GOOD LUCK. NE\A' JERSEY. THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE UNIVERSALIS! CHURCH IN AMERICA. By rev. EDWARD G. MASON. PRINTED FOR THE MURRAY GROVE ASSOCIATION, 1896. The Gate to the Sea 57310 MIKKAV GRUVE lIOUsE. oi J/ 0) Oj en during J LI. V and each year 1 erms. SI rjr further apply M£S B Pres.. Ra Mrs. 11. A. Svcr Forked months o LdL'ST AU :. C')l a Day ifurmatloi to SEAL, lore, Md. LISS, tary, her. V. .4 Good Luck, New Jersey GOOD LUCK, NEW JERSEY. THK HlKTliri.ACK OK TIIK U.Nl VERSAIJST ChURCH IN AMERICA. /f^ " . To the ordinary observer, the little settlement X of Good Luck, on the eastern shore of New Jersey, does not suggest itself as a place of un- usual importance or interest. The leading features of the hamlet — a few scattered farms with green fields adjoining, roads in which the fine sand lies two or three inches in depth, a grove of beatitiful oaks, two churches, near the older of which is a small cemetery, and a large, plain, but neat-looking summer hotel — are all more or less characteristic of the average country village on the coast line of the pine- lands of New Jersey. Only the more modem of the two churches, a pretty gothic chapel of ■ brick, with heavy buttresses and a massive^ square tower, seems somewhat pretentious amid its commonplace .surroundings. But notwithstanding its similarity to many other settlements of its kind. Good Luck enjoys special distinction from the fact that it was here that the movement which culminated in the formation of the Universalist Church in America, had its in- ception. On the very spot occupied by the older of the two church edifices, upon the REV. JOH.S MUKKAV. THE POTTER MEETrNG UOLSE. outskirts of the grove of oaks, John Murray, the founder of the denomination, began his labors in the new world. The story of the meeting of Murray and Potter under most peculiar circumstances is already well-known. In the latter part of September, 1770, the English brig H and- m- Hand, from Lon- don, having failed to dispose ©f its cargo at Philadelphia, sailed up the coast of New 4 The Gate to the Sea Jersey on its way to New York City. In the midst of a dense fog the captain of the vessel lost his bearings and it struck the bar, but passed over into a small arm of water known as Cranberry Inlet, which then connected Barnegat Bay with the ocean. The ship was jirevented by anchors from being driven on shore and a'part of the cargo was removed to a sloop which chanced to be near by and which was engaged'for the purpose. At the request of the captain, John Murray, who had sailed from* London as a passenger, went on board the sloop to take charge of certain articles which were deemed too valuable to be intrusted to irresponsible and unknown persons. On the following morning the Hand-in-Hand, aide^ by a high tide and favoring wind, again POTTER MKMORIAl. CHLKCH. put to sea, but the wind suddenly changing, the sloop was unable to follow the larger vessel. There being no provisions on board the sloop, later in the day Murray went on shore in search of food. He was directed to the house of Thomas Potter, a well-to- do planter, who not only furnished him freely the desired supplies, but warmly invited him to pass the night at his home. On the return from the vessel of his new-found friend. Potter informed him that he had been awaiting his coming for a long time and that on the following Sunday he would be e.xpected to preach in a meeting-house near by. From the conversation which followed, Murray learned that the planter, who, though illiterate was a man of unusual mental ability, had from his own reflections l)ecome a believer in the doctrine of universal salvation, and that he had erected a meeting-house in the full belief that God would send a minister of his own faith to Good Luck, Ne-iv Jersey 5 proclaim the gospel from its pulpit. This minister, he affirmed, had at last arrived. Surprised beyond measure at his peculiar reception, Murray, who had resolved before leaving England that he would never preach again, declined the invitation, but the wind remaining the same and preventing his departure, he finally consented, believing that Providence directed him to grant the old man's request. On the next Sunda)', September 30. J770, John Murray preached his first sermon in America, and although the earliest denominational organization was not formed until many 3^ears later and in another section of the country, it was on that memorable day when Murray first pro- claimed his message in the little rude chapel in the New Jersey wilderness, that the foundations of the Universalist Church were laid. OLD POTTER DWELLINf^ HOUSE. To the many followers of Murray who annually visit the spot, there are numerous points of interest. As the visitor alights from the train upon the rude platform which serves as a depot during the summer months, he is met by a coach from the Murray Grove House, and on the way to the hotel the original site of the cabin where Murray first called to buy food, is pointed out to him. It was here that he was directed to Thomas Potter's house, and the meetinghouse near by first attracted his attention. But a few rods from the site of the old Potter Church is the Potter Memorial Church, and a little distance beyond is the Murray Grove Hotel. Continuing on his way Murray must have passed by the meeting-house and through the grove already mentioned, to the planter's house. The Potter dwelling house is still standing and is in a good state of preservation. With the exception of an addition which was erected several years ago, and some few minor changes recently 6 The Gate to the Sea made in the interior, it undoubtedly presents much the same appearance that it did on that memorable day when the weary stranger was received within its hospitable walls as a welcome guest. The guest chamber, which was fitted up fur Murray, is on the second floor. A fire- ]ilace occupjing a large section of one side of a room, was boarded up many years ago. In repairing the house recently the boarding was removed and an old cane, once, doubt- less, the property of Thomas Potter, was found in the recess. It was recently purchased bv the Baltimore Universalist Sundav-school and added tf) the Tiood I^uck collection of I'OTTKK CHURCH IN lS<;5. Rebuilt in 1842 on the site of original Meeting House. Potter and MuiTay relics. Near the house are several sheds, the roof of one of which is said to have been the original covering of the old church. A little to one side of the path which leads from the house to the church is a bubbling spring of pure, cold water, which has doubtless been a favorite source of water supply since the earliest settlement in the vicinity. The old meeting-house was located at a distance of. perhaps, one-third of a mile from the Potter House. The f>riginal edifice was a frame building of moderate size. Rev. Abel C. Thoma.s, writing of its appearance in 1S33, says it was "small, plain, and un]iainted, and could hardly be termed elegant." The seats were of pine, with high backs, excejjting one large square jiew, which was reserved for Thomas Potter and his family. The original building was torn down in 1842 and a new one erected on the sjwt, partially of the old material. The oak grove mentioned by Murray is still stand- ing near by, but the trees immediately surrounding the church have been cut away. Good Luck, jVe7c.i Jersey 7 Through the dishonesty or mismanagement of Potter's executors, the church, which was willed to Murray, was sold to the Methodists and has since been held by them. For many years it was opened to all denominations, as its builder had intended it ever should be, but some years ago a young Methodist minister induced his people to close the house to the Universalists. The fact that during the early struggles of Methodism, when its adherents were persecuted and despised both for their heresy and supposed disloyalty to the American cause, Thomas Potter fearlessly opened the doors of his church and bade the preachers of the hunted sect make free use of his house of worship, rendei-s this act on the part of the Methodists the more reprehensible. Nor can there be a reasonable doubt that the property does not legally belong to its present holders. Near the old church is the grave of Thomas Potter, now inclosed by an iron fence and marked by a tombstone erected by Rev. Abel C. Thomas in 1833. Upon the stone is the following inscription : In Memory of THOMAS POTTER, The Friend and Patron of ' — — JOHN MURRAY, An Early Advocate of UNIVERSALISM IN AMERICA. Have we not all one Father ? Erected Maj'^ 15, 1833. The exact date of Thomas Potter's death is not known, but is supposed to have been between 17S5 and 1790. His widow surrendered her property to a relative, he promising to care for her during the remainder of her life. The promise was broken ; she died in poverty and her resting place is not known. Of the personal appearance of Potter and his good wife, little is now known. Murray speaks of his " genuine politeness under a rough form," and at another time mentions ' ' his benevolent countenance. " ' ' He was, " wrote Murray in his ' ' Notes and Sketches," " a gem of the first quality, and notwithstanding the crust which from his birth enfolded him, this crust was so far broken as to emit upon almost every occa- sion, the'native splendor of his intellect." An old lady, the niece of Thomas Potter's wife, in conversation with the writer of this article, said that she had often heard her mother describe Potter as " a tall, large-framed man, with a decidedly sandy complex- ion," and his wife as "a very large woman." Tko Potior ilomorial CWvii-oK w.-