make an un- 
 renewed man satisfied with himself, and I have never preached 
 with such an aim — those who do are welcome to their success. 
 [ might have daubed with untempered mortar, and been lauded 
 to the skies. I could not purchase their smiles or their suj^port 
 at the price demanded for them, and experience therefore no 
 disappointment in the result. May they be happier and holier 
 wliere they are ! In a very few instances, we might say, " I 
 marvel that ye are so soon removed from him tliat called 
 you in the Gospel." 
 
 In twenty years I have preached not far from two thousand 
 sermons to my people ; one half of which have been written 
 every word with this right hand. I say nothing of the toil 
 and thought which have been required to perform such an 
 amount of labor, because it has been a pleasure to me. I have 
 loved this kind of employment, and been cheerful and happy 
 under it. My estimate of what is the duty of a minister of 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 67 
 
 Christ's word has been such as to make this course uecessary, 
 I could have preached with far less study — perhaps with equal, 
 if not greater acceptance, by preaching without the labor 
 of composing ; but I have never dared to utter crude thoughts 
 and " words without knowledge," or to bring husks to those 
 who were hungering for the bread of life. At the conclusion 
 of such a protracted course, I am ready to avow my convic- 
 tions of it being the best; and, therefore, if it was again to be 
 undertaken, I would not change my practice, at least in this 
 respect. 
 
 Besides sermons, I have preached some five hundred weekly 
 lectures. In these I have studied freedom from logical order 
 and restraint — endeavoring to bring in as wide a range of sub- 
 jects and remark as was consistent with attention to the mind 
 of Christ. The substance of many of these has been repeated 
 more than once ; but the words, rising to my mind as the oc- 
 casion and circumstances prompted, could never be recalled. 
 In this way, even though tlic text were the same, it has often 
 happened that almost an entirely new discourse has been 
 called fort. Indeed, in all cases the natural variation pre- 
 vented sameness. 
 
 I have kept no account of the number of funeral sermons and 
 catechetical lectures, and therefore can not estimate them except 
 in general terms. They must, however, have amounted to five 
 hundred or more. So that during the course of my ministry 
 among you, I have at least on three thousand different occa- 
 sions commended the Lord Jesus Christ to your regard, and 
 urged you to accept of his mercy. 
 
 There have been in all this time five hundred and sixty-four 
 children admitted to the ordinance of baptism — and thirty- 
 three adults on confession of their faith — making in all five 
 hundred and ninety -seven baptisms. There have also been two 
 hundred and twelve marriages, at which we have been present 
 and officiated in confirming tlie sacred union. In these vari- 
 ous services, joy and sorrow have often been brought in close 
 proximity ; and I have been called even from the gnive of my 
 fiither to the festive circle to mingle in the joy of the nuirriage 
 supper. Human life is in many respects a strange scene, verg- 
 ing rapidly from one extreme to anotlier ; but how much stran- 
 
G8 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 ger is the life of a minister of the Gospel ! lie is often called 
 from the house of mourning to the house of feasting. He sees 
 life in all its various phases, from high to low — from the grave 
 and solemn and serene to the extremes of joy and sorrow. He 
 is present with all as a friend, a counselor, a helper ; and 
 seems to be equally necessary to each one. To enable him to 
 meet all the calls thus made upon him, he needs an iron frame; 
 and untiring perseverance : jierves capable of enduring the 
 pressure of the most various circumstances ; the purity and 
 love of an angel mingled with the prudence of the most perfect 
 wisdom ; and yet all these high qualities and gifts would not 
 suffice to save him from becoming the occasion of offense to 
 some, falling under the reproach of others, and doing acts of 
 kindness to maiiy, from whom he receives no acknowledgment 
 or gratitude. It is not a soft pillow upon which a minister lays 
 his head, and if he makes his calculations of finding ease and 
 pleasure, there is no one man more certain of being disap- 
 pointed. 
 
 Nor have the vicissitudes, of which Ave have been speaking, 
 all been witnessed in your habitations. In my own, too, joy 
 and sorrow ha\'e been interchanging guests. Sickness once 
 laid its sore hand upon me ; and twice has death come knock- 
 ing at my door ! My beautiful, my angel child sleeps where 
 so many of yom* parents and children sleep ; but I mourn not 
 as those who have no hope. " God hath done all things well." 
 I often see her among those who wear white robes in heaven, 
 one of those " little ones" of which the Saviour has said, " of 
 such is the kingdom of God ;" and when faith is clear, rejoice 
 that I have one child in Paradise enjoying the beatitudes of 
 immortality. 
 
 The twenty years whicli I have spent in the service of this 
 church, constitute the best portion of my life. I have gather- 
 ed, it is true, a larger experience than I brought here ; and have 
 accumulated stores of knowledge Avhile pursuing the duties of 
 i]iy calling. The advantage of these you may expect to enjoy ; 
 but I can not promise any greater activity, any increase of ardor, 
 any higher vigor. Like many of those wdio now constitute 
 " the bone and sinew" of this church, after a few more years, 
 my life will pass into the sear and yellow leaf, and the autumn 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 69 
 
 of its (lays come on. "We liave lived in liarmonj so lono-, that 
 I cherish no apprehensions but that we shall he able to con- 
 tinue it to the end. Where I have buried my dead it may bo 
 that my ashes will also rest ; and when my work is done, that I 
 shall leave only the memorial of a grave by which to hold a 
 place in the thoughts of the living. If it should be so, may I 
 meet yon all in heaven to spend a happy eternity in the enjoy- 
 ment of the rest of God. What blessedness to have all my 
 friends with me in glory ! 
 
 When I look back to-day over the past years, many pleasing 
 inemories likewise rise up to view. I have to acknowledge 
 almost universal kindness, respect, and attention, on tlie part of 
 all the members of this congregation. When I look over the 
 face of this wdiole audience I see a friend in CYery one. In 
 many of you such firm, fast, tried, lasting friends, as few minis- 
 ters, even in our happy connection, have been permitted to 
 claim. There are even some of the J^athers here who selected 
 me as their pastor and sent for me ; to doubt them would bo 
 to doubt mankind, and disavow all faith in truth and honoi'. 
 Here, too, are others who have cast in their lot with us, and 
 already proved that they are not a whit behind the foremost 
 and the best, in devotion to the chui-ch and willingness to main- 
 tain her interests ; and a noble band of youth, strong in their 
 love of the truth, earnest in their piety, and ardent in their do- 
 sire not to prove themselves unworthy of the just expectations 
 formed of their character as men and as Christians ; besides 
 many godly women whoso hearts have always been warm, and 
 whose hands have ever been ready, where any affection was to 
 be shown and any work to be done — they are all here and 
 will be here, until God has need of them in his higher work, 
 and translates them to his own house in heaven ! 
 
 There is, however, one thought which comes in like a dark 
 cloud, tool)scure the sunshine which illumines this happy dav- 
 it is the knowledge that there are some here in the same 
 condition in which they were here twenty years ago. They 
 were strangers to renewing grace then, and they are strangers 
 to renewing grace now. They have been warned of their 
 danger, reasoned with, expostulated with, and entreated, but 
 all in vain. Twenty years of Sabbaths and gospel privilogos 
 5 
 
70 , MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 is no small item in the account of eternity. How will they 
 meet it ? What can I do for them ? I know of no argn- 
 ments to prevail with them which have not been employed, 
 no depths in the love of Christ Avhicli have not been displayed, 
 710 heights in his mercy which have not been shown, no at- 
 tractions in his cross which have not been unfolded, no joys 
 flowing from communion with God which have not been paint- 
 ed, no power in heavenly things which has not been urged 
 again and again ! I can not preach stronger, clearer, more 
 earnestly, or more affectionately than I have preached. I can 
 not tell you any more of Jesus than I have told you ; nor can 
 r paint the value of your souls in stronger colors than I have 
 painted it. What, then, can be done for you ? Must I leave you 'i 
 Ixave you ! where ? In sin — enemies to God and his govern- 
 ment — unregenerated and unmatured for heaven ! To lea^o 
 you where you are, is to leave you to perish, with all your sins 
 upon your souls. I can not leave you thus. You must hear me 
 to-day, if you have never been willing to hear me before. You 
 must not leave me to Avitness against you at the bar of God, 
 when I come to give an account of my stewardship as your 
 ])astor ! You must come to Christ ! Above all others you 
 are bound to repent and believe on the Saviour. So much 
 grace has been expended upon you, so much long suffering has 
 waited on you, so much compassion has entreated you, that 
 vou must not throw it all away, and like a mariner perishing 
 in sight of land, die on the borders of heaven. There is an 
 obliii'ation upon you which rests not upon others. You have 
 had vour cup of mercies running over. You are Chorazinand 
 Bethsaida in the days of Christ, " exalted to heaven," and if 
 you are recreant to all at last, you will like them be thrust 
 down to hell— the lowest, darkest, most des^^airing portion in 
 the '• horrible pit." Oh ! how much the misery of the lost 
 will be increased by their mercies and Sabbaths on earth. 
 AVhat sorrowful reflections will be inspired by these solemn 
 assemblies where God comes to woo and to win us to himself ! 
 My dear friends, you must not leave your Saviour. You must 
 not let the world ensnare you and cheat you out of your souls. 
 They are too valuable to be trifled with. Tlte estimation of 
 them in the sight of God is too high, for you to barter them 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 71 
 
 for a promise wliicli will prove to be but an empty shadow. 
 Hear us then, when we plead with 3'ou to-day, though you may 
 have refused to hear for twenty years ; and as you liear turn tu 
 God and live. 
 
 Nor would we forget another and an opposite class of our 
 hearers to-day — the rising youth. To them my heart turns 
 with infinite yearnings. Many of them I have consecrated to 
 God by sprinkling upon theni the Avater of baptism ; and all 
 their life long, I have prayed that God would add his bless- 
 ing, and sprinkle upon them clean ivate7\ that they may be 
 clean — communicating the regenerating influences of the Holy 
 Spirit to make them new creatures, the children of God. Many 
 of them I have instructed carefully in the excellent formulas 
 of our faith, and made them acquainted with the way of life. 
 Should I not rejoice to see them entering upon it ? My young 
 friends, when I think how soon you are to be in the place of 
 your fathers and mothers, the responsibilities of the church and 
 the w^orld resting upon you, I feel the deepest solicitude that 
 3^ou should prove yourselves worthy of your privileges, your 
 instruction, and your oi:)portunities. More is anticipated from 
 you than from them, because you have grown up under a bet- 
 ter train of influences, and have enjoyed what was denied to 
 them. You must be better Christians than they have ever 
 been. Your benevolence must be larger, your zeal warmer, 
 your piety more active. This age of the church calls you to 
 many duties from w'hich, in providence, they were exempt. 
 There are things for you to do, Avhicli they had not the privi- 
 lege of doing. All our missionary operations and our Sabbath- 
 schools are lights of this generation ; and they open to you 
 wider departments of labor, and furnish pleasing opportunities 
 of displaying a Christianity of a purer typo, than that which 
 performed the duties and met the responsibilities of the past 
 generation. Let the examples of the Scriptures encourage 
 you. Samuel, the chief among the prophets under the Old 
 Testament, ministered to God in his childhood — his mother 
 " lent him to the Lord," and he grew up, as it were, in the very 
 temple of God. Josiah, one of the very best of the kings, had 
 a heart that was tender toward God in his tender years. 
 AVhen Christ Avas on earth, and the priests and the Sanhc- 
 
72 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 (.Irim rejected and insulted liim, tlie children went out to 
 meet liim in the way, and sang joyful ITosannas in his praise. 
 Timothy, one of the most interesting characters in the Kew 
 Testament, and one of the most successful among the early mis- 
 sionaries of Christ's Gospel, was from a child acquainted with 
 the Scriptures, "which are ahle to make us wise unto salvation 
 through faith in Jesus Christ." l^ay, there is a point of 
 higher interest still to he remarked in the piety of this young 
 apostle. He was a child of the covenant — " the faith that was 
 in him had dwelt first in his grandmother Lois, and in his 
 mother Eunice." Like some of you he was born of prayers 
 and baptized early with the dews of divine influences. The 
 house in which he grew up had been a Bethel, where God was 
 present often, even when unknown. Oh ! if Timothy, the son 
 of such parents and privileges, had proved recreant to his holy 
 obligations, what a wretch he must have been ! And yet there 
 are such in this world of sin — sons who renounce their bap- 
 tism, shame the piety of their parents, and deliberately turn 
 away, even from that heaven where those parents are living 
 and waiting to receive them, for the sake of the baubles and 
 the lies of this deceitful world. My young friends, let me 
 warn you against this — let me entreat you to avoid so un- 
 natural a sin. Devote your early years to wisdom, and give 
 your young affections to Christ and heaven. God claimed 
 in ancient times the " first-fruits" for himself. Carry your 
 " green ears" to the sanctuary, and lay them upon the altar 
 as an offering and an emblem of the consecration of your- 
 self, soul and body, to be the Lord's. Give the pleasures of 
 sin to those who know of no better portion. They are at 
 best but vain delights. Their honeycomb has always a sting 
 in it : and it is like the little book of John, sweet in your 
 mouth, but wormwood and gall when you have eaten it. 
 Keligion offers you in their place " sjnritucil delights, sweet 
 and pleasant to the soul." It will bring you to a banquet- 
 ing house," and spread over you such a banner of love," that 
 you will be made to rejoice with " joy unspeakable and full of 
 glory." 
 
 In regard to the future — I neither have any new plans of 
 usefulness to announce, nor any methods or measures of doing 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 73 
 
 <]^ood to recommend, with wliicli you are not already acquainted. 
 I have not in fact even any new promises to malce. I do not 
 expect to Labor more than I liave done, to preach in a different 
 way, or indeed to try any experiments whatever : but as long 
 as I remain the pastor of this church, I shall preach what I 
 think to be the truth — truth as I learn it in the Bible ; and I 
 shall not preach it any the less because it is unwelcome to 
 some, but the more / because in the unwelcomeiiess I shall find 
 both the need of it and the motive to enforce it. I shall ex- 
 pect the cooperation, sympathy, support, countenance, and 
 prayers of all the pious among my people. I must have them. 
 The claim is not put forth as a favor, it is demanded as a 
 right — and if you withhold these things from me you will d*) 
 yourselves more harm than you will do me. I may in such an 
 issue seek another place, and secure from others what you 
 deny, but you can not avoid the consequences of delinquency 
 in a duty so important. I shall expect that these prayers will 
 be something more than a form ; for the form and the words 
 are nothing without the heart, without faith. " Eight believ- 
 ing," says one, " is powerful praying." The knees, eyes, and 
 tongue bear the least share in prayer. The whole of the work 
 lies upon the soul, and particularly upon faith in the soul, 
 which is the life and power of prayer. Faith can pray with- 
 out words, but the most eloquent words, even the " tongues of 
 angels," are not wortliy to be called prayer witliout faith. 
 This is not only a solemn truth, but an important reality. 
 
 And now, in conclusion, let me remind you that one volume 
 of our mutual accountability, as jiastor and people, is closed ; 
 and another commences to-day. In the past, alas, there is too 
 much written against us ! Records of neglect and an imper- 
 fect spirit testify to the want of zeal and love in the service of 
 our God — records which we shall not be able to meet at the 
 judgment seat of Christ, uidess tlic pardoning l)lood of tlic 
 Saviour shall be imputed to us to wash their guilt away. Let 
 us first seek for grace, to enable us to secure to ourselves tlic 
 cfHcacious virtue of that Ijlood, and then let us arm our souls 
 Avitli faith, and so warm them with love — love to God as the 
 effect of communion with liim around the mercy seat — that in 
 all the future we shall be enabled to abound so much in M'orks 
 
74 MEITOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 of righteousness, as to "prove our title clear to mansions in 
 the skies." "VVe are standing, many of us, on the borders of 
 Immamiel's land. We can almost look across the dark vale, 
 and see the shining hills on the immortal shores ; we can 
 almost hear the music that is swelling there, as they sing and 
 are joyful in God. Let the thought of this home cheer our 
 spirits amid the toils of the way, and strengthen us to run 
 patiently the race set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author 
 and finisher of our faith. Oh ! it will be sweet indeed for the 
 weary to come and rest " on Canaan's calm and peaceful 
 shore ;" and before another twenty years have run their course, 
 many who are here now, will be there. Oh ! that avo might 
 all be sure of coming there at last. Let us all strive so to live 
 as to consummate this highest good. 
 
 And now may the God of peace, that brought again from 
 the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the 
 sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you 
 perfect in every good word and work, working in you that 
 which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to 
 whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 
 
THE FIFTH MEMOPJAL SERMON. 
 
 Pkeached Oct. 1st, 1857. 
 
 A P R O r E i; A X D PROFITABLE R E M K M B R A N C E . 
 " Call to remembrance the former days." — II eb. 10 : 32. 
 
 In our text, this reminiscence of tlio past is referred to fc»r 
 tlie purpose of increasing the confidence of the Hebrew 
 C/hristians in the favor and protection of God, -wliile suffering 
 the obloquy and persecution of their enemies. It is not, there- 
 fore, witli the same design that we propose to " call to renieni- 
 l)rance former days," for we have had no such oblocpiy to 
 meet, and no such afflictions to endure. Our reminiscences 
 of tlie past reveal tnercy and not judgment j and we have more 
 of the kindness of our God to record than any visitation of 
 his anger against our sins to acknowledge or to deplore. AVc 
 can truly say, " Loving-kindness and tender mercies have fol- 
 lowed us all the days of our life," and by the help of God we 
 continue until the present time the witnesses of his long-suf- 
 fering favor. 
 
 This is the twenty-iifth anniversary of our settlement in the 
 pastoral charge of this congregation, and we propose to im- 
 prove it by a special recognition. We have been accustomed 
 to notice this event at intervals of five years, and this is the 
 fifth anniversary. For a quarter of a century, we liave stood 
 in this place, preaching the Gospel of the grace of God to this 
 congregation. It is a long time to minister to one people ; 
 and the fact of the pastoral relation having continued for o 
 many years, must bring up to view many things worthy to be 
 recollected and recorded. It is bv no means common, in this 
 
76 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 age of fickleness, excitement, and perpetnally recnrring novel- 
 ties, for a minister and his peoj^le to continue so long united. 
 It must certainly be owing as mucli to your steadfastness, as 
 it can be to my faithfulness and earnestness in the perform- 
 ance of my duties. Many a pastor, more faithful than I have 
 been, has been rudely discarded and dismissed ; while not a 
 few have allowed themselves to be attracted by more inviting 
 fields, or the prospect of less onerous service, and have left 
 their people to mourn ! I feel, therefore, and you ought also 
 to feel, that we have mutually reason to thank God, not only 
 that these ties have not been sundered, but that they are, 
 apparently, more lasting and tender to-day than at any for- 
 mer period of our connection. It is not in a spirit of boasting 
 that I call you to witness publicly that " I have not shunned 
 to declare to you the whole counsel of God," and that I have 
 kept back nothing of all that I have been taught, either of 
 doctrine or of practice, as essential to life and godliness ; and 
 it is certainly no slight commendation of your Christian 
 character and your love of the truth, that you have been 
 willing to hear it all. That I have always been wise in the 
 mode and time of utterance is more than I feel at liberty to 
 claim, but whatever faAlure there may have been in the ex- 
 hibition of truth, or the improvement of providential dispensa- 
 tion, your charity has been abundantly willing to excuse it. 
 One thing I w^ill affirm, that I have never intended, by per- 
 sonal allusions, to wound any one ; nor have I ever left the 
 Gospel to preach on " the topics of the day," or to favor the 
 peculiar views of any set of men, on politics or any thing else ; 
 and of the propriety of this course I am more than ever con- 
 vinced. I might have gained notoriety, produced excitement, 
 and been lauded by certain persons, if I had pursued another 
 course ; but I have preferred to be faithful to my duty, and 
 to honor the Gospel, rather than seek any temporary advantage 
 or ephemeral eclat ! 
 
 In " calling to remembrance former things," and especially 
 in the review which I propose to take of the last five years of 
 my ministry here, there are both trials and joys which claim 
 notice. Life is always made up of these two predominant 
 tilements. It is like a picture composed of light and shade. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 77 
 
 Both are necessary to a proper and proportionate exlin)itIon 
 of the objects represented. It is the contrast wliich brings 
 them out in their mutual reLatiou to one another, and shows 
 their dependence and connection. I begin, then, witli some of 
 the sad memories of these years. How can we ever forget 
 that we are living among the dying ? Death is always stand- 
 ing at our door, waiting the permission of God's providence to 
 enter and do his work ; and if he has not found admittance into 
 all our houses, it is because the angel of the covenant has 
 guarded them and kept the entrance closed. Where he has 
 come, he has been the messenger of woe, and his presence has 
 been known by sorrow and tears. In this respect I have been 
 no more favored than yourselves. If j^ou have carried darlings 
 to the tomb, so have I ; and if some of your hearts have been 
 painfully tried in these sad bereavements, so has mine. An- 
 other of my little ones sleeps in yonder cemetery — and the 
 sorrow came in an unexpected hour, and far from liome; but 
 shall I therefore refuse to bless God and bow to his sovereign 
 will ? I can not ! I feel thankful that anotlier one is safe 
 from the snares of sin ; that I have anotlier child in heaven ; 
 another tie to bind me to the things tliat are above ; anotlier 
 motive to live to God and press onward to that glorious prize 
 which is set before us. God intends these things for our 
 good ; he tells us so, and that is enough ! 
 
 In reviewing, however, the progress of the great destroyer in 
 the midst of us, we have rather occasion for tJicmlfalness that 
 he has removed so few, than any real cause for grief on ac- 
 count of those who have been called and taken. Our old men, 
 and wise men, and godly men are most of them spared to us to 
 enable them to edify the church a little longer by their prayers 
 and example ! Few churches can boast of so many. Two have 
 numbered more tlian fourscore and ten years ; and others are 
 approaching fourscore ! But, while we notice the preservation 
 of the fathers as occasions of thankfulness, we are also obliged 
 to record with regret those who are not. Jolm Garretson, John 
 Herder, Frederick Cox, Peter Tillman, John 1). Cannnan, Isaac 
 Uavis, Christian Miller, Job Squire, and Ferdinand Yander- 
 vcer are here no more ! To us they arc not, for God has taken 
 them. Thcv have fullilled the duties of their calling in the 
 
- 78 MEMOEIAL SERMONS, 
 
 clinrch below, and are united with the church above, enjoying 
 in its fullness the rich grace of that Saviour whom thej pro- 
 fessed before men, and served in sincerity all the days of their 
 lives. A glorious transition it is indeed, when time becomes 
 eternity, and we exchange this world of sorrow and sin for the 
 bliss of heaven ! "With what wonder and gratitude must their 
 eyes have opened upon the splendors of the Kew Jerusalem, 
 and the throne of the great King ; and with what rapture 
 must they have heard the songs of the blessed in heaven ! No 
 Avonder that the apostle felt it to be " far better to depart and 
 be with Christ." I^o wonder that the saint, when heaven in 
 all its glory and rapture opens to his view, longs to be released, 
 and cries out in his anxiety for its " hallowed rest," "Come 
 quiclvl}', come, Lord Jesus!" Oh! that it may be so with us 
 when we are called away ! May we have a holy calm in our 
 liearts, and a bright hope of heavenly fellowship in our souls, 
 and the eye of faith piercing completely through the gloom of 
 the narrow vale and looking upon the Canaan beyond, assuring 
 us that there are the mansions of rest in our Father's house 
 waiting for us ! We shall then, indeed, scarcely " feel death's 
 cold embrace," while " Christ is in our arms" and our souls 
 are borne away in " songs of most surpassing grace," up to the 
 very presence-chamber of the Divine Being himself ! It is a 
 2)rimlege to die when we can so calmly breathe our spirits 
 away in the arms of Christ ! 
 
 Kor can we fail to speak also of those " mothers in Israel," 
 several of whom have now been kept so long, by increasing infir- 
 mities, from the house of God and from the communion-table. 
 Under a weight of years and wasting feebleness, they have 
 been still able to maintain a strong faith, and testify habitu- 
 ally of the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 
 Waiting for the coming of the Redeemer to release them from 
 the bonds of clay, they are looking with anxious expectation 
 to the hour of their departure, " hoping in the mercy of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ," and prepared to hear him say, " Come up 
 higher !'* Tlie mansions in our Father's house'are prepared, 
 and a seat at his right hand waiting, and they will soon go to 
 rest in it. There care will cease and sin no more annoy, 
 wliile the rapture of glory fills the joyful soul. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 79 
 
 Among those " wlio are not," ^ve may mention Mrs. Cox, 
 Mrs. Toms, Mrs. Dollwer, Mrs. Yoorliees, Mrs. Conklin, Mrs. 
 Cooper, Mrs. Bangliam, Mrs. Doty, Mrs. Cammann, Mrs. 
 Yreedenburgli, Mrs. Yan Yegliten, Mrs. A. Yoorliees, and Mrs. 
 P. Yoorliees, Mrs. Garretson, Mrs. Quick — all " godly women," 
 who lived by faith and died in peace, after witnessing a good 
 confession. In this way, while the number of our cliurch on 
 earth has been diminished, the number of the church in heaveu 
 has been increased. We have lost, but they have gained. 
 The savor of their holy life, and the encouragement of their 
 exemplary piety, is ours no more, but the triumph of redeem- 
 ing grace in sanctifying and perfecting souls for heaven has 
 l)een completed. It is God who hath wrought all this, and 
 therefore it is not for us to complain. Their absence from 
 the family circle has, in many ways, been painfully felt, but 
 their joys are complete, and so our loss is their gain. Even 
 their ilesh rests in hope, waiting the sound of the archangers 
 trump and the voice of God to wake the sleeping dead, and 
 perfect in them tlie beauty of renovated life ; and when the 
 morning of the resurrection dawns, and the Prince of life 
 claims all the trophies of his conquest, they will appear with 
 him in glory to inlierit the rest Avaiting for the people of 
 God. This is a glorious hope indeed ! It revives the courage 
 of the saints in their pilgrimage of sorrow, and sheds its light 
 upon the soul in the dying hour. All God's people may have 
 the comfort of it, and, like the apostle, feel that " to die is 
 gain." May it be ours when we see the dark shadows 
 gathering around our last day, and our timd farewells are t(,) 
 be said. 
 
 Other changes have resulted from the force of circumstan- 
 ces. Providence has called some of our members to other 
 portions of the vineyard, and they have been honorably dis- 
 missed with a cheerful benediction ; while a few have given 
 preference to other communions in our immediate vicinity, and 
 have left us. One tiling, however, 'deserves to be remarked, 
 and that is the uniform steadfastness which a very large pro- 
 portion of those who have been received into fellowship in 
 this church have manifested for it in their permanent attach- 
 ment. Discipline is rarely necessary, and complaints that any 
 
80 MEMOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 are carried away by otlier " winds of doctrine" are almost en- 
 tirely prevented. In so large a communion as ours, this feature 
 is remarkable. Divisions are unknoM'n. Fends are discounte- 
 nanced. Alienations seldom occur. The bonds of brotherhood 
 and sisterhood are too strong and permanent for disruption. 
 It may safely be stated as a fact, that at no previous time in 
 its long history has this church been more perfectly of one 
 mind than at this moment. This is a cause of thankfulness 
 and encouragement, and presents an aspect of hopefulness for 
 the future which it is delightful to contemplate. If it shall 
 continue, we may hope that there will soon be experienced a 
 blessing which will gladden every heart that loves and prays 
 for the prosperity of Zion. And. why shall it not be so ? " Be- 
 hold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell 
 together in unity !" A united church is a strong church. The 
 Holy Spirit is a spirit of peace, and loves to seal, with quicken- 
 ing and sanctifying influences, the hearts of all those that pray 
 for the peace of Jerusalem ! 
 
 We turn noAV to consider some of the lights which enter into 
 the picture we are endeavoring to sketch. The past live years 
 have been years of prosperity to our beloved church. Prayer 
 has been mercifully answered, and converting grace bestowed 
 in numerous instances. "While there has been no wide and 
 extended revival of religion to gladden us, no excitement 
 which has moved masses and affected multitudes, there has 
 been what is more desirable— a constant, a pleasant, and a 
 healthful growth in the church ! Not one communion season 
 has passed in which some have not come forward to take upon 
 themselves the vows of God, and attest the living power of 
 the Gospel. This is one of the most remarkable features in 
 our history. Few churches can claim such remembrance 
 before God. Few, indeed, are so highly favored. More com- 
 monly a season of ingathering is succeeded by long seasons of 
 barrenness, in which aridity and death prevail ; but upon our 
 heritage the dew of heaven has constantly descended, and 
 every year has been fertilized with refreshing influences, and 
 yielded its harvests ! 
 
 The whole number received during the last Ave years is one 
 hundred and twelve, more than twenty in each year. Of this 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 81 
 
 miinber seventy-nine liave made confession of faith, more than 
 sixteen in each year ; and thirty-three have come from otlicr 
 chnrclies. This increase, notwithstanding the deaths whicli 
 have occurred, and the constant pressure upon us from the 
 organization and growth of new churches around us, lias kept 
 our numbers equal to what they have ever been even in our 
 most prosperous times ; and the wdiole number in communion 
 to-day is only three less than it has been at any time when the 
 number of families was far greater, and the district of country 
 embraced by the congregation much larger; while there are 
 nearly one hundred more than there were when this church 
 stood alone and included all the professors of religion in this 
 whole region, where there are now five other churches, besides 
 two others which were formed imrtly from families once in 
 connection with us. If we had ever been disposed to give way 
 to despondency, this would forbid it. If we had ever feared that 
 the Lord might withdraw his favor from us, this would dispel 
 it. But we have not been disheartened. We have seen no 
 reason to be ! In all our losses we have recognized the hand 
 of providence, and been prepared to bid those God-speed who 
 " went out from us," to prepare for themselves a more con- 
 venient place in which to worship and enjoy the instruction of 
 the Gospel. 
 
 The largest number added to the church in any one of the 
 last five years was thirty-two, and the smallest eighteen. And 
 this again is remarkable — remarkable as an evidence of the 
 special favor and blessing of God. In how many places are 
 there barren years % In how many are they re])eated until 
 hope is well-nigh wearied out ! Many churches think they 
 are favored in welcoming two or three to their connnunion, 
 and they are right. It is a great blessing — it is a sufficient 
 blessing — to encourage eflbrt, when only one sinner is con- 
 verted to God. But our covenant-keeping God, in his kind- 
 ness to us, has enabled us to reckon our increase by the score ! 
 It is to be recognized as a memorial of his faithfulness, and not 
 gloried in on account of any thing we have done ! The truth 
 is, this is evidently holy ground. These altai-s where wo 
 worship have been hallowed by the prayers of so many good 
 raen, who have stood here before us, to proclaim '"the un- 
 
82 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 searchable riches of Christ," tliat the Holy Spirit seems to de- 
 light to linger around them, shedding down his choicest in- 
 fluences upon the dispensation of his holy word, and working 
 in humble and penitent hearts his richest gifts and graces. If 
 it is true that "wherever he records his name, that is Zion, 
 there he dwells," how much more must it be true that he de- 
 lights to be where he pours down in perpetual streams the 
 influences of his grace and love, to convert sinners and edify 
 the people of God. It is a privilege indeed for the church to 
 liave such an inheritance of perpetual blessing in the faith 
 and prayers of those who have labored for her good, and 
 prepared for heaven in her communion. It will redound to her 
 future increase and her perpetual prosperity. The prayer that 
 is laid up before God and waits an answer is just as valuable 
 and just as Aveighty as that which is now daily ascending u]> 
 before him from the assemblies of his saints. They are both 
 memorials which his people have presented, and which he 
 stands pledged to recognize and answer, by His covenant en- 
 gagements. His faithfulness in either it is not right to doubt ; 
 and he will make this manifest in his own time ! Think, 
 then, how much future good there must be in store for us ; 
 how much we owe to the piety of those holy men and women, 
 Avho in past years have borne this church in all its interests so 
 faithfully and so frequently before the throne of grace ; and 
 how confldent Ave should be that, in days to come, the Lord 
 Avill remember his covenant, and send the early and latter 
 rain in its season, multiplying the plants in his vineyard, and 
 making those flourishing and green which are already planted 
 there ! Certainly there are days of blessing in store for this 
 church, and whether I shall minister here, or another, they w^ill 
 come and be enjoyed ; and those who see them will be glad 
 and rejoice in beholding the right hand of the Lord. 
 
 Every year that I live and labor as a minister increases my 
 conviction of our absolute dependence upon the influence of the 
 Holy Ghost, to give the word eflicacy and to convert sinners. 
 Every year that I live convinces me more and more, not of 
 the vanity only, but also of the mischievousiiess, of all contri- 
 vances, measures, and plans w^hich look more to a human 
 ao-ency than to one that is divine, in carrying forward the' 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 83 
 
 work of the cliurcli. It is of God, of God absolutely, to in-- 
 clirie us " to vu'dl and to do, of his own good pleasure."' 
 •' Every good and every perfect gift cometh down from tlie 
 Father of lights ;" and our hope and confidence in their con- 
 tinuance is, that " with iiim there is no variableness, nor any 
 shadow of turning." Prayer has prevailed in the world ; it has 
 prevailed in securing blessings of a most extraordinary charac- 
 ter, and of a most gracious efficiency upon this very church ; 
 and prayer has lost none of its power. It can be employed 
 with tlie same success and effect now, and in all our future 
 exigencies, that it has been in the past. Tliis is certain. " The 
 effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man ever availeth 
 much." It ever lias been so ; it ever will be so ; and we must 
 reinember this, and engage our hearts constantly and fervently 
 in pleading with God. This church has lived in prayer, been 
 built up and rendered prosperous by prayer ; and in the future 
 can only be preserved by its continuance. Tlie ricliest inheri- 
 tance that God has given to it — and he has given it much — is to 
 be found in the prayers of those godly men and women who 
 have loved this Zion, and so earnestly sought her good ! We 
 thank his grace that there are so many ; and we value their 
 power before the throne more than all the wealth and worldly 
 influence that others have brought to her, or may hereafter 
 bring ! Tliese have their appropriate spheres, and are not to 
 be despised ; the other is an absolute necessity which no cliurch 
 can do without and eminently prosper. 
 
 It would not be proper that I should pass in silence over the 
 kind leave of absence which was extended to me by the con- 
 sistory and members of this church in the summer of ISS-l, which 
 enabled me to see " foreign lands," and to refresh mind and 
 l)ody with travel, or the pecuniary assistance which was offered 
 on that occasion. I have never regretted tlie time or the 
 money expended for that purpose; on the contrary, I tliiuk 
 the only mistake was in not doing it sooner. You would then 
 have experienced the benefit of it earlier as well as myself. 
 There is an enlargement of mind, a correction of misappre- 
 hensions, a realization of things both of interest and imjwr- 
 tance ; an understanding of history, and a conception of men 
 and governments, resulting from such a tour, which can be 
 
84 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 acquired in no other way. I feel that now I know things 
 Avjiich I never could have known — know them as 1 could not 
 liave conceived of them, but from actual sight and acquain- 
 tance. History is to me a new world ; pomp and power and 
 royalty more vain than ever. After having sat . down upon 
 the thrones of half the kings of Europe, and done it probably 
 Avitli quite as much comfort as they ever did themselves, it 
 seems to me a small thing to he a king, but a high and noble 
 one to be 2ifree Tnan, the citizen of a free land., where every 
 one is a sovereign — and so more than a king — in his own sphere 
 of action ; for many of them live in sad trepidation, and are 
 more enslaved than the very people whom they so much 
 oppress. It is a miserable system in every way, tliis absolute 
 power. I have brought home with me convictions in regard 
 to our Protestantism, our free Bible church, in its connection 
 Avith our civil rights and the preservation of our political in- 
 stitutions, which I could not have had but for what I have 
 seen abroad. I feel that in having here " a church without a 
 bishop, and a state without a king," we have a boon granted, 
 by the ftivor of God, to no one else ; and I am afraid when any 
 one proposes to bring the first one in, for I know so well liow 
 soon and how certainly he will in his turn help to bring in the 
 second ! I have no patience with those who propagate among us 
 the customs and opinions of the Old World, I care not whether 
 they be political or religious. It oifends me to hear our in- 
 stitutions lightly spoken of and undervalued ; and I can not 
 lielp thinking that any man Avho allows himself, on any 
 account, or in connection with any subject which he may be 
 discussing, even by implication, to say that the blessed union 
 of these free States can ever be annulled, ought to be publicly 
 reprimanded, if not punished ; and I do not care who lie is, 
 or in what connection, or for what end, he may commit the 
 offense. There are some things too sacred to be touched ; 
 some too important to be questioned ; some which we guard 
 with such tenderness that we will not allow any one even to 
 approach them ; and this to me is such a one ! Now, this I can 
 not help, after what I have seen ; for I think at once of the op- 
 pressed peoples of the Old World. There I realized, for the first 
 time, how low this glorious image of God impressed upon man 
 
MEMOKIAL SERMON.^. 85 
 
 can be degraded I How vile tlii.- beiiiij:;, made in tliat imago, can 
 l>e rendered! I have seen men -wlio seemed to liave bnt little 
 more self-respect tlian brutes, and but little more ambitioii 
 than a Avorni ; and I have seen who made them so — the king, 
 the noble, the ])riest ! And how do thej keep them so ? I>y 
 l-<'i'p'uh(j them diculed. AV'hat could not Italy — poor priest- 
 I'idden Italy I — do to-day if she was only united? And Ger- 
 many, that noble, beantif 111. and mighty land, full of strong men 
 aiul great thinkers, how is Ciermany kept under that galling 
 yoke, and almost the last drop of her blood sucked out of her 
 veins by a horde of petty little princes, so despicable for their 
 Avantof maidiood,tliat if we had them here we would spit upon 
 them and spurn them from our streets ! Germany is di\ided ; 
 Germany is just what we will be if our Union is ever broken, 
 and this comes to be a divided countr}', nnule up of separate 
 states with separate and conflicting interests. I know I am 
 approachiug things which are considered to belong to other 
 men, and to other connections ; but upon this subject I will 
 not be silent. It is vital to every thing! It is the keystone 
 to the whole arch. Tak'c it away, and the whole building be- 
 comes a mass of ruins. Our state not only, but our churches, 
 would soon fail ; and as long as I hav^e breath I will protest 
 against this worse than suicide, and brand every man as a 
 trmtov who fjivors it. These pleasant Sabbaths Avhicli w(; 
 now so much enjoy ; these blessed spiritual intiuences, under 
 the culture of which our souls are rij^ening for heaven; this 
 ivstraining sense of religious obligation, Avhich guards our 
 children from the seducticuis of vice; these peaceful family 
 circles, in whicli religion difiuses its hallowed control — I can 
 iu)t see them destroyed ; they would all be if such a thiui:; 
 should happen. Our free commerce, and onr personal libertv 
 to go and come as we please, would likewise have an end, and 
 even our life itself would hardly i-ctaiu any thiii^- worth 
 naming enjoyment; and for me to stand by and see the wav 
 prepared for it all, in silence, is more than I can do ! 
 
 There is a hecuity which to be known must be seen, for it 
 can not be described ; and there is pleasure which, to be felt, 
 must be realized, or a sense of it can not be brought home to 
 the mind. So there ai'c delicate acts of kindness, a thouirhtful 
 
86 .AlEMOPJAL SEJmOXS. 
 
 (onsideration for tli3 feslings of others, a wakeful attention to 
 their Avants, a deference to their opinions and sentiments, to 
 their trials and griefs, which is to be experienced in order to 
 he known, for it can not be written or spoken! How much 
 of this, liow timely, how affectionate it has been, and how 
 often repeated on the part of many of my people, I can not 
 exhibit in any sensible v/ay. But it is treasm-ed np in my 
 hearU and memory will love to recall it and dwell npon it, 
 nntil death comes and silences its pulsations and chills up the 
 fountain of its emotions ! Every tiling^ it is true, has not heen 
 of this character, and the conduct oi every one has not been so 
 considerate and tender toward me ; bnt as we live to err we 
 should also live to forgive ; and when I come to review the whole 
 of my personal intercourse with my people, I can not but feel 
 thankful that there has been so little that I could even wish 
 had been otherwise ! When I look over the audience which 
 assembles before me on the Sabbath morning, they are all my 
 friends. I feel I could trust them all with my welfare and 
 my most treasured sentiments, Avithout any distrust. This is 
 no small comfort. It has a tendency to warm my heart when 
 I am engaged in speaking to them the words of life. It draws 
 out yearning and earnest desires, when I bear their interests 
 up before the mercy-seat. It gives importunity to my plead- 
 ing's that they would be wise and consider their latter end. 
 The comfort of it is mine, but the benefit is theirs. It is just 
 as it should be, for it helps me to preach to them, to pray for 
 them, and to labor to do them good. It makes my whole 
 effort in study and in preaching an offering of affection ! I 
 could not have done what I have, had it been otherwise ; and 
 when it ceases, I shall be content to cease to preach to them 
 or to pray for them ! 
 
 Twenty-five years — a quarter of a centmy ! It is a long- 
 time for any man to stand before any people and preach to 
 them. Think what it implies : 2600 sermons, 1300 lectures, 
 half as many catechizings ; besides the funerals which have 
 been attended, the sick-beds visited, the affiictod comforted, 
 the anxious instructed, the erring reclaimed ! And you have 
 always come here on the morning of the Sabbath expecting 
 to hear things new rather than old, things to edify, instruct. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 37 
 
 uud comfort you. If 3'ou ]i:ivc been sonietimes disappointed, 
 there is certainly nothing strange in that, it might easily 
 have been far more frequent ! " Who is sufficient for these 
 things?" Are the treasures of the mind never to be ex- 
 hausted? ,Can any liuman soul be always so fresh and 
 active and self-renewing as to be proof against weariness 
 and a perpetual taxing of its powers ? Let me warn you not 
 to expect too much. There is a limit to every thing — to know- 
 ledge, to thought, to fancy, to feeling ! 
 
 In these twenty -five years you have had presented to }'ou m\- 
 best thoughts, my most strenuous efforts — the cream of my 
 life ! What I have done has been done cheerfully, and from 
 a sense of duty. It has been done earnestly and for your 
 good ; and, on a review of it, I may say without disguise, " I 
 have done what I could !" I have been honest and earnest in 
 the efforts which I have made to instruct and edify all M'ho 
 have waited on my ministry, and I can not do any thiu"- 
 more or better than this in the future. 
 
 And now, as to tln& future, I can not toll what Providence 
 maj direct. But one thing I do know, I shall be willing to 
 stay, or willing to go, whenever and Avherever the path of 
 duty may be made clear. If there is one feeling which grows 
 stronger and stronger every day in my consciousness, it is 
 that I am not my own — that I can not devise iny own wavs, 
 nor tell wliat a day may bring forth. I see a sj^ecial guiding 
 Providence in }nj beiug here to-day, and, seeing it, I am con- 
 tent ! What he points out to me, I mean to do ; -where he 
 directs, I mean to stay ; and when he calls me, I mean to go ! 
 More than e\'er can I say, " O God I do thou thy will : I will 
 be still, I will not stir !" 
 
 I have many pleasant thoughts to-day. I look around and 
 see here a multitude whom I claim as my cliihh'on, and the 
 seals of my ministry ! and indeed there is not a small number.. 
 They are not all here, for some have already " been taken uj) 
 higher,''' and are •'entered into their rest,'' and some have re- 
 moved to other places ; l)ut if they wore all here, there Avould lie 
 some three hundred and twenty all told — almost a congregation 
 in themselves. Ihit there are enough to give tone and senti- 
 ment to the church; and should I not feid safe witli thi'Ut 
 
88 MEMORIAL SER]\[ONS, 
 
 — a freedom to s])cak to them, and an assurance of kind con- 
 sideration and affection ? I do feel it. 1 liave a right to feel 
 it ! I know their hearts and I confide in them ! I wonld be 
 asliamed if I did not do it, sorely grieved if one of them 
 shonld fail me ! 
 
 I liave a word to tliem to-daj. I speak to them as children, 
 and I say, " See that ye walk worthy of the vocation where- 
 M'ith ye are called." I rejoice in your piety and devotion to 
 the cause of Christ, In your attachment to this church, its 
 doctrines and its ordinances; in the prayers which I know 
 you are constantly putting up before the throne of grace, for 
 its prosperity and for me its pastor! The assurance that I 
 liave those i)rayers strengthens me. I feel honored in the high 
 tone of piety which many of you manifest, and in your zeal 
 in the cause of the blessed Master. " Ye are our epistle, known 
 and read of all men ;" and Avhilc you prosper and increase in 
 sanctification we shall rejoice. 
 
 Those who do not stand in this tender relation to me, I 
 know will excuse this special reference. It is not intended to 
 imply that no others have the same confidence, or inspire the 
 same feelings ; for to many of them I sustain the most intimate 
 connection. jSTo one ever thinks of reproaching a parent be- 
 cause he best loves his children, nor does he feel neglected in 
 the expression of that love. It is so Jiere. To my own children 
 in the faith I can not but feel special attachment, and express 
 in them the fullest confidence; and I know it will never, in 
 any number of instances, be betrayed I 
 
 And there are others still: how shall I speak of them ? and 
 what shall I say ? I have said all that it is possible for ]ue 
 to say, and all that I know to say ; and I have repeated it 
 many times, and they have heard it ; and yet, alas ! they have 
 not been properly affected ! The harvest is past, the sum- 
 mer is ended, and thej^ are not saved ! For a quarter of a 
 century they have sat almost every Sabbath under the instruc- 
 tion of the divine word, and the dews of divine grace, and 
 yet it has not been enough! They are yet in their sins ; and 
 the most gloomy thought of all is, they have not seen or felt 
 the necessity of Hying for refuge from them to Christ's aton- 
 ing blood ! Twenty-five years of waiting and ]iaticnce, on the 
 
ME-MOUIAL SEllMO^;S, 89 
 
 part of a aTacious Saviour 1 Twenty-five years of importunate 
 pleading on tlie part of their pastor, lias not sufficed to ovei-- 
 conie their unbelief and carnal pride! AYhat, then, will 
 suffice ? How much longer will the patience and forbearance 
 of God extend themselves ? It seems to me there is every 
 thing to alarm them, to arouse them, to impel them, now " to 
 attend to the things which belong to their peace." I can do no 
 more. I take you all here to witness this day that I am free 
 ii-om the blood of their souls, " for I have not forborne to de- 
 clare to them the whole counsel of God.'' It is not, surel,y. 
 ignorance that tliey can plead, for the Avay of life has been 
 fullv set before them, in all the amplitude of its provisions, 
 and all the graciousness of its invitations I What is it, then 'i 
 
 And there is yet another portion whom I see around me 
 here, of Avhom it may be said, that if the former are almost 
 hopeless in their long delay, they are hopeful in their early 
 life, for upon them is now the dew of youth. Many of them 
 have grown up here as plants in the ^•ineyal•d. Their parents 
 dedicated them to God before these altars, and the emblema- 
 tic water of regeneration was sprinkled upon their foreheads. 
 They have been trained in our Sabbath-schools and cateche- 
 tical classes, and are Avell instructed in all the great doctrines 
 of the Christian religiort. The)' stand, not only in a position 
 of privilege, but also in a relation to this church, which is 
 very solemn and affecting. We hope great things from their 
 future — -hope to welcome them to the communion of Cbrist's 
 little ones, and then to see them maturing for heaven, and 
 spreading all arouiul them the savor of their holy life and 
 pious conversation ! In the ardor of our love, and the earnest- 
 ness of our desire for their growth in grace, we now ^'com- 
 mend tliem to God and to the word of his grace, which is 
 al)le to sanctify them and ]>resent them before the throne of 
 his power with exceeding glory !" 
 
 And now, another volume of our life-history is closed, and 
 a new one opens to-day. It is, to all of us, a matter of momen- 
 tous concern that it should only be filled with such records as 
 we shall be willing to meet when we stand before God, to " be 
 judged for the deeds done in the body." To the consistory 
 of this church we say, " Study such things as make for peace, 
 
00 MEMORIAL SEBMOXS, 
 
 and tend to edify tlie body of Christ, Be examples to tlie 
 flock over which jou have been placed, in prayer, in faith, in 
 (.'liarity ; de^'ise liberal thing-s, and Avork faithfully in yonr 
 calling !" To the members of the church Ave say, Live to- 
 gether in peace ; love one another sincerely ; pray for the 
 church, its pastor, and communicants. Hold not back your 
 hand from any thing that is good. '•' Be sober, be diligent, 
 and in due time you Avill reap, if you faint not !" 
 
 To the congregation, young and old, I say. Wait here faith- 
 fully on the means of grace, and be diligent in the hearing of 
 Clod's Avord. Stndy to approve yonrselvcs to him, and prc- 
 ])are to meet him in judgment. '' The faithful and obedient 
 sludl eat the fruit of the land !" And noNA^, " May the God of 
 ])(?ace, that bronght again from the dead our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of 
 the everlasting coA^enant, make yon perfect in every goodAvork 
 to do his Avill, Avorking in you that Avhicli is Avell pleasing in 
 Tlis sight, tlu'ongh Jesus Christ, to Avhom bo g'lory forever 
 and ever." Amen. 
 
 Someua'iij.t:, X. J., October 1st, 1857. 
 
THE SIXTH MEMORIAL SEP.MO]^. 
 
 PiiEACiiED O.rr. 23t:i, 1852. 
 
 THE UEIIE.UISAL OF THE PAST FOR IXSTRIJCTION'. 
 
 " Hear this, ye old men, aa;I give oar. all ye inliabitauts of tlie land. Tell 
 ye your cUiklren of it, and let your cliildreu tell their chihlren, and their 
 children another generation." — Joel 1 : 2-3. 
 
 " We have heard -with our ear^;, God, oar fathers hav(! told u.>, what 
 things thou didst of old." — Psalm 41 : 1. 
 
 " And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they 
 rehearsed all that (Jod had done with them." — Acts 14 : 27. 
 
 Tins laiiiijuagG is a sufficient warrant for tlie service v^'liieh 
 "WO propose to observe to-claj. The circuuistance that tliese 
 were jadgnients wliicli the prophet commanded to be kept in 
 memorial, offers no real ar^'ument against, but ratlier increases 
 and intensiiies the significance of tlie direction in our text. 
 In point of fact, tliere is much in God's providence every day, 
 which it would be instructive to remember, and we should be 
 all wiser if we treasured up more carefully the teachings of 
 the divine hand. The years repeat themselves ; and though 
 not in such an unvaried succession as to make one in all re- 
 spects the pattern of the other, yet with so much sameness as 
 to give occasion to the observation of the Avise nnin, " The thing 
 that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that whicli is 
 done, is that which shall be done ; and tliere is no new thing 
 "under the sun." 
 
 The most careful observer <_>£ providence, if this be true, is 
 likely to bo the one Avho is best pre[)ared for its events, and 
 the least surprised eitlier 1)y judgments or mercies ; for if he 
 "understands its nature, ho will anticipate both and know that 
 neither the one nor the other is likely to continue "svitliout 
 change. 
 
 Memorials are useful as reminders of what has been. When 
 
02 3ik:mchial sermox^. 
 
 tlio Israelites had safely crossed over Jordan, " Joslma took 
 twelve stones out of the waters, and pitched them in Gilgal " 
 as a nionnment in coninienioration of that event, and said, 
 '' When yonr children ask their fathers, in time to come, "What 
 mean these stones? then vc shall let yonr children know, say- 
 inp:, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land, for the Lord 
 yonr (lud dried np the M^aters of Jordan from hefore yon,nntil 
 ye "were passed over, as the Lord yonr God did the Red Sea, 
 which ho dried np hefore us, until v»'e were j^one over." 
 
 In the same way Moses had before directed, in reference to 
 the passover, "When your children shall ask. What mean ye by 
 this service ? ye shall say. It is the sacrifice of the Lord's 
 passover, who passed over the houses of the childreu of Israel 
 in Egypt when he slew the Egyptians." In both instances 
 remembrance is enjoined, and a memorial provided for. This 
 is Avhat we are now intending to do. It may be an humble 
 imitation, but it can not be said to be without warrant. We 
 ]nay compare small things with great, but it can not be afhrmed 
 that the great things are not found in the Scriptures with 
 which we seek comparison and plead as our warrant. 
 
 Let us then proceed to " gather the stones" out of which 
 we shall endeavor to compose our monument to-day. It is a 
 memorial Sabbath, and to us it is a most interesting, not only, 
 but a most important period, in the history of our ministerial 
 life. It reminds us of a whole generation, most of whom are 
 no more, and recalls the various vicissitudes of its passing- 
 years. 
 
 To-day it is thirty years since I came here in obedience to 
 the call of your fathers (for there are only a few left who 
 united with them in that act) and occupied this pulpit for the 
 iirst time ; and to-day likewise is the sixth anniversary of the 
 ,f(/'i/i year,s which we have been accustomed to observe in com- 
 memoration of that event. The records of live of these ])eriods 
 have previously been made, and four of them have been printed 
 and are in your hands. We do iiot propose to repeat any 
 thing which has already been remarked, but to confine our- 
 selves to present circumstances, and principallj^ to the last 
 period of five years. Tliere is more than enough, even in this 
 confined view and this brief time, to occupy us fully and in- 
 
MEMORIAL SEliMON^. 93 
 
 terest us abimdantly. In many ways these years liavc been 
 memorable and pregnant years. Events liavc passed wliicb 
 will iiever be forgotten; some of tliem joyful, and demanding 
 praise ; some sorrowful, and calling fur resignation and the 
 exercise of faith in the benevolence and justice of the divine 
 hand ! 
 
 Thirty years is a generation. At its conclusion, those who 
 were the men of action when it connnenced are nmnbered 
 among the dead, while another race has come upon tlie stage, 
 assumed the control of things, and holds tlie place tjf inliuencc 
 and power! This is strikingly manifested in the audience 
 which sits before me to-day, as compared with that which as- 
 sembled to listen to my lirst discourse thirty years ago. A 
 few are left, it is true. I see here and there one whom I re- 
 member as being present on that occasion, but the nundjcr is 
 so small as to make them exceptions to the general rule, rather 
 than facts to prove tlnit it is not true. We look around on 
 tlie new faces, and exclaim in sadness and regret as we think 
 of the departed, ''The fathers, where are they ? and the pro- 
 phets, do they live forever V^ 
 
 We recollect among the absent many kind friends, many 
 excellent Christians, many firm supporters of this church, 
 many men of prayer and faith, strong men for influence, for 
 resistance of the wrong and the advocacy of the right, and 
 laithful men in fulfilling promises and the acknowledgment 
 of obligations ; and as tliey were removed in succession, we 
 stood by their graves and sighed because we felt each time 
 tliat) another prop was removed and another staff to lean u])on 
 taken away ! This has occurred so often that our coniidence 
 would long since have failed, had it not been that God has 
 been pleased, in great kindness toward us and toward his 
 church here, to enable us to say, " Instead of the fathers here 
 are their children." Yes, aiul tliey havcproved that. they were 
 no " degenerate sons," unworthy of such an honorable pater- 
 nitv. It is one of the peculiarities of this church, that it has 
 in it, now, nnmy representatives of its very first members. 
 Names have been perpetuated in the friends and officers of tlie 
 church from tlic very commencement nntil the ])rescnt time 
 — -names that are homjred even yet. This gives it peculiar 
 
-9-i ilEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 streiigtli. It is surely more pleasant and even more profitable 
 to know that we are worshiping now jnst where our parents 
 and our ancestors worshiped before us. It is more impres- 
 sive to worship there than it could be in any other place. 
 May we not also believe that God is more propitious to the 
 prayers and praises which are offered in places so long devoted 
 to his service than he is elsewhere l In the temple at Jeru- 
 salem he claimed a special ownership. And many accepted 
 prayers are onh' fulfilled in generations to come. Fathers 
 offer them and their children inherit the blessing. One gene- 
 ration in this way labors in sowing- the seed, and breaking u[) 
 the fallow ground, and another is honored in bringing in the 
 sheaves into the garner. Both are equally useful, both are 
 equally employed in God's service, and neither has the right 
 to exalt himself and depreciate the other, as if he alone was 
 worthy to be commended. Some men seem to think that the 
 church has nothing to do but to make a record of conversions. 
 Some are so ignorant as to begin to be discouraged as soon as 
 they cease, even for a single year or part of a year. Should 
 they not consider. Is it always harvest-time? Has the winter 
 season no necessary agency to perform in completing the glo- 
 ries of the year?' Even in tropical climes, though there is no 
 winter, the activities of the vegetable world cease for a time, 
 and every thing lies dormant, as if it were rej)osing for the 
 purpose of recuperating its energies and displaying more vigor 
 when the waking comes again. It ought to be so in the 
 church. It must he so in order to preserve her in a healthful 
 condition. A church with a perpetual revival would be a 
 church with a most unnatural life, and could not fail to be- 
 come sickl}'-, excitable, and unfit for the Avork assigned to every 
 church — that of training souls for glory ! 
 
 In accordance witli this, we have to lament our losses as 
 well as to record our increase. AVe remember our hai'ven 
 years, and are glad to know that there have been some also 
 that have been fruitful. We have seen our winters as well as 
 our summers. AVe have shed tears over the graves of the 
 dead, and we have uttered shouts of gladness when the .young 
 converts like sheaves were brought into the garner. Thus our 
 experience has been only a picture of human life, composed of 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 95 
 
 Kiinsliinc and clondr;, of dayliglit and darkness. AVhat is most 
 encouraging to faitli is, that God lias given us strengtli as our 
 day and brouglit us hitherto in safety. We erect an Ebenezer 
 on this spot, and inscribe upon it, tlie " Lord our lielper." 
 
 It wouhl not be proper to speak of those wlio are lost to ns 
 Avithout also remembering those who have been gained. Some 
 of our honored femilies are stronger and more numerous in 
 the church at the jn-esent moment than they ever were, while 
 there are others v/ho have cast in their lot with us, who arc 
 not behind the very best. In fact, the church has, probably, 
 at no period of her previous histor}^, embraced as much wealth 
 or as much intelligence as she does at this moment. What 
 we really need is not more strength or greater numbers, but 
 more zeal, more prayer, inore devotion to our appropriate 
 work, each in the sphere Avhere God has placed us, minding 
 the apostolic rule, "he that teacheth, on teaching; he that 
 cxhorteth, on exhortation ; he that givetli, let him do it with 
 simplicity; he that ruleth, Avith diligence; lie that showeth 
 mercy, with cheerfulness." Our list of communicants is larger 
 than it ever was, though for the last three years the increase 
 has not been much more than to make up for the losses Avliich 
 death and removals have produced ; while the real sentiment 
 of the church promises harmony in action and a coincidence 
 in feeling, from which almost perfect iniit// may be expected 
 in lier future course upon all the great questions and interests 
 wdiich claim attention. In this unity her greatest strength 
 will be found to reside, either in enduriug or in working, and 
 with it we are invincible ! 
 
 During the five years which Ave are now reviewing, there 
 have been received into the communion of the church on con- 
 fession 84 persons, and l)y certificate 42, making the whole 
 number of members received in full communion 126, and giv- 
 ing an average of more than 25 in each year ! These have 
 come from all the difh'rent classes of the population embraced 
 in the congregation ; but a large nmjority have been trained 
 in our Sabbath-schools and been of the youth of our charge. 
 There is, of course, a great diversity in the character and use- 
 fulness to be observed in such a numl)er. Some of them, in 
 process of time, become efficient and eminent Christians, re- 
 
96 iyiE]\[OUIAL SERMONS. 
 
 maining witli us for life and i^iviiig tlie force of their character 
 and the devotion of their prayers and example to the canse of 
 religion ; others, inactive and undevoted, can merely increase 
 the strength of the church by numbers, and hang as a weight 
 upon her skirts; while others still remain with us only for a 
 little while, and then are called in providence to other places 
 and unite .Avith other churches. This difference can not bo 
 avoided;' all have not the same measure of grace, nor have all 
 a permanent lot in providence, and a.s Ave welcome them when 
 they come, Ave cherish them Avhile Avith us, and dismiss them 
 cheerfully Avhen they go away, ha]>py to give to otliers Avhat 
 circumstances do not allow us to retain as our own, if they are 
 only useful in their sphere. 
 
 Out of this number of 120, Ave have dismissed Gl honorably 
 to other churches, Avliile 16 have died and gone, as Ave are 
 privileged to hope, from tlie associations and enjoyments of 
 the church below to the general assembly of the saints in 
 heaven. The Avhole number thus dismissed and parted AvIth 
 in death is 77, leaving 49 as the actual increase of the com- 
 munion during the space of time included in our present 
 review. This amounts to one less than 10 in each year as the 
 permanent enlargement of the membership of the church by 
 confession and certificate during this period. This, though not 
 large, is still an encouraging fact, demonstrating the constant 
 presence of the Holy Spirit in his active efficiency, and prov- 
 ing that Ave have had at no time any real canse to complain 
 Avith the prophet, " All day long have I stretched forth my 
 hands to a disobedient and a gainsaying people !" The in- 
 crease might have been much larger, and in some periods of 
 the history of our church it has been so; but it might also 
 have been much smaller, and in the past there have also been 
 times .Avhen.it Avas so. Other churches in our land have 
 enjoyed a more abundant prosperity ; but avo doubt Avhether 
 there is one in this immediate vicinity Avhich has been, upon 
 the Avhole, more highly favored. We do not make this obser- 
 A'ation in a spirit of boasting, but in order to sot in a proper 
 ])u!nt of light the favor Avhich God has extended toward us. 
 That more earnestness in preaching, and more prayerfulnes.-^ 
 and zeal on the part of all the members of the church, Avould 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 97 
 
 liave secured a mncli larger increase, "\ve most sincerely believe ; 
 but in the measure of earnestness to wliicli each has attair.ed 
 and been able to manifest, tlie faithful fultilhuent of (iod's 
 promise has not failed or been wanting. The %ohole review 
 certainly atiords matter for hopeful encouragement, and, if 
 properly considered, ought to stimulate us all to add to our 
 faith virtue, and to our diligence godliness, earnestness, and 
 activity. The. Lord is not in any sense slack concerning any 
 of his ])romises. The hand of thediligent maketh rich in 
 spiritual things just as certainly as it does in temporal things. 
 The smallest service done for (lod always secures a rich re- 
 ward, and it conies to ns in many ways of which we may 
 long continue to be ignorant, but which Avill make themselves 
 clearly manifest at least in the future world and in the higher 
 life. It is a blessed thing to do good under any circumstances. 
 They who turn many to righteousness will shine as stars in 
 the firmament, and even a cup of cold water given to a disci- 
 ple in the name of Christ will be remembered in heaven and 
 receive the commendation of the Saviour when he makes uj) 
 his jewels and calls his redeemed ones home ! 
 
 The whole number which have been admitted to the coni- 
 ]nunion of the church since my ministrj^ commenced here, is 
 C12. This gives an average of more than 20 in each year, and 
 in comparison with the whole number admitted from the first 
 organization of the cliurch, in 1(599, is probably nearh^ equal 
 to one half. 
 
 The highest nund)er admitted to communion during this 
 ])eriod in any one year was 49. The snuillest number was 9. 
 The first occurred in 188S, and the latter in 1>;59. Between 
 these extremes the average falls, and it is renuirkal)le what a 
 nniformity it indicates. 
 
 Now, if we consider these facts attentively, they must be re- 
 garded as, upon the whole, higldy expressive and encouraging. 
 Amid all the variety of feeling and sentiment which have arisen 
 out of the vicissitudes of in-ovidence, God's power has been 
 constantly manifest in the church, in the blessing attendant on 
 the AVord and ordinances. His truth has not been proclaimed 
 in vain in any one year, nor hath he left himself without a 
 Avitness. The rain from heaven lias no more certainly de- 
 
08 MEMORIAL SEHMOXS. 
 
 ricended and fructified tlio earth and matured tlie harvest, to 
 be gathered into the garner of the husbandman, than the good 
 seed of tlie hhigdom of lieaven, sown in the chnrch, has yiekled 
 a liarvest of souls to be brought into the house of God. We 
 are, therefore, all witnesses this day to the stability of the 
 covenant, and the rich abundance of its blessings. We derive 
 a new assurance that none that seek the Lord shall in any 
 wise fail in finding his promise true. His church is ever be- 
 fore him, and all her interests are remembered in his thoughts 
 of love, and provided for constantly through his grace ! Thirty 
 consecutive years in which there has not been one barren one, 
 and only two communion seasons in the whole series in w^hich 
 none w^ere added on confession, and only a single one in wdiich 
 some were not received by certificate, is surely proof of this. 
 (For thirty years there has only been one communion that w^as 
 entirely barren and fruitless in appearance ; even this was not 
 so in reality.) We do not insist upon this for the purpose of 
 self-praise, far from it ; but we doubt whether there are many 
 other churches wdiich can show such a record. God has in- 
 deed been good to us, and his loving-kindness and favor really 
 reach even unto the clouds. Let us remember it to his praise, 
 and to the prevention of any despondency in any futm-e try- 
 ing hours that may come upon us, in whatever troublous 
 times God may please to send. 
 
 Durin<T tlie whole period of my ministry I have baptized 
 568 cliildren and 45 adults on confession of their faith ; and 
 performed the marriage ceremonjrSST times. 
 
 I feel constrained to make a single remark in this connec- 
 tion. It seems to me that the greatest evil in our present 
 position as a church is to found in the fact that for the last 
 few years there have been so few infants presented for the 
 ordinance of baptism. It sliows that our families are not in- 
 creasino-, and since it is certain that they must decrease b}^ 
 death, it seems to point to a time when the prosperity of the 
 church will be less, and the whole aspect of things neces- 
 sarily be discouraging. We believe that enough is not done 
 to retain our young people with us. AVc proposed tlie pur- 
 chase of an organ as one of the things which probably would 
 tend to prevent wdiat certainly ought to be prevented ; and 
 
]\rEMORIAL SEEMONS. 99 
 
 ^\■o. believe, now, tliat if it liad been done, even to-day tlie ex- 
 pense wonld have been a saving to the prominent nieinbers of 
 tlie cbnrcli, wliile the number of hearers ■\vouhl be proportion- 
 ately increased. The objections against the nse of such an 
 instrument in the services of the sanctuary we can not consider 
 as having any real weight. In a Dutch church surely they 
 ought not to be regarded as of sufHcient consequence to obviate 
 the certain beneiits, since in the fatherland such use is univer- 
 sal, and in this country the want has arisen from another 
 cause — the difHculty of obtaining the instrument at first, and 
 then the habit of worshiping without it. Music is too vital 
 and large an element in the comf()rt of public worshi}) to be 
 disregarded by those who consider wisely the advantage of the 
 church and the importance of having that which at once 
 satisfies the spiritual mind and engages the youthful heart. We 
 believe the loss experienced to be a serious one, and of such a 
 character as to require an immediate remed}" ; and I have felt, 
 therefore, that so much at least ought to be said on the present 
 occasion. Whether our counsels will be regarded, remains for 
 the future to determine. A duty will at all events have been 
 discharged, and we can oidy leave the subject to those to whom 
 the matter belongs, and Avith whose interests it is identified. 
 
 No record of human life can pretend to be comj^lete which 
 omits to mention the doings of the destroyer. In a period of 
 five years, he invades almost all our habitations and takes away 
 some one member from almost every domestic circle ; often 
 that ve7'j/ one is removed which is the centre of all hearts ! 
 Hence when we come to mention the names of those who have 
 departed, we strike chords that vibrate from one side of the 
 house to the other. Our catalogue is not a list of those who 
 have died in the congregation, but only of those in the com- 
 munion of the church ; and we are not absolutely sure that it 
 is perfect, as our records are less complete in this department 
 than in any other ; but we remember Dr. Peter I. Stryker, 
 John Garretson, liyneir Yan Keste, Abraham Stryker, Wil- 
 liam B. Gaston, Peter Wortman, Cornelius Vanderveer, AVil- 
 liam Punn, Peter Dumont, P. T. Tunison, and Mr. Richard 
 Ten Eyck, Mrs. Phebe Iloagland, Mrs. Cornelia Peckman, 
 Miss Catherine Ycghte, Mrs. J. Yanderveer, Mrs. AVilliam 
 
100 MEMORIAL SEinroxs. 
 
 Bnnn, Mrs. Joliii Herder, Mrs. Jnditli Tunison, Mrs. Benjamin 
 Smith, Mrs. Maria Elmendorf, Mrs. John Schenck, Mrs. Isaac 
 Cubberley ; and also three young persons who gave hope in 
 their .death, JTathaniel Wilson, Peter Saunis, and Emma 
 Crensen. 
 
 I have no means of ascertaining liovv' many fnneral sermons 
 I have preached in the thirty years now past, nor during the 
 last five years, as I have not kept a full record ; hut considering 
 the number of families embraced in the congregation, it has 
 not been larcie. Indeed, for the last few years the mortalitv 
 among our people has been remarkably small. God has pre- 
 served us from any plague or pestilence, and even from the 
 ordinary measure of mortality, to an extent which is remarka- 
 ble, and indicates special favor. 
 
 And yet, when we come to recollect all that are among the 
 dead, the thought becomes impressive in the highest degree. 
 With a few exceptions, all the heads of f\miilies who were here 
 thirty years ago are here no more ; the households are chang- 
 ed, the names of whole families blotted out, properties distri- 
 buted and sold, and a new aspect silently thrown over this 
 house not only, but over this entire community. To my own 
 mind, this is one of the saddest realizations of this day. I 
 seem to stand here between the dead and the living, and my 
 heart is rent between them. The lost are as numerous as the 
 remaining ; and although the livhig have my attention, the 
 dead are engraven upon my memory, and will never be for- 
 gotten. They even seem, in not a few instances, to have left 
 no equals behind them ; but this, I know, is ])erhaps on account 
 of their age and their longer experience in divine things, more 
 than in any essential diiference in character or depth and de- 
 votedness of piety. Wlieu the generation now occupying the 
 stage of action shall have added the wisdom and maturity of 
 years to their other excellent qualities, we shall hope to see 
 them worthy of their sires, and even improved by the privi- 
 leges which they have enjoyed. It is one of the fond weak- 
 nesses of age to exclaim, " the former things were better than 
 these," whereas in realit}- they are often not so good. The 
 memories of youth leave a golden tinge upon the scenes of 
 former life, which, like the light of the inorning, clothes every 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 101 
 
 tiling in roseate lines, but in reality it is only the rising vapors 
 and the iniperfect light which occasion the deception. When 
 the sun has risen, up into the mid-heaven the delusion vanishes, 
 and every thing appears in its natural colors. So experience 
 rectifies many of the sanguine expectations of early life. In 
 all its stages, experience has many stern realities, and we all 
 come to know them soon enough for our comfort. For our- 
 selves, we can not to-day, even by the force of imagination, 
 bring back the hopefulness of thirty years ago ; and yet though 
 less sanguine, we are not less resolute in the prosecution of the 
 work before us. We may not expect so much success, but 
 then we know we are not as liable to be so largely deceived as 
 we once were. We trust less to profession, but we expect 
 equally much from principle. We know the weaknesses of 
 human nature, but we also know the strength which truei^iety 
 gives to every excellency of character, and how much we can 
 trust a man, in whose heart religion is a reality, and not only 
 a name to live. The larger the number of such members 
 which a church embodies in her communion, the more comfort 
 a minister will find in his intercourse with them ; and it is no 
 loss in either aspect to have a time of sifting come ; the 
 chaff is only separated from the wheat, and the tares rooted 
 up which choke the growth of the genuine grain. Such times 
 we have had, and we have found occasion to rejoice after they 
 had passed over. We shall have them again, and in anticipa- 
 tion we say : 
 
 O God ! do tlioTi tliy riohtoons will ; 
 Wo will lie still till thou fulfill 
 Tliy wise desi<;n ; 'tis but tlie dross 
 ^\']licll VkC, iu fc'ur, rej^ard as loss! 
 
 Gold must pass through the fire before the pure metal can 
 be drawn forth in all its shining lustre and value. Surely we 
 have reason to be thankful that so much even yet remains, 
 which we hope the refiner will pronounce genuine! 
 
 I know well in how many houses there have been experi- 
 enced sore afflictions, for it has been my duty to " comfort the 
 mourners," as well as to "rejoice with them that have found 
 occasions of joy." Nor has my own lot in this respect differed 
 from yours. Sad bereavements they have been, indeed, in 
 ' 1 
 
402 MEMORIAL SERMONS, 
 
 their Lest aspect to all of us; and ray dead sleep beside your 
 own in yonder cemetery on tlie lull-side. Imagination often 
 lingers around that spot, and calls up the form and lineaments 
 of the departed as they once appeared, when the music of their 
 voices made my home cheerful and their beaming counte- 
 nances indicated the joys of their daily life. It is not a spirit 
 of repining that brings these scenes back so often, but only 
 the lingering of an unquenched afiection, which time has no 
 power to destroy. I hope to see them in the habitations of 
 the blessed, and endeavor to wait in patience until the years 
 of this pilgrimage are ended, and its toils have ceased. Until 
 then, to hope on, hope ever is all that can be done. We have 
 long since ceased to expect our life to pass away as one long, 
 bright summer day, without clouds and without storms. It is 
 not in such an aspect that the Scriptures represent it, nor is it 
 such that experience proves it. As long as sin continues in 
 the world there will be suiFering ; and as long as sin exists in 
 our hearts, it will produce there its bitter fruits. " Many are 
 the afflictions of the righteous ;" but the promise is added, 
 ''The Lord delivers us out of them all." In God's people 
 they produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness, but in the 
 wicked hardened impenitence and a fearful looking for of 
 wrath and judgment to come. A true Christian will be more 
 anxious that the fruit should be unto life, than that he should 
 be entirely exempt from their pain. 
 
 Is or would we attempt to produce the impression that our 
 life has been entirely exempt from trials of another kind. We 
 liave been happy in the attached friendship of many of our 
 ])eoplo, but we do not pretend that we have not suffered from 
 the want of it in others. Endeavoring to adhere to principle 
 and to be faithful in the pursuit of right, we have more than 
 once been brought into conflict with selfishness and prejudice. 
 Passion has not been restrained within the limits of propriety, 
 nor outrage avoided. But we are bound in justice to say, that 
 those upon whom we really depended have never deceived us, 
 nor proved recreant to the confidence which we reposed in 
 their Christian character and integrity. Indeed, there has, 
 even in this respect, been less disappointment than many may 
 liave imagined ; for we have always known who were worthy 
 
MEMORIAL SERMON'S. JOo 
 
 of trust and wlio were not. All men arc not endowed with 
 " truth in the inward parts." There is a weakness of cha- 
 racter, however honest it may be, which never can be safely 
 trusted ; while, at the same time, there is also a firmness which 
 never can be trusted too much. A true man is a friend al- 
 ways, but weakness is vacillating, and subject to the sway of 
 every wind that blows. In the forest there are a few sturdy 
 oaks which even the whirlwind assaults in vain ; but the supple 
 sapling bends even before the passing breeze, while the bram- 
 ble has no strength at alb It was not to be exj)ected, when 
 passion has been so deeply stirred up as during the last few 
 months, that its wild vagaries would not be reckless and un- 
 reasonable. I have this, however, to say, that I have studied, 
 in all things, to have a conscience void of offense toward God 
 and toward men ; and I have done nothing that I would not 
 do again under the same circumstances, and tlierefore express 
 to day no regrets, nor do I promise a different course. I have 
 preaclied tlie Gospel, and I mean in the future to preach no- 
 thing but the Gospel. I can not do any thing else under tlie 
 sense of responsibility which I feel, for I know " woe is me if 
 I preach not the Gospel." I can not walk by another man's 
 rule, nor graduate my sense of duty by another man's mea- 
 sure. I do not hold myself up as a guide to others, but endea- 
 vor to act according to the light which there is in mo. I fear 
 no man, and call no man master ! Before God and conscience 
 I stand self- approved ; and I mean to stand there at all events. 
 
 But I am not so self-sufficient as to suppose that I have 
 committed no faults, and fallen into no mistakes. What I 
 repudiate is intentional wrong; what I deny is the weakness 
 of insincerity, and the wickedness of pretending to be what I 
 am not, in any relation or responsibility. 
 
 But it is time to pass on from these personal allusions to 
 myself, to things that are of far higher importance. I see 
 here to-day individuals who were here when I came, in youtli 
 and inexperience, to assume the pastoral charge of this impor- 
 tant church. I have preached Christ to these individuals 
 faithfully, and with all the arguments and energy which (Jod 
 has given me and enal)lcd me to employ ; Imt in vain. 1 see 
 them to-day unreconciled to God, and as little ]>repared for 
 death and eternity as when my ministry commenced. Thirty 
 
104 MEMORIAL SERMONS, 
 
 years of profitless attendance on the ordinances of tlie sanctu- 
 ary is an appalling reflection ! It brings np a long array of 
 misspent Sabbaths and misiniproved privileges ; and these are 
 to meet you at the judgment-bar. How will you answer to 
 God and your conscience for such a vast evil ? How will you 
 reconcile this to your conscience when you come to die ? The 
 reflection which is forced home upon my mind, from this fact, 
 is one of the saddest of this day. For your good I have at 
 least labored in vain, and spent my strength for naught ; but 
 I take you yourselves to witness this day, that I am free from 
 the blood of your souls. I have not withheld from you any 
 part of the counsel of God. I have warned you, expostulated 
 with you, and entreated you ; and I warn you again, and now 
 beseech you to give attention to the things of your peace. 
 
 Let me inquire here what it is that has kept you back from 
 Christ ? You know there is no other salvation, and you con- 
 fess this l)y coming here from Sabbath to Sabbath to hear the 
 Gospel. But the hearer of the Word is not saved ; only he 
 that obeys enters into rest. Your hearing will not secure to 
 you the benefits of Christ. Obedience is your life. Many 
 hearers of the Gospel will, in the daj^ of accounts, be adjudged 
 as worthy of the sorest condemnation, because they knew the 
 will of God, but did not obey him. 
 
 How shall I convince you and bring you to a decision ? I 
 know of no arguments Avhicli have not already been employed; 
 of no motives that have not already been presented, of no 
 entreaties which have not already proved in vain. What can 
 I do ? If tears would avail, I would willingly shed them in 
 rivers from mine eyes. If you would listen to us, we would 
 gladly come down from this sacred desk, and take hold of you 
 and drag you to the foot of the cross. But this would not 
 avail. It is the motion of your own heart, arising out of a 
 spontaneous desire, that is needed. When you feel this and 
 put it forth, you will be near the kingdom of heaven, and 
 until 3'ou do feel and put it forth, even an angel could not 
 save you. Hasten, then, to embrace the Saviour offered to 
 you freely. Only believe, and you will know the joy of sin 
 forgiven, and the peace that passeth all understanding. 
 
 I have now oidy to thank my kind friends — true friends, 
 always friends, for their affectionate attachment to my person 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 105 
 
 niul ministry. Tlicir eiieonras^cmGiit lias been my i-cward 
 (lurinii; this long and difficnlt service, and upon them I rely in 
 the future. How long Providence will allow me to continue 
 to minister to you in holy things, I can uot to-day foresee nor 
 determine. All that I can say is, that I M'ill cheerfully labor 
 on, as I have done, until my work is done ; and when it is 
 done, no one will be more rejoiced to cease than I shall ! T 
 have devoted to your spiritual instruction the cream aiul llowcr 
 of my life. The increase of years may give more experience 
 and wisdom, but it can not bring back the vigor which lias 
 been spent, nor the energies of youth which are wasted and 
 gone. I do not expect to learn any new thing, nor to ado})t 
 any new methods of doing good. I am, in fact, becoming 
 more and more thoroughly convinced that the old wine is the 
 best. I have received but one Gospel, and I can only preach 
 ■what I have learned from the Scriptures and may yet learn 
 from them. To exhaust the great theme would require a 
 thousand lives, and we have only one to give in teaching and 
 in hearing, and that is short — oh, how much too short for the 
 great work laid upon it ! I can not even promise to try to do 
 any thing different from what I have done, for I do not be- 
 lieve I shall sec reason to change opinions fixed so long, and 
 can not on any account, or to please any man or party of men, 
 consent to do what I do not in my heart believe to be right. 
 And as to being dictated to, I am entirely too old for that ! 
 
 In concliTsion, then, I cast myself npon the care of Provi- 
 dence and the affection of my friends, thankful that I have so 
 much faith in both, because neither has ev^er yet failed me. 
 What I can, I will endeavor to do in the fear of God and with 
 an earnest spirit. What I cannot, I know no one will be dis- 
 ]"»oscd ever to expect. 1 iLet us cast ourselves upon Providence. 
 God has blessed ns, and God will bless ns again. And now 
 may the blessing of the God of Jacob, whose covenant faith- 
 fulness hath never failed those who put their trust in him, 
 come upon you with a fulness of power and a richness of com- 
 munication which shall cause you to abound in all things, antl 
 make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitfid in the 
 work of the Lord, and then bring you safe into his kingdom, 
 through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, forever and ever. 
 
 Amen. 
 
THE SEVENTH MEMOEIxYL SERMOK 
 
 PuEACiiED October 27tit, 1807. 
 
 FORMER THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED AND IMPROVED, 
 
 "Remember ye not the former tilings, neitlier consider tlie things of old." 
 — IsAiAii 43 : 18. 
 
 The prophet, l)j divine direction, is reproving the people 
 for their nmneroiis sins of forgetfnhiess ; and lie has, in what 
 he says, special reference to their propensity to idolatry. He 
 considers it as having its origin in a failure to reTnember what 
 (lod had done for them in Egypt, in the wilderness, and in 
 Canaan. Surely he had given sufficient evidence that he was 
 the supreme God — greater than any of the idols of the hea- 
 then ; and if they had only remembered their own history, 
 tliey would have known better than to fall away to idols. No 
 idol-god could possibly present so many claims to obedience 
 and service as the Almighty presented, in his own behalf, to 
 the people he had chosen, defended, and settled in the inheri- 
 tance promised to their fathers. They had only to recall the 
 facts of their own history to become perfectly satisfied of this. 
 
 This is, in fact, a duty which every one owes to himself. 
 '' The years of the right hand of the Most High" are precious 
 mementoes. There are enough of them in the experience of 
 every cliurcjh and every individual to form a rich treasure, 
 from which to draw abundant lessons of instruction, encou- 
 ragement, and admonition. Life repeats itself Avith certain 
 variations and improvements ; but the great facts and the 
 principal experiences have a certain uniformity, always suffi- 
 cient to enable us to anticipate what will be from what we 
 know has been. This is necessarily so. God is the same, and 
 humanity is essentially the same likewise. The variations 
 M-hicli are found in the action of the one upon the otlier are 
 only what belong to times, circumstances, and relations ; and 
 they form a small part, exceptional to the unity and the uni- 
 formity. Political foresight, sagacity, and prudence are only 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 107 
 
 tlie results of a wise judgment, formed after this uniformity 
 and variation have been M'ell considered, compared, and 
 weighed. 
 
 Hence it becomes an important duty to ''remember the 
 former things." They have instruction in tliem which is 
 vahiable, and Avliich we need. Tlie most complete idea of 
 imprudence and rashness is forgetfulness of the past, and a 
 disregard of tlie lessons of experience. An imprudent man is 
 self-opinioned.; a rash man is heedless ! Both throw away the 
 lessons of the past, and trust to their own sagacity. Both 
 reject the instruction of a teacher wiser than they are them- 
 selves, and. hence both err proverbially, and lead those astray 
 who trust in them. Indeed, it seems to be a misimprovement 
 of tlie faculty of memory to refuse the lessons of experience; 
 and it is ditHcult to say why it has been given, if not for this 
 purpose. 
 
 This is, to me at least, a day of memorial. It is thirty -five 
 years now since I came here and preached my first sermon as 
 the pastor of this church. They have been eventful years, 
 and their memory to me is deeply impressive. If I had known 
 all that was before me, it is questionable whether I would 
 have had courage to undertake the work I have done, or to 
 meet the trials I have met. I do not mean to be understood 
 as saying or believing that either have been greater than ought 
 to have been expected. Only I had but little experience then, 
 and Avas therefore as sanguine as inexperience habitually is ; 
 hoped more than I have since learned to hope, and attempted 
 more than I would now be willing to attcm[)t. 
 
 There arc but few here to-day who heard that first sermon, 
 and have gone with me through all those 3'ears. If they were 
 all here, I might appeal to them whether I have not been 
 faithful to tho promise made "to know nothing among them, 
 save Jesus Christ and him crucified ;" '^' whether I have not 
 ])reaclicd the Gospel " in season and out of season;'' whether 
 I have not gone "from house to house"' preaching it; whether 
 I have not " exhorted, reproved, rebuked, with all long-suil'er- 
 ing and gentleness." I have not " withheld the ti-utli," nor 
 •'dealt treacherously M'ith it,"' nor "daubed with uutempered 
 
 * This is the text from wLicli the first sennon was prciichcd. 
 
'108 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 mortfir," nor " liandled tlie word of God deceitfully." I have 
 not forgotten that the human heart is deceitful, that it fears 
 the truth, and is full of all unrighteousness. I have never ex- 
 pected ungodly men to love the truth as I preached it, and I 
 have not sought to gain their influence and friendship by a 
 sacrifice and betrayal of the truth. I know but too well that 
 converts who are only nominally such, made from interest, are 
 of little w^orth, and that the time will come, and come soon, 
 wdien they will need to be more converted. Changes there 
 will therefore be ; fickleness in man is proverbial, and those 
 who are hot will grow cold. Yet I can not say that I made 
 my account for all that has been, for I did not know men as I 
 now know them, and thought of them far more favorably 
 than I have since learned to think. Favor is deceitful, pro- 
 fessions are liable to be forgotten, and ingratitude is one of 
 the most common sins of our weak and corrupt humanity, and 
 ministers know as much of it as any other class of men. But 
 there is one thing I know and can testify to : hitherto the Lord 
 liath helped me. I desire to thank him to-day for his help, 
 and pray that the memory of it may strengthen my faith and 
 increase my steadfastness. It has been seasonable, kind, and 
 ever present ; and because it has been such, I erect this Ebene- 
 zer to-day, and inscribe upon it, "The Lord is my helper." 
 Blessed be his name, he has enabled me continually to " trust 
 and not be afraid." 
 
 The ministerial work is a great work. It is not appreciated 
 by the world as it ought to be. The Christian minister finds 
 but little sympathy from men who are not in heart the disci- 
 ples of Christ. Hence he is obstructed in many ways from 
 going forward in his eftbrts to do good. It does not cost a 
 great deal to maintain the church, but no money seems to be 
 so grudgingly paid as that which is given for that purpose ; 
 and many a zealous minister spends all his life in labors to 
 promote the spiritual and temporal welfare of his fellow-men, 
 while every year he is obliged to take from his private income 
 to meet his wants and those of his family. This is expected 
 from no other class of men, and exists in no other ofiicial rela- 
 tion. The laborer is worthy of his hire; and if he labors at 
 the altar, it is right, and Christ gives him authority', that he 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 109 
 
 sliould live from it. But there are even Cliristian men M'lio 
 would be willing to leave both the altar and the priest to 
 maintain themselves, and still expect to be served as faithfully 
 as if they did their whole duty. 
 
 If this arose from a misunderstanding of their responsibili- 
 ties, it would be more excusable than it is ; but it is too often 
 to bo traced, not to ignorance, but a base love of pelf. But 
 that man who loves the world so much, and is so greedy of its 
 gain as to let tlie cause of religion suffer, surely can have but 
 little to expect when God comes to judge him ! It is wisdom 
 as well as piety to " make to ourselves friends with the mam- 
 mon of nnrighteonsness, that when we fail they may receive 
 ns into everlasting habitations." A treasure laid up with God 
 will bring us the largest and the most satisfactory revenue of 
 any investment. There it neither cankers nor rusts, nor is 
 there danger that it will witness against us at the judgment- 
 bar for having been unrighteously withheld from the cause of 
 piety and human well-being when they both demanded it. 
 
 The relation of the Christian minister to the welfare and 
 advancement of human society is most intimate and inost im- 
 portant. His instructions and influence, even in an economi- 
 cal point of vievv', can not be parted with without loss; just 
 as any community becomes irreligious and vicious, its material 
 interests suffer, and its necessary expenses are increased. It 
 is far cheaper to maintain the church than the poor-house and 
 the ])rison ; and to prevent vice is far better than to punish it. 
 From doing the one or the other you can not escape. The 
 inconsistency is, that so many men enjoy all the benefits of a 
 ])ublic ministry which otliers maintaiu. Even in the church 
 there are some men who attempt to have all the comfort and 
 spiritual jiower of religion, without any expense and without 
 denying themselves. It is a vain attempt, and, in common 
 with other s(;liemes involving dishonor and dishonesty, never 
 succeeds. . AVith (lod we must, at least^ be candid. 
 
 In the period through which my ministry has extended in 
 this congregation, I have seen many things which have an 
 intimate relation to these reflections. I have seen the course 
 in which prosperity flows, and the course in which it does not 
 flow. I have seen families passing away, and others rising up 
 
' 110 MEMOIUAL SERMONS. 
 
 and becoming strong. I have seen wealth, and influence, and 
 an honorable name sacrificed, and others coming forward to 
 stand np in the vacant places. I have learned that good prin- 
 ciples, industry, and piety are a safer and better inheritance 
 than any worldly position or paternal excellency. I have seen 
 a thousand instances to prove the truth of the wise mairs re- 
 commendation, " Train up a child in the way he should go, 
 and when he is old he will not depart from it ;" as well as the 
 converse, that improper training, or the want of it, is a prepa- 
 ration to follow the broad way that leads to destruction. The 
 generation which has passed away has left many important 
 lessons which the living would do well to heed. There were 
 good men among them, who " fought a good fight " and " wit- 
 nessed a good confession." They loved this clnirch, and did 
 what they could to promote its growth and prosperity ; and 
 their reward will be great in the kingdom of God. The savor 
 of their godly life is " like ointment poured forth." We re- 
 member them with pleasure. 
 
 This church has long been favored in having so many men 
 of noble endowments and eminent gifts among its members. 
 They have given it a power at home and a name abroad whioli 
 is at once honorable and advantageous. But alas ! many of 
 them are no more. We have mourned their departure, and 
 felt how much we had lost when they were taken. In some 
 instances their places have been Avell supplied, and in some 
 not. But, upon the whole, the church has really advanced in 
 her material and spiritual interests from year to year. Con- 
 gregations have grown up around us, mostly from those who 
 were once attached to us ; but our numbers have not been 
 diminished. Not a single year has ever occurred, except when 
 the second church was oroi;anized, in which the increase of 
 members in communion has not been more than the loss from 
 all sources. In this way, in the formation of new churches, 
 by creating other centres of influence, more good has been 
 done, witliout entailing on us any serious loss or inconveni- 
 ence. In fact, if we consider how many new congregations 
 have been almost entirely formed out of our church, its con- 
 stant and almost uniform increase is one of the completest 
 
MEMORIAL SEEMONS. Ill 
 
 evidences that God has been \vith as and Llessed us from year 
 to year, that could be given. 
 
 During tlie thirty-five years wliicli have passed, there liave 
 been received into the communion of this church 698 mendjers. 
 This amounts to 100 in every live years, and more than 20 
 each year — a number which, though not large for any one 
 year by itself, is yet remarkable "when it runs through 35 
 years, and shows clearly that the Holy Spirit has been among 
 us continually, hovering like a holy dove over our habitations, 
 and sending down his converting influences, now on one and 
 then on another, to bring them to God. The largest number 
 in one year was 63 ; the smallest 4, the year succeeding the 
 division of the church by the organization of a second church. 
 
 The increase of which we have been speaking is all the more 
 important and encouraging, from the fact that it has been emi- 
 nently a home-increase. We have been glad to welcome those 
 who came to us from other communions, and some of them have 
 been important accessories, both in their character and influ- 
 ence ; but the number is small in comparison to tliat which 
 shows how the AVord has wrought, and the ordinances have 
 been blessed, among those who have grown up in the church 
 as her own children. 
 
 The occasions for suspension from the communion and for 
 the exercise of the Christian discipline, have also been remarka- 
 bly few. There has been " a falling away," but it has been 
 an exception alwaj's, aiul recurring at such long intervals as 
 to show clearly that the conversions have almost always been 
 genuine and of a saving character. Consistency has been 
 maintained in almost all cases, though a high state of S2)iritu- 
 ality has not been as frequent as we have desired to see, or as 
 the responsibilities of the Cln-istian life demand. More zeal 
 and prayer would have])roduced more usefulness, and resulted 
 in bringing more to the knowledge of the truth ; and we shouUl 
 sec to it that a higher scale of spiritual-mindechiess is set up, 
 and more strenuous eflbrts are made to elevate all to it, as the 
 only state wliicli is acknowledged to be a fair sample of wliat 
 every Christian should be. 
 
 During the past thirty-live years, I luive baptized 680 children, 
 and 31 adults on confession of their faith. This is an evidence 
 
112 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 tliat to a good degree, at least, the ordinance of baptism lias 
 been regarded as a sacred duty which parents owe to their 
 children, and that the ancient faith of our church, that there 
 is a blessing in the covenant of which baptism is the seal,which 
 it is important to secure, was still preserved among ns. And 
 we notice this fact, in this connection, with the more pleasure, 
 because through the prevalence of false notions in regard to 
 it, there are places where the baptism of children has come to 
 be extensively neglected ; and we are not overstating the sub- 
 ject when we add, greatly to the injury of the children them- 
 selves, and to the cause of religion where such negligence has 
 obtained. The promise loas from the beginning, '•' to you and 
 to your children ;" the apostle includes children in the cove- 
 nant, as the heirs of life together with their parents; and now 
 if they are born in the covenant, and born subjects of the pro- 
 mise of the convenant, who can say that the seal of the cove- 
 nant ought not to be applied to them ? It is a wrong done to 
 them not to apply it ; and there are numerous facts to prove 
 that God does not favor the wrong or bless it. Prudence says 
 to every parent. Throw every guard around your child that it 
 is possible for you to employ ; store his mind with truth, and 
 fill his heart and conscience with holy memories. The time 
 will come when he will feel the need of them all, to enable 
 him to resist temptation and breast the tide of passion which 
 is bearing him onward to ruin. You do not love him loeJl and 
 wisely if you do not do it. Your scrupules may prove his de- 
 struction. You had better lay them aside for his sake, if not 
 for j-our own. 
 
 I have also performed the marriage ceremony on 328 occa- 
 sions, and, with a few exceptions, with the most happy results. 
 It is not possible now to enumerate the funerals which have 
 been attended. For many years it was not usual to keep any 
 account of the deaths which occurred, and so, until recently, 
 no record was made. One thing is certain, however, that the 
 ravages of the destroyer have been destructive and constant 
 in the midst of us. Perhaps the results have not been more 
 fatal than the laws of human mortality necessitate, but they 
 have broken up many happy homes, left many hearts deso- 
 late, and affected seriously, for a time, the prosperity and 
 
MEMORIAL SKliMONS. 113 
 
 strcng-tli of tlie cliiii'cli of our God. Some of our best men, 
 strongest men, most zealous and attaclied men, have been taken 
 from us bj death. Their counsels were always wise, their in- 
 fluence was directed to do most good, and their hands were 
 uniformlj'- open when the interests of religion required them 
 to give. Few churches have had so many devoted and pray- 
 ing men to uphold the honor of the Redeemer's name, and 
 bring down blessings from above. They lived to do good, and 
 their memory is cherished. It remains in the midst of us as 
 a divine odor, and makes it pleasant to recall it in our solemn 
 services. It will be preserved long to their praise, and will 
 never cease to be honored in the congregation of the children 
 of God on high. 
 
 "When we begin a survey of what was this congregation thirty- 
 five years since, and go from house to house, the clianges are al- 
 ]nost universal. On the south side of the river there are only 
 four houses occupied as they were on the day when I commenced 
 to minister here. On the north side of the river there are but 
 three. In the village there are three, and one which belongs 
 to the other church. And of the families who occupied all of 
 them, there are only two which remain as they then were ; 
 and ail the rest are l)roken — many broken up entirely, and 
 scattered. Happy homes they were — at least, many of them ! 
 Tliev had their altars, and the mornino; and evenino- incense 
 ascended daily, far mure generally than, I fear, it now does. 
 They had not lost tlie pov/ei" of that great outpouring of the 
 Spirit which had just been experienced. There was an unc- 
 tion and a tenderness in their piety which our colder and more 
 fornuil spirit fatally lacks. They were "a generation fearing 
 God and keeping his commandments." Their love was warm, 
 because it had been kindled wlien the fires burned brightlv. 
 I slK>uld like to recite their names, but 1 can not trust myself 
 to begin the catalogue. My veneration for them is too deep, 
 too delicate, and too tender to pci-init it. 
 
 They welcomed me here when I was young, and sanguine, 
 and inexperienced; they cherished and supported me while 
 they lived; they were my friends, counselors, and protectors. 
 My reputation was precious to them, and they guarded it ; my 
 labors were appreciated more than they merited, and they ac- 
 
] IJ: MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 ceptcd tliem ; iny wants were anticipated and supplied, as only 
 kindness knows liow to supply. They did not regard it as a 
 charity, but performed it as a duty, and expected to be blessed 
 as they w^re blessing. I shall venerate them as long as I live, 
 and hope to go to join them in the assembly of the blessed, 
 where they are now praising God for the redemption of his 
 Son. These are some of "• the former things," and, if not 
 '■'old.;'' are at least ^>«.s-^. 
 
 We now proceed to notice specifically some of the events of 
 tlie last five years. In estimating the character of this portion 
 of our history, it is important to consider the state of the pub- 
 lic mind. It opened in the midst of that great convulsion^ 
 which will ever be remembered in our annals, because of the 
 intensely interesting events which were crowded into it, and 
 the important changes which have resulted from it. These do 
 not belong to such a review as we now contemplate, except in 
 the personal exigencies which they created. A great national 
 excitement can not pass without affecting the church ; and this 
 to which we refer embodied in it so many questions connected 
 with morals and Christian sentiment that it shook almost every 
 church to its centre. Ministers had to mark out a path for 
 themselves; and the difiiculty in following it, when marked 
 out, was found in the division of sentiment among the people, 
 and the uncharitableness with Avhich each party, and almost 
 every individual, regarded those who diifered from them. We 
 decided early, and adhered to our convictions, and have never 
 yet seen any reason to regret the course we pursued. We 
 could not pursue any other. We had promised in the begin- 
 ning to "know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him 
 crucified." We claimed tlie right to have our private opi- 
 nions, but publicly we adhered " to the law and to the testi- 
 mony," and preached the Gospel and nothing but the Gospel. 
 We allowed the right of private judgment in others, and en- 
 deavored to maintain charity with all men, but insisted that 
 the Sabbath was sacred to religion, and the pulpit only rightly 
 employed when teaching it, and it alone. AVe were always 
 sure that calmer hours Avould justify such a com-se, and results 
 prove it to have been wise and safe. We have not been dis- 
 appointed. To-day, as a cliurch, we occupy a proud eminence. 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 115 
 
 God has blessed us, and we bless God tliat lie enabled iis to be 
 faithful ! Our numbers have gone on increasing, our pros- 
 perity has been uniform, and now we are at peace, and we are 
 overflowing. The place is too strait for us, and the crj comes 
 up on our ears every day, " Lengthen the cords of your taber- 
 nacle and strengthen the stakes ; make room, that the people 
 may dwell comfortably." 
 
 We have received into our communion during the last live 
 years lOi individuals. This is more than 20 each year, and is re- 
 markable in the uniformity which it exhibits with the increase 
 of the whole period of thirty-five years. The fact is, it could 
 hardly have been expected, considering the state of the public 
 mind. AYar is a dreadful evil. It debauches the public mind 
 so rapidly, and demoralizes the public heart so extensively; 
 it occupies the public attention so entirely, and debases and 
 destroys so many things that are holy. It is worse than the 
 pestilence, for it sweeps so many young men into bloody 
 graves, and corrupts so fatally those who live and return. 
 We were, indeed, mercifully spared in being called to give so 
 few to the slaughter, to the diseases incident to a camp-life, 
 and the corruptions engendered there. 
 
 That the cliureh should have grown and prospered as much 
 during the storm and the convulsion as in sunshine and in 
 ])eace, can be ascribed to nothing so much as to the special 
 favor of heaven. Let us remember it to the praise of God and 
 to the confirmation of our faith. It proves that it is best 
 always to do right, and leave the Almighty to defend it. lie 
 is " a munition of rocks," and his servants " never trust in him 
 in vain." 
 
 There have been only about thirty children bapti/cd during 
 the five years we are reviewiuix. This number is exceedinjrlv 
 small, and I am led, on this account, to call attention to it. It 
 can be accounted for only in two ways : First, that a large 
 proportion of our families are aged, or at least past middle 
 life ; or, second, that there is a growing carelessness in regard 
 to the importance of consecrating their offspring to God. To 
 which of these is the fact whi(;h exists to be attributed ? We 
 are disposed to believe, to neither the one nor the other exclu- 
 sively, but in a measure to both. There is an actis'c denomi- 
 
110 MEMOKIAL SERMON'S. 
 
 nation who oppose infant baptism, and it wonld be strano-e if 
 their perpetual efforts to excite attention to the subject did 
 not produce some effect. Now, this ought to be considered bj 
 us, and corresponding efforts made in resistance to such a great 
 evil, for it is unquestionably a great evil. We could adduce 
 facts to prove it to be such. It is seen in its effect upon tlie 
 young, who grow up witliout that sense of intimacy of relation 
 to God which a baptized child has, and are therefore more 
 subject to temptation. It is seen in its effects upon parents, 
 who imagine they are less responsible for the training of their 
 unbaptized children than they w^ould have been if they conse- 
 crated them to him and promised to bring them up in his fear. 
 "VVe regard the growing indifference of parents, therefore, to 
 the baptism of their children as a serious evil, and one which 
 will soon make itself manifest in a laxity of life and a thought- 
 less disregard, on the part of the young, to the duties of reli- 
 gion. Youthful impiety is, in fact, becoming an alarming 
 evil. Our young men seem to be imbibing principles and 
 adopting practices among themselves which are rapidly de- 
 praving them. If some remedy is not found and some restraint 
 thrown over their courses, many of them are destined to ruin. 
 There is no foresight required to predict this. But this is not 
 all. The church needs these young men. They ought to be 
 her Sabbath-school teachers, her choir-singers, her Bible-dis- 
 tributors ; but instead of this, you meet them in the street 
 with a filthy pipe between their teeth, scenting God's pure air 
 with their vile breath, and making every thing abominable 
 around them — making themselves every thing but what a 
 youno; irentleman ouii:;ht to be. 
 
 The past five years, though filled with agitation and excite- 
 ment in the outer world, have been years of peace and har- 
 mony in this cliurch. The few who fell away in its commence- 
 ment we could well afford to lose ; and their places have been 
 supplied by those who were one ^\\t\\ us in sentiment and feel- 
 ina:. The church has been growins: more and more homo- 
 geneous every year, and the bands that bind it together have 
 become stronger and stronger. Our peace in the future seems 
 assured, and will be perpetual, unless we foolishly and reck- 
 lessly disturb it ourselves. This I am persuaded you will not 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 117 
 
 do. It is too great a sin to be tlie means of scliism and strife 
 and divisions in tlie house of God ; and if you do not do it, you 
 have only to go on and prosper. 
 
 Death has been busy during a part of this period ; and we 
 liave suffered more through his doings than througli any other 
 ao-encv. We have lost laro-elv in numbers, and those who 
 were taken have been some of our strongest and Ijest men. 
 The green grass whicli grows on their graves is not as fresh 
 as tlieir memories will long bo, and the sear and yellow leaves 
 which are falling on them to-day are not as mournful as the 
 thoughts which come over our hearts as we recall their many 
 virtues, now forever faded and gone ! "We could ill afford to 
 lose them — so, at least, we thought ; but God took them be- 
 cause their work was done, and their rest waiting for them. 
 The prayers of some of them had edified us long ; and tlic 
 example of all had been a testimony for good to all who knew 
 them. They gave generously out of their means to every good 
 cause, and were faithful in their day and generation, and went 
 to a treasure which was laid up for them before God. They 
 were good men, and " goodness," says the poet, " is beauty in 
 its highest state." Ills end is peace ; for the " angels are round 
 the good man to catch tlic incense of his prayers," and bring 
 him with it into heaven. 
 
 "And they fly to minister kindness to those for whom lie 
 pleadeth ;" and what a benefit and blessing to our poor and 
 suffering humanity, to give wings to such swift messengers, 
 and speed tliem on their errands of compassion, lov^e, and 
 humanity ! It is a vocation which the best might well covet. 
 and make an effort to share. It is an honor more to be coveted 
 than to shine in courts, or to be caressed by the ga3^ Yes, 
 
 " Some tliere are, by tlieir good deeds exalted, 
 Lofty minds and meditative, authors of delight 
 And happiness, which to the end of time 
 Will live, and spread, and llourish." 
 
 It has been said that '' doing good is the only action of 
 man's life that is certainly happ}', and that can never retui-n 
 to him in sorrow or regrets." How happy, then, some of thorn 
 must have been wlio did so much good ; and how glorious 
 their reward must be before God, where they are now reaping 
 the fruits of their labors in joy and ]»rai>c. 
 8 
 
118 MEMOEIAL SERMONS, 
 
 Passing now from tlie memory of tlie dead to a consideration 
 of tlie living present, we notice and remark the state in Avliicli 
 we find onrselves. AV^e have a nnnierous and increasing con- 
 2;reo;ation in the midst of this thriving commnnity, o-rowino* in 
 intelligence and in wealth every day. We can not and onght 
 not to shnt onr eyes to this great fact. It presents a problem 
 which we shall be called upon necessarily to solve ; and the 
 solution we give to it will affect us in spite of ourselves. As 
 we have said, the place is too strait for us. lumbers are 
 standing at our doors and asking to be admitted to a share in 
 our privileges and our prosperity: shall we attend to their 
 request or deny it ? There are fourteen families asking for 
 seats in our sanctuary ; not for a single person, or for two or 
 three, but sgats to accommodate them as we ourselves are 
 accommodated. It is said there is room for them all, and so 
 there is. We could take them into our pews, and seat them ; 
 but this is not what they require. They want pews of their 
 own, for themselves and for their cliildren, I have said once 
 already that if we fail to give them room Ave shall make the 
 greatest mistake we have ever made, and I repeat it again to- 
 day. They may stand at our door for a little wdiile longer 
 and w^ait our pleasure, but we can not expect them to continue 
 to stand there. We Avould not ourselves stand there in their 
 position long. If they come in, they Avill share in our pros- 
 perity, and assist us in bearing the burdens which we bear. 
 If we refuse tliem a Avelcome, they wdll carry it all to some 
 other place ; and they will do it soon ! Can we afford to let 
 them do this ? Are w^e prepared to see another congregation 
 organized in this village, and growing up out of our strength ? 
 I retain a vivid recollection of the struggle which a similar 
 state of things entailed upon us when I first came here, and 
 Avhcn, because the place w^as too strait, and there was no dis- 
 position to Aviden it, the congregation broke up into two bands, 
 each striving for a mere existence, almost, for years. We 
 Avaited then until it Avas too late, and Ave may do so again. 
 But I Avarn you of Avhat is coming; and I beseech you to 
 attend to it in time. There is danger in delay, and cA^ery 
 moment increases it. We can not move too soon. It cost 
 those Avho made the mistake before thousands to maintain 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 119 
 
 their position, and it will not cost us any less. AVe must arise 
 and build, or sit here and see others rejoicing in the prosperity 
 which we refuse to appropriate to our own enlargement. 
 Prudence never waits until the evil is upon it. It foresees it 
 and provides against it before it comes. Jh-ethren, be warned 
 in time. It is not for myself I plead. I shall, probably, have 
 finished my labors.liere before it comes ; but some of you will 
 be here to repent at leisure, when repentance has come too 
 late. We have already lost the summer which ought to have 
 seen us to-day in this house, enlarged and beautified, with 
 capacity enough to receive all who desire to share with us in 
 our worship, our communion, and our praises. When the 
 second temple was partially rebuilt, and then, because the 
 people had become supine and careless, was left imiinished, 
 the prophet was sent to cry in the ears of the people, " Is it 
 for you, O ye, to sit in your ceiled houses, and this house to 
 lie Avastef We repeat this cry to-day in your ears, and say. 
 Build, build, build ! You owe it to yourselves and to the in- 
 terests of righteousness in this community ; and he is not a 
 wise friend who advises you to any thing else, or refuses to 
 lend a helping hand. Xo, he shuts his ears supinely to the 
 lessons which every day are being repeated to him louder and 
 louder. 
 
 The action of the congregation on Monday last is a step in 
 tlie right direction. That step has been greatly needed, and 
 will result in great good to the church. When we have be- 
 come accustomed to it, we will never think of changing to the 
 old form. For a short space of time it will have the eti'ect of 
 making room for tliose who are standing at our doors; and 
 the labor which has been requij'cd to keep the financial affairs 
 of the church in a prosperous condition, can now be directed 
 to other important ends by which all will be benefited. 
 
 And now as to practical things, AV^e need to cultivate a 
 more liberal s]>irit. " The love of monc}'," says the apostle, 
 " is the root of all evil." This is true, and it is specially true 
 in religion. '* There is that givetli and yet increaseth ; and 
 that withholdetii more than is meet, aiul it tendeth to poverty." 
 Blessing others is the surest way of being blessed ourselves. 
 I have felt occasion to say before, and repeat it again, that we 
 
120 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 are faulty, not so inucli in not giving, as in nut giving wisely. 
 There is a principle in Clu'istian charity ; there is the mani- 
 festation of a spirit of obedience to God. Giving from excite- 
 ment, under pressure, or from emulation, is not doing it as 
 unto the Lord. AVe should give as we pray, as we deny our- 
 selves, as wo mahe sacrifices of obedience ; and a certain 
 amount of giving is necessary to our own s'piritual prosperity" 
 and growth in grace. A high state of religious enjoyment 
 and comfort is inconsistent with a penurious spirit. It is 
 natural that it is so, and it is, moreover, a fact. There are 
 thousands who are not liberal enough to be rich, and numerous 
 exaniples prove it. 
 
 "VVe need to cultivate a higher tone of religious sentiment. 
 Progress, enjoyment, profit in spiritual things, all depend 
 upon warm-hearted piety. There is a state of outward de- 
 cency that is as good as nothing ; and tliere is also a state of 
 fervent, elevated piety that brings with it almost all things. 
 There are those who advance, and there are those, too, who 
 hardly know whether they believe and love, or whether they 
 do not. Onr social meetings show the depressed state in wliicli 
 the spirit of piet^^ exists among us Just nou\ It is not what it 
 once was, nor what it ought to be. Like many other good 
 things of the past, it seems to me sometimes as almost to be 
 dying out. Those who once attended constantly all our social 
 meetings have forgotten and deserted them. Our young peo- 
 ple seem to find something to interest them more, and seldom 
 come ; and some of those, even, who have professed religion 
 seem to think that it is not necessary for them to attend any 
 other than the Sabbath services. All this is an evil that needs 
 correction, and until it is corrected the church will not pros- 
 per as it ought. We beseech you to see that it is corrected. 
 
 We need a refreshing of the Holy Spirit. Tliis alone can 
 connnunicate the power which converts, elevates, enlivens, and 
 enlarges the church : and it is a heavenly gift ; a gift to be 
 sought by special ])rayer ; a gift which God has special plea- 
 sure always in bestowing, and which he never withholds any 
 longer than it is necessary that it should be withheld in order 
 that we may profit by it. Let ns ask it. Let us agree to ask 
 it in the faitli of the promise, " If two of you shall agree on 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. . 121 
 
 cai'tli, as toncliiiig any tiling that tliey shall ask, it shall be 
 done for them of my Father which is in lieaven.'' 
 
 The youth belonging to the congregation need to have a 
 higher sense of the value and the importance of religion as a 
 possession brought home to them by Christian example. It is 
 the pearl of great price. It is the noblest possession and en- 
 joyment to be found. It makes us rich in all things, and the 
 want of it makes us poor, even though we should be rich in 
 every thing else. Our .young people do not seem to think 
 this, or believe it ; but, on the other hand, appear to feel that 
 the consideration of the subject may be postponed without 
 any thing being lost. Some are so frivolous and so vain that 
 they apparently scarcely think at all. Pleasure is their god, 
 and they idolize it. Sin is sweet, and they live for it. God 
 and eternity are afar off, and they neglect them. O foolish 
 youth! How much repentance there is created a necessity 
 for; all this irreligion and Avrong will be food for remorse, or 
 the evil of it will pursue you through this world aiul into the 
 next. 
 
 We need a more general activity in the whole church. As 
 long as only a few labor to do good, the work will bo onerous 
 and but little will be effected. In our Sunday-schools, in our 
 prayer-meetings, wherever good is to be done, we need the 
 activity of all our Cliristian men. There is room for them all, 
 and there is need for the work of all. Christians are required 
 to feel this, and occupy themselves until their Master comes, 
 and they should make conscience of it. The greatest evil we 
 have to struggle with is the isolati<»n in which the few active 
 spirits are left. Our prayer-meeting is made up of a few, our 
 lectures are attended by a few. lousiness is the excuse ; but 
 remember, you will have to make time to die ; and when you 
 (^ome to that solemn hour, you" will feel that you ought to have 
 made leisure to prepare for it. 
 
 In conclusion, we are now to enter upon another division 
 of time. AVhat is bt'fore us I can not j)rognosticate or detine. 
 The generation Avhich has ])assed away, I knew and trusted. 
 The generaticm which now is, I do not pretend to know as 
 well. We have tiic promise that instead of the fathers their 
 children shall be. They are here, but will they be like their 
 
122 * MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 fathers — as zealous, as enduriiio-, as faitliful ? God only 
 knows, and the future only can determine. We are disposed 
 to be hopeful, and trust in his name and grace, as we have 
 hitherto trusted, "We have faith that our trust will not prove 
 to be " a vain confidence." 
 
 Our life has passed beyond its bloom and its freshness. 
 Its summer is past and its autumn is coming. The fresh 
 strength of youthful days is gone, and the activity wdiich once 
 was, is no more. We can not, therefore, promise any thing 
 which we have not given. Experience ought to teach wisdom, 
 but it sometimes brings fear as well ; and caution may become 
 inactive. 
 
 We have not discovered any new things, and we can not 
 propose any new methods of doing good. We believe in the 
 efficacy of preaching and prayer, and we do not believe in any 
 thing else as better, or more likely to win souls, edify the 
 cliurch, and promote the glory of our Redeemer's kingdom. 
 We expect to meet discouragements as we have met them ; 
 and we hope to be able to surmount them. We do not expect 
 to please all, or to win all. The Saviour is still in his thresh- 
 ing-floor, with his fan in his hand, winnowing his wheat, and 
 the chaft' will be blown oft' and rejected. Of the power of the 
 Gospel to convert souls we never expect to despair. We in- 
 tend to preach it, and mean to do it faithfully and in simpli- 
 city. The power is from above ; " Paul may plant and Apollos 
 \vater, but the increase is from God.'' We have adhered to 
 the Gospel and preached it alone, and we mean to adhere to 
 it in the future. We have found this course to be right and 
 successful, and we expect to find it so to the end. 
 
 Whether we shall live to see and to improve another anni- 
 versary or not, is known only to God. I can not say that I am 
 anxious to do so. The time will come when we shall cease to 
 admonish and warn you ; but we protest before God that " we 
 are free from the blood of all men."' Tliose who have not 
 lieard us, nor attended to our earnest efforts to instruct and to 
 save them, will soon go to their account, as we shall also to 
 ours. AVc tremble to think how much they have misimproved 
 and lost. May they yet turn and live! 
 
 To' a large extent the church which is here to-day is com 
 
MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 123 
 
 posed of those wliom we liave gatlierecl in. Tlicy are tlie 
 fruits of our own labors and prayers, and we liave coniidence 
 in tlieni tliat tlicy Avill be our friends until death. We expe- 
 rience daily great yearnings of heart that they may be faithful, 
 become eminently pious, and find a rich and lasting reward in 
 the kingdom of heaven. We have borne them on our heart, 
 and Avc mean to bear them there, even in death ; and when 
 the honr of separation comes we will " commend them to God 
 and to the word of his grace, which is able to keep them, and 
 present them faultless, without spot, before the throne in glory." 
 
 (_)ver the waywardness of the impenitent we have mourned, 
 and may yet iiavc to mourn ; but we pray them to pause and 
 tliink before it is too late. It will be an awful thing to be 
 obliged to meet them and testify against them at the judg- 
 ment-bar, and we appeal to them not to make this necessary. 
 Repentance may yet be found by them all, and an entrance 
 secured into the kingdom of life. What can we do for tliem 
 that we have not already done ? How can we present Christ 
 more effectually M'hen all his attractions have already been 
 cxliibited ? We have unfolded all the depths of his love and 
 tlie tenderness of his compassion ; what can iwe do more i 
 Hear us, we pray you, and turn, that you may live. 
 
 And now the moment is at hand when this protracted ser- 
 vice is to end. We have spoken freely but kindly ; hear ye 
 what we have said. AVe have drawn from the former things 
 some of the lessons which they teach. Those lessons we com- 
 mend to your serious and prayerful consideration. Another 
 volume of accounts closes here, and a new one will be hence- 
 f ortli opened. It is your business and interest to make it such 
 as you Avill desire it to be, when you come, to meet it at the 
 judgment-seat of Christ. 
 
 Bretln-cn, I have done S]>eaking to you to-day, but I can not 
 conceal from my own mind, and ought not to conceal from 
 you, that we are both to meet the consequences of this speak- 
 ing and hearing at a future day, and to that day time is roll- 
 ing us on with ceaseless motion. We shall all soon be tliere, 
 but what will it bring 'i Are m'c prepared to meet it ? AVill 
 it be a day of joyful deliverance and of happy recognition, or 
 will it be the contrary? This is the important matter to ns 
 
12-i MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 HOW. I entreat you to ponder it well. God lives. Eternity 
 is coming. The judgment is prepared. Heaven must receive 
 us, or perdition be our portion. God grant tliat vre may all 
 enter into the joy of the Lord ! AVe commend you to God 
 and to the word of his grace. There is but one hope of life. 
 It is in Christ. See to it that you build on that foundation, 
 and may God help you I Amen. 
 
THE EIGHTH MEMOEIAL SEEMON. 
 
 Pkeached Tuesday, Oct. 29Tir, 1872. 
 
 G O D "W I T ir U S F O K T Y Y E A II S . 
 
 "These forty years the Lord thy God hath been with thee." — DEUTERO- 
 NOMY 2 : 7. 
 
 These words were originally spoken to Moses, and were in- 
 tended as an encouragement to liini in view of future difficul- 
 ties. We employ tliem as an appropriate motto, suggestive of 
 many of the thoughts which crowd upon our memories, and 
 press for utterance, in connection with these commemorative 
 services. We feel no one sentiment more deeply than the ac- 
 knowledgment that " God has been with lis these forty years,'' 
 We are jierfectly conscious that nothing hut his supporting, 
 guiding, and instructing presence could have enabled lis to do 
 the work, support the burdens, and meet the responsibilities of 
 such a protracted service in the position we have occupied. 
 AVe are here, and Ave are what we are, and have done what 
 has been done, because he has enabled us to do it. We ac- 
 knowledge God's favor in all, and we erect here our " Ebene- 
 zer," and praise his great and holy name ! 
 
 The day is an anniversary, and we intend to devote it to a 
 review of the work tliat lias been done, and to the making of 
 a record of God's gracious hel}). We are fully prepared to 
 testify that " goodness and mercy have followed us all our 
 days," and, when we think of our own agency, to exclaim, 
 "Kot unto us, O Lord, but unto tliy name, be the })raise !" 
 God has been khuUn with us all these forty years ; and no 
 one can feel more vivid i_y than we do, that if he had not 
 been "our h('l})er," we could not have continued here so long 
 to witness for him ! We ai'e sensible of a great pleasure, and 
 we enjoy a great triunipli ; but, at the same time, we experi- 
 
"126 MEMOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 ence emotions of tlie most varied and opposite kinds. Our 
 joy and onr triumph is mixed with sadness. Here, in the 
 presence of tlie living, we remember tlie dead ; and " the dear 
 departed ones," how many of them rise up to our Adew ! And 
 they were so kind to us ! Many of them were such eminent 
 Christians ; and they were so long our friends — our trusted 
 friends ! 
 
 The forty years Avhieh Ave are to review have been Avit- 
 uesses to some most mighty changes in the affairs of our 
 Avorld ; and the advances Avhicli have been made Avill ever 
 continue to be menu)rable. Europe has changed its political 
 aspect almost entirely. The spirit of liberty has been victo- 
 rious in every field of conflict. Light has radiated upon some 
 of the darkest places in the moral Avorld. The Avork of 
 missions has been prosecuted Avith marked success, and many 
 almost uidooked-for results have been reached. The poAver 
 of the Papacy has crumbled and dwindled aAvay until it is 
 almost nothing, and the Avhole Avorld now is open to the 
 Gospel ! 
 
 The navigation of the ocean by steam, the transmission of 
 intelligence by the telegraph, the system of railroad-travel — 
 all fall Avithin the limits of the last forty years. The Bible 
 Society, the Tract Society, and the A^arious missionary societies, 
 though some of them had been organized, may still be said to 
 have commenced their work, and to have become conscious of 
 their strength, only as the action included in tlie last forty 
 years has given them exiperience. The position Avhich has 
 been reached to-day is far in advance of that AAdiich they 
 occupied at the commencement of the period of Avhicli we 
 speak. In fact, a great work has been done and a great 
 triumj)li Avon Avithin the past forty years ! 
 
 In our OAvn Ancinity the beginning of this period was the 
 beginning of cdmost every thing. The canal connecting the 
 Avaters of the DelaAvare Avitli the Raritan, one of the most im- 
 portant avenues of commerce in Avliich Ave pride ourselves, and 
 from Avhich Ave reap most important advantages, was just 
 then being opened. All the railroads across the State, except 
 the one from Amboy to Camden, have been built since. Tl)c 
 Avater-poAver AAdiich has occasioned tlie existence of another 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. * 127 
 
 Yillao'G in (»nr imincdiate vicinitv, alrciidv almost equal to 
 our own, and destined, at no distant day, perhaps, to outstrip 
 it, was planned and completed after this period commenced. 
 
 The agricultural community around us Avas just bcginnina- 
 to awake to a sense of their advantages, and to the importance 
 of improving their condition and their lands. Two bushels, 
 and in not a few instances three bushels, of grain, are now 
 gathered where the land then produced only one ; and the 
 farm-houses, and all the appointments of the farmsteads, have 
 been advanced in an equal proportion. The wealth and com- 
 fort of the whole community have even been bettered to more 
 than a corresponding amount. All the former evidences ot 
 rudeness and discomfort have disappeared from the prosperous 
 farmer's home, and a commendable refinement and taste have 
 taken their places. 
 
 At the time of which we are speaking, Somcrville was a 
 small village of some sixty-two dwellings, with the addition 
 of the court-house, church, and academy. It had three taverns, 
 three stores, and perhaps five mechanic shops. There were 
 sixty-two families living in. it, embracing about four hundred 
 and fifty souls. It had a single newspaper, and its academy 
 had, in former years, proved a very great advantage to it, in 
 the education of its young people, and in the diffusion of some 
 taste for reading and mental culture. The inhabitants of 
 Somcrville were noted for their intelligence, the high social 
 position which many of them occupied, the pure morals which 
 prevailed among them, their excellent religious character, and 
 their general prosperity and happiness as men and citizens. 
 There was no village in the State which claimed mo7'e of all 
 these social advantages, and none which enjoyed them in a 
 larger and fuller measure. 
 
 And yet, how different from the Somcrville of today ! Tt 
 had been built along the public road, afterward the turnpike ; 
 and had but one street, on which all the houses, except per- 
 haps six, stood. It liad no sidewalks, no shade-trees besides 
 the few single ones which had been planted as fruit-bearing 
 trees ; and in winter the mud was sometimes literally fearful 
 for pedestrians to encounter. The passage across the public 
 square in front of the church would become, in certain states 
 
"128 • ME]\[ORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 of the atniosplicre, a veritable '* slougli of daspond ;" females 
 dared not attempt it. 
 
 The old church stood on tliis very ground. It^vas a mode- 
 rate-sized brick-building, which had been enlarged by an 
 addition of twenty feet in the rear, with a small cupola and a 
 fine-toned bell. Internally it was exceedingly plain. The 
 pews had straight high backs ; the wood- work around the pulpit 
 was unpainted, the ceiling formed of pine boards ; and it had 
 long been so crowded that the consistory had given np their 
 •places and consented to sit on chairs in front of the pulpit. 
 Efforts had been made to have this building repaired, enlarged, 
 or a new house erected, but had proved in vain. Every body 
 saw and felt the inconvenience and insufficiency of the house 
 for the proper accommodation of the people who assembled in 
 it for worship, but all the remedies were in succession nega- 
 tived by the popular vote. It was a strange infatuation, a 
 wonderful want of a proper spirit ; but it was unconquerable. 
 This unwillingness to enlarge and refit the church edifice 
 finally led, in connection with another feeling existing at the 
 time, to tlie division of the congregation and the formation of 
 the second church. It was a providential infiuence, but cer- 
 tainly no such idea was taken into account in the action had 
 by the people. 
 
 In this house, in 1S32, there worshiped a congregation of 
 at least two hundred and seventy families, with three hundred 
 and twenty-eight members in communion, and thirteen hun- 
 dred souls. On pleasant Sabbath days it was completely 
 filled — even the galleries were crowded ; and the state of re- 
 ligious sentiment was more earnest, active, and fervent than 
 it has been at any time since. Many who had experienced 
 convictions during the season of the great revival, were ma- 
 turing as Christians, and at every communion season uniting 
 with the church. This continued to increase our numbers 
 for several of the first years of my ministry, and seemed like 
 the gleanings of the great harvest. 
 
 The organization of the second church was eftected entirely 
 out of individuals who had been attached to this congregation, 
 and at the end of the first year they reported seventy-six 
 families as belonging to their communion ; and yet our church 
 
:m e:\iorial sei;:\[oxs, 121) 
 
 wa^ not really affected in any perinaiieut way by such a loss. 
 It liad in it still abundant "wcaltli and strength of numbers, 
 and it went on prospering. The strength in the number of 
 families was less in one aspect, but its ability was quite equal 
 in another; and this the future has demonstrated. Iti 1S52 
 we reported one hundred and seventy families, and four hun- 
 dred and thirty-four in communion ; in 1802, one hundred 
 and ninety families, and four Imndred and fifty-six in com- 
 munion ; and this year, two hundred families, and hve hun- 
 dred and twelve in communion. 
 
 In the mean time, besides the second church organized in 
 1834, the church at Boundbrook beginning in 1810, the third 
 church in Ilaritan village in 1848, Brancliville in 1850, each 
 in turn took away from us some of our important families ; 
 while the Methodist church organized in 1833, the Baptist 
 church in 1845, the Episcopal church in 1851, either drew 
 away from us or -were the means of preventing some from 
 uniting with ns. Indeed, when we consider all the circum- 
 stances, our constant growth and prosperity is not a little 
 wonderful. It shows us that diligence, carefulness, prayerful- 
 ness, with a study of "the things that make for peace," will 
 never fail in obtaining a blessing from the Lord. We have 
 given from our own to increase the strength of everv churcli 
 around ns, while we have been growing in strength ourselves! 
 The one f;ict tliat in 1832, with two hundred and seventv 
 families, and after the wonderful ingathering of tlie great re- 
 vival in 1822, bringing into the church more than three hun- 
 dred members on confession of faith, there were only three 
 Inmdred and twenty-eight in communion, but now, with two 
 hundred families, we have live hundred and twelve members 
 on our records, is, in its.elf, a sufficient warrant for all that we 
 claim; and, if we add to this immber the three hundred and 
 ninety-eight members of the second church, and also the two 
 hundred and seventy of the third churcli, in all fourteen hun- 
 dred and eighty, we shall have the fact of the general prospe- 
 rity of our denomination in this favored communitv most 
 abundantly confirmed. 1'lie blessing attendant upon the dis- 
 ])ensation of the Gospel has been great indeed in all these 
 churches. 
 
130 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 There is anotlier fact wliicli demands our recognition. Tliis 
 cliurcli has been a gushing fountain from which the Christian 
 ministiy lias been generously supplied. We find on our records 
 the following names : 
 
 Jolm Leydt 174.5 
 
 Ferdinaiulus Freliiiylinysiui 1753 
 
 llynier Van Neste 1753 
 
 Elias Van Benschoten 17G9 
 
 Matthew Leydt 1778 
 
 Isaac Blauvelt 1778 
 
 Conrad Ten Eyck 1793 
 
 Abraliam Brokaw 1793 
 
 Isaac Van Doren 1 795 
 
 Jeliiel Talmage 1813 
 
 Isaac N. WyckoiF. 1814 
 
 Brogun B. HnflF 1814 
 
 Samu3l K. Tahnage 1818 
 
 Jonathan F. Morris 1819 
 
 Ferdinand Vanderveer 1830 
 
 Frederick F. Cornell 1823 
 
 Garret J. Garretson 1833 
 
 James R. Talmage 1833 
 
 Alexander M. Mann 1833 
 
 Hugh G. Hedges 1889 
 
 Abel J. Stewart 1840 
 
 John A. Todd 1840 
 
 John Simonson 1840 
 
 J3hn Steele 1843 
 
 George J. Van Neste 1843 
 
 Nathaniel Conklin 1843 
 
 Warren Taylor 1843 
 
 John Gaston 1843 
 
 Augustus F. Todd 1846 
 
 Peter Stryker Talmage 1846 
 
 David K. Vaudoren 1856 
 
 A. M. Quick 1861=33 
 
 There are other facts requiring notice. The whole nuniber 
 of members in communion of this church, from the beginning 
 on the 9th of March, 1699, as now recorded on our minutes, 
 is fifteen hundred and twenty-nine (1529), and the whole num- 
 ber received since October 29th, 1832, wdien I began my ser- 
 vices here, is seven hundred and sixty-four, wliicli is only four 
 less than one half of the Avhole number received from the be- 
 frinninjr: that is, the church has c;athered from the world as 
 
MEMOllIAL SEHMOXS. 131 
 
 many, lackinij; four, in forty years, as it jiad done in one Imn- 
 drcd and thirty-three years previous. I leave this fact to 
 make its own impression. 
 
 It is necessary also that we should state another fact. The 
 proportion between those wlio liave entered our cliurch on 
 certificate and on confession of faith has been as follows : Of 
 the former there have been two hundred and sixty-seven, of the 
 latter four hundred and ninety-seven. Tliese numbers show a 
 large preponderance of special spiritual influence in the pro- 
 gress of the church. And, adding to this another fact, we 
 have the evidence of the constant presence of the Holy Ghost 
 in our Sabbath-day assemblies ; and that fact is, that in our 
 various communion seasons, during all these forty years, there 
 has been but one without any one uniting with the church on 
 confession of faith ; and even on that one occasion there were 
 two who united on certiiicate. AVlien I have mentioned this fact 
 to other ministers, it has always been received with surprise. 
 Indeed, I believe there are few churches in our land of which 
 it is true, during such a protracted series of years. 
 
 And we may as well in this place introduce the other 
 statistics which belong to our subject. AVe have baptized 
 seven hundred and twenty-three individuals; of Avhicli num- 
 ber six hundred and seventy-live were infants, and forty- 
 eight adults on confession of their faith ; and we have con- 
 lirmed the mati'imonial vows of three hundi-ed and sixty- 
 nine couples. AVe have had in our consistory, not a few times, 
 individuals whom we had first baptized and then welcomed to 
 the cummuniun of tlie church. AV^e have married persons, 
 baptized their children, received them into tlie communion, 
 and again baptized their grandchildren ! In this way strong- 
 ties have been formed with many families, and as tlie efl'ect of 
 their existence, we have found here ever strung and i'aithfnl 
 friends. 
 
 Again, my pastorate in this churcli has been the longest of 
 all wlio have jireceded me. The first Frelinghuysen could 
 not have ministered more than twenty-eight years, perhaps 
 only twenty-six, as the date of his decease is not accurately 
 ascertained. The second John Frelinghuysen died when he 
 had been pastor only about three and a half jcars. Jacob 
 
' 132 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 Itiitsen ITaivleiibnrgli continued liis ministry for the space of 
 nearly twcnty-tliree years. His successor, Theodore Frclingliuy- 
 sen Ilomeyn, lived to preach here only a little more than ten 
 months. John Dnryea, his successor, was pastor t^velve years 
 and some months. John S. Yredenburgh continued to serve 
 the church twenty-one years, and died, leaving to his people a 
 most fruitful legacy in the glory of his memory and in the 
 power of his piety, which blossomed and matured in a great 
 harvest over his grave. He was succeeded, after an interval 
 of nearly five years, by Richard D. Yan Kleek, who continued 
 his labors less than five years. The whole period comprehend- 
 ed in these seven pastorates embraces ninety-four years ; and, 
 deducting from the whole period of one hundred and thirty- 
 three years the first twenty, which elapsed before the Rev. 
 Theodore J. Frelinghuysen came here from Holland, it leaves 
 as vacant years less than nine in the whole remaining period. 
 This fact indicates a strong love for the ordinances of Christian 
 worship as having prevailed among the people always, leading 
 them to seek for another pastor as soon as death or other 
 causes had removed the one who had before gone in and out 
 in the midst of them. Strange as it may be, the longest 
 vacancy was during and after the great revival. 
 
 We may also remark how seldom their pastors have left 
 this church for other fields of labor. Theodorns J. Freling- 
 huysen, John Frelinghuysen, Theodore Frelinghuysen Ro- 
 meyn, and John S.Yredenburgh, all died in the harness in the 
 full tide of their success ; only Hardenburgh, Yan Kleek, and 
 Duryea left for other fields of labor. And why should 
 they ? Here was enough to be done ; hero work was appre- 
 ciated when done. They were treated kindly, as pastors 
 ought to be, and their wants were properly supplied by those 
 to whom they ministered, and they had the enjoyment of 
 seeing " the pleasure of the Lord prospering in their hands."' 
 The church was at peace with itself, and able to com- 
 mand so much of the regard of the world as to control more 
 or less the forms and customs of society, mailing it a pleasant 
 field to labor in. It is an acknowledged fact that religious 
 sentiment is more general, and religion is more universally 
 respected, in Somerset County, than in almo.-^t any other part 
 
MEMORIAL SEIIMOXS. 133 
 
 of our favored laiid. It is the effect of the earnest and evan- 
 _li;clical ministry which the churches liavc enjoyed, and of the 
 blessing which lias rested upon their labors. In its character, 
 this ministry, too, has been highly devoted and pure. The 
 grccit discriminating doctrines of the Gospel have been fully 
 and faithfully preached, and a high tone of piety has, from the 
 Ijeginning, been insisted on, as alone sufiicient to give a good 
 hope of life eternal. " Christ, and him crucified," has been the 
 burden of all the preaching to which the people have been 
 called to listen ; sensationalism has had no countenance here. 
 Every one of my predecessors in this pulpit have been godly 
 men, faithful men, and earnest men ; and their ministry has 
 liad a blessing resting on it, making their memory precious to 
 many when they liad ceased from their labors and entered 
 into their rest. 
 
 But I am forgetting. My theme is '•'foHy years,'"' and the 
 help of God during all that time; and in a dying, changing 
 world like this, there is much to say of what has been, but is 
 not now. The whole of one generation, and nearly one third 
 of another, have passed away ! When I think of what was 
 here on the first Sabbath when I began to preach to this con- 
 gregation, and then look to see what is here now, lam almost 
 overwhelmed. I remember them all, many of them affection- 
 ately, but I do not sec them. They were among the living 
 on that day ; they are among the dead on this day ! Some 
 of their children are here, but many of them have no repre- 
 sentatives among ns. Whole families are either extinct or 
 scattered ! I believe I am correct in saying that there are 
 only fi\'e or six men living who, as heads of families, were 
 concerned in making out my call and effecting my settlement 
 as pastor of this church. There are some who were not 
 licads of families, and some who were not witli us then ; but 
 with these exceptions, I am preaching to-day to a people wlio 
 liave come to take the places of those who were here when I 
 began my work. 
 
 I have passed over in my memory the homesteads of that 
 
 day, and find on the south side of the river only three which 
 
 have not passed into other hands ; on the east side of the 
 
 village there are only two; noi th of it there are none; west 
 
 9 
 
134 MEMOEIAL SERMONS. 
 
 of it tliere are none ; and, in tlie village itself, only two, and 
 one belongs to a jnember of the second clinrcli. Sncli is time ; 
 Bncli are the changes which a few gliding years })]'odace ; snch 
 are the changes which are coming in the future ! AYhen I 
 think of it all I am almost in despair. Hlxefathei's, where 
 are thej ? and the children, where are they ? The ])romise is 
 that " they] shall be in the place of their fathers ;" but, alas ! 
 alas ! how many of them are not ! In not a few instances, 
 parents and children both are not ; in others, they have re- 
 moved from among ns to dwell elsewhere. But God's cove- 
 nant has not failed, nor has his church been deserted. In his 
 wise providence he has provided for all this. The church lives 
 even when her members " are gathered to their fathers." God 
 is not dependent npon one generation, or one set of men, to 
 do his work. lie holds the hearts of all men in his hands, 
 and moves them when he requires them to do what has been 
 appointed to be done. This is our confidence ; and yet there 
 is a duty incumbent on every generation. It requires them 
 to do tlie work of their calling in an earnest, manful spirit 
 • — to support the church, to provide for its enlargement, to 
 maintain its ordinances, to secure it all the means necessary 
 to enable it to do all its work effectually, in preaching Christ 
 xmd converting sinners to God. Promptness in meeting all 
 these responsibilities is not duty alone, it is also economy and 
 wisdom. Procrastination and sluggishness arc hindrances, 
 and sometimes as ruinous in the church as in the business 
 affairs of hnman life. 
 
 In the families who worshiped in this church when I came 
 here, there has been as mncliof a change as in the other things 
 around us. All of them have had breaches made in them by 
 death, except one or two ; all of them are broken up, except 
 some five or six. There are representatives of some ; and in 
 a few, one of the heads remains ; but the names even of many 
 are no more spoken among lis ! They have mingled wn'th that 
 great crowd which has passed through the gate of death into 
 the spirit-land. "We have the impression of their character 
 and the fruits of their life, and hold them in honored remem- 
 brance as good men and true, the friends of truth, the pillars 
 of this sanctuary, and the honored examples of practical godli- 
 
]^[Ei[ORIAL SERMONS. 135 
 
 iiess; but they are not auioiig the living. AVe have known no 
 better men than some of them were, and we shall lionor their 
 memory until our last hour has come. Tliey were lielpers in 
 our work and in our joy. 
 
 Our village has changed as much as the other things around 
 us. Instead of the sixty-two dwellings of which we have 
 spoken, tJiere are now nearly four lumdred, of which fifty-seven 
 arc tlie habitations of colored people. Instead of three stores, 
 there are now forty-three stores and shops ; and the four hun- 
 dred and lifty inliabitants of forty years ago have become at 
 least two thousand. 
 
 And, then, Raritan has grown, out of two houses, into a 
 prosperous village containing more inhabitants than Somer- 
 ville could boast then. So, too, tlie surrounding country has 
 almost everywhere two liouses where there was tlicn oidy one, 
 while the value of the lands is three times what it then was. 
 
 Customs and habits of life have changed as much as the 
 people. There were only tin-ee conveyances which came to 
 our church-door which were any thing more than the common 
 red farm-wiigon with its linen cover, and these could hardh^ 
 be called carriages. They had springs, indeed, and cushions, 
 and calesh top, but otherwise were very plain and unimposing 
 vehicles. The dress of the people was good, but simple. 
 Fasliion had very little influence in Somerville in those primi- 
 tive but sensible days ; and its grand absurdities, since so con- 
 spicuous and obtrusive, were almost unknown. Tlie people 
 were social and met frequently, especially the ladies, at each 
 other's houses in the afternoon. AVe have memories of many 
 ''Hea-drlrihings'^ of those days, Avhich are refreshing yet! 
 They seemed to us to be jnst Avhat such social gatherings 
 among Christians should l)e — hearty, without restraint, and pro- 
 motive of good-fV'llowsliip and Christian affection without show 
 or expense. There may be a little of the weakness of age in all 
 this, saying " the former days were better than these ;" but if 
 there is, we are sure there was much in those days to praise, 
 and not a little the loss of which is to be regretted. Advance- 
 ment is not always improvement, or progress toward the good 
 and the true ; and there is a good deal of what is now called 
 culture that needs cultivation. I am sure oursocietv has not 
 
130 MEMORIAL SERMONS. 
 
 increased iu godliness, and I am not sure that it has really 
 attained verv iiiuch in any other desirable excellency. 
 
 In the year 1835, in connection with William J. Hedges, 
 Leonard Bunn, and William B. Gaston, and others I com- 
 menced a weekly prayer-meeting on Saturday evening. At 
 first it met in the houses of the citizens. It began at once by 
 being well attended, and during a season of more than ordi- 
 nary religions interest in 1837 and 1.838, the rooms were often 
 crowded, and a deep solemnity pervaded all the exercises. 
 That prayer-meeting has continued until the present time. 
 It has had no interruptions, except occasionally from stormy 
 weather, during all this period; and I sincerely hope it may 
 never be given np. It has been a fountain of life to this 
 churcli. There are yet a few living who were present on the 
 ■first evening when it met, and have almost always been present 
 ever since. I know they feel, as I do, that it has been one 
 of the great blessings of their life to have been able always to 
 attend its sessions. When it fails, if it ever is allowed to fail, 
 many other things will have failed, and the end of the greatest 
 good of this church be near. Nothing has so much to do 
 with the real prosperity of a church as the devotional spirit kept 
 active and glowing among its members. When the pastor's 
 hands are not held up by the prayers of his people, he soon 
 comes to feebleness, and resembles the sower whose seed falls 
 by the wayside or among thorns. Nothing else can compen- 
 sate for the loss. His people may be active, charitable, and 
 even zealous, but the blessing will not come down from heaven. 
 There maybe full houses and eloquent sermons, but the renew- 
 ing and sanctifying Spirit will not rest upon the sermon or 
 the assembly. I feel, every day I live, more and more the 
 encouragement which I li-ave received, and the assistance which 
 has been rendered to me in my work, by '' the praying band," 
 who have never ceased to stand by and help me in my work. 
 Blessings on them ! They have been a comfort to me, and 
 they have done much good. 
 
 One pleasure I am providentially denied, the presence hero 
 to-day — and he desired so much to be here, but could not — 
 the presence of that one man who had more to do with my 
 coming than any other one, and whose friendship and kindness 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 137 
 
 has been one of the perpetujil comforts of my life, lie advised 
 my call, signed it, nrged its acceptance, and, though living 
 apart, has never felt as if he could suffer himself to be sun- 
 dered from us. If he had been able to be \vilh us, my gratifi- 
 cation would have been increased greatly. I refer to ex- 
 Governor A room. May he live long yet to enjoy his works 
 of Christian devotion, and, when called to his rest, be joyful 
 in the vision of glory ! A forty years' close friendship is 
 almost a rarity in such a changing world as this, and I feel 
 all the obligations of it every day more and more. 
 
 I have, indeed, many obligations to acknowledge, and many 
 pleasant memories to cherish, as the result of these forty years. 
 In the associations which have been formed, in the social in- 
 tercourse of my ministerial life, in the kindness done to mc 
 by my people here, I feel that I have laid up a treasure which 
 will be pleasant to me even in the other life and in the 
 heavenly slate. I have always loved to dwell upon these 
 memories, and expect to cherish them more and more, until 
 the end of my days has come. I have never intentionally 
 offended any one. I have tried to be courteous and to do 
 good to all, and I have therefore no apologies to make and 
 no offenses to acknowledge. I have not been able to please 
 all, and therefore have never been obnoxious to the woe pro- 
 nounced u]>on the man of whom all men speak well. I could 
 not do otherwise than I have done, and abide therefore in the 
 consciousness of havinir intended richtwhen others considered 
 me in the wrong. 
 
 In conclusion, I luivc nothing special to announce as to 
 the future. I am willing to ])reach the Gospel as long as God 
 ffives me strength to do it. It has been the work of mv life, 
 and I liave loved it. I have tried to preach it simply, com- 
 prehensively, and efficiently. It has been the Gospel as I 
 liave learned it and understood it, that I have preached. No 
 one can say that I have ever held back the truth, or modified 
 it, to please men. Honestly I can say that " I have not shunned 
 to declare the whole counsel of God.*' My study has been 
 more to find things to profit than to please ; and I have 
 ])reachcd nothing but the Gospel. Upon the whole, in look- 
 ing over my past life, and the course which I have pursued, 
 
138 MEMORIAL SERMOXS. 
 
 I find regrets only in tliat I liave not been able to abound 
 more, and not in wliat I liave earnestly tried to do. I liave 
 not made myself a standard for others, and I have not suffered 
 others to be a standard for me. I have felt that there was a 
 sphere marked out for me, and I hav^e been constrained to fol- 
 low it, sometimes even in the midst of gainsayings. 
 
 I have no idea to-day how much longer I shall continue to 
 serve in my pastorate here. It depends upon Providence, and 
 not upon me, to say when the service should close. When 
 Providence indicates his will, I shall obey it. I have expressed 
 a desire to continue and to see this day, and I have seen it ; 
 and now I am in the hands of my Master, and I desire to have 
 no will of my own, but only to follow his will with a cheer- 
 ful, trnsting heart ! 
 
 I have confidence in those who have uniformly been my 
 friends, that they will never urge me except to do what is 
 right ; that they should act against me I do not expect, I 
 know my work is nearly done, and I hope to rest contented 
 when the end of it has come. I dismiss all anxiety as it 
 respects the future. It will be well ; and I hope to be able to 
 say " it is weU,^'' whatever it may be ! 
 
 But I have some anxiety about this churcli. I have labored 
 for its good so long that I can not be indifferent to its future. 
 It is a consecrated thing to me. I must charge 3'ou, on whom 
 it depends, to be earnest, zealous, active, generous, and prayer- 
 ful. I have sometimes thought that you would not under- 
 stand what was for your best interests. I most earnestly hope 
 that nothing but a wise and generous Christian spirit will ever 
 characterize a church where I have preached a self-denying 
 Saviour so long. Promptness in meeting responsibilities and 
 providing for exigencies is always the wisest and least expen- 
 sive policy. God loves a cheerful giver, and gives the most 
 to those who find it in their hearts to give to him, and to the 
 advancement of the kingdom of his dear Son. There is such a 
 thing, and Providence indicates in a thousand ways that there 
 is such a thing, as " withholding more than is meet and it 
 tendeth to poverty.'' If you deny Christ what belongs to him, 
 he will be very apt to deny you some of the things you have 
 set your heart u])on. A high standard of action is always 
 
MEMORIAL SERMONS. 139 
 
 most efficient, and a generous coni'se with tlie clnircli results 
 always in the greatest good to the individual, as well Jis to the 
 interest of the church. If I should be obliged to live to 
 see this church, to which I have devoted so mnch time and 
 labor, in any state but one of activity and prosperity, it would 
 bo a great grief to nie. I charge you, to whose care it will 
 soon be passed over, by your own devotion to Christ, and l)y 
 your veneration and respect for your ancestors, to keep it 
 always in a high state of prosperous activity. 
 
 This church has always been like a watered garden. The 
 Spirit has been present through almost all its years, and given 
 efficacy to the Gospel preached in it ! All its pastors have been 
 blessed in their work, and prospered in the conversion of souls. 
 Its record in this respect is peculiar. Its first pastor had a 
 great revival — great considering the day and the circumstan- 
 ces. Under the second it continued, and under the third 
 and fourth ; then came the great outpouring ; and now for 
 forty years we have been reaping almost a perpetual harvest ! 
 It is wonderful ! It is of God! and it is the most effective 
 argument to urge us on to diligence, God blesses those who 
 wait upon him and labor sincerely to do his work ; and he will 
 bless us if we are ftiithful, earnest, and active in seeking him 
 and serving him. With this assurance as om* encouragement, 
 we close this memorial discourse by appropriating the words of 
 another, as expressive of our sentiments and feelings : 
 
 Churcli of my sires, my love to tliee 
 
 Was nurtured in my infancy ; 
 
 And now maturer thoughts approve 
 
 The object of that early love. 
 
 liinked to my soul with hooks of steel, 
 
 By all I siiy, and do, and feel ; 
 
 By records tliat refresh my eye, 
 
 In tlie rich page of memory ; 
 
 By blessings at tliine altars given, 
 
 By scenes which lift the soul to lieaven ; 
 
 By monuments that humbly rise, 
 
 Memorials of the good, the wise ; 
 
 By graves forever sad and dear, 
 
 Still reeking with my constant tears ; 
 
 Wliere those in honored slumb(!r lie. 
 
 Whose deaths have taught vie how to die. 
 
140 MEMORIAL SEiniOXS. 
 
 And sliall I not, witli all my powers. 
 
 Watch round tliy venerable towers? 
 
 And can I bid the pilgrim flee 
 
 To holier refuge than to thee? 
 
 Cliurch of my sires, my heart's best home ! 
 
 From thee I can not, will not roam ! 
 
 And now, may tlic God of the everlastino- covenant continue 
 to be onr covenant-keepinp; God, and the God ot our children 
 in all generations * Amen. 
 
 October 29tli, 1872. 
 
TiiK exf:iicises of the fohtietii axxiyersauy 
 
 OF 
 
 llEY. BR. MESSLER'S rASTOIIAl 
 
 The Consistory of the First llefonnecl Duteli Clmrcli of Rarilan, 
 liaving determined to observe the fortieth anniversary of tlieir 
 pastor's settlement, had invited the presence of the neigliboring 
 ministers, especially of those who had been reared in this churcli, 
 and other friends Avho Avould be interested in the event. Tuesday, 
 the 29th day of October, was selected, because on that day of 
 the month, in 1832, Dr. Messier preached his first sermon after 
 accepting the call of the people. 
 
 The weather proved propitious, tlie skies being clear, and tlie 
 air genial and bracing, and calculated to elevate the feelings of 
 all in joyful harmony with the important services of the day. 
 
 The ladies had tastefully decorated the church — the pulpit 
 especially having been wreathed Avith evergreens, decked -with 
 garlands of flowers. On the right of tlie pulpit was placed the 
 date 1832, while 1872 Avas displayed njion the left. The word 
 "Anniversary" spaimed the pulpit Avith a graceful arch which 
 seemed sus^^ended over it by an invisible })Ower. The ladies 
 Averc prepared Avith an abundance of good cheer to refresh their 
 guests, and the choir added the influence of their musical skill to 
 increase the pleasures of the occasion. 
 
 At 10^ o'clock, the church Avas Avell filled Avith an audience Avho 
 manifested their deep and earnest interest in the important ser- 
 A'ices of the day. ]>esi(les the ordinary attendants upon the 
 church, there Avere many laymen ])resent from other churches in 
 kSoinerset and Hunterdon Counties, Avilli quite a large number of 
 clergymen. ^Vmong tlie latter Avere John F. iNIesick, D.D., Pastor 
 of the Second Church of Karitan ; Gabriel LudloAV% D.D., and 
 Peter D. Oakey, of Neshanic ; P. M. Doolittle and Horace Doo- 
 little, of North-l>ranch ; William Bailey, of White House; Joliii 
 (iardner, of Harlingen ; William ]]. Voorhees, of Bhiwenburgh ; 
 Charles H. Pool, of Bedminsler ; R. K. llodgers, D.D., of J>ouud- 
 brook ; Paul D. Van Clcef, D.D., of Jersey City ; A. IMcW^illiam, 
 of Fas'. -Millstone ; James B. Wilson, of Long Branch ; A. Messier 
 
142 ANNIVERSARY, 
 
 Quick, of Franklin; George J. Van Nestc, of Little Falls; Na- 
 thaniel Conkling, of New-Vernon ; Augustus F. Todd, of Bloom- 
 ingburgh, N. Y. ; John Steele, of Paterson; John A. Todd, D.D., 
 of TarrytOAvn, X. Y, ; John C, Lowe, of Rotterdam, N. Y. ; 
 Frederick F. Cornell, "Wm. A. Cornell, and Charles M. Jameson, 
 of Somerville ; John Garretson, D.D., of New-Brunswick ; Gus- 
 tavus Abeel, D.D., of Newark ; and Aaron Lloyd, of New- York. 
 
 The choir sang an appropriate anthem as an introduction to 
 the services of the day. The Rev. George J. Van Neste pre- 
 sided, and announced the various exercises. The Rev. Augustus 
 F. Todd invoked the divine presence and blessing. The Scrip- 
 tures v/ere read by the Rev. A. Messier Quick. 
 
 The audience then united in singing the 471st Hymn, 
 " Kiudred in Clirist, for liis dear sake." 
 
 The Rev. G. Ludlow, D.D., then offered the following simple and 
 comprehensive j^i'fvyer: 
 
 " Great God of heaven and earth, Ave come before thee in all 
 our littleness and unworthiness. What a Aast chasm there is be- 
 tween thee and the most exalted of thy creatures, but especially 
 between thee and us. Tiiou art from everlasting, while we are 
 only of yesterday ! Thou art Almighty, and we are encompassed 
 with infirmity. Thou changest not, wliile we are constantly 
 changing in body and mind. Thou art holy without spot, but 
 we are sinful in our nature and practfce. Yet thou art the God 
 of the covenant, the God of salvation, and especially the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for his sake and through 
 him, our Father most condescending and gracioxis. Thus we are 
 encouraged to approach thee. We are but atoms in thy almost 
 boundless universe of worlds and creatures, and were we stricken 
 out of existence, the space left would be small and easily filled 
 by thy ci-eative power. Yet thou wilt deign to look down 
 upon us and hear and answer our petitions, and accept our poor 
 defective services and offerings. We come not before thee on 
 this interesting occasion for purposes of ostentation, vainglory, 
 and display, but to acknowledge thy wonderful and xinmerited 
 goodness. We come, too, to profit by the experience of thy ser- 
 vant — an expei'ience extending through so many years in the gos- 
 pel ministry ; and although some of us are somewhat older than 
 he, we are willing to sit at his feet as little children and listen to 
 his Avords of wisdom. We are Avilling to learn and add to our 
 stores of knoAvledge while Ave live and have opportunity, perad- 
 vcnture avc may be better fitted for instructing those AAdio are 
 
AXNIVEESARY. 1 1-3 
 
 committed of tliee to our cliargo and cure. Lord help liim to 
 speak edifyingly. Tlio\i liast distinguished tlie cluirch and con- 
 gregation Avorsliiping witliin these walls, and their fathers he- 
 fore them, with very special favor. Those of us who are far ad- 
 vanced in life, liave not only heard of the marvelous interposi- 
 tion of the Spirit of grace in bringing many sons and daugliters 
 into thy spiritual family here, hut have been eye-witnesses of 
 Avhat has been done. Wc give thee onr liuinble and hearty 
 thanks for all this. We have not forgotten i(, and we trust wc 
 never shall. We give thanks to thee, O Lord ! for thy goodness 
 to these people through an extended pastorate of forty years. 
 We thank thee for all the instruction, warning, and exhortations 
 addressed to them by thy sei'vant who has so long broken to them 
 the bread of life, and for the good results Avhicli his ministrations 
 have been instrumental in producing. We thank thee for the 
 additions, larger and smaller, made to the communion of this 
 church at almost every communion season. We give glory to 
 thy name in this behalf, for we know that whoever may plant or 
 whoever may water, thou, O our God ! must give the increase. 
 
 " We thaidc thee for thy goodness to thy servant and his family, 
 through so many eventful and trying years, lie has had, indeed, 
 his dark days, but they have been few in number compared with 
 his bright ones. Surely goodness and mercy have followed h'un 
 thus far all the days of his life, and those days have been many. 
 We trust that when the end comes (all this depends on thy good 
 pleasure) he will dwell in thy house on high forever. Yet, 
 though advanced in years, may he still be spared many years to 
 1)6 useful in this church, and in the church of liis fathers, and in 
 the church generally. May he through grace be enabled to bring 
 forth fruit, much fruit, substantial, ripe, pleasant fruit in his old 
 ago, and may his rest be glorious, and thus may it be Avith all 
 tliat are dear to him. Also grant to him, O God, many among his 
 people who shall be jewels in his crown of rejoicing at that day, 
 the day when tlie jNFaster shall say to him, 'Well done, good and 
 faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' 
 
 "Command a blessing, () Lord, upon all thy servants who are 
 here to-day, and on all the people to whom they minister in lioly 
 things. We all feel our dcpciulenfe upon thee, both as disciples 
 and ministers of Jesus Chi'ist. If it Avere not for the pi-eeious 
 assiu-ance Avhich the INfaster has given, ' Lo ! I ani Avith you al- 
 Avay, even mito the end of the Avorhl,' we should be niterly dis- 
 heartened. Jjook graciously, O Loi'd ! \\\)on all thy ministering 
 
l-ii ANNIVERSARY, 
 
 servants, find upon all the churches everywhere in our State and 
 in our heloved hind, yea, tln-ougliout the worUl. Thou seest liow 
 tliy cause is struggling against opposition manifold, what giant 
 forces are at work to destroy it utterly ! But thou hast said, 
 Lord Jesus, tliat the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, 
 and tliy word must and will stand, and ' when the enemy eometli 
 in like a flood, thou Avilt set np a hanner against him ;' so do, 
 
 Lord God. Amen. " 
 The loth Hymn, 
 
 " Source of light and power divine," 
 was next sung. 
 
 The llev. Dr. Messier then delivered his Eighth Memorial Ser* 
 mon, which was listened to with close attention and deep interest 
 by the audience. 
 
 The Ilev. 11. K. Rodgers, D.D., then read the 33d Hymn, 
 
 " The Lord Jeliovali lives, 
 And blessed be my rock," 
 
 which was sunsr hy tlie audience standing. 
 
 KEV. DR. TODd's ADDRESS. 
 
 The Eev. John A. Todd, D.D., one of the ministers raised up 
 from this church through the labors of Dr. Messier, delivered 
 the following address, on behalf of his brethren, which was lis- 
 ened to with interest : 
 
 I need hardly say to you. Christian friends, how deeply I en- 
 joy the privilege of being here in the old church to-day, and lis- 
 tening once more to the voice of my loved and honored pastor. 
 
 1 call him my pastor, for he is mine as well as yours, and perhaps 
 I might say, so far as some of you are concerned, that he is even 
 more mine than he is yours. lie is the only pastor I ever had, 
 and all my impressions, whether as boy or man, of Avliat a pastor 
 is, in person and office, are inseparably mingled with n)y ideas 
 and memories of him. 
 
 I can truly say that I never desired to have another, and that 
 all my associations with him, as they often rise imbidden in the 
 mind, are among the pleasantest recollections of my life. I shall 
 never forget them, never lose their influence out of my heart, until 
 that heart shall have ceased to beat. Or rather, may I not say, 
 that when the heart has been hushed to rest, and the journcyings 
 and toils of life are ended, those associations, as their influence 
 will then be more clearly seen in the destiny of the immortal 
 
AXNIVERSAKV. 145 
 
 spirit, will become more vivid and more deliglitful far than they 
 ever can be licre? 
 
 And so, too, as there is an association that binds me peculiarly 
 to this pastor, there is also a kindred association that binds me 
 peculiarly to this church. I was born here, baptized here, taught in 
 the Sunday-school here, by that noble Christian layman and elder, 
 Ciovernor Peter D. Vroom, clarion et vencrahile nomen, and I still 
 have at home, as a cherished memorial of the past, the very Bible 
 which he gave mo as a token of his friendly interest, and an en- 
 couragement to my heart. In this church I was received into 
 the full communion of God's children, and here, on a bright Sab- 
 bath morning in the early summer, I sat down for the first time 
 at the table of the Lord. Through the influence of this pastor, 
 and the kind words of sympathy uttered by members of this 
 flock, I was led to turn my thoughts to the work of the Christian 
 ministry, and when, in due time, the preparatory course Avas com- 
 pleted, and I had received my certificate of licensure from the 
 classis, my first sermon was preached in this church. The dear- 
 est kindred I had on earth sat that day in the congregation, and 
 I well remember. how my mother — now, I trust, a partaker with 
 the church triumphant in heaven — spoke to me afterward of 
 the throbbing of her heart, and the tremulous feeling she had, 
 as she saw me going up the aisle, and following Dr. Messier into 
 the pulpit. 
 
 Here, also, my father and mother held their membership, under 
 the same pastoral care, as manj'- of you know, almost up to the 
 time of their death; and though in the allotments of Providence 
 their connection Avas necessarily transferred, in consequence of 
 having changed their place of residence, yet they always looked 
 back to this church and to this pastor Avith an affection that 
 never changed. It Avas in this church, indeed — ^just there, in 
 front of the pulpit — that I looked for the last time upon the lace of 
 my father, as he lay calmly sleeping in death. And never, until 
 all that the heart holds dear sliall fade out and be lost to memo- 
 ry, shall I forget the Avords of comfort that Avere then spoken by 
 this pastor, from ] tomans 0:8, " Noav if Ave be dead Avith Clirist, 
 we believe that Ave shall also live Avith him," Is it strange, then, 
 dear friends, that Avith such associations binding me to this church 
 and its minister, I should bear my humble part in the c\-ercises of 
 this day with an interest and a feeling which it is difficult for 
 language to ex]»ress ? 
 
 This is the fortieth anniversary of the setllement of Abraham 
 
146 ANNIVERSARY. 
 
 Messier as the pastor of this clnircli. Forty years ! How large 
 a part do they constitute of an ordinary human life ! What 
 changes have they wrought in this church, in this comniunit}-, 
 in this nation, in the world ! It seems like a dream. AVe can 
 scarcely make ourselves believe that the reality is true. We 
 Avake up to consciousness, like the soldier who had been wounded 
 in the liead in battle, and yet lived on for years with a pressure 
 upon his brain that made him insensible to tlie flight of time and 
 the succession of passing events. But at last the surgeon's skill 
 relieved liini. And then, coming to liimself, his thoughts Avau^ 
 dered in a momentary bewilderment. " Wiicre are we ?" said he. 
 " Yesterday we were at Manassas. But where are we to-day ?" 
 The whole intervening time was lost. He could not tell where 
 lie was, nor how the time had passed. We are like him. We, 
 too, may ask the question, Where are we? But yesterday we 
 were in tlie midst of other scenes, and now every thing is changed 
 around us. The world is rushing on, and we are rushing with it, 
 at such a fearful rate of speed that we have to stop and think be- 
 fore we can tell wliere we are. 
 
 Here is a pastorate of forty years' duration ! How strange a 
 phenomenon it is in tlie midst of this changing world ! But not 
 more strange than honorable alike to the pastor and the jjcople. 
 W'heu I received the kind invitation to be present, and read tlie 
 words, " The Fortieth Anniversary," they struck me so singular- 
 ly that I began to wonder whether it might not be an intimation 
 of the world's return to the good old Bible times. For there, in 
 the Bible, that period of forty years is so frequently recurring as 
 to suggest the idea of some particular sacredness, or some special 
 Divine purpose in regard to it. Thus we learn that Moses spent 
 forty years of his life at the court of Pharaoh, forty years in Midian, 
 and forty years in performing his great mission as the leader and 
 lawgiver of his people. Thus we read that Israel wandered forty 
 years in the wilderness, and that they were fed witli manna from 
 heaven through all the forty years they Avere there. And thus 
 in other places, too, we have the period of forty ^^ears spoken of, 
 as, for example, to specify the duration of David's reign. Wliy 
 is it ? Does the period of forty years indicate any thing peculiar ? 
 Docs it intimate any thing like the special government, guardian- 
 ship, and fatherly care of God ? If it does, then wliy can we not 
 say that it has a parallel significance liere ? Tliere^t's something 
 sacred, something divine, about this long-continued relation be- 
 
AXMVEKSAUY. 147 
 
 twecii one of Chrisrs faithl'al iiiiiiisU'rs and the coiiijjany of disci- 
 ples wliich the great Sljeplierd and Jjisliop of souls lias com- 
 mitted to his care. It is a relation that forms, and should form, 
 the basis of precious memories and hopes and thanksgivings to 
 all those whom its inlhience has tended to ennoble and to bless. 
 
 Take the memories that grow out of this relation ; for it is to 
 them that the day especially points. They are a priceless inheri- 
 tance from the past. It is true, the office of the ministry has its 
 labors, its cares, its privations, and its trials, and sometimes they 
 are hard to be borne. But it has another side, too. It brings 
 the minister into the most intimate and endearing relations Avitli 
 his people. There grows up a feeling of mutual interest, of mu- 
 tual confidence, and of mutual love. And sanctified, as it often 
 is, by a common Christian faith and hope, it leads to a genuine 
 Christian sympathy, and a corresponding communication of moral 
 support to each other, that should be ranked among the sweetest 
 elements that are mingled in the cup of life. 
 
 From such an experience a minister is always gathering up 
 new facts, incidents, and impressions that go to swell the treasures 
 of memory, and to bind him by enduring associations to his fiock. 
 True, some of his people may be dead, others may be living, but 
 "whether living or dead, the bond of connection still exists, and 
 neither time nor eternity can destroy it. Think of the various 
 scenes through which he has passed ; follow him in imagination 
 on his round of weekly service ; and the eftbrt may jjerhaps give 
 you some idea of the memories that must be stored in his mind. 
 There is the church, the prayer-meeting, the catechetical class, 
 the afternoon or the evening lecture in the school-house, or in the 
 home of some parishioner who has thrown open his doors and in- 
 vited friends and neighbors to come in and hear the C4ospel. 
 Forty years of such service is ecpial to two thousand and eighty 
 Aveeks ; or, to state it differently, it is equivalent to almost six years 
 of Sabbath-days. What impressions they must have left upon the 
 mind! But to all these we arc to add tlie more private relations 
 that connect him with lamilies and individual persons — his social 
 comnuuiion, as friend and neighl)or, with those who compose his 
 congregation; his visits to tlie sick, the afflicted, the sorrowing ; 
 liis mingling in sad funereal scenes, Avhere the drapery of death, 
 and the solemn silence that reigns in the house of bereavement, 
 are but the outward token of feelings too deep for the tongue to 
 utter. How many such occasions must have been crowded hito 
 
1 18 ANNIVEKSAin'. 
 
 tliat period of forty years ! And tliere, too, passing from 
 over the darker to tlie brigliter side, from the tears of grief to the 
 smiles and festal joy of marriage-scenes, are tlie bonds of memory 
 that hind him to tliose upon whose union of hearts and destinies, 
 for time, he pronounced the sanction and the blessing of heaven. 
 What numberless points of contact there are where a minister's 
 life glides on with the life of his people, and what a wealth of 
 memories must they both gather up as the mingled currents of 
 their history roll on ! memories sad, tender, joyous, happy, now 
 unsealing the fountain of tears ; now sending smile after smile 
 over the face in rippling Araves of mirth or pleasure ; now illumi- 
 nating the eyes with that calm and beautiful light that never fades 
 in the soul, the lingering brightness of " days well spent and 
 duties well performed." God bless this pastor ! and may his 
 memories grow brighter to the end, until, at last, they shall blend 
 their beams in an evening glory like tlie glory of the setting 
 sun ! 
 
 But if the pastor has his juemories, so also do the people have 
 theirs. His are connected with them all; theirs, in turn, are con- 
 nected with him. His radiate from a centre upon many points ; 
 theirs converge from the circumference upon one. He has more ; 
 they have less. But if the number is smaller, the greater will 
 their vividness be. Tiiink what memories this congregation must 
 have of a minister who has served them, in all the various duties 
 of the pastoral oflice, for a period of forty years ! Think Avhat 
 they would be, if all who were living when he entered upon their 
 service, and all who have lived in the intervening time down to 
 this hour, could be here to-day ! Each one would have his own 
 peculiar memory of him. Each would refer back to him in some 
 different circumstance or relation. This, in sorrow ; that, in joy. 
 This, burdened with sin ; that, happy in a new-found Christian 
 ho[)e. This, coming for the first time to the table of the Lord ; 
 that, bidding both pastor and church farewell, and turning away 
 to seek a distant home. This, about to be united in the dearest 
 bonds of domestic life ; that, fast approaching the gates of eter- 
 nity, and waiting for the invitation from on high. And so on, 
 through the almost endless catalogue of experiences, states, and 
 conditions that give diversity to the lives of men. Suppose this 
 congregation could gather up all its memories of its pastor, and 
 of his faithful wife, performing her less conspicuous but most im- 
 portant and honorable part, through these forty years, and write 
 
AXXIVERSARY 149 
 
 tlicm ill a book, Avliat a strange, mingled, interesting record it 
 ■would bo ! 
 
 Xet me give you a spoeimeu contribution to it. Why it is, avc 
 do not always kno\v, but there are some events, some circum- 
 stances in every one's life, that leave a more enduring imj)ression 
 upon the mind. They seem to go with us, while others, in the on- 
 ward march, are dropped out and forgotten. I, for instance, have 
 certain memories in regard to this pastor. I remember that one 
 day, when he was going to the post-office, and I was coming from 
 it, he met me in front of tlie old store of William J. Hedges, now 
 deceased, and spoke to me in regard to my soul, adding the kind 
 advice to give my heart at once to my Saviour. I remember also 
 going to his house one evening to see him when I had become in- 
 terested in my salvation, and how, after giving me friendly coun- 
 sel, he knelt down with me, and prayed for the Holy Spirit to en- 
 lighten and guide me. I remember, still earlier, Avith what feel- 
 ings I heard that he was coming into our part of the congrega- 
 tion to catechize the children, and the severe labor I performed 
 in preparing to recite my first Lord's Day of the Heidelberg 
 Catechism. I see now, as I did not then, that the whole glorious 
 Gospel of Christ is briefly and beautifully expressed in that 
 question and answer, and I thank Dr. Messier for his faithfulness 
 in instructing me and the youth of this church in tliat good old 
 catechism. 
 
 These are but examples (the graver and the more cheerful) of 
 thousands of memories that cling to the minds of the people, and 
 connect the pastor with his flock. Smiles and tears, lights and sha- 
 dows, the darker and the brighter hues, all woven together, side 
 by side, in the warp and the woof of life ! What a strange ex- 
 istence is ours ! Coming into time from the past, going on in 
 ceaseless march under this great archway of heaveu toward tlic 
 gates of the endless future, how mysterious and even awful our 
 very being is ! But how mucli more so would it be, did Ave not 
 know that Christ, the glorious Son of God, has swept aside the 
 darkening vail, and brought life and immortality to light ! 
 
 And here it is that avc can turn from our memories, dear as tliey 
 are, to our hopes, Avhich are still dearer. What is all tlie past, 
 but preparation ? We have the memory of it, indeed, but Ave have 
 also the hope of seeing its gladdening fruits hereafter. Tlic 
 farmer soavs his seed, and he remembers it. For days and Aveeks 
 together his thoughts turn back to the past. But at length there 
 10 
 
150 AXXIVERSARY. 
 
 comes a time wlicn their tendency is toward the future. Then it 
 is expectation, liope rising in the bi'east, and looking for the re- 
 Kults of the past in the Avaving golden harvest. So it is here. 
 We have the memories, it is true, but our hopes also anticipate 
 the results in the future. And what blessed results they will be ! 
 The membership of this church tlirough forty years all gathered 
 Iiome at last to heaven! Husbands and Avives, parents and chil- 
 dren, brothers and sisters, kindred and friends, pastor and people, 
 all re-united there ! 
 
 " There, parted friends again sliall meet 
 In union lioiy, calm and sweet. 
 And light shall glance on every crown 
 From suns that never more go down." 
 
 We come with full hearts to celebrate this anniversary to-day. 
 But, oh ! a fairer scene, a deeper enjoyment, a more glowing breast, 
 and songs more soaring and triumphant, are just before ns in the 
 future. It is the day when this pastor shall stand before the 
 lledeemer's throne, and, pointing to us, shall say, " Here am I, 
 and the children whom thou hast given me !" 
 
 We have had the past. We wait for the future. If the expe- 
 rience of the one, and the promise of the other, do not inspire us 
 with loving gratitude to God, then surely nothing can. Let us 
 go to our homes with three Avords graven deeply on our hearts : 
 Memory^ Hope., ThcmJcsgiving. 
 
 The opportunity was here afforded for short addresses by min- 
 isters and friends present, especially those who had gone forth 
 from the communion of this church to preach the everlasting 
 Gospel of Christ. 
 
 r.Ev. MR. quick's addeess. 
 
 The Rev. A. Messier Quick, one of the children of the church, 
 named .after the present jjastor, and baptized by him, addressed 
 tlie audience as follows : 
 
 "My friends, although I Avould not prolong these already pro- 
 tracted, though exceedingly interesting exercises by any lengthy 
 words of mine, still I Avill give A'ent to some of the rising emotions 
 of my heart that the present occasion inspires. We, who a few 
 years ago went forth from this paternal roof to preach the un- 
 searchable riches of Christ, have come home to-day to exchange 
 friendly greetings, and say, llow do you do, father ? how do you 
 do, brethren and friends ? 
 
ANXI VERSAR Y. 1 5 1 
 
 "As we gatlicr in tliis family circlf, let us recall tlic past, wlien 
 "sve used to sit within these consecrated walls, before we went 
 forth to proclaim those truths which were first instilled in and 
 impressed upon our hearts in this sanctuary, by this our beloved 
 and honored pastor. This is our natural and spiritual birth})lace, 
 and, conse(][uently, hallowed and blessed memories cluster here. 
 From this centre our lives have radiated forth into the respective 
 fields where the Lord has placed us, to promulgate those truths 
 which here first inflamed our souls. Among the many honored 
 sons who liave gone forth from this church to preaclx the ever- 
 lasting Gospel of Christ, I stand before you as the youngest, 
 among my brethren, and the onl}^ one Avho bears the lionored 
 name of our pastor; and I believe I am the only one of them who 
 can boast of having received upon my brow the water of lioly 
 baptism from his hand. Here my mother brought me to conse- 
 crate me to the Lord, and upon this spot I received the seal of 
 the washing away of sin by the blood and spirit of Christ ; and 
 I hope and trust it was not in vain. I feel that it is but due my 
 pastor, when I say that I owe more, under God, to him than any- 
 one else for leading me to the position I now occupy in the vine- 
 yard of my Master, and doubtless my brethren can bear the same 
 testimony. Here in our childhood and youthful days we listened 
 regularly on the Sabbath to the faithful presentation of the Gos- 
 pel from the lips of liim who now for forty years has broken unto 
 this people the bread of life. Gradually tliose truths became in- 
 stilled into our minds, and finally impressed our hearts. Wv 
 were thus led to embrace Christ, and afterward constrained to 
 proclaim a crucified Redeemer to a peris^hing race. That system 
 also of regular and faithful catechetical instruction which was 
 then the custom of our 2-)astor, was of incalculable benefit to us, 
 giving us clear views of tlie plan of salvation and method of 
 grace, and indoctrinating us in that system of revealed truth 
 Avhich is in accordance with our Keformed faith. By the value 
 we thus received we learned the importance of catechetical in- 
 struction among the children of our own congregations, and arc 
 better qualified to interpret these truths. IJut not only for tlu^ 
 faithful inculcation of divine truth from this pulpit, and by cate- 
 chetical instruction, do we feel deeply indebted to our pastor, but 
 also for his valuable and timely counsels during our course of 
 study. We ever felt that we had in him a safe counselor, an<I 
 that trust was never betrayed. I recollect when I first thought 
 of entering the ministry, I first breathed the matter in liis car. 
 
152 ANNIVERSARY. 
 
 He took me in liis study, and I shall never forget Lis words of 
 counsel to. me upon that occasion. ' My son,' said he, ' I am glad 
 you are thinking of the matter, but you must weigh it well before 
 you decide. While it is a noble work, and there are many plea- 
 sant considerations in connection with it, still you will meet with 
 many disappointments, many difficulties, much of hard work, and 
 much to discourage and perplex.' He showed me the dark as 
 well as the bright side of the picture, and it was a long time after 
 that before I could feel willing to i;ndertake so responsible and 
 arduous a work. And now these my brethren in the ministry, as 
 well as myself, after years of service in the holy office, are ready 
 to bear testimony to the weight and truth of these words of coun- 
 sel and sound wisdom. 
 
 " And now, my friends, as we come to engage with you, in this 
 old mother-church, in the ceremonies of this anniversary day, Ave 
 bless the invisible hand that hath led you all through these years, 
 and given you so many evidences of his Spirit's presence and 
 power. We congratulate you for the uninterrupted, faithful, and 
 .able jU'caching of the AVord, Avhich it has been your privilege to 
 enjoy. We rejoice with you in the continued harmony and pros- 
 perity of this church, and invoke the continuance of God's Spirit 
 Avith you, rejoicing your hearts and building you np in the word 
 of ills grace. And it gives lis pleasure to greet and congratulate 
 you^ loved and honored pastor, upon the fulfilment of your forty 
 years over this people — fulfilled Avith such marked success, with 
 such wonderful displays of the goodness of the Lord, and with 
 ■such abunJant seals of the cooperation of his Spii-it. We bless 
 God for Avhat you have been instrumental in doing for us, and 
 for what you have been spared so long to accomplish for this 
 people, and ]iray ihat in the future decade of years the vigor of 
 your manhood may not abate, nor your strength fail, but that the 
 coming period may be marked Avith still greater results. 
 
 " And noAV, my brethren, encouraged by what has here been ac- 
 complished for this people by the faithful presentation of the 
 truth, let us go forward and be diligent and faithful in our oavu 
 fields of labor, in holding up the standard of the cross before all 
 men, and in preaching a crucified Redeemer unto a lost race, so 
 that when Ave have served the Lord thus long in the ministry of 
 reconciliation, if it be his Avill Ave may be able to recall the yeai'S 
 of the past Aviih no little satisfaction, and Avitli the recorded evi- 
 dences that ' the Lord our God hath led us these forty years.' " 
 
ANNIVERSARY. 153 
 
 Elders Ralph Voorliecs, of Mkldlelnisli, and Peter A. Yoor- 
 hces, of Six-]Mile liun, embraced tlie opportunity of attesting the 
 interest tliey felt in the exercises of the day, and tlieir desire that 
 they wovdd exert an abiding influence upon the minds of all pre- 
 sent. 
 
 The Rev. A. F. Todd, the youngest, save one, of (hose .who 
 have entered the ministry from this church, was tlie last S2)eaker. 
 lie said : 
 
 " We have to-day been considering tlie past. Our memories 
 have been refreshed ; scenes and incidents that were, have been 
 brought before us. We have been interested, instructed, moved. 
 We have been reminded of what forty years have done, and thcv 
 have done much. They have wroiight great changes here and 
 everywhere. They have Avitncssed sad scenes and joyous scenes. 
 They have made their mark on our venerated friend and pastor ; 
 they have made their mark on us all. 
 
 " Among the incidents brought to mind to-day, is one in which 
 I chanced to be an interested party. More than a score of years 
 ago I was sitting, one Sabbath morning, in yonder gallerv, where 
 I had been endeavoring to do my shai'e of the singing. It was 
 the day for announcing the newly-elected officers of consistory. 
 I listened Avith attentive interest and curiosity to know who they 
 were to be, when, to my astonishment, my own name was an- 
 nounced as deacon. The eftect Avas electric — perspiration Avas 
 sjjeedy and pi'ol'use. 
 
 " But the past is ])assed. Now Avhat about the future ? "What 
 ABOUT THE FUTUKE ? AVliat is to be its character? What of 
 blessing is it to bring to you ? What Avould you have it bring? 
 What Avlll it bring of blessing and of comfort to the heart and 
 home of our respected friend and pastor? What Avill you have 
 it bring to h'lDi, dear friends ? He is your ])astor still. He closes 
 to-day his first forty years among you, and in Avhich were spent 
 the strength and pi-inie of his manhood, and enters upon his 
 second forty, or that portion of it Avhich God in his providence 
 shall see fit to give. You enter with him on this new and last 
 period of solemn, blessed relationship. Remember, Christian 
 brethren, that he needs your sytnpathies and prayers in every 
 sense that a pastor can need them, just as much now as he ever 
 did, aye, and more. Age is upon him, and to you, as his true 
 and tried friends, he looks for sympathy, comfort, and supjiort, 
 and all that kindly bearing Avhich wi!l promote his happiness, aiid 
 
loJ AXNIVERSAKY, 
 
 make ink cosing labors of his life a mutual blessing to you all. 
 This is the tliought, briefly spoken, that I would impress upon 
 your minds, dear friends. God grant that you may all discern 
 the responsibilities of a relationship that he has greatly blessed, 
 and the issues of which are so closely linked with the interests of 
 eternity." 
 
 Rev. George J. Van N este remarked that the sermon and ad- 
 dresses of the day exhibited in a striking manner the formative 
 ]»o\ver of the ministry. Time did not suffice for the development 
 of this thought, and it was necessary to bring these exercises to a 
 close. 
 
 . The Rev. Nathaniel Conkling then offered the concluding prayer, 
 in the following words : 
 
 "O Lord ! what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the 
 son of man that thou visitest him ! Thou madest him a little 
 lower than the angels and crownedst him with glory and honor, 
 but the gold has become dimmed, and the fine gold changed, 
 and woe unto us that we have sinned ! We own the sentence just 
 that dooms us to everlasting pains, and would come with peni- 
 tence and faith to plead the dying love, and that alone, of thy 
 dear Son, our Saviour, for pardon and eternal life. For who is 
 Paul, ApoUos, or Cephas ? Is Christ divided ? Was Paul ci'ucified 
 for us ? Lo, then, neither is he that plantelh any thing, neither 
 is he that watereth any thing, but God that giveth the increase. 
 At thy feet, therefore, blessed Saviour, would we come, and lay 
 the acts and issues of this pastorate of forty years ; praying the 
 application of thy blood, that every thing amiss may be washed 
 away, and the good that has been wrought may be given unre- 
 servedly to thee, the ever-gracious giver. We bless thee, groat 
 Saviour, that^ through the instrumentality of earthen A'cssels, the 
 excellency of thy power is revealed, that no flesh may glory in 
 thy presence. We thank thee that thou hast made this our be- 
 loved pastor, and father in the ministry, the vehicle of so much 
 of blessing to the church here, and, through those who have gone 
 forth from under his faithful ministry as ministers or laymen, 
 lo the church elsewhere. And Ave come now, blessed Lord, to 
 pray for the continuance and increase of these divine influences 
 upon himself, his family, and the church, through all these chan- 
 nels, multiplying and remultiplying them until the end comes, 
 when all the results shall be gathered up and laid at Jesus' feet, 
 with the shout of Worthy is the Lamb ! We thank thee, O Lord ! 
 for the fellowship of this commemorative occasion, and that thy 
 
ANNIVERSARY. 155 
 
 servant stands so ai:)proved of God and man, as an al>le and faith- 
 ful minister of the everlasting Gosi)el of the grace of God. And 
 now, Lord, we pray thee that liis bow may abide in strength, and 
 his hand may be made strong by the arm of the mighty God of 
 Jacob, for the reuiainder of his life-work, and until he shall be 
 called up higher, to receive the award of the faithful. And may 
 tlie people of his charge likewise be faithful and immovable, 
 always abounding in the work of the Lord; fulfilling their jiart 
 of this covenant relationship more fully and freely than ever be- 
 fore. And now may the God of peace, who wrought again," etc. 
 The audience at the close united in singing the grand old doxo 
 
 " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow," etc. 
 
 The benediction was pronounced by the Kev. John Garretson, 
 D.D., and thus ended the interesting public exercises of this 
 memorial day — a day to live for many years in the memory of 
 the people of the church of Raritau and of all their friends who 
 were present to particij^ate in them. The clergy and fiiends from 
 abroad were invited to the house of Dr. Messier, where they par- 
 took of a bountiful collation spread by the pastor for his intimate 
 friends. While refreshing the outer man, a pleasant opportunity 
 was afforded for renewing old friendshijos and social ties. In 
 genial intercourse the hours passed pleasantly, until the waning 
 day warned those from a distance of the necessity of their bid- 
 ding adieu to this scene with its pleasant associations. 
 
 The evening was devoted by the people of the church to the 
 pleasant work of honoring their revered pastor, and partaking of 
 the good things he had provided for them. They came in great 
 numbers to testify their esteem and tender him their congratula- 
 tions. They mingled with one another in pleasant social groups, 
 and thus made a cheerful and agreeable use of the occasion. 
 AVhile thus testifying their intelligent and hearty appreciation of 
 this memorial day, they showed a true appreciation of the bene- 
 fits of the relation which has so long subsisted between them and 
 their pastor, by giving him not only pleasant words and kind 
 compliments, but also substantial tokens of their esteem, tending 
 to smoothe the declivity of life, and cement the tics which have so 
 long bound them to one another. Before taking their departure 
 they presented him with a handsome purse amounting to more 
 than $500, and thus afforded him additional evidences of their 
 friendship and love in this renewed expression of their kind es- 
 teem, and desire to promote his welfare and comfort. 
 
156 ANNIVERSAEY. 
 
 An interesting incident connected withti)e exercises of tlie day- 
 was the presentation of the following note to Rev. Dr. Messier, 
 by the gentlemen Avhose names are appended. 
 
 " Bloomingburg, N. Y., Nor. 22, 1872. 
 
 " Rev. Dr. Messler : Dear Friend and Pastor : Inclosed yoo 
 will please find a check drawn to your order, which paper we 
 shall make bold to call a purse. It is presented by those whom 
 you are pleased to designate as your 'young men 'or, in other 
 words, those who have entered the ministry from the church of 
 which you are the honored pastor. 
 
 " We are well aware that the amount is not large, scarcely wortli 
 a mention, nevertheless beg you to accept it as a slight expression 
 of our high regard for one whose name and memory we cherisli 
 as that of friend and pastor. 
 
 "We congratulate you on your having been spared and permit- 
 ted to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of your settlement as 
 minister of the First Reformed Church of Raritan ; to which ven- 
 erable 'elect lady' we have the honor to claim a near and spiritual 
 relationship. Long may your love abide in strength, and the 
 truths you utter be 'as a two-edged sword.' May the blessing of 
 our covenant God and Saviour be upon you and yours, and upon 
 the church you have served ' these forty years.' 
 
 "Very truly yours in the gospel of a blessed Saviour. 
 
 George J. Van Neste, N. Conklin, 
 
 Abel T. Stewart, Joiiiv Gaston, 
 
 John Steele, John A. Todd, 
 
 A. Messleu Quick, Aug. F. Todd." 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES 
 
 EE FORM El) DUTCH CIlURCnES 
 
 COUNTY OF SOMERSET, N. J. 
 
THE CHURCH OF EARITAN. 
 
 There Avere no permanent inhabitants in Somerset Count)- 
 earlier than 1681 ; and there is no record of any ecclesiastical or- 
 ganization before March 9th, 1699, when elders and deacons were 
 chosen at Raritan, and ordained by the Rev. Guliam Bartliolf, of 
 Ilackensack. The country was originally almost entirely covered 
 by a primitive forest. The lowlands along the Raritan, above 
 Bound Brook, were, in some places, destitute of trees, and had 
 been used by the Indians to raise corn, beans, and pumpkins. 
 This open meadow, abounding in grass, and fit at once for the 
 plow, formed one of the principal attractions to the first inhabi- 
 tants. Cornelius Van Tienhoven, Secretary of New-Netherlands, 
 in his tract in relation to taking up lands in 1650, says, "The dis- 
 trict inhabited by a nation called Raritangs is situated on a fresh 
 water river, that flows through the centre of a lowland which 
 the Indians cultivated. This vacant territory lies between two 
 high mountains far distant the one from the other. This is the 
 handsomest and pleasantest country that man can behold. It 
 furnished the Indians with abundance of maize, beans, pumpkins, 
 and other fruits. This district was abandoned by the natives for 
 two reasons : The first and principal is that, finding themselves 
 unable to resist the southern Indians, they migrated further in- 
 land. The second, because this country was flooded every spring, 
 like Rensselaer's colony, frequently spoiling and destroying their 
 supply of maize, stored in holes under ground. 
 
 " Through this valley pass large numbers of all sorts of tribes on 
 their way north or east. This land is, therefore, not only adapted 
 for raising grain and rearing all descriptions of cattle, but also 
 very convenient for trade with the Indians." — Doc. Ilistori/, vol . 
 4, page 29. 
 
 When the settlement of tlie country commenced, a few families 
 came from New- York, as White, Codrington, Royce, and possibly 
 others, and settled on the lands they had ])urchased. Then Cor- 
 nelius and John Tunison and Peter and Jerome Van Xest emi- 
 
160 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 o-rated from Long Island and located on the Raritan, near So- 
 mcrvillc, about 1683. John Inians, a merchant of New-York, pur- 
 chased, November 10th, 1681, a tract of land on the Raritan, em- 
 bracing the territory on which the city of IsTew-Briinswick was 
 afterward built, and others soon bought up nearly the whole space 
 subsequently included in the Three-Mile Run and Six-Mile Run 
 congregations. Inians fixed his residence on his land near the river, 
 and established a ferry near what is now the foot of Albany street. 
 A road or bridle-path had been opened at an early day from Eliza- 
 beth to Trenton, on an old Indian trail, which crossed the river 
 at the place where Inians's ferry was located. We have a notice 
 of the existence of this path as early as leVY, Avhen William 
 Edmundson, a preacher among the Quakers in England, attempted 
 to pass between these two points with an Indian guide, and lost 
 his way ten miles west of Ne \v -Brunswick, and was a whole day 
 occupied in retracing his steps, camping out during the night by 
 a fire in the wilderness. This path became the first public tho- 
 roughfare across the State, and exists still in " the old road " 
 between New-Brunswick and Trenton. The importance of it as 
 a means of communication by land, between New-Amsterdam 
 and Virginia, Avas so great that Inians obtained a grant for his 
 "ferry" December 2d, 1697, by promising to pay an annual rent 
 of five shillings sterling. On this " old road " the first settlements 
 were made west of NcAV-Brunswick. When the upper parts of the 
 Raritan began to be visited, another path first, and then a road, 
 branched off on the east side of the "ferry," and following mainly 
 the river bank on the north side, reached Bound Brook, and gra- 
 dually penetrated westward to the forks of the north and south 
 branches. By this road the first settlers about Somerville must 
 have come, or else they made their way up the river in small 
 boats or canoes, from Inians's ferry and Amboy. 
 
 Soon after the Tunisons and Van Nests settled, Cornelius 
 Vroom, Michael Hansson, Andries Aullyn, Derick Middagh, 
 Michael Van Veghten came and joined them. Frederick Gar- 
 retson, William Morrison, John Oatman Wortman, Jacob Sebring, 
 Isaac Bodyn, Edward Drinkwater, Reuben Jonsen, Johannes 
 Dameld, Gabriel Lebertstein, Ilendrick Reyniersen, John Roelof- 
 son, Thomas Posselle, Folkerd Hendricksen, Pieter Dumont, John 
 TIanse Hoeverden, Josias Merlett, Cornelius Powelsen, William 
 Claessen, and others soon found their way to Raritan. 
 
 In the vicinity of Three-Mile Run the earliest names derived 
 from the church records are Roclcf Sebring, Ilendrick Brics, 
 
lIISTOJilCAL NOTES, IGl 
 
 Roelf Lucas Van Yoorlioes, Aavt Arisen, Isaac Van l>yke, 
 Johannes Folkersen, Jan Aten, Laurens AVilliains, Jacob Oukc, 
 Roelef Nevius, Charles Fonteyn, ILins Stoothuff, and Tliomas 
 Bowman.* 
 
 Contemporary with these names we have, in tlie year ] TOS, a list 
 of persons at Three-Mile Run subscribing for the expense of pro- 
 curing a minister from Holland, namely, Dolis liegeman, Tunis 
 Quick, Ilcndrick Einans, Thomas Cort, Jacob Probasco, Nicholas 
 Wyekotf, Aaron L. Draver, Michael L. Moore, John Schedeman, 
 Nicholas Van Dyke, John Van Ilouten, William Bennet, Fol- 
 kerd Van ISTostrand, Isaac Bennet, ITendrick Fanger, Abraham 
 Bennet, Cornelius Peterson, Philip Folkersen, George Anderson, 
 Stophel Probasco, Isaac La Priere, Simon Van Winkle, Cobes 
 Benat, Garrit Oatman, Lucas Coevert, Brogun Coevert, William 
 Van Duyn, John Folkerson, Jost Benat. 
 
 These names embrace the nucleus out of "which the churches of 
 Three-Mile Run and Six-Mile Run were subsequently organized. 
 They were here before Theodorus J. Frelinghuysen was called to 
 labor in this part of New-Jersey. Others were in time added to 
 them by emigration, as the country improved. We find, for in- 
 stance, in the records of Raritan the following : Derich Volkerse, 
 Garret Bolmer, Jan Lavor, Simon Wickkolf, William Claesse, 
 Pieter Iloff, Garret Dorlandt, Andrics Boert, Jan Broka, James 
 Fontejm, Adrian Molenar, Jacob Rappelyea, Joris Hael, Jan 
 Laeten, William Lambers, Pieter Kinne, Jacob Stoll, LTendrick 
 Traphagen, Luykes Schermcrliorn, Jan Ilendricksen, Joris Van 
 Middles waert, Johannes Fisher, Jeremias Field, Lnyckas Wessels, 
 Jacob Koersen, Nicholas Hayman, Cornells Van Ouwegen, An- 
 drics Ten Eyck, William Dey, Manuel Van Allen, Abraliam 
 Elemetcren, Johannes Siegeler, Cornells Van Ondeyen, 'Wilem 
 Ilerrite, Jurijen Remer, and oihers. Some of these names are yet 
 borne by persons among us, honored in church and state; but 
 liow many have ceased to have any living representatives ! " One 
 generation passeth away anil another followeth," and in tlic 
 wrecks of time the proudest names perish. It is a necessity grow- 
 ng out of our transitory existence, and the reign of death. 
 
 The earliest record of an ecclesiastical character which has been 
 preserved, relating to the churches of Somerset County, is dated 
 March 9th, ] 699, and being translated reads as follows : "The follow- 
 ing persons Avere chosen, (tneaning as a consistory,) namely, John 
 Tuynesen as elder, and Pieter Van Nest as deacon, and were in- 
 
 * Wo give tlic spelling in the record. 
 
1G2 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Stalled before the congregation by Guliam BertliolfF. At the same 
 time the ordinance of the holy sacrament Avas administered to the 
 communicants by the above named person," This is all tlie record 
 we have in reference to the organization of our chur(;h, the first 
 organized religious society in the county ; and there are no docu- 
 ments and no traditions pointing out where these services were 
 held, or of any building for religious worship in our vicinity prior 
 to 1*721. It is liardly credible that some jDlace had not been pro- 
 vided before this. There is reference to a church building at 
 Three-Mile Run as early as 1703, and such a building was erected 
 at Six-Mile Run in 1717, and at ISTortli-Brancb in 1710, It is 
 hardly probable that the people of Raritan were the last to move 
 in such an important matter ; but if they had any building, where 
 was it ? We are inclined to the opinion that all their meetings 
 were at some private house, perhaps in a barn belonging to John 
 Tunison or Peter Van Nest, Rev. Guliam Betholf, the actor in 
 this important transaction, was originally a schoolmaster and 
 " voorleser, " or clerk, in the church at Hackensack. lie Avas sent 
 by the congregation to Holland in 1693 to be licensed and or- 
 dained, and seems to have commended himself to the chassis of 
 Amsterdam, for they clicorfally granted the request of the people 
 of Hackensack, and sent him back to them as an ordained minis- 
 ter. He is said to have been the second person who went from 
 Xew-Netherland to Holland for this important purpose. On his 
 return he preached at Hackensack and Acquackanonk statedly, 
 and was for fifteen years the only settled preacher in New-Jersey. 
 He had, in consequence, a general suj^ervision of all the churches 
 in the colony, and may be said to have been a domestic mission- 
 ary at large, and very much on his own charges at the same time. 
 Tappan, Tarrytown, and Staten Island as well as Raritan in their 
 records show evidence of his presence and of his labors. It is 
 also known that he ofiiciated at Ponds, Pompton, Bellvillc, and 
 other places from time to time. He is said to have possessed " a 
 mild and placid eloquence which persuaded by its gentleness, and 
 attracted by the sweetness which it distilled, and the holy savor 
 of piety which it diffused around." His hand was largely in " the 
 beginnings" of several of our Dutch churches, and if all the other 
 hands had been guided by such a kindly spirit as he breathed, the 
 " beginnings" would have taken hold faster, and their progress 
 would certainly have been more efiectual in promoting godliness. 
 From 1G81 to 1699, a period of eighteen y-nrs, the families 
 
niSTOlUCAL XOTES. 16o 
 
 wliicli had made this portion of the State, or colony, as it then 
 Avas, their home had had few or no religious privileges. It is 
 probable that occasionally, at least, some clergyman from New- 
 York or Long Island visited them and preached the Gospel to 
 them ; at least this may have been done during the latter years of 
 this period ; but yve have no documentary evidence to that eftect. 
 And again, from 1699 to 1717 or 1718 there were evidently only 
 occasional services in any of the churches then existing. The re- 
 cords of baptisms at Raritan are September 19th, 1099, April 
 30th, 1700, September 26Lh, 1700, March 11th, 1701, Xovember 
 18th, 1701, April 21st, 1702, October 27th, 1702, March 23d, 1703, 
 January 30th, 1703 ; and so on nniformly twice in each year, 
 through the whole period. There is one entrance which is pecu- 
 liar : Cornelius Powelson and his wife had eight children, namely, 
 Maritie, Lisabel, Maria, Cornells, Benjamin, Josias, William, and 
 John, baptized as sjwnsors. These were probably their grand- 
 children, as the names of the parents are omitted in the record — 
 they may have been deceased. In 17 04, there are three days 
 noted on which children were admitted to the ordinance of bap- 
 tism, namely, April 20th, August 1st, and January 1 7th. These 
 records until April, 1717, arc all evidently made by the same 
 hand, and if the notice of the first ordination of consistory on 
 March 9th, 1699, Avas made by the Rev. G. Bartholft' himself, then 
 he seems to have preached at Raritan ordinarily twice during the 
 year, in the spring and in the autumn, when he also administered 
 the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to the church. 
 
 The call from Raritan, Three Mile Run, Six-]Mile Run, and 
 Xorth-Branch must have been prepared and sent forward to the 
 classis of Amsterdam as early as 1717 or 1718 ; for it is stated 
 that when Theodoras J. Frelinghuysen accepted it, it had been 
 waiting two years. This is evidence that there must have been 
 churches already regarded as having been regularly constituted 
 in all these three districts, but we have no other evidence of this 
 iuiportant fact. Of any church editices we only know that the 
 Tliree-]\Iile Run church was l)uilt on the main road about three 
 miles west from New-Brunswick, and the burying-ground around 
 it is still preserved, and marks the spot Avhere it stood. The 
 North-Branch church was constructed of logs, and stood on the 
 Second river-bank, directly west of the Two Bridges, on the north 
 side of the road to Readington. As early as 1703, the people of 
 Three-Mile Run had moved in the matter of a preacher of the 
 
16-1 HISTORICAL XOTES. 
 
 Gospel, and raised a sum of money amounting to £10 18s. Gd. to 
 pay the expense of procuring one from Holland. There may have 
 been a church edifice in that vicinity as early as this time, but it 
 is hardly probable. There was none at Raritan, certainly, earlier 
 than 1721. This edifice was erected on land donated by Michael 
 Van Vechten, and it stood on the knoll on the north side of the 
 river, one fourth of a mile below the present bridge across the 
 Karitan, known as " tlie old bridge." The road from Bound Brook 
 to Somerville ran, at that time, a few yards north of it. It re- 
 mained standing fifty-eight years, until it Avas burned by the Bri- 
 tish dragoons, known as the Queen's Rangers, commanded by 
 Colonel Symes, on the 27th of October, 1779. 
 
 If we consider the circumstances by which the people in Som- 
 erset County had been surrounded, we shall easily form a proper 
 conception of their spiritual condition. They had been living 
 nearly forty years in a new and uncultivated country. Hearing 
 the Gospel only a few times in the year, a whole generation had 
 been born and educated without public worship. The schools 
 were no better than the churches. A state of manners and of 
 morals must have been gendered under such circumstances which 
 was any thing but favorable to religion. The country in which 
 they lived was rude, and it could hardly be expected that the 
 people would be otherwise. The outward forms had in some 
 measure been maintained, but the spirit of religion must have 
 been largely wanting. 
 
 We have then, at the time Mr. Frelinghuysen took charge of 
 the religious hiterests in tliis vicinity, three churches, more or 
 less completely organized. Raritan in 1699, Three-Mile Run in 
 l703, and North-Branch in 1719. In process of time the Three- 
 Mile Run church was divided, one portion going to New-Bruns- 
 Avick, and the other to Six-Mile Run. This took place early, as it 
 appears a church Avas organized there in l7lO. The division proba- 
 bly was gradual, and resulted from the preponderance of interest 
 in the Three-Mile Run church, centering in NcAV-Brunswick. There 
 is a list of members of " the Church of the River and LaAvrcnce 
 Brook " dated 1717, and including seventy-three individuals, name- 
 ly, Adrien Bennet and wife, Aart Artsen and Avife, Isaac Van Dyke 
 and Avife, Roelef Sebring and Avife, Johannes Folkersen and Avife, 
 Hendrick Bries and Avife, Roelef Van Voorhees and Avife, Laurens 
 Willimse and Avife, Roelef Nevius and Avife, Jan Van Voorhees 
 and Avife, Minne Van Voorhees and Avife, Jacobus Oukee and Avife, 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. lOo 
 
 Johannes Stootliofl'and wife, Abraliani P>eniu't and w ife, Jakis Fon- 
 teyn and wife, Siarles Fonteyn and wife, Jakobus Buys and wife, 
 Thomas Auten and Avii'e, Thomas Davidts and Avife, William 
 Klaasen and wife, Thomas Bouwman and wife, Andries Wortinan 
 and wife, Johannes Koevert and wife, Ilendrick Meecli and wife, 
 IJernardus Kuelor and wife, Christofel Van Arsdalen and wife, 
 Jakop Corse and wife, Cornelius Suydara and wife, Joris Anderse 
 and wife. Marten Van der Iloeve, Johannes Metselaer, Samuel 
 Montfort, Jan Aten, William Moore, Nicckhis Bason, Maria Fre- 
 lanth,Elizabet Bries, AnnaticFolkerson, Ileelena Iloglandt, Mare- 
 geretie IJeynierse, Barbara Janse, Geartic Smock, Elizabet Smock, 
 and Katrina Boyd. Thes(* were the original members of the 
 Xew-Brunswick church. This list adds to the names ah-eady 
 given only twelve, namely, Trelanth, Bries, Buys, Van der Iloeve, 
 Bason, Meech, Kuetor, Metselaer, Smock, ^'an Arsdalen, Boyd, 
 Suydam. At Xortli-Branch, we have Andries Ten Eyck, Abraham 
 Dubois, John Purscll, Josua Chrison, Jan Ilendi'icksen, Daniel 
 Sebring, Coenrad Ten Eyck, Derick and Michael A'an Veghteii, 
 •Alexander McDowall, Jan Van Sicklen, Benjamin Bart, Jacob 
 Stoll, Tennis Van Middleswaert, George Hall, Albert Lou, Wil- 
 liam Kosa, Paulus Bulner, Lucas Schermerhorn, Pieter Van Neste, 
 William Krom, John Cock, Joris Van Neste, Emanuel Van Etten, 
 Johannes Grau, Jolni Emmens, Coert Jansen, George Dildein, John 
 1 leading, Gerret Van Vliet, Hendrick Rosenboom, Frans Wal- 
 dron, Godfried and Philip Peters, David Cussart, David Subaii-, 
 Isaac Bodine, Abraham Broca, all before 1T23. . 
 
 The following notice of Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen, the , 
 first minister of these churches, was prepared some years since/ 
 and recently published in Sprague's A>mals of the Americans 
 Pulpit.^ It embraces all that has been collected concerning his , 
 person, life, and ministry. It is iiot as much as ought to liave 
 been preserved, but it is all that we have been able to collect 
 from all known sources of reliable information ; a large portion is 
 tradition, but we believe it is reliable. 
 
 Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen Avas born at Lingcn, in East- 
 Frieslang', now the northwest i)art of the kingdom of Llanover, 
 about the year 1G9L He was the son of Johannes Ilenricus Fre- 
 linghuysen. pastor of the Peformcd Dutch churcli in tliat j)lace, and 
 a l»rother of Matthias David Frelinghuysen,w]io settled in llorligen, 
 Holland. He seems to have received his education chieHy in his 
 
 * See Steele's Hist. Discourse, page 209. 
 11 
 
166 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 native place, under the instruction of the Rev. Otto Verbrugge, 
 Avho afterward became a professor at Groningen. lie was or- 
 dained to tlie pastoral oiftce at Embden in his native countrj^ by 
 Johannes Brunius, in the year 1*717. He came from Holland to 
 America in the ship King George, Captain Goclet, in 1*720, or per- 
 haps the end of 1719, as he preached in New- York January 
 17th, l720, and settled immediately as the pastor of the Reformed 
 -Dutch church at Raritan, Somerset County, IST. J, He preached 
 liis first sermon at Raritan, January 31st, 1720, from 2 Cor. 5 : 20 : 
 " Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did 
 beseech you by us : we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled 
 to God." A call from this church hatl been sent some two years 
 previous to the classis of Amsterdam for their approval, wliich, 
 according to the usages of their cliurch in this country, they were 
 expected to fill up with tlie name of a suitable person, and, after 
 ordaining him, send him out to fulfill its duties. Tn this way all 
 vacancies were supplied, and a Christian ministry furnished to the 
 ■congregations which had been collected in their colonies in 
 America. The Rev. Mr. Sicco Tjady, a godly minister belong- 
 ing to that classis, it is said, interested himself, through the inMu- 
 ence of the Rev. Bernardus Freeman, of Long Island, in procuring 
 an evangelical and pious man to fill this station. While the call 
 from Raritan was waiting and inquiries were being made for some 
 one willing to accept it, young Frelinghuysen ])assed through the 
 place of his residence, from East-Friesland, on his way to Emb- 
 den, having been invited to the rectorship of the academy in that 
 city. He ])ut up for the night at the house of one of the elders 
 of the church of which Rev. Sicco Tjady was pastor. The eve- 
 ning Avas spent in religious conversation, and when the time for 
 family worship arrived, the young stranger was invited to con- 
 duct it. He readily consented, and after reading a chapter of the 
 Word of God, gave a short and familiar exposition of its promi- 
 nent truths, and concluded with ])rayer. The elder was much 
 gratified wilh his remarks, the fervor of his prayer, and his pre- 
 vious conversation, and so entirely convinced of his piety and 
 spiritual-mindedness, that in the morning, when he was about to 
 proceed on his journey, lie exacted from him a promise on his re- 
 turn to call upon him again, and then hastening immediately to 
 his pastor, exclaimed, " I have found a man to accept the call 
 from x\merica." Frelinghuysen, after visiting Embden, returned, 
 according to his promise, to the house of the elder, was introduced 
 
HISTORICAL KOTES. 107 
 
 to Sicco Tjady, consulted in I'cfi'ix'nce to the call, and linall v ai:^recd 
 to aecejtt it. The circumstances appeared providential, and, it is 
 said, Avere always regarded by himself, as having been a divine 
 iuLimation, poiuiing out to him the path of duty, lie felt as if 
 when leaving the land of his birth and the house of his fathers, 7 
 lie was, like the patriarch, following the direction of the Al- ; 
 mighty. 
 
 AVhen lie arrived and entered upon the duties of his ministry, 
 he found immediately a wide field of usefulness opening before 
 him. Tlic church at Karitan had been organized since 1696, but 
 Avas still feeble and scattered. It had. enjoyed previously to this 
 time only occasional religious services, perhaps not oftencr than 
 three or four times a year. In such a condition piety could not 
 be expected to flourish, nor the Gospel to produce much fruit ; 
 and the state of things which Mr, Frelinghuysen found existing 
 on his arrival, did not prove the contrary. The form of relio-ion 
 was retained, but there were only a few in the church who mani- 
 fested any eftect of its ^Jowcr. 
 
 The territory embraced in his charge was great for one indivi- \ 
 dual to supervise. It extended from New-Brunswick to the ' 
 north and south branches of the Raritan River, in length from 
 fifteen to twenty miles, and in breadth from ten to tw^elve, com- < 
 prehending nearly the Avhole of the present county of Somerset, ' 
 east of the mountain, and at this time occupied by sixteen con- • 
 gregations of the Reformed Dutch' church. The place of his 
 residence was about three miles west of New-Brunswick; and 
 thence he visited and preached at all the different points where 
 his services were required. Near his residence was a small 
 church, known at that time as the church at Three-Mile Run, 
 since removed to New-Brunswick, and now divided into two sepa- 
 rate charges. The other points where places for public- worship 
 liad been provided, besides Raritan, were Six-Mile Run, and North- 
 Branch, in all four churches. But his heart was not appalled bv 
 tlie extent and weight of his responsibilities, nor his zeal abated 
 by the difficulties and discouragements which it encountered. 
 For twenty-seven years, at least, he labored in this extensive field 
 Avith unceasing diligejice and most remarkable success. "The 
 wilderness was converted into a fruitful field,'' flourishing like 
 " tlie garden of the Lord," and nuiltitudes rejoiced in the hope 
 of salvation. Here W'hitefield found him in 1739, and made the? 
 following record in his journal : ' '7 
 
1G3 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 '•At Xow-Brunswick some tliousands gathereJ from various 
 parts of the country, among Avhom there had been considerable 
 awakening by the instrumentalities of Mr. Frelinghuysen, a Dutcli 
 minister, am\ the Messrs. Tennent, Blair, and Rowland." Jona- 
 than Edwards refers to this awakening in his narrative of several 
 revivals of religion in Xew-England in 17-iO, in the following- 
 words : " And also at another place, under the ministry of a very 
 pious young gentleman, a Reformed Dutch minister, whose name, 
 I remember, was Frelinghuysen." Gilbert Tennent also, in 1744, 
 writing to the Rev. Mr. Prince, of Boston, notices the same revival 
 of religion as the effects of his preaching. " The labors of the 
 Rev. Mr. Frelinghuysen, a Dutch Calvinistic minister, were much 
 blessed to the people of New-Brunswick and places adjacent, 
 especially about the time of his coming among them, which was 
 about twenty-four years ago. When I came there, which was 
 about seven years after, I had the pleasure of seeing much of the 
 fruits of his ministry. Divers of his heai'ers, with whom I had 
 an opportunity of conversing, appeared to be converted people by 
 their soundness in principle, Christian experience, and pious prac- 
 tice, and these persons declared that the ministrations of this 
 aforesaid gentleman were the means thereof. This, together 
 with a kind letter which he sent me respecting the necessity of 
 \ dividing the Word aright and giving to every man his portion in 
 due season, through the divine blessing, excited me to greater 
 earnestness in ministerial labors." 
 
 These are the only records remaining of a most extensive and 
 powerful revival of religion, the history of which has never been 
 written, and now it can not properly be done, for the materials 
 l)ave nearly all perished. In attempting, at this late day, to do 
 the subject some justice, we necessarily depend almost wholly 
 upon tradition. This agrees in representing the work to have 
 been general, powerful, and evangelical, resulting in the saving 
 . conversion to Christ of many precious souls. It characterizes tlie 
 J piety of those who experienced its power as being warm, practi- 
 1 cal, and self-denying. Among its subjects the young were the most 
 numerous, and thi'ough a long life they continued to manifest the 
 genuineness of the change wrought in all their views and aifections, 
 being most of them eminent as examples of faith, of piety, and of 
 prayer. What Tennent saw and admired in those Avitli whom he 
 conversed, was, to a greater or less extent, common to all. No one 
 who had known in himself the power of the grace of God, could 
 
IIISTORICAL NOTES. 169, 
 
 fail to recognize in them " the ima2;e of the Iieavenly," or refuse to 
 acknowledge the agency of the Holy Spirit, hy which they had 
 been renewed and sanctified. Years have rolled away, and the 
 last of them has long since been translated to the joys of immor- 
 tal life ; but neither the sense of the value of their influence for 
 good, nor the conviction of the depth and reality of tlieir piet}^ 
 has ceased to be felt in tliis part of the Church. After careful 
 researches in every jtlace wliere there was any prospect of obtain- 
 ing information as to the precise number who embraced religion, 
 as the fruits of this gracious work, I have been obliged to aban- 
 <Ion the hope of succeeding. No documents remain throwing any ^ 
 light upon the subject, except at Ilai-itan, and those are brief and J 
 imperfect. The greatest number received at any one communion, y 
 or confession of faith was seventy ; the average aggregate, iovty-J 
 four. This was certainly greater than the whole number of fami- 
 lies included in the congregation at that time. If we suppose 
 the work to have been equally extensive in the others, and there 
 is nothing to forbid it, the aggregate would amount to two hun- 
 dred and twenty. This is probably too large, yet all tlie tra- 
 ditionary recollections show the influence to have been very 
 general. No one points to any particular place as having been 
 more especially favored than the others ; and thus the above con- 
 clusion is left quite unimpaired. 
 
 The most prominent peculiarity of the preaching of Mr. Freling- 
 liuysen, and which in his day, and among those who were capable 
 of uiulerstanding the Dutch language, was a subject of extensive ^ ^ 
 remark, and finally of protracted controversy, consisted in those 
 clear and discriminating views of the nature and necessity of the 
 religion of the heart, which it conveyed to liis hearers in pointed 
 language and almost conversational familiarity. A very cursory 
 reading of his printed discourses Avill show an unusual frequency 
 of the iise of interrogation, which is succeeded immediately by 
 pointed, pithy answer. In this way he seems to have taxed the 
 attention of his hearers to the utmost, and rendered his whole \ 
 discourse almost like a ])ersonal conversation between himself and 
 each one individually. The doctrines of regeneration, repentance, 
 faith, holiness, are nowhere more strikingly illustrated, or more 
 earnestly advocated. lie had evidently, in his own heart, a deep 
 experience of their jiower. From an allusion to his personal ex- 
 perience, found in the ])ri'face to one of his volumes, it seems as 
 if he had, like Bimyan, 1/eeu brought ihrougli deeji waters and 
 
.170 HISTORICAL KOTES. 
 
 dark temptations before lie ciiiljraced tlie hope of life througli 
 Christ. "I am the man," says lie, " wlio has seen trouble," lie 
 uniformly insisted, firmly and earnestly, on the necessity of re- 
 generation, to a profitable participation of the Lord's Supper. On 
 one occasion it is said that, when administering the communion 
 in the church at Six-Mile Run, he cried out, as he saw the com- 
 municants approaching the table, "See! see! even the people of 
 the world and the impenitent arc coming, that they may eat and 
 drink judgment to themselves." Several individuals, feeling them- 
 selves pointed at, paused after having left their seats, and re- 
 turned to them, not daring to commune ! In exory instance, be- 
 fore acknowledging any one to be a Christian, he required a con- 
 sistent account of his religious experience. In bis view, conviction 
 of sin, and a sense of guilt, always preceded faith and comfort in 
 Christ. ; He may, in sonio instances, have erred in ad])ering too 
 tenaciously to his theory. It was, in fact, one of the charges of 
 ]>is opposers, that in visiting the sick and dying, he began by 
 I preaching " the terrors of the lau'," and sometimes left them even 
 \ without a word of comfort, though he could not know that he 
 would ever see them again, and in some cases did not. 
 
 Now, all this was in striking contrast to what the people had 
 been accustomed to. Evangelical sentijnents were by no means 
 common even among the ministry of the church in that day. 
 They adhered to the doctrines of the Reformation ; but the power 
 and spirituality of that great religious movement, and that most 
 copious effusion of the Holy Ghost, had in a gi'eat measure ceased 
 to exist. All were not in such a lifeless state, indeed, but many 
 were, and the course of Air. Frelinghuysen was spoken against in 
 high places. He was called an enthusiast, because he insisted 
 upon the necessity of a change of heart. But he heeded not the 
 clamors. Pursuing a uniform and energetic course, and waxing 
 stronger and stronger as he gathered around hini those in whoso 
 conversion he had been instrumental, and securing the confidence 
 of that part of the ministry of the church who Avere men ot 
 spiritual-mindedncss, he waited jxatiently for the great triumph 
 of his principles. 
 
 The most extensive inquiry into the character of the revival 
 under his ministry Avhich has yet been made, has uniformly 
 resulted in a conviction of its purity — the dee])ly experimental 
 character of the work, and the scriptui-al piety which it produced. 
 My own convictions in this respect harmonize witli those of all 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 171 
 
 the others with wliom I have conversed. It is believed that even 
 at this day we are enjoying some of the fruits of that blessed 
 woi-k, in tliat general attention to gospel ordinances and the 
 wide diftusion of the spirit of piety which characterize the 
 cliurches now existing in the sphere of its influence. 
 
 The change effected was a great one. Tlie wliole spiritual life 
 of the churches was aifi?cted by it. It weut to uproot ancient 
 customs; it attacked, cherished hopes and convictions, made those 
 last who had been first, and showed the confident and the secure 
 that, while " having a name to live, they were dead in trespasses 
 and sins." It required all his energy to meet the crisis — all liis 
 love of truth to prevent him from sacrificing it for the sake of 
 avoiding difficulties. But lie never paused for a moment. He had 
 known the love of God in himself ; how could he refrain from re- 
 commending its peace to his dying fellow-men ? He believed that 
 tlie blood of Christ alone cleanses from sin; how could he fail to 
 direct tlie inquirer to the life-giving fountain ? In a charge so 
 extensive, and under circumstances requiring so much labor and 
 attention to the spiritual interests of individuals, ]Mr. Frelinglnu>- 
 sen found himself straitened beyond measure. The expedient 
 which he adopted as a relief was as novel as it proved to be ju- 
 dicious and successful. At the present day it would be regarded 
 
 ~-si,Sr-Si-V4Ptf~nei0~mea&ure.\IIe could not depend npon, or to any 
 extent secure, the assistance of his brethren in the ministry, for 
 there were none nearer than Ilackensack and New- York. Perhaj is 
 he had confidence in only a few of them, and the anxious could 
 not be left without instruction and prayer ; he therefore appointed 
 two of his most intelligent and pious elders in each of his congre- 
 gations, and termed them helpers. In his absence they conducted 
 the meetings for prayer, conversed Avith the anxious and awa- 
 kened, and instructed the youths by catechetical recitations. The 
 effect of this expedient was happy at the time. The selection, too, 
 
 ^eems to have been eminently judicious ; and the individuals con- 
 tiinied to be regardccl and ttt act as leaders in the religious ser- 
 vices, and guides to the people, as long as they lived. They Avere 
 viewed as a kind of under-shepherds, and several of them are 
 still remembered as being particularly eminent in their piety, 
 gifted in prayer, and happy in the influence which they exerted. 
 It has been noticed too, in more than one instance, that very 
 special blessings seemed to rest on their descendants, as if their 
 piety had been transmitted as an inheritance from their ancestors. 
 
172 [ HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 ]>iit it must not be supposed that such a course did not incur cen- 
 sure, or tliat a ministry so efficient and discriminating in holding up 
 to view the difference between formalism and true piety — the 
 religion of the heart as distinguished from that which is satisfied 
 with a fruitless faith — could be exercised without opposition. 
 Some of those who had been most prominent as the friends of the 
 church J felt themselves condemned by many of the doctrines 
 which Mr. Frelinghuysen i^reached. His views of regeneration, 
 and especially his insisting so earnestly upon evidence of a new 
 lieart as a preparation for tlie communion of the Lord's Supper, 
 were at once resisted. " ITow can he know if the heart is 
 changed?" said they. " He sets himself to be the judge of men's 
 hearts;" and consequently his whole course was condemned, and 
 his preaching treated with ridicule, as visionary and enthusiastic. 
 Several of his sermons were specified, and particular passages and 
 expressions seriously censured. This led him, as early as 1721, to 
 ])ublish a small volume containing these same discourses, in order 
 to show what doctrines he really preached, and against what sen- 
 timents his opponents objected. The subject of the first is, "The 
 Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit," Isa. 00 : 2 ; of the second, 
 "The Lord's Supper," 1 Cor. 11 : 29; of the third, "Christian 
 Discipline, or the Power of the Keys," Matthew 10 : 19. 
 
 That I have formed a correct judgment in reference to the 
 cause of the opposition to the ministry of Mr. Frelinghuysen, and 
 that I am not unjust in attributing it to the doctrines which he 
 preached, and especially to the fact that he insisted so strongly 
 upon the necessity of spiritual influence and a change of heart, 
 and held up prominently the difference between vital godliness 
 and a mere belief of doctrines without practice, will be abun- 
 dantly evident from the very vindication itself, which his oppo- 
 nents thought it necessary for them to prepare and publish. It 
 is contained in a pamphlet of one hundred and forty-six pages; 
 and is an able and most ingenious defense of its own principles, 
 but only on that account the more clearly justifying, to an enlight- 
 ened Christian understanding, the whole course of Mr. Freling- 
 luiysen ; and proving tlie evangelical nature of his preaching and 
 his principles. This pamphlet Mr. Frelinghuysen answered, fully 
 vindicating his whole course, and explaining and proving his doc- 
 trines to be those of the Reformation, and especially of the church 
 of the Netlierlands. This refutation, unfortunately, is lost. Thus, 
 it seems that the same spirit which drove Jonathan Edwards from 
 
JIISIOlilC'AL NOTES. 173 
 
 Nortlianiptoii filso Mustered and became angiy along tlie Raritan, 
 wlieu it was pressed by the (iospel; but liere it was eoinpletely 
 etuKjuered aud driven from the field. His language, in one of his 
 sermons in reference to the oblocpiy which he met, is, "I may not 
 liere speak of what I suiter personally; so I have made noiiupiiry 
 of what the opposition of na^tural men has led them to say behind 
 my back, avIio speak not according to the truth of God's Avord, 
 but according to their own crooked conceptions. They deceive 
 themselves greatly in attempting in this way to silence me, for I 
 would rather sufier a thousand deaths than not preach the truth." 
 As a specimen of the way in which, at other times, he saw fit to 
 meet the obloquy of his enemies, I may mention that he ])rinted on 
 the back of his sleigh the following doggerel : 
 
 Niemands tonof, iio;^ nieniands pen, 
 Maakt my amders dan ik ben ; 
 Spreek quaad-spreekers, spreek vonder end, 
 Niemands en Avord van u. gesclicnd. 
 
 Xo one's tonjjue, nor no one's pen, 
 Makes me other than I am ; 
 Speak evil speakers, speak without end, 
 No one heeds a Avord you pretend. 
 
 ]3ut perhaps you Avill think that in this last proceeding there Avas 
 a si)ice of human nature. Be it so; I do not suppose the good 
 man to have been faultless, or incapable of provocation. I paint 
 no perfect character. 
 
 In process of time, Avhat at first was mere dissatisfaction Avith 
 the doctrines of Mr. Frelinghnysen became organized and poAverful 
 opposition, and embraced some of the most Avealthy and resjiect- 
 able families in his pastoral charge. It Avas, no doubt, fostered 
 by several clergymen of eminence in his own denomination, who 
 ])rofessed great attachment to the ancient forms and customs of 
 the fatherland. They eventually allii'<l themselves closely to- 
 gether, forming a distinct party in the Dutch church; and finally 
 it resolved itself into tiie division of Coetus and Conferentie, and 
 only died out alter the devolution, Avhen the churches broke off" 
 all connection Avith tlie Classis of Amsterdam, adopted a consti- 
 tution of their own, and l)egau to move forward in tlie very 
 course Avhich Mr. Frelinghuysen had pointed out. 
 
 The publications of Avhich I have spoken are all in the Dutch 
 language. Copies of them exist in the collections of the Histori- 
 cal Society in Xew-York. The sei-mons are of a high order of 
 
17-1 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 , excellence. Direct, pun!:i;ent, and practical, they aim at the heart, 
 ,' and seem calculated effectually to reach it. It is questionable 
 whether they are surpassed in this peculiar characteristic by any 
 sermons of" their day. In my judgment, at least, they have not 
 been superseded, or rendered useless, by any thing which has 
 since proceeded from tlie 2:)ress. . 
 
 As a scholar, Mr. Frelinghuysen was more than respectable, if 
 .not absolutely eminent. The fact of his having been called in 
 his youth to such a position as the rectorship of the Academy of 
 Embden is sufficient proof of this. But we have that which is 
 more direct : a small volume containing the Heidelberg Cate- 
 chism in Latin, with blank leaves intervening, for the purpose of 
 notes and observations, exists, in which the preparations to 
 preach on the different Lord's days are made in that language ; 
 manifesting as great a familiarity with it as if it had been his 
 vernacular ; and constantly and habitually quoting also the Greek, 
 and writing its characters quite caligraphically. Besides these 
 evidences of scholarship, there are so many classic allusions found 
 in all his discourses, as to prove conclusively his intimate fami- 
 liarity with classic literature. I conclude, therefore, that he was 
 unquestionably a ripe scholar in both the Latin and Greek 
 languages. I am disposed to rank Theodoras Jacobus Freling- 
 huysen among the eminent men of his age, a compeer Avith the 
 Blairs and the Tennents, with Stoddard and the Mathers. I 
 think it questionable whether awj one of all these exerted a wider 
 influence, or benefited the cause of practical religion more largely. 
 Living for forty j^ears amid the very scenes where this influence 
 was felt, ministering in the very church the infancy of which it 
 fostered, and having had every opportunity to observe the deep 
 reverence with which his memory is even yet cherished, I may 
 speak earnestly but not too partially. He was a great and good 
 man. The cause of 2:)ractical religion owes him much. 
 
 The exact date of Mr. Frelinghuy sen's death has not been 
 ascertained. It must have been previous to April 26th, 174 8, 
 since the Elder Ilendrick Fisher reported to the Coctus in Xew- 
 York at that date the vacancy of the church at New-Brunswick. 
 His remains were laid in the old cluirchj-ard at Tln-ee-Mile Run, 
 under an apple-tree on the north side. Some remains of the 
 stump of this tree are said still to be visible. Iv'o monument has 
 ever been erected to his memory ; but liis well-spent life, in build- 
 ing up churches ia a territory embracing over two hu:i,li-L' 1 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 1/.) 
 
 square miles, and embracing at the present time more than fifty 
 congregations, is liis most fitting memorial ; lie needs no other. 
 
 His wife, named Eva, was a daughter of Albert Terhuiic, of 
 Flatbush, Long Island, a farmer of wealth and respectability. 
 Her excellence and piety as a mother are attested abundantly by 
 tlie fruits of her care ; all her children devoted themselves early 
 to God. Whether she siirvived him, or when and where she died, 
 is not known. All his children Avere Levites. His five sons de- 
 voted themselves to the ministry, and his two daughters united 
 themselves with ministers. 
 
 It may be a matter of interest and importance to enter some- 
 what more minutely into the character and the motives of tlie 
 opposition which JNIr. Frelinghuysen encountered at TJaritan. It 
 is not only common for a revival of religion to stir up the enmity 
 of the human heart, even among professing Christians ; but, in 
 this instance, the character and motives of the opponents give an 
 insight into the real nature of the dispute. It Avas in existence 
 before he came, and finally merged itself into the division of the 
 whole church into what is knoAvn as the Coetus and Conferentie 
 parties. We have as our guide a document Avhich the opponents 
 of Mr. Frelinghuysen themselves put forth, and Avhich, therefore, 
 they can not gainsay. It is a pamphlet of 150 pages, drawn up ^^ 
 Avith laAvyerlike skill and talent— ajiparently by Mr. Boel, a bro- ,( 
 ther of one of the collegiate pastors in New-York, who is called 
 " the advocated The folloAving is a fair summary of the argu- 
 ments employed to condemn Mr. FrelinghuA'sen. It is jnit fortli c 
 in the name of tliree prominent elders in the churches which he 
 AA'as serving^Simon WyckotF, Peter Dumont, and IlendrickVroom. 
 They accuse their pastor of ])reaching false doctrine, and depart- 
 ing from tlie order and usages of the church. In y^roof of the 
 charge, they specify that Avheu he first came, he declined to admit 
 to the Lord's Supper any except those Avho could give a satisfac- 
 tory account of their Christian experience, even though they had 
 been regular members of the churcli ; that he insisted strenuously 
 on the necessity of a change of heart ; that he said on a sacra- 
 mental occasion at Six-]Mile Hun, that he kncAV there Avere indi- 
 viduals Avho had "eaten and druid<en Judgment to themselves;" 
 that he allowed persons to be put into church ofiice against Avhom 
 there AA'cre unfavorable rejtorts ; and Avhen told Avhat these re]>orts 
 Avere, he characterized them as " old Avives' fables." 'J'he indi- 
 viduals referred to in this last charge seem to have been Hendrick 
 
176 HISTORICAL NOTES, 
 
 Fisher, and his friend and brother-in-law, Scliureman, tlie teacher. 
 Against both these men a violent popular clamor liad been excit- 
 ed, mostly, it seems, because they sympathized with the dominie, 
 and supported him. Schureman came with him from Holland, and 
 acted as a school-master ; and they accused him of being unwilling 
 to teach the children the Lord's Prayer, because it was a " form," 
 and the use of it encouraged " formalism." Tliey also pretend 
 that the results of his preaching px'oduced dissension and divisions, 
 even in pr'vate families, and bring forward a letter of young Peter 
 Wortman to his parents, as an instance in jioint. The letter is 
 most unfortunate for the cause which it is given to strengthen. 
 Rei^ding it dispassionately, it seems to us strange that so much 
 could have been atlemj^ted to be made of it. It is simjjly a fer- 
 vent and affectionate appenl from a pious young man to his father 
 and mother, to pause and consider and turn to the Lord. Just 
 such a lecte:' as we have no doubt has often been written to other 
 parents when all the joy and peace of a recent conversion were 
 present to an ingenuous mind. We think better of the heart of 
 that young man, and worse of the spirit of the cause attempted to 
 be advanced by quoting it. 
 
 Besides these main facts, a great variety of other circumstances 
 are enumerated ; for instance, that at North-Branch, at the first 
 communion, he partook first of the elements himself, and then 
 winked and beckoned to certain women to come forward, an.d gave 
 next to them ; that at Six-Mile Itun he gave it to Schureman alone, 
 and made an address, and then afterward to others who are 
 named ; that lie refused to baptize certain cliildren, because he 
 said their parents belonged to Claas Ilayman's people ; that in his 
 family visitations he was very severe, and, as they expressed it, 
 "knocked down" the hopes and confidence, even of those who 
 had long belonged to the church ; that he expressed a want of 
 confidence in the religious character of persons who were unim- 
 peached ; that he would not comfort the sick, but alarmed them 
 by preaching the necessity of conversion, especially when they did 
 not belong to his party. But the burden of the whole is, " valse 
 leer" and " wedergeborte," that is, false doctrine and regenera- 
 tion ; and the fact that after he had cited them and they refused 
 to appear, he had suspended them from the communion of the 
 church. 
 
 As the result, then, of the whole complaint, as stated by their 
 own advocate, we arrive at the following conclusion : The oppo- 
 
iii.-;toi;ical ^:0T]•:s. 177 
 
 sition at first liad Its origin in a disrelisli of plain, practical, and 
 earnest preaching on the part of men Avho were really more for- 
 malists than any thing else ; that it was fostered by a partisan view 
 of the question, Avhat were the rights and M'hat the interests of 
 the churches in America, and how far they ought to remain sub- 
 ordinate to the ecclesiastical authority in Holland ; that the ques- 
 tion in the church at large was embittered by conflicts of feeling 
 — perhaps ambition and influence ; that it continued, because there 
 could be no compromise, since principle, faith, and Christian expe- 
 rience were involved in it ; while, on the other hand, at Raritan 
 there was no abatement of the first disrelish of evangelical preach- 
 ing, but rather an increase of dislike, as the work of grace went 
 on, and the power of the truth became more and more manifest 
 in the numei-ous conversions in all the churches to which Mr. Fre- 
 linghuysen ministered. Thus is our judgment formed from read- 
 ing their complaint. The fact is, that in Somerset County, and 
 more so elsewhere, the Coetus men were the men of evangelical 
 life and sentiment — the men of progress, of practical piety, prayer, 
 and godliness ; that the others were the men of exact order, forms, 
 rules; and they felt it to be necessary to maintain all this, at any 
 expense of convenience or of progress. It was the Fatherland, 
 the churches in the Fatherland, their authority and ecclesiastical 
 supremacy ; and not what the circumstances and exigencies of the 
 churches here demanded. Time has justified the liberality and 
 advancement contended for by the one, and condemned the con- 
 tracted and illiberal spirit manifested by the others. Our college, 
 our seminary, our advancement in every necessary enterprise arc 
 all results of what was then contended for. The success of Con- 
 fcrentle would have beeii ulliniately destructive to every churcli 
 which had been planted in Xew-Amstordam and her dependencies. 
 The}' may have been good men, and honest and sincere in their 
 views and in their course; but we can not commend either their 
 spirit or their ])lans of action. There was no adaptation to cir- 
 cumstances, and no provision for progress and enlargement. The 
 war of Avords was long and bitter, but it ended where such conten- 
 tions always end — in a victory for liberty, advancement, and 
 action. 
 
 We have also ol)tained from this old pamphlet some interesting 
 historical facts. Frelinghuysen was a minister in East-Friesland 
 before he came over to America, and a member of the Synod of 
 Kniberlandt. The call which he accepted was sent to Holland by 
 
178 HISTORICAL XOTES. 
 
 the Rev. Bernanlus Fj-eemnn, of Flatbiisli, Long Island, and was 
 approved by the above synod. lie came to the Classis of Am- 
 sterdam on recommendation anU dismission, and having been re- 
 ceived by tliem, ^vas commended earnestly to the ministers and 
 churches in Xew-Xetherland. He arrived in Xew-York in the 
 winter of l7l9 and 1720, and preached for Dominie Boel in one 
 of the collegiate churches on the IVth of January, l720. This was 
 his first public service, and propeidy his recognition by the church. 
 lie can have been here biit a few days previous to this date. On 
 this occasion he omitted the use of the Lord's Prayer, both on the 
 0})ening and conclusion of the service. This led to a conversation 
 
 1 between himself and Boel, which seems to have resulted in a loss 
 of confidence on the part of both. They ascertained that there 
 was between them a wide difterence and diversity of view and 
 spirit ; and Frelinghuysen afterward termed such men as Boel 
 '''' forinallsteny Schureman is reported to have said that the 
 church at Xew-York was "ecu heydense kerk" — a heathenish 
 church. 
 
 In May, 1720, the widow Coevers testifies that he had not then 
 yet been four months in his pastoral charge. This is a confirma- 
 tion of the date of his arrival being about January 1st, and of his 
 
 Jiaving taken l)is charge about the 1st of February. When he 
 
 I came, it is said the people were generous to him, and instead of 
 
 I the five acres promised in the call, provided fifty acres for him, 
 
 ' and built him a large house. 
 
 On the 3d of March, 1720, a month after liis settlement, he 
 wrote from Xew-Brunswick, l)y Schureman, to Dominie Boel, re- 
 
 i questing him to purchase for him " een sulver sak liorologe" — a 
 silver watch; and in a concluding paragraph of his letter append- 
 ed a warm practical exhortation to the practice of true piety, 
 which was afterward quoted against him as presuming^ in so 
 
 I young a man ; and another instance to the same effect is given of 
 the same thing in a letter to Dominie Duboise. 
 
 The complaint, besides the names of Simon AVyckoft', Peter 
 Dumont, and Ilendrick Yroom, is signed by sixty-four heads of 
 families, of which fourteen had been either elders or deacons, five 
 church masters, and two justices of the peace. These names are 
 evidently gathered from all the congregations, and formed the 
 strength of the opposition. It is certainly not a formidable force ; 
 but it contained enough to make — as it did — a lasting trouble. 
 Frelinghuysen never saw the end of it. We give these names to 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 179 
 
 indicate the weii^lit of tlie o})position, in otlicr -words, llio Coiifc 
 rentio men at this time, namely, Cornelis Tnnisen, Jan Tunisci , 
 Jan llendricksen, Jan Broca, Pieter Kinne, Jeronimus Van Xesi, 
 Aart Aarsen, Albert Low, Adrian Lane, Esq., Lneas Scliermer- 
 lioorn, Coert Jansen, Adrian liegeman, Jan Vliet, Ilendrick Jan- 
 sen, Ary Molonaai', Ary Boerem, Jacob Bnys, Jan Wot'rtman, 
 Adrian Ten Eyck, Ilendrik Enunans, Nicolas Ileyl, Jan Xnn 
 Sickclen, Fredrick Van Leewen, Jacobus ]]ennet, Sen., Jacobus 
 Benuet, Jun., Pieter lloff, Jacob Probasco, widow Johannes Coe- 
 vers, Christofcl Hooglandt, AVilem Van Duyn, Gysbert Krom, 
 Wilem Krom, Abram Le Foy, Hannes Specter, Frans Waldron, 
 Nicolas Ilayman, Coos Vroom, Joost Scliamp, Jacobus Stryker, 
 Sarah Brinkerhoff, widow of Jacob Kapelje, Leendert Smak, 
 (icorge Anderson, Thomas Bort, Abraham Gray, John PifFenger, 
 Andries Andriesen, ]Michel Moor, Adolf Ilardenbrook, Pieter Bo- 
 dyn, Tunis Van Middleswaert Cornelisen, Cornelis Teunissen, Jan 
 Middleswaert, Jun., Gideon Mertel, Burgon Coevei-s, Gilysbert 
 Lane, Abraham Selover, Denys Van Dujni, Ilendrik Smak, Cor- 
 nelis De Hart, Isaak Bennet, Adrian Bennet — and of the dead 
 Ilendrik Tra[ihagcn for his widow, Danielm de Voor, David 
 Marines, Cristofel Beekman for his Avidow. 
 
 The church officers, on March 28th, 1723, were Joscs Van Neste, 
 Johannes Sebring, of the consistory of Raritan, Barent De Witt, 
 Dirck Van Arsdalen, Six-Mile Hun ; Roelif Nevius, Minnc Voor- 
 liees, Three-Mile Hun ; Cornelius Bogaardt, Andries Ten Eyck, 
 North-Branch, and Elbert Stoothoff" clerk. These names are ap- 
 pended to a citation to the ojjponents to apjiear before consistory. 
 
 May 9lli, 1'723, a second citation is signed by Joses Van Nest, 
 Ilendrik Bries, Barent De Witt, Jan Stryker, Thomas Boerum, 
 Emanuel Van Netten, Andries Ten Eyck, Elbert Stoothoff, clerk. 
 
 Tli(> dissatisfaction, it seems, began as soon as ]Mr. Frelingliuy- 
 seu settled. As early as 1721, the Messrs. Boel, the Dominie and 
 Advocate, had written a letter of encouragement to the disaffect- 
 eil, which led 3Ir. Frelinghuysen to stigmatize them as "adxisers 
 to evil, and miscliief-makers;" and it is sufficiently evident that 
 throughout the whole course of the dispute, these men, witii 
 others, by countenance and advice, strengthened and embittered 
 the opposition. When a difficulty arose about salary, they were 
 at once consulted ; but after Coers Vroom had been sued before 
 justices Ilendrik Iloseboom and Jacob Sebring, and had been 
 mulcted in expense, there v;as no more refusal to jjay subscrijitions. 
 
180 iriSTOUICAL NOTES. 
 
 On December lltli, 1721, a letter was obtained from Micliael 
 Van Vegliten, npon whose land the " new church " was built, and 
 which was now nearhj completed^ (this fixes the date of the first 
 church edifice at llaritan,) to the eftect that Schureman should 
 clear himself from the scandal attached to him, before the consis- 
 tory, and in this way peace be restored, or Frelinghuysen should 
 not go in the pulpit. A compromise was effected, and it was 
 agreed that he might preach, provided he would publish a meet- 
 ing of the four United Consistories from the pulpit, in reference 
 to this matter; but it is added, that it all eventuated in nothing. 
 The Consistory of Karitan at this time were Joses Van Nest, Jan 
 Bogaardt, elders ; Jan Sebring, Tennis Van Middleswaert, deacons. 
 
 As early as 1721, Mr. Frelinghuysen published his sentiments 
 in regard to spiritual or experimental Christianity and church dis- 
 cipline, and gave offense; and in July, 1723, he printed a refuta- 
 tion of what is called " a letter without a name, or a warning to 
 all the lovers of the ti'uth." This pamphlet seems to be lost ; a 
 small fragment is all that we have ever seen. 
 
 In 1722, about the time of Easter, Hendrik Fisher was appoint- 
 ed a deacon in the church at Six-Mile Run, and Johannes Tol- 
 kertsz and Charles Fonteyn, elders ; Fisher being at that time a 
 young man. This appointment was objected to by Simon "Wyck- 
 off, on the ground of rinfavorable reports against his character. 
 Witnesses were examined in the presence of David Marines, Esq., 
 namely, Adrian Bennet, Willem Van Gelder, and Paul Auten ; 
 but Frelinghuysen, convinced there was no ground for the reports, 
 proceeded to ordain him. This created also a great clamor. 
 
 In the midst of all, however, the friends of practical piety re- 
 mained firm in their attachment to their pastor, falling back 
 jilways upon the manifest power of liis preaching, and the con- 
 stant witness and presence of the Holy Spirit in the conversion of 
 \ sinners; and results have justified them fully. 
 
 In the beginning of liis ministry, Frelinghuysen and Schiyeman 
 ' boarded together at the house of Hendrik Keynierez ; but where 
 exactly he lived is not ascertained. It was somewhere in the 
 vicinity of the Three-Mile Run church. Even this intimacy be- 
 I tween the dominie and liis school-master occasioned mifavorable 
 ]-emarks. Afterward they married sisters, daughters of All)ert 
 Terhune, on Long Island. jNIrs. Frelinghuysen's name was Eva ; 
 and tlie early piety of her five sons and two daughters shows 
 fairly what a woman she must have been — a helper of her husband 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 181 
 
 ill all his work, and most in his own house ! Schureman, in some 
 way, did not succeed in securing tlie confidence of the community, 
 and may have increased the difficulties of Mr, Frelinghuysen's 
 situation. Even his friend Dominie Freeman, of Long Island, is 
 reported to have said, " Had Frelinghuysen dat esel Schureman 
 iiiet mede gebraghte, sonde nooyt so ver gekomen zyn,nog so een 
 trouble of sporting gehadt." The candor of this opinion remains 
 unimpeached so far as facts testify. 
 
 Previous to his accepting the call and coming to America, Fre- 
 linghuysen had published a catechism, in the preface to which he 
 complimented Jacobus Koelman, a Holland divine, as " a bright star 
 in the firmament." This led Boel, of New- York, to stigmatize him 
 as " a Koelmanist and Labbadist ;" but in what these divines were 
 heterodox we are not able to say. In a word, results have proved 
 that in the spirit of his course, if not in every detail, he was in 
 the right, and his enemies in the wrong. Charity leads us to add, 
 that much of their wrong Avas due to the opinions and the spirit 
 of their associates. 
 
 We proceed to some account of Dominic Frelinghuysen's chil- 
 dren. His eldest son was named Theodore, and was born at Three- 
 MileKun in 1'724 or 1725. Ho graduated at Princeton College in 
 1749 — it would seem while his father was pastor at Albany, as he 
 was settled there in 1745, immediately after his return from Hol- 
 land, Avhere he had been licensed, after studying theology Avith 
 Goetchius. This was during his father's lifetime. lie was the suc- 
 cessor of Rev. Cornelius Van Shie, whohad died August 15th, 1744. 
 He remained at Albany for fifteen years, and was becoming a man 
 of influence and power in the churches, earnest in his advocacy of 
 the independence of the church from the Classis of Amsterdam,, 
 and one of the most strenuous advocates of an institution in Avhich 
 a ministry could be properly taught and trained. He was so pro- 
 minent in this matter that the contemplated seminary and college 
 was commonly called by the Conferentie party, " Frelinghuysen's 
 academy." He was its most earnest and constant advocate, and 
 drew upon himself the reproach of its opponents. At last he felt 
 impelled to j^reach a very pointed sermon against fashionable 
 amusements, and especially theatrical representations. He was 
 induced to do this by the circumstance of a regiment of royal 
 troops being stationed in the city at that time, the officers of wJiich 
 had encouraged and pi'omoted these things. On Monday morning 
 he JFound at his door an image with a statt', a silver coin, a pair of 
 12 
 
,182 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 shoes, and a loaf of bread. He construed this as an intimation 
 for him to leave, and at once determined to do so. Amission had 
 been assigned him some time previous, by the Coetus, to collect 
 funds in Holland for the purpose of founding a literary and theo- 
 logical institution in which he had taken a very deep interest, as 
 we have seen. Such an institution was demanded by the wants 
 of the church, and the founding of it urged as necessary in order 
 to free the churches from dependence upon the Classis of Amster- 
 dam, and secure to them a cultivated native ministry and the right 
 of ordination. There was, moreover, special encouragement for 
 such an effort at that time. Michael Schlatter, of Pennsylvania, 
 had just returned from Holland with more than £30,000 for the 
 support of schools and the ministry, among the German Reformed 
 in that State. Mr. Frelinghuysen sailed from New- York October 
 10th, 1759, and never returned. His memory was long precious 
 among the godly people in his pastoral charge at Albany, and 
 they spoke of him as " the apostolic and much beloved." He was a 
 man of more than ordinary abilities and culture, and published a 
 catechism in 1748, which received the approbation and indoi-se- 
 ment of the Coetus. He left a young widow, but no children. 
 She married again, and recently a will has been discovered which, 
 it is said, promises to become the occasion of legal proceedings, on 
 account of its devises never having been executed. 
 
 John Frelinghuysen, second son of T. J. Frelinghuysen, was born 
 at Three-Mile Run in 1727. He seems to have studied pi-incipally 
 with his father, then went to Holland, and was absent when his 
 father died. He was licensed by the Classis of Amsterdam in 1750, 
 and received an invitation from the churches in Somerset County 
 to return and occupy his father's place. A copy of this call is found 
 in the minutes of Raritan, dated May 18th, 1747. This call was 
 approved by the classis in 1749, and he arrived at Raritan, after 
 a long and tedious passage, in midsummer, I7o0, and preached at 
 Raritan. He preached his introductory sermons at Raritan, Au- 
 gust 3d, from the words of the Psalm, " Instead of thy fathers shall 
 be thy children," and at North-Branch on the succeeding Sabbath 
 (the 10th) from Zech. 4:6," Not by might, nor by power, but by 
 my spirit, saith the Lord of Plosts ;" and again in the afternoon from 
 Zech. 6 : 12, "Behold the man whose name is the Branch ;" and 
 at Millstone on the succeeding Sabbath, the 17th, from the 133d 
 Psalm, " Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 
 dwell together in unity." He commenced his ministry in the three 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 183 
 
 congregations, formerly a part of his fatlier's charge, uudor pro- 
 mising auspices. His first effort was to heal divisions, but the 
 troublesome Aroncleus was among his people laboring to prevent 
 it. He built himself a house in Somerville with bricks wliicli liad 
 been sent over with him from Holland, and commenced by liim- 
 self a theological school, in which several young men were fitted 
 for the ministry ; and every thing promised fair in the future, 
 when he was suddenly arrested by death. He died on Long Is- 
 land, probably at the house of his mother's parents, on his way to 
 the Coetus, on the 15th day of September, 1754, when he had 
 preached only three years and one month to his people. 
 
 He married Dinah Van Bergh, of Amsterdam, a woman of 
 extraordinary culture and piety, who was afterward known as 
 JaflTvrow Ilardenbergh, and is yet remembered at Karitan by the 
 children of those who had enjoyed the savor of her piety. He 
 was the only son of T. J. Frelinghuysen who left descendants, 
 and is, therefore, the ancestor of all who have since borne that 
 name. 
 
 Jacobus Frelinghuysen, another son of T. J. Frelingliuysen, 
 graduated at Princeton 1750, studied theology under Goetchius, 
 went to Holland, and was licensed by the Classis of Utrecht, 
 1753. He had been called by the churches of Warwarsino-, 
 Rochester, and Marbletown, in the county of Ulster, but died on 
 his passage to America, it is said, from small-pox. 
 
 Ferdinandus Frelinghuysen, another son of T. J. Frelinghuysen, 
 was with his brother in Holland, and licensed at the same time. 
 He studied under Dorstius and Goetchius, and had been called to 
 Kinderhook, but on his way home, in the same vessel with liis 
 brother, he also died ; and so perished on the sea two of the most 
 l)romising young ministers which the church in that day had in ex- 
 ])ectatiou — a sad commentary on the absurd doctrine that the 
 churches in America ought not to have the privilege of ordaining 
 their own ministers after she had educated them. 
 
 Henricus Frelinghuysen, another and the youngest son of T. J. 
 Frelinghuysen, studied theology under Dorstius and Goetchius, but 
 did not go to Holland for licensure. The fate of his two brothers 
 seems to have deterred him. Indeed, it had much to do with the 
 result, soon after reached, and the determination of the Coetus to 
 licej)se their own candidates. He seems, in fact, to have been 
 jn-eaching at Warwarsing, llocliester, and Marbletown for almost 
 a year before he Avas really authorized to preach; but in 1755 he 
 
18-i HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 was formally admitted to the ministry, and settled in the above- 
 mentioned churches, disappointed in the death of his brother Jaco- 
 bus. When Theodore of Albany communicated to them the news 
 of the disaster at sea, they immediately oiFered the position to 
 Henricus. But disaster seemed to be the order of Providence in 
 regai-d to the young Frelinghuysens ! John died in 1754, Jacobus 
 and Ferdinandus in 1753, and now Henricus, in 1757, deceased 
 at the house of Mrs. Bevier, at Naponock, of small-pox, only a 
 fortnight after he had been ordained at Marbletown. His remains 
 were interred in the last-named church, under the pulpit. In 1759, 
 two years subsequently, Theodore went to sea, and was never 
 heard from. In this way, in less than ten years after the deatli 
 of the father, T. J. Frelinghuysen, the whole of his five sons were 
 in their graves, leaving a little child named Frederick, the only 
 son of John, and a daughter named Eva, as the only rej^resenta- 
 tives of the name in America. 
 
 The two daughters, Anna and Margaret, botli connected them- 
 selves by max-riage with clergymen. Anna married the Rev. Wil- 
 liam Jackson, long pastor of the church of Bergen. The follow- 
 ing epitaph is inscribed on the stone at the head of her grave : 
 " Anna Frelinghuysen, consort of Rev. William Jackson, who de- 
 parted this life May 3d, 1810, aged 72 years." Her husband. Rev. 
 William Jackson, departed this life July 25th, 1813, aged 81 years. 
 
 Margaretta Frelinghuysen, wife of Rev. T. Romeyn, was born 
 November 12th, 1737, married June 29th, l756, died at Jamaica, 
 Long Island, December 23d, 1757, leaving an only child, T. F. 
 Romeyn, successor of Dr. Hardenbergh, at Raritan. She was the 
 eldest of the two daughters of T. J. Frelinghuysen. Thus Anna 
 F., Mrs. Jackson, of all the children, lived to the period of a good 
 old age, surviving as the last of her family from l759 to 1810. 
 
 The last years of Mr. Frelinghuysen's ministry are left in ob- 
 scurity. Even the time of his death is only approximately ascer- 
 tained as being previous to April, 1748. His residence during the 
 last years of his life was on a farm of 200 acres, bought of Daniel 
 Hendrickson for £550, near Three-Mile Run, forming a part of 
 the land now or lately owned by John Brunson. It is described 
 as being bounded on the south-east by the land of Daniel Hen- 
 drickson, north-east by the pretended line of the heirs or assigns 
 of Peter Sonmans, north-west by David Seguire, south-west and 
 north-west by Cornelius Bennet. He lived at one time in Biirnet 
 street, ISTew-Brunswick ; but the exact locality can not be satisfac- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 185 
 
 torily ascertained. lie lives in his deeds, and liis monument is 
 found in the results of his life, and his abounding labors for 
 Christ's church. 
 
 After the sudden death of John Frelinghuysen, in 1754, the atten- 
 tion of the congregation Avas directed to Jacob Rutzen Ilardenbergh, 
 one of his students, who resided in his family at tlie time of his 
 deatli, and subsequently became the husband of his widow, Dinah 
 Van Bergh. Ilardenbergh was tlie son of Colonel Johannes Ilarden- 
 bergh, of Rosendale, the original proprietor of the "Ilardenbergh 
 patent" in Ulster County, and was born in 1738. Tlie date of this 
 ])atent is April 23d, 1708, and the associates of Ilardenbergh were 
 Leonard Lewis, Philip Rokeby, William Nottingham, Benjamin 
 Fanuel, Peter Fauconer, and Robert Livingston. It embraced the 
 whole of Sullivan County, and all that part of Delaware east of the 
 west or MohaAvk branch of Delaware River. 
 
 After his marriage to Mrs. Frelinghuysen, Ilardenbergh took her 
 to his father's house, and continued his studies until he was licensed 
 in 1758. lie immediately returned to Raritan to occupy the house 
 built by John Frelinghuysen, and had charge of Raritan, North- 
 Branch, Neshanich, and Millstone. lie continued in this charge until 
 1761, Avhen he went to Holland to bring out from thence his wife's 
 mother, then a widow, and was accompanied from London by llov. 
 Hermanns Meyers, afterward settled at Kingston. In 1763, Mill- 
 stone and Ilarlingen separated from the other congregations, and 
 called the Rev. I. M. Van Ilarlingen, leaving Hardenbergh Raritan, 
 North-Branch, (since Readington,) and Bedminster. He received 
 the honor of D.D. from Princeton College in 1770, while pastor here. 
 In 1781, he resigned his charge in Ne^v- Jersey and removed to his 
 fither's residence, taking charge, in the mean time, of the churcii of 
 Rochester, in its immediate vicinity. 
 
 The following notice of J. R. Ilardenbergh was originally written 
 and published in Sprague's Annals. "We reclaim it for ourselves, 
 now, and present it as containing all that is known of its subject. 
 
 Jacobus Rutzen Ilardenbergh was born at Rosendale, in the pre- 
 sent county of Ulster, (N. Y..) in the year 1737. He belonged to 
 what has sometimes been denominated "the Dutch aristocracy of the 
 State of New-York." His ancestor, Johannes Hardenbergh, who v^-as 
 by birth a Prussian, migrated to this country some time after the middle 
 of the seventeenth century, and is said to have been connected, as an 
 officer, with the British service. He left two sons, one of wliom set- 
 tled on Long Island and the other at Rosendale, about eight miles 
 
186 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 southwest of tlie village of Kingston, In connection with Robert 
 Livingston lie purchased a patent of land, comprehending the whole 
 of the present county of Sullivan, and all that part of Delaware 
 which lies east of the west or Mohawk branch of the Delaware River, 
 and is yet known in the history of New-York as " the Plardenbergh 
 patent." His grandson, Colonel Johannes Hardenbergh, the fother 
 of J. R. Hardenbergh, inherited a large share in this immense estate, 
 and resided in the original manorial mansion, where the subject of 
 the present notice was born. 
 
 His early education, and especially his knowledge of the classics, 
 was probably obtained at the academy of Kingston. How long he 
 remained in this seminary, or to what extent he pursued the study 
 of the Latin and Greek languages, is not known. It is presumed, 
 liowever, that it did not embrace a very thorough coui-se, as every 
 historical notice of his education agrees in asserting that he had not 
 enjoyed the same advantages of learning as most of his contempo- 
 raries in the ministry of the Dutch Church. Indeed, the want of 
 sufficient early learning is one of the most prominent facts in his 
 history, as it has been transmitted to posterity in those brief notices 
 of his life which remain. 
 
 Nor are we able to give any account of the circumstances or the 
 time of his convei'sion. His father belonged to the Coetus or evan- 
 gelical party in the church, which indicates that he enjoyed the ad- 
 vantages of early religious instruction and a pious example at home. 
 That there was nothing remarkable in it may be inferred from the 
 fact that no tradition of it exists among his posterity. 
 
 In 1^54, when John Frelinghuysen died so suddenly at Raritan, in 
 the very springtide of his influence and usefulness, Ave find young 
 Hardenbergh (together with Rynear Van Nest and Matthew Leydt) 
 a student of theology, residing in the family. He seems to have 
 remained there at least several months after this time, if the anecdote 
 referring to the marriage Avith the Avidow be correct. This marriage 
 took place Avithin a year of the death of her husband, under circum- 
 stances somewhat peculiar. 
 
 Mrs. Fi'elinghuysen (Dinah Van Bergh) Avas a native of Amster- 
 dam, in Holland, and Avas married to John Frelinghuysen, it is said, 
 in opposition to the Avish of her father, and she accompanied her hus- 
 band on his return to his native country, after completing his theo- 
 logical course, and receiving license from the classis of Amsterdam. 
 His father, the Rev. T. J. Frelinghuysen, had died during his ab- 
 sence, and he returned, by invitation, to take charge of the congrega- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 187 
 
 tlons which liad thus become vacant. Iler early bereavement, after 
 living with lier husband — for whom slie had left all — only about 
 three years, far from her friends, and in a strange land, made her 
 situation trying in the extreme. After a few months, she determined 
 to return, like Naomi, to her native laud, and claim again the slieltcr 
 and protection of the paternal roof for herself and her two children. 
 Tiie preparations were all made, and the day appointed to leave 
 Karitau for the purpose of embarking at New-York, Avheu young 
 Ilardenbergh surprised her by an oiFer of marriage. He had con- 
 templated it for some time, and had consulted with some of the offi- 
 cers of the church in regard to its propriety ; but, on account of the 
 yet so. recent death of lier husband, only brought himself to the point 
 of making an avowal of his feelings when it could be no longer post- 
 poned. She is said to have received it with an exclamation of sur- 
 prise : " My child, Avhat are you thinking about ?"' The result, how- 
 ever, was that the arrangements to remove were countermanded, 
 and the voyage to Holland abandoned. They were married soon 
 after, and slie went to reside Avith his father at Rosendale, until he 
 had finished his theological course and received license to preach the 
 Gospel. 
 
 He was ordained by the Coetus in 1757, and was the first minister 
 in the Dutch Church in America who had not been obliged to go to 
 Holland for the purpose of study, examination, and licensure. His 
 ministry at Raritan commenced on the 1st of May, 1758, where he 
 occupied the ample mansion which John Frelinghuysen had just 
 finished at the time of his decease, and w^hich he intended for a theo- 
 logical institution. Thus a few years brought the widow back again 
 to the scene of her first domestic enjoyments and trials, and placed 
 her in the circle of her first and best friends. In August of the 
 same year he Avas regularly installed as the pastor of the five united 
 congregations of Raritan, North-Branch, Bedminster, Millstone, and 
 New-Shannack. Here he labored diligently and acceptably in this 
 immense field until October, 17G1, Avhen Millstone and New-Shan- 
 nack separated, and called the Rev. John jNL Van Harlingen as their 
 l)astor, and Hardenbergh continued to preach to the other three. 
 
 In the mean time, during the years 1762 and 1763, or part of each, 
 he had made a voyage to Holland for the purpose of bringing over 
 the mother of his Avife, who, having become a widow, preferred to 
 migrate to America, that she might enjoy the society of her daugh- 
 ter, rather than remain in her loneliness in her native land. Tdat 
 he should do so, is said to have been one of the stipulations of tlie 
 
188 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 marriage contract. He was tlie first American minister who ap- 
 peared in Holland after the flames of the celebrated contest of Coe- 
 tus and Conferentie had been enkindled. He returned in safety, 
 having accomplished the design of his voyage, and gave the shelter 
 of his home ever after to his mother-in-law, who finally died at his 
 house at Raritan, where her remains repose. 
 
 Soon the memorable contest for independence commenced, and 
 during two winters the army of Washington was encamped within 
 the bounds of his pastoral charge. On the 26th of October, 1779, a 
 company of the Queen's Rangers, under the command of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Siracoe, made an incursion into Somerset County for the pur- 
 pose of burning some boats which had been transported from the 
 Delaware, and were lying in the Avater of the Raritan, near Van 
 Vechten's bridge, a few yards above the church ; and, not satisfied 
 with accomplishing successfully their object, also set fire to and 
 burned the church edifice to the ground. In the account which 
 Colonel Simcoe has given of this outrage he excuses the act, by say- 
 ing that the church had been made a depot of forage, and that a 
 rifle-shot was fired at the soldiers from the opposite side of the river. 
 The forage consisted of some roj^es and tackle — used in bringing the 
 boats from the Delaware — left outside of the church, and the shot 
 was from a young man who had been out shooting pigeons, and when 
 he saw the dragoons engaged in setting fire to the boats, from a dis- 
 tance of some two hundred yards, discharged his shot-gun to alarm 
 them, and then ran off" to escape pursuit. These facts we have learned 
 from an eye-witness, and they admit of no question. They leave 
 the barbarity of the action without excuse, to call down upon it the 
 indignation of all right-thinking men. From Raritan the Rangers 
 proceeded to Millstone, where they also burnt the court-house of 
 Somerset County ; but in the neighborhood of New-Brunswick they 
 Avere met by some militia, hastily drawn from that city, Avho shot 
 the horse of Colonel Simcoe, and made the colonel himself a prisoner, 
 his men escaping, by the fleetness of their horses, to South River, 
 Avhere an ambuscade had been prepai-ed to protect them by a column 
 of the British army under General Armstrong. This expedition is 
 spoken of by military men as one of the handsomest exploits of the 
 Avar. It Avas so, indeed ; pity that it should have been stained by 
 such a wanton act of barbarity as the burning of a house dedicated 
 to the Avorship of almighty God, when, according to all the testi- 
 mony of all the parties, there Avas not a human being near it Avhom, 
 as an enemy, it could have sheltered, and so provoked an attack. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 189 
 
 The effect was most disastrous to the cause of religion in this com- 
 munity, for, amid the pressure of tlie war, and the general derange- 
 ments of all civil affairs, it was several years before the people Avere 
 in a condition to provide themselves with another liouse of worship. 
 Indeed, it was not effected until after Mr. llardenbergh had closed 
 his labors at Raritan. 
 
 The ministry of Mr. llardenbergh at Raritan, embracing a period 
 of twenty-five years, furnished abundant and incontestable evidence 
 of his energy, his evangelical spirit, his uncompromising oj^position 
 to every form of evil, and his ardent love for the souls of men and 
 the glory of God. The church, however, although it gradually in- 
 creased in numbers and strength, does not appear at any time to 
 have enjoyed any special outpouring of the Holy Spirit. IIow could 
 it ? Such a state of things was not to be expected. The ministry of 
 Mr. Hardenbergh embraced the period of the Revolution — more nn- 
 favorable to spiritual religion than any other period since the first 
 settlements of the country. This great convulsion in the political 
 world shook the very foundations of society to their centre, gave a 
 loose rein to every immoral influence, and brought in a flood of 
 "wickedness, impiety, and intemperance into the laud. The records 
 of the church show in many places how impetnously it rolled on, and 
 how nobly the godly man struggled against it. More than one 
 solemn protest is recorded there against the increasing dissoluteness 
 of manners resulting from the war. It was strange enough, circum- 
 stanced as he Avas, in the very scene of action, armies marching fre- 
 quently, and sometimes encamping for months in the very heart of 
 his charge, that he was not entirely displaced and driven away — as 
 so many of his brethren were in other places even less exposed — and 
 that in such a state of things he should be able, by his prudence, to 
 escape unscathed amid the fire, lie was a devoted friend to the 
 jjopular cause, and took no pains to conceal his opinions. Says one 
 of his descendants: " I have heard my grandmother say, that during 
 that dark period, when the American army had retreated before 
 their enemies, and lay encamped in the county of Somerset, General 
 Washington was a frequent visitor at their house, and, when in the 
 neighborliood, made it his headquarters; that the old gentleman was 
 an ardent patriot, who took occasion frequently to stir up the people 
 from the pulpit; that the British general offered a reward of one hun- 
 dred pounds for his apprehension ; that he always slept witli a loaded 
 musket in his room, and Avas often obliged to leave his home with 
 arras in his hands, and roam about the country, to prevent being 
 
190 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 seized by tlie Tones. The old lady has told me that, out of six or 
 seven individuals who undertook his arrest, and offered to produce 
 him to the British general, every one had died within a few weeks 
 of each other — several of them by tlie small-pox. 
 
 But, besides all this, there was also a revolution in the church in 
 progress at the same time, the effect of which must have been, to some 
 extent, detrimental to the growth of practical piety. This contest is 
 known, in the history of the Reformed Dutch Church, as the dispute 
 between the Coetus and Conferentie, and its bitter fruits continued 
 until near the close of the ministry of Mr. Hardenbergh. In such a 
 state of things revivals of religion were out of the question, and it is 
 sufficient praise for Mr. Hardenbergh to be able to record his stead- 
 fast, unwearied, and onward course, increasing daily in the affections 
 of the people and in his power to do them good. Could any thing 
 more have been reasonably anticipated ? 
 
 In 1770, application was made to the governor of New-Jersey for 
 a charter of incorporation for a college and theological institution, to 
 be known as Queen's College. In effecting this object, Dr. Harden- 
 bergh (for he had now just received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
 from Princeton College) was chiefly instrumental. He was, at that 
 time, one of the most prominent and influential individuals named in 
 the grant and petition. To the presidency of this institution he was 
 imanimously elected by the trustees in l7S6. During the interven- 
 ing period, from the time of the granting of the charter, a professor 
 and tutor had been employed to teach the students that might at- 
 tend. But, for part of the time, New-Brunswick was occupied by 
 the British army, and I have seen an advertisement giving notice 
 that the exercises of the college would be continued at a private 
 house at the head of liaritan, during one of these years. 
 
 In 1781, Dr. Hardenbergh resigned his pastoral charge at Raritan, 
 and removed to Rosendale, and, while there, continued to serve the 
 church — known at present as Rochester — until, in consequence of 
 being chosen to the presidency of Queen's College, he removed to 
 New-Brunswick. The fact of his election to such a responsible 
 place is sufficient evidence of the estimation in which he was held in 
 the church, when it is recollected that there were such men as Laid- 
 lee, Westerlo, Meyer, and Romeyn to compete with. Considering 
 the deficiency in his early training, (to which reference has been 
 made,) it must have required no small share of industry, perseve- 
 rance, and mental power to win such a reputation and fit himself 
 for such a place, all the duties of which he pei'formed, with perhaps 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 191 
 
 a single assistant; so that lie was, in fact, a teacher of the whole cir- 
 cle of the sciences and liberal arts ! During the time of his presi- 
 dency he also served the church at New-Brunswick as pastor. The 
 labor of filling the two places must have been immense, aud it is 
 said to have been connected with the loss of his health and his 
 speedy dissolution, lie Avas spared only four years to devote him- 
 self to the interests of learning in an institution Avhich he had, as it 
 were, created by his personal influence and exertions. 
 
 But any notice of Dr. Ilardenbergh which should attempt to ac- 
 count for his usefulness and his success Avould be incomplete, if it 
 failed to recognize the fact that a large share of it was attributable 
 to the influence of his wife, Dinah Van Bergh. She was the daugh- 
 ter of Louis Van Bergh, a merchant of Amsterdam, who had accu- 
 mulated a large fortune in the East-India trade. She was born (says 
 one of her descendants) in a house on the Prince Graaft — an engraving 
 of which she brought with her and often showed — on the 10th of 
 February, 1725. Her father Avas a man of fashion and of pleasure, 
 devoting much of his time to the amusements of the day, and with- 
 out any special regard to religion. lie had but two children, both 
 daughters, one of whom died in early life. The survivor he intended 
 to educate and introduce into all the gayeties and fashion of the 
 luxurious metropolis, and her education certainly was superior. 
 Her mind was stored with all the solid parts of learning, and her 
 taste cultivated in an eminent degree. But Providence designed her 
 to move in a different sphere, and thwarted all his schemes. Her 
 religious impressions commenced as early as her fourteenth year, 
 and soon created, on her part, a strong disrelish for all amusements 
 and fashionable frivolity. On one occasion, she refused to attend the 
 dancing-school to Avhlch her father wished her to go. This so en- 
 raged him that he immediately ordered the carriage to be got up, 
 and took her there himself. She, however, persisted in refusing to 
 dance, aud as soon as he left hid herself behind the seats. This is 
 su])posed to have occurred when she was only fourteen years of age. 
 In her diary, however, she assigns the beginning of the year 1747, 
 when she was in her twenty-first year, as the time Avhen she decid- 
 edly and forever gave herself unto the Lord, to his service, and to 
 his people, to be his, and to live for him alone. It was in the middle 
 of the night — after twelve o'clock — when she had been engaged in 
 prayer, that she felt her heart drawn out to Christ. The promises 
 came home with power, and she took him to be her Saviour and Re- 
 deemer, and relied alone upon the merits of his blood to pardon all 
 
192 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 her sins and bring lier to God. *' Oh, how sweet," says she, " was the 
 happiness Avhich my soul then first knew, and how I longed to liave 
 all that which Avas old in me taken away, and to have more and 
 more of that which was new wrought in me by the Holy Ghost ; 
 and how I rejoiced in the fullness of the provisions of his gracious 
 covenant !" 
 
 The manuscript journal from which I have quoted, and which 
 now lies before me, consisting of sixty folio pages written in a small, 
 lady-like, and beautiful hand, furnishes abundant evidence of her 
 deep spiritual-mindedness and piety, as well as of her literary taste 
 and culture. It abounds with passages breathing the" most ardent 
 Christian love, the deepest sense of dependence, tlie strongest faith 
 in Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Saviour, and the most 
 earnest supplications for grace and strength. 
 
 She adverts to the enjoyment which she found in a little praying 
 circle of young females of her own age, and records many of the sub- 
 jects which they were accustomed to make a matter of special inter- 
 cession — the church, the interests of religion in her native land and in 
 the world, their country in war with France, Scotland, the English 
 Church in Amsterdam, the Stadtholder and Prince of Orange, the 
 Princess in her hour of peril. She records many special answers to 
 prayer, which she received, one of which I will relate in an abbreviat- 
 ed form. She was in the constant habit of making every thing which 
 concerned her a matter of intercourse with the Throne of Grace — 
 even her visits among her friends. On one occasion, she received an 
 invitation to spend some time with a Christian friend, in the city of 
 Rotterdam. She felt at first indisposed to accept, but afterward 
 thought that, in answer to prayer, she had received an invitation that 
 would result in good. She Avent, but was soon j^rostrated with a se- 
 vere illness, Avhich brought her very low, and continued for several 
 months. Her physician, whom she represents as an unbeliever in the 
 doctrine of a special providence, told her at last that her case Avas 
 hopeless, and intimated that she ought to abandon the idea of life, or 
 of returning again to her friends, and jDrepare for death. But at nightj 
 Avhen alone, she lifted up her heart to God, and thought she had an 
 intimation that on a certain day — the 16th of September — she Avould 
 leave her bed and become convalescent. She mentioned it to hsr in- 
 timate friend, and confidently trusted in God to bring it to pass. The 
 day came, and although previous to that morning she had been so 
 Aveak as to be unable to help herself from her bed to the sick-chair, 
 yet she arose, and Avith a little assistance Avalked several times across 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 193 
 
 tlie room, and was soon able to retuvn to licr father's house. The 
 circumstance Avas so striking, that it became the means of awaken- 
 ing and converting the unbelieving physician, for he felt that the 
 hand of God must have been in it. 
 
 One of the most remarkable features of her diary is the pleasure 
 Avliich she habitually expresses in the public worship of God. Several 
 individuals whose preaching she heard are named, but she styles 
 Dominie Temmink her dear and heart-loved father in the Gospel. She 
 seems to have been jieculiarly sensitive to the influence of the reli- 
 gious affections — a very woman Avith a heart gushing with feeling and 
 sensibility — a poetess in fact, not only in sentiment, but in practice. 
 Many of her poetic effusions were in existence among her descendants 
 long after her decease. A manuscript is spoken of as containing 
 poems which she composed after each of the visits which she received 
 from Mr. Frelinghuysen, before her marriage to him, with many 
 others, breathing out her religious affections, and commemorating the 
 various dealings of God with her soul. But the crowning virtue of 
 her character was the deeply spiritual nature of her piety. Slie drank 
 copiously at the fountain of love, and delighted to bask in the sun- 
 shine of the divine favor! To the close of her life, she Avas eminently 
 devotional, and habitually made the most ordinary occurrences of life 
 an occasion of 2)ious discourse. In the fields, every tree and shrub 
 and flower aftbrded an emblem of some gospel truth. In the spring, 
 the first floAvers Avere affectionately sent to her by her intimate 
 friends, and in the summer she seldom sat down Avith her needle, 
 Avithout having first gathered and placed before her a vase of floAV- 
 ers ; and then she Avould gaze upon them, drink in their fragrance, 
 spiritualize their beauties, and seem to be filled Avith an endless and 
 boundless admiration of their forms, their tints, and their aroma. 
 
 With such endowments of mind, and such rich experiences of the 
 influence of the Gospel, it is not strange that she should have been 
 regarded by the pious as a safe counselor in their various trials, and 
 that she should have been resorted to by so many for direction and 
 advice. It is said that Dr. Condit, during the time that she resided 
 in New-Brunswick, after the death of Dr. Ilardenbergh, seldom en- 
 tered his ])ulpit on a Sabbath morning Avitliout pausing for a mo- 
 ment at the pew of this excellent Avoman, to listen to a remark of en- 
 couragement or comfort, Avhich she Avas sure to have in store for 
 him ! She Avas, indeed, a Avoman eminent in her knoAvledge of experi- 
 mental godliness, and Avi.^e in si»iiitual things. Like Mary, slie de- 
 lighted to sit at the feet ol" Jesus. Like Hannah, she devoted allthat 
 
194 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 she had to the Lord. Like Harriet Newell, she forsook her home, 
 her native Land, the refinements of polished society, the pleasure of 
 literary culture, the fellowship of her church and her Christian com- 
 panions, and the instruction and care of her heart-loved, spiritual 
 father, and went forth as a missionary, the wife of a missionary, into 
 a distant, uncultivated, almost inicivilized land, never again to see 
 the faces of those she loved, or to feast her eyes with the beauty of 
 those pleasant faces upon which her heart dwelt with unmingled rap- 
 ture, or to commune with familiar friends, or repose under the shelter 
 of parental love. Noble woman ! Noble resolution, that could at- 
 tempt so much ! Noble piety, that could make such sacrifices for the 
 love of souls ! Nor did she, when they were made, repine in secret 
 at the experience of the painful reality. Her courage never forsook 
 her, her confidence in God never failed ; nor did she, in her exile, ever 
 *' cast one longing, lingering look behind. " She lived for the cause 
 which she had chosen, and died in the land of her adoption. 
 
 Now, have I not justified the opinion already expressed, that Dr. 
 Hardenbergh owed much of his success as a minister, and of the emi- 
 nence and usefulness to which he attained, to his wife. With such a 
 companion to counsel and stimulate him to activity, it was hardly 
 possible that he should be only an ordinary man. 
 
 In person. Dr. Hardenbergh was slender, but his appearance Avas 
 grave and dignified. His habit Avas consumptive, and he finally fell 
 a victim to a pulmonary afiection. Says one of his contemporaries ; 
 ' His mind was not only strong, but distinguished by the power of 
 nice discrimination. He was thoroughly read in theology, and pos- 
 sessed, besides, a large stock of general learning for the times ; and, to 
 crown the whole, he was distinguished for his jiiety. Wherever he 
 went a blessing attended his labors. As might be expected from 
 such endowments, he maintained a high standing in the ministry. 
 Large confidence was reposed in him, and his influence in the church 
 seemed scarcely to have a limit." The following tribute to Dr. Har- 
 denbergh is from an address delivered by Dr. Livingston at the com- 
 mencement of Queen's College, in September, 1810: "At the close of 
 the Revolutionary War, the trustees made some efiforts to revive it, 
 (Queen's College,) and called the Rev. Dr. Hardenbergh to be the 
 president. That great and good man, in his zeal for religion and 
 attachment to the Dutch Church, accepted the invitation. He devot- 
 ed his distinguished talents and precious life to the arduous task of 
 bringing the institution, still destitute of patronage, into the public 
 notice and successful operation. But the task was too severe. Un- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 195 
 
 der the additional weight of parochial duties, which at the same 
 time he sustained to this church, (New-Brunswick,) he gradually 
 wasted his strength, and sank under a burden too heavy for one 
 man, however fortified with genius or industry, to sustain." 
 
 On his tomb, in the city of New-Brunswick, the following inscrip- 
 tion has been placed : " Here lies the body of J. R. Hardenbergh, 
 D.D., late Pastor of this Church, who departed this life the 30th day 
 of October, 1*790, aged 52 years — months — days. He was a zealous 
 Preacher of the Gospel, and his life and conversation afforded, from 
 his earliest days, to all who knew him, a bright example of piety. He 
 was a steadfast Patriot, and in his public and private conduct he 
 manifested himself to be the enemy of tyranny and oppression, the 
 lover of freedom, and the friend of his country. He has gone to his 
 Lord and Redeemer, in whose atonement he confidently trusted. He 
 is gone to receive the fruits of his labors and the reward of a well- 
 spent life. Reader, while you lament the loss of society and his 
 friends, go walk in his virtuous footsteps, and Avhen you have finished 
 the work assigned you, you shall rest with him in eternal peace," 
 
 After the decease of her husband, Mrs. Hardenbergh made the 
 house of her youngest son her home, and her widowhood was pro- 
 tracted for seventeen years. A part of this time she spent at Rarltan, 
 amid the scenes of her early life, and the people who first Avelcomed 
 her when she came as a stranger in a strange land, and Avho always 
 cherished a deep respect for her character, and her many excellent 
 qualities ! Finally, however, she returned again to the city of Xew- 
 Brunswlck, and died in 1807, and her remains repose amid the honor- 
 ed dust in the crowded cemetery of the Reformed Dutch Church. 
 The monument dedicated to her memory contains the following in- 
 scription : " This monument is erected to the memory of Dinah Har- 
 denbergh, relict of the Rev. J. R. Hardenbergh, D.D., S.T.P. Of high 
 attainments here in grace, now resting in glory. Died the 2Gth day of 
 March, 1807, aged 81 years. 
 
 " Tell liow she climbed tlio everlasting hills. 
 Surveying all the realnia above ; 
 Borne on a strong-winged faith, and on 
 The fiery wheels of an immortal love." 
 
 The church of Raritan was vacant after the resignation of Dr. Har- 
 denbergh, In 1781, for the space of two and a half years, until the Rev, 
 Theodore Frelinglniysen Romeyn, the only child of Rev. Thomas 
 Romeyn and Margaretta Frelinghuysen, was called and took charge 
 of it in 1784. He was born on Long Island, in 1760, studied under 
 
196 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Dr. Livingston, and was licensed by a convention of ministers and 
 elders in 1783. He was a young man of talents, amiability, and great 
 promise — a warm-hearted, earnest preacher, and the impression which 
 he made upon the people of his cliarge remained long after his death. 
 We have a perfect recollection o£ more than one among the aged who 
 professed to have imbibed their first serious impressions from his ser- 
 mons; but his labors were brief, being included in a space of only 
 ten months. He died of fever, in August, 1785, and his remains were 
 deposited in the graveyard around the old church, on the banks of 
 the Raritan. But, iu 1826, they were disinterred, together with those 
 of Jolin Frelinghuysen, and deposited in the same tomb in wliich 
 John S. Vredenburgh had been buried. The monument is in good 
 preservation, and is known as "The Ministers' Tomb." The inscrip- 
 tion is in the following words : " This monument, erected by tlie Ra- 
 ritan congregation, to the memory of their three deceased pastors, 
 Avhose remains are here deposited." It then recites the inscription 
 given of Jolin FreliDghuysen, and then proceeds, " The Rev. Theo- 
 dorus Frelinghuysen llomeyn departed this life in August, 1785, aged 
 25 years. A short but fixitliful ministry; mysterious providence, that 
 one so useful, so filled with love to God and man, should be so early 
 taken ! It is the Lord." With him, the last descendant of Theodo- 
 rus J. Frelinghuysen, who devoted himself to the work of preaching 
 the Gospel, was no more. The piety of their great ancestor seems to 
 continue, but there is no one to take up the work since Romeyn laid 
 it down. 
 
 Almost immediately after the death of Rev. T. F. Romeyn, tlie 
 churches of Raritan and Bedminster called the Rev. John Duryea to 
 be their pastor. He was born on Long Island, in 1760, and received 
 his academical education at Hackensack, under Dr. Peter Wilson. He 
 studied theology under Dr. Livingston, and was licensed by the 
 General Synod, at an extra session, on May 18th, 1784, in New-York, 
 and accepted the call from Rai'itan, wliich had been given him, as the 
 7ninutes state, October 14th, 1785. The first minute of consistory after 
 his settlement is dated March 3d, 1786, and he continued to serve 
 the church until 1799, when he resigned his charge. 
 
 We have in our possession the original subscription whicli was cir- 
 culated by consistory to raise a salary for him, and we copy it as a 
 remnant of former times, certainly not unsuggestivo : " We, the sub- 
 scribers, members and others belonging to the Ref ' Dutch Church' of 
 Raritan, in order to obtain tlie privilege of having the Gospel preach- 
 ed among us, do promise to pay, or cause to be j^aid, unto the elders 
 
HISTOEICAL NOTES. ' 197 
 
 and deacons of the churcli, or tlieir successors in office, the sum an- 
 nexed to our respective names, at the expiration of every six months, 
 as a salary for the Rev. Johannes Duryea, in case he shall accept the 
 joint call of this congregation and the congregation of Bedminster, 
 and by Avhich call he shall be bound to perform two thirds of his ser- 
 vice atRaritan, and one third at Bedminster — and one-half of his ser- 
 vice in the Dutch, and the other half in the English language — the 
 salary to commence on his accepting the call ; as witness our hands 
 this 16th day of October, 1785. Signed, Richard Van Veghten, 7s. 
 6d. ; Fred. Ver Muel, 5s. ; Corn's Ver Muel, 5s. ; Edes Ver Muel, 5s. ; 
 Andries Cadmus, os. 9d. ; John Sebring, 3s. 9d. ; Jolm Sebring, Jr., 5s. ; 
 George Sebring, 3s. 9d. ; Michael Field, 3s. 9cl. ; Abraham Sebring, 3s. 
 9(1.; Pebe Freman, 3s. ; Whitehead Leonard, 3s. 9d. ; Garret Tunison, 
 7s. 6d. ; Henry Blackwell, Is. lOd. ; Archibald Campbell, Is. ; Thomas 
 Arrosmith, 3s. 9d. ; George Romer, Is. 6d. ; Ab'ra Tunison, Gs. ; Mary 
 Auten,ls. lOd. ; DanielWaldron, Is. lOd. ; Peter Harpending, 3s. 9d. ; 
 Leonard Smock, 3s. lOd.; Matthew Harrison, 5s.; Tobias Van Orden, 
 Os. ; Peter Van Norden, Is. lOd. ; Michael Van Norden, Is. lOd. ; John 
 Hutchins, Ss." This list does not embrace the names of the principal 
 families, or the wealthier portion of the congregation. Their sub- 
 scriptions must have been much more liberal to secure the object and 
 pay the stipend. 
 
 Upon the settlement of Mr. Duryea, the congregation immediately 
 ordered the repair of the parsonage, and then proceeded to provide 
 a house in which they might worship. On the 15th of June, 1784, at a 
 public meeting, it was resolved that we immediately proceed to build 
 a house for the public worship of Almighty God. On the 15th of 
 August following, it Avas reported that £195 Os. 6d., was subscribed in 
 order to have the church built at Somerset Court-House ; £177 7s. 6d> 
 to have it at Van Veghten's Bridge ; and £4 IBs. 6d., without designat- 
 ing any place. It was, therefore, resolved that the church be built 
 at Somerset Court-IIouse ; and Isaac Davis, Andreas Ten Eyclc, 
 Robert Bolmer, Jacobus Winterstein, Peter Harpending, and Samuel 
 Beekman were appointed to collect the subscriptions taken, and pay 
 them into the hands of Peter D. Vroom, the treasurer. Subsequently^ 
 Andreas Ten Eyck was api)ointed manager, and Rynier Voglite, 
 Ab'm Van Neste, Peter D. Vroom, John Hardenbergli, Robert Bol- 
 mer, and Jacobus Winterstein, a committee to superintend and assist. 
 Tiie building erected was of brick, 40 feet by GO, with a small cupola 
 and bell; probably the most commodious and cx])ensive church in the- 
 County of Soincrset at tliat lime. It Avas no HiiIl; praise for Mr. 
 13 
 
198 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Din-yca, that he had been able to succeed in accomplishing such an 
 object so soon after his settlement. 
 
 His miuistiy at Raritan was blessed in the beginning of it very- 
 much. The church increased from time to time by members on 
 confession and by certificate. But, in 1799, Mr. Duryea resigned his 
 charo-c. Dissatisfiiction had grown up. He was never a student, 
 and was accustomed to preach Avithout writing his sermons; and did 
 not satisfy the more intelligent portion of his people. But he was a 
 fyood man — loved to preach, and did preach, even in his old age. He 
 had his work in providence, and did it like a godly man. 
 
 The final arrangements with Mr. Duryea were effected on the 22d 
 of October, 1798. The consistory agreed to pay up all arrearages, 
 and allow him his salary until the 4th day of January, with the use of 
 the parsonage until May, 1799. He continued to serve the church of 
 Bedminster for another year, and also preached occasionally in the 
 vicinity of White House and Potters Town, in Hunterdon County. 
 Finally, he received a call from Fairfield, in Essex County, where he 
 resided for many years, until he died finally at the Notch, not far from 
 Little Falls, Essex County, in 1836. His remains rest in the cemetery 
 attached to the Presbyterian Church at Caldwell, Essex County, by 
 the side of his daughter, Mrs. Crane. He married late in life, and 
 left a widow surviving him. He had been without a pastoral charge 
 for many years, had given all his property to his children, and was 
 himself often in straitened circumstances, but never in want. The 
 Lord provided for him. 
 
 From May, 1799, until November, the church of Raritan was Avith- 
 out a pastor. On the 11th of that month, however, the congregation 
 met and resolved to offer a call to the Rev. John S. Vredenburgh. 
 On the 6th of February, 1800, it was executed and signed. This call 
 Mr. Vredenburgh accepted, and he was ordained in the cliurch of 
 Raritan, on the last Sabbath in June; and he continued in his charge 
 until October 4th, 1821, dying suddenly in a fit of epilepsy. 
 
 John Schureman Vredenburgh, son of Peter Vredenburgh and Mar- 
 caret Schureman, was born in the city of New-Brunswick, on the 20th 
 March 1776. He obtained his early education in his native city, and 
 graduated in Queens (now Rutgers) College in the class of 1794. He 
 served one year as clerk in a store. During this year his views and 
 feelino-s experienced an entire change, and he became, as he ever hope- 
 fully believed, a true Christian. Almost immediately he resolved to 
 devote himself to the work of preaching the Gospel, and soon com- 
 menced the study of divinity under Dr. Livingston. On the comple- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 199 
 
 lion of liis course, he received licensure from the classis of New-Bruns- 
 wick, at their spring session in 1800. lie soon attracted the atten- 
 tion of the cliurcli at Karitan, and after preaching for them received 
 tlieir call. In this connection he was happy and useful, leaving an 
 impression which survives in some freshness even until to-day. He was 
 a truly excellent man, devoted to his work, though retired and unob- 
 trusive. Every year witnessed to his faithfulness and success, by those 
 who, under his persuasions', renounced the world and made confession 
 of their failh. lie succeeded ingathering into his church a large body 
 of excellent and eminent men, such as seldom are found in any com- 
 munity; and the impression of his life and labors was extensive — in- 
 deed, almost all-pervading in the whole community. 
 
 We quote from a notice prepared by his daughter, Mrs. Woodward, 
 for Dr. Sprague: "About six years before his death, lie was induced 
 to add to his other labors the superintendence of the Somerville 
 Academy ; but this proved too great a tax upon his constitution, which 
 was naturally not very strong ; and very soon he Avas overtaken by 
 that fearful disease — epilepsy. Tiie fits occurred at intervals of from 
 three to six weeks, till within a year of his death ; and though the dis- 
 ease produced no visible eifect upon his mind, yet it had so far reduced 
 liis bodily strength and his ability to labor, that he felt constrained 
 to resign his pastoral charge. So strongly were his congregation at- 
 tached to him, however, and so highl}'- did they prize his ministrations, 
 that they declined to accept his resignation, preferring that he should 
 remain with them, and perform only as much service as his enfeebled 
 health would permit. During the last year of his life, the malady from 
 which he had been suffering was suspended, and, he had hoped, en- 
 tirely broken ; in consequence of which, he Avas enabled to prosecute 
 liis labors more vigorously than he had done in several precedin"- 
 years, lie had been engaged for three successive days, in company 
 with one of his elders, in visiting his flock; and his heart had been 
 greatly cheered, by finding not a few among them who were deeply 
 concerned in respect to their immortal interests; and this pi-oved to 
 be the commencement of a revival of great power, which, however, he 
 was not permitted to witness, unless it were from heaven. Returning 
 home much fatigued at the close of the third day, some apprehension 
 was expressed that he might have overtasked his strength; but he 
 replied with emphasis, that he was exceedingly anxious to finish 
 his visitation on that day; from which it was inferred, by some, that 
 he had a presentiment of his approaching dei)arture. After taking 
 leave of a foreign missionary (Rev. Mr. Harris) and his wife, (Miss 
 
200 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Laturette,) whom he had married a short lime before, lie conduLled his 
 family devotions, and then retired to rest. Just after he had fallen 
 asleep, his epileptic fits returned upon him -with unusual violence, 
 and by one o'clock the next morning he had breathed his last. His 
 death occurred on the 4th of October, 1821. The tidings took his 
 congregation by surprise, and overwhelmed them with sorrow. His 
 funeral sermon was preached to an immense congregation, by the 
 Rev. John Ludlow," one of the professors in the Theological Semi- 
 nary at New-Brunswick. 
 
 The wife of Mr. Vredenburgh was' Sarah Caldwell, daughter of the 
 Rev. James Caldwell, of Elizabeth, of Revolutionary fame, and they 
 were married on the 23d of April, 1 800. Mrs. Vredenburgh survived 
 her husband five years, and died in the city of New-Brunswick. She 
 was a woman of fine culture, eminent endowments, and a most sincere 
 and active Christian. They had eleven children, two sons and nine 
 daughters. The sons died young. The daughters married: one Rev. 
 Dr. Paynter, another Mr. Montgomery, another R. Van Pelt, another 
 Rev. Edgar Freeman, and perished with her husband in the Sepoy 
 war in India, another Mr. Woodward, another Mr. Van Pelt, and two 
 died in their early womanhood in New-Brunswick. 
 
 To the above tribute of a daughter's afiection we add part of a 
 letter from Dr. Ferris, of New-York, who in early life was an associate 
 of Mr. Vredenburgh as pastor in the same classis : " Mr. Vredenburgh 
 was rather below than above the medium stature, and firmly and 
 compactly built. You could not call him a handsome man, and yet 
 the expression of his countenance Avas both intellectual and benevo- 
 lent ; it was a mirror that reflected at once the sound, vigorous mind, 
 and the generous and confiding heart. And his character was just 
 what you could infer from his external appearance. His mind was 
 acute and discriminating, patient in its investigations, and careful in 
 its conclusions. Though he could not be called an eminent scholar, 
 Ills general acquirements were very respectable, and in theology ho 
 was deeply and thoroughly read, as was evident from the manner in 
 which he conducted the examinations of students who were candi- 
 dates for licensure. He possessed great kindliness of spirit; and while 
 he manifested this in all his intercourse, it was especially apparent in 
 his manner of treating young men. Such was the confidence which 
 our students reposed, not only in his kindness but his wisdom, that it 
 Avas not uncommon for them, when they were in difiiculty, to go out 
 to Somerville to solicit his counsel and aid ; and whatever it was in 
 his power to do for them, they were sure would be done. He was re- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 201 
 
 mavkablc for liis thoughtful regard for the interests of others. I be- 
 lieve he never lost an opportunity of doing good. 
 
 "As ^preacher, he held deservedly a high rank. His discourses were 
 full of well-digested evangelical thought, expressed in a simple, per- 
 spicuous, and correct style, but without any attempt of artificial orna- 
 ment. His manner was animated and earnest, though it varied in 
 tliis respect not a little with the changes in his physical condition, 
 llis preaching, without being of the most popular cast, was always ac- 
 ceptable ; and was most highlj' appreciated by the most intellectual 
 and pious portion of his hearers. It was rather of a revival cast, and 
 Avas very faithftd in its dealings with the consciences of sinners. 
 
 " He was distinguished by a profound knowledge of the principles 
 and workings of human nature; and yet, while he made good use of 
 his knowledge in both his public and private relations, it was accom- 
 panied with that perfect transpai'ency and guilelessness of spirit that 
 always kept it from being suspected of any purposes of a doubtful 
 nature. This ijeculiar quality was constantly manifested in his inter-, 
 course with his consistory; he had the faculty, without seeming to 
 exert any influence over them, to make them carry out his wishes to 
 the letter. This, too, was one of the qualities that made him a most 
 valuable member of a church court ; his influence in classis and synod 
 was scarcely exceeded by that of any of his contemporaries. He was 
 also one of the best pastors; his devotion to the interests of his flock 
 was untiring, and tlieir attachment to him and confidence in him 
 scarcely knew a limit. 
 
 "Mr. Vredenburgh's ministry had, literally, closed before its most 
 blessed results had begun to develop themselves. Shortly after his 
 decease, a revival of religion took place among his people, Avhich might 
 be considered the joint product of his life and his death. I visited the 
 congregation during this period, and conversed with many of the 
 anxious inquirers, and was struck with the fact that, wdiile they had 
 received their impressions under his ministry, they had been deepen- 
 ed and matured and developed by his deatli. Upward of three 
 hundred (344) made a public profession of their faith during that re- 
 vival, most of whom, no doubt, may be reckoned as gems in hisci'own 
 of rejoicing. 
 
 "]\[y <\\\tY would not be complete did I not call attention to the 
 fact that my excellent friend was blessed with a wife whose admi- 
 rable qualities aided him unusually in his work. Suttering, as he did, 
 from occasional attacks of illness, which for weeks would interruj)t liis 
 work, it was her habit to mingle much with the sick, the poor, and tiie 
 
2Q2 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 afflicted, and by counsel and prayer to make up for the want of his 
 services. For this she was remarkably qualified by education and 
 piety." She had a martyred mother ; and was a babe in her arms 
 wlien she was shot by a British soldier, after the battle of Springfield, 
 in a jirivate house, remote from the scene of strife and without any 
 justification whatever — in gratification of a deep feeling of malice 
 Avith Avhich, for interested reasons, the troops had been inspired. 
 
 " The revival spoken of Avas, in truth, one of the most blessed and re- 
 markable works of gi'ace of which we have any record. It took place 
 Avhile the church was without a pastor, and in its continuance and 
 progress depended for guidance very much upon the elders of the 
 church. They conducted the prayer-meetings, supplied the church 
 Avith the kind of preaching needed, and in Rev. Truman Osborn found 
 the very man required. He had a talent for exhortation, for conver- 
 sation with the anxious, for family visitation. He went from house to 
 house, and attended meetings for prayer and instruction, almost every 
 day. He seemed to understand just Avhat Avas to be done, and did 
 it, making liimself a blessing indeed to many." 
 
 Among its striking results were, not only the lai-ge number of 
 hopeful converts, but their consistency afterward. Only three gave 
 occasion of discipline, after uniting Avith the church ; and a very 
 large proportion lived and died in the exemplification of the better 
 and higher type of Christian character. Of the number given above, it 
 is also remarkable that 23 Avere colored persons, residing as servants 
 in the diiferent families of the congregation. Indeed, the number ot 
 colored people belonging to the church in Somerville at this time, and 
 for some years afterward, is too remarkable to be left in silence. On 
 one occasion, as the writer of this remembers perfectly, there came 
 08 such persons from the galleries and sat down at the Lord's table. 
 It Avas a custom in many of the households to have their servants al- 
 Avays present at family Avorship, and to insist on their constant attend- 
 ance on public Avorship on Sabbath day. The results noticed are, 
 therefore, only such as ought to have been expected from their train- 
 ing and example. 
 
 Mr. Vredenburgh's remains are covered by Avhat is known as "the 
 Ministers' Tomb" in the Raritan Cemetery, on Avhich is the following 
 inscription: "Rev. John S. Vredenburgh departed tliis life October 
 14th, 1821, aged 55 years, 6 months, and 24 days. He Avas prudent, 
 amiable, and devoted to the service of God. He labored successfully 
 in this gospel vineyard 21 years, sowing much seed and Avatering it 
 Avith tears. His Avork being finished, the Lord of the harvest came 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 203 
 
 and gatliered in many souls which will appear as his crownsof rejoic- 
 ing in tlie last great day. What I do ihou knowest not now, but 
 thou shalt know hereafter." 
 
 From October, 1821, until January, 182G, more than four'years, the 
 church remained vacant. On the 25th of that month, the candidate, 
 ]tichard D. Van Kleck, was conducted from New-Brunswick by two 
 of the elders, and welcomed to Somerville, after having accepted the 
 call. Pie continued to serve the church after his ordination, until tlie 
 5th day of August, 1831, Avhen, on account of ill-health, he resigned 
 his charge. 
 
 He was a native of Poughkeepsie; graduated at Union College Avith 
 honor in the class of 1S22. In the autumn of the same year, having 
 been a convert in the revival in the college in the winter of 1819 
 and 1820, he entered the Theological Seminary at ISTew-Brunswick, 
 and was licensed by the classis of New-Brunswick in May, 1825. It 
 was probably not wise in the congregation to call a young man, nor 
 prudent in him to accept their call. The duties of so large a charge 
 proved to be so exhausting, that his health soon began to suffer ; and, 
 not too soon to save a little remaining strength, he laid down the 
 onerous burden. He had, and left behind him, many warm friends; 
 but none of them could say that he had not done wisely. He went 
 to Basking Ridge and taught the academy, left vacant by the removal 
 of Dr. Brownlee to a professorship in Kutgers College. In 1834, he 
 assumed the pastorship of the church at Canajoharie, in the valley of 
 the Mohawk. The next year he served the churches of Berne and 
 Beaverdam, in the county of Albany. In 1843, he became principal of 
 Erasmus Hall Academy, in the village of Flatbush, Long Island. In 
 1860, he went to Jersey City and taught a jirivate classical school, and 
 closed his life there May 2'7th, 1870. 
 
 Mr. Van Kleck was an accurate classical scholar, a man of literary 
 culture, a good preacher, a gentleman; and in social life, genial, con- 
 fiding, and agreeable. He had made many friends, and died generally 
 lamented. He married, soon after his settlement at Somerville, Sarah 
 Johanna JMellison, of New-Brunswick. One of their daughters became 
 the wife of Kev. Mr. MacNair. The widow resides in Jersey City. 
 His remains were interred in Bayside Cemetery, at Communipaw, 
 Bergen County, and on his tomb is inscribed: "To the memory of 
 Kev. Richard D. Van Kleck, born October 30th, 1804, and died May 
 27th, 1870. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Yea, saith 
 the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do 
 follow them." 
 
204 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 In 1832, the present pastor was called, and began his labors no 
 Sabbath, the 29th of October. He has been with his jieople in weak- 
 ness and in strength ; and his labor has not been in vain in the 
 Lord ; and to God's name and grace be ascribed the glory. A pastorate 
 embracing forty years is as much an honor to the people as to the 
 laboi'er himself. No church, except one that is well ordered and 
 that loves the Gospel, can possibly be satisfied with any one man so 
 many years. 
 
 We append a list of the young men who have entered the ministry 
 from the church of Raritan: John Leydt, 1745; Ferdinandus Fre- 
 linghuysen, 1753 ; EliasVanBenschoten, 1769 ; Matthew Leydt, 1778 ; 
 Isaac Blauvelt, ditto; Rynier Van Nest, 1786; Conradt Ten Eyck, 
 1788 ; Jehiel Talmage, 1803 ; Isaac N. Wykoff, 1814 ; Brogun Huff, 
 ditto; Jonathan Ford Morris, 1819; Ferdinand Vanderveei', 1820; 
 Frederick F. Cornell, 1822; Garret J. Garretson, ditto; James R. 
 Talmage, 1822; Alexander M. Mann, ditto; Abraham XL Dumont, 
 1823 ; Hugh G. Hedges, 1839, died just before receiving licensure; 
 John A. Todd, 1840 ; John Steele, 1842 ; George J. Van Neste, 1842 ; 
 John Gaston, 1843 ; Nathaniel Conklin, 1843 ; and Augustus F. Todd, 
 1843, These dates mark the time when they united with the church. 
 
 NEW-BRUNSWICK: THE CHURCH OF THE RIVER AND 
 LAWRENCE'S BROOK. 
 
 The church of New-Brunswick is properly the successor of the old 
 church of Three-Mile Run. For some time after it came into exist- 
 ence it Avas called the "Church of the River and Lawrence's Brook," 
 
 The time when the settlements began in New-Brunswick and its 
 vicinity is fixed by the dates of the land titles. John Inians & Co. 
 obtained a title to 10,000 acres of land, in June, 1781, at a place 
 called by the Indians Ahanderhamock. November 10th, 1681, Inians 
 secured a title for himself to 1280 acres of this tract, joining immedi- 
 ately on the river. This purchase included the land on which the 
 city of New-Brunswick was subsequently built. The first settlers 
 are known to have come almost immediately after this date. They 
 arrived (at least some of the first of them) as early as 1684. Several 
 of them were Hollanders, or descendants of Hollanders ; as, for 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 205 
 
 instance, IToiuli-ick Vroom, at the landing, George Andersen, Jacob 
 Probasco, Nicholas Van Diiyn, and others. Some were of Huguenot 
 origin, as indicated by such names as La Priere, De Peyster, Rap- 
 palje. La Montes, Montfort, Fanger, Le Queer, La Montague. 
 
 John Inians and wife obtained a license to ferry passengers over 
 the river December 2d, 1697, paying an annual rent of five sliillings 
 sterling. This ferry, known long afterward as "Inians's Ferry," was 
 in connection with one of the two earliest roads across the State, and 
 at first this road was only a bridle-path. The other road ran from 
 Amboy to Bordentown. Besides Inians, there were, soon after the 
 above date, others who settled near him. 
 
 Tiie first house for the worship of God in the county of Somerset 
 was built on " the old burying-ground," on the road to Six-Mile Run, 
 about a mile and a half beyond the present limits of the city of New- 
 Brunswick, and was known as the " Church at Three-Mile Run."* 
 The date of the building and the organization of the church are not 
 known. All the records, if there ever were any, have perished. Its 
 form and appearance are also unknown, except from tradition. Some 
 remnants of its foundation were visible a few years since. It stood, 
 however, more than sixty years, and is said to have been at last 
 destroyed by the British troops during the war of the Revolution. 
 It was never finished, and is spoken of in 1729 as being in such a 
 state as to render it questionable whether it could be i;sed for reli- 
 gious worsliip. The prominent elders of this organization seem to 
 have been Ilendrick Vroom and Frederik Van Lieuwen. 
 
 The earliest record referring to religious Avorship is in a subscrip- 
 tion list, recently discovered by Ralf Voorhees, Esq., of Middlobush, 
 on which are the following names, namely : Dollius Ilageman, Teunis 
 Quick, Hend. Emans, Thos. Cort, Jacobus Probasco, Neclas WyckofF, 
 Michael L. ]\[oor, John Sohcdeman, Neclas Van Dyke, John Van 
 Ilouten, William Bennet, Folkerd Van Nostrand, Jacobus Bennet, 
 Ilendrik Fanger, Abram Bennet, Cornelius Petersen, Philip Folker- 
 sen, Dave L. Draver, George Anderson, Stobel Probasco, Isaac L 
 Priere, Simon Van AVinkelen, Cobus Benat, Garret Oatman, Lucas 
 Covert, Brogun Covert, William Van Duyn, Dennis VanDuyn, John 
 Folkerscn, and Jost Benat. Tiiis subscription is dated l703,and the 
 amount is £10 IGs. Gd. The object was to procure a minister from 
 Holland to preach the Gospel to them. In addition to these names, 
 
 * On the road from Inians's Ferry to Trenton, called the Kinjj's IIi;i:hway, there 
 were rivulets called the Mile Run, Three-Mile Run, Six-Mile Run, Ten-Mile Run, 
 each so many miles from the river, and crossing the road. 
 
206 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 at an early day we find the otliers, as Enoch Frclandt, John Van 
 Nnise, Johannes StoothofF, Gose Vandenbergh, Roelef Sebring, Hen- 
 drik Bries, Martin Salem, Jacobus Ouke, Coert Van Voorhees, Roelef 
 Voorhees, Isaac Van Dyke, Laurence Williamse, Peter Kinne, Steven 
 Philips, Siba Mart, Cornelius Solems, Hendrik Vroom, and others. 
 
 In the mean time the settlement around " Inians's Ferry " had begun 
 to increase into a town, and created a necessity for some place of 
 Avorship for the families residing there. Accordingly, instead of 
 finishing the old church at Three-Mile Run, they bent their energies to 
 the erection of a new church in the town. The house was built, 
 according to an old map of the city of New-Brunswick, previous to 
 the year 1717. Dr. Steele thinks there is reason for believing it was 
 as early as 1714. It stood on the corner of Burnet and Schureman 
 streets. The building fronted the river, and occupied the corner lot. 
 It was a wooden structure, 50 feet in front and 40 feet in depth. 
 There were seven pews on each side of the pulpit, and eight along 
 the middle aisle — in all fifty pews, capable of seating 300 persons. It 
 was only completed after standing several years, and the people 
 worshiped in it for fifty years or more. 
 
 The project of transferring the worship from Three-Mile Pun to 
 the town on the river, did not proceed, however, without opposition, 
 The old congregation was reluctant to part with its members who 
 lived east and northeast of the church ; and some of the people west 
 of the church also resisted it. Several public meetings of the people 
 Avere held to discuss the matter, but on the 12th of April, 171 7, a 
 decision was reached. It was recorded in the following words : " In 
 order to ^^I'event disturbance and contention, and thereby establish 
 peace in the church," the following plan was harmoniously agreed to : 
 "That the church built near Abraham Bennet's — the Three-Mile Run 
 church — shall be considered as belonging to the church of Lawrence's 
 Brook and on the river, and that the members of the congregation 
 residing in the neighborhood of Six and Ten-Mile Run shall also 
 build a church for themselves at either of these places, or at some 
 point intervening, as they may agree." It was also determined that 
 "the church in the town and at Three-Mile-Run shall each have a con- 
 sistory, who shall cooperate with each other, and, notwithstanding 
 there are two places of worship, the two congregations shall form 
 one church ; and in matters of great importance the two consistories 
 shall meet as one body, and transact such business as may come 
 before them for the establishment of the Christian cliurch." This 
 was evidently an arrangement made with reference to the feelings of 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 207 
 
 the older members, and ceased in time, all the regular services being 
 transferred to tlie church in town. This arrangement was in existence 
 during the first part of T. J. Frelingliuysen's ministry. 
 
 Roelef Sebring was appointed elder for the new congi-egation, 
 Ilendrik Bries, and Roelef Lucas, (Voorhees,) deacons ; and this num- 
 ber was increased afterwards to three elders and tliree deacons, namely, 
 Aart Aartsen, Isaac Van Dyke, Roelef Sebring, elders, and Johannes 
 Folkersen, Ilendrik Bries, and Roelef Lucas, (Voorhees,) deacons. At 
 tlie same time, in furtherance of the agreement referred to, Peter 
 Kinne Avas appointed elder for the church at Six-Mile Run, and Elbert 
 StoothofF deacon, and that church became a distinct organization. 
 
 Now, it certainly will aj^pear not a little remarkable that all these 
 things were transacted, and yet there are no documents whatever 
 showing what religious services were held in these churches, or who 
 conducted them. There were religious services, unquestionably, for 
 children were baptized and the holy sacrament administered in all 
 the three churches. The first register at New-Brunswick is dated 
 August 14th, 1717, when three children were baptized, namely, Eliza- 
 beth, daughter of Johannes Stoothoff", Cornelius, son of Martin Salem, 
 and John, son of Jacob Ouke ; and in the three succeeding years 
 there were twenty-nine children admitted to the ordinance of baptism. 
 All this was before the settlement of Frelinghuysen. 
 
 "VVe can only speak from probabilities when we say that the settle- 
 ments in Somerset County, being mostly formed from Long Island, 
 must have been supplied in some way with occasional services by the 
 ministers from the same place. That these ministers exercised an 
 influence in these churches is shown in various Avays. They were 
 consulted, they advised, their peculiar sentiments had representa- 
 tives, and Bernardus Freeman Avas the agent in having Frelinghuy- 
 sen's call made out and sent to Holland. If their handwriting could 
 be compared with the baptismal records, it is not improbable Ave 
 should be able to ascertain who made them, and so arrive at dates 
 Avhen they supplied the churches; and this may yet be done. 
 
 The following is a list of the families composing the Church of the 
 River and Lawrence's Brook in 1717. It is preserved as being the 
 ?iz«'/e?<sof theXew-BrunsAvick church at an early day, and is extracted 
 from the appendix of Dr. Steel's historical discourse, to Avhich also 
 Ave owe most of the foregoing particulars. It is as follows : 
 
 " Adriuen Bennet and Angenietie his Avife; Aart Aartsen and Elisa- 
 bet ditto ; Isaac Van Dyke and Barbera ditto; Roelef Sebring and 
 Christyn ditto; Johannes Folkertsen and Angenietie ditto ; Ileudrick 
 
.208 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 Bries and Henne ditto; Roelef Van Voorhees and Helena ditto; 
 Laurens Williamse and Saara ditto; Roelef ISTevius and Katalyna 
 ditto; John Van Voorhees and Neeltie ditto; Minne V. Voorhees 
 and Antie ; Samuel Montfort, Maria Frelanth, Jacobus Oiikee and 
 Henne his wife ; Johannes Stoothoff and Neetie ditto ; Abraham 
 Bennet and Jannetie ditto ; Elizabeth Bries, Jakis Fontyn and 
 Annike his Avife ; Siarls (Charles) Fontyn and Helena ditto ; Annatie 
 Folkersen, Jacobus Buys and Mavietie his wife; Niccklas Bason; 
 Hendrick Meech and Anna Madeline his wife; Bernardus Knetorand 
 Elizabeth his wife ; Johannes Metselaer, Guertie Smock, Elizabeth 
 Smock, Christofel Van Arsdalen and Madaleentie his wife ; Jakob 
 Korse and Adriaantie ditto; Katrina Boyd, Cornelius Sudam and 
 Maritie his wife ; Josis Anderse and Jacomendie ditto ; Jan Aten, 
 Thomas Aten and Elsie his wife ; Thomas Davidts and Annatie ditto ; 
 Helena Hogelandt, Willem Klaasen and Marijahis wife ; Maregeretie 
 Keynierse, Thomas Bonsoman and Neeltie his wife; Marten Vander 
 Hoeve, William Moor, Andries Wortman and Jannetie his wife; 
 Johannes Koevert and Jannitie ditto ; and Barbara Janse." 
 
 Of the above names thirty-three are males and heads of families, 
 and there is a double interest in T*ecording them. It not only indi- 
 cates Avhat a resjjectable number had already been connected with the 
 church, and so is a j:)roof of the jiiety and the religious character of 
 our forefothers, but it indicates when the original ancestors of the 
 present living families came and made the counties of Somerset and 
 Middlesex their permanent home. Whatever praise may be justly 
 accorded to Theodorus J. Frelinghuysen for his energy and perse- 
 verance, it is certain there were Christians in these churches before 
 his day. Tlie foundations, at least, had ali-eady been laid. 
 
 In 1 Vis, (it must have been at least as eai-ly as this date,) a call was 
 sent to Holland by Rev. Bernardus Freeman, of Long Island, from 
 the four united congregations of Three-Mile Run, Six-Mile Run, 
 Raritan, and North-Branch, which, after being approved by the 
 Classis of Amsterdam, was expected to be put in the hands of such a 
 man as they might think pi'oper, and then he was to be ordained and 
 sent over to his pastoral charge. This call was put in the hands of 
 Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen, and accepted. Pie arrived 
 in New- York the last days of December, 1Y19, or the first days of 
 January, 1720, and early in Februaiy came to the vicinity of Three- 
 Mile Run, and resided in the family of Hendrik Reyniersz. He 
 brought Avith him Jacobus Schureman, who was expected to act as 
 " Voorleeser," or chorister and schoolmaster. He was at the same 
 
jaiSTOEICAL NOTES. 209 
 
 time friend and coraj)anion, and being, like Mr. Frelingliuysen, un- 
 married, they boarded in the same house. We refer our readers to 
 Avhat is contained in tliese notes under the title Raritan, for a full 
 account of Mr. Freliiighuysen's character and mlnistr}-, and there- 
 fore proceed with other important matters. 
 
 In 1729, an effort was made by certain persons in tlie vicinity of 
 Tliree-Mile Run and Six-Mile Run, apparently from dissatisfaction 
 Avith the minister and tlie existing condition of things, to procure 
 another preacher from Holland — whether to preach in the same 
 churches or not, does not appear. The old church-building at Three- 
 Mile Run is referred to as being in a state in Avhich it was doubtful 
 Avhether it was fit to hold service in, and in case it should not be eli- 
 gible, ITendrik Vroom and Frederik Van Lieuw Avere appointed a 
 committee to erect a new house, near the residence of John Pittenger. 
 The subscription paper is still in existence. We give the names on 
 it as representing "^/«e o^(? Conferentie families'''' in the vicinity at 
 that time. They are : A. Cooram, Simon Wyckoff, Dennis Van Duyn, 
 Leonard Smock, Corn's Peterson, George Andersen, William Van 
 Duyn, Jacobus Boise, Hendrik Smock, Christopher Probasco, William 
 KouenhoA^en, Jacobus Bennet, Peter Bodine, Gideon Marlat, William 
 Rennet, Paul Le Boyton, Francis Harrison, Abram Bennet, Isaac Le 
 Queer, Jacobus Bennet, oSTiclas Dailey, Adrian Ilardenbrook, Luke 
 Coevert, and Jacob Probasco. The committee appointed to procure 
 the minister Avere Ilendrik Vroom and Fredrik Van Lieuw. This 
 effort Avas made probably in concert with other persons in the other 
 congregations, but Ave have no documents in proof of tliis, or how it 
 eventuated. Tlie call probably Avas never sent to Holland. It was 
 an irregular proceeding entirely'. 
 
 In 1730, tlie church in the town received an important addition to 
 its strength in an emigration from Albany. A number of lamilies 
 came, bringing their materials for building with them, and settled in 
 •Avhat is yet Albany street, New-Brunswick. Among them Avere the 
 following : Abraham Schuyler, Ilendrik Van Deursen, Dirk Van 
 Veghten, Abraham Schuyler, John Ten Broek, Nicholas Van Dyke, 
 and Dirk Van Alen. They all remained, and became permanent 
 residents, excepting Dirk Van Veghten, Avho Avcntsoon and purchased 
 land on the Raritan, below Somerville, Avliere his descendants long 
 resided. 
 
 In 1734, the same individuals probably who had attempted to make 
 out a call for a new minister had a new consistory appointed among 
 themselves, and ordained by liev. A^incentius Antonidcs, of Long 
 
210 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Island, consisting of Simon Wyckoff and Hendrik Vrooni as elders, 
 and Simon Van Winklen and Dennis Van Duyn as deacons. This 
 movement again was made in concert with the malcontents in the 
 other congregations. Indeed, a consistory for North-Branch, it would 
 seem,' was appointed and ordained at the same time and place, con- 
 sisting of Daniel Seebring and Peter Kinne, elders, and William 
 Ross and Francis Waldron, deacons. At a later day, Rev. Johannes 
 Ai'ondins had himself installed in these congregations, contrary to 
 all order and propriety, by Fryenmort. 
 
 On the 20th November, 1739, Whitefield preached to a very large 
 concourse of people in the city of New-Brunswick, gathered from all 
 the surrounding country. In his journal he notices the presence of 
 T. J. Frelinghuysen, pastor of a congregation about four miles dis- 
 tant, apparently ignorant of the nature of his combined charge, and 
 of the existence of any other churches over which he exercised a pas- 
 toral care ; and yet he had, we think, already preached at Basking- 
 ridge and Bound Brook. Frelinghuysen was evidently at one with 
 "Whitefield in all his views on jDractical religion, and prepared 
 earnestly to second his efforts to introduce a higher and more spiritual 
 form of Christianity than that which prevailed in the churches at 
 that time. Both were far in advance of their time in the earnestness 
 and devotion of a true Christian spirit, and fully prepared to 
 cooperate in extending it among all the churches. They met, and 
 at once recognized each the other as having drank in from the same 
 fountain. 
 
 From this time onward Mr. Frelinghuysen seems to have had more 
 quietness and acceptance than at first. Tlie great work which he 
 had done testified of him. The number received into the church by 
 the records was about 60. This is more than one from each family. 
 The largest accession was in 1741, when there were 22 added to his 
 church. This was after Whitefield's visit. Dr. Steele is persuaded 
 the list is incomplete, and Ave can say the same thing of that of Ra- 
 ritan. He had done a noble work, and was ready to lay down his 
 armor whenever called. He continued to Avork as faithfully as ever 
 for at least seven years after the last date given, and then he Avent 
 to his rest, in the fifty-seventh year of his age, if the year of his birth 
 (1691) is given correctly. We believe, in fact, that he Avas older than 
 nineteen years Avhen lie came from Holland, and so this date must be 
 incorrect by at least four or five years. 
 
 There appears to have been too many things done by him before 
 his immigration to admit of the supposition that he arrived here a 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 211 
 
 mere boy yet in liis teens. He liad been rector of the academy at 
 Embden, in East-Frieslar.d, liad published a catechism, and acquired a 
 characterTor piety and decision, before he came to America, hardly 
 consistent for a boy. We would sooner believe he was twenty-nine 
 than nineteen, therefore, Avhen he appeared here on the stage of ac- 
 tion ; and is it not singular at least that the date of liis death is 
 also undecided, and only approximately known? The evidence is 
 this : 
 
 Theodorus J. Frelinghuysen must have died previous to September 
 27th, 1748. lie is mentioned as being absent that year from tlie con- 
 vention in New-York. The elder from his charge who was there (Ilen- 
 drik Fisher), urged the licensure of Johannes Leydt, in order that the 
 vacant congregation at New-Brunswick might call him. The con- 
 vention manifested a favorable disposition, as if they sympathized 
 with the people, and after a full examination licensed Leydt. Now 
 this could not have been the case unless the vacancy'- mentioned had 
 been made by the death of the previous pastor. Verbycli, who was 
 also licensed, it would seem, had been one of his students. This is 
 the nearest approximation to the time of his death now possible. 
 Some document yet unknown may, however, determine it hereafter. 
 
 Again, the same date (namely, September 27th, 1748,) we find in 
 another connection the following record : " At this time Henry Fisher, 
 , ruling elders of the congregations of New-Brunswick and Six- 
 Mile Run, came before us with a call from both these congregations, 
 upon John Leydt, a candidate for the ministry, to be their minister, 
 in order that the Kev. Assembly might inspect the same, and, finding 
 it in due form, might approve it ; and that the said John Leydt might 
 be admitted to the final examination by the Coetus, Avhich is specially 
 authorized to do this by the Classis of Amsterdam, and, if found 
 qualified, be approved by the Coetus as the lawfully called minister 
 of New-Brunswick and Six-Mile Run, and be declared as such by 
 written testimonials to all whom it may concern." This again is 
 proof that Frelinghuysen must have been dead at least some time 
 before this. 
 
 It is added : " The Assembly, having examined the aforesaid call 
 and found it in due form, liavc taken tiie said John Leydt, presenting 
 himself for examination, into trial of his gifts upon John 5 : 25, which 
 had been previously assigned to liim, and have been fully satisfied. 
 And into the inquiry into his knowledge of the principal parts of 
 holy theology, he has shown liimself so skilled, and so ready in 
 removing the subterfuges and difliculties of them that are without, 
 
212 HISTOEICAL NOTES, 
 
 that the Kov. Assembly have found him mighty to convince by soi;ncl 
 doctrine and to overthrow the gainsaycrs. Wherefore the Rev. 
 Assembly hold and recognize the godly and learned John Leydt, 
 after he has subscribed both the Low Dutch Confession, the Christian 
 Catechism, and the Canons of the National Synod of Dort, and also 
 the rules of the Coetus as subordinate to the Classis of Amsterdam, 
 by this their written declaration, to be lawfully called pastor and 
 teacher of the Low Dutch Reformed congregations of New-Brunswick 
 and Six-Mile Run, and thus fully authorized to preach the Gospel, 
 to administer the sacraments, and wisely and prudently to govern, 
 according to the word of God, the congregations of which the Holy 
 Ghost has made him, along with the elders thereof, an overseer. 
 While we earnestly exhort him, when he shall be publicly confirmed 
 and installed in his congregations, habitually to watch over the same 
 in doctrine and life, with all love, and i3eace, and harmony, we will 
 not doubt that he will apply himself to become, in every respect, 
 approved of God as ' a workman who needs not be ashamed,' doing 
 the work of an evangelist, and of whatever service his congregations 
 may require, 
 
 " Wherefore we none the less entreat his congregations, who have 
 liim for their pastor and teacher, to hold him in honor as such, for 
 his work's sake ; and in every thing to help him, so that he may 
 accomplish his important ministry in the Gospel, unhindered and 
 Avith joy. 
 
 " The almighty God, who has called him to this excellent work iu 
 his church, enrich him more and more with all the necessary gifts of 
 his holy Spirit, and bless his abundant labors to the magnifying of 
 his holy name, and the conversion and salvation of many souls. And 
 when the chief Shepherd shall appear, may he give him the eternal 
 crown of unfading greatness. 
 
 "Done in our Ecclesiastical Assembly, subordinate to the Rev. 
 
 Classis of Amsterdam, this day, at New- York, Sept. 28th, 1748. In 
 
 tlie name and by order of all, 
 
 " Gerard IlAAGnoRT, Pres. 
 
 " G. Dubois, Clerk Extraordinary.''^ 
 
 Thus, Frelinghuysen having rested from his labors, his successor 
 had assumed tlie responsibiUties of the position and labors. 
 
 The Rev. John Leydt, thus formally called and settled iu the con- 
 gregations of New-Brunswick and Six-Mile Run, was, in his day, a 
 })rominent actor in the affairs of all the churches. lie was by birth a 
 Hollander, and educated at one of her universities. He came to New- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES, 213 
 
 Nellierland witli an elder brother, and settled at first in the vicinity of 
 Fishkill, Dutchess County, N. Y. On coming to New-Brunswick, the 
 consistory prepared a parsonage for him and fifty acres ot'Iand near 
 Tliree-Mile Run. The property is now in possession of Mr. Isaac 
 Pamyea. He resided here during all tlie time of liis ministry, extend- 
 ing to thirty-five years. The house in which he lived is yet stand- 
 ing. He left two sons, both of whom graduated at Queen's Col- 
 lege, and were licensed and ordained. Matthew, the elder, was 
 pastor of the Dutch churches in Bucks County, Pa. He died eai-ly, 
 and his remains were interred at a place called "The Buck," within 
 the bounds of his pastoral charge. The monument erected to his 
 memory is inscribed, " In memory of Rev. Matthew Leydt, who died 
 Nov. 24th, 1783, aged twenty-nine years." 
 
 Peter, the younger, was settled at Ramapough, New-Jersey, and 
 soon also departed this life. He was buried in the family cemetery 
 of Andrew Hopper, on the margin of the Rarnapo River. His monu- 
 ment is inscribed, "In memory of Rev. Peter Leydt, who was born 
 Nov. 6th, 1763, and departed this life 12th June, l796." Both were 
 promising young ministers, but cut off in their early youth. 
 
 Tlieir father, Johannes Leydt, preceded his son Matthew a few 
 months, <iying suddenly, June 2d, 1783. His remains were deposited 
 in the old burying-ground of Three-Mile Run, near what had been 
 his life's residence. The grave is immediately in front of the gate, 
 and his wife, Treyntije Sleight, lies beside him. She died Dec. 2d, 
 1763, and beside her two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, also sleep 
 in death. Dr. Steele has a full account of John Lej^dt, the best and 
 most complete ever jDrepared. We can only refer our readers to it, 
 and say briefly he was one of the most active and energetic ministers 
 of his time. He published several pamphlets on the questions of the 
 day, but they seem to be lost. His ministry in Somerset was greatly 
 blessed by numerous accessions to his churches, and the general edifi- 
 cation of the body of Christ. 
 
 Mr. Leydt's successor in the pastorale of New-Brunswick (Six- 
 Mile Run having united with Millstone in calling the Rev. John M. 
 Van Harlingen) was Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, D.D., who was, at 
 tlie same time, president of Queen's College. His call bears date 
 October, 1785, but he did not conimence his pastorate in the church 
 until April (u- May, 1786, He died of pulmonary disease on the 20th 
 October, 1790. (For an account of him see notes on Raritan, page 
 14 
 
214 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 1850.) He was succeeded, August 24th, 1793, by Ira Condict, D.D., 
 who died June 1st, 1811. 
 
 "Ira Condict, D.D.,* was one of the worthies of our church, not a 
 native, but one of the truest sons by adoption. He was born at Orange, 
 N. J., February 21st, 1764, the son of Daniel and Ruth (Harrison) 
 Condict. He graduated at Princeton College, 1784; taught school 
 for several years at Freehold, in Monmouth County, N. J,, and at the 
 same time studied theology with Dr. John Woodhul; was licensed 
 by the Presbytery of New-Brunswick, April, 1786, and the next year 
 was ordained as pastor of the churches of Newton, Hardwick, and 
 Shappenack, N. J. He accepted the call from New-Brunswick in 
 tlie autumn of 1793, In 1808 he was elected vice-president of Queen's 
 College, iinder Dr. Livingston as president, but virtually had the 
 control of the institution entirely given to hira until the time of liis 
 death, Avhich, unfortunately for his cliurch and the college, occurred 
 on June 1st, 1811. He preached the last sermon in the old church, 
 saw it demolished, but in two weeks, on the Sabbath day, he wms 
 buried. Thus tlie smitten congregation Avere left without a church and 
 without a pastor, in a very brief space of time. The sorrow occasioned 
 by his death was overwlielming." 
 
 Dr. Cannon says of him.: "He had a strong and athletic frame, 
 was considerably above the medium height, liad dark hair and 
 eyes, with an expression of countenance which indicated what he 
 really possessed — a masculine, vigorous intellect. The portrait of Dr. 
 Bates, the celebrated nonconformist English minister, as it is given 
 in his works, is so much like Dr. Condict, that you would suppose he 
 might have been Bates's son. 
 
 " In his general intercourse with society, lie was more than com- 
 monly reserved, . . but Avith his intimate friends lie would unbend 
 in cheerful conversation, though even with them lie never offended 
 the most strict ministerial decorum. 
 
 " As a preacher. Dr. Condict never had any remarkable popularity, in 
 tlie sense of being run after by the multitude ; but he had a testimonj'- 
 in the conscience of his hearers to the fidelity and fearlessness witli 
 which he delivered his message. His preaching embraced all the 
 great truths of the Gosj>el, but it had, perliaps, more to do with tlie 
 law and its penalty than Avith those themes which may be considered 
 as peculiaily evangelical. He was rather an awakening than a com- 
 
 * We quote from Sprague's Annals. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 215 
 
 fortlng preacher. He dwelt much on tlie importance of a deep reli- 
 o-ious experience ; but perhaps was not accustomed to go into a rigid 
 analysis of those operations of the mind in which such experience 
 consists. His sermons were remarkable for terseness of expression 
 and condensation of thought. He Avas not distinguished either for 
 taste or imagination ; but the turn of his n\ind was rather mathe- 
 matical than metaphysical, giving to his preaching an argumentative 
 cast, thougli it did not render it obscure. His manner was stiif and 
 awkward, and he used but little gesture ; but there was an honesty and 
 an earnestness fitted alike to arrest the attention and open a way to 
 the conscience. He left the impression on your mind that he was 
 aiming at a single object — the glory of his Master and the salvation 
 of men. 
 
 " As a pastor he was eminently laborious and faithful. Though not 
 remarkably free in his intercourse with his people, he was, in the best 
 sense, their friend ; and their spiritual interests, especially, were iden- 
 tified with the great object for which he lived. In public bodies he 
 was discreet, energetic, and influential. His general influence in the 
 community was extensive and salutary."* 
 
 Dr. Cannon then notices how he heard him on his death-bed give 
 his dying testimony ; it was simply, "I do feel that I love God above 
 all." This he repeated the second time after a short interval. His 
 disease was typhus fever. His son had died a few days before him. 
 His remains are deposited in the church-yard in ISTew-Brunswick. 
 His monument is inscribed, "The tomb of Rev. Ira Condict, who 
 was born February 21st, 1764; ordained at Newton, Sussex, 1787; 
 installed in the Dutch Church, New-Brunswick, 1794. Pious and 
 leai'ned, prudent and zealous; successful in his ministry and greatly 
 beloved. He finished his course and entered into the joy of his Lord, 
 June 1st, 1811." 
 
 Dr. Condict was succeeded in the pastorate of the church of New- 
 Erunswick by Rev. John Schureman, D.D, His call is dated May 
 25th, 1812. The people were in the midst of a strenuous effort to 
 erect for themselves an edifice worthy of their number, wealth, and 
 position ; and their new pastor saw it completed (except the steeple) 
 and dedicated on the 27th of September of the same year. Dr. Liv- 
 ingston pi-eached the sermon from Ezek. 43:12 to a large and inte- 
 rested audience. 
 
 * This notice is abridged. 
 
216 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Dr. Schureman was born October 19th, 1Y7S, near New-Brunswick ; 
 and was the son of Hon. James Schnreraan, and the grandson of 
 Jacobus Schureman, tlie schoobnaster who accompanied Rev. T. J. 
 Frelino"liuvsen from Holland. He graduated from Queen's College 
 September 30th, 1*795, before he was seventeen years of age; made a 
 profession of religion under Dr. Condict, April, 1V97, studied under 
 Dr. Livingston, and was licensed in 1800. He first settled at Bed- 
 minster in 1801, and he continued to serve that church faithfully for 
 six years. Then he was called to the church at Millstone, and served 
 it for two and a half years; then he preached in the collegiate 
 .churches of New- York for two years. His health had failed in New- 
 York, and it did not recuperate. He resigned his pastorate at New- 
 Brunswick after serving a little more than a year, having been elect- 
 ■ed in October, 1815, professor of ecclesiastical history and pastoral 
 theology in the seminary. He died of typhus fever, M:iy loth, 1818. 
 
 Dr. Livingston says of him: "He was mild and pleasant; discern- 
 iin<T and firm; steadfast, but not obstinate ; zealous, but not assuming. 
 The liabitual weakness of his constitution prevented him from close 
 and intense studies ; yet he was a good belles-lettres scholar. His style 
 was correct and pure, and he made such progress in the several 
 branches of his professorship that his lectures were highly accept- 
 .able and very useful. The suavity of his manners and the propriety 
 ■of his conduct endeared him to the students, and recommended him 
 .to the respect and confidence of all who knew him." 
 
 His last hours have been thus described: "During the progress of 
 tlie disease which terminated in his death, he spoke but seldom. The 
 •disease proceeded with rapid and irresistible violence, bafiling the 
 skill of medicine and the assiduities of affection ; and, for the most 
 part of the time, was attended with a lethargy which rendered it 
 ■difficult and irksome for him to converse. He, liowever, retained the 
 use of his reason, and on tlie last afternoon, when the stupor bad 
 :abated, and just before he obtained release, he attempted to converse 
 with his mother, but his sj^eech failed, and what he said could not be 
 •understood. His afilicted wife was too much overcome to witness his 
 departure ; but his parents, who were in the room, he took affection- 
 ately by the hand as soon as he found himself to be in the agonies of 
 dissolution. Then waving his hand and pointing to the light in the 
 upper part of the window, he laughed aloud; thus expressing his joy 
 that his spirit was about being disengaged from his carthl}'' frame, 
 .and to wing its flight to the regions of light and bliss, just like a bird 
 
HISTOKICAL NOTES. 217 
 
 that, tired of its cage, claps its wings when about to be set at liberty. 
 With one eye on death and one fixed on heaven, he seemed to say in 
 the moment of expiring. Now that God has given nie the wings of a 
 dove, I will tly away and be at rest." 
 
 He was vice-president of Queen's College at the time of his death, 
 and had had the degree of D.D. conferred on him by Columbia Col- 
 lege in 181G. Dr. Van Vranken has written an admirable sketch of 
 his life and character for Sprague's Annals, to which we refei-. His 
 remains were interred in the cemetery connected with the church in 
 New-Brunswick, and on his tomb is engi-aved : " Beneath this stone 
 are deposited the remains of Rev. John Schureman, D.D., Professor 
 of Pastoral Theology, Ecclesiastical History, and Church Government 
 in the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Dutch Church at New- 
 Brunswick, who, while engaged in a course of active and highlj^ use- 
 ful labors, enjoying the confidence of the churches and the affection 
 of his brethren, departed this life May 15th, 1818, in the 40th year of 
 his age." 
 
 The same year, October 2d, 1818, the church called Rev. Jesse 
 Fonda. He was called from Nassau, Rensselaer County, New-York. 
 His pnstorate was brief. He resigned on the 3d July, 1810, and ac- 
 cepted a call from Montgomery, Orange County, where he continued 
 until May 2'2d, 1827, when he died and entered into his rest. 
 
 Jesse Fonda, says Dr. Forsyth, was born at Watervliet, Albany 
 County, N. Y., April 27th, 178G ; he graduated at Union College, 1806. 
 He was the subject of religious impressions from his youth, and very 
 early formed the desire to preach the Gospel. He studied theology 
 in a desultory way with neighboring clergymen, and received his 
 licensure Ironi the Congregationalists, but in 1808 united witli the 
 Chassis of Albany, and received a call from' the church of Nassau and 
 Schodack, where he continued to labor with great acceptance until 
 he went to New-Brunswick. He bound himself by resolution to a 
 course of regular, systematic study, and rose to eminence. His book 
 on jSacrffments evinces maturity of mind and a fullness of know- 
 ledge on the subject of which it treats. His physical man was very 
 fine, an<l his social qualities companionable and interesting. His mi- 
 nistry, at Montgomery particularly, was eminently successful. Three 
 hundred were added to the church on profession of faith in ten 
 years, while the spiritual life of the ciuirch was greatly quickened, and 
 the Avhole moral aspect of that region changed. His remains were 
 followed to the grave by an immense crowd of weeping parishioners 
 
218 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 and friends, at tlie head of which walked nine ministers of the Gos- 
 pel. The funeral sermon was preached by his friend and neighbor, 
 Rev. James B. Ten Eyck, of Berea, assisted by Dr. Fisk, of Goslien, 
 Rev. Samuel Van Veghten and Rev. Mr. Arbuckle, of Blooming 
 Grove, and Dr. Wallace, of Little Britain. 
 
 The attention of the congregation of New-Brunswick, upon Mr. 
 Fonda's resignation, was at once directed to John Ludlow, then a 
 young man just from the seminary; and they presented him their 
 call, dated September l7th, 1819. At first he declined it, fearing the 
 onerous duties of siich a charge ; but on receiving from consistory 
 liberty to preach only one sermon on the Sabbath and to be exempt 
 from pastoral duty for one year, he accepted ; but his ardor led him 
 to break through liis own stipulations almost at once. He continued 
 his services only two years, and then accepted the Professorship of 
 Biblical literature and church history in the seminary. After s])end- 
 ing six years in the duties of his professorship, he accepted a call 
 from the First Church in Albany, in 1823, where he continued until 
 1834, when he was chosen Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. 
 In 1852, he returned to New-Brunswick, to occupy his original posi- 
 tion in the seminary, and died in 1859. 
 
 John Ludlow was born at Acquackanonk, Bergen County, N. J., in 
 1*793. He graduated at Union College in the class of 1814, and was 
 at once chosen tutor. He studied theology during his tutorsliip 
 with Rev. Dr. Andrew Yates ; but graduated from the seminary in 
 New-Brunswick in 1817, and was innnediately licensed by theClassis 
 of New-Brunswick. 
 
 Dr. Bethune says of him: "His most striking characteristic was 
 strength. His person was strong. His countenance was strong. The 
 lines of decision and thought were deeply traced on his fixce ; his eye 
 clear and almost stern, and his whole expression so settled and firm, 
 even in early years, that there seemed but little change effected by 
 time, care, and years." 
 
 His voice was strong. In his ordinary tones he filled the largest 
 audience-room of any church ; but when he became warm in the dis- 
 cussion of his subject, it rose topower, and when it burst forth under 
 the force of excitement, it was like thunder crashing through the 
 clouds. And this was only the breaking forth of the power of his 
 intellect and his affections ; for he had a great heart beating in the 
 bosom of that robust frame. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 219 
 
 He was strong more than cultivated; a forcible tliinkcr more than 
 a polished scholar or rhetorician. He forced his conclusions upon 
 you, rather than by his logic or argument, winning you to embrace 
 them. And yet he had logic and rhetoric in abundance, and he 
 often made the very best use of them in his discourses. The pre- 
 dominating element of his whole character, however, was power. 
 When you thought of Dr. Ludlow you thought of a strong, vigorous, 
 forcible man. 
 
 His pastorate in Albany was successful, and he commanded a 
 Avide influence. No one thought him below any of his eminent and 
 gifted predecessors. He preached the Gospel in its distinctive fea- 
 tures, and saw the fruits of his labors ; and yet he was by nature best 
 fitted for a teacher. In the professor's chair, surrounded by young 
 men, he was most at home. He seemed to feel a certain kind of in- 
 terest and pride in giving them instruction, moulding their minds and 
 fitting them for usefulness. 
 
 Dr. Ludlow never published any thing beyond an occasional dis- 
 course or pamphlet. He seemed to be averse to it. Had he written 
 and published, he would have left in his writings evidence of his 
 strength, to prove the justness of the estimate formed of him. 
 
 When he returned to the seminary the second time he came as 
 successor to Dr. Cannon. It is enough to say that he filled the jjlace 
 left vacant to the perfect satisfaction of all. But his life was nearly 
 ■spent. In five years the chair was again vacant. He died in his resi- 
 dence in the west wing of the college. The inscription on his tombstone 
 reads: "This monument is erected by the General Synod of the 
 Dutch Reformed Church to the memory of the Rev. John Ludlow, 
 D.D., LL.D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Church Government, 
 and Pastoral Theology in the Seminary of New-Brunswick; and 
 Pi-ofessor of Metaphysics in Rutgers College. Died September 
 8th, 1857, in the 64th year of his age." As pastor of the churches of 
 New-Brunsw^ick and Albany, as Provost of the University of Penn- 
 sylvania, and as professor in the seminary, he discharged his various 
 offices with singular fidelity, ability, and success. Of solid learninc:, 
 distinguished force of character, and ardent piety, he exerted a com- 
 manding influence in the councils of the church, and by arduous per- 
 sonal services eminently contributed to establish and strengthen the 
 foundations of these institutions. 
 
 As he had lived, he died — strong in faith, giving glory to God. 
 
 In the pastorate of the church of New-Brunswick, Dr. Ludlow's 
 
220 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 successor was the candidate Isaac Ferris. lie was born in tlie city of 
 New-Yorlc, graduated at Columbia College in 1S16, and at the semi- 
 nary in 1820, and was immediately licensed by the Classis of New- 
 Brunswick. The first summer lie spent as a missionary along the 
 MohaAvk, preaching at Manheim, Herkimer, Danube, and Osquak. 
 His call to New-Briinswick is dated January 21st, 1821. He was 
 ordained and installed pastor of the church on the third Tliursday 
 in April. He continued to serve the church with acceptance until 
 October, 1824, when he Avas dismissed to take charge of the Second 
 Churcli in Albany, made vacant by the election of its pastor, Rev. 
 John De Witt, D.D., to Dr, Ludlow's place in the seminary. He 
 labored in Albany from 1824 to 1836, and in the mean time made 
 the tour of Europe for his health. In 1836, he became pastor of the 
 Market Street Church in tlie city of New-York. In 1853, he was 
 chosen chancellor of the Univei'sity of New-York, retired in 1862, 
 and resides at present at Roselle, New-Jersey. 
 
 The successor of Dr. Ferris Avas the Hev. James B. Hardenbergh. 
 He Avas called April 2d, 1825. He Avas born near Rochester, Ulster 
 County, New-York; graduated at Union College in the class of 1821 ; 
 was a convert in the revival in the college in the Avinter of 1819-20. 
 Studied in the Theological Seminary at New-BrunsAvick, and gradu- 
 ated and secured his license in May, 1824. Almost immediately he 
 received and accepted a call from the church of Helderberg, in the 
 county of Albany, bat continued there only one year, having received 
 a call to New-BrunsAvick as Dr. Ferris's successor. He remained in 
 New-Brunswick from 1825 until 1829, when he Avas transferred to 
 Orchard street, in the city of New-York. From thence, in 1829, he 
 removed to Rhinebeck, then to Philadelphia in 1836, and again to 
 Franklin street, NcAV-York, in 1840. From 1856 he Avas Avithout 
 a charge, and died in the city of New-York. 
 
 In the church at New-Brunswick, tAvo months after Dr. Ilarden- 
 bergh's resignation, the Rev. Jacob J. Jane way, D.D., Avas called. 
 The call is dated February 23d, 1830. We quote from Dr. Steele's 
 historical discourse: " Dr. Janeway, prcA'ious to his settlement over 
 this congregation, liad occupied some of the most prominent positions 
 in the Presbyterian Church, and at the date of his call had just re- 
 signed the professorship of theologj'" in the Western Theological 
 Seminary, in Allegheny Cit)^ Pa. He Avas not installed iintil May 
 26th, although he assutned the charge of the pulpit early in the 
 spring. The church now felt that they had secured a pastor of mid- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 221 
 
 die acjc, wlio could long remain among tliem, and give his ripe experi- 
 ence and sound instruct-ion to the upbuilding and establishment of the 
 congregation. He came to them with a well-furnished mind, a large 
 stock of experience, thoroughly orthodox in his sentiments, and at 
 once, though he had spent liis whole ministerial life in the Presby- 
 terian Church, identified himself with all tiie interests of our denomi- 
 nation. Indeed, he was only returning to his home. His parents 
 were members of the Collegiate Church in New-York, into whose 
 communion he was also received on confession of his faith, after 
 graduating at Columbia College, His theological studies were pur- 
 sued under Dr. Livingston, for wliom he cherislied an unbounded 
 reverence, first as his pastor, then as his instructor, and through life 
 as his cherished friend." 
 
 The expectation of the church that the ministry of Dr. Janeway 
 was to be of long continuance was to be disappointed. Tlie extent 
 of the congregation, the amount of labor incident to a great country 
 and city charge, induced him to I'esign. "The dissolution of his 
 pastoral connection was effected P^'ebruary 24tli, 1831, after lie had 
 served only one year." It was a great disappointment. He went to 
 Nevy'-York for a short s])ace, but returned to New-Brunswick, became 
 vice-president of Rutgers College, taught logic and metaphysics for a 
 time ; but returned to the Presbyterian Church again, and died on 
 Sabbath, June 27th, 1858, just before the setting of the sun. His 
 funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Hodge, of Princeton. A 
 memoir of Dr. Janeway, by his soil, was published in 1861, to which 
 we can now only refer our readers who are desirous of accurate in- 
 formation. 
 
 In 1857, the health of Dr. Janeway began to be serioush^ affected. 
 By the advice of his physician he was induced to give himself rest 
 from the studies ^\hich he had up to this time been pursuing. He 
 rallied for a time, but not eflectively. A week before the final attack 
 he laid down his pen and said, " iMy work is done. I had a warning 
 from God when I first arose, but was anxious to complete what is 
 wi'itten. God has permitted me to do it, and I have nothing moie to 
 do." On Sabbath, January olst, he went to his bed, but lingered 
 there five weary months, and then died. On his tomb is found this 
 brief inscription: " Rev. Jacob J. Janeway, D.D., born November 20th, 
 1774 ; died June 27th, 1858." 
 
 The successor of Dr. Janeway was Rev. Samuel B. How, called 
 May 18th, 1832. He came from the Presbyterian Church, where he 
 
222 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 liad been a laborious and efficient pastor for several years. He was 
 born in the city of Burlington, New-Jersey; graduated from the Uni- 
 versity of Pennsylvania in 1811, and from the Princeton Theological 
 Seminary in 1813. His first settlement was at Salisbury, in Penn- 
 sylvania, from 1813 to 1815. Then he became the pastor of the First 
 Presbyterian church of Trenton until 1821, when he came as pastor 
 to the Presbyterian church in New-Brunswick; remaining for two 
 years. In 1823, he accepted a call from an independent church in 
 Savannah, Georgia, and remained in the South until 1827. He labored 
 then as a missionary in North street, New-York, endeavoring to raise 
 up a new congregation under the Board of Domestic Missions of the 
 Reformed Dutch Church; then he became president of Dickinson 
 College ; but returned finally to New-Brunswick on a call from the 
 Dutch church, and labored there for twenty-one years. His health, 
 failed, and he resigned in 1861, and died in 1868. Dr. How was a 
 scholar and a polished gentleman, old school in his theology ; a 
 doctrinal, but energetic preacher. He naturally venerated tlie past 
 and loved to read tlie writings of the reformers. He loved them so 
 much that he had no patience — perhaps this was a fault — witli pi-e- 
 tensions to new things. When the discussion on slavery opened, he 
 took the ground that in itself it was not sinful. He had been in the 
 South, and sympathized with the Christian people there. He knew 
 well how conscientious and beautiful the character of many of them 
 was ; and it revolted all his feelings of justice and propriety to hear 
 tlie bitter denunciations heaped upon them by men who were not 
 wortliy to unloose the latchet of their shoes; and like a noble man, 
 as he was, he defended them earnestly and like a Christian gentle- 
 man. 
 
 Dr. How was a ripe and cultivated scholar. His reading was ex- 
 tensive, and his classical and belles-lettres attainments eminent. He 
 was a powerful preacher, and gave to his hearers the very marrow 
 and fatness of the Gospel. 
 
 During his ministry in New-Brunswick the church was blessed 
 with a most gracious and glorious revival, the result of whicli was 
 the addition of 137 individuals to the communion of his church; and 
 more than 500 in all the churches in the city. Dr. Hoav wrote and 
 published an account of it, in which he says for several years pre- 
 vious it (the church) had been peaceful and prosperous, and had 
 steadily improved in its spiritual interests. The events which he 
 thinks tended to prepare the way for tlie deep religious imj^ressions 
 
HISTOlilCAL NOTES. 223 
 
 whicli resulted in that gracious work were tlio cliolera in 1832, and 
 tlie tornado which swept tliroug-li the city in June, 1835, hiving 
 wliole streets in ruins and destroying several lives. "In May, 1839, 
 the whole congregation seemed to be affected with a religious awe ; 
 religious meetings hegan to be thronged, conversions became nu- 
 merous, and the whole city was moved to think and to pray; and 
 yet there was no confusion, no disorder, no wild, misguided zeal — all 
 "was serious, solemn, calm, devout, and affecting." It was indeed a 
 blessed work ; a pure revival of religion in Christian hearts, accom- 
 panied by the effectual conversion of many souls to God. 
 
 Dr. How resigned his call in the end solely on account of failing 
 health and physical infirmities, June 14th, 1861. Rest seemed at 
 first to revive him ; he preached occasionally, but finally he rested 
 from his labors, falling asleep in Jesus on the 1st day of March, 1868. 
 
 The following inscription is engraved on his tomb : 
 
 Rev. Samuel B. How, D.D. 
 
 Born at Burlington, New-Jersey, October 14tli, in tlie year of our Lord 1795, 
 
 died at New-Brunswick, New-Jersey, March 1st, A.D. 18G8. 
 
 Beloved and lamented. 
 
 Erected by the congregation in memory of their former beloved pastor. 
 
 Tlie Rev. R. H. Steele became his successor, and still continues to 
 serve the church with comfort to himself and profit to the people. 
 
 SIX-MILE RUN. 
 
 Ix early days the first inhabitants in the district of Six-Mile Run 
 worshiped in the church at Three-Mile Run, and formed a constituent 
 portion of that congregation. On the 12tli day of April, 1717, at a 
 congregational meeting convened in that church, it was resolved, 
 "in order to prevent disturbance and contention, and thereby to es- 
 tablish peace in the church," first, that the church edifice should 
 belong to the church of Lawrence Brook, (New-Brunswick ;) and 
 secondly, and the most important to the interests of the pooj)le at Six- 
 jVfih^ Run, "that Pieter Kinne be appointed elder and Elbert Stoot- 
 hoff deacon for that i)art of the congregation which Avas near Six- 
 Mile Run." This is properly the origin and organization of the Six- 
 Mile Run chur(;h. The action grew out of the natural course of 
 things. A town had grown up around "the Ferry" and along the 
 river, and its interests and convenience required public n^ligious 
 services there. It had come to pass that the building at Three-Mile 
 
224 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Run was mislocated, and both the eastern and western portions of 
 the congregation were no longer properly accommodated by the ser- 
 vices held in that house. It was j^rompted, also, by other things. 
 Arrangements were in contemplation to obtain a minister to preach 
 the Gospel to all the settlements in Somerset County, and as early as 
 the next year they were perfected, and a call sent to Holland to 
 obtain such a jjerson. In this action Six-Mile Run was associated 
 with Raritan, North-Branch, and Three-Mile Run, or, as it was 
 already called, " the Church of the River and Lawrence Brook." This 
 call brought T. J. Frelinghuysen from Holland. 
 
 Another part of the resolution referred to contemplated the erec- 
 tion of a cliurch edifice for the accommodation of the people set off 
 from Three-Mile Run, and arrangements were begun immediately 
 to effect this work. The house thus built was located on the road 
 running along the south side of the Six-Mile Run brook — a mile east 
 of the present church. It was a plain building, fronting the road, 
 and longer in front than in depth, with a place for the pulpit oppo- 
 site the fi'ont door, and resembled a barn more than it did any thing 
 now called a church. It was never finished, having sinipl}^ weather- 
 boarding, a roof, and a floor, and instead of seats, the people used 
 the chaii's from their wagons, or else stood during service. The 
 exact date of its erection can not now be ascertained, but it was pro- 
 bably soon after the meeting in 1717 noticed above. It was, after 
 the Three-Mile Run church, the first in that vicinity, and continued 
 to be the place of public worship until 1766. The present register 
 of baptisms at Six-Mile Run commences 1787. The minutes of con- 
 sistory, with the first register, were burnt in the house of David 
 Nevius, Esq., clerk of consistory, in 1796. The loss is irreparable, 
 and cuts us off from a knowledge of many things in the history of 
 this cliurch previous to this date which might have been important 
 and interesting. 
 
 The following names embrace the heads of families in Six-Mile 
 Run during the time of T. J. Frelinghuysen: Koert Van Voorhees, 
 Isaac Haenrooncot, J. Perrine, Cornelis Cornel, R. Merril, Peter 
 Schenck, Gerret Veghten, Isaac Symonse, Hendrik Van Dyke, Jako- 
 bus Van Voorhees, Tobias Nevius, Aric Van Arsdalen, Jakobus 
 Strycker, Cornelis Van Arsdalen, Abram Van Arsdalen, Jeremias 
 Douty, Theodorus Montfort, Fredrik Van Lieuw, Jan Pijet, Jesse 
 Van Arsdalen, Jochem Gulick, Elbert Stothoff, Cornelis Tunise, 
 Johannes Stryker, Fredrik Ferdon, Jacobus Wyckoft", Abraham 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 225 
 
 Vanrlorcn, Benjamin Tailor, Christofel Van Arsdalen, Martynu3 
 Voorhees, Jan Van Voorliees, Niclilos Veghten, Daniel Van Vleet, 
 Samuel Polen, Albert Sclienk, Lucus Van Voorhees, Marten Polen, 
 Johannis Vonk, John Van Arsdalen, Ciirist. Davidts, Nys Hagaman, 
 Jan Fyne, Cor. StothofF, E. Suydain, Johannes Bennet, Cornells 
 Wyckoft", Alexander Beert, Dirck Williamse, Jan Sutphin, Ilendrik 
 Schenk. 
 
 From 1720 to 1748 the history of the church at Six-Mile Run is 
 largely involved in the other churches forming Mr. Frelinghuysen's 
 associate charge. It shared in tlic prosperity produced by his evan- 
 gelical preaching, and also in the sentiments of opposition created by 
 it. All that will probably ever be known of the occasion, the ani- 
 mus, and the unfortunate influence of these difficulties, has already 
 been related in other connections, or will be as we pass in review the 
 history of the other churches. We know, at least, of nothing re- 
 quiring special attention in this connection except that, on the 19th 
 of May, 1734, Rev. Vincentius Antonides, of Long Island, lent him- 
 self to the encouragement of Mr. Frelinghuysen's opponents in a 
 most irregular and improper way, by ordaining a consistory for 
 Three-Mile Run, some of whom were residents in Six-Mile Run con- 
 gregation. The elders of this consistory were Simon Wyckoft" and 
 Hendrick Vroom, and the deacons, Simon Van Wincklen and Den- 
 nis Van Dnyn. This movement was connected with the design of 
 calling another minister from Holland to serve the dissenting party, 
 which we have already noticed in our account of the church of New- 
 Brunswick. They were very much scandalized by its being said that 
 Rev. W. Budde had " lifted up his hands to heaven," when inlbrraed 
 of the course of those who opposed the Coetus, especially the eftort 
 to settle Fryenraoct at the North-Branch. 
 
 When Frelinghuysen died, in 1748, Six-Mile Run united with New- 
 Brunswick (as the church then had begun to be called) in making a 
 call on the candidate Johannes Leydt, and again her history is in- 
 volved in this associated charge for thirty-five years, bringing us to 
 the date of his death. 
 
 In John Frelinghuysen's time the following additional names of 
 families occur: Joseph Folkerse, Benjamin Emans, Johannes Wyt- 
 neght, Nicholas Boerum, Nicklas Willemse, Lamert Dorlandt, Jo- 
 hannes Pouelse, Gerret Veghten, Nicolas Jonsen, Peter Van Zandt, 
 James Pruyn, Abraham Lott, Johannes Vonk, Bergun l^roka, Mar- 
 tyies Ilooglandt, Cornelius Van Houten, Peter Van Nest, Leftert 
 
226 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Wuldron, Johannes Van Pelt, Jan Sperling, Rem Gerretse, Jonitan 
 Stout, Jan Vanderveer, Abraham Riemer, Jacobus Leek, Isaac Sne- 
 diker, Ilendrik Cortelyou, Peter Berrien, Peter Pomyea, Jan Harri- 
 son, William Van Tilburgli, Petrus Nevius, Jost Duryea, Jurias Van 
 Cleef, Michal Van Buren, Alexander Beert, Abram Simonson, Jan 
 Terhunen, Corns. De Han, William Dannelsen, Abram Van Doren, 
 Jacobus Vandervoort, Syme Kinne, Jokem Gulick, Corns, Van Han- 
 gelen, Joseph Brouwer, Isaac Snediker, Jonathan Provost, Peter 
 Juricks, Ferdinandus Schureman, Johannes Groenendyke, Johannes 
 Coevert.* 
 
 During the pastorate of Leydt, in 1766, Six-Mile Run built a new 
 church, and located it in the village, a few yards south of the Somer- 
 set court-house. This court-house was erected previous to the year 
 1V24, and the courts of Somerset County were held in it until 1752 
 or later, and then Millstone became the county seat. The exact 
 time of the transfer is not ascertained, but it was made previous to 
 1766. 
 
 The church in its form and size was like that in the city of New- 
 Brunswick in Dr. Condict's time, a picture of which is given in 
 Steele's Memorial, page 94. It was inclosed with sliingles and 
 painted red, except the front, which was while. It was ceiled with 
 boards and never painted inside. Its roof liad four sides, terminating 
 in a cupola, on which a cock was elevated as the vane. It stood 
 until the year 1817, when it was removed to make room for the 
 present church edifice. A beautiful and interesting scene was en- 
 acted over the raising. The frame was prepared in a grove 150 
 yards distant. The plate on the south-east side was carried by the 
 young ladies of the congregation — all dressed in white, with their 
 parasols over their heads — from the grove, and laid in its place 
 beside the foundation, to be put in its place by the j^eople who were 
 raising the other parts of the frame. It was an appropriate expres- 
 sion of tlic deep interest they felt in the erection of the house in 
 which God was to be worshiped and Christianity preached. 
 
 In 1753, June 7tli — principally tlirough the influence of Rev. Mr. 
 Leydt — a charter was procured from Jonathan Belcher, Governor of 
 New-Jersey, for the five united churches, New-Brunswick, Raritan, 
 Six-Mile Run, Millstone, and North-Branch. It does not seem, how- 
 
 * We owe these lists to Ralph Voorliees, Esq., of Middlebusb, whose extensive 
 researches have brought olden things to light in various ways. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 227 
 
 ever, ever to liave Leeii really put iu force. We give a copy in the 
 appendix. 
 
 Leydt's death, in l783, brings us to the close of the lievolution. It 
 resulted in producing a change in both the congregations of which 
 he had been pastor. 
 
 New-Brunswick now ventured on the attempt to maintain a 2:)astor 
 for lierself alone, and left Six-Mile E-un to seek a connection with 
 Millstone, which had taken the name of New-Millstone, but finally 
 Ilillsboro, and had been occasionally sup2)lied by Leydt and Ilarden- 
 bergli from New-Brunswick. Tiieu they had the whole services of 
 Mr. Foering, and for a short time those of Solomon Froeligh. This 
 union, again, grew out of natural causes. Tlie congregations were 
 contisfuous. The war had wasted the sti'ength and resources of 
 both, and neither felt able to maintain a pastor alone. The agree- 
 ment included an equal proportion of the money and of the services, 
 only Six-Mile Run stipulated that two thirds of tlie services should 
 be in the Dutch language and one third in the English, while Mill- 
 stone alternated, having an equal one half of each. The call was 
 given to John M. Van Ilarlingen, a native of Millstone, a son of Mr. 
 Ernestus Van Harlingen, the brother of the pastor of the same 
 name, who had been settled at Harlingen or Sourland. He was born 
 in 1761, graduated at Queen's College in 1783, studied theology 
 under Dr. Livingston, and was licensed in 1786. He continued in 
 this united charge, residing in the village of Millstone until 1795, 
 The writer has the recollection of once seeing and hearing Mr. Van 
 Harlingen preach. He was a thin, spare man, rather below the 
 ordinai'y stature, spoke in a fine but feeble voice, kept his eyes 
 fixedly on the Bible before him, but had no manuscript to read, and 
 never made a single gesture during the whole time of the delivery of 
 his sermon. A relative of his has written of him to the following 
 effect: "From early childhood it is said he was exceedingly fond of 
 books, and spent most of his life in their exclusive society. After 
 the relinquishment of his first united charges he never settled again, 
 although he labored abundantly in assisting his brethren and supply- 
 ing vacant pulpits by classical appointments. He was very quiet 
 and reserved in liis dispositior), and was seldom known to laugh or 
 even to smile. His conversation was instructive, and his preaching 
 solid and evangelical, but not popular. After his retirement from 
 the pastorate he translated Van der Kemp's sermons on the Heidel- 
 bergh Catechism, which were published in 1810 in two volumes. 
 
228 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 For several years previous to the establisliment of the tlieological 
 professorate at New-Brunswick he liad been accustomed to receive 
 young men at his residence, and instruct them in Hebrew and eccle- 
 siastical history, with a view to their licensure. In 1812, the General 
 Synod appointed him professor of those branches in the theological 
 seminary. He accepted the chair of Hebrew, and agreed to instruct 
 temporarily in church history; but iiis career of usefulness was cut 
 short by death June 16th, 1813, in the fifty-second year of his age, 
 and lie was buried in the yard adjoining the Millstone church. His 
 loss was deeply felt by tlie church and her institutions of learning." 
 —P. D. V. C. 
 
 He is said to have been an industrious student, and extensively 
 read in the science of tlieology. Ilis sermons were well arranged 
 and full of important thought, but his mode of delivering tliem pre- 
 vented them from making any deep impression at the time. He 
 spoke almost as if he was unconscious of tlie presence of his audi- 
 ence, or, rather, his diffidence was so extreme as to prevent him 
 from looking them in their faces. Tlie result was that, although 
 Christians heard him patiently, and sometimes even with pleasure, 
 those who did not share in tlieir feelings of reverence for religion and 
 love for the truth did not feel themselves to iiave been much pro- 
 fited. Yet his ministry was blessed evidently, and that blessing is 
 attested by the number who united with the church, on confession of 
 their faith, in both his congregations. 
 
 Tlie Rev. Dr. I. N. Wyckoft" says: "I remember Mr. Van Harlin- 
 gen as a tall, thin man, somewhat stooping in his attitude, with 
 what would be termed a downcast look, seldom turning his eyes to 
 the right or left as he deliberately proceeded on his way. From the 
 fact that he was a bachelor, and Avithal a close student, and had no 
 one but himself to be responsible for his wardrobe, liis clothes were 
 neither of the newest fashion nor very indicative of acquaintance 
 with a brush. He resided, during my knowledge of him, in the 
 paternal mansion, in the village of Millstone. There, in a retired 
 room, he had his study furnished with the utmost plainness, but con- 
 taining what seemed to me a most wonderful and useless amount of 
 books. A great many of them were heavy tomes bound in vellum, 
 and in the Dutch language. In that study it was my privilege to 
 attend on his kind instructions for some months, and there I had my 
 introduction to the mysteries of the dead languages. He was an 
 eminently modest and diffident person. This was strikingly raani- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 229 
 
 tested in the fact that, in examining his chass in tlieir lessons, he 
 scarcely ever looked up in our faces. Deeply learned himself, he 
 Avas not the best teacher, because he M^as too diffident to venture a 
 criticism, and too kind to rebuke our inattention. In later years, 
 when he was pi'ofessor of Hebrew in the theological seminary of the 
 Dutch church, he was highly approved as a proficient in that lan- 
 guage. 
 
 "As a preacher, 1 can now see him standing in the pulpit, in rather 
 a stooping posture, with his hands on the two corners of the bible- 
 board, and his eyes on his notes, or on the Bible, and without a 
 vai'iation of attitude or the semblance of a gesture, pronouncing his 
 clear and well digested sermon, almost in a monotone, from the be- 
 ginning to the end. He could and did preach both in the Dutch and 
 English languages. The lovers of systematic doctrine and Christian 
 experience highly esteemed his discourses. His translation of Van 
 der Kemp's sermons, which is one of the formulas of the Dutch church, 
 was made at the suggestion of many of his brethren in the ministry, 
 and, I believe, by a formal request of the synod; and is a monument 
 of industry and scholarship. 
 
 " Mr. Van Harlingen was very remarkable for his meditative habits 
 and entire abstraction from ordinary surrounding objects and occur- 
 rences. Many anecdotes illustrative of this characteristic are told in 
 the neighborhood, of which I may venture to mention a single one. 
 The good pastor always rode on horseback. At the church he had a 
 particular post, to which he uniformly fastened his horse. On one oc- 
 casion, some mischievous boys, as was supposed, had substituted an- 
 other man's horse in the place of his, and, amidst the merriment of the 
 urchins, the worthy pastor, apparently full of the sacred message he 
 had just delivered to the congregation, without remarking the change, 
 unfastened his neighbor's dashing steed, and would have had a most 
 expeditious, and perhaps dangerous ride, had not the mistake been cor- 
 rected in time to prevent all disastrous consequences; but he carried 
 a piece of chalk in his pocket afterward, and uniforuily marked the 
 saddle under the flap, to prevent similar mistakes occurring to him iu 
 future. 
 
 "The great excellence of the character of this good man Avas his 
 deep, fervent, experimental piety. He was manifestly one of those 
 Christians who live above the world. With a sufficient patrimony to 
 make all attention to pecuniary gain unnecessary, he employed his 
 whole time in sacred studies, spiritual conversation and private devo- 
 15 . 
 
230 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 tions. The savor of his godliness is like ointment poured forth, and 
 still exhales its fragrance in the region where he lived and died." * 
 
 We have felt a just pride in being able to give so much and such 
 learnest testimony to the excellence of one who in his life attracted 
 but little of the world's regard. He was a great man in obscurity, 
 ■and a good man without fame; and he deserves more to be kept in 
 remembrance than many, even of his own profession, who have filled 
 A large space in contemporary records. He rests from his labors and 
 is not, for God took him. 
 
 Fi-om 1795 until 1797 the church of Six-Mile Run remained with- 
 -out a pastor ; but in that year it again united with Millstone in call- 
 ing the candidate James Spencer Cannon. He continued to serve the 
 amited congregations until 1807, when Millstone withdrew from the 
 -connection, and Six-Mile Run enjoyed the whole of his services until 
 he was, in 1826, chosen professor of ecclesiastical history in the 
 Theological Seminary at New-Brunswick, in which responsible situa- 
 tion he died. , 
 
 Dr. Cannon was born in the Island of Cura9oa, West-Indies, 
 January 28th, 1776. He was of Irish extraction, and liis father, Wil- 
 liam Cannon, was a sea-captain. His mother's name was Ruth Spencer, 
 born in Rhode Island, of Scotch parents. She died in Baltimore, and 
 is interred in the Friends' burying-ground. Upon the death of their 
 mother, the father jilaced his three sons, of whom James was the 
 youngest, in the academy of Dr. Peter Wilson, at Hackensack, N. J, 
 Captain Cannon afterward sailed for Cliarleston, South-Carolina, in a 
 ■vessel commanded by Philip Freneau, the poet. In a violent storm 
 ;he was lost at sea by being thrown overboard by the jib-boom. He 
 left some property for his children, but from some unexplained cause 
 it never came into their possession. James Brevort, Esq., of Hacken- 
 sack, acted the father's part for James, and provided entirely for the 
 expenses of his education. 
 
 * The following inscription is found on liis tomb : 
 
 Sacred to the memory of 
 
 John M. Van Hahlingen, 
 
 Professor of the Hebrew Lan^^uage and of Ecclesiastical History 
 
 in the Theolof^ical School of the Dutch Reformed Church. 
 
 He departed this life on June 16th, 1813, 
 
 in the 52d year of his age. 
 
 An humble Christian and Minister of the Gospel, without affectation ; 
 
 He was an Israelite in whom there was no guile. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 231 
 
 When Dr. Wilson was cliosen professor in Columbia College, 
 James Cannon was transferred to the care of Rev. Alexander Miller ; 
 and by his diligence and studious li.ibits laid the foundation of his 
 future attainments. 
 
 In the spring of 1794, he commenced the study of theology under 
 Dr. Solomon Froeligh. After two years, in 1796, he transferred his 
 attendance to Dr. Livingston, in order to be able to obtain a profes- 
 sorial certificate, entitling him to examination before classis. In July 
 of the same year, after a thorougli examination, lie was licensed to 
 preach the Gospel. The same year he became the pastor of the unit- 
 ed congregations of Six-Mile Run and Millstone. He continued to 
 serve these churches for ten years, and then Six-Mile Run alone for 
 nineteen years more. In 1826, he was elected professor in the Theo- 
 logical Seminary, and died July 25th, 1852. Dr. Cannon has been 
 characterized by two of his friends, Dr. JohnProudfit in Sprague's 
 Annals, and Dr. G. Ludlow, in Corwin's Manual, to which we refer 
 our readers for fuller accounts. 
 
 " Few men ever succeeded in rendering themselves more generally 
 acceptable to tlieir associates, or more interesting and instructive to 
 their juniors, than Dr. Cannon. His social qualities were of the most 
 admirable kind. Dv. John Ludlow once said of him, 'I would give 
 all I am worth to possess Dr. Cannon's parlor talents.' In his inter- 
 course with strangers, no less than witli his familiar acquaintances, 
 there was a dignity, urbanity, and suavity which won all classes of 
 minds alike. No man ever went from liis presence, even though the 
 interview had lasted only for a few moments, without feeling that he 
 had been in the society of no ordinary man. 
 
 "In his private intercourse with friends there was a happy medium 
 observed between the austere and the mirthful, the grave and the 
 cheerful, which gave it an almost irresistible charm. That playful 
 huniov which always accompanies a kind heart rendered iiim a most 
 entertaining companion, while his extensive reading and ripe expe- 
 rience made him an instructive one. We have known few men who 
 had a larger fund of anecdotes suitable to every occasion at command, 
 or who could relate them with better effect; but then, like the man 
 himself, they were always instructive, elevated, and pure — never for 
 a moment compromising his character as a Christian gentleman, or 
 his high calling as a minister of Christ; while, at the same time, the 
 happy play of wit and tlie rich vein of humor often carried his audi- 
 tors to the highest pitch of relish and enjoyment. In fact, his con- 
 
232 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 versatioiial powers were of the highest order. He could mingle learn 
 ing in his common talk without pedantry, and impart to you the 
 most important instruction when he seemed only to be amusing you. 
 In all companies he became, insensibly, a leader in conversation, and 
 the place seemed to be involuntarily conceded to him, in acknow- 
 ledgment of his superior abilities. 
 
 " The memory of Dr. Cannon was one remarkable trait in his mental 
 endowment. His mind, perhaps, was neither so original nor so Avide 
 in its range of tliought as to distinguish him much from others, but 
 his memory was immense — a perfect storehouse, even of names and 
 dates. He seemed never to have forgotten any thing, and fi'om the 
 wide field over which his reading liad extended lie was able on all 
 occasions to adduce facts and circumstances pertinent to the subject 
 in hand. His most intimate friends were often surprised when a com- 
 paratively new theme was introduced into conversation, to perceive, 
 as he went on, how perfectly he was acquainted with eveiy impor- 
 tant particular belonging to it, and with what accuracy he could recall 
 the fruits of his study, after years must have intervened since his at- 
 tention had been directed to it. In fiict, the whole range of his ex- 
 tensive reading was always at his command. 
 
 "The learning of Dr. Cannon was the result of studious habits main- 
 tained through his whole life. Originally his advantages, except in a 
 good knowledge of the classics, had been few. He had taken no col- 
 legiate course, and he was licensed to preach when he was only 
 twenty years of age. Wliile serving the church at Six-Mile Run he 
 lived in retirement upon his own farm, and having no taste for agri- 
 cultural employment, he was left to himself, to find the wherewithal 
 to fill up his life in books and in study. He must have been a greedy 
 reader, and not in light works either, but in the more solid and in- 
 structive." We remember once being greatly surprised at the inti- 
 mate knowledge which he manifested of the substance of a great work, 
 then just published, and in further conversation ascertained that it 
 had been obtained from an ancient Latin work, published in Holland 
 two centuries ago, not from the work we were speaking of at all. 
 ■ In the best sense it may be said that Dr. Cannon was a learned 
 man, and that liis stores were all his own. He was called by his 
 students "a walking library," and the books which he carried in his 
 mind were the best on all the subjects of learning then published. 
 If there ever Avas a self-made man he was one, and if there ever was 
 a perfect triumph of self-reliance, he was that man. His industry must 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 233 
 
 liave Leon prodigious; for lie acquired all liis learning not only un- 
 aided, but Avhile pressed with the duties of a large congregation, none 
 of which he intermitted at any time for the sake of study. Indeed, 
 it may be safely affirmed that no one was ever more painstaking and 
 multitudinous in his efforts and care in visiting the sick, instructing 
 the ignorant, and comforting the afflicted than he was ; and, more- 
 over, he wrote all his sermons, and committed them to memory. 
 When we think of it all, Ave. are astonished; his labors must have 
 been prodigious. And yet he was the least like a joining student. 
 
 When he went into the seminary, he at once assumed the position 
 of one of the most learned among its professors; and he ever retained 
 it. His published lectures explain liow it was so. They do his in- 
 tellect, his mind, and his heart equal honor; and are, in fact, the full, 
 est and completest treatise on the subject extant. 
 
 In mental conformation, Dr. Cannon resembled Leighton more than 
 Edwards or Chalmers, and Bates more than Owen or Howe. lie was 
 more extensively read than Dr. Livingston, and a better theologian 
 than Dr. John Ludlow. His mind was not so grand as it was clear, 
 logical, and deliberate. His views of truth were more distinguished 
 by their exactness and solidity than by any far-i*eaching or deep- 
 searching power ; and yet when he had discussed any theme, there 
 was little left to be said by any one who came after him. Thougli he 
 might not have absolutely exhausted it, he had evidently seen all its 
 prominent points and traversed to the extent of its legitimate boun- 
 daries. He was consequently not so much an awaking as an instruc- 
 tive preacher; and yet we remember how, on the installation of Pre- 
 sident Frelinghuysen, his eloquence and power rapt completely away 
 the whole vast congregation. 
 
 Christians of mature piety, possessing an experimental knowledge 
 of the way of life, always loved to listen to his discourses, and ac- 
 knowledged themselves to have been edified in doing so. A sober 
 nind could find real pleasure in his chaste and perspicuous mode of 
 presenting truth, though one that was giddy and frivolous might have 
 preferred the noisy, impetuous declaimer. His pulpit efforts were uni- 
 formly sound, sensible, and evangelical, manifesting care, cultui-e, and 
 piety. He could be eloquent, and sometimes rose to a high degree 
 of pathos and power. Ordinarily his strain of preaching resembled 
 more the music of a running brook than the loud roar of the rushing 
 cataract. He was more like "the disciple whom Jesus loved" than 
 "the sons of thunder" who would fain have called down fire from 
 heaven to consume gainsayers. His sermons were uniformly models 
 
,234 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 of good taste ; in their style chaste and perspicuous ; in their sentiment 
 solid and judicious, and in their method instructive and logical. In 
 the excellent qualities of the best preachers, Dr. Cannon had but few 
 equals. His voice in early and mature life was feeble, but fine and 
 musical; afterward it grew in compass, and allowed him to reach 
 even the remote hearers in a large house. 
 
 In the seminary he was honored, beloved, and admired. Few, in 
 fact, had a stronger hold on the young men who sat at his feet ; and 
 their affectionate regard for his }uemory seems to be inci*easing with 
 their years. 
 
 After a protracted work in the church and in the seminary, he was 
 at last called to his rest. We heard him when he was just "on the 
 borders of Immanuel's land" speak of his faith and trust in Jesus as 
 a o-reat Saviour, and how he hoped to see him in heaven. Amid the 
 silence of the Lord's day, when the incense from the prayers of all 
 the saints was ascending before the throne, his spirit severed the silver 
 cord and mounted up to God. It was a fit time for such a man to die. 
 He had always felt his soul gladdened by the communion of saints, and 
 now it went away to enjoy it in glory. He sleeps beside the other 
 " worthies" in the crowded cemetery of the old church in the city of 
 New-Brunswick, awaiting a resurrection to eternal life. He died on 
 the 2oth July, 1852, and his monument is inscribed: 
 
 " This monument is erected by the General Synod of the Reformed 
 Dutch Church to the memory of Rev. James Spencer Cannon, D.D., 
 Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Church Government, and Pastoral 
 Theology in the Seminary of New-Brunswick, and Professor of Meta- 
 physics in Rutgers College. 
 
 '•Born in the Island of Cura9oa, January 29th, 1V76. Died in New- 
 Brunswick, July 25th, 1852. Conamanding in person, dignified in ad- 
 dress, richly endowed with various knowledge, distinguished for piety, 
 and devoted to the duties of his holy calling, he ofiiciated as Pastor of 
 the Church of Six-Mile Run for thirty years with signal fidelity and 
 success, and for twenty-six years he conducted the studies of his de- 
 partment in the Seminary in a manner to secure the highest commen- 
 dation of the Synod." 
 
 It Avill be long before another so complete in all the essential ele- 
 ments of greatness and goodness is found to occupy the place his 
 death has left vacant. One of the old school of gentlemen, scholars, 
 and preachers, he appears to our recollection as the beau-ideal of a 
 great and good man, and we love to recall many happy hours spent 
 in the closest and most confideniial intimacv. It was grateful then 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 235 
 
 to be permitted to sit at liis feet, and it is grateful now to remember 
 that he permitted us to do so. It has been a labor of love to twine 
 this chaplet of flowers and lay it on liis grave. 
 
 Dr. Cannon wore his clotlies always in the same fashion ; and it was 
 no slight advantage to liis large and dignified person tliat he did so. 
 His garb became him ; and sonie persons thought lie had a little pride 
 in it. It certainly did not lessen the dignity of his impressive person 
 and courteous deportment. He certainly had chosen it well. 
 
 He married the daughter of his benefactor, Elias Brevoort, of 
 Hackensack, on the 7th October, 179G. Her name was Catherine. 
 They had twelve children ; four of whom received a collegiate edu- 
 cation. Only three of his children survive. 
 
 Dr. Cannon published, besides the Lectures on Pastoral Theology, 
 an oration on the 4th of July, a sacramental sermon, and, for the use 
 of the students, some notes on chronology. It is known that he had 
 a large amount of manuscript, but it is not known wliat was done 
 with it. 
 
 His memory was greatly embalmed in the hearts of his people at 
 Six-Mile Run ; and his example quoted in every thing that was good. 
 It is yet alive. The aged tliiiik there w\as no one equal to him. His 
 ministry was blessed in many conversions, but there was no marked 
 season of revival during its continuance, except that which had its 
 centre in Somerville in 1820 and 1821, and extended over all the 
 churches of the county — at least to some extent. He built up a strong 
 churcli, and the fruits of his labors are yet known among his people. 
 In all time to come, he Avill be reckoned as one of the great men who 
 labored in Somerset County, and had a large share in making the 
 churches what they are — perhaps the best ordered and best instruct- 
 ed religious societies in the State. Dr. Alexander, of Princeton, was 
 accustomed to refer to them as such. 
 
 When Dr. Cannon resigned his charge at Six-Mile Run, the church 
 remained without a pastor until 1827, when the consistory united 
 in a call to the Rev. James Romeyn, of Nassau, New-York. Mr. 
 Romeyn was, at this time, comparatively a young man, having been in 
 the ministry only about seven years, but his rej^utation as a most effec- 
 tive preacher had preceded liim ; nor were the high expectations which 
 had been formed disappointed. For six years he made the force of his 
 character and the pow'cr of his pulpit services tell effectively upon the 
 interests of the church. He was one of the most splendid and earnest 
 preachers of Iiis day. His utterance resembled the rush of a torrent, 
 and his style and illustrations flashed upon his hearers like a pyrotech- 
 
236 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 iiic display. He forced you to listen, and when he had gained your at- 
 tention, he enchained it. One says of him, "He was of an exceedingly 
 sensitive temperament ; and this peculiarity measurably unfitted him 
 for contact with a rough world, but gave extreme ardor to the pur- 
 suit of studies he loved, and rendered him, with his strong mental en- 
 dowments, perhaps the most eloquent of our preachers. He Avas a 
 flame of fire in the pulpit. His utterance Avas rapid in the extreme, 
 yet in his best days distinct ; his posture a little stooped, his eye fol- 
 lowing his notes closely, his action not ungraceful, and his whole man- 
 ner vivacious, ardent, impressive. His style was sententious, brilliant, 
 and full of scripture ; of which a leading word or two gave you the pas- 
 sage and its use in the argument. His quotations and allusions of 
 all kinds, and his abundant, and to any but himself redundant, com- 
 parisons and figures, so characterized his sermons as to render them 
 altogether peculiar." Often a closing sentence gave the finishing touch 
 and the conclusive argument to the whole preceding paragraph. For 
 instance, in showing how science foils in religion, and how little it uses 
 of what science glories in, he says, " To attempt thus to back revelation, 
 is like holding a lamp beside the sun, or gilding gold, or propping up 
 the Alps." In speaking of forms without power he says, " We may 
 be stable as a pillar, and conservative as salt, and prove notwithstand- 
 ing like Lot's wife — a living body transformed into a dead mass, and 
 be nothing but a monument of folly and disobedience after all." 
 • " When he had well gotten into his subject, he often seemed to be on 
 fire, and then he flashed out lipon his hearers light and heat like a 
 burning comet ; and all so rapid, so impetuous, so snrprising that 
 his whole audience became electrified. Witl\ not only his fjice glow- 
 ing, but his whole system quivering, you wondered where it Avould 
 end, and not unfrequently feared lest it should consume him. It cost 
 him a great deal to preach ; no wonder his nervous system became 
 shattered and failed him apparently long before his Avurk Avas done ! 
 He burnt out like a flaming taper." 
 
 In person he is described as " tall, Avith a large face and a broad, 
 high and retreating forehead ; an aquiline nose, almost too large even 
 for such a face ; grayish blue eyes ; light brown hair, parted on his 
 forehead from the right side, short, thick, and smooth. In manner 
 he Avas gentle, afi"able, and kind. Hocial in his disposition, a true 
 Iriend, and a pure-minded, upright, honest man. He could not be call- 
 ed an elegant man, but he impressed those Avho saw him for the first 
 time; and no one ever spoke with him, ca'cu for a few moments, Avith- 
 out remembering something which he had uttered, and feeling that 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 237 
 
 there was a power in tlie man whicli made him at once wortliy of love 
 and fear." 
 
 We copy from a notice of him in Corwin's Manual the following in- 
 teresting reminiscences: "In the seminary it was said of him, he was 
 never tardy in time or loose in preparation. In his intercourse with 
 his fellow-students he was blithe and joyous, with an unfailing smile 
 of good-fellowship. He was never angry, though his nature was im- 
 pulsive. His early efforts at sermonizing showed the budding of that 
 rich and exuberant imagination which so eminently distinguished 
 his more mature efforts. He could pursue a principal thought and its 
 successive inferences, corollaries and suggestions, until it made almost 
 a complete circle of Christian doctrine. When he had made one of 
 these successful efforts, which showed him to be a head and shoulders 
 taller than any of his seniors, he did not seem to be aware of tiiefjict. 
 
 " As a preacher, he never occupied as conspicuous a position as his 
 abilities merited, partly on account of sliattered health, and partly be- 
 cause he shunned publicity. His rapid and impetuous delivery im- 
 paired to some extent tlie effect of his sermons, but his mind worked 
 in tliem like a steam-engine. 
 
 " His discourses exhibited great intellectual power, being always 
 M'^ell prepared, full of the marrow of the Gospel, glowing imagery, and 
 brilliant thought ; but his wonderful rapidity of utterance often, at 
 first, seemed to confound his hearers, and demanded from him closer 
 attention than he was able to give. He always came to the sanc- 
 tuary with 'beaten oil,' feeling deeply the responsibility of winning 
 souls to Cln-ist. His conscientiousness in this direction even prevent- 
 ed him from entering upon extensive fields of usefulness when they 
 Avere offered him. In pi-eaching, he gathered his illustrations from 
 every department of nature, science, and history. His reference book 
 was a storehouse of the choicest gems, gathered from a wide field of 
 reading and research, hence he Avas never at a loss for the apt and the 
 beautiful when he sat down to prepare one of his sermons." 
 
 He was perhaps too mucli of a slave to his pen, and often wasted upon 
 twenty or thirty persons in a district school-house, the fruits of study 
 and composition that ought to have edified thousands. The fact was, 
 he did not know what kind of a man he was, and what he was capa- 
 ble of doing; and it was not the fear of man, much less an anxious 
 desire to please, that impelled him to all his labor, but his high sense 
 of the preacher's responsibilities, and his unbending desire to do all in 
 his power to " commend the truth to every man's conscience in the 
 sight of God." 
 
238 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 James Romeyn was a minister's son, born in his father's house in 
 Greenbush, Albany County, in tlie year 1797. He graduated at 
 Columbia College, in the city of New- York, in 1816, his father having 
 before this time removed to Hackensack. He studied theology in the 
 seminary at New-Brunswick, under Dr. Livingston, witli whom he 
 held confidential relations, and often accompanied him on the little ex- 
 cursions which he made to preach or to attend to his business. Besides 
 his labors at Nassau and Six-Mile Run, he became the successor of 
 his father, J. V. C. Romeyn, at Hackensack, for three years, Tiien he 
 labored four years at Kaats Kill, then at Leeds for two years, then at 
 Bergen Neck for six years, and finally was attacked with paralysis 
 just after he had been pleasantly settled at Geneva, New- York. He 
 had man)'- calls to labor in other places. Perhaps he changed his 
 position too often. His temperament was extremely nervous, and a 
 little thing was sufficient to unsettle him. From Geneva he came to 
 New-Brunswick, had himself declared "Emeritus," and died Septem- 
 ber 7th, 1859. He left two sons, one of whom is now the pastor at 
 Hackensack, in his father's and grandfxther's church ; and his widow 
 Johanna Rodgers, still survives hitn. For so great a man, he may be 
 said to have been constitutionally one of the most unsteady of men 
 He did a noble work, but how much more and nobler he was capable 
 of doing ! 
 
 On his tomb in the cemetery at Hackensack, N. J., where his re- 
 mains rest, these words are inscribed : 
 
 Eev. James Romeyn. 
 
 Born Sept. 30, 1797. 
 
 Died Sept. 7, 1859. 
 
 " Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord ! I have passed my days as a 
 
 Minister of Jesus Christ. That is enough ! that is enough ! I am satisfied ! God 
 
 has led me by a right way. Bless the Lord, O my soul !" — James Romeyn. 
 
 " These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their 
 robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." — Rev. 7 : 14. 
 
 We have a distinct recollection of James. We enjoyed confiden- 
 tial intercourse with him, and can, from personal acquaintance, testify 
 how much truth there is in these friendly and flattering notices of 
 him. Indeed, in describing his peculiar traits of character and his 
 prominent excellences, it is difficult to make an overstatement. 
 Mentally he was a giant, pliysically and constitutionally little more 
 than a cliild. You could love him, and then you felt as if you could 
 chastise him because he was so weak, so wavering, so distrustful of him- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 239 
 
 self. He ought to have filled the first pulpit in the land, and he filled 
 some that were almost the least prominent. Like the flower of which 
 Gray sings in his Elegy, he wasted his sweetness on the desert air. 
 
 THE CHURCH OF READINGTON— AT FIRST NORTH- 
 BRANCH. 
 
 The records of this church were kept in early days in a remarka- 
 bly elegant handwriting by Albert Stoothoff. They have become 
 much worn and need to be restored. We have found in them seve- 
 ral items of information not previously known. They commence in 
 these words : 
 
 "Anno 1V19 : Tiie church over the North-Brancli, begun in 1718, 
 is completed. The first sermon was preached in it on the 21st of 
 Feb., I7^f, by Theodoras Jacobus Frelinghuysen, the first settled 
 preacher of the four united places, as Raritan, Six-Mile Run, Three- 
 Mile Run, and North-Branch. 
 
 The baptismal register commences February 21st, 1720, when An- 
 dreas Ten Eyck and Adriantje his wife had a son baptized named 
 Matthew. 
 
 The names on the first page are Abraham Dubois, John Pursell, 
 Jacob Sebring, Josliua Orison, Daniel Sebring, Jan Hendricksen, 
 Koenradt Ten Eyck, Derek Van Voghten, Michael Van Veghten, 
 Alexander McDowal, Benjamin Burt, Jan Van Sicklen, Coert Jan- 
 sen, Jacob Stoll, Tennis Van Middlewaert, George Hall, Albert 
 Louw, William Rosa, Paulus Buliier, and Lucus Schermerhorn. 
 We give tliem as among the origmal or first supporters and members 
 of Readington church. This is not a complete list, but, by their re- 
 curring frequently, they are shown to have been, at least, among the 
 most active, and nearly all have had successors even down to the 
 present time. 
 
 The first elders of this congregation, appointed in 1719, were Cor- 
 nelius Bogaert and Jan Hendricksen ; the first deacons, Abraham 
 De la Meter and Andreas Ten Eyck. 
 
 Anno 1721, September Gth, a new choice was made, and Emanuel 
 Van Etten was elected elder and Jan Lowe as deacon, and they were 
 
240 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 oi'dained October 8Lh. The elder whose time expired was Jan Hen- 
 dricksen — the deacon, Abraham De la Meter; so that the consistory 
 then stood: elders, Cornelius Bogaert, Emanuel Van Etten ; deacons, 
 Andreas Ten Eyck and Jan Lowe. 
 
 Anno IV22, on the 26th September, a new election was again had, 
 and Abraham De la Meter was chosen elder and Volkerd Dercksen 
 deacon. Jan Lowe went out of office, so that then the elders -were 
 Cornelius Bogaert, Emanuel Van Etten, and Abraham De la Meter; 
 the deacons, Andreas Ten Eyck and Volkert Dercksen. In 172'?, 
 Andrew Ten Eyck was chosen elder and Pieter Van Neste deacon ; 
 Emanuel Van Etten went out of office, and those who had been 
 elected were ordained September 3d. To the foregoing names were 
 added, as elders or deacons, during the succeeding years up to 1736, 
 Thomas Bouman, Abraham Loth, Simon Van Arsdalen, Dirck De 
 Mott, Jan Van Neste. The consistory was in that year a full board, 
 consisting of three elders, Andreas Ten Eyck, Dirck De Mott, and 
 Jan Van Arsdalen, and three deacons, Abraham Lott, Pieter Van 
 Neste, and Jan Van Neste. 
 
 In 1736, a most important movement was made at a meeting of 
 the Great Consistories, embracing the four united congregations. It 
 was resolved that an additional pastor should be called as a colleague 
 to Dominie Frelinghuysen, and a call was accordingly prepared and 
 sent to Holland, to the care of G. Van Schujdenborgh, promising 
 £80 currency, a house with fifty acres of land, a free horse and free 
 boar<l in all the congregations while in the performance of his pas- 
 toral duties, with the expenses of examination and ordination, and a 
 free passage. 
 
 Two years previous to this a corresponding movement had been 
 made at Three-Mile Run, and the Rev. Vincentius Antonides, of Long 
 Island, had ordained a consistory out of the malcontents, consisting 
 of Daniel Sebring and Peter Kinne as elders, and William Rosse and 
 Francis Waldron as deacons. In this there was concert of action, at 
 least in the three congregations of Three-Mile Run, Harlingen, and 
 North-Branch. Raritan does not appear to have been represented 
 in any authoritative way, though there were individuals who sympa- 
 thized with it. North-Branch was, in f^ct, one of the churches in 
 which the " Conferentie" feelings prevailed to a considerable extent. 
 We find indications of this down until the day s of Dr. Hardenbergh, and 
 references are frequently made to it in their minutes. It would even 
 seem that, at one time, they hoped to gain possession of the church, 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 241 
 
 and establish one of tlicir own ministers in it. They comphxin bit- 
 terly of the faihire of Fryeninoet to secure tlie confidence of the peo- 
 ple, and of the conduct of those who refused to acbuit him; and 
 again, in the case of Leydecker, the same desire is exliibited, and may 
 he traced down to tlie time when Ilardenbergli was called. Tiiey 
 call him " the pretended student." 
 
 We may now pause a moment to estimate the two opposing influ- 
 ences existing in the church. The Conferentie were not men of pro- 
 gress, but the contrary. They reprobated the idea of independence 
 of Holland, opposed bitterly the attempt to found an institution of 
 learning, and would have nothing, until it was forced upon them, but 
 a ministry from the Fatherland. They were thus impracticable men. 
 Under them the church would have died out. 
 
 On the contrary, the Coetus earnestly labored to build u}>, provide 
 what was necessary, and their preaching and their lives souglit to 
 promote spiritual and evangelical Christianity. Their success is our 
 prosperity. We are reaping what they sowed. 
 
 At the same time, the following persons were appointed helpers in 
 the difl"erent churches — following, as was aflirmed, the example of Paul 
 in 1 Cor. 12 : 28 : " God hath set some in the cliurch, first apostles, 
 secondarily propliets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts 
 of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues'"' — namely : 
 In New-Brunswick, lioelef Nevius, Hendrick Vischer, Abraliam 
 Ouke; Raritan, Hendrick Bries and Tlieunis Post; North-Branch, 
 Simon Van Arsdalen ; Six-Mile Run, Elbert Stoothoff. These per- 
 sons, after being chosen, were set apart to their work as eatechize- 
 masters and leaders in the prayer-meetings, and they were empowered 
 to hold their exercises publicly, even in the church, in the absence 
 of the pastor. 
 
 They were also directed to have an oversight over all the mem- 
 bers of the church, teaching them, guiding them, and encouraging 
 them in their Christian life and duty. 
 
 In 1737, jNIarch 4th, another important step was taken in the de- 
 termination to build a new church at North-Branch, and Joris Hall, 
 Jan Van Sickelon, Nicholas Wyckoff", and Martin Reyersen were ap- 
 pointed to carry this resolution into effect. The contemplated enter- 
 prise was happily carried into effect, and on the 7th of October, 1739, 
 the first sermon was preached in tiie new churcli of North-Branch, 
 from Psalm 48 : 9, "We have thought of thy loving-kindness, O God, 
 in the midst of thy temple," by Dominie Frclinghuysen. It was also 
 
242 HISTORICAL notes/ 
 
 decided, at the same meeting, that the consistory should meet four 
 times in each year, once uniformly just before the sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper was dispensed. 
 
 The minutes are continued regularly, and the yearly election of 
 elders and deacons noted, until 1744, when Jan Van Neste, Abraham 
 De la Meter, and Pieter Wortnian were the elders, and Nicholas 
 Wyckoff, Jacob Ten Eyck, and Martin Reyersen deacons, and then 
 a broad line is drawn across the page, and we are left in darkness as 
 to all that passed in the congregation until the year 1750. What 
 intervened in these six years we can not know, only Dominie Fre- 
 linghuysen died in 1748, and his son succeeded him. 
 
 Anno 1750. The first sermon was preached by Johannes Freling- 
 huysen — called to the churches of his honored and beloved father — . 
 in the church of Raritan, August 8th, from Psalm 45 : 16, " Instead 
 of thy fathers shall be thy children ;" in the church of North-Branch, 
 on the 10th, from Zech. 4:6," Not by might nor by power, but by 
 my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts;" at Millstone, on the 17th, from 
 Psalm 133 : 1, " Behold, how good .and how pleasant it is for breth- 
 ren to dwell together in unity!" Theodoras Jacobus Frelinghnysen 
 was dead, his son was in his place ; but where he died, when he died, 
 and where his remains rest, are strangely omitted in the minutes ef 
 all his churches. 
 
 The register of baplisms in North-Branch commences promptly on 
 the 21st of February, 1720 — the very day when T. J. Frelinghnysen 
 preached his first sermon — and records the baptism of Matthew, a son 
 of Andreas Ten Eyck, one of the first deacons chosen on the first 
 organization of the church. It is a beautiful register, .and seems to 
 have been kept by Albert Stoothoff until December 7th, 1783. It 
 notices a variety of important circumstances in passing on its course, 
 as, for instance, the death of John Frelinghnysen on the 15th of Sep- 
 tember, 1754; that T. J. Frelinghnysen the younger baptized three 
 children on the 3d of May, 1747, apparently just before his father's 
 decease ; that Dominie Fryenmoet b.aptized nine children December 
 loth, 1746 ; thatEricksen baptized three March 31st, 1748, and again, 
 on the 6th July, 1748, ten, both evidently after the decease of T. J. 
 Frelinghnysen, and while he was temporarily supplying the pulpit ; 
 ag.ain, eighteen by Fryenmoet in 1750, when he Avas a second time 
 on his errand of strife in the congregation ; John Frelinghuysen's 
 introductory sermon, August 5th, 1750; the introduction of the 
 " New Style" on the 3d day of September, 1752, when, in place of 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 243 
 
 tlie 3(1, the true reckoning was tlie 14th of that month. It is, in- 
 deed, one of the neatest and best-kept registers we have ever seen. 
 
 From this register we derive the following names of persons who 
 offered their children for baptism to the intruding ministers of the 
 Conferentie party, namely : Elbert Voorhees, Adrian Hageman, Joris 
 Middagh, Abram Van Hoorn, Matthias Brewer, Jacob Kinne, Lode- 
 wick Ilardenbrook, Cornelis Wyckoff, Willian Poling, Adrien Sut- 
 phin. Marten Myer, Benjamin Louw, Cornelis Van Campen, Rynier 
 Van Sicklen, William Van Neste, Hendrik Null, Abm. Van Sicklen, 
 Hendrik Vroom, Lodewyk Richtmeier, Abm. Van Neste, Jan Staatsz, 
 Jan Sickelse, Jan Van Neste, Hendrik Van Wagenen — baptized by 
 Fryenraoet, May, lY50; and previously, in 1746, by the same j^erson, 
 at Neshanic, but recorded at North-Branch, Abm. Van Neste, Har- 
 nien Lane, Peter Middagh, William Poling, Jost Schamp, Jan Anten, 
 Peter Beekman, William Hall, Jacobus Kinne ; also, by Errickson, 
 in 1748, Benjamin Louw, Derik Louw, Denys Strycker, Isaac Bogert, 
 Matthys Kaalsie. 
 
 But John Frelinghuysen's short and earnest ministry of three and 
 a half years came to an end suddenly and very unexpectedly to all 
 his people. It was a severe dispensation of providence, and he was 
 mourned greatly. Zion appeared to lay waste and desolate. IIo})e 
 there seemed to be almost none. Ministers could not be procured 
 in Holland without great expense and delay, and the church was 
 divided on the policy of raising a ministry of her own. It was, 
 indeed, a dark and gloomy day, and almost four years passed before 
 any thing was effectually done. Then, at last, a young man was 
 found to take Ids place, and called to enter into this wide and invit- 
 ing field. It was the Rev. Jacob Rutsen Ilardenbergh, a student of 
 Frelinghuj'-sen, and the husband of his widow. 
 
 But, before proceeding to notice his ministry, we turn to some 
 reminiscences of an earlier date, derived principally from Dr. John 
 Van Liew's dedication sermon. 
 
 We have noticed that a house — said to have been of logs — was 
 built for the })urpose of holding religious services in this vicinity as 
 early as 1019 or 1620. It stood near the junction of the north and 
 south brandies of Raritan River, on the second bank, nearly oppo- 
 site the residence of Andrew Ten Eyck. Tiie land is now owned by 
 Mr. John Vosseller. In this rude l)uilding T. J. Frelinghuysen 
 preached his first sermon on the 21st of February, 1720. Tliis house 
 served as the ordinary place of meeting for the iidiabitants of that 
 
244 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 district for about eighteen years. Tradition says it was burned 
 down. 
 
 The population increased during this term of years, and spread 
 ■westward. The location appeared to be too near to the Raritan 
 church, and a change was called for, in view of the erection of a 
 better and more commodious house of worship. The result was that 
 the new church was built about three miles further west, wliere the 
 church of Readington now stands. It was a frame building, quite 
 commodious, built in the ordinary form of churches in our State in 
 those days, with the side to the street, the main entrance in the 
 centre, and the pulpit directly opposite to it, with a centre aisle, and 
 galleries in the ends on the right and left of the pulpit. The dimen- 
 sions we are not able to state. Mr. Frelinghuysen preached the first 
 sermon in this building, and, by being repaired, refitted, and painted, 
 it continued to suffice as a place of worship for ninety-five years. In 
 the mean time, the congregation had increased in numbers, the 
 ministry in it had been blessed, and it had grown up to be one of 
 the most respectable churches in Somerset County — not Somerset, 
 for the change of location had not only given it a new name, but had 
 also transferred it into Hunterdon County. N"evertheless, a large 
 portion of the people — at this time, at least — resided in Somerset. 
 Being in the township of Readington, it took that name and became 
 incorporate by that title, and, in effect, the old church of ISTorth- 
 Branch became extinct. 
 
 The new church at Readington was built in 1833, under the 
 ministry of the Rev. John Van Liew. It was 51 feet in breadth by 
 71 in length. It was dedicated by a sermon from the pastor founded 
 on 2 Chronicles 7 : 1, "And the glory of the Lord filled the house." 
 It stood thirty-one years, and was consumed by fire in March, 1864, 
 but replaced at once by a larger, better, and more beautiful house, 
 56 feet by 76, and dedicated July'2lst, 1805, by a sermon from the 
 same pastor, from Haggai 2:9," The glory of this latter house shall 
 be greater than of the former, saitli the Lord of hosts : and in this 
 place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." The dedicatory 
 prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. Gabriel Ludlow, of Neshanic, and 
 the sermon and prayer published. Before this, Mr. Van Liew had 
 been honored with the degree of D.D. by Rutgei's College, New- 
 Brunswick. 
 
 During the ministry of T. J. Frelinghuysen the church of North- 
 Branch formed part of his charge, and enjoyed its share of his labors. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 245 
 
 It again united with Raritan and Millstone in calling his son, John 
 Frelinghuysen, as pastor. A copy of tliat call is recorded in the 
 minutes of the consistory both of Raritan and North-Branch, dated 
 May 18th, 1747. But it has no signatures, and apparently was not 
 considered as of any importance, being not the instrument itself, but 
 only a copy. 
 
 At a meeting of the great consistory of the three united congrega- 
 tions, on the 21st of August, 1750, (the minutes of which were re- 
 corded in the book belonging to Raritan,) we find the first record of 
 church officers under John Frelinghuysen. It is stated tbere that a 
 new consistory was chosen for North-Branch, consisting of two elders 
 and one deacon, namely, Jan Van Neste and Peter Montfort, as 
 elders, in the place of Jan Van Neste and Abraham Lametre ; for 
 deacon, Abraham Dumont, in the place of Nicholas Wyckotf. 
 
 This election was made by an agreement which looked to the set- 
 tlement of the disputes existing in the congregations, as recom- 
 mended by the Coetus, that two elders and two deacons should be 
 taken from Dominie Frelinghuysen's friends, and one elder and one 
 deacon from among the disaifected. 
 
 On the 15th September, 1751, the case was again brought before 
 the Coetus — in session in New-York — and the following record is 
 found in the published minutes of that session : " North-Branch, — 
 This case, it was determined, should be taken up to-morrow, [Septem- 
 ber 12th, forenoon.] In the case of North-Branch and Raritan the 
 decision of the reverend Coetus was, that the disaffected should choose 
 out of their numbers six persons ; that Dominie Frelinghuysen, with 
 Ijis consistory, sliould choose two out of the six — that is, an elder 
 and a deacon — who, being ordained, two of Dominie Frelinghuysen's 
 consistory should resign, whereupon the former, being associated with 
 the rest, should be recognized as the consistory, all expenses to be 
 borne in proj)ortion by each ; so shall all error and dissatisfaction 
 be done away with at once." 
 
 On this basis on the 25th of September the new consistories were 
 chosen, and the following was the result: For Raritan, as elders . 
 Jeronimus Van Neste, Peter Willimse, Jan Van Middleswaert ; as 
 deacons, Pieter Van Neste, Pieter Stryker, Frans Cusaert. For 
 North-Branch, Jerometan Neste, Pieter Montfort, Daniel Sebring 
 elders; Marten Ryerse, Jan Dumont, and Pieter Schomp, deacons. 
 
 In the mean time, John P''relinghuysen having died, (September 
 1754,) liis congregations were left vacant. Those Avho had sympa- 
 16 
 
-246 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 thized with tlie party opposed to him and liis father at Nortli-Branch 
 took this opportunity to endeavor to further their own views. We 
 quote from a letter to the Classis of Amsterdam from the Conferentie 
 party, dated November 9tli, 1756 : " We turn to the Raritan congre- 
 gation, made vacant by tlie death of Dominie John Frelinghuysen, 
 where for two years they liave been left almost watliout any divine 
 service, althougli the congregation is large and scattered, and affords 
 ■work for more than two ministers. A great f)art of the congregation 
 •was induced to call Dominie Fryenmoet, a fugitive minister who had 
 heen obliged to leave his place through danger of the public foe." 
 'Tlie place he left was Warwarsing. The foe must have been the 
 'Indians, for it was in the midst of the French war. " But a com- 
 mittee, or circle of the Coetus, was called in, who did what they could 
 to remove him, and now have succeeded.'" " The consequences of 
 this can not be other than bitter, all the service now being rendered 
 by those wlio call themselves the Coetus, to the dissatisfaction of the 
 greater portion of the people." 
 
 Ao-ain we quote: "Another instance of injury to the church is 
 seen in the complaint of a committee from the North-Branch portion 
 of the congregation at Raritan. The origin of the dispute there was 
 the neglect of the consistory of Raritan and the associate congrega- 
 tions to provide suitable ministerial service after the death of Dominie 
 John Frelinghuysen, only three or four sermons having been preached 
 '*by Low-Dutch ministers in the course of two years. Dominie 
 Fryenmoet, fleeing before the public enemy, came to North-Branch, 
 nnd was several times asked by the consistory there to officiate, 
 which he did with so much accej^tance that many members of the 
 four united congregations requested that he might preach in all the 
 -churches; but the consistories in the other three villages refused, no 
 ■doubt because of their engagements to a certain Hardenbergh, who 
 liad married the widow of Dominie Frelinghuysen. The adherents 
 of Dominie Fryenmoet being by far the greater number in tlie four 
 -cono-regations, bestirred themselves to obtain a subscription to have 
 him for their lawful minister; but the consistory opposed this with 
 •all their might, and the dispute arose so liigh that each party called 
 in the circle* to settle it. The proceedings of the circle were so 
 manifold that we can not mention them; withal, not obscm-ely show- 
 ino- partisanship, that we can not relate them. But we must men- 
 ition one thing, namely, that the adherents of Dominic Fryenmoet 
 
 * Equivalent to a classis or committee. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 247 
 
 promised to raise the whole salary for him, and offered, further, if the 
 others would call any lawful minister whom they preferred, (seeing 
 the congregation required two,) that they would assist in paying 
 him. Still they could not agree, and Dominie Fryenmoet had to go 
 away. 
 
 " An elder and two deacons of North-Branch, consulting together 
 without the knowledge of two elders and another deacon, their asso- 
 ciates, requested Dominie Leydt to preach there and choose a new 
 consistory. When the time came to carry out the plan, they niade 
 it known to the others, and wished them to aid in making the choice ; 
 but they protested against it, as almost the whole congregation after- 
 w^ard did, as being opposed to the church orders and the ancient 
 usage of the church. Notwithstanding, the election was had, and, 
 immediately afterward, the ordination also, which compelled the re- 
 maining lawful members, after the lapse of four months, (for they 
 could not side with the newly chosen, and the old ones who went 
 out would not act with them,) to make, with their ' consalent ' 
 Dominie Dh Ronde, a new filling up of the consistory, in order to 
 heal the bi-eaoh, and, as such, they have sought to maintain the 
 church in the right. 
 
 "The nQ\y consistory, together with the consistories of the other 
 three villages, have made and executed a call upon the so-called stu- 
 dent Hardenbergh, who was examined and qualified before the con- 
 gregation as minister by those who style themselves the Coetus, who 
 yet had no proper business with that call, not only because of the 
 things above stated, but becixuse the student was an unfit person, 
 not having made the least proficiency in what belongs to the ministe- 
 rial office, and having been, by the acknowledgment of all, under the 
 instruction of a teacher only two years at the farthest. Besides, he 
 was qualified without the order of either classis or synod. They 
 cannot, therefore, but separate from those who thus act, and they re- 
 quest the aid of the classis to provide tliein a minister from the 
 classis." 
 
 This letter is signed by Ilagehoort, jNIancius, Retzema, De Ronde, 
 Fryenmoet, Rubel, Rosenkrantz, and Schuyler. We have thus 
 allowed them to tell their own story, and put in a j)lea for their own 
 cause, and the result is, we believe, in the estimation of all, that they 
 were prejudiced men, men of rule and law, and not of candor, pru- 
 dence, and earnestness in the pursuit of great ends in the midst of no 
 ordinary emergencies and difficulties ; " jiien of one idea.'''* The 
 
248 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 church could not have been built up by them. They would have 
 allowed a thousand things to be undone, because some rule, in their 
 estimation at least, forbade the doing, but not because it was not 
 riglit that they should be done. Evidently tiiey meant to bring in 
 at North-Branch a man of their own views, in order to strengthen 
 their adlierents there, and they were bitterly disappointed when not 
 able to do it. Properly understood, their case condemns itself 
 Their sneers at Hardenbergh are in bad taste, and tlie results proved 
 that they were nnjust, and would have been unfortunate in their re- 
 sults. We proceed, after having allowed the malcontents to state 
 their case. 
 
 The next record is dated June 14th, 1758, after the Rev. Jacob 
 Rutsen Hardenbergh had been called and settled over the five united 
 congregations of Raritan, North-Branch, Millstone, Neshanic, and 
 Bedminster. It states that Andrew Ten Eyck was chosen elder in 
 the place of Nicholas WyckofF, and Pieter Montfort, in the place of 
 Francis Waldron, and as deacon, Harmanus Lane, in the place of 
 Derick Sebring. Again, June 15th, 1759, consistory met at the 
 house of Andrew Ten Eyck, and chose, as elder, Jan Van Neste, in 
 the place of Pieter Wortmau, and Cornelius Bouwman, in place of 
 Johannes Pittenger, deacon. Again, April 2Gth, 1760, at the house 
 of Andreas Ten Eyck, were admitted to the communion of the 
 church, on confession of faith, Petrus Van Neste, Mattheus Ten Eyck, 
 and Maria Van Arsdalen, wife of Dirck Sebring. August 4th, 1760, 
 the consistory elected were, Teunis Post and Johannes Pittenger, in 
 the place of Pieter Montfort and Andreas Ten Eyck, elders; and 
 Matthaes Ten Eyck, in the place of David Van Duyne, deacon. 
 December 14th, 1761, as elder, Andreas Ten Eyck, in the place of 
 Jan Van Neste ; as deacon, David Van Duyne, in the j)lace of Har- 
 manus Lane. January 12th, 1762, received, on confession, Nicholas 
 Egbort and Jannetie Corse, wife of Edward Harrinton. January 2d, 
 1764, as elder, Teunis Post, in the place of Andreas Ten Eyck, and, as 
 deacons, Harmanus Lane and Michael De Mott, in the places of 
 David Van Duyne and Peter Van Neste. December 31st, 1764, ad- 
 mitted to communion, on confession, Derick Sutphin and Petrus 
 Nevius, from Bedminster, and Catherine Buun, wife of Edward 
 Bunn, Neeltije Montfort, wife of Abraham Montfort, and Catherine 
 Sutphin, wife of Peter Sutphin. 
 
 November 4th, 1773, a meeting of the consistories of Raritan, 
 North-Branch, Bedminster, and New-Millstone convened at the house 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 249 
 
 of Ryniei' Van Neste, in view of calling Dominie Christian F. Foering 
 as a colleague of Dominie Hardenbergli, and admitting New-Mill- 
 stone into the united charges. At this meeting it was agreed that 
 a new church was to be built uear Cornelius Van Horn's, and arranf^-e- 
 ments were made to have it supplied by the two collegiate pastors; 
 and, as the old and new churches are both mentioned and provided 
 for, it api)ears that services were intended to be held — at that date, 
 at least — in both places; but the whole effort was a failure, from 
 Dominie Foering declining the call. 
 
 The last minute relating to North-Branch which we sliall co]')y from 
 the Raritan records is a meeting of consistory at the house of Michael 
 De Mott, January 10th, 1'7V4, when Jacob Bogert and wife, Cathe- 
 rine Albertsen, and Margaretta De Mott, wife of Jacob De Mott, 
 were received into the communion of the church on certificate, and 
 AVilliam Van Vliet, Albert Cornell and his wife Antje Stryker, Jo- 
 hanna Stoothoff, wife of Abraham Daraont, Jr., Lea Simonson, wife 
 of Jan Snediker, and Marya Dorlandt, wife of Cornelius Metzelaer, 
 were received on confession of faith. Rev. J. R. Hardenbergh con- 
 tinued to serve the church until 1781, when he resigned his call and 
 resnoved to Rochester, New-York, taking possession of the Harden- 
 bergh manor-house, and preaching to that people for a short time. 
 He was then^ called to the presidency of Queen's College, and re- 
 moved to New-Brunswick, serving, at the same time, as pastor of the 
 church. 
 
 We have given these extracts from the minutes of Raritan, as sup- 
 plying a hiatus in the North-Branch book, which, from 1757 to 1781, 
 contains no records whatever. September 11th, 1781, the consistory 
 met at the liouse of Peter Duinont, and fixed upon a line between it 
 and Bedminster. Again, March 7th, 1782, at Abraham Dumont's, 
 and decided to take up the call sent to Rev. Dirck Romeyn, unless 
 he should have concluded to accept it. June 19th, they met again 
 at Peter Dumont's, and consulted as to the way in wiiich they might 
 succeed in having divine service performed in the congregation. 
 This eventuated in the calling of Simeon Van Arsdalen. The first 
 minutes signed by l\im are a meeting of consistory at the house of 
 John Simonson, Esq., January 15th, 1784. 
 
 We have noticed the disaffection toward Hardenbergh on the part 
 of a ihw people. When he had left, the same individuals, for a time, 
 were supplied by Gerrit Leydecker, a licentiate of the Conferentie 
 party. His name occurs first on their minutes June 20th, 1764, re- 
 
250 HISTOKICAL NOTES. 
 
 questing tlio assembly to unite in his behalf to tlie Chassis of Amster- 
 dam for liberty to ordain him. To this the olassis assented, and 
 recommended him in the strongest terms as one "taught from hia 
 youth in Latin and Greek, and also as having studied four years in 
 the College of New-Jersey under President Burr, and received the 
 degree of A.M., and then spent a year and a half, under Dominie Ret- 
 zema, in divinity, and in Hebrew, under Dominie Kals." He was 
 examined October 8th, 1705, and licensed as a candidate. He lias, 
 however, left no trace on the minutes of being at North-Branch at 
 all, tliougli it is known from other sources that he preaclied thei'e in 
 1769 for some time. He settled, finally, in the English Neighbor- 
 hood in 1770, remained until 1776, became a Tory, fled to New-York, 
 then to England, and died at the liouse of his son, in Pentonville, 
 near London, in 1794. 
 
 In 17S3, after a vacancy of two years from the resignation of Dr. 
 Hardenbergh, the candidate Simeon Van Arsdale preached at Read- 
 iiigton, and received the call. He was a native of Bucks County, 
 Pa , gi-aduated at Princeton, studied under Livingston, it is said, and 
 applied for examination to the general meeting of ministers at Mill- 
 stone, October 1st, l782. "After a well-arranged and agreeable 
 exvercise upon Romans 8 : 32, he was subsequently carefully exa- 
 mined by Messrs. Dirck Romeyn and Hermanns Meyer in the sacred 
 languages and principal points of sacred theology, both positive and 
 controversial, and, by his ajjpropriate answers, aiforded such satisfac- 
 tion that tlie reverend body feel the freedom to receive him among 
 the licentiates." He was again examined for ordination at New- 
 Paltz, October 7-9th, 1783, and the Rev. Messrs. John M. Van Har- 
 lingen, Solomon Froeligh, and Benjamin Dubois were appointed to 
 ordain and install him, the time being left to be fixed by tliem. 
 They reported the fulfijhnent of their commission to the general 
 meeting in New-York in May, 1784, and thus he became, to the satis- 
 faction of all parties, pastor of Readington. He is remembered as 
 one of the most amiable and accomplished young men of his day. 
 He possessed both eloquence and power as a preacher, was untiring 
 in his pastoral work and ardent in his piety. He received, soon 
 after his ordination, a call from the collegiate churches in New- York, 
 but declined it on account of his youth. His beautiful life came to 
 an early and sudden close in less than three years. His remains lie 
 in the church-yard at Readington, with the following inscription on 
 the tablet erected at the head of his grave; "'In memoi'y of the Rev. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. " 251 
 
 Simeon Van Arsdale, who departed this life the 2GLli day of May, 
 1786, in tlie thirty-tliird year of liis age. 
 
 " Here lies entombed a servant of the Lord, 
 A faithful preacher of his sacred word, 
 Who now with Clirist in glory is set down, 
 Decked in white robes and honored with a crown." 
 
 He was succeeded, the same year, in his pastoral cliarge by the 
 candidate Peter Studdiford. Mr. Studdiford was born in tlie city of 
 New-York; studied under Livingston, and was licensed by the synod 
 in New-Yori: May 1st, 1787, and arrangements made for his ordina- 
 tion, at the same time, on the 2Sth, and J. R, Hardenbergli, John M. 
 Van Harlingen, Jr., and Jolm Duryea were appointed to perform that 
 sei'vice, the sermon to be preaclied by Dr. Hardenbergli. Mr. Stud- 
 diford preached at Bedminster, in connection with Readington, until 
 1800, and then at Readington alone until his deatli. His long pas- 
 torate fills up a large portion of the history of tlie congregation. He 
 is remembered as one of the most efficient ministers of his day. Rev. 
 Dr. Van Liew has said of him, " The records show that, for years 
 after he commenced his labors in this place, there were large acces- 
 sions to the church. At the time of the great ingathering in the 
 church at Somerville there was a considerable ingathering also 
 here." His ministry lasted about forty years. Another says, "Pie 
 had readiness and aptness as an extempore preacher which lew pos- 
 sess, almost transcending himself when suddenly called upon to take 
 the place of an absentee. Instances of this we have often heard re- 
 lated. Such efforts would seem to have all the finish and even more 
 than the force of elaborate pre])aratioi)s." He died in his own house 
 at South-Branch Mills. His remains lie at Readington, beside those 
 of Simeon Van Arsdale, and the following inscri[)tion is engraven on 
 his tomb: "Beneath this tablet lie the remains of the Rev. Peter 
 Studdiford, who, after a long and laborious ministry, died on No- 
 vember 21st, A.D. 1826, in the sixty-fourth year of his age. He was 
 born in the city of New-York, a.d. 1763. Having completed his 
 collegiate and theological studies in the place of his birth, he was 
 installed pastoi- of the Dutch Reformed church of North-Branch. 
 Here he continued to labor with unabated zeal and diligence, until 
 visited by the sickness which issued in his death. Possessing en- 
 arged views of divine truth and a rich store of various knowledge, 
 he was ready, instructive, and forcible in his preaching. lie loved 
 
^ 252 HISTOPJCAL NOTES. 
 
 his Master's work, and slirunk not from labor in its performance. 
 As a pastor he was affectionate and faithful ; as a citizen, ti-uly 
 patriotic; as a neighbor, benevolent, candid, and obliging; and 
 as a Christian, humble, devout, and liberal." He married in 
 early life, and his wife sleeps beside him. Her tombstone is 
 inscribed, "Sacred to the )neraory of Phoebe, wife of the Rev. 
 Peter Studdiford, and only daughter of James and Lavinia Van- 
 derveer, of the township of Bedminster and county of Somerset. 
 She departed this life March IVth, 1S08, aged thirty-three years 
 nine mouths and eleven days. 
 
 " As tlirongli life religion was lier stay. 
 So, in her dying hour, 
 Through its triumphing power. 
 With joy she hailed the reahns of day." 
 
 Later in life he married Maria Van Horm, who long survived 
 him, and died in Somerville at the house of Jier daughter, Mrs. 
 Ruckel. 
 
 Mr. Studdiford was succeeded, in 1828, by the Rev. John Van 
 Liew. He was called May 1st, 1827, and died October 18th, 
 1869, at the hoiise of his daughter, Mi"s. Randolph, in Bloomfield, 
 Essex County, N. J., after laboring in his pastorship for forty- 
 two years. He was a son of Dennis and Maria (Sujdam) Van 
 Liew, and was born at Neshanic September 30th, 1798. He gra- 
 duated at Queen's College October. 1816, studied in the theologi- 
 cal seminary at New-Brunsvvick, and was licensed by the Classis 
 of New-Brunswick June, 1820, He welcomed to the communion, 
 during his ministry at Readington, 560 persons, and baptized 
 1119 infants and 85 adults. As a minister he was faithful, able, 
 devoted ; as a man, social, kind, generous, and the very soul of 
 honor — a Christian gentleman. His funeral sermon, by Rev. Henry 
 P. Thompson, of Peapack, a member of his cliui'ch, was published, 
 and to it we refer for an ample description of his labors and his 
 character. He was entombed in the new ceinetery near his 
 church, and the following is the inscription on his monument : 
 " Erected to the memory of Rev. John Van Liew, D.D., Avho died 
 October 18th, a.d. 1869, aged seventy-one years and nineteen 
 days. For forty-eight years he served the blessed Master in the 
 gospel ministry ; for forty-three years he was the faithful pastor 
 of the Reformed Church at Readington. Living we loved him, 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 253 
 
 dead wo cherish his memory, glorified we will meet him in the 
 heavenly world." 
 
 A few months before his death, in consequence of his enfeebled 
 health and inability to continue his pastoral duties, he had been 
 succeeded by J. G. Van Slyke, who was ordained and installed 
 July 1st, 1869, Mr, Van Liew assisting in the service and offering 
 the ordaining prayer. He then went away to the house of his 
 daughter to rest ; but he rested soon in his grave, to labor and 
 son-ow ijo more. Mr. Van Slyke was called to Jamaica, on Long 
 Island, the next year, and left tlie congregation. It is now under 
 the care of the Rev. J. H. Smock. 
 
 / 
 
 7 
 
 HARLINGEN, OP DE MILLSTONE, ^{^OURLAND, ETC. 
 
 This church was organized by the Rev. Henricus Cocns, of 
 Acquackanonk, on the 18th of May, 1|27, and the first church 
 edifice was built on the south-east corner of the old cemetery. 
 The location of both was determined by a land-grant of one 
 hundi-ed and sixty acres, received from "the proprietors," who 
 held nearly 9000 acres in the vicinity, and donated this tract for 
 the benefit and behoof of the minister and consistoiy of a church 
 to be gathered there, upon the basis of the confession of faith 
 adopted by the Synod of Dort, or Dordrecht, in 1618 and 1619. 
 This deed bears date June, I7l0, and seems to have been kept in 
 reserve for seventeen years before it was really claimed, and the 
 grant rendered permanent by occupancy and the necessary organi- 
 zation of the church provided for in it. What was the character 
 of the house erected is not known ; but it stood on the south- 
 cast corner of the cemetery, and was for some time in the pos- 
 session of the malcontents to whom Aroudiieus preached and 
 over Avhomhc Avas installed. Like the otiier early church edifices, 
 it was very contracted in dimensions and rude in structure. The 
 people did wliat they could to provide a place for religious wor- 
 shi]), anil it was not much ; but it showed their zeal. 
 
 Tiie first consistory consisted of tw'o elders and two deacons, 
 namely, Abraham Reyters and Geribrant Peters, elders ; Johannes 
 Koelbagh and Resol vert Waldron, deacons; and the church was 
 
264: HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 "the Church op de Millstone." They were chosen unanimously, 
 as stated, at the house of Reynier Veghte on the 18th of May, 
 1727, under the direction of Dominie Henricus Coens, of Aequacka- 
 nonk, after calling upon the revered name of Almighty God, 
 by all those who feared God and sought to build up his church ; 
 which persons, after they had been published to the congregation, 
 were on the same day ordained and installed into their respective 
 offices. 
 
 Henricus Coens seems to be as little known as almost any 
 minister who has ever exercised his gifts in the Dutch Cliurch, 
 His name does not occur in any of the published documents 
 which we have seen ; nor are we able to state when he came 
 from Holland. It must have been as early as 1725, for in that 
 year he is found ministering in the churches of Acquackanonk, 
 Bellville, • Pomjiton, and Ponds : and he continued his ministry 
 among this people for five years. He wrote to Holland a detailed 
 account of the troubles in the churches of Acquackanonk and 
 Bellville, (or Second River, as it then was called.) He died in 1735, 
 but when and where his remains were interred we are not able to 
 gay. His ministry and death both antedate our published 
 Minutes, and hence there is no trace of him excepting the re- 
 cords of the churches where he labored. 
 
 All the circumstances seem to indicate that the organization 
 Avas in the interest of " the Conf erentie party," then beginning to 
 be active in the affairs of the church. They were opponents of 
 Frelinghuysen ; they held the church for a time ; and they were 
 supplied by ministers belonging to that party, and Rynier Veghte 
 was at that time a strenuous partisan in their favor. Harlingeu 
 for a time Avas the centre of their operations and influence. We 
 are not prej^ared to condemn them entirely, but certainly circum- 
 stances in aftertimes proved that they were in the wrong. They 
 were many of them conscientious men, no doubt, but prejudiced 
 and partisan to a very large extent. 
 
 In the year 1729, the elders at Harlingen were Johannes Koel- 
 bagli and Resolvert Waldron ; the deacons, Guysbert Bogert, 
 Casparus Van Nostrand, and Abraham Hoover. In 1734, May 
 9th, at the house of Rynier Veghte, under the superintendence of 
 Dominie Antonidus, preacher on Long Island, after invoking the 
 name of God, the following persons Avere chosen : For Millstone, 
 (Harlingen,) for elders, Koert Voorhees and Daniel Polhemus ; 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 255 
 
 for Threc-Mile Run, elders, Simon Wyckoff and Hendrick Vroom ; 
 for deacons, Simon Van Wickelen and Denys Van Duyn ; for 
 North-Branch, for elders, Daniel Scbring and Pieter Kinne ; 
 deacons, William Rose and Frans Waldron, and they were installed 
 before the congregation. From the records in the other cliurches 
 it would seem tliat the ordination was in the Three-Mile Run 
 Church. 
 
 This record is an anomaly, and can only be explained, it 
 seems to us, by supposing that these consistories were chosen out 
 of the disaffected in these congregations ; and how such a man as 
 Antonidus should have done such a thing is almost marvelous. 
 It is not in accordance with his spii'it ; but things were loose and 
 many irregularities perpetrated, Dom. Vincentius Antonideus 
 came out to New-Amsterdam in 1705, and preached at 
 Brooklyn", Flatlands, and Flatbusli, and Bushwick, New-Utrecht, 
 and Gravesend until 1744, when he died. His name does not 
 seem to occur as having been present in any of the 
 meetings of Coetus or Conferentie, and a paper of that 
 day says of him "that he was a gentleman of extensive 
 learning, of an easy, condescending behavior and conversation, 
 and of a regular, exemplary piety, endeavoring to practice him- 
 self what he preached to others ; was kind, benevolent, and cha- 
 ritable to all according to his ability ; meek, humble, patriotic, 
 and resigned under all his losses and afflictions, his misfortunes and 
 calamities, which befell him in his own person and family. It is not> 
 therefore, anywhere stated what his leaning was in the emergen- 
 cies of the times, but certainly his ordaining these consistories in 
 Mr. Frelinghuysen's charge must be considered as an unjustifiable 
 and irregular proceeding. It was really the organization and 
 the commencement of a division in these churches which lasted 
 until the General Convention of l77l. Tliey actually took pos- 
 session themselves of the church, and obligt'd the others to build 
 themselves a new house of worship. 
 
 The disaffection was encouraged and stimulated by a very dif- 
 ferent person in tlie years 1745, 1740, and 1747. Dom. Johannes 
 Arondeus, also a preacher on Long Island from 1742 to 1747, 
 when he was finally suspended by the Coelus, came and preached 
 among these people. He actually had himself installed in IMay, 
 1747, though he liad no dismission from the churches on Long 
 Island, in the very churches and congregations under the pastoral 
 
256 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 supervision of T. J. Frelinghuysen, through the co-operation of 
 Fryenmoet, and remained until June, 1748, when he went away 
 as suddenly as he had come and in the same irregular way. He 
 meanwhile preached and baptized children, the records of which 
 are still existing in the baptismal books of Harlingen and Read- 
 ington. The whole number from the diiFerent congregations 
 araouiits to 100 ; but the names of the parents for the most part, 
 as they are given in the record, do not embrace those who really 
 were the staid, intelligent, and better class of the religious people, 
 though a few most honored names are found among them. This 
 is particularly true of Raritan, with which our acquaintance is 
 more thorough. Of this trouble in Israel, Rev. Mr. Corwin says, 
 " He was a very headstrong and contrary man. The civil and 
 ecclesiastical records constantly refer to him, but only to present 
 him in an unenviable character. He was a violent opponent of 
 the Coetus. He went so far as to have himself installed pastor 
 of the cliurclies in Somerset County by Fryenmoet, and minis- 
 tered there among the enemies of Frelinghuysen. The Harlingen 
 records were taken possession of by his party, and his ecclesias- 
 tical acts recorded in them, for all the surrounding churches." 
 
 After a long and factious resistance to the efforts of the Coetus 
 to bring him to terms and prevent contention, the following 
 minute, prepared by Dom. Ritzema and the Elder Hendrick 
 Fisher, was passed April 16th, ] 752 : " It is hereby made known to 
 you that the decision of the Rev. Classis made Sept. 14th, 1750, 
 and confirmed by the Rev. Classis of Amsterdam, Jan. 12th, 1751, 
 in relation to the question of the lawfulness and unlawfulness of 
 ministry of Dom. John Arondeus in Kings County, must take effect. 
 Thus Dom. U. Van Sinderen is to be recognized as lawful minis- 
 ter in Kings County, and Dom. John Arondeus as unlawful, and 
 therefore not authorized to administer the word and sacrament 
 in the Hollandish churches on Long Island. So that each and 
 every one whom it concei*ns, professing to be a member of the 
 Netherlandish Church and under the church orders established 
 in the National Synod at Dordrecht, 1618 and 1619, is to show 
 himself obedient to the foregoing action, which the assembly ex- 
 pects. Done in our meeting in the Consistory Chambers, New- 
 York, this 16th April, 1752. 
 
 "In the afternoon, Dominie Arondeus and his friends askel for 
 a copy of the proceeding. The request was granted, on condition 
 of their paying for it. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES, 257 
 
 " Then advice was asked, 1. What was to be done about tlie 
 non-2)ayment of sahuy by the subscribers to Dom. Van Sinderen's 
 call ? Ans. They are referred to the previous action of the 
 assembly. 2. What is to be done with those who were admitted 
 as church members during Dom. Ai'ondeus's irregular sojourn on 
 the island ? Ans. It is referred to the prudence of Dom. Van 
 Sinderen and his consistory. 3. How is Dom. Arondeus and his 
 consistory to be treated ? Ans. The minister being disapproved 
 the consistory must be also ; consequently the church property 
 must be restored, to Dom. Van Sinderen and his consistory." 
 
 Finally, Sept. loth, 1753, the conclusion seems to have been 
 effectually reached. " The sentence before pronounced upon Aron- 
 deus, ratified, by the Rev. Classis, at last executed in their name, 
 and again confirmed on certain conditions, must hold good, so 
 that he can no longer be a minister among you." 
 
 After this the name of the factious troubler disappears from 
 the records, and he died in disgrace. 
 
 On the loth January, 1749-50, the congregation met and re- 
 solved to build a church near Hendrick Canada's, on the land 
 of Jan Van Dyke. This church was finished in 1752, and the 
 minutes of consistory contain a beautifully written agreement 
 for the heading of a subscription, stating the object, the condi- 
 tions, and the several privileges of the subscribers in regard to 
 pews and other necessary arrangements. The subscription 
 amounted to about £400. The building committee was Peter 
 Nievins, Johannes Strycker, Garret Dorlandt, Abraham Van Ai"s- 
 dalen, and Koelof Van Dyke. The old " Conferentie Church" 
 at the burying-ground. Avas finally left to itself, and after a time 
 demolished. 
 
 The church so {provided for and built was the one which was 
 erected by those who did not sympathize with Arondeus or 
 with " the Conferentie party," and the location was the same 
 as the one now occupied by the Ilarlingen Church. The edifice 
 erected is represented as " being in the Dutch style of architec- 
 ture, with high gables and steep roof, an aisle on one side, from 
 which a door opened. Along the sides were short pews for the 
 men, wliile the body of the church was divided into small squares 
 occupied by chairs on which sat the women and children." 
 
 About this time the church left off the name "op de Millstone," 
 and Avas called the Church of Sourland. The articles agreed 
 
-. 258 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 upon are sensible and proper : " Every one having a seat in the 
 churcli, it is provided, shall agree to and stand by the following 
 articles; and if any shall be. disposed hereafter to sell his seat, 
 the purchaser shall be in duty bound to agree to and come un- 
 der the said articles, bj^ subscribing to them. And 2d. If the 
 owner of one or more seats shall die, his nearest heir is the next 
 owner, to have and occupy the same." It then goes on in the same 
 careful way, to provide that the church shall be for a Low-Dutch 
 Reformed preacher, lawfully called and sent. "The plan of the 
 building shall be such as the building committee think best and 
 approve of. What every person subscribes shall be a free gift 
 thereto ; and for every pound subscribed by each, he will be in 
 duty bound to work in proportion, whenever the building com- 
 mittee think it necessary, with wagon and horse, or otherwise 
 Avith a liand by the day ; and if he fails to come, when warned 
 out by the committee, his fine shall be four shillings per day ; 
 and if he fails turning out Avith wagon and horse, when notified, 
 his fine shall be eight shillings per day. For this building five 
 men shall be chosen by the present meeting, to carry on and com- 
 plete the same, and to collect the money subscribed for it. When 
 the building is finished, the committee shall have the seats num- 
 bered and recorded in a book kept for that purpose. The com- 
 mittee shall make an estimate of the money advanced by sub- 
 scribers, and proportion it on the different seats, according to 
 their value, so that all the seats go regularly to the subscribers 
 in proportion to tlie money advanced by them." Then follow 
 some minor regulations; and then it is agreed, "That three 
 church masters must be chosen out of the congregation, to whom 
 the building committee shall account for all moneys received and 
 paid out by them, and deliver over all books and papers to then), 
 respecting tlie building of the church; and in each succeeding 
 year, there shall be an election of church masters, Avhen two new 
 ones are to be chosen, to serve in the place of two who are to go 
 out and retire ; and those going out of office are strictly to ac- 
 count to those elected in their places, and deliver over to them all 
 property, books, and papers belonging to the church. And fur- 
 ther, we, the subscribers, do hereby bind ourselves and our several 
 heirs, and all those who occupy seats in this church, to stand by 
 these foregoing articles, and to pay the suras set opjDOsite our 
 respective names, as by us subscribed." 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 259 
 
 The church masters appointed on tlie ;iOth day of Dccemher, 
 1754, were Jan Van Dyck, Henry Canada, and Cornelius Van 
 Arsdalen. They were succeeded, in 1754, by John Staats, Ceysbert 
 Lane, and Cornelius Van Arsdalen. In l7o9, Derick Gulick and 
 John Van Nuyse took the jilace of Jan Staats and Henry Canada, 
 and the catalogue is continued until 1786. 
 
 From the organization of the Harlingen church, in 1727 to l750, 
 it experienced great vicissitudes and changes. It was not served 
 by T. J. Frelinghuysen except, perhaps, occasionally, and mainly 
 depended upon the minister on Long Island for what religious 
 services it enjoyed; yet it was kept alive, and seems to have 
 had its communion seasons twice in each year, when the children 
 were admitted to the ordinance of baptism. We can not give the 
 original members who composed it ; but between 1727 and 1742, the 
 following were received on certificate, namely, Auguts 25th, 1721, 
 Geribrandt Peterse, Johannes Koelberg, Resolvert Waldron, An- 
 netje Waldron, Maria Cortsibrus, Jannetje INIeycrs and Jannetje 
 Stienmets. October 25th, 1727, Jan. Firkeyk, April 3d, 1728, Isaac 
 Gouverneur, Willem Koos, Jannetje Coermans (Coejemans), Geer- 
 tray Staats, Elizabeth Krom, and Magdalena Gouverneur ; and on 
 confession, Christina Roelers and Susanna Roelers. June 19th, 
 1728, on certificate, Hendrick Smock, Johannes Van Iloute, 
 Tryntje Peterse, Anna Geertraid Everse, and Anna Woertman j 
 on confession, Cosparus Van Nostrand and Abraham Slover. Sept. 
 11th, 1728, on confession, Creesje Runyen. Nov. 6th, 1728, on 
 confession, Lucus Schermerhoorn and Sophia Schermerhoorn, 
 Aug. 11th, 1729, on certifixcate, Dina Kouvvenhoven. April 15th, 
 1730, Marrietje Lange. June 10th, 17;30, on certificate, Johanna 
 Gouverneur. Oct. 11th, 1730, on certificate, Mitje Van Winke- 
 len. Oct. 14th, 1731, on certificate, Asje Van Home ; on confession 
 Helena Van Lieuven. March 29th, 1732, on certificate, Denys 
 Van Deuyne and his wife ; on confession, Simon Van Winkelen. 
 Dec, 16th, 1732, on certificate, Philip Yong, Jacob Wynand, Eva 
 Thiese, MarietjeTliiesc, and Marietje Slover. April 18th, 1746, on 
 certificate, Machteltie Van Duyn, wife of Hendrick Staats. Then 
 follows the following list certified as being in the communion, but 
 without date, namely, Albert Low, Abraham Dubois, RynierVan 
 Veghten, Jan Staats, Rem Ditmars, Jovis Bergen, Cornelius Low, 
 Abraham Hageman, Reynier Van Angelen, Abraham Polhemus, 
 Hendrick Herder, Johaimes Gribling, (probably Sebring,) Peter 
 
260 HITORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Couenoveii, Susanna Low, Deyna Van Lieuven, Helena Van 
 Lieuven, Meria BackAvier, Goertie Follemer, Antie Couwenhoven, 
 Maria Herder. These were probably tbe malcontents in a body, 
 brought by Arondeus to strengthen Jiis hands and form a com- 
 pany to support him. 
 
 On the 9th of April, 1752, John Frelinghuysen records on the 
 minutes the following names as having been received on confes- 
 sion of faith, namely, Gertrey Ammermar, wife of Jacobus Van 
 Nuyse, Gysbert Zutphin, and Antie Schenck, wife of John Gorden. 
 A better day had at last dawned. Harlingen had become one 
 of the associate charges of a man who sought only to do good 
 and preach the Gospel in its simplicity ; but alas ! his life was too 
 short to effect much. 
 
 After the death of John Frelinghuysen, on September loth, 1V54, 
 the church remained vacant until 1762, when it was associated with 
 Neshanic in a call upon the Rev. Johannes Martinus Van Har- 
 lingen. His ministry was a long one, extending to 1795, when he 
 died in the service of these churches, and his remains were inter- 
 red under the pulpit, and when the church was rebuilt, transferred 
 to the buryingrground on the old parsonage farm, on which he 
 had resided during the whole period of his service. 
 
 " He was the son of Johannes Martinus Van Harlingen, a native 
 of Amsterdam, who emigrated when a young man, and settled at 
 Harlem, N. Y., where he married Maiia Bussing, and soon remov- 
 ed to Lawrence's Brook, near New-Brunswick." It is said that John 
 M. Van Harlingen, the son of the above, was born near Millstone. 
 After commencing his theological course he went to Holland, for 
 the double purpose of obtaining a more thorough preparation for 
 the ministry, and of being ordained by the Classis of Amsterdam. 
 After completing his theological course at one of the universities 
 of Holland, and receiving ordination, he returned to America. 
 He entered upon his ministry in 1762, and served, bis double 
 charge with zeal and fidelity for thirty-tliree years, when he fell 
 asleep, universally beloved and lamented. He preached exclusively 
 Dutch until toward the close of his life, when, the younger part 
 of his charge requiring English sermons, he preached occasionally 
 in that language. He was an evangelical preacher, a faithful 
 pastor, and a patron of learning. He Avas a member of the origi- 
 nal Board of Trustees of Queen's College, and labored for its 
 first endowment. Dom. Van Harlinijen was twice married. His 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 261 
 
 first wife Avas Sarah Slryker, by whom he had two children ; liis 
 second, Elizabeth Van Deursen, who was the mother of three, one 
 of whom died in infancy, and the others survived him. His name 
 has passed away, but his descendants are quite numerous in Som- 
 erset ; one of tliem is Rev. P. D. Van Cleef , of Jersey City. 
 
 The following words are inscribed on his tomb, in the Harlingen 
 Cemetery : " To the memory of the Rev. Johannes Martinus Van 
 Harlingen, ])astor of the Reformed Dutch congregations of Sour. 
 land and N"ew-Shanick, who died Dec. 23d, 1795, in the Vlst 
 year of his age. 
 
 " Van Harlingen, recalled by Zion's Kiiifr, 
 Finislied in haste his embass}' abroad ; 
 Then soarint? up to heaven on seraph's winfj, 
 Blessed angels haihid the ambassador of God." 
 
 The want of English preaching was now increasingly felt in all 
 the churches ; and a year before Mr. Van Harlingen's death the 
 United Consistories of Harlingen and iSTeshanic provided for it in 
 their congregations by calling the Rev. William Richmond 
 Smith as his colleague, to preach in the English language exclu- 
 sively, one Sabbath at Harlingen and two at Neshanic. 
 
 Mr. Smith was a native of Lancaster County, Pa. His father, 
 Rev. Robert Smith, D.D., was minister of Pequea ; and his 
 mother was a sister of the celebrated brothers Samuel and Jo! n 
 Blair, eminent men in their day in the Presbyterian Church. He 
 had also two distinguished preachers as brothers : Samuel Stan- 
 liope Smith, of Princeton College, and John Blair Smith, at one 
 time President of Union College, Schenectady, and afterward of 
 Hampden Sidney, in Virginia. He was a man of sound mind and 
 an edifying preacher ; a man highly esteemed and revered by 
 the people to whom he ministered through the long period of 
 twenty-five years ; a couiteous, gentlemanly man. He was 
 stricken with pai-alysis on the Sabbath day, while preaching to his 
 people. He survived the attack for se \ eral years, but was a wreck in 
 mind and body, during the whole remainder of his life. His 
 remains rest among the people of his charge in a rural cemetery 
 near Flagtown; and he being dead yet speaketh. He died on 
 the 23d of February, 1820, His funeral, on the 2Gth, was attended 
 by a vast concourse of peoi)le, anxious to testify their esteem for 
 a faithful pastor and friend. The Rev. Peter Labagh preached 
 17 
 
262 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 the Bermon from 2 Timotliy 4 : 7, 8. William R. Smith was not a 
 popular man in the sense of attraction, but extensively popular in 
 the sense of almost imiversal esteem ; and he was a good man, a 
 faithful man, and left behind him a memory which ephemeral 
 popularity seldom attains — in converts who were real Christians. 
 In 179S — three years after the death of J. M. Van Harllngen — 
 the united churches called the Rev. Henry Polhemus. He was a 
 native of the congregation, born at Harlingen in 111 2, graduated 
 at Princeton College 1*794, studied theology with Dirck Romeyn, 
 ajid was licensed in 1798. Almost immediately upon receiving 
 his commission, he Avas offered the call from Harlingen and Ne- 
 shanic as a colleague of W. R. Smith. He was to ])reach two 
 Sabbaths at Harlingen and one at Neshanic alternately, Smith 
 preaching two at Neshanic and one at Harlingen. He continued 
 in this charge until 1809, when he received and accepted a call 
 from English Neighborhood, in Bergen County, N. J. He re- 
 mained there until 1813, when he settled at Shawangunk, New- 
 York, and died in 1816, after laboring there two years. He is 
 represented as having been an earnest and acceptable preacher, 
 laborious and conscientious in the performance of his duties, and 
 humble and pious in his walk and conversation. He did a good 
 work in his day, and left a tair reputation behind him, when he 
 died, as being a man of zeal, devotedness, and single-heartedness 
 in all his intercourse with men, but especially in his ministry. 
 
 In ISOl, the congregation became incorporate under the laws of 
 New-Jersey, and determined to change its name from Sourland, by 
 which it had been known since 1750 or even earlier, to Harlingen, 
 in memory of their deceased pastor. The next year, 1802, the 
 people in the southern part of the congregation at Blauwenburgh 
 moved in the matter of providing themselves with a house of 
 worship. The matter was brought before the Consistory of Har- 
 lingen, who promised to refer it to the great consistory ; but no 
 definite action seems to have been had, and for a time the matter 
 appears to have been held in abeyance. The next year a motion 
 was made to repair the church. On examination, it was pro- 
 nounced not to be worth repairing, and a subscription was circu- 
 lated to rebuild it ; but there was a failure in obtaining the requi- 
 site amount. In September the matter was resumed. The great 
 consistory was at first convened, and then the heads of families, 
 and finally a committee was appointed, consisting of James D. 
 
niSTOKICAL NOTES. 263 
 
 Stryker, Samuel Beekman, William Davis, Ezekiel Blew, Garret 
 Quick, Henry Borcaw, William Duryea, John I^aird, and Abra- 
 ham Skillman, to advise with and aid the consistory in effecting 
 the desirable object of giving the congregation a new church edi- 
 fice. On the 4th of November, it was unanimously resolved to 
 proceed early in the next season, and Abram Stryker, Samuel 
 Beekman, Cornelius Kersliow, and William Davis were appointed 
 manao-ers. The work was uro-ed forward with such energy that 
 the house was completed and nearly all the pews sold before the 
 beginning of January, 1804. The cost of tlie l)uilding, including 
 the fence, was -$4,410.89. This was the third church in which the 
 people of Harlingen liad worshiped God ; and it stood, with some 
 occasional repairs, until it was superseded by the present commo- 
 dious structure. 
 
 After the Kev. Henry Polhemus resigned, in June, ISOS, an 
 effort was made to obtain the services of the Rev. Peter D. Froe- 
 ligh, a son of Dr. Solomon Froeligh, of Hackensack and Sclialen- 
 burgli ; but when the same movement was made in Neshanic, it 
 met with opposition, and was finally abandoned. 
 
 The name of the Rev. Peter Labagh, then pastor of the 
 churches of Kaats Kill and Oakhill, was introduced to the atten- 
 tion of the people, and a call was extended to him, which he 
 accepted, and moved into the parsonage in July, 1809. He was 
 installed soon after by the Ptcv. Peter Studdiford, of Readington. 
 He served the two churches as Mr. Polhemus had done, preacliing 
 two Sabbaths at Harlingen and one at Neshanic, and alternating 
 in tliis way with the other pastor, the Rev. W. R. Smitli. In this- 
 hxborious service he continued for twelve years until tlie death- 
 of jMr. Smith. Three years of this term he was, in effect, sole- 
 pastor of both churches, his colleague being incapacitated all tliat 
 time for any kind of service. An effort was made to supply the 
 place of Mr. Smith, and retain the arrangement between the two 
 churches as it had hitlierto existed; but it was not successful. 
 Harlino;en voted to give a call to Rev. I. N. Wyckoff, and Nesha- 
 nic preferred the candidate Isaac Ferris. The result was that the 
 connection was dissolved, and Harlingen agreed to retain Mr. 
 Labagh's services, leaving Neshanic to provide for herself. The 
 dissolution of the combined arrangement was amicably eff^'cted 
 and proved mutually beneficial. From 1821 until 1844, the good 
 old man went on in his work, preaching most efiiciently, attend- 
 
-264 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 ing Bible classes in the different districts of his congregation, and 
 fostering and encouraging his Sabbath-schools. Harlingen be- 
 came a famous place for gathering the largest audiences in Som- 
 erset County on the anniversaries of her Sunday-schools, and the 
 meetings were spirited, addressed by popular and eminent men, 
 and proved largely instrumental in diffusing throughout the whole 
 county an interest in the Sabbath-school Avork. But old age had 
 come upon him in his active life. He had entered upon his seventy- 
 first year. His voice, never either fall or fine-toned, had been im- 
 paired by disease. He could not be well heard, especially by the 
 ^ged. He began to feel that his work was done, and he laid down 
 his armor gracefully and retired to the residence of his daughter, 
 and tliere, in reading, fishing, and walking for exercise, went down 
 to his grave in a dignified, devotional, and honorable way, and good 
 men carried him to his burial. Late in life he had been honored 
 by Mercer College (Pennsylvania) with a degree of D.D., but he 
 hardly ever assumed the title in any very general way. He was 
 best known and most extensively honored, in Somerset County 
 especially, as Dominie Labagh, and there his name and influence 
 will never be forgotten. His numerous spiritual children will 
 honor him to the end. 
 
 Peter Labagh was born in Beaver street, in the city of New- 
 York, November 10th, 1773. When the British army approached 
 the city, his parents escaped to Hackensack, N. J., and made it a 
 permanent residence. He commenced the study of Latin under 
 William Kuypers, and continued it, under Alexander Miller, in 
 the academy at Hackensack, afterward at Flatbush, under Dr. 
 Wilson, and finally he completed his theological course Avith Dr. 
 Froelio-h and Dr. Livingston. His professional certificate was 
 •dated July 7th, 1796, and he was licensed by the Classis of Hack- 
 ensack soon after this date. Almost immediately he went on a 
 mission to the State of Kentucky, where many families from Ber- 
 gen and Somerset Counties (New-Jersey) had settled. He orga- 
 tnized two churches at a place called Salt River, and returned at 
 the end of the year. He was soon called to the churches of 
 Kaats Kill and Oakhill, (New- York,) which he continued to serve 
 until he came to Hai'lingen in 1821. 
 
 A biography of Dr. Labagh has been published, to wliich we 
 refer those who desire special information. Instead, therefore, of 
 following out the events of his life in detail, we prefer to give the 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 265 
 
 estimate of tlic man and the minister and character which has 
 been drawn of him hy two of his most intimate friends. Dr. 
 Lndlow says, " He was a man of much more than ordinary powers 
 of mind, lie was remarkably rapid in apprehension, sound in 
 judgment, and correct and delicate in his taste. His faculties 
 were Avell balanced, and he had a large measure of what is ordi- 
 narily called common sense. Without any thing in appearance, 
 manner, or voice to recommend him, he was, nevertheless, a veiy 
 profitable preacher, especially when he prepared his discourses 
 with some care. He was an earnest speaker, and had much of 
 the practical and experimental in his discourses, while, at the 
 same time, his doctrinal statements were sound and scriptural. 
 He was very much at home in deliberative ecclesiastical assem- 
 blies, large and small, and exercised great influence in them. He 
 was very much attached to his own denomination, while he felt a 
 deep interest in the welfare of every part of the church of Jesus 
 Christ. He was eminently social and genial in his disposition 
 and habits, far beyond what his expression and manner would 
 seem to indicate. He had a power of sarcasm and satire about 
 him that was rather formidable, and a talent for retort and 
 repartee which it was not easy to cope with. He was widely 
 known in our church, and was greatly instrumental in promoting 
 her interests. He had a large share in the confidence of his 
 brethren in the ministry. He might have made much more of 
 himself than he did, considering his natural powers and advan- 
 tages ; yet he was a very valuable and useful man, and his 
 memory will always be cherished." To all this we can witness 
 ourselves. 
 
 Dr. Bethune, who admired and loved him greatly, says, " Of 
 Fatlier Labagh's early, or even riper years, I know little, and that 
 little only by hearsay ; the grateful, unanimous testimony of all 
 who had the pi'ivilege of association with him, to his devotional 
 spirit, fidelity, sagacity, and consistent virtues as a man, a Chris- 
 tian, and a minister is abundant. 
 
 " I call him Father Labagh ; for by that affectionate name all 
 the members of our classis, much younger than he, were accus- 
 tomed to greet and address him. He Avas our father, to whom we 
 gladly yielded the place of superior authority ; whose council was 
 at once sought, and very seldom, if ever, overborne in every ques- 
 tion of disputed doctrine, method of business, or ecclesiastical 
 
--266 HISTORICAL NOTES, 
 
 policy. Ilis prayers, occasional exiiortations, and informal talks 
 had, for us, the nnction and pleasant authority of the aged disciple 
 among his little children. He resembled, in our minds, the apostle 
 of love, not only in the kindness of his speech, but also in the 
 searching casuistry Avhich he had acquired from a long experience 
 of a Cliristian and ministerial life. Never arrogant or severe, but 
 ever direct and faithful; never assuming, but ever thankful for 
 our ready deference, he could not avoid being conscious of the 
 rank we assigned him in our f ellowsliip ; yet he ever treated the 
 youngest and meekest of us with the respect and sympathy of 
 true Christian friendship. It was this character that drew me to 
 him with a love and veneration which increased with every oppor- 
 tunity I had of enjoying his society. Perhaps this very manifest 
 regard for him inclined him to think kindly of me; for he always 
 treated me so as to make the hours I passed in his company very 
 pleasant and profitable then, and the recollection of them will be 
 cherished while my memory lasts. He liad a keen sense of the ludi- 
 crous, and often showed it in pointed epigrammatic sayings, and 
 even in sarcasm, the sharpness of whicli was relieved by his good 
 humor. He never shrank from the duty of rebuke, which none who 
 received it had a right to be otherwise than thankful for. He read 
 characters with instinctive skill, and was shrewd enougli to avail 
 himself of every advantage in an lionorable strife ; nor was he 
 disingenuous enough to conceal his pleasure in a plain victory. 
 The special grace of his disposition was its unfading youthfulness. 
 Whenever he grew old, it was not in his heart. The generosity 
 which moved him to forget himself or his personal power in the 
 advancement of the church was not lessened but increased by 
 age. He Avas always on the side of true progress, never fearful 
 of enterprise or enlargement ; but, on the contrary, ready, even 
 eager, to give his aid and advocacy to whatever promised increase 
 of usefulness. He grew neither dull nor morose, nor pragmatical, 
 but was che3rful as mor;iiug, loving the sunshine rather than the 
 shade, and symjiathetic with the happiness of others, fully appre- 
 ciating the wisdom of the ins})ired maxim, that "a merry heart 
 doeth good like medicine." Frugal, temperate, and self-regulated, 
 he was as free from asceticism as he was from Avorld -worship. 
 Young people never felt his presence an unwelcome restraint, and 
 conversation was enlivened by his sprightly reminiscences and 
 witty pleasantries." 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 267 
 
 ''We have greater pleasure in giving- tliese discriminating esti- 
 mates of Dr. Labagli tliau we could have in adding any tiling otu'- 
 selves. In 1841, feeling the infirmities of age, he clieerfully gave 
 place, as we have already said, to a successor, and rested from his 
 labors. He had been the instrument during his ministry of 
 bringing into the church more tlian 500 communicants, and lie 
 had besides introduced, from his own communion, eight young 
 men into the Christian ministry, namely, Brogun Huff, Cornelius 
 Van Cleef, J. T. B. Beekraan, J. P. Labagh, (his only son,) P. S. 
 Williamson, J. P. Stryker, missionary to India, N, D. William- 
 son, C. S. Ilageinan, besides David Cashing, Av^hom he induced to 
 study, and aided materially in his course. Of the original mem- 
 bers of his church, numbering about sixty, only four remained when 
 he resigned. The dissolution was acted on in chassis on the lOth 
 November, 1841-, when he had completed his seventy-second year, 
 upon Avhicli occasion he preached his last sermon from Revelation 
 22 : 21, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. 
 Amen." Ilis closing years were quiet. He was respected and 
 frequently visited by his brethren in the ministry, and lie died in 
 a good old age — " an old man and full of years." He deceased on 
 Monday, October 2oth, 1838, aged 84 years 11 niDuths and 15 
 days. His funeral was attended on the 27th at the house of his 
 son-in-law, Lawrence Vanderveer, Esq., where Rev. Dr. Van Vran- 
 ken, of New-Brunswick Theological Seminary, offered prayer, and 
 then at the Harlingen Church, where Rev. Dr. G. Ludlow preach- 
 ed a sermon — published afterward as an appendix to his memoir 
 by Rev. J. A, Todd. It was a bright and beautiful autunmal 
 day, and the withered leaves, falling thickly in the forests, seemed 
 to say to the gathered throng in solemn accents, " AVe all do fade 
 as the leaf." 
 
 The remains of D)\ Labagh were, in the first instance, deposited 
 in the old Harlingen Cemetery, but were subsequently removed to 
 Rock Hill, in the certain hope of a joyful resurrection to im- 
 mortal life. Upon his tomb we read the following inscription : 
 "In memory of Rev. Peter Labagh, D.D., born Nov. lOth, 1773, 
 died Oct. 25th, 1858. The faithful pastor who liere slee])s in 
 Jesus was ordained to the ministry in 179G, missionary to Ken- 
 tucky in 1797, called to the pastoral otlice of the Reformed Church 
 of Catskill in 1798, of Harlingen in 1809, of Avhich he continued 
 pastor for 35 years. As a preacher he was solemn, earnest, per- 
 
268 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 siiasiv'e, and always instructive; as 'a' pastor, attentive to his 
 flock in sickness and in health; as a member of the different 
 church courts, wise in council, strong in debate ; and in all the 
 relations of life, husband, father, friend, devoted and sincere. 
 The memory of the just is blessed." 
 
 On the 21st of August, 1844, j^receding Dr. Labagh's last ser- 
 mon, the consistory had resolved to call as his successor John 
 Gardener, a licentiate from the seminary. Tliis call was ap- 
 proved on the 15th of October, and on the 14th November he was 
 ordained and installed pastor of the church. Rev. G. Ludlow again 
 preaclung the sermon, from 2 Timothy 4 : 5. He still remains 
 the minister of the church. 
 
 THE CHURCH OF NESHANIC. 
 
 The records of the church commence on the 25th of August, 
 1752, and recite that the consistory of North-Branch, on account 
 of the necessity of establishing the Christian ordinances and hav- 
 ing the Gospel preached, had consented to dismiss Bernardus 
 Verbryck and his wife, Abraham Dubois, Sen., Abraham Dubois, 
 Jr., Albert Low and his wife, William Low, John Duraont and 
 his wife, John Montfort and his wife,, in all eleven persons, for 
 the purpose of forming a new congregation, and continues to 
 give notice tliat Bernardus Verbryck and Abraham Dubois were 
 chosen for elders, and Johannes De Mott and William Low dea- 
 cons in said cliurch and congregation of Neshanic. Tliis record 
 is in the handwriting of Dominie Johannes Frelinghuysen, of 
 Raritan, and gives us the date of the organization of the Nesha- 
 nic cliurch, and the names of the first consistory. 
 
 On a preceding page, but without date, referring evidently to 
 the same matters, are certain articles of agreement between j>er- 
 sons formerly belonging to the church of North-Branch, with 
 certain others from other congregations, agreeing or covenanting 
 to call a neighboring minister belonging to the " Coetus^ and 
 maintaining the doctrines of the Articles of the Synod of Dort, 
 1618 and 1619, and to provide a proportionate maintenance for 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 269 
 
 him, according to tlic service which he may render ; to ignite, for 
 tliis purpose, with the congregations of Raritan, North-Branch, 
 and Millstone ; to commence the building of a church for said 
 new congregation between the residence of David Genoe and " the 
 Lawrence Line," the site to be determined by a majority of 
 voices of those Avho have subscribed toward its erection, with 
 other minor considerations, all showing how deliberately they 
 entered upon the work of establishing a new church. This cove- 
 nant is subscribed by Bernardus Verbryck, Abraham Dubois? 
 Sen., Abraham Dubois, Jr., John De Mott, Laurence De 
 Mott, William Post, John Dorlant, Cornelius Van Arsdalen, 
 Jacobus Nevius, Pieter Van Dyke, Pieter Montfort, Jan Mont- 
 fort, Lucus Nevius, Derick Low, Albert StothofF, Adrian Hage- 
 man, Joichira Gulick, Jacobus Gulick, and John Brower, men of 
 substance and character, and enough to warrant the undertaking. 
 
 •To this list there is appended a subscription of nearly £100, for 
 the purpose of carrying out the agreement recited above. Then, 
 on the 11th of October succeeding, it is recorded that the site for 
 the church was determined by a majority of voices to be on the 
 Amwell Road, between the residences of Lawrence and John De 
 Mott, on the Knoll, on the north side of said road. This appears 
 to be all that was accomplished during the lifetime of John Fre- 
 linghuysen. The inference is that the work undei'taken with so 
 much deliberation was carried forward to a successful conclusion 
 during the winter and the summer of 1753 and 1754. Mr. Frc- 
 linghuysen died on the 15th of September, 1754, and probably 
 never preached in the church. 
 
 The next record is dated May 21st, 1757, and refers to the 
 election of a consistory under the direction of Rev. JohnLeydt, of 
 New-Brunswick, at the house of Andreas Ten Eyck. John De 
 Mott Avas chosen elder, and John Montfort deacon ; and then it 
 recites that they were ordained on the 13th January succeeding, 
 in the church at North-Branch, by Dominie Romeyn. This was 
 Thomas Romeyn, who had mariied Margaretta Frelinghuysen, 
 the elder daughter of Theodorus J. P^relingliuysen. 
 
 The register of baptisms commences May 23d, 1760, with the 
 names of Jan and Sarah WycofF presenting a daughter, Neeltjie, 
 and .Tacobus and Elizabeth liegeman, a son, Pieter, and Daniel 
 and Catleyntie Hunt, a daughter, Catlyntie — all on the same 
 day. This register is complete, and has been continued until the 
 
.. 270 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 present time. We gather from its earlier years some names 
 which it may he of interest to preserve, as belonging to the 
 congregation in its beginnings, such as John ITufF. George Ber- 
 gen, More Beyaert, John Cox, Bernardus Van Zant, Thomas Hall, 
 Peter Petersen, Hendrick Dilts, Dominions Stryker, John Van 
 Nest, Abraham Voorhees, Tennis Cornell, Hendrick Jansen, 
 Heugh Higse, Dominicus Van Dyke, Joris Broca, and Hendrick 
 Pippenger. The list, as contained in the first book, ends Jannaiy 
 24th, 179i, with the baptism of Sarah, daughter of Rulcph Peter- 
 son. These were some of the first supporters of the Neshanic 
 church. 
 
 On the 28th of August, 1758, under the superintendence of 
 Rev. John Leydt, Rem Vanderbeek was appointed elder, and 
 Lawrence De Mott, deacon ; and again July 29th, 1759, tlie Rev. 
 J. R. Hardenbergh presiding, Bernardus Verbryck was ordained 
 as eider, in the room of Johannes De Mott, Avhose term of service 
 had expired. This last record indicates the time when Neshanic 
 had united with the other congregations in Somerset County, in 
 calling the Rev. Jacob Rutsen Hendenbergh as their pastor. 
 They had all been vacant since John Frelinghuysen's death, 
 in 1754. Their attention had been directed to him, probably, 
 from the fact that he had married Mr. Frelinghuysen's widow. 
 It was a time of great distraction in all tlie Dutch churches, but 
 perhaps especially in those in Somerset County. Fryenmoet, one 
 of " the Conferentie preachers," had been preaching to those who 
 were disaiFected toward the Freliughuysens, and at North-Branch 
 esj^ecially a strong effort had been made to effect his settlement. 
 He had spent some months there preaching and baptizing chil- 
 dren, and endeavoring to gain the confidence of the people, but 
 had not succeeded. Hardenbergh had been licensed in May, and 
 was now already living in the house in Somerville, which had 
 been built with the bricks sent over from Holland, in the same 
 ship Avhich brought out John Frelinghuysen and his Avife, Dinah 
 Van Bergh. Neshanic was organized as a Coetus church, and 
 did not sympathize with the malcontents, as many families in the 
 other churches had done. 
 
 This connection continued to exist until 1761, when Harden- 
 bergh went to Holland for the purpose of bringing over his wife's 
 mother. It is not ascertained exactly how long he was absent, 
 but probably during nearly the whole of the year 1762. It was 
 
HISTOEICAL NOTES. 271 
 
 during- tliis, tlio 3-car of liis absence, that Neslianie witlulrew from 
 its connection with tlie other four cliurclies, and formed a union 
 with Ilailingen, or Sourland as then called, to obtain the services 
 of Rev, Johannes Martinus Van Harlingen. This proved to be a 
 lasting connection, and continued until it was dissolved, in 1V95, 
 by Mv. Van Ilarlingon's death. In 1780, in order to obtain more 
 preaching, however, Neshanic united with Millstone in obtaining 
 a part of the services of Solomon Froeligh, and tliis connection 
 continued for six years, until 1786. Then, feeling the necessity 
 of liaving preaching in the English language, for the benefit of the 
 junior members of the congregation, she called, in conjunction with 
 Harlingen, the Rev. William R. Smith. He was to preach two 
 Sabbaths at Neshanic, and one at Harlingen. He was thus more 
 entirely identified with the people of Neshanic than of Harlingen. 
 He also made his residence in the bounds of the congregation, 
 living on a parsonage farm, less than two miles east of the church. 
 The impression of his character and preaching was left very, 
 permanently on the people of Neshanic, and his grave is with 
 them, as a perpetual reminder of what he was and what lie did to 
 win them to the w^ays of righteousness and peace. His long 
 ministry, continuing in its activity until 1817, and ending only 
 with his death in 1820, was a great blessing to the people in 
 every sense. It was an earnest and a faithful ministry; and was 
 blessed by an increase of the church, and an elevation of the 
 standard of piety among the whole community. Ho did a blessed, 
 an extensive, and a lasting work at Neshanic. 
 
 Ivcv. William Richmond Smith was born at Pequea, Lancaster 
 County, Pa., in 1752. He was a younger son of the Rev. Robert 
 Smith, D.D., of Pequea, and his mother was a sister of the cele- 
 brated Samuel Blair, of New-Londonderry, Pa., the father of Dr. 
 John Blair, both ministers of wide influence and usefulness in the 
 Presbyterian Church. He had also two distinguished brothers, 
 Samuel Stanhope Smith, the successor of Dr. Witherspoon in the 
 presidency of Princeton College, and John Blair Smith, the first 
 president of Union College, Schenectady, and subsequently of 
 IIam|iden Sydney College, in Virginia. Though not, perhaps, 
 equ il in mental endowments or in ])ulpit talents to his celebrated 
 brothers, he was a man of sounil mind, of a deep and ardent piety, 
 and a truly edifying preacher. Jlence he became a man highly 
 esteemed and revered by the people to whom he ministered 
 
272 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 through the long period of five and twenty years, a conscientious, 
 gentlemanly man, " endeared and loved." He was stricken with 
 paralysis while preaching to liis ^Jeople. He survived the attack 
 for several years, but was a wreck in mind and body during the 
 remainder of his life. His remains are interred in the cemetery 
 near Flagtown, and he " being dead yet speaketh." His funeral, 
 on the 20th of February, 1820, was attended by a vast concourse 
 of people from the surrounding country, anxious to testify their 
 esteem and veneration for so faithful a pastor and friend. Rev. 
 P. Labagh, his colleague of Harlingen, preached the sermon from 
 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8, " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
 course, I have kept the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a 
 crown of glory, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give 
 me in that day." On the tablet which stands at the head of his 
 grave you read, " Sacred to the memory of William Smith, for 
 twenty-five years one of the ministers of the united congregations 
 of Shannock and Harlingen. He died February 23d, 1820, in the 
 sixty-eighth year of his age. The memory of the just is blessed." 
 Beside him rests his wife, and on her tablet we read, " In memory 
 of Rachael Stidman, relict of Rev. William R. Smith ; born July 
 8th, l770 ; died December 8th, 1840." She survived her husband 
 nearly twenty years, and was finally united with him in his 
 rest. 
 
 Neshanic had now been united with other churches in the sup- 
 port of a minister for the space of sixty-eight years. Her growth 
 as a congregation had not been rapid, but it had been substan- 
 tial. Her people had increased in numbers and in wealth. It 
 Avas time for her to enjoy the benefit of the labors of a pastor for 
 herself, and she determined to make the effort. A call Avas given 
 to the candidate Gabriel Ludlow, recently from the seminary in 
 New-Brunswick, and was accepted. He entered upon his labors 
 on the 5th September, 1821. Fifty years from that date, Septem- 
 ber 5th, 1871, he preached an anniversary sermon commemorative 
 of his long and jjatient labors among the people of his charge. 
 It was attended by many of his bretliren in the ministry, and a 
 reception and collection were given at his house after the exer- 
 cises in the church had closed ; a purse was donated to him con- 
 taining nearly |1000, and many kind things said by his ministe- 
 rial brethren during the afternoon for his encouragement and 
 comfort. He is yet in the harness, standing uj) and preaching 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 273 
 
 Christ witli almost youthful vigor ; and may he be spared to do so 
 for long years to come ! The history of his ministry, when it 
 comes to be written, will be an example for all. 
 
 MILLSTONE, NEW-MILLSTONE, HILLSBORO. 
 
 The first religious organization in the village of Millstone was 
 effected through the agency of the presbytery of New-Brunswick. 
 The English settlers in that vicinity j^etitioned them to give them 
 regular religious services. At their meeting at Baskingridge, 
 October 3Uth, 1759, this petition was acted on and provision made 
 for stated supplies. Some of the Dutch families united with this 
 organization, and a house of worship was erected about the year 
 1760. It was, for a time, occupied once a month by the Rev. 
 Israel Reed, the pastor of the Presbyterian church at Bound 
 Brook. At the same time the Dutch families had the ministers of 
 their denomination serving them about as often, thus giving the 
 people a public religious service at least once in two weeks. Rev. 
 John Leydt, of New-Brunswick, Van Harlingen, of Harlingen, and 
 especially J. R. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, participated in render- 
 ing these services. The church which had been built was not 
 large and was never really completed. It stood south of the 
 present church, on land now owned by Mr. Van Cleef, a barn-like 
 structure without paint or any thing inviting about it. 
 
 In process of time difficulties in regard to its occupancy sprung 
 up among the people, and tliose who were attached to the doc- 
 trines and orders of the national church in Holland determined to 
 erect another church for themselves. The Presbyterians had sup- 
 plies given them by presbytery, and continued their own services 
 for many years, a Mr. Elmore preaching for tliem, among the 
 last, at or near the beginning of tlie present century. There was 
 even a long correspondence between the presbytery and classis in 
 reference to their I'espective riglits to the territory in and about 
 Millstone. Finally their church edifice became unsafe, and was 
 taken down in the year 1809. It was a small house with a very 
 steep roof, without cupola, and plain in its profile. When re- 
 
274 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 moved, the laud was sold and the avails divided among the heirs 
 of the original donor, a Mr. Ten Eyck, and so the Presbyterian 
 interest in Millstone ceased. 
 
 On the 26th July, 176(5, seventy heads of families, namely, 
 Peter Schenck, Cornelias Van Liew, Ilend. Probasco, Ab. Van 
 Beuren, Heud. Schenck, Jice Smock, John Vanderveer, Lawr. 
 Vauderveer, Rem. Ditmars, Bergun Coevert, Jr., Sara. Brewer, 
 John Vandoren, John Smock, Peter Stryker, Dan. Coeverfc, Jac. 
 WyckofF, Jac. Van Nostrand, Hendk. Wilson, Jerh. Douty, Jan 
 Stryker, Cor. Lott, John Probasco, Christian Van Doren, Ab. 
 Van Doren, Phil Folkerson, John Blanco, Peter Blanco, Ab. 
 Metzelaer, Peter Perrine, Bergon HufF, Jer. Stillwell, Jac. Stryker, 
 William George Prall, Mary Arrismith, Jacob Metzelaer, Ai-on Van 
 Doren, William Spader, Peter Cavaleer, Peter Wilson, John Chris- 
 topher, John Brokau, John Iloogelandt, John Coevert, Mindert 
 Wilson, Isaac Brokau, Joseph Arrismith, Joseph Vanderveer, 
 Rem. Garretson, Juryee Van Cleef, Derrick Croesen, Peter 
 WyckofF, John Powelson, Steplien Terhuue, Douwe Ditmars, 
 Hendk. Vanderveer, Luke Rynierson,ReynierVan Hengelen, Sam- 
 uel Gerretson, Jac. Gerretson, StofFel Van Arsdalen, Gerret Ter- 
 huue, Josh. Cornell, Barent Stryker, Gertje Cornel, John Ditmars, 
 Roelof Terhuue, Marritje Van Nuys, and William Corteljou, ad- 
 dressed a ^^ ■petition'''' to the Dutch ministers and elders of Raritan, 
 New-Brunswick, Six-Mile Run, and over the Millstone, (now Har- 
 lingen,) as follows : " We, the undersigned, belonging to the afore- 
 said congregations, and living where the four congregations meet, 
 finding it very inconvenient, and sometimes impossible, to attend 
 the Dutch church or Dutch sei-vices with our families, which, in 
 view of God's command and our baptismal vows, we feel to be 
 the duty of ourselves and our children, and also for other reasons 
 which we might present, therefore we have deliberated whether a 
 new congregation ought not to be established, by taking some 
 from each of these congregations ; and having considered it advi- 
 sable, we request respectfully your counsel and advice. If our 
 desire be approved — and our prayer is that it may prosper — and 
 we, on the Lord's day, once a month, or as often as possible, may 
 be served by our three ministers, then. For the accomplishment of 
 the same, we will provide a place of worship and a salary. This 
 petition we sign with respect, submission, and love, praying Al- 
 mi«-hty God to overrule all things for the best. And further- 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 275 
 
 more, tlie salary, -is is usual, shall be paid by eacli one of us. 
 The reverend ministers above mentioned are invited, with elders 
 from each of the congregations, to come together at the house of 
 Peter Suhenck, on Monday, the 11th day of August proximo." 
 
 Accordingly, on the Uth day of August, 1766, Kev. John 
 Leydt, pastor of tlie churclies of New-Brunswick and Six-Mile 
 Run, with an elder respectively from each, namely, Ilendnck 
 Fisher and Abraham Voorhees ; Kev. Jacob K. Hardenbergh, of 
 Raritan, with the elder Reynier Van Neste, and the Rev. J. M. 
 Van Harlingen, of Neshanic and Sourland, with elders Simon Van 
 Arsdalen and Johannes De Mott, met together at the house of 
 Peter Schenck, and, after prayCr, each of the points of the peti- 
 tion was thoroughly discussed, and the petition and plan were 
 approved, except that the new congregation should not have the 
 eeraces of the three ministers without the consent of their re- 
 Bpective congregations, as it would infringe on their calls. They 
 at once, after arriving at these conclusions, proceeded to elect a 
 consistory and to establish the congregation under the name of 
 ^'- JSFeio- I\IUlstone.'''' Joseph Cornell and Peter Schenck were 
 chosen the first elders, and Johannes Hoogelandt and Abraham 
 Van Doren, M.D., the first deacons. Dominie Leydt, of New- 
 Brunswick, was appointed to ordain the new consistory on a sub- 
 sequent day, (date not given ;) but, being prevented from per- 
 forming this service by an accident. Dr. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, 
 attended to it in his place, and the church was regularly ushered 
 into being, the first regular organization in the county of Somer- 
 set. 
 
 The three neigliboring ministers, by an arrangement Avith their 
 congregations, preached each at Millstone four Sabbaths in a 
 year, giving them, in this way, one service in a month. This, 
 however small it seems to be, continued to be the arrangement 
 for eight years. 
 
 The first thing the consistory attempted, in furtherance of tlieir 
 purpose to secure for themselves and their children the ordinances 
 of the church, was to erect a house of worship. A subscription 
 was circulated as early as December of the year 1766, which 
 amounted to £446, or $1115. The subscribers agreed to pay their 
 quotas in four installments, at intervals of six months, beginning 
 on IMay 1st, 1767. The conditions of subscription provided that 
 the house should be built on land near " Somerset Court-house" — 
 
276 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Millstone being then the county-seat — the land to be bought of 
 John Smock, and that the church should unite with the " Coetus 
 party," the party of liberty and advancement, as then understood. 
 Aid pecuniarily was sought both in New- York and Long Island, 
 and a subscription amounting to |260 obtained. The land for, 
 this church was ultimately given by John Van Doren, immedi- 
 ately north of the present parsonage lot. It is, at present, in- 
 cluded in the garden of Di*. Fred. Blackwell. But John Smock, 
 who owned the site where the church now stands, being willing 
 to exchange it for his land, considered more eligible, it was taken, 
 and the deed stands in his name, dated January 7th, 1767, and 
 gives it to seven trustees, for the use of the congregation. Their 
 names are Rem. Ditmars, Hendrick Wilson, John Probasco, John 
 Vanderveer, Cornelius Van Liew, John Van Doren, and Henry 
 Probasco. It comprised 8^ tenths of an acre, and was valued at 
 £10. It has been enlarged by three different purchases since, and 
 now includes a little more than one acre. The house of worship 
 was completed in about a year and three months from the date 
 of the organization of the church. Like the churches of that day 
 it was longer in front than in depth. It contained in all sixty 
 pews. In the Revolution it was greatly damaged by the use to 
 which it was subjected by the ti'oops at different times ; but, being 
 repaired, it stood for sixty years, and was finally succeeded by 
 the present house, the corner-stone of which was laid on the 8th 
 of June, 1828. 
 
 The baptismal register commences April 3d, 1767, with Eva, a 
 daughter of Dr. Van Beuren. At this time the church numbered 
 only fifteen members in communion, including the elders and dea- 
 cons. Ten were added in confession and two by certificate, while the 
 first arrangement of supplies from neighboring ministers continued, 
 and about $40 per year was paid bj' the Church of Millstone to 
 the different consistories for the services of their pastors in that 
 church. 
 
 In the year 1774, on the 23d of July, contemplating the settle- 
 ment of a pastor for themselves, the congregation purchased a pai'- 
 sonage farm, containing about fifty-three acres. It is now the resi- 
 dence of J. H. Wilson, Esq. The house on it needed repairs, and 
 these were provided for at once ; and now, being, as they believed, 
 fully px'epared to sustain public worship among themselves, 
 they renewed tlieir call upon the Rev. Christian Frederick Foer- 
 
HISTORICAL KOTES. 277 
 
 ing, of the t::ty of New- York, a preacher in the German Chnrch, 
 and then- call was accepted October, l774. He liad been called 
 as co-pastor with Dr. Hardenbergh, of Raritan, in November of 
 the preceding year, but had declined. He represents, in a letter, 
 that the Dutch language was rapidly passing away from Mill- 
 stone, and that he was expected to preach only in English, so 
 that we have the time fixed when English preaching only began 
 in Millstone. 
 
 Rev. C. F. Foering was a native of Hanover, German}^ ; was 
 e;lucated at Germantown, Pa., probably under G. H. Dorstius 
 a contemporary and friend of T. J. Frelingliuysen ; was called to 
 the German Reformed churcli of Germantown, in 1771 ; and on 
 the 21st of March, 1772, received a call to New- York City, as 
 successor to the Rev. Mr. Kern. In process of time he had trans- 
 ferred his ecclesiastical relations to the Coetus, which prepared 
 the way for his entering into connection with the Dutch Church. 
 He was di'iven from his home by fear of the British soldiery, 
 constantly ravishing the district of Millstone during the winter 
 of 1779. He was sick, and from the exposure contracted a cold 
 which led to phthisis, and he died on the 29th of March, 1779. 
 His remains were interred under the pulpit of his cliurch, and 
 still rest there. He was eminently a good man and a most 
 faithful pastor. 
 
 In the mean time the court-house in the village had been 
 burned by Lieut.-Colonel Simcoe's Queen's Rangers on the 2Gth 
 of the preceding October, and the people from all their suffering-! 
 and losses were almost in despair; but Providence interposed and 
 sent them, unexj)ectedly. Rev. Solomon Froeligli, who became 
 their pastor. He appeared in Millstone in the spring of 1780 as 
 an exile from Long Island. The people at once, through the 
 influence and advice of the Rev. J. M. Van Harlingen, nego- 
 tiated with him for his services. He declined a temporary arrange- 
 ment, but offered to accept a call. It was instantly made out 
 for him, and he accepted it and moved into the parsonage on 
 the 5th of June the same year. It was not competent for him 
 to obtain a dismission from his charge on Long Island, and hence 
 the synod meeting in October, at New-Paltz, took the unusual 
 measure of empowering a committee, raised to settle the dispute 
 of boundaries between ^rillstone and the neighboring congrega- 
 tions, in case they succeeded, to approve the call and grant him 
 18 
 
278 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 a dismission from his charge on Long Island, that he miglit be 
 able to accept the call and become the pastor of Millstone. 
 
 The minute of this action is of sufficient importance to quote : 
 " At the same time, the conmiittee are hereby authorized, in the 
 name of this reverend body, to approve the call made by the con- 
 gregation of New-Millstone upon Mr. Solomon Froeligh, and there- 
 upon (in this very unusual case) to dismiss him from his former 
 oono-regations on Long Island, from which, having been driven 
 by the enemy in these disturbed times, he can obtain no regular 
 ecclesiastical discharge, being fully satisfied of his blameless, 
 profitable, and edifying converse in these congregations, as also 
 in others in which he has since served ; and as a committee for 
 this purpose Drs. Hermanns Meyers, Dirck Romeyn, Samuel Ver- 
 bryck, and Benjamin Duboise, or any two of them, are appointed, 
 each with an elder from his congregation." (Minutes of Coetus, 
 Oct. 3d, 1780.) 
 
 In the mean time, before the settlement was consummated, 
 Neshanic applied for a participation in Mr. Froeligh's services, 
 though it constituted, with Sourland, a part of the pastoral 
 charo-e of J. M. Van Harlingen. Articles of agreement were 
 entered into, and the call, as finally approved, embraces the two 
 churches, and is dated Sept. 4th, iVSO. He was to preach tAvo 
 Sabbaths out of three at Millstone and one at Neshanic, and 
 alternate the Dutch and English languages. At Neshanic, in the 
 lono- days of summer, he was to preach twice a day, after a short 
 intermission, and was to receive from Millstone 160 bushels of 
 o-ood wheat, and from Neshanic 108. It was changed April! 2th, 
 l781, to £120 proclamation money, divided between the two 
 congregations, Neshanic providing £40 and Millstone £80 of the 
 sum total. 
 
 On October 1st, 1782, the synod convened at Millstone, but it 
 consisted only of nine members. Dr. Derick Romeyn preached 
 the opening sermon from Isaiah 4 : 5, and Dr. Hermanns Meyer, 
 of Pompton, presided. At this meeting the Rev. Simeon Van 
 Arsdalen was examined for licensure. He became soon after tlie 
 pastor of Readington, and died early. 
 
 Solomon Froeligh labored in his charge in Somerset county 
 about six years. He then received, 1786, a call from the united 
 cono-regations of Hackensack and Schralenbergh, which he 
 accepted. Here he labored and died Oct. Sth, 1827. The latter 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 279 
 
 part of Ills career was unfortunate botli to hiui and to the 
 church. He was the principal occasion of the secession of cer- 
 tain ministers in 1823 in Bergen County, and on the Mohawk, 
 calling themselves tlie True Reformed Dutch Church ; was 
 deposed and never restored to his functions as a minister and 
 professor. The temporary union between Neshanic and Mill- 
 stone ceased when Froeligh left. Mr. Leydt having also in the 
 mean time died, N^ew-Brunswick and Six-Mile Run became dis- 
 connected, and a new alliance was formed. 
 
 It was now determined to unite Millstone witli Six-Mile Run, 
 and to call the Rev. John M. Van Harlingen, a young man just 
 licensed by the synod convened in New- York, October, 1780. 
 The call is dated May 1st, 1787. The churches were to pay him 
 £130 in equal parts, and to have equal services. In Millstone 
 one half the service was to be in English, and at Six-Mile Run 
 one third. We have given the history of this pastorate in our 
 notes on Six-Mile Run. The same union continued to exist 
 under Dr. Cannon. He was ordained and installed at Millstone 
 May 1st, 1797, and continued to serve the people until 1807, 
 when the connection between the two churches was dissolved and 
 Dr. Cannon became the pastor of Six-Mile Run alone, and Mill- 
 stone called the Rev. John Schureman. He was called from 
 Bedminster April 20th, 1807. He was a native of New-Bruns- 
 wick, a descendant of Jacobus Schureman, who came from Hol- 
 land with Frelinghuysen and married a sister of his Avife, a Miss 
 Terhune, of Long Island. He was born Oct. 19th, 1778, gra- 
 duated from Queen's College 1795, studied under Dr. Livingston, 
 and was licensed in 1800. He had been settled at Bedminster 
 about six years. He lived during his residence at Millstone in 
 the place occu}»ied by Mr. Jacob Van Cleef, near Blackwell's 
 Mills. His connection with Millstone was very brief. He re- 
 ceived a call from the Collegiate Church in New- York, and the 
 Consistory of Millstone agreed to unite with him in a request 
 for a dissolution of their connection Nov. l7th, 1809. 
 
 John Schureman was not robust in his health, and soon left the 
 city for a place in the college and died there May 15th, 1818. Dr. 
 Gabriel Ludlow, who knew him well, says of him, "He was one- 
 of the worthiesof our church, a man greatly beloved and confided 
 in. He had nothing very remarkable in his appearance or man- 
 ner. A stranger on meeting liim or passing him would proba- 
 
■280 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 bly have tliought or said, ' There goes a sensible, kind-hearted 
 man, an unpretending, humble man.' His constitution of body- 
 was rather frail from his childhood, and needed care on his own 
 part and indulgence on the part of those to whom lie ministered, 
 to keep him at all in a proper condition for the pastoral Avork. 
 When called to New- York, he sustained his reputation and cora- 
 |)eted successfully with some of the most popular city ministers. 
 He could not preach anything but a solid, judicious discourse, 
 logically arranged, and therefore lucid in every part and symme- 
 trical. In his style he was not strong or sparkling, but simple, 
 'dear, neat, direct. In manner not rapid or fervid or impas- 
 sioned, but distinct in his enunciation, just in emphasis, affection- 
 ate in tone, with not much but proper and rather graceful gesti- 
 culation ; altogether making the impression of a man that felt in 
 his own soul the power of the truth and was desirous that his 
 hearers should be profited by his ministrations. His course was 
 a short one, though useful while and as long as it lasted. It was 
 a melancholy day when the tidings came that Dr. Schureman was 
 no more, and it was another melancholy day when those who 
 loved him (and they were many) assembled to commit his 
 remains to their long resting-place. Even the tolling bell was 
 mute in mercy to the stricken, bereaved widow. The character- 
 istics of the man, on only a short acquaintance, were amiability, 
 solidity, and Christian discretion. These qualities showed them- 
 .selves everywhere and at all times, in his family, among his 
 pupils and his people when lie had a pastoral charge, and in all 
 bis intercourse. If Dr. Schureman had showed himself harsh, 
 selfish, frivolous, rash, every one that knew him would have been 
 astonished with great astonishment. Such manifestations would 
 have been thought foreign to the man. People would almost 
 have thought that there was something like a temporary metem- 
 psychosis in the case. It is now nearly if not quite half a cen- 
 •tury since he passed away from among us, but we who survive 
 him among his pupils still think of him with a mournful plea- 
 sure, and make powerful draughts upon memory that we may 
 .recall all that is possible of such a man and such an instructor." 
 His remains sleep beside the other professors in the churchyard 
 in ISTew-Brunswick. We have given a fuller account of him 
 .already as one of the pastors of the church in that city. Perhaps 
 :we ought to have been satisfied Avith what was said, but we felt 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 281 
 
 like giving a wider publication to Dr. Ludlow's admirable sketch 
 of the man. It is a finished picture. 
 
 When Dr. Schurenian left Millstone the church seemed to be 
 almost in despair. It was a great loss indeed; but that kind 
 Providence which watched over the interests of the yet feeble 
 congregation interposed and gave relief. The attention of the 
 people was directed to the Rev. John L. Zabriskie, settled over 
 the united churches of Greenbush and Winantskill, near Albany. 
 He preached at Millstone for t)ie first time in the month of 
 February, iSlO, and took charge of the church, moving his 
 family into the village in the month of May, 1811. He was, 
 installed by Dr. Cannon, and he remained with the church as one 
 of her most faithful pastors until he died Aug. 15th, 1850— 39 
 years and three months. 
 
 John L. Zabrfekie was, it is said, of Polish extraction, a de- 
 scendant of Albert Saborowiski, who arrived in tliis country in 
 the Fox, in 1GG2, and of the fourth generation; born March 4th, 
 1779. He graduated at Union College, Schenectady, in the very 
 first class, in 1798; studied theology with Dr. Derick Pomeyn, 
 and was licensed by the Classis of Rensselaer in 1801. He 
 settled as successor to the Rev. J. V. C. Romeyn almost imme- 
 diately at Greenljush and Winantskill, and continued to serve 
 these churches faithfully and acceptably for eight years. The 
 church at Millstone Avas comparatively weak, having only about 
 70 members in its communion and 84 families, when he consented 
 to take charge of it. After preaching eighteen years in the old 
 church, he succeeded finally in inducing his people to build a new 
 one, the present building — sufficiently commodious and convenient 
 for all who desire to attend the services in it, at least at the pre- 
 sent time. 
 
 The present writer preached his funeral sermon, and afterward 
 gave in Corwin's Manual the following as his conception of what 
 the man was, what he deserved to be esteemed, and how he had 
 labored in the Gospel for so many years. 
 
 During his long and faithful pastorate at Millstone he main- 
 tained his influence and his standing nnto the end. He was 
 a man of many excellences ; kind, social, vmaffected, and 
 sincerely and zealously pious, a gentleman of the old school, 
 simple in his tastes, unostentatious in his life, and unsophisticated 
 
-282 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 in his dail)'^ conduct. All who knew him loved him, and those 
 who knew him best loved him most. 
 
 He was one of the most laborious and successful pastors in 
 Somerset County. He preached and lectured more, visited more 
 families, and attended more carefully to all his public duties, 
 than almost any minister of his time. He was considered by all 
 an example not only, but also a monitor, in his official life. 
 
 His talents were good. His mind was more judicious, solid, and 
 safe than brilliant or endowed with genius. He was a wise man, 
 a sensible man, a man to be depended on. His counsel was 
 always judicious, and no one ever erred much in following it. 
 Hence, he himself made no mistakes of importance, had no con- 
 troversies ; and, Avhile his friends were numerous, his enemies 
 belonged to those whomhis principles and his holy life necessarily 
 brought in contact of opposition to him. ' 
 
 He was an excellent preacher ; and though he seldom wrote his 
 sermons, they were solid, sensible, full of evangelical thought, and 
 listened to with profit by all the earnest-hearted and godly in his 
 congregation. His knowledge of the Gospel was full, distinctive, 
 and clear; and when he had discussed any one of its doctrines, 
 his hearers felt that they had had very important matters brought 
 to their consideration, in a way which was calculated both to im- 
 press their minds and edify their hearts. Few men could si>eak 
 more judiciously and appropriately from the impulse of the 
 moment, on any ordinary subject, than he did. Often there was 
 a neatness, terseness, and directness which made his discourse 
 highly pleasing ; always he was edifying and instructive. 
 
 Then he was a genial man ; and in his social intercourse could 
 astonish you by his wit, his sarcasm, and even drollery. But this 
 was only occasionally, and when he seemed to be carried out of 
 his ordinary sphere. Habitually he was grave, thoughtful, and, 
 though never reserved, by no means a facetious man. He was too 
 earnest and full of thought for any trifling or levity at any time. 
 
 His life was unstained by even a breath of evil. No one ever 
 doubted his piely, or the sincerity of his admonitions, when he 
 reprobated vice and reproved iniquity, for they knew his pure 
 heart impelled him. 
 
 By his simple habits and economy, Avhile in the receipt of only 
 a small stipend, he was able to accumulate a large estate and 
 leave it as an inheritance to his children. This, however, resulted 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 288 
 
 chiefly from tlie early possession of his own patrimony, managed 
 with priiclence and care, and not h'om any savi?u/s out of his salary. 
 In a word, he was a good mini, full of faith and of the Holy 
 Ghost, useful in his day, lamented when he passed away ; and he 
 lias left a name which will have a savor of excellence for many 
 generations — especially among those for whose spiritual good he 
 labored, and whose fathers and mothers he was the instruuieut 
 of bringing into the kingdom. 
 
 lie sleeps in view of tlie front door of his church, and his chil- 
 dren have inscribed upon his monument these words : " In memory 
 of John Lansing Zabriskie, born March 4th, 1779 ; died, August 
 15th, 1850. For more than 50 years a minister of God : from 1811 
 until his death, pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Mill- 
 stone. Pure in life, sincere of purpose, with zeal, perseverance, 
 and prudence, devoted to the service of his Master. Here amid 
 the loved people of his charge, his earthly remains await the 
 resurrection of the just." On his wife's monument is Avritten : 
 "Sarah Barrea, wife of Kev. J. L. Zabriskie, born May 11th, l78G ; 
 died December 21st, 185G." 
 
 A colleague had been provided for him just before he died, but 
 had not yet been installed. The Rev. John De Witt ministered 
 at Millstone from 1850 to 1863', when he was chosen Professor of 
 Languages in the Seminary at New-Brunswick, and was suc- 
 ceeded by the present incumbent, Kev. E. Tanjore Corwiii. 
 
 In 1855, the congregation was divided, and the inhabitants on 
 the east side of the river became organized as the Cliurch of 
 East-Millstone. Giles Vandewall served them for two years. 
 Rev. David Cole for five years. Rev. Mr. Berger for three years. 
 Rev. Mr. Phraner for two or more, and Rev. IMr. Williams is the 
 present incumbent, and the church is prosperous. 
 
 THE CHURCH OF BEDMINSTER. 
 
 Bedminstek was originally an outpost of Raritan, and tlie 
 necessity of a church there grew out of the settlement of certain 
 fixmilies of influence in that vicinity. We may mention Jacobus 
 and Peter Vanderveer, Matthew Lane, Guisbert Sutpliin, and 
 others as anionic these families. Tlie first record which remain.s. 
 
284 HISTOEICAL NOTES. 
 
 having reference to the chnrcli at Bed minster, is found in the 
 Book of Minutes belonging to the church at Raritan, and is dated 
 December 25th, 1758. It is in the handwriting of J. R. Harden- 
 bergh, and recites that at a meeting of the consistories of North- 
 Branch, Neslianic, Bedminster, Millstone, and Raritan, at the 
 house of J. R. Hardenbergh, in Soraerville, Dominies Leydt and 
 Hardenbergh, "a proponent," beiuu: present, when it is stated, 
 among other things, that the elders, Jacob Banta and Jacob Van- 
 derveer, and the deacons, Rynier Van Neste and Cornelius Lane, 
 were chosen as overseers (opsienderen) for the first time in the 
 congregation of Bedminster, This, then, is the first consistory, 
 and tliis is properly the organization of the Church of Bed- 
 minster. 
 
 The next is dated December 13th, 1759, and proceeds to fix upon 
 a line between Bedminster and Raritan, and states that this shall 
 be the lane or line running easterly and westerly between Paulus 
 Auten and Hendrick Van Arsdalen, provided the persons on 
 either side were willing to go to Bedminster or Raritan respec- 
 tively. Again, June 24th, 1759, the following persons were ap- 
 pointed " helpers" in the respective congregations : For Raritan, 
 Cornelius Kozyne ; Bedminster, Fredrick Banta ; Millstone, Jaco- 
 bus Van Arsdalen. 
 
 In 17G1, November 25tli, at a meeting of the consistory of Bed- 
 minster, at the house of Jacob Vanderveer, Johannes Haas and 
 Jan Voorhees were admitted to communion on confession of their 
 faith, and Matthew Lane by certificate. 
 
 March 8th, 1762, Jacob Vanderveer was continued as an elder, 
 and John Voorhees chosen deacon, in the place of Ryniei* Van 
 Neste. 
 
 December 31st, 1 764, Maria Folkerson, wife of Folkert Folkerson, 
 Maria Woertman, wife of Jan Woertman, and Cathrine Bordt, 
 wife of N. N. Bordt, were admitted to communion on confession 
 of faith, and on the 1st of April were baj^tized. We have gather- 
 ed these items from the minute-book of the Raritan Church, in the 
 handwriting of Dr. Hardenbergh. 
 
 Tliere are no records which enable us to determine when the 
 first house of worship was built, but it was probably commenced 
 tliat same year, or the next at furthest, making its date 1759 or 
 1760. 
 
 It was built upon land donated by Jacobus Vanderveer. It 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 285 
 
 was a wooden structure, and stood fronting to tlie south on the 
 same ground upon which tlie present cliurch stands. The front 
 door was directly opposite tlie pulpit, and the galleries were in the 
 two ends. It was longer in front than in depth, never painted, 
 but had a board ceiling and pews, and in its general appearance 
 resembled the old church at Readington, after which it was pro- 
 bably patterned. It stood until 18 IG, when it was removed to 
 make way for a new building. 
 
 The present register of baptisms dates November loth, 1801, 
 when the ministry of John Schureman began, and has been con- 
 tinued until the present. The first infant baptized was Jane, 
 daugliter of Peter Lane ; and the same day Simon Ilageman, 
 John Van Duyn, Cornelius Powelson, and Cornelius Doty had 
 their children baptized. 
 
 The history of the churcli of Bedminster is involved in that of 
 the church of Raritau from its first organizatioii, in 1758, to the 
 close of the ministry of Theodor F. Romeyii. It had one third 
 part of the services of Dr. Hardenbergh, as well as of Romeyn, 
 during this period extending to 1787. Then Peter Studdiford 
 supplied it, in connection with Readington, for thirteen years up 
 to 1800. PVom the time when John Duryea resigned his call at 
 Raritan he served this church, in connection with an unorganized 
 body of hearers at Potterstown and Wliite House, for a year or 
 more. During all this time the most of what was done in receiv- 
 ing members into the communion and choosing elders and 
 deacons is to be sought for in the records of these more promi- 
 nent churches. The pastors recorded, as was natural, in the Book 
 of Minutes of their own churches the ministerial acts they performed 
 in Bedminster. But tlie days of its pupilage were now ended. 
 It had grown into i)rosperity scanty as the supi)ly of spiritual 
 food had been, and felt the developing energies of mature life. 
 It determined to call a pastor of its own. 
 
 The individual upon whom their choice centred was John 
 Schurenian, a native of New-Brunswick, a graduate of Queen's 
 College, a [)U])il and friend of Dr. Livingslon, and a descendant 
 of that Scliureman who came over from Holland with Theodorus 
 Jacobus Frelinghuysen in 1720 as a friend, an assistant, and a 
 teacher. His call was dated Nov. 13th, 1800. He was in the 23d 
 year of his age when he accepted, and gave to Bedminster the 
 freshness of his mind as well as his religious afiections. That 
 
286 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 such a young man as Schureman was should be greatly admu-ed 
 and more loved in Bedminster was no more natural tlian it was 
 necessary. His memory is yet cherished in many households, and 
 his name connected with not a few. He served the church faithfully 
 for six and a lialf years, and went on, being called, to Millstone; 
 to New-York, after being there only two years, and then to New- 
 Brunswick and to an early grave in 1818, regretted by all who 
 knew liim. His dismission is dated May 25th, 1807. 
 
 In July, 1808, Charles Hardenbergh was called from Warwick, 
 New- York, and served until May, 1820, twelve years, and then 
 went to New-York City as pastor of the church in Greenwich 
 Village, and died there of yellow fever after a little more than 
 a year's service. His remains were first deposited in a vault 
 belonging to the church, but were subsequently removed to 
 Woodlawn Cemetery, and the tablet erected to his memory 
 inserted in a monument, where it can yet be seen. He did a 
 great work in Bedminster; a new church was built in 181 7 and 
 1818, a classical school founded, and the cause of education 
 generally encouraged and elevated. The sermon which he 
 preached at the dedication of the church, April IStli, 1818, was 
 published, and remains an evidence of his scholarship as well as 
 his piety. It has become exceedingly scarce. 
 
 Charles Hardenbergh was a native of Rosendale, in the 
 County of Ulster, and was a direct lineal descendant of Johannes 
 Hardenbergh, the proprietor of the Harden bei-gh Patent, and 
 Avas born about lYSO. He studied under Dr. Froeligh and was 
 licensed by the Classis of Paramus in 1802. He preached as a 
 candidate for more than a year in several churches, and finally 
 settled in 1804 in the church at Warwick. Here he was ordained 
 and commenced his pastoral work. He came to Bedminster a 
 comparatively young man. He had a fine presence and a nobly 
 developed person. His voice was sonorous and sweet, and his 
 accentuation proper, impressive, and indicative of fine taste. It 
 was his habit, in discussing any point, to glide away from argu- 
 ment and illustration into a strain of devotion. In this way one 
 third of his sermon was in reality a prayer. The effect Avas 
 often impressive and solemn. He was in the effects he produced 
 a winning preacher. His countenance preached; and his voice 
 and accentuation had as much effect as his matter. This, liowever, 
 was always sensible and scriptural. Under his labors the 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 287 
 
 churcli grew to be one of the largest nnd most eflicieut congre- 
 gations in Somerset County. It was a day of weeping in Bed- 
 minster when he left, and there were many wlio never hoped 
 ever to see his like again. 
 
 After remaining vacant for one year, the church, July, 1821, 
 called the candidate Isaac Morehead Fisher. He came to Bed- 
 minster in his youth, served faithfully for seventeen years, went 
 away for one year, and came back to her with her second call to 
 him in his hand, and died February 14th, 1840, aged 44 years. 
 Mr. Fisher was a native of New- York City, and was born in 1796. 
 He graduated at Columbia College 181*7, and from the Theological 
 Seminary at New-Brunswick, and was licensed in 1820. Mr. 
 Fisher was a zealous, eai-nest man, and did his work in the 
 spirit of a devoted Chi'istian man. He was a powerful and im- 
 pressive preacher, highly evangelical and practical in his matter 
 and in the tone in Avhich he put it forth. In the pulpit he was 
 active, full of gesture and varied in the intonations of his voice. 
 He made you feel that he was in earnest and desirous of convinc- 
 ing every one of his hearers. He had a military air, and his 
 walk and action indicated authority, self-reliance, and command. 
 Yet he was genial, social, and attractive in his familiar inter- 
 course. He wrote his sermons, especially in his younger years, 
 and delivered themmemoriter ; hence there was freedom, fullness, 
 and command of language, Avhich became at times truly impres- 
 sive. He was rigidly orthodox, and had the system of Christian 
 theology fully before his mind in all his parts, and he was a man 
 of many sorrows. Dr. Ferris, his classmate, said of him, " He was 
 a capital theologian and a most able defender of the doctrines of 
 our church. No man among us in the seminary was so familiar 
 with the system of Dr. Livingston and could more intelligently 
 explain and illustrate it. His critical acumen had been sharp- 
 ened by the great Hopkinsian controversy, which had pervaded 
 the New- York churches a few years before ; and Avith all its 
 points, both theological and metaphysical, he had made himself at 
 home. A most honest and upright man in his principles, he 
 enjoyed the confidence of all who knew him, and the renuxrkably 
 uprhjht physical man seemed the index of the s[)irit within." Ho 
 was, as we ourselves can well testify, all this. His people mourned 
 him truly when they carried him to the grave. His wife ha<l 
 preceded him, and there was only one son left behind. On his 
 
288 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 tomb you read, " This tomb covers the mortal remains of Rev. 
 Isaac M. Fisiier and Margaret C. Martin, his wife. They departed 
 this life, the former on the 14th of February, 1840, aged 44 
 years ; and the latter on the 31st of March, 1838, aged 42 
 years." 
 
 Rev. J. M. Fisher was succeeded, in October, 1842, by George 
 Schenck, a candidate just from the Seminary of New-Brunswick, 
 who ministered to the congregation for twelve years and then 
 died. He was born at Matteawan, Kew-York, inl816, graduated 
 at Yale College in 1837, and was licensed by the Classis of 
 Poughkeepsie in 1840. 
 
 Mr. Schenck was ordained and installed pastor at Bedminster 
 in the presence of the Classis of New-Brunswick, then in session, 
 December 25 th, 1840. Rev. J. C. Sears, of Six-Mile Run, preached 
 the sermon. Rev. Dr. Messier, of Somerville, gave the charge 
 to the pastor, and the Rev. J. K. Campbell, of North-Branch, the 
 charge to the jDeople. 
 
 Rev. George Schenck, when he assumed this extensive charge, 
 was just from the seminary, a man in feeble health and lame ; 
 but he proved himself one of the most efficient pastors. He was a 
 small man in stature, but not in mind or in temperament. A 
 friend characterizes him as " an humble, meek, and fervent Chris- 
 tian, marked by more than an ordinary degree of spirituality, 
 yet of a lively disposition, of a ready wit, and a foe to sanctimo- 
 niousness. He was a man of unbending integrity, and strictly 
 conscientious in all his sentiments. He possessed great acti- 
 vity and perseverance. His small and diseased frame con- 
 tained as brave and resolute a spirit as ever came from the 
 Almighty's hand. He had warm sympathies and great tender- 
 ness of feeling, and was devoted in his work. He spoke the 
 whole truth with faithfulness and pungency, not fearing the 
 face of man. Yet his fidelity was unmixed with harshness. 
 The love of souls glowed in his heart and the law of kindness 
 Avas on his lips. With a good intellect and habits of study his 
 j)ublic services were instructive and interesting." 
 
 The following is the inscription on his tomb : " Sacred to the 
 memoiy of Rev. Geoi'ge Schenck, born January 27th, 183 6, died 
 July 7th, 1852. He was pastor of this church eleven years." His 
 health had been enfeebled, but he died suddenly. He was suc- 
 ceeded by Rev. William Brush in September, 1852, who served 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 289 
 
 the congregation thirteen years and resigned December, I860. 
 He is now pastor of the church of Fordham, New-York. Tlie pre- 
 sent pastor, the Rev. Cliarles H. Pool, was installed over the 
 congregation in July, 1860. 
 
 In connection with Bedminsler it is natural to think of Rev. 
 Robert J. Blair, wlio was born and educated within the precincts, 
 of the congregation, and died and is interred in the graveyard at- 
 tached to the church. He was the son of John J. Blair, Esq., of 
 the Cross Roads, and born December 8th, 1800. Plis classical 
 learning was obtained at the academy near the church, of which 
 he was principal for a time. He taught some time in Accomac 
 County, Virginia, on the eastern shore ; studied theology in the 
 seminary at New-Brunswick, and was licensed by the Classis 
 of New-Brunswick, in 1823. He served as a domestic mis- 
 sionary until 1825 at Princetown, Guilderland, and Salem, in 
 Albany County, was settled in Helderburgh from 1825 to 1830. 
 Plis health failed him, and he went first to Georgia, then to the 
 Island of St. Thomas, West-Indies, but returned to his native place 
 a confirmed invalid, and died January 19th, 1858. 
 
 " He is remembered," writes a friend, " for his eminently con- 
 sistent life as a Christian, and as a minister of Christ ; for the 
 evangelical character of his preaching, and his zeal. Meek and 
 inoffensive as he was, few men have been more faithful in the dis- 
 charge of pastoral duty, preaching the Gos|)el by the wayside, 
 and from house to house. Few men have been more Avilling to 
 speak to their fellow-men for their good, and for the honor of the 
 Master. 
 
 " It pleased God that he should glorify him by patient suffering, 
 often intense, for many years. But few of his friends at the time 
 of his death ever knew him as a well man. He was for weeks to- 
 gether the welcome guest of many families, in diff^erent parts of 
 New-York and New-Jersey, which still retain the sweet savor of his 
 godly example and pious conversation. His latter yeai's were 
 spent in Bedminster, where he finally fell asleep." R. D. V. K. 
 
 The writer of these sketches [(reached his funeral sermon, in the 
 village of Pluckemin a^. the house of the lady — a cousin — who 
 nursed him and eared for him until he died — from 2 Timothy 4 : 0, 7. 
 On his tombstone is engraved, " Rev. Robert J. Blair. Died Jan 
 uary 19, 1858, aged 61 years, 8 months, and 11 days." 
 
290 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 LEBANON— ROCKAW AY IN LEBANON. 
 
 The church at Lebanon has a twofold history — first as a 
 German Reformed, and second as a Dutch Reformed Churcli. 
 Originally it was formed out of German emigrants, who are said 
 to have come from the vicinity of Halberstadt, in Saxony. They 
 left their native land in 1705, and removed, in the first instance, 
 to Neuweid, on the Rhine. From thence they came to Holland ; 
 and in 1707 sailed for America, intending to land at New- Am- 
 sterdam, or New- York, and to settle among the Hollanders either 
 in New- York or New-Jersej^ But adverse winds finally brought 
 them to the mouth of Delaware Bay, and to the city of Philadel- 
 phia. Fully bent still on their original purpose, they set forth to 
 reach their intended destination by land. Traveling up through 
 Pennsylvania, they crossed the Delawai'e at New-Hojje and Lam- 
 bertsville, and by " the old York road " came to Ringoes, in 
 Hunterdon County, and thence to Lebanon Valley and German 
 Valley. Not probably all at the same time, or all in the same 
 company, but from time to time, others following on in the foot- 
 steps of the first pioneers. 
 
 The first unquestioned documentary notice which we have of a 
 colony of Germans settled in that part of our State is from the 
 journal of the Rev. Michael Schlatter, a missionary sent by the 
 Classis of Amsterdam to the Germans in Pennsylvania. Under date 
 July, 1747, he says, " When I had safely arrived at home on the 
 3d, I found a very earnest and moving letter written by several 
 congregations in the Province of New-Jersey, viz., at Rockaway, 
 Fox-hill, and Amwell, in the region of the Raritan, distant about 
 seventy miles from Philadeljihia. They urge me with the strongest 
 motives, — yea, they pray me _/br(rO(7's sake, to come over and paj'^ 
 them a visit, that I may administer to them the Lord's Supper, 
 and by baptism incorporate tlieir children with the church, who 
 have already during three or more years remained without 
 baptism." 
 
 " Mockaioag^'' mentioned in this extract, was the first name of 
 what is now " the Reformed Church of Lebanon." Amwell, after 
 having been sustained as a German Reformed Church for seventy 
 years, became a Presbyterian Chui-ch, and Dr. Kirkpatrick minis- 
 tered in it half a century and more, and Fox-hill is now the 
 Presbyterian Church in German Valley, unless, perhaps, we 
 
niSTORICAL NOTES, 291 
 
 should say it is a church of the Presbyterian order by itself. 
 Mr. Schlatter continues, "On the 13th, I undertook tlie journey to 
 the three congregations in New-Jersey, from which I liad, on the 
 3d of July, received a most friendly and pressing invitation to 
 meet them. On the 14th, after a journey of sixty miles, I came to 
 Rockaway. Here I received twenty young persons into the church 
 as members, after they had made a profession of their faith; 
 preached a preparatory sermon on tlie 15th, and on the following 
 day administered the Holy Supper in a small church to an at- 
 tentive and reverent assembly." 
 
 He went next day to Fox-hill and performed the same services 
 and then preached what he calls "a thanksgiving sermon after 
 the communion." On the 20th he returned to his home in Phila- 
 delphia, "joyful in heart and giving thanksgiving to God for the 
 support which he had rendered me." He adds, " I can not re- 
 frain from referring, briefly, to the fact that these three congrei^^a- 
 tions, from gratitude for the services I liad rendered them, handed 
 me a pecuniary reward • and this was the first money which, 
 since my arrival in America up to this time, I have received from 
 any congregation for ray labor and pains." Certainly it is well 
 that he recorded tliis in their praise. 
 
 We have, then, this important guiding historical fact, that in 
 1747 the inhabitants of Lebanon had built for themselves "a 
 small cliurch," in Avhich they worshiped the God of their fathers 
 according to their German Protestant faith. Wliatever previous 
 members there may have been, now they had an addition of 
 twenty to the number. This house, no doubt, stood in tlie old 
 burying-ground, and Avas antecedent to the old Kockaway Church, 
 in which Caspar Wack, until tlie year 1809, preached and admi- 
 nistered the Holy Sacrament. 
 
 INIichael Schlatter, the first missionary to the Pennsylvania 
 Germans, was born at St. Gall, in Switzerland, July 14tli, 1716. 
 lie received a portion of his early education at Helmstadt, in the 
 Duchy of Brunswick, but was fully educated and admitted into 
 tlie ministerial oflice in Holland about I7l5. He was soon after 
 commissioned by the Synods of North and^^Soutli-Holland a 
 missionary to the Germans in Pennsylvania, and sailed on his 
 mission on the 1st of June, 1746. He landed at Boston earlv in 
 August, went thence to New- York, and thence to Pliiladelj)iiia. 
 Boston contained at that time, according to his estimate, about 
 
. 292 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 3000 houses, and was the largest city in the colonies. New- York 
 had only about 2000. Philadelphia had seven streets running 
 north and south, and seven running eact and west, and about 
 10,000 inhabitants, and was the second city in the English posses- 
 sions in North- America. 
 
 He made his home in Philadelphia, and became pastor of the 
 German Reformed church in the city, in connection with another 
 at Gei-mantown. He was, however, rather a traveling missionary 
 generally among the Germans in Pennsylvania, visiting them in 
 their towns, and organizing churches as he found materials in 
 their various settlements. He is, m^eed^th' father of the German 
 Reformed Church in the United States of our day. He finally 
 organized the churches which he had planted into a Coe^ws, and 
 went to Holland and Germany in 1V51, and secured for them 
 £20,000 in money and 700 Bibles ; and £20,000 in addition were 
 given him by George 11. of England and his nobility. He died at 
 Barren Hill, near Philadelphia, in 1790, full of years and honors, 
 a good man, full of zeal and piety. 
 
 Schlatter visited the churches in New-Jersey again in June, 
 1788, and administered the Holy Sacrament, and again the third 
 time on the 11th and 12th of October, the same year, and still a 
 fourth time from the 22d to the 27th of May, 1749, and a filth 
 and last time in June, 1750, the same year that John Frelinghuy- 
 sen came to settle at Raritan. 
 
 None of the churches in New- Jersey, it would appear, received 
 any part of the monej^ which was brought from Europe ; for 
 Schlatter reported that they were " able themselves to provide 
 properly for the support of a minister, and also willing, with 
 great cheerfulness^ to do it ;" and added, before the Synod of 
 Noi'th-Holland, that Fox-hill, together with Rockaway, "im- 
 plores earnestly that God may at length send forth a faithful 
 laborer into this harvest." 
 
 This prayer was soon answered in the coming of a pastor. The 
 first permanent minister of the Church of Rockaway, in connec- 
 tion with German Valley, was John Conrad Wirtz. He was a 
 native of Switzerland, born in Zurich. He had emigrated to 
 Pennsylvania before Schlatter came, and had been preaching with- 
 out ordination somewhere in the vicinity of Easton. He appealed 
 to Schlatter to ordain him ; but failing to obtain his consent, ap- 
 plied to the Presbytery of New-Brunswick, and was ordained by 
 
mSTORICAL NOTES. 293 
 
 tliem in 1752. lie had been preaching in the cliurehes of Kocka- 
 way and German Valley two years before he was in this way 
 admitted to the pastoral office. His memory has passed away 
 almost completely from the present living, and the only tradition 
 that has been given of hira is in reference to his having preached 
 at Rockaway that " marriage Avas a sacrament,^'' in the sense of 
 the Romish Church, a doctrine not received by the peoi^le. 
 
 In 1762, after ministering to the churches of Rockaway and 
 German A'allcy for twelve years, he removed to York, in Pennsyl- 
 vania. There his name is remembered, and " has the savor of 
 his having been a good and pious minister." 
 
 In tlie mean time, Rev. William Kails, who had been set- 
 tled in Piiihidelphia, and had supplied Amwell from 1757 to 
 1759, seems to have preached occasionally, at least in the 
 Rockaway Church. Then came Caspar Michael Stapel; then 
 John Westley Gilbert Nevelling, also from Amwell, gave an 
 occasional service to the destitute chiirch ; then Frederick Dalli- 
 \iv.v had Lebanon in connection with German Valley, Alexander, 
 and Foxenburg, (Foxhill.) His services extended from 1770 to 
 1782. In 1782, Caspar Wack entered upon the i:)astoral charge 
 of Rockaway, in connection with German Valley and Foxhill, and 
 served these three churches until the year 1 809, when he removed 
 to Whitemarsh, Pa., where he died in 1839. He was a native- 
 born American. His father emigrated from AVittenberg, Ger- 
 many, to Philadelphia in 1748. Caspar Wack was born August 
 15th, 1752, and studied under Dr. Weybergh. He is rej)resented 
 as displaying in eai'ly life remarkable talents, and as liaving had 
 " numerous" calls ottered to him for his services when he was 
 only eighteen years of age. His licensure was deferred to obtain 
 the consent of the classis in Holland, to which all the German 
 churches acknowledged subjection. He was invited to come over 
 to Holland, and promised a free passage, but he declined to at- 
 tempt this. In 1771, Avhcn he was nineteen years of age, he was 
 examined and licensed as a candidate by the Coctus, as is evident 
 from the following minute : " Mr. Wack was examined in the 
 truths of God's Avord and as to the way of salvation, and, having 
 rendered full satisfaction to the reverend Coetus, it was resolved 
 that he should continue to catechise and pi-each in these congrega- 
 tions [Tohicken, Indianfield, and Great Swamp,] as heretofore.. 
 His ordination, however, shall be deferred, for the present, till 
 the reverend fatliers [the classis] have been consulted in regai^d 
 19 
 
29-i HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 to the matter, and what they advise shall hereafter be done in 
 regard to Mr. Wack." This permission was soon afterw^ard re- 
 ceived, and, altliongh the date of his ordination is not knowni, it 
 took place, no doubt, soon after this date. He was the first young 
 man of American birth who received license and ordination in 
 the German Reformed Church in America. He seems to have 
 labored at Rockaway from 1782 to 1*789. A call is extant ad- 
 dressed to him as " present preacher of the Valley and Foxhill," 
 dated 1786. He is represented as a man of great activity, wit, 
 and resources, preaching in his early days entirely in German, 
 but in time coming into the use of the English in his public ser- 
 vices. What kind of English it really was may, perhaps, be suffi- 
 ciently learned from a remark of an English officer w^ho went to 
 hear him, and came home very well pleased, saying he never 
 knew before that the German language was so much like the 
 English. He was, in fact, farmer, music-master, and i^reacher, all 
 in one, and the young people enjoyed his evening singing-schools 
 greatly. He left behind him a name fragrant wnth many genial, 
 kindly, pleasant, and holy memories. He went, in 1809, to the 
 churches of Whitemarsh and Germantowai, in Pennsylvania, and 
 died there at the house of his son, Dr. Philip Wack, July 19th, 
 1839, being eighty-seven years old, lacking seven days. 
 
 We have had furnished to us a copy of the inscription on his 
 tomb. It is in the following words : " The Rev. Caspar Wack, 
 ^vho departed this life the 19th July, a.d. 1839, aged eighty-seven 
 years." 
 
 The register of baptisms for the Rockaway cluirch is dated, on 
 1768, the title-page, August 5th. 1 762. The first entry is November 
 6th, and it is continued in the same handwriting until September 
 27th, 1784. Some of the first records seem to be wanting. On 
 November 6th, 1768, Peter Ebcher and Cathrine his wife had a 
 •dhild named Johannis baptized. The next names are Hanis 
 Rothenbach and Anna Bikel, August 27th ; the next, Pieter 
 Bothersfield and his wife Cathrine ; then Pieter Hofman and 
 Anna Sharpenstein ; then occur the names of Conrad Kreuger, 
 Peter Ops, Adam Hochenbach, William Becker, Adam Humer, 
 Nicholas Liiienburgh, Balthes Henderschot, Adam Epcher, Cor- 
 iielis Lair, Peter Law, Christian Diltz, Wilem Schurz, Arian 
 Deneik, Nicolas Kramer, Hanes Ohlbach, Michel Schenk, and 
 Wilem Eich. These names represent some of the earliest families 
 belonging to this church. The record, after it commences, is, 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 295 
 
 apparently, quite complete, and manifests botli attention and 
 care. In subsequent pages we should, no doubt, find all the 
 names peculiar to this part of our State, but we can not continue 
 the quotation, and proceed to note some of its subsequent for- 
 tunes. It was, in some measure, isolated by its language and 
 lineage, and a change in its relations became imperious. It felt 
 this, and soon sought it. 
 
 September 11th, l788, the church became incorpoi'ated under 
 an act of the Legislature, and the names of the trustees are. as 
 follows, namely, George Gearheart, president, Peter Aller, Jacob 
 Gearhart, John Hufman, Peter Ilimry, Peter Young, and Hans 
 Peter Apger. The elections are regularly recorded in subsequent 
 years, for a long period of time. 
 
 In l793, moneys were collected on a subscription list to rejiair 
 the church edifice. There is also, subsequently, another subscrip- 
 tion list put on record of names giving various sums for the same 
 purpose, among which occurs, at the head of the list, the name 
 of Caspar Wack for $13.33. In 181G, the old church was taken 
 down, and a new brick house erected in its place. This was 
 superseded by the present commodious edifice. 
 
 After Lebanon became a vacant church by the removal of Mr. 
 Wack, supplies from the German source began to be increasingly 
 difiicult of attainment. The church stood there many Sabbaths 
 in its silent loneliness. The German, as a language, had passed 
 away almost entirely from among the people, and the question 
 arose, why not seek another connection, and obtain preaching 
 from another source? The White lloues church was new and 
 comparatively weak, struggling to maintain itself under the minis- 
 try of its first pastor, Cornelius T. Ut'inarest. Overtures of union 
 were made and accicpted in 1813 ; but just before the union had 
 been consummated, Mr. Demarest left, and accepted a call from 
 the English Neighborhood, Bergen County. Ilis absence, how- 
 ever, did not prevent the future consummation of the contem- 
 plated union. The two congregations united, September 29th, 
 1816, in a call on tlie candidate Jacob J. Schultz, and he was or- 
 dained and installed i)astor, November 26th, 1816, of the two 
 combined churches. He decided to make Lebanon the place of 
 his residence, and, consequently, it was to the Lebanon church 
 tl'.at the larger part of his ]):istoral services were rendered, but he 
 luvached on alternate Sabbaihs in either place. Here he spent 
 
296 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 eighteen years of liis earlier life, beloved, useful, and doing an 
 efficient work. A new church was built soon after he came ; the 
 people were carefully catechized and taught, and sought to be 
 trained effectually in every Christian duty. Few men labored 
 more diligently and successfully, and saw better results from 
 their labors, than he did at White House and Lebanon. 
 
 Jacob J. Shultz was born at Rhinebeck, 1*792, of parents who 
 had originally emigrated from the Palatinate. He graduated at 
 Union College, 1813, and from the seminary at New-Brunswick 
 in 1816, being licensed as a candidate, by the Classis of New- 
 Brunswick, in May. In the autumn of the same year he received 
 a call from the churches of White House and Lebanon, and was 
 settled there. His intellectual faculties were good. He had evi- 
 dently a consciousness of power in him, and spoke with dignity 
 and authority. He was an effective preacher, never using notes 
 or reading his sermons from manusci'ipt. He studied his text, 
 analyzed it, broke it up into its logical divisions, and then he dis- 
 cussed them, trusting for the proper words to flow in upon him 
 from the impulse of the moment. He pj-eached well ; intelligent 
 minds felt themselves instructed and edified by his discourses. 
 He gathered large audiences in his churches — probably the largest 
 ever convened in them; he did good. The accessions to the 
 churches were numerous, and he was literally and truly a pros- 
 perous and successful minister. But disease had begun early to 
 prey upon his system ; he had turns of melancholy ; he lost, at 
 times, almost the control of his faculties. He went to Middle- 
 bush. The change did not boiefit him. He grew worse, and had 
 to abandon what he loved as his life, the preaching of the Gos- 
 pel. He died at Middlebush, October 22d, 1852. He had been 
 disabled from public service since 1838 by constitutional infirmi- 
 ties and disease. . 
 
 The memory of Jacob J. Shultz at Lebanon and at Whitehouse 
 will long be cherished by those to whom his ministry was blessed. 
 He was an earnest man ; he did his work in the spirit of his Mas- 
 ter, and gained many converts to the truth. 
 
 After Shultz had left Lebanon the connection with AVhitehouse 
 ceased, and in 1835 the church called Rev. Charles R Wack, a 
 orandson of Rev. Conrad Wack, to be their pastor. He com- 
 menced his services May 18th; his first record of baptism is Sep- 
 tember 28th, 1835. He continued to serve them for five years; 
 then went to Trenton, for four years, to a German Reformed 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 297 
 
 churcli, wliich he induced to unite with the Chassis of New- 
 Brunswick. Then he himself j^assed over into a connection with 
 the German Reformed Church, but finally returned to Lebanon 
 and died September 29th, 1866. He was a student of the semi- 
 nary at New-Brunswick, and received his license in 1829. He 
 was a good preacher and a man of considerable learning. He 
 understood the Gospel, and preached it with discrimination and 
 clearness ; but certain eccentricities of cliaracter hindered his suc- 
 cess as a pastor. That he was a good man no one doubted who 
 really knew liim; and that, with a little more of "the wisdom of 
 the serpent," he might liave done great good, was equally clear. 
 He was an able man in the pulpit, and when he preached he 
 knew only Christ Jesus and him crucified. The inscription on 
 his tomb reads, "Rev. Charles P. Wack. Died September 29th, 
 1866, aged fifty-nine years two months and twenty-one days. 
 
 " Suddenly liis work was closed ; 
 
 'Twas sufficient here. 
 He was summoned to a service 
 
 In a liitjlier sphere, 
 And the pearly gates unfolded 
 
 To admit him there." 
 
 Lebanon was served by Rev. Robert Van Amburgh from 1840 
 to 1848 ; by Rev. John Steele from 1848 to 1858 ; by Van Am- 
 burgh, the second time, from 1853 to 18G9, and by Van Benscho- 
 ten, from 1S69 to 1872. 
 
 The congregation have recently repaired their cluireh edifice — 
 originally built in 1854 — and beautified it. It is now one of the 
 most attractive and commodious churches in the county. There 
 is a large and wealthy congregation worshiping in it, and it 
 ought to pros2)er abundantly. 
 
 WHITE HOUSE, ROCKAWAY. 
 
 The churcli Avas originally formed out of persons who had 
 been comiected with Readington, with a few families from Bed- 
 minster, a few from the Presbyterian church at Leamington, and 
 also a few from the Lutlieran church at NewGevmantown. It is 
 first spoken of in the minutes of Synod in 1793 as a place in 
 which religious services were rendered, and called Potterstown. 
 
298 HISTORICAL NOTES, 
 
 John Dili- vea rendered a part service" tliere, from" 1800 to 1801, 
 preaching in the barn of Abraham Van Horn. John Schureman 
 attended a cateclietical class within the bounds of the cono-reffa- 
 tion while he was at Bedminster. The church at White House was 
 formally organized in 1792, as becomes evident from the following 
 extract from the minutes of consistory: January 10th, 1792. The 
 committee from the Rev. Classis met at the house of Mr. Abraham 
 Van Hoi-n, together with the members in full communion of the 
 neighborhood of tlie White House, and, being opened with prayer 
 by the Rev. John Duryea, proceeded to the choice of a consistory, 
 Avhen the following persons were chosen, namely, Cornelius Wyc- 
 kofF and Aaron Jjane as elders, and Henry Traphagen and George 
 Covenhoven as deacons. Concluded with prayer by the Rev. 
 John M. Van Harlingen. 
 
 In consistory at the house of Cornelius WyckofF the following 
 persons were received, on confession of their faith, as members of 
 the congregation, namely, Abraham Van Horn, Matthew Lane, 
 John Wyckoff, Cornelius Wyckoff, Jr., Garthy Wyckoff, wife of 
 Abraham Van Horn, Cathrine Sutten, wife of John WyckoiF, 
 Altie Cowenhoven, wife of Matthew Lane. Concluded with prayer. 
 — John Duryea. These were the first members in communion. 
 
 September 8th, 1795, the following were elected elders and 
 deacons in the place of those first chosen, namely, George Cowen- 
 hoven and John Wyckofli", elders, and Abraham Van Horn and 
 Cornelius WyckoiF, deacons. Concluded with prayer. — John 
 Duryea, V.D.M. 
 
 January 19th, 1796, received on confession of their faith, Wil- 
 liam Van Horn and Cornelia Wyckoff. 
 
 March 15th, 1796, received on confession, Lidia Burnet, wife of 
 George Covenhoven, Elizabeth Van Horn, wife of AVilliam Van 
 Horn. 
 
 May inth, 1800, Abraham Ten Eyck and the following elected in 
 consistory, namely, Abraham Van Horn and Abraham VanDoren, 
 elders ; Mattliew Lane and William Van Plorn, deacons. Closed 
 witli prayer. — John Duryea, V.D.M. 
 
 A|)ril 2d, 1802, tlie following were chosen for consistory: Cor- 
 nelius Wyckoff and Abraham Van Horn, elders ; Abraham Ten 
 Eyck, deacon ; and they were ordained June 27tli, 1802, by Rev. 
 James S. Cannon. 
 
 There were meetings of consistory August 25th, 1804, presided 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 299 
 
 over by Rev. William li. Smith; August 31st, 1805, and August 
 20tli, 1808, by John S, Vredenburgh ; October 14th, 180G, by Ira 
 Condit ; and July 8th, 1808, by James S. Cannon. 
 
 At length the church had so increased that they proceeded to 
 settle a pastor, and the choice fell upon Cornelius T. Demarest, a 
 student of Dr. Froeligh, but a native of the city of New- York. 
 The call is dated August 2d, 1808, and he was ordained and in- 
 stalled pastor by Rev. John S. Vredenburgh, Rev. Henry Pol- 
 hemus, and "Rev. Peter Studdeford. 
 
 The principal families besides the names already mentioned 
 were, Dennis Wyckofl", Nicholas Stilwell, Abraham Ten Eyck, 
 Andrew Ten Eyck, Cornelius Messier, .John Ditmars, William 
 Ditmars, Jacob Neff, Matthew Rulofson, .John Vanderbilt, Jolm 
 Roger, and others. 
 
 In 1807, a church edifice was erected and partly finished — that 
 is, it had a roof, weather-boarding, and floor, but neither pews, 
 pulpit, or ceiling. The seats consisted of boards resting on 
 timbers on the floor. In this condition C. T. Demarest preached 
 in it for several years. He was the flrst pastor. He came to White 
 House immediately on receiving his license, and continued for 
 five years. It may be said that he really gathered and established 
 the church. He was admired as a preacher, and extensively 
 popular — a faithful, earnest, zealous man; and he did a great 
 deal of good during the time that he labored among the people. He 
 preached the Gospel with discrimination, perhaps rather in a con- 
 troversial strain and spirit; at all events, he was fond of debate, 
 and sometimes dealt with his adversary with marked severity. 
 It may have been necessary in his estimation to adopt such a 
 strain of preaching, since the materials out of which the church 
 had Ijeen formed were a little heterogeneous in their character. 
 He was himself a rigid Calvinist, and could not endure lax views 
 in any form. He left the church Avith almost universal regret, 
 and was remembered by many with all the fondness of first 
 love. 
 
 The church remained vacant for more than two years, and 
 finally called the candidate Jacob J. Schultz, in connection with 
 Lebanon. After Schultz left, in 1834, Peter S. Williamson, a 
 student just licensed from the seminary, Avas called. He accepted, 
 and was ordained and installed in 1835, and continued to preach 
 for the people four years, resigning in 1849, and becoming a mis- 
 
300 HISTORICAL NOTES 
 
 sionary in Brooklyn ; then teaching at Schoharie, Belleville, and 
 Jamaica, Long Island, and finally emigrating to California in 
 1852, where he still resides. 
 
 After Rev. P. S. Williamson had resigned, Rev. James Otter- 
 son accepted the call and ministered to the people for five years, 
 when he resigned and went to the Presbyterian church at Johns- 
 town, New-York. His ministry was vigorous, and resulted in 
 good. He was born in the city of New- York, 1791, graduated at 
 Columbia College, 1806; studied theology with Dr. John M. 
 Mason, and was licensed by the Associate Reform Church in 
 1821. He was of Scotch parentage, and had most of its peculiari- 
 ties. He succeeded Dr. Alexander Proudfit in the church of Broad 
 Albin. He came into the Dutch Church at first by a call from 
 the churches of Oyster Bay and North-Hempstead, Long Island, 
 in 1829, and to White House from Freehold, New-Jersey, where 
 he had been settled three years. It is said of him, " he jDossessed 
 a clear and analytic mind, -svhich showed the eiFect of early 
 culture. He w^as a good scholar, a sound and able theologian, 
 and very instructive and edifying as a preacher. His style of 
 sermonizing was clear and forcible. His speech flowerl smoothly 
 from his lips, as he touched the heart and reached the conscience. 
 He was an able expounder of the divine word. In the ecclesias- 
 tical assemblies of the church he had few superiors. It was 
 not merely as a parliamentarian, or as one skilled in debnte, that 
 he excelled, but as possessing a strong practical mind that could 
 lead the way through difiicult and perplexing questions ; that 
 could see the end to be reached, and how to reach it." He died 
 in the city of Brooklyn in 1869. 
 
 Goyn Talmage, just from the seminary, was called in 1845, 
 and ordained and installed as successor to Otterson. He did a 
 grand work at White House. The church had run down, needed 
 repairs — in fact, removal and a new edifice ; and he accomplished 
 this important work successfully. Under his active ministry, the 
 church waked up, and did more to secure future prosperity than 
 had been done at any time before. But he left, after six years, to 
 the regret of all his friends. 
 
 He was succeeded by Lawrence L. Comfort, also a student 
 from the seminary at Ne \v -Brunswick; and was ordained and 
 installed in 1852, but only remained for two years, when he was 
 called to New-Hurley, New-York, where he is still ministering. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 301 
 
 Then tlie cliurch called Rev. Aaron Lloyd, in 1855 ; and he 
 remained only one year, when he went to Pekin, Illinois. 
 
 The next pastor was Kev. Smith Stnrges, who preached at 
 White Ilonse until 1867, and resigned. 
 
 The Kev. Williani Bailey was called in 1808, and remains tlie 
 successful pastor. The congregation under his ministry is grow- 
 ing, and promising to become a compact, energetic, and respec- 
 table church. 
 
 White House is not in Somei'set County, nor is Lebanon ; and 
 yet they have both always been so intimately connected with the 
 chiirches of the county, that we did not feelinclined to disassociate 
 them. Hence, they liave a place in these notes of the Somerset 
 churches. They are one with us in spirit, if not absolutely within 
 the limits of the territory of the county. They have been so 
 long associated witli the other churches that it would seem, in 
 some respects, invidious to deny 'them a place in our memo- 
 rial. 
 
 It only remains for us now to name the other churches in the 
 order in which their organization has been effected. They have 
 grown, 'in almost every instance, out of the territory first included 
 in the older congregations, and owe their existence to the desire 
 of the people to have the services of the Sabbath nearer to their 
 residences, and to be able more conveniently to attend on them. 
 They have been from the beginning, in nearly every instance, 
 self-sustaining churches. Hence, they came into existence because 
 it was proper for them to do so, and not from disaffection or 
 partisan strife. 
 
 THE RECENTLY-rOR^MED CHURCHES. 
 
 The new churches in Somerset County can hardly be said to 
 have a history, and yet we are not disposed to deny them a place 
 in our memorial notes. We give to each at least the date of its 
 organization and the succession of pastors, in the order in -which 
 these events have occurred and are recorded in their records. 
 
302 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 1. North-Branch. — This church was organized September 10th, 
 
 1825, at tlie liouse of James Ten Eyck, by a committee from the 
 Classis of New-Brunswick, out of families mostly belonging to the 
 old church of Raritan. During the great revival in 1821 and 1822, 
 religious services had been frequently held in the vicinity of Bay- 
 ley's Mills, on the North-Branch. One large concourse, consist- 
 ing of more than 1000 people, is especially remembered in the 
 barn of Mr. Abraham Dumont, at which Rev. Messrs. Schultz^ 
 Fisher, Studdiford, and Osborne were all present, and took part 
 in the services. The great awakening of attention to religion, no 
 doubt, occasioned the want of church services to be felt in that 
 vicinity, and brought about the organization of the church, after 
 an application duly made to the Classis of New-Brunswick, and 
 at once a church edifice was begun to be built. George H. Fisher, 
 a licentiate of the Seminary, was called and settled November 25t]i, 
 
 1826, as soon as the church edifice, finished that year, was pre- 
 pared for the services. He preached to the people during four 
 years' labor, and proved himself a successful pastor. Upon his 
 removal, the Rev. Abraham D. Wilson was called, September l7th, 
 1831, and remained until 1838. He was succeeded in October of 
 the same year by Rev. James K. Campbell, who ministered until 
 1854, more than 15 years. In 1856, Pliilip Melancthon Doolittle 
 was settled, and still continues the successful pastor of a prospe- 
 rous church. 
 
 The first consistory was composed of Jacob Ten Eyck, John 
 Vanderveer, John Runk, and Abraham Quick, Sen., as elders, and 
 Ralf Van Pelt, Matthew Van Pelt, James Staats, and James Ten 
 Eyck, deacons. 
 
 The first church edifice u'as built in 1S26, the year after the 
 organizat ion was effected. It was built of brick, after the pattern 
 of the Sonierville Church, and in dimension was 40 feet by 52. 
 The corner-stone was laid witliout ceremonies, and whether it was 
 ever formally dedicated is not known. It stood, and continued to 
 be the place of worship until 1863, when it was taken down and 
 gave place to the present commodious edifice. The resolution to 
 rebuild was passed August 20th, 1863, and it was dedicated by a 
 sermon from Rev. G. H. Fisher, the first pastor, 1864. The congre- 
 gation, during the forty-seven years of its existence, has increased, 
 until it is now an efficient church. It is remarkable that all its 
 
n[STORICAL NOTES. 303 
 
 pastors are yet among the living. It numbers 116 families and 
 170 communicants. 
 
 2. BlawenbuPvG. — The first movement toward the organiza- 
 tion of this church took ^^lace October 1st, 1829, when Cornelius 
 Kershow, Peter Voorhees, Half Johnson, and John A. Voorhees 
 appeared before the Consistory of Harlingen, in behalf of them- 
 selves and fifty subscribers in the district of Blawenburg, and 
 a})])lied to the consistory for permission to erect a house for 
 public worship, to be styled the Second Reformed Dutch Church 
 of Harlingen, This application was cheerfully granted. At a 
 subsequent meeting, in JSTovember, the following building com- 
 mittee was appointed, namely, Peter A. Voorhees, Colonel Jose])h 
 Duryea, Half .Johnson, John A. Voorhees, and John Van Zandt. 
 On the 31st of May, 1S30, they reported that their house of wor- 
 ship was so nearly completed as to be ready for dedication at any 
 time. It was resolved'to invite Rev. Dr. Milledoler, of the Theo- 
 logical Seminary at New-Brunswick, to perform that service on 
 Saturday, the 14t]i inst. The invitation was accejjted, and on the 
 day appointed, after sermon, he solemidy set apart tlie house to 
 the service of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 
 
 February 2d, 1832, upon application of tlie people worshiping 
 in the above congregation, to be organized into a separate and 
 distinct clam'ch, and to be discharged from their relation to the 
 cluirch at Harlingen, the pastor. Rev. Peter Labagh, and Peter 
 Skillman were appointed a committee to grant dismissions .to 
 those who might apply. On the 2d of JMarch, 1832, a nundjer of 
 the male members with tlieir certificates assembled, according to 
 previous notice, in tlie clnircli at Blawenburg, aud after earnest 
 supplication for the Divine jjresence and blessing, a separate and 
 distinct church was regularly organized, a consistory chosen, and 
 arrangements made for their ordination. At this meeting the 
 Rev. Peter Labagh and the elder Abraliam Skillman acted as a 
 committee from the consistory of Harlingen ; and Beruardus Van 
 Zandt, William Duryea, Abram Sutphin, George Sorter, Samuel 
 Terhune, Thomas Davis, Cort Williamson, Henry Terhune, Josepli 
 A. Skilhnan, Henry Skillman, Jolm Van Zandt, William D. Y-au 
 Dyke, Peter Sutphin, Peter Voorliees, represented the people of 
 Blawenburg. The consistory elected consisted of Henry Skdl- 
 man, Joliii Van Zandt, William Crusei", and Jose])h iV. Skillman, 
 
. 304 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 elders, and- Henry Duryea, Peter Voorliees, Thomas Davis, and 
 Samuel Terhnne, deacons. 
 
 The earliest records ai-e dated July 26th, 1831, and sj^eak of 
 the consistory of the Second Church of Harlingen meeting in the 
 consistory chamber at Blawenburg, and of the corporate name 
 of the church being changed to be the Reformed Dutch Church 
 of Blawenburg. 
 
 The Rev. Henry Heermance was the first pastor. He was called 
 in 1832, and served the people three years. He was succeeded 
 by Rev. James R. Talmage in 183.7, who remained until 1849. 
 The same year, T. B. Romeyn was called and ordained, and served 
 until 1865. He was succeeded by Charles W. Fi-itts the same 
 year, and he in ISVO by W. B. Voorliees. 
 
 Of Henry Heermance, who has ceased from among the liv- 
 ing, we may say a very few words. He Avas born at Nassau, 
 N. Y., 1801, graduated at Union College in 1826, studied in the 
 Seminary at New-Brunswick, and was licensed by the classis in 
 1826. After a short settlement at Oyster Bay, Long Island, and 
 a missionary term of service at Sandbeach, N. Y., he came to 
 Blawenburg and served faithfully for three years. Preaching 
 afterward for a year in 1855-6 at Kinderhook, he died in 1846. 
 He was the subject of religious im2:)ressions during a revival in 
 Nassau, N". Y., and retained ever afterward more or less of 
 a revival spirit. It has been written of him tliat " he had a com- 
 prehensive and well-balanced judgment up to the point where 
 feeling becomes enlisted, when his honest ardor somewhat blinded 
 liim to remote results. His sensibilities were unusually keen, but 
 they never prompted retaliation, nor liad they any tincture of resent- 
 ment. His energy was great, and his purpose indomitable. Hence, 
 when his sphere of action was limited, and his mode of action de- 
 fined, as was the case with his agencies, his executive efficiency 
 was of the very highest order. As a preacher, he was solemn, 
 atrectionate, earnest, pungent, and lucid. His style was senten- 
 tious, and his appeals direct and forcible. His general mode of 
 preaching was to arouse the conscience, at times producing the 
 greatest manifestations of awe even among Christians, and writh- 
 ings, under a sight and sense of their condition, among sinners. 
 Yet he was not deficient in abilities to depict the beauties of holi- 
 ness, and the grace and truth that came by Jesus Christ. He was 
 stricken down by apoplexy in the midst of his days, just as he was 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 305 
 
 resolving and entering on enlarged j:)lans of usefulness." His 
 labors at Blawcnburg were biglily appreciated. lie established 
 the church, he gathered into lier communion many valuable 
 members, and left many regrets when he went elsewhere. 
 
 Blawenburg is now a flourishing church, united, prosperous, 
 and increasing. It contains 120 families and 238 members in 
 communion. 
 
 3. MiDDLEBUsii. — This church was organized out of families 
 belonging to the church of New-Brunswick, March 17th, 1834, by 
 a committee consisting of Rev. Messrs. J. J. Schultz, H. L. Rice, 
 and A. D. Wilson, It had been an outpost — a place of catechiza- 
 tion ; a church had been talked of and desired for some years. 
 At length, under the advice of Dr. Janeway, the step was taken. 
 The church edifice was finished in 1834, and Rev, Jacob J. Schultz 
 called from Whitehouse and Lebanon to take charge of the new 
 congregation. He continued the pastor from 1834 to 183^, when 
 he resigned, in consequence of mental infirmities, and died in 1852. 
 We have characterized him in another connection. His remains 
 were interred in the cemetery connected with the church, and on 
 his tomb is inscribed, " Rev. Jacob J. Scliultz, born Se])tember 3d, 
 1792, at Rhinebeck, N. Y. ; died October 22d, 1852, at Mid- 
 dlebush, N. J. The last pastor of the united churches of 
 Lebanon and White House for twenty years ; the first pastor of 
 Middlebush Church; graduate of Union College, New-York, 1813, 
 and of the R. D. Seminary, NeAV- Jersey, 1816, 
 
 "The last quarter of his life was clouded by mental and phy- 
 sical maladies ; but God's grace was magnified, and at the age of 
 60 he slept in Jesus. 
 
 " He was a noble Christian man— a faitiiful and affectionate 
 minister of Christ. His piety Avas reverent, exalted, and full of 
 good fruits, fed T)y the doctrines of grace Avhich he preached with 
 power to the consciences of men. 
 
 " He walked with God, did nothing witliout })rayer, whose faith 
 follow.— Ileb. 13 : 7-8 ; Rev. 14 : 13." 
 
 j\Ir. Schultz was succeeded in 1838 by John A. Vandoren, a 
 o-raduate of the Seminarv at New-Bnmswick, who continued iiis 
 work until 1866, when he accepted a call to the church of Lodi, 
 N. Y. He was succeeded by George W. Swayne. The churcli 
 is now under the care of Rev. Stephen L. Mershon, and num- 
 bers 108 families and 192 in communion. 
 
306 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 4. The Ciiltrcii of Clover Hill. — Clover Hill cliurcli was 
 organized on the 4tli of September, 1834, on which occasion 
 the Rev. S. A. Burastead, of Manayunk, Pa., preached, and 
 ordained a consistory consisting of Henry Vanderveer and 
 Peter C. Schenk, as elders, and John W. Bellis and Jacob 
 Nevins, deacons. A chnrch edifice had been already built, and 
 was dedicated October 5tii, 1834 — only a month from the date 
 when the church had been formed. The sermon on the occa- 
 sion was i^reached by the Rev. Dr. Cannon, of the seminary at 
 New-Brunswick, Early in the next year, (1835,) Garret C. Schenck, 
 a student from the seminary, was called, and continued to labor 
 until 1831. The next year, William Demarest was called and or- 
 dained, and served the people until 1840. The church then went 
 over to the Presbyterian connection, and remained in that body 
 until 1862, when it returned again to its former relation witli the 
 Classis of Philadelphia, and called the candidate William B. 
 Voorhees. The present j)astor is the Rev. B. Oliver. The church 
 has recently enlarged and refitted its church edifice, and is now 
 in a growing state and promises to become a strong church. It 
 embraces 75 families and 115 members in communion. 
 
 5. Second Church of Raritax. — The Second Chnrch of 
 Raritan was formed out of families who had been in commu- 
 nion with the old church, on the 5th of March, 1834. The meet- 
 ing was held in the house of worship belonging to the First 
 Church. Rev. J. C. Sears, of Six-Mile Run, by appointment of 
 Classis, preached the sermon, and was assisted in the exercises by 
 the Rev. A. D. Wilson and Rev. J. L. Zabriskie. The first con- 
 sistory consisted of James Taylor, Brogun J. Brokaw, and Thomas 
 Talraage, as elders, and John A. Staats, Peter Hoge, Thomas A. 
 Hartwell, and James Bergen, deacons. There were 24 members 
 in communion when the church was organized. 
 
 Immediately after the organization, the people took measures 
 for the erection of a house of worship. It was completed and 
 dedicated to the honor and glory of the Triune God — Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost — on Wednesday, the 18th of February, 
 1835, by Rev. S. B. How, D.D., of New-Brunswick, after preach- 
 ing from Ps. 26 : 8, " Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy 
 house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth." 
 
 At the end of the first year, the consistory reported 76 families 
 and 61 members in communion as belono'ins; to their church. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES, 307 
 
 Rev. Charles "Whiteliead, of PTopewell, N. Y., was called as the 
 first pastor, and preached his first sermon on Sal)bath morning, 
 May 31st, 1835, from Romans 15 : 30-32. He continued liis ser- 
 vices for three years, and was succeeded, in 1840, by Talbot W. 
 Chambers, a student from the seminary at New-Brunswick. He 
 preached his first sermon October 13th, 1839, and was ordained 
 and installed on Wednesday, January 22d, 1840, and served the 
 church until 1849, when he accepted a call from the collegiate 
 churches in the city of New- York and resigned. His successor, in 
 1850, was Elijah R. Craven, a licentiate of the seminary at 
 Princeton, who continued his lal)ors for four years, and was suc- 
 ceeded, in 1855, by Rev. J. F. Mesiek, the present pastor. The 
 church is now in a flourishing condition, embracing 175 families 
 and 398 communicants. It has given the following young men 
 from its communioiT to the Christian ministry, namely, John V. 
 N. Talmage, Goyn Talmage, T. De Witt Talmage, James B. Wil- 
 son, Peter Q. Wilson, Frederick F. Wilson, and A. J. Hageman. 
 
 G. Stanto:s', formerly Mouxt Pleasant, (1834.) — This 
 chnrcli was formed out of families who had been accustomed 
 to attend public worship at Readington ; but the distance made 
 it inconvenient and burdensome, and led them to make an 
 eflbrt to provide a more convenient place for themselves. The 
 organization was eifected through the Classis of Philadelphia, 
 October 15th, 1833, and it Avas called "the Dutch Reformed 
 Church of Mount Pleasant." It consisted, originally, of only 
 four members, namely, John M. Wyckofi", Josiah Cole and wife, 
 JNIargaret, and Abraham Anderson. The first consistory were, 
 John jNI. Wyckoft' and Josiah Cole, elders, and Abraham Ander- 
 son, deacon. 
 
 In the next yeai", they proceeded to provide themselves with a 
 suitable place for public worship, and erected the present edifice. 
 At the laying of the corner-stone of this house, in 1834, Rev. G. 
 Ludlow, Joliii Yan Liew^, and Jacob Kirkpatrick were }n-esent 
 and ofliciated. Tlie clnu'ch was completed before the close of the 
 year and dedicated, the same reverend gentlemen — all neighbor- 
 ing ministers — being present again and taking part in the ser- 
 vices ; but the dates ai"e not attainable now, no records being 
 known to have been made. 
 
 In June, ]835, the congregation presented a call to tlie candi- 
 date Jacob R. Yan Arsdale. Tlie call was accepted, and he was 
 
308 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 ordained and installed in October. He proved an acceptable 
 pastor, and labored faithfully until April, 1850, when he accepted 
 a call from Tyre, N. Y., and removed thither. He was suc- 
 ceeded, in 1852, by Rev. Horace Doolittle, of Porapton, who 
 labored until 1872. His successor was Rev. Edward Cornel, the 
 present pastor. This church from small beginnings has grown 
 to fair and prosperous proportions, and reported, last year, 70 
 families and 140 communicants. 
 
 7. SecOxVd Chukch of New-Brunswick. — This church was 
 formed out of families, most of whom had belonged to the Old 
 First Church, February 14th, 1843, by a committee of the Classis 
 of New-Brunswick, consisting of Rev. A. Messier, D.D., and 
 Messrs. Chambers and Schenck. 
 
 The first consistory were, George Nevius and John H. Stoothoff, 
 elders, and Isaiah I^lfe and William T. Rank, deacons. The 
 services were, for a time, held in a church edifice on the north- 
 west corner of Albany and Union streets, immediately above the 
 present church. In 185 8, the erection of the present commodious 
 house was commenced on the 28th of September, on a Tuesday 
 afternoon; Dr. How, Professor Woodbridge, and D. D. Demarest 
 assisting, and Dr. Wilson, the pastor of the church, performing 
 the ceremony of laying the corner-stone. This house was com- 
 pleted and dedicated on Wednesday, April 10th, 18G1, at 7|- 
 P.M. In this service, Drs. Campbell, Woodbridge, and Demarest 
 assisted Dr. Wilson, the pastor. 
 
 The succession of its ministers has been, D. D. Demarest, from 
 1843 to 1852 ; Woodbridge, 1852 to 1857 ; H. M. Wilson, 1858 to 
 1862; J. W. Schenck, 1863 to 1866, and C. D. Hartranft, since 
 1867. It is now a strong and flourishing church, numbering 160 
 families and 319 members in communion. 
 
 8. The Church of Griggstown. — This church was organized 
 out of families worshiping previously at Six-Mile Run and Harlin- 
 gen. The movement grew out of a desire on the part of the 
 people to enjoy the sacred ordinances nearer their homes. They 
 presented a petition for an organization to the Classis of New- 
 Brunswick, May 24th, 1842, Avhich was favorably received; and 
 it was resolved unanimously that " Whereas, ap2:»lication has been 
 made by a number of individuals for the organization of a cliurch 
 at Griggstown, therefore resolved, that a Reformed Protestant 
 Dutch church be organized at the place contem^jlated in this 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 309 
 
 application, on the thii-d Tuesday in June next, at 11 o'clock a.m., 
 provided tliat at that time thii-ty members from neighborinrr 
 c;ongrcgations shall present their certificates of dismission for that 
 purpose. 
 
 " Resolved, that Rev. Abraham Messier, John A. Van Doren, 
 and George Schenck be a committee to carry the above resolu- 
 tion into effect ; and that Rev. A. Messier preach the ser- 
 mon on that occasion." The committee met in the Red School 
 House on the west side of Millstone River, opposite the village of 
 Griggstown, at the time specified ; and, after receiving the certifi- 
 cates of thirty-eight members in full communion from the neigh- 
 boring churches, pi'oceeded to organize a church to be known as 
 the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Griggstown. 
 The sermon was i:»reached by Rev. A. Messier, of Somerville. 
 The names of the elders and deacons chosen ^vere published^to the 
 people for their approbation, and after the sermon they M^ere or- 
 dained by Rev. George Schenck. The names of the first consis- 
 tory were Abraham Perlee, Joseph Cornell, Jolm S. Iloagland, 
 and Rynier P. Staats, elders, and Rynier A. Staats, Garret Wyck- 
 off, Peter Cornell, and Martin IST. Gulick, deacons. Immediately 
 the consistory commenced the erection of a church edifice. It 
 was completed and dedicated on August 8th, 1843. The sermon 
 was preached by Rev. Jeremiah S. Lord, who had been called as 
 ])astor of the church, and on the afternoon of the same day he 
 was ordained and installed in his office. lie contiimed to serve 
 the church until 1837. The next year the candidate John A. Todd 
 was called and ordained. He continued to preach nntW 1855, 
 when he was called to Tarrytown. The same year G. P. Livino-- 
 ston accepted a call from the church, and remained Avith them 
 until 1858. In 1850, Rev. Stephen Searle was called, and continues 
 the beloved pastor of a united peo2)le. The congregation num- 
 bers at i)resent 56 families and 107 members in comnnniion. 
 
 9. BoiTxnr.uooK. — This church was formed ])rincipal]y from 
 families who had been in communion with the Presbyterian 
 Church, with a few from Millstone and Somerville. It Avas or- 
 ganized on the 20th of August, 184G, in the Franklin School 
 House. The first consistory were John Lane, Cornelius ^fessler, 
 Jacob II. Wyckoff, and Caleb C. BrokaAV, eldei-s,. and Andrew 
 Todd, Daniel H. Yoorhees, Elias B. Yan Avsdale, and Henry C. 
 Brokaw, deacons. It began under excellent ausjjices^ and Avith 
 'JO 
 
310 HISTORICAL XOTES. 
 
 sufficient numbers to become at once an efficient and self-sustain- 
 ing church. 
 
 Provision liad ah-eady been made to build a suitable house for 
 public worship, and it was completed at an early day, and dedi- 
 cated to the worship of God on the 10th May, 1848. The services 
 were commenced by Rev. Dr. Messier oifering prayer. Then the 
 Rev, Dr. R. K. Rodgers, of the Presbyterian Church, read the 
 84th Psalm. After singing a hymn, the Rev. D. D. Demarest led 
 in prayer, and the pastor. Rev. George J. Van Neste, gave an ad- 
 dress. Rev. George H. Fisher, of New- York, preached the sermon 
 from Ileb. 11 : 10, and dedicated the church, and Dr. Rodgers 
 made the concluding prayer. 
 
 The pastors have been : George J. Van Neste, from 1847 to 1854 ; 
 William Demarest, from 1854 to 1857 ; Henry V. Voorhees, from 
 1858 to 1862 ; Benja«nin F. Romaine, from 1862 to 1868. In 1869 
 Rev. J. C. Dutcher was called, and still continues his acceptable 
 labors among this people. The church has become a united and 
 efficient organization, and its future seems to be assured as one of 
 comfort and usefulness. It numbers 85 families, with 149 com- 
 municants. 
 
 10. The Third Church of Raritan. — The organization of 
 this church grew out of the increase of population in the village 
 of Raritan. A chapel was built at first, principally through the 
 exertions of Frederick J. Frelinghuysen, and services maintained 
 in it by the ministers of the first and second churches. But in the 
 spring of 1848 an application was made to Classis for a special 
 organization, and being granted, a committee was appointed to 
 effect this object. The committee consisted of Re\\ Dr. A. Mess- 
 ier, T. W. Cliambers, and D. D. Demarest. They met on the 16th 
 of May, 1848, and, after a sermon by Dr. Messier, organized a 
 church by ordaining a consistory composed of John A. Staats, 
 Thomas S. Whitenack, Peter V. Staats, and David T. Runyoa as 
 elders, and John Freck, Garret J. Quick, Isaac V. Porter, and 
 Richard Pi'ovost as deacons. 
 
 Having called Peter Stryker, a student from the Seminary, as 
 pastor, he was ordained and installed on the lOtli of October, 
 1843. He preached at first in the chapel; but on the 18th of 
 September, 1850, the people had completed their arrangements to 
 build a suitable church edifice, and the corner-stone was laid by 
 the iiastor, with appropriate ceremonies. The house was dedicated 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 311 
 
 by Rev. Dr. Iluttoii, of New- York, July 30tli, 1S51, after a ser- 
 raon f rom Ecclesiastes 5 : 1-2. 
 
 In 1851, Mr. Stryker resigned liis call, having accepted an invi- 
 tation to become pastor of the church at Rhinebeck, N. Y. 
 lie was succeeded the same year by Rev. James A. 11. Cornell, 
 Avho Avas installed March 4th, 1852, and served the church for 
 four years, Avhen he accepted the position of secretary to the 
 Jioard of Education, and removed to his own residence at Xew- 
 Baltimore, N. Y. 
 
 In 1857, James Le Fever, a student from the Seminary at Xew- 
 Brunswick, was called, and ordained and installed on the 25th of 
 June, lie is still laboring in this field, and has liad the pleasure 
 of seeing a strong and active church growing up as the result of 
 liis exertions and the increase of population in the village. It 
 numbers at present 125 families and 270 members in communion, 
 and has before it a future of rich promise. 
 
 11. Peapack. — The church at Peapack was organized by a 
 committee, appointed by the Classis of New-Brunswick, at the 
 request of the Rev. George Schenk, of Bedminstcr, and the ])eopk' 
 in the village of Peapack, in the lecture room, built some years 
 previously, on Tuesday, October .31st, 1848. There were received 
 thirty-one in communion with the church of Bedminstcr ; four 
 from the Presbyterian church of Leamington ; and one from the 
 Congregational church at Chester into this organization, making 
 a total of thirty-six members. The first consistory chosen Avere, 
 Jacob Tiger, Peter De Mott, Abraham Cortelyou, and Nicholas 
 Tiger, ciders, and Henry II. Wyckoff, James S. Todd, John S. Te- 
 linly, and Jacob A. Clauson, deacons. After a sermon by Rev. A. 
 INlessler, D.D., from Prov. 8 : 34, the consistory was ordained by 
 Rev. George Schenck, and the services were closed by prayer and 
 the benediction by Rev. Mr. Stontenburgh, of Chester. 
 
 The corner-stone of the church edifice was laid on Tuesday, July 
 1 0th, 1849, amid a large concourse of people, and addresses Avere 
 made by Rev. Dr. Messier, Rev. J. K. Campbell, and Rev. George 
 Schenck. The Rev. J. F. Morris, Re^^ Messrs. Williamson, Stout- 
 cnbergh, Johnson, and Oackley, were present, Avith the pastor of 
 the church. Rev. William Anderson. 
 
 On Tuesday, January 15th, 1850, the church Avas dedicated. 
 The i)ul[)it Avas occupied by Rev. jNIessrs. J. K. Campbell, George 
 Schenck, D. D. Demarest, and J. 31. Knox. The pastor presided, 
 
312 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 IJev. K. Campbell offered the prayer, D. D, Demarest preached 
 the sermon from 2 Cor. G : 41, G. Schenek offered tlie dedi- 
 catory prayer, and 1Xq\, J. M. Knox the concluding prayer. This 
 church has still its second pastor. Rev. Wm. x\nderson served it 
 from its organization until 1856, and was succeeded in 1857 by 
 Rev. Henry P. Thompson, the present incumbent. 
 
 The church has recently been enlarged and beautified, and was 
 reopened November 21st, 1872. The whole aspect of its affairs 
 is progressive, prosperous, and satisfactory. The expenses of 
 enlargement have amounted to $4500, and the people are enjoy- 
 ing the comfort and pleasure of their activity and enterprise. It 
 numbers 110 families and 218 communicants. 
 
 12. Branciiville. — This church was formed out of families 
 from the churches of Readington and Neshanic, with a few from 
 the churches in Somerville. It grew out of the necessity of 
 ])ublic worship in this growing village, and was organized May 
 2d, 1850, by a committee from the Classis of Raritan, consisting 
 of Dr. Messier, Rev. J. R. Campbell, Rev. Goyn Talmage, and G. 
 J. Van Xeste. The sermon was preached by Talmage from Ex. 
 3,3 : 15, and the consistory Avas ordained by Campbell. The first 
 consistory Avere, John ^'an Dyke, Cornelius Bergen, Garret Beek- 
 man, and Henry P. Stryker, elders, and Lucas H. Iloagland, 
 Gilbert S. Amernian, John Vossler, and John Yeghte, deacons. 
 
 Preparations to erect a suitable house of worship were imme- 
 diately begun, and the corner-stone was laid amid a large con- 
 course of people. Addresses were delivered by Rev. Messrs. 
 Chambei's, Campbell, Talmage, and Messier. It is recollected as 
 an animated scene on a beautiful summer day. 
 
 The church was dedicated in 1850, after a sermon by Rev. Dr. 
 Messier; and on the next day the candidate, Henry Dater, was 
 ordained and installed as pastor of the new church, on which 
 occasion Rev. J. R. Campbell preached the sermon. He continued 
 his labours until 185;], and was succeeded the same year by Rev. 
 William Pitclier, the present incumbent. This church has had a 
 p"osi)erous career from the beginning, and now numbers 101 
 families and 95 members in communion. 
 
 13. Easton. — The church at Easton, Pa., was organized in Rev. 
 Dr. John Vanderveer's school-room, on Saturday, July 2Gth, 1851, 
 by a conmiittee of the Classis of New-Brunswick, consisting of 
 Rev. A. :Messler, D.D., George Schenek, and II. D. Ganse. The 
 
IIISTOKICAL NOTES. 313 
 
 first consistory were, Messrs. Frail Green, ]\I.D., E. Dean Dow, 
 James Pollock, and Samuel C. Brown, ekknN, and William (t. 
 Stewart, C. F. Thurston, Richard S. Bell, and Benjamin Gods- 
 chalk, deacons. 
 
 The first churcli services were held on tin; succeeding Sabbath, 
 July 27th, in Christ Church, Lutheran, when IJev. Dr. Messier 
 preached from Ephesians 2 : 20, and the Rev. George Schenck 
 ordained the consistory. The building of a church for the new 
 congregation was already commenced, and soon a call was pre 
 sented to Rev. James Mason Knox, of the Presbyterian church, 
 German Valley, Xcw-Jersey, Avhich was accepted. lie was in- 
 stalled as pastor November 23d, 1851 ; Rev. Messrs. Schenck, 
 Ganse, and De Witt were jJi'esent ; Gansc preaching the sermon 
 from John 3 : 14-15. 
 
 The church, which was on Fifth, then Juliana, street, was com- 
 pleted and dedicated July 29th, 1852, by Rev. Dr. George W, 
 Bethune. This edifice was occupied until December, 1870, when 
 it Avas sold to Zion Lutheran congregation, and the last service 
 was held hi it December 25th, 1870. 
 
 A new church edifice was immediately commenced on Spring 
 Garden Street, and the corner-stone was laid June 26th, 187]. 
 In the mean time, the congregation worshiped in the First Pres- 
 byterian Church. This house Avas dedicated on the l7th March, 
 1872, by the pastor. Rev. Dr. C. II. Edgar. The sermon was 
 preached from Zecli. : 12. 
 
 The church has still the services of its second pastor. Rev. J. 
 H. M. Knox remained with them nntil 1853, when he resigned, 
 and accepted a call from the Presbyterian church of German- 
 town, Avhere he is still laboring. Rev. Di-. C. H. Edgar was 
 called the same year from the Presbyterian church of Bridge- 
 hampton. Long Island, and installed XovemlKn- 11th, 1853. The 
 Rev. J. R. Campbell, of North-Branch, preached the sermon f lom 
 2 Tim. 4 : 2, :uid charged the people, and Rev. E. R. Craven, of 
 the Second church, Somerville, charged the pastor. l"n ler 
 Edgar's able and efficient laboi-s the church has prospered and 
 increased. It bids fair to be soon a strong and active church 
 It numbers 55 families and 94 communicants. 
 
 14. East-Millstone. — The church of East-Millstone grew out 
 of the increase of the village on the east side of the river, and 
 Avas demanded by the circumstances. Tlie Rev. David Cole, to 
 
31-1 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 Avliom we owe almost all the subsequent liistory of this church, 
 says, " The quick growth of the village soon suggested to its 
 Ciiristian people the importance of taking steps to secure distinct 
 religious privileges fur themselves." Three men were most ac- 
 tive in securing an organization, Ernestus Schenck, Dr. Garret 
 Van Doren, and John V. A. Merril. In due time the subject was 
 brought to the notice of the Classis of New-Brunswick, and on 
 the 19th June, 1855, a committee was appointed to consult with 
 the consistory" of the old church on the west side of the river. 
 Tlicy reported in fivor of immediate action. On the 19th July, 
 classis appointed Dr. Mesick, Di". J. A. II. Cornell, William 
 Pitcher, and the elder Jeremiah Whitenack a committee to 
 organize the church. It consisted of eighteen members. The 
 first consistory were, Cornelius Broacli and John V. A. Merril, 
 elders, and Richard A. Kuhl and John Stines, deacons. The 
 sermon on the occasion was preaclied by Dr. Mesick, from Acts 
 9 : 31. 
 
 In their report, October 16th, 1855, the committee say, This 
 enlerprise has started mider flattering auspices. $2000 are 
 subscribed toward building a house of worship, and the 
 sum will be increased to $3000. The building committee liave 
 already advertised for sealed proposals to build the house 
 according to a specified plan. IMessrs. Ernestus Schenck, J. V. 
 A. Merril, and Peter WorLman Avere appointed a building com- 
 mittee. Dr. John Ludlow addressed the people on the laying of 
 the cornerstone, and Dr. J. M. Matthews, of New- York, preached 
 the sermon at the dedication of tlie churcli. Tiie entire cost of 
 the lot, building, and bell, was $5 748.23. 
 
 ' The first pastor. Rev. Giles Vander Wall, was called June 17th, 
 1856, and liis installation took place July 9th; and the connec- 
 tion was dissolved June Sth, 1858. Mr. Vander AY all Avent to the 
 Holland colony in Michigan, and subsequentl}'- as missionary to 
 South-Africa. He was a native of Holland, but educated at 
 New-Brunswick. 
 
 Tlie church remained vacant until November 23d, 1858, Avhen 
 David Cole was called, and installed. He remained until April 
 1st, 1863, Avhen he accepted an appointment as Professor of tlie 
 Latin and Greek languages in Rutgers College. He is now pas- 
 tor of the church at Yonkers, New-York. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 315 
 
 lie was succeeded tlie same year by Martin L. IJerger, wlio 
 served tliis cliurch tlirce years; and lie again was succeeded by 
 William II. Phraner in 186G. The present pastor is Rev. A. 
 McWilliam, who has served the church since 1869. It includes 
 85 families and 15.3 members in communion, and is becoming 
 one of the most active and efficient of our young churches. 
 
 15. Rocky IIiix. — The church here grew out of the necessity 
 of increased religious privileges to the inhabitants of this growing 
 village. It was organized by the Classis of Pliiladelphia jMay Gtli, 
 1857. The church edifice had been previously commenced, and 
 was dedicated to the worship of the Triune God, after a sermon 
 preached by Rev. B, C. Taylor, D.D., of Bergen, N. J., June 
 10th, 1857. In this service Rev. Jolm Gardner, Rev. J. C. Lord, 
 Rev. Dr. Sears, and Rev. Dr. Peter Labagh, the aged and reve- 
 rend pastor of Ilarlingen, participated. 
 
 The first consistory consisted of Mindert Vreeland, Samuel 
 Brearly, Isaac Van Dyke, and Joseph IT. Yoorhees, elders, and 
 John A. Saums, Michael Vreeland, Dr. C. K, Vandoren, and Jacob 
 Vreelan, deacons. 
 
 Almost immediately the Rev. Martin S. Schenck was called, 
 and settled as the first pastor. He continued liis labors until 
 18G5, and was succeeded the same year by Oscar Gesner, a licen- 
 tiate from the Theological Seminary, who labored until 1871, and 
 the church is now under the pastoral supervision of Rev. Herman 
 C. Berg. The congregation embraces 77 families, and has before 
 it a prosperous and happy future. 
 
 16. PoTTEUsviLLE. — The church at Pottersville originated from 
 a desire to obtain the means of grace in a locality which had been 
 deprived of them. The inhabitants of that beautiful rural little 
 village had no church Avithin a convenient distance. Mr. Bering 
 Potter, the proprietor of the mills to which the village owed its 
 existence, felt the deprivation to which all Avere subjected, and 
 with his sons and others moved in the matter of providing a 
 church. 
 
 The iirst meeting was held in the district school-house on the 
 nth of October, 1865. The object was to prepare a memorial ad- 
 dressed to the Classis of Raritan, praying for the organization of 
 a church under their care. At this meeting, Rev. Henry P. 
 Thompson, of Pea|)ack, was present as adviser. This memorial, 
 dated October 10th, 1865, was presented to Classis at their stated 
 
316 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 autumnal session in tlie Thircl Cliurcli of Raritan, on tlie day of its 
 date. Tlie petition was granted, and a committee consisting of 
 Rev. P. M. Doolittle, Rev. Dr. A. Messier, Rev. William Brusli, 
 Rev. II. P. Tliomj^son, and the elders Isaac Crater and Zechariali 
 L. Smith, was appointed to perfect the organization. The com- 
 mittee met in the school-house at Pottersville on the 2d 
 November, I860. A sermon was preached by Rev. Dr. Messier 
 from Proverbs 8 : 34. Certificates of church membership were 
 presented from twenty-seven individuals, embracing nine from the 
 Presbyterian Church, seven from the Reformed Churcli, six from 
 the Methodist Church, three from the Congregational Church, and 
 two from the Lutheran Church. A consistory was chosen, their 
 names published to the people for their approval, and, no objec- 
 tions being made, they were installed. The consistory was com- 
 posed of three elders and three deacons, namely, Sering Potter, 
 Thomas Fritts, and jMartin Rhinehart, elders, and Joseph Emmons, 
 Alexander McDougal, and Edmund P. Potter, deacons. Supplies 
 were appointed for the new church by the Classis, and religious 
 services were thenceforth regularly held in the school-house. 
 
 During the winter, arrangements were perfected to build a 
 church edifice, the corner-stone of which was laid May 22d, 18GG, 
 after a sermon by Rev. P. M. Doolittle from Ephesians 2 : 20, by 
 Rev. Tl. P. Thompson, who addressed the people. The exercises 
 were closed with prayer by Rev. J. B. Ileward, of tlie Methodist 
 Church. 
 
 The house was finished and dedicated December 20th, 1860. 
 The sermon was preached by Rev. H. P. Thompson ; the Rev. Dr. 
 Blauvelt and Messrs. Stoutenbergh, Yoorhees, and Heward partici- 
 pating in the services. The cost of the building was $8552.58. 
 
 The call of the first pastor, Thomas W. Jones, a licentiate from 
 the Seminary at New-Brunswick, bears date May 31st, 1867. He 
 resigned and removed to Amsterdam, New- York, in 1870. 
 
 The call of the second pastor, Vernon B. Carroll, is dated Ma\- 
 25th, 1871. He was also a licentiate from the Seminary at New- 
 Brunswick, and is still laboring earnestly among his people. The 
 church has the best prospects, and will soon have abundance of 
 strength in numbers and in wealth. It includes GO families and 
 78 members in communion at tlie present time — a marked growth 
 in the seven years of its existence. 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 317 
 
 17. High Bridge. — This cluircli was formed out of ;i promis- 
 cuous population, gathered in tlie viUage wliicli liad grown uj) 
 along the New-Jersey Central Railroad at this point, and included 
 Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans, and Reformed. It was or- 
 ganized F'ebruary 1.3th, 18GG, by a committee of the Classis of 
 Raritan, consisting of Rev. Messrs. Doolittle, Thompson, Van 
 Amburgh, and Lefever. These services were held in a lectm'c- 
 rooni which had been purchased from the Methodists, and Rev. J 
 Lefever preached the sermon. The first consistory consisted of 
 Charles Conover and Isaac Hammer, elders, and John Q. Seals and 
 Johnson II. Bejinet, deacons. They were ordained by Rev. R. 
 Van Amburgh after the sermon had been preached. The Rev. 
 Cornelius WyckofF was called as the first pastor, and served the 
 church until 18G8, when he retired on account of failing health, 
 and died in New-Brunswick. The Rev. Robert Van Amburgli 
 supplied the church for nearly two years. Under his encou- 
 raging labors the lecture-room Avas sold, and the present beautiful 
 church erected and dedicated November 15th, 1870. Dr. Rogers, 
 of New-York, preached the sermon, and Dr. Messier, of Somer- 
 ville, dedicated the house. Dr. Rogers also officiated at the lay- 
 ing of the corner-stone. Tiie congregation is now in tlie charge 
 of Rev. Jacob Fehrnian, and is growing in numbers and in 
 strength. It reports 82 families and GO communicants. Its posi- 
 tion and surroundings are such as to insure its extension and 
 increase to a prosperous church in a i^ew years. 
 
 18. Clixtox Station. — This congregation Avas formed out t>f 
 Lebanon, and organized by a committee of tlie Chassis of Raritan, 
 consisting of Revs. R. Van Amburgh, J. Lefever, and P. ]M. 
 Doolittle, January 1st, 186G. The first consistory was, Archibald 
 Huftnian and John II. Cregen, elders, and George M. Freeh and 
 George II. Rowland, deacons. Tlie people worshiped for a time 
 in a public hall in the village, but in 1868 began to build. The 
 house was finished and dedicated, classis beiiig in session, by the 
 pastor, J. A. Vandoren. ]\[r. Vandoren acted first as stated sup- 
 ply from October 1st, 18GG, to October 7th, 18G9, when he ac- 
 cepted the call, and continues to labor, being useful and beloved. 
 The cliurcli numbers 44 families and 47 members in communion. 
 Tiie village is now called Aniiandale. 
 
 Besides these churches, a church was organized out of German 
 families in Warren Township, in 185G, and after having sustained 
 
3 IS HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 for many years, it revolted, and is now under the Congregation- 
 aliste. 
 
 Another German cliurch was organized in Plainfield, and the 
 Central Church of Plainfield has placed itself also in connection 
 with Congregationalism. A German church was also formed in 
 New-Brunswick in 1851, and is prospering. 
 
 One remark must close our notice of these young churches, 
 and that is, they are following on in the footsteps of the elder, 
 and each one has prospered according to the measure of their 
 steadfastness, and the energy manifested in their proper work. 
 Our detail more than justifies the complimentary epithet applied 
 to the churclies in Somerset County : they are indeed the 
 "garden of the Dutch Church." 
 
 CHARTER OF THE FIVE CIIURCFIES : NEW-BRUNS- 
 WICK, RARITAN, SIX-MILE RUN, MILLSTONE, AND 
 NORTH-BRANCH. 
 
 Granted Juxe Tth, 1753. 
 
 George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, 
 France, and Ireland King, Defender of tlie Faith, etc. To all whom 
 tliese presents shall come, greeting : Whereas, divers and sun- 
 dries of our loving subjects inhabiting within the several Coun- 
 ties of Somerset, Hunterdon, and Middlesex, in our Province of 
 New-Jersey, in behalf of themselves and others, being of the 
 Dutch Protestant Reformed Church, by their humble jjetition 
 presented to our trusty and well-beloved Jonathan Belcher, Esq., 
 Captain General in Chief in and over our Province of New- 
 Jersey and territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor 
 and Vice-Admiral in the same, etc., setting forth that the peti- 
 tioners are very numerous and daily increasing, and consist of 
 five churches and congregations, to wit, the church and congre- 
 gation of Raritan, the church and congregation of North- 
 Branch, the church and congregation of New-Brunswick, the 
 church and congregation of Six-Mile Run, the church and con- 
 gregation of Millstone ; that the niost advantageous support of 
 religion among them requires tliat some persons among them 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 319 
 
 should be incorporated as trustees for tlic community, that they 
 may take grants of lands and chattels, thereby to enable the 
 petitioners to erect and repair public buiMings, for the worship 
 of God, school-houses and alms-houses, and for tlie maintenance 
 of the ministry and poor, and that the same trustees may plead 
 and may be impleaded in any suit touching the premises, and 
 have perpetual succession ; and we having nothing more at heart 
 than to see the Protestant religion in a flourishing condition 
 tliroughout all our dominions, and being graciously pleased to 
 give all due encouragements to such of our loving subjects Avho 
 are zealously attached to our person, government, and the Pro- 
 testant succession in our royal house, and to grant the request of 
 petitioners in this behalf: know ye, that we of our special grace, 
 certain knowledge, and mere motion, liave willed, ordained, con- 
 stituted, and granted, and by these presents for us, our iieirs and 
 successors, do will, ordain, constitute, and appoint, that the Ilev. 
 John Light, John Frelinghuysen, Ministers, John Van Middle- 
 mirth, Peter AVilliams, Peter Van Ess, Andrew Ten Eyck, Daniel 
 Cybyrn, Peter Mountford, Ilenrick Fisher, Cornelius Bennot, 
 William Williams, Luke Vorhees, David Nevius, Simon Van 
 Arsdalen, John Strieker, Reynior Vechten, elders, and Frans 
 Cusart, Andrew Monton, John Brocaw, Ilarman Lean, Cornelius 
 Whykoff, Peter Schamp, Ilendrick Van Deursen, John Messelaer, 
 Abraham Ilize, Cliristopher lloglan. Rem Garretson, Cornelius 
 Van Arsdalen, Andrew Hagaman, Abraham Hagaman, and 
 James Van Arsdalen, deacons, of the Dutch Reformed con- 
 gregations above-named, and the counties aforesaid, and their' 
 successors hereafter, the minister or ministers, elders and dea- 
 cons of the respective churches or congregations, which at or 
 any time hereafter, be duly chosen or appointed, shall be and 
 remain oae body politick and corporate in deed and fact, by the 
 name of the trustees of the Dutch Reformed Church of Raritan, 
 North-Branch, Xew-Bi-unswick, Six-Mile Run, and Millstone, in 
 the counties aforesaid, and that all and every one, the ministers, 
 elders, and deacons, before herein expressed, shall be the first 
 trustees of the said churches and congregations now by these 
 presents constitute and made one body politick by the name of 
 the trustees of the Protestant Dutch Reformed Church, and 
 shall so renaain until others are duly called, chosen, and put into 
 
320 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 their respective place or places, and that they, tlie said body 
 politick and corporate, shall have perpetual succession in deed, 
 fact, and name, to be known and distinguished by the name of 
 tlie Trustees of tlie Dutch Reformed Cliurch ; and all deeds, 
 grants, bargains, sales, leases, evidences, or otherwise whatsoever, 
 which may anywise relate or concern the corporation, and also 
 that they and their successors, by the name of the Trustees of 
 the Dntcli Reformed Church of Raritan, North-Brancli, New- 
 Brunswick, Six-Mile Run,, and Millstone, in the counties afore- 
 said, be and forever hereafter shall be, persons able in law to 
 purcliase, take, hold, or enjoy, any messuages, houses, buildings, 
 lands, tenement, rents, or whatsoever in fee and forever, or for 
 time of life, or lives, or in any other manner, so as the same 
 exceed not at any time in the yearly value of seven hundred 
 pounds sterling, per annum, beyond and above all charges, and 
 reprizes, the statute of mortmain, or any otlier law to tlie con- 
 trary notwithstanding, and also goods, chattels, and all other 
 things to what kind soever, and also that they and their succes- 
 sors, by the name of the Trustees of the Reformed Dutch Church, 
 shall and may give, grant, demise, or otherwise dispose of all or 
 any of the messuages, houses, buildings, lands, tenements, rents, 
 and all other things as to them shall seeni meet, at their own will 
 and pleasure ; and also that they and their successors, be and for- 
 ever hereafter shall be persons able in law to sue and be sued, plea 
 and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be 
 defended in all courts and places, before us, our heirs and suc- 
 cessors, and before us, or any of the judges, officers, or minis- 
 ters of lis, our heirs and successors, in all and all manners of 
 actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters, and demands what- 
 soever; and also that the same trustees of the Dutch Reformed 
 Churches above named for the time being, and their successors, 
 shall and may forever hereafter have and use a common seal, 
 with such device or devices as they shall think proper, for sealing 
 all and singular deeds, grants, conveyances, contracts, bonds, 
 articles of agreements, and all and singular their affairs touching 
 or concerning the said Corporation. And we do now further 
 ordain, will, or grant, that all and every such lands, tenements, 
 and hereditaments corporeal or incorporeal, money, goods, and 
 chattels, which at any time before or after the date of these our 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 821 
 
 letters patent have been, or shall be, devisoil, given, or granted 
 to all or any of the particular churches above named, within 
 the said several counties of Hunterdon, Somerset, and Middle- 
 sex:, or to any person or persons, in trust for them, shall be and 
 remain in the peacea\)le and quiet possession of the Corporation, 
 according to the true intent or meaning of such device or 
 devices, gift or gifts, grant or grants, that t!ie trustees by these 
 presents appointed, shall continue and remain the trustees of 
 the Dutch Reformed Church of liaritan, North-Branch, New- 
 Brunswick, Six-Mile Run, and Millstone, in the counties aforesaid, 
 until others shall be chosen according to the manner, customs, 
 and methods now in use among the said Protestant Dutch 
 Reformed Churches, which persons so-called, elected, and chosen, 
 shall have all the powers and authorities of the above-named 
 trustees, and all and every such jjerson or persons so newly 
 called, elected, and chosen, as aforesaid, shall remain until other 
 fit persons in like manner be called, elected, and chosen, in their 
 respective rooms and places, and so, toties quoties. 
 
 And we do further ordain, give, grant, that there be a meeting 
 of the several trustees of the churches aforesaid, at the Raritan pub- 
 lic place of worship, in the County of Somerset, on the first Tues- 
 day of August next after the date of these our letters patent, 
 and thereafter at such time or times, place or places, within the 
 said counties as to them or the major part of them shall seem 
 meet and convenient ; and then and there, by plurality of votes, 
 choose a president out of them, for the time being, who shall 
 have the custody of the seal or seals of the said Corporation, and 
 all books, charters, deeds, and writings, any way relating to the 
 said Corporation ; and shall have power from time to time, and all 
 times hereafter, as occasion shall require, to call a meeting of the 
 said trustees, at such a i^lace within the said counties as he shall 
 think convenient, for the execution of all or any of the powers 
 hereby given and granted ; and in case of sicknes<5, removal, or 
 death of the president, all tlie powers by these presents granted 
 to the president, shall remain on the senior trustee upon record, 
 until the recovery of the president, or until a new president be 
 chosen as aforesaid. And we do further will, ordain, give, or 
 grant that every act and order of the major part of the said trustees 
 consented or airreed to at such meeting as aforesaid shall be 
 
322 HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 good, valid, and efFiictual to all intents and purposes as if the 
 said number of the Avhole trustees had consented and agreed 
 thereto. And we do further will and ordain that all the acts of 
 the said trustees, or any of them, shall from time to time be fliirly 
 entered in a book or books, to be kept for that purpose by the 
 president of the trustees, tOL^ether with the seal of the said cor- 
 poration ; and all charters, deeds, writings whatsoever, any way 
 belonging to the said Corporation, shall be delivered over by the 
 former president to the president of the said trustees newly elect-, 
 ed, as such president shall hereafter successively from time to 
 time be chosen. And w^e do further of our special certain know- 
 ledge and mere motion for iis, our heirs and successors, by these 
 presents give and grant unto the said trustees of the Dutch Re- 
 formed Church, the ministers, elders, and deacons above-named, 
 and their successors forever, that they and their successors, all 
 and singular, the rights, privileges, powers, benefits, emoluments, 
 and advantages to be hereby granted, shall and may forever here- 
 after have, hold, enjoy, and use without hindrance or impediment 
 of us, our heirs or successors, or of any of the justices, sheriffs, 
 escheaters, coroners, bailiffs, or other officers and ministers, what- 
 soever of us, our heirs or successors ; and that these our letters 
 being entered upon record in our secretary's office of New-Jersey, 
 and the record and the enrollments thereof, and either of them 
 and all and every thing therein contained, from time to time and 
 at all times hereafter, be and shall be firm, valid, good, sufficient, 
 and effectual in law towards and against us, our heirs and suc- 
 cessors according to the true intent and meaning thereof, and in 
 and through all things shall be construed and taken and expound- 
 ed most benignly and in flivor for the greatest advantage and 
 profit of the trustees of the said Dutch Reformed Church of 
 Raritan, North-Branch, New-Brunswick, Six-Mile Run, and Mill- 
 stone in the counties aforesaid, and their successors forever, not- 
 Avithstanding any defect, default, or imperfection may be found 
 therein, or any other cause or thing whatsoever. In testimony 
 whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent, and 
 the great scale of our province to be hereunto affixed, and the 
 same to be entered of record in our secretary's office of said Pro- 
 vince of NcAV- Jersey in one of the books of record therein remain- 
 ing. Witness our well beloved and trusty Jonathan Belcher, Esq., 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 323 
 
 our Captain-General, and Governor-in-Chicf in and over our said 
 Province of Xew-Jersey, Chancellor and Vice-Adniiral of the 
 same, by and with the advice and consent of our council of our 
 said Province at Burlington, the seventh day of June, and in the 
 twenty-sixth year of our reign. 
 
 (Signed) JONATHAN BELCHER, Gov. 
 
INDEX 
 
 Anderson. W. Pastor of Peapack, 311. 
 
 Antonitles, F. Ordains a Consistory at Six- 
 Mile Run irrei^iilarly. 225 ; also at Ihrce- 
 Mile Run, 24(» ; sketch of, 255. 
 
 Arondeiis, J. Assists those disaffected to 
 Frelinghuysen, 255 ,' action of the Coetus 
 respecting, 250. 
 
 Bailey, W. Settles at Wliite House, .301. 
 Bartliolf, G. Ordains elders and deacons at 
 Raritan, 1.5'.t, KJl ; his zeal and labors, 162. 
 Bedminster Church, 283. 
 Bers, II. C. Pastor at Kocky-IIill, 315. 
 Berber. M. L. Pastor at East-Millstone, 315. 
 Blair. R. J. Sketch of. 289. 
 Blawenbun.' Church, 262. 303. 
 Boundlirook Church, 3(i9. 
 Braiichville Church, 312. 
 
 Campbell, J. K., 302. 
 
 Cannon, J. S. Settled at Six-Mile Run and 
 Millsione, filled the chair of Eccle^insti- 
 cal History. 230; sketches by Dr. John 
 I'roiidfit and Dr. G. Ludlow, 231. 
 
 Carroll. F. P.. Pastor of I'ottersville, 316. 
 
 Chambers. T W Settled in Second Church 
 of Haritan, 307. 
 
 Charter of the Five Churches, 318. 
 
 Clinton Station Church, 31". 
 
 Clover Hill Church. 306 
 
 Coens, Ilcnricus. Organizes the church of 
 Harliiigen, 253; an active minister, 254. 
 
 Cole, D. Settled at East-Millstone, 314. 
 
 Comfort, L. L. Pastor at While House. 301. 
 
 Condit, Ira. Settles at New-Brunswick, be- 
 comes Vice-President of the College, Dr. 
 (Gannon's sketch. 214. 
 
 Conklinir, N. Payer, 1.^4. 
 
 Cornell. E. Pastor of Stanton, 30.S. 
 
 . J. A. II. Pastor of Raritan Third, 311. 
 
 Craven, E. R. Labors four years in the Se- 
 cond Church of Paritan, 307. 
 
 Dalliker, F. Ministers at Lebanon, 293. 
 Dater, H. Ordained and installed at Branch- 
 
 ville, 312. 
 Demarest, C. T. Ministry at White House, 
 
 299. 
 , D. D. Pastor of New-Brunswick Se- 
 cond Church, 308. 
 , W Settled at Clover Hill, 300: at 
 
 Boundbrook, 310. 
 Doolittle, H. Settled at Stanton, 308. 
 
 , P. M., .302. 
 
 Duryea. J. Called to Raritan, 196 ; third 
 
 revival extends into his pastorate, 32; 
 
 he resigns and preaches at Bedminster, 
 
 White "House, etc., 198. 
 Dutcher, J. C, 310. 
 
 East-Millstone Church, 283, 313. 
 
 Easton Churcli, 312. 
 
 Edgar, C. H. Second i)astor at Eastcn, 313. 
 
 Fehrman. J. Pastor at High-Bridge, 317. 
 Ferris, Isaac. Pastor at New-BrunBwick, 
 
 Albany, and New- York, 220. 
 Fisher, G. H. Setthcl at North-Branch, 302. 
 
 , I. M. Sketch of, 287. 
 
 Foering, C. F. Called to Millstone, 270; 
 
 ske'ich of. 277. 
 Fonda, J. Settles at Nassau, and removes to 
 
 New-Brunswick, sketch by Dr. Forsyth, 
 
 Frelinghuysen, T. J. Called from Holland, 
 20, 103, 20S ; experimental i)reaching of 
 20, 109: lesiilts of bis niinistrv, 28, 169, 
 sketch of, 105; Whitefield iind G Ten- 
 nant attest his faithfulness. liiS. 210; op- 
 positidH to. 172 ; bis scholarship. 174,175 ; 
 the Advocate and Complaint, 175: his in- 
 timacywithSchuremaii, 180; latteryears, 
 184 ; date of death uncertain. 174. 
 
 , Theodore. Pastor at Albany, 181 ; 
 
 visits Holland as agent of the Coetus, 
 and never returns, 182. 
 
 , John. Settles in his father's place, 
 
 182; founds a theological school and dies, 
 183; revival under, 31. 
 
 , Jacobus and Ferdinandus. Licensed 
 
 by the Classis of Utrecht, but die on the 
 voyage home, 183. 
 
 , Henricus. Licensed by the Coetus, 
 
 183; ordained at Marbletown and dies of 
 small-pox, 184. 
 
 Froeliijh. S. Preaches at Neshanic, 271 ; 
 called to Millstone and call acted upon 
 by Coetus. 277: removes to Hackeiisack, 
 secedes, and founds the True Reformed 
 Dutch Church, 278, 
 
 Fryeiimoet, 1). Endeavors to settle in Rari- 
 tan, 240-8. 
 
 Gardener, J. Pastor at Ilarlingen, 208. 
 German Churcbes in Warren, Plainfield, and 
 
 New-Brunswick. 317. 
 Ge<ner, O. Setlled at Rocky-Hill. 31.5. 
 Griggstown Church, ;308 
 
 Hard,-;nbergh, C. Called to Bedminster. his 
 character and work, 286. 
 
 , J. 15. Called from Helderberg to New- 
 Brunswick. 220. 
 
 , .1. U. Ministered in troublous times, 
 
 31 ; marries the widow of John Freling- 
 huysen and settles at Haritan, 185; re- 
 moves to New lirunswick. 213; sketch 
 of his life and ministry, 185; Br. Living- 
 ston's tribute to. 191. 
 
326 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Harlingen Chiircl!, 25S. 
 
 " Helpers " appointed, 27, 30, 171. 
 
 Hennance, U Character and ministry, 304. 
 
 High-Bridge Church, 317. 
 
 How, S. B. Called from Dickinson College 
 to New- Brunswick, where for twenty- 
 one years he was a laborious and faithful 
 pastor, 221. 
 
 inians, J. Forms the settlement" at the 
 river, 100, 205. 
 
 Jones, T. W. Labors at Pottersville. 316. 
 
 Janeway, J. J. Called from the Western 
 Theological Seminary to New-Bruns- 
 wick, 230. 
 
 Knox, J. H. M. First pastor of Easton, 313. 
 
 Labas'h, P. Settled at Havlin^en and Nesha- 
 nic, and afterward at Harlingen alone, 333; 
 Drs. Ludlow and Bethune's impressions 
 of him, 2(i.5 
 
 Lebanon Church. 290. 
 
 Le Fever. J. Pastor of Rarilan Third, 311. 
 
 Leydecker, O. Preachts at Readin^ton to the 
 Conferentie. 249. 
 
 Leydt, J. Called to New-Brunswick and li- 
 censed and ordained by the Coetiis di- 
 rectly, 211 ; he and his sons Matthew and 
 Peter die nearly at the same time, 213. 
 
 Livingston, E. P. Called toGriggstown, .309. 
 
 Lloyd, A. Settled at White House in 1855, 
 removes to Pekin, 111., 1857, 301. 
 
 Lord, J. S. Called to Griggstown, 309. 
 
 Ludlow, G. Prayer at anniversary, 142 ; fifty 
 years pastor at Neshanic, and labors ap- 
 preciated, 272. 
 
 , J. Pastor at New-Brunswick and 
 
 twice Professor in the Seminary, 218. 
 
 Mc William, A. Pastor at East-Millstone, 315. 
 
 Merslion, S. L., 305. 
 
 Mesick. J. P. Called to Second Church of 
 Raritan, 307. 
 
 Messier, A. Foriieth anniversary of settle- 
 ment at Raritan, 141. 
 
 Middlebush Chnrch, 305. 
 
 ]\Iillstone Church, 273. 
 
 Ministers raised up in the Church of Raritan, 
 130, 204. 
 
 Neahanic Chuich. 268. 
 New-Biunswiek Church. Notes on, 204. 
 New-Bruns-vvick Second Churcli, 308. 
 Norlli-Braiich Church, 302. 
 
 Osborn, T. Labors effectively in the fifth 
 
 revival at Raritan, 34. 
 Otterson, J. Sketch of, 300. 
 
 Pastorates in Church of Raritan. Compara- 
 tive length of, 131. 
 
 Peapack Church, 311. 
 
 Phraner, W. H. Labors at East-Millstone, 
 315. 
 
 Pitcher Wm. Pastor of Branchville, 312. " 
 
 Polhemus, H. Preaches at Harlingen and 
 Neshanic. 262. 
 
 Pottersville Church, 815. 
 
 Quick, A. M. Address, 150. 
 
 Baritan. Changes during forty years, 126, 1.3-3. 
 
 Church. Notes on, 159. 
 
 Second Church, 306. 
 
 Third Church, 310. 
 
 Raritan. The revivals in, 20. 
 
 1. First, under Rev. Theodore Jac. Fre- 
 
 linghuysen, 22. 
 
 2. The second, under Rev. John Freling- 
 
 huysen, 31. 
 
 3. The third, under Rev. Theodore F. Ro- 
 
 meyn and John Duryea, 32. 
 
 4. The fourth and fifth, under Rev. John 
 
 S. Vredenburgh, 33. . 
 
 5. The sixth, under the present pastor, 
 
 34. 
 
 Reading! on Church. 239. 
 
 Rocky-Hill Church, 315. 
 
 Romaine, B. F.. 310. 
 
 Romey n, J. Sketch of his character and min- 
 istry, 235. 
 
 , i'. B. Pastor at Blawenburg, 304. 
 
 , T. F. Called to Raritan, ministers, 
 
 and dies during the third revival, 32, 195. 
 
 Schenck, G. C. First pastor of Clover Hill. 
 306. 
 
 , G. Pastor at Bedminster. 288. 
 
 , M. S. Called to Rocky-Hill, 315. 
 
 Schlatter. M. .\ German niissionaiy in Phi- 
 ladelphia visits and preaches for the Ger- 
 mans in Lebanon, Amwell, and Fos Hill, 
 290. 292. 
 
 Schi'ltz, J. J. His character and ministrv, 
 295. 305. 
 
 Schnreman, J. Pastor at New-Brunswick, 
 215; Dr. Livinsston sketches him, 216, 
 279 ; Dr. G. Ludlow's descriiition, 279, 285, 
 
 Searle, S. Settled at Griggstown, 309. 
 
 Sears. J. C. Pastor at Six'Mile Run. 
 
 Six-Mile Run Church, 223. 
 
 Smith, W. R. Called to Harlingen and Ne- 
 shanic and preaches twenty-flve years in 
 English, 261 ; sketch of. 271. 
 
 Smock, J. H. Preaches at Readington, 253. 
 
 Somerset County. Spiritual coLdition, 164; 
 first house of worship in, 205. 
 court house burned, 277. 
 
 Stanton Church, 307. 
 
 Statistics of membership, 130. 
 
 Steele, K. H. Pastor at New-Brunswick, 223. 
 
 Stryker, P. Settled in Raritan Third, 310 ; 
 
 removes to Rliinebeck. 311. 
 Studdiford, P. Preaches at Readington and 
 
 Bedminster, 251. 
 Sturgis, Smith. 301. 
 Swayne, G. W., 305. 
 
 Talmage, G. Does a good work at'jWhite 
 
 House, 300. 
 , J R. Second pastor at Blawenburg 
 
 304. 
 Thompson, H. P. Second pastor of Peapack 
 
 Church, 312. 
 Todd, A. F. Address, 1.53. 
 , J. A. Address at ar.niversary, 144; 
 
 settled at Griggstown, 309. 
 
 Van Aniburi;h, R. Twice pastor at Lebanon, 
 297 ; pastor at High Bridge, and secured 
 a good edifice, 317. 
 
 Van Arsdale, J. R. Called to Stanton and 
 removes to Tyre, 308. 
 
 Van Arsdalen. S. Called to Readington, 250, 
 
 Van Bergli. Dinah Her e.xcellent character 
 and influence, 191. 
 
 Van Doren, J. .\. Pastor at Middlebush and 
 removes to Lodi, 305. 
 
 Van HarliuL'en, J. M. Pastor at jMillstone 
 and !^ix-Mile Run, 227. 279 ; becomes Pro- 
 fessor of Hebrew, described by Dr. Wyc- 
 kofi", 228. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 32i 
 
 Van Ilarlingen. Joh. M. Pastor of Harlineien j 
 and Neshanic for tliirty-tliree years, 200. 
 
 Van Klcek, K. D. Settles at Somcrvillc, re- 
 moves to Baskini; liidu'c, Caiiajoliarie, | 
 Flatbusli, ami dies in Jersey City, 'Mi. 
 
 Van Liew, J. Pastor of Keadington forty- 
 two years, 252. 
 
 Van Neste, G. J. Pastor at Boiindbrook, 310. 
 
 Van Slyke, J. G. Ordained and installed 
 at Readini,'-ton. 253. ^ 
 
 Vander Wall, G. lustalled'at East-MillBtone, 
 314. 
 
 Voorhees. H. V. Settled at BoundDrook, 310. 
 
 Vredenlinrpfh, J. S. Settled at Haritan, 199; 
 reaps the fourth revival at Raritan, 33; 
 the filth followed directly upon his death, 
 
 Mrs. Woodward's notice, 199 ; sketch by 
 Dr. J. Ferris, 200. 
 
 Wack, C. Pastor at Rockaway, 293. 
 C. P., 296. 
 
 Whitefleld preaches in New-Brunswick. 210. 
 Whitehead, C. Called from Hopewell, N. Y., 
 
 to Karitan Second, 307. 
 White House Churcli, 297. 
 Williamson. P. S., 299. 
 Wilson. A. D., 302. 
 Wirts, J. C. Preaches at German Valley and 
 
 Rockaway, 2y2. 
 W^yckoff, 0. First Pastor at High-Bridge,317. 
 
 Zabriskie. J. L. Settles at Millstone, sketch 
 of his character and ministry, 12S. 
 

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