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THE    SCOTCH    PLAINS    BAPTIST    CHURCH. 
ERECTED   1870. 


HISTORY 

oTtfte 

Scotch  Plains  Baptist  €burcl) 

from  its 

Organization  on  tbe  f Iftft  of  jF!ugu$t  1747 

to  its 

One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Anniversary 

on  the  Tiftb  of  jfiugwst  i$97 

Prepared  by 

Rev.  J.  H.  Parks,  D.  D,  and  Judge  James  D.  Cleaver 

and  published  by  the  ei)urcl) 


Scotcl)  Plains,  Hew  Jersey 
« I«97  • 


PRESS  OF   A.    D.   BKEKEN, 

i()  WARREN  ST., 

N.   Y. 


Allen  County  Public  Library 

900  Wobstsr  Street 

PC  Bex  2270 

Fort  W£yii3,  IN  46801-2270 


The  trustees  of  the  Scotch  Plains  Baptist  Church 
adopted  the  following  Preamble  and  Resolutions, 
Feb.  12,  1896: 

"Whereas  the  One  hundred  and  fiftieth  Anni- 
versary of  the  organization  of  this  Church  will 
arrive  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  ninety-seven,  and  will  be  a  period  in 
the  history  of  the  Old  Church,  which  ought  of 
right  and  of  gratitude  to  God,  to  be  marked  with 
suitable  and  appropriate  ceremonies  of  observance, 
congratulation  and  thankfulness; 

And,  Whereas,  in  the  opinion  of  this  Board,  it 
would  be  a  fitting  item  of  such  a  celebration  to 
have  prepared  for  permanent  preservation  a  con  - 
densed  history  of  the  life  and  prominent  events 
which  have  marked  her  career; 

Therefore,  be  it  Resolved,  that  Dr.  James  H. 
Parks  and  Judge  James  D.  Cleaver  be,  and  they 
are  hereby  appointed  to  go  over  the  records  of  the 
Church  and  of  this  Board  from  the  date  of  the 
founding  of  the  Church  down  to  the  date  of  the 
Anniversary  in  1897,  and  collate  and  arrange  in 
Chronological  order  the  prominent  and  interesting 
events  which  have  come  to  the  Church  in  her  long 
and  eventful  career,  as  the  first  Standard  bearer  of 
religion  in  this  Community — as  the  Mother  of 
Churches,  and  as  one  of  the  pillars  of  piety,  law, 
liberty  of  conscience  and  civil  order  for  the  State. 

Resolved,  that  the  paper  so  prepared  shall,  when 
approved  by  this  Board  be  printed  for  distribution 
on  the  Anniversary  day  aforesaid;  and  afterwards, 
together  with  the  observances  of  the  day  be  put 
into  a  Souvenir  volume  to  be  sold  to  any  persons 
desiring  to  have  them." 


The  Committee  have  accordingly  endeavored  to 
prepare  a  reliable  History  as  to  facts  and  dates. 

They  acknowledge  valuable  help  received  from 
the  History  of  Baptists,  by  Dr.  Armitage,  The 
Baptist  Encyclopedia  by  Dr.  Cathcart,  The  Bi- 
centennial of  the  Piscataway  Baptist  Church,  The 
One  hundred  and  fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the 
Hightstown  Baptist  Church,  The  Minutes  of  the 
Philadelphia,  New  York  and  East  New  Jersey 
Associations ;  as  well  as  from  the  memories  of  some 
of  the  older  members  of  the  Scotch  Plains  Church. 


HISTORY. 

There  are  many  human  organizations  which  have 
so  ennobled  humanity  and  exemplified  ^reat 
principles  of  truth,  that  their  history  deserves  to 
be  recorded  and  perpetuated.  Though  they  were 
originated  by  human  foresight  only,  yet  their 
existence  and  usefulness  will  ever  be  held  in 
grateful  remembrance. 

But  the  Church  of  Christ  is  not  a  human  organ- 
ization. It  is  one  of  the  Divine  institutions  among 
men.  It  was  divinely  organized.  Its  laws  and 
discipline  were  divinely  enncted.  Its  officers 
were  divinely  appointed  and  its  members  are 
divinely  qualified.  Hence  we  come  to  the  study 
of  the  history  of  a  Christian  Church  with  a  peculiar 
interest.  "We  are  tracing  the  dealings  of  God  with 
his  people.  We  are  scanning  the  efficiency  of  a 
divinely  appointed  means,  to  the  accomplishment 
of  its  end,  and  we  are  recording  the  degree  of 
faithfulness  with  which  the  Church  has  fulfilled  its 
divinely  appointed  mission. 

The  Scotch  Plains  Baptist  Church  was  organized 
in  August,  1747.  This  entire  region  at  that  time 
was  known  as  the  Province  of  East  'New  Jersey, 
and  was  under  the  dominion  of  the  King  of  Great 
Britain.  All  of  its  inhabitants  were  loyal  English 
subjects.  The  country  was  sparsely  settled.  There 
were  no  railroads,  nor  post  offices,  nor  telegraphs 
— in  fact  no  public  means  of  transportation,  nor  of 
conveying  intelligence.  The  surroundings  were  so 
different  from  those  with  which  we  are  familiar, 
that  we  can  scarcely  realize  them. 
5 


There  were  few  Baptist  Churches  at  that  time  in 
all  that  is  now  known,  as  the  whole  State  of  New 
Jersey,  and  these  were  widely  separated.  One 
was  situated  at  Middletown,  one  at  Piscataway, 
one  at  Cohansey,  one  at  Cape  May,  one  at  Hope- 
well, one  at  Kingwood  and  one  organized  only  two 
years  before,  at  Hightstown. 

There  were  a  number  of  Baptist  families  living 
in  this  immediate  vicinity,  and  identified  with  the 
Piscataway  Baptist  Church.  The  distance  from 
and  inconveniences  in  reaching  their  church 
home,  induced  them  to  ask  for  letters  of  dis- 
mission in  order  to  organize  a  church  at  this  place. 
Their  application  was  answered  by  the  following 
resolution  adopted  by  the  parent  church  at  Piscata- 
way. 

"Whereas,  in  the  course  of  Divine  Providence 
there  is  necessity  of  a  church  to  be  constituted  at 
the  Scotch  Plains,  in  the  County  of  Essex,  in  East 
New  Jersey,  and  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Baptist  Church  at  Piscataway  in  the  County  of 
Middlesex  and  the  Province  aforesaid,  having 
their  dwellings  at  and  near  the  said  Scotch  Plains, 
and  they  having  made  application  to  us,  and  ob- 
tained a  grant  for  a  dismission  from  us,  in  order  to 
incorporate  themselves  into  a  church;  this  may 
certify  that  William  Darby,  Recompense  Stan- 
bery,  John  Lambert  John  Dennis,  John  Stanbery, 
Henry  Crosby,  John  Sutton  Jr.,  Isaac  Manning, 
Mary  Brodwell,  Mary  Green,  Mary  Dennis, 
Tabitha  Sutton,  Catherine  Manning,  Sarah  De 
Camp  and  Sarah  Perce,  when  they  are  regularly 
constituted  into  a  church  according  to  gospel  order 
and  given  themselves  up,  in  a  church  fellowship 
are  fully  and  freely  dismissed   from    our  church." 


THE  ORaANIZATION. 

Accordingly  on  the  fifth  day  of  August,  1747, 
these  brethren  and  sisters  met  and  resolved  to  be- 
come and  be  a  Regular  Baptist  Church.  They 
adopted  and  signed  a  solemn  covenant.  Some  of 
the  terms  of  which  were,  that  they  humbly  accept- 
ed Jesus  Christ  as  High  Priest,  Lawgiver  and 
Savior.  That  they  trusted  implicitly  and  only  in  his 
atoning  blood  and  sovereign  grace  for  Salvation— 
that  they  would  walk  together  in  all  holiness, 
godliness,  humility  and  brotherly  love — that  they 
would  watch  over  one  another  for  good — that  they 
wouli  pray  with  and  for  one  another  and  for  the 
church — that  they  would  bear  one  another's 
burdens,  bear  with  one  another's  weaknesses  as 
Christ  had  enjoined  and  set  the  example — that  they 
would  strive  together  for  the  truth  of  the  gospel, 
and  to  observe  and  guard  the  ordinances  in  their 
purity,  and  would  give  according  to  their  ability 
to  maintain  the  Cause   of  the  Master. 

Thus  the  church  was  organized  by  these  our 
honored  forefathers  upon  the  true  foundation, 
Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief  Corner  Stone, 
and  every  distinguishing  characteristic  of  our  de- 
nomination separately  referred  to  in  the  Covenant 
Compact.  Surely  if  any  people  have  reason  to  re- 
joice in  the  inheritance  left  by  the  forefathers, 
we  may  thank  God,  that  the  Constituent  members 
of  our  Zion  occupied  no  compromising  ground, 
and  blew  no  uncertain  blast,  concerning  either  the 
doctrines  or  practices  of  the  christian  church. 

These  constituent  members  have  all  long  since 
passed  away,  but  many  of  their  descendants  and 
the  families  they  represent  are  still  among  us, 
honored  and  respected  members  of  the  community. 


The  organization  also  included  the  election  by 
the  body  of  Samuel  Drake  as  Church  Clerk, 
and  William  Darby  and  Recompense  Stanbery  as 
Ruling  Elders,  and  as  the  record  declares  were  also 
to  perform  the  duties  of  Deacons.  Thus  the 
church  was  duly  constituted  and  publicly  re- 
cognized and  fellowshipped  as  a  Regular  Baptist 
Churcb . 

REV.    MR.    MILLER'S   PASTORATE. 

Soon  after  the  organization,  the  church  extended 
a  call  to  Benjamin  Miller,  a  member  of  the  Piscata- 
way  Church  to  become  their  Pastor.  This  call 
Mr.  Miller  accepted  and  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry,  by  request  of  this  church,  by  Rev. 
Benjamin  Stelle  of  Piscataway,  Rev.  James  Car- 
man of  Cranbery  and  Abel  Morgan  of  Middletown. 

The  Church  immediately  united  with  the  Phila- 
delphia Association. 

Of  the  antecedents  of  Rev.  Mr.  Miller,  little  is 
positively  known.  It  is  probable  that  he  was  con- 
verted to  God  some  ten  years  before  by  means  of 
the  ministry  of  Rev.  Gilbert  Tennant  a  celebrated 
Presbyterian  minister  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
and  united  with  the  Piscataway  Baptist  Church. 
Here  his  ability  and  zeal  were  noticed  and  com- 
menied,  and  he  was  readily  granted  a  license  to 
preach  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 

After  becoming  pastor  of  this  church  he  evinced 
especial  qualifications  for  the  work.  The  infant 
organization  was  to  be  nursed,  developed  and 
strengthened.  Baptists  who  were  not  already 
identified  with  it  were  to  be  visited  and  to  be  made 
interested  in  the  new  enterprise.  Unconverted  souls 
were   to  be  instructed    in    the    way  of    Salvation. 


All  this  work  must  have  required  an  especial 
adaptation  and  a  peculiar  energy.  His  labors  were 
not  confined  to  this  immediate  vicinity,  but  he  gave 
all  the  strength  of  his  early  manhood  to  the  per- 
formance of  his  divinely  appointed  mission.  He 
frequently  travelled,  of  course  only  by  the  slow 
means  of  transportation  of  his  time,  to  various 
sections  of  this  and  neighboring  provinces,  carrying 
the  bread  of  life  to  the  needy,  and  instructing  and 
comforting  the  feeble  churches.  The  result  of  such 
labor  with  the  blessing  of  God  was  soon  apparent. 
The  congregations  increased.  The  membership  was 
enlarged,  and  growth  and  development  was  visible 
on  every  hand.  This  is  apparent  from  the  fact 
recorded  in  the  minutes,  that  it  became  necessary 
to  enlarge  the  house  of  worship  in  the  year,  1758. 

It  is  probable  that  a  meeting  house  had  been 
erected  previous  to  the  organization  of  the  church. 
But  this  had  become  too  small  for  their  accom- 
modation during  these  first  eleven  years  of  active 
united  labor.  Hence  on  August  12th,  1758  it  was 
voted  "to  enlarge  the  meeting  house, to  cover  it  with 
cedar  shingles  both  roof  and  sides  and  to  finish  it 
well  both  outside  and  inside. ' '  A  committee  consist- 
ing of  Recompense  Stanbery,  John  Stites,  Captain 
Drake  and  Captain  McDonnel  were  appointed  to 
complete  this  improvement.  Thus  with  increased 
facilities  and  "an  enlarged  place  of  their  tent"  the 
church  grew  both  in  numbers  and  in  influence. 

Rev.  Mr.  Miller  seems  to  have  been  indefatigable 
in  preaching  the  word,  enforcing  the  discipline, 
and  watching  over  the  interests  of  the  now  well 
established  Zion.  He  appears  to  have  had  peculiar 
executive  ability,  and  could  readily  discover  what 
was  best  to  do,  and  lead  the  people  to  do  it.     He 


had  access  to  their  ears,  their  affections  and  to 
their  contributions;  and  he  made  use  of  all,  not 
for  his  own  aggrandizement,  or  to  secure  for  him 
self  a  name,  but  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  pro- 
gress of  the  Cause  of  the  Master. 

There  was  at  this  time  no  Regular  Baptist 
Church  in  New  York  City.  There  were  a  number 
of  Baptists  there  who  were  members  of  the  Fish- 
kill  Baptist  Church,  and  elsewhere.  These  being 
recommended  to  do  so,  united  themselves  in  church 
relationship  with  this  church  and  were  frequently 
visited  by  llev.  James  Carman  pastor  of  the  Cran- 
bery  church  (now  Hightstown)  and  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Miller,  who  by  authority  of  the  Scotch  Plains 
Church  regularly  administered  the  Communion 
once  every  qu  arter,  and  baptised  when  necessary. 
The  congregations  there  increased  so  that  no 
private  dwelling  house  could  accomodate  them, 
and  they  found  it  necessary  to  hire  a  rigging 
loft  in  Cart  and  Horse  Street,  now  William  St. 
where  they  held  their  meetings  for  a  number  of 
years.  They  then  erected  their  first  church  edifice 
on  Gold  Street.  On  the  19th  of  June  1762  twenty 
seven  persons,  namely,  John  Carman,  Jeremiah 
Dodge,  Andrew  Thompson,  Samuel  Edmonds,  John 
Degray,  Elias  Baylis,  Jos.  Meeks,  Wm.  Colegrove, 
Samuel  Dodge,  Catharine  Degray,  Mary  Stillwell, 
Hannah  Hayton,  Hannah  French,  Mary  Murphy, 
Margaret  Dodge,  Sarah  Meeks,  Sarah  Thompson, 
Jane  Calwell,  Mary  Edmonds,  Susannah  Mires, 
Ruth  Ferine,  Mary  Smith,  Eliza  YanDike,  Mary 
Simmons,  Rachel  Williams  and  Catherine  Leonard 
who  had  received  letters  of  dismission  for  the  pur- 
pose from  this  church  organized  the  First  Regular 
Baptist  Church  of  New  York  City.    On   the   same 

10 


day  Rev.  John  Gano,  also  of  this  church,  became 
Pastor  of  the  new  organization,  and  held  the 
position  for  twenty-six  eventful  years. 

After  the  lapse  of  five  more  years  of  labor  and 
success,  it  became  advisable  to  organize  a  Baptist 
church  at  Mount  Bethel,  N.  J.  The  members  living 
in  that  vicinity  were  united  witn  this  church,  but  in 
order  to  attend  divine  worship,  it  was  necessary  for 
them  to  ride  from  six  to  ten  miles  over  rough  hilly 
roads.  As  soon  as  they  became  strong  enough  they 
requested  letters  of  dismission  in  order  to  con- 
stitute a  new  centre  of  religious  influence  more 
convenient  to  their  own  homes.  This  request  was 
readily  granted,  and  on  thtj  2nd  day  of  Sept. 
1767  letters  of  dismission  were  given  to  eight 
males  and  ten  females  namely,  Benjamin  Sutton, 
Benj.  Sutton  Jr.,  Abram  Sutton,  David  Jennings, 
William  Worth,  John  Pound,  John  Worth,  James 
Sutton,  Elizabeth  Tingley,  Hannah  Coon,  Mary 
Sutton,  Rosannah  Cowart,  Anna  Worth,  Lois 
Sutton,  Dinah  Worth,  Etta  Worth,  Patience 
Bloom,  and  Elizabeth  Hayden.  The  church  was 
organized ;  and  they  have  been  a  prosperous  and 
sucessful  agency  for  the  advancement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's Cause. 

The  Lyons  Farms  Baptist  Church  was  organized 
from  tlie  Scotch  Plains  church  in  the  year  1769. 
Eleven  members  namely,  Ezekiel  Crane,  Ichabod 
Grummon,  Loftus  Grummon,  Jos.  Meeker,  Jos. 
Gildersleeve,  Samuel  Smith,  Jonathan  Tompkins, 
Mary  Meeker,  Abegail  Crane,  Johannah  Grummon 
and  Jeriisha  Crane  were  dismissed  for  that  purpose 
on  the  29th  day  of  March.  This  church  has  been 
united  and  successful  and  still  maintain  their 
visibility  and  usefulness.  Thus  in  a  period  of 
11 


only  twenty  two  years,  three  churclies  were  org- 
anized directly  from  this  church,  and  yet  the 
Scotch  Plains  Church  numbered  One  hundred  and 
five  happy  united  efficient  members,  who  probably 
presented  an  array  of  moral  and  pecuniary  strength 
not  excelled  by  any  church  at  the  time. 

During  Rev.  Mr.  Miller's  pastorate  several 
periods  of  special  gathering  were  enjoyed,  among 
which  was  a  revival  in  the  year  1768  when  the  names 
of  forty-eight  persons  are  recorded  as  being  baptis- 
ed into  the  church  fellowship.  This  result  seems 
to  have  been  acomplished  by  the  use  of  the  ordin- 
ary means  of  grace,  as  the  minutes  make  no  men- 
tion of  any  foreign  aid  to  the  pastor,  nor  of  any 
extra  religious  services. 

Among  those  who  were  baptised  by  Rev.  Benj- 
amin Miller  were  several  who  became  prominent  in 
the  service  of  the  Master,  and  eminently  useful  in 
the  upbuilding  of  our  denomination  in  this  remote 
period  of  its  history.  One  of  these  was  James 
Manning,  who  was  the  son  of  Isaac  Manning,  one 
of  the  constituent  members  of  this  church.  About 
the  age  of  eighteen  years  he  went  to  Hopewell,  N. 
J.  to  prepare  for  college,  under  the  instruction  of 
Rev.  Isaac  Eaton.  In  1758  he  was  baptised  into  the 
fellowship  of  this  church,  and  in  the  same  year 
entered  the  College  of  New  Jersey  now  Princeton 
University,  where  he  graduated  with  honors  in  1762. 
Shortly  after  his  graduation  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  at  Scotch  Plains.  Rev.  John  Gano  of 
New  York,  preached  the  ordination  sermon,  Rev. 
Isaac  Eaton  of  Hopewell  gave  the  charge,  and  Rev. 
Isaac  Stelle  of  Piscataway  offered  the  ordaining 
prayer.  He  then  spent  a  year  in  travelling  exten- 
sively through  the  country  having  previously  mar- 
is 


ried  a  daughter  of  John  Stites.  In  1764  he  removed 
to  Warren,  about  ten  miles  from  Providence,  R.  I. 
where  he  established  a  grammar  school  which  soon 
became  a  flourishing  institution.  A  church  was 
organized  in  WaiTeti  the  same  year,  and  Mr. 
Manning  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  A  charter 
was  also  obtained  from  the  General  Assembly, 
authorizing  the  establishment  of  the  College  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  in  1765  Mr.  Manning  was 
formally  appointed  President  of  the  College,  and 
Professor  of  Languages  ''with  full  power  to  act  in 
these  capacities  at  Warren  or  elsewhere."  In  1770 
it  was  determined  to  remove  the  College  from 
Warren  to  Providence,  the  town  and  county  sub- 
scribing £4200  as  an  inducement  thereto.  Mr. 
Manning  resigned  the  care  of  the  church  at 
Warren,  but  was  almost  immediately  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Provi- 
dence. President  Manning  contiaued  his  mul- 
tifarious duties  as  President,  Professor  and  Pastor 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. The  College  had  been  growing  in  reputation 
and  usefulness,  and  was  fast  attaining  the  high 
position  and  influence  it  now  occupies  as  Brown 
University.  All  through  the  revolutionary  strug- 
gle Mr.  Manning  succeeded  in  keeping  the  institu- 
tion intact,  though  "  University  Hall  "  was  occu- 
pied much  of  the  time  by  the  British  Soldiers  as 
Barracks,  and  it  was  not  until  1782  that  the  course 
of  instruction  was  permanently  resumed.  Indeed 
so  identified  with  the  life  of  James  Manning  was 
the  history  of  Brown  University,  that  the  story  of 
the  earlier  years  of  that  Institution  is  also  the  story 
of  his  life.  President  Manning  feeling  that  his 
collegiate  duties  were  too  great  to  allow  him  to  give 
13 


to  the  churcli  the  care  it  required,  in  1791  request- 
ed the  appointment  of  a  successor;  but  before  the 
request  had  been  complied  with,  he  was  stricken 
with  apoplexy  and  his  useful  life  ended  July  29, 
1791,  in  the  fifty-third   year  of  his  age. 

Thus  Rev.  Mr.  Miller's  pastorate  was  blessed  of 
God,  not  only  in  the  building  up  of  this  church, 
and  in  the  establishing  of  three  other  churches; 
but  in  the  raising  up  of  men  who  became  lights  in 
both  the  literary  and  religious  world. 

Mr.  Miller  served  the  church  about  thirty-four 
years,  and  died  on  the  14th  day  of  November, 
1781,  and  was  buried  by  the  loving  hands  of  his 
people  in  the  burying  ground  which  surrounded 
the  church  edifice  where  he  had  so  long  and  so 
earnestly  preached  the  gospel.  His  sepulchre  is 
with  us  to  this  day,  and  it  is  and  ought  to  be  held 
by  the  church  as  a  sacred  trust  of  all  that  is  mortal 
of  him  who  in  the  providence  of  God  was  the 
pioneer  pastor  of  our  beloved  Zion.  He  left  one 
son  and  four  daughters  who  resided  in  the  home- 
stead on  the  farm  now  owned  by  our  honored 
townsman,  A.  D.  Sheperd,  Esq. 

For  more  than  four  years  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Miller  the  church  was  without  direct  pastoral 
oversight.  Mr.  Runi  Runyon  supplied  the  pulpit 
half  of  the  time  for  a  few  months  and  Mr.  Benja- 
min Coles  upon  invitation  of  the  church,  became  a 
stated  supply.  He  served  the  church  faithfully 
for  about  two  years,  but  no  marked  display  of  the 
divine  favor,  seemed  to  attend  his  labors.  The 
church  were  much  discouraged,  as  is  apparent 
from  their  letter  to  the  Association  at  Philadelphia 
Oct.  5,  1784,  in  which  they  request  "Counsel,  As- 
sistance and  Supplies  as  the  Association  in  their 
14 


wisdom  shall  think  most  proper"  adding  "we  are 
at  peace  among  ourselves,  though  much  deadness 
still  prevails;  many  minding  their  own  things, 
and  but  few  the  things  that  are  Jesus  Christ's." 

After  this  a  George  Guthrie,  as  his  recommen- 
dation declares  "a  young  brother  not  long  since 
from  Ireland"  visited  the  church;  but  he  only  re- 
mained about  five  months  and  then  removed  to 
Morristown. 

REV.  MR.  VAN  HORN'S  PASTORATE. 

On  the  15th  of  December,  1785,  Rev.  William 
Van  Horn  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate.  He  was 
a  young  man  thirty-eight  years  of  age,  of  Buck's 
County,  Pennsylvania.  He  graduated  from  the 
Academy  of  Dr.  Samuel  Jones,  at  Lower  Dublin, 
Pa.  During  the  revolutionary  war  he  had  been  a 
chaplain  in  the  army,  enthusiastically  encourag- 
ing the  heroes  who  fought  against  tyranny,  and 
cheering  them  on  in  their  toilsome  marches,  while 
sharing  with  them  their  greatest  dangers  and  most 
grievous  hardships.  He  had  also  been  a  pastor  at 
Southhampton  some  thirteen  years.  His  preach- 
ing is  said  to  have  been  '  'of  the  most  solid  and 
instructive  character,  never  descending  into  care- 
less frivolity,  but  always  with  becoming  gravity  as 
a  messenger  from  the  throne  of  God,  declaring  the 
will  of  the  Most  High  to  men." 

His  ministry  here  like  that  of  his  predecessor 
proved  eminently  sucessful.  The  first  year  he  bap- 
tised forty-seven  persons;  and  these  as  the 
minutes  reveal  after  the  closest  examination  and 
scrutiny.  The  whole  number  baptised  during 
his  pastorate  was  one  hundred  and  sixty.  While 
he  evinced  great  pulpit  power,  he  also  had  an  ex- 

15 


ecutive  ability,  whicli  made  his  pastoral 
work  a  success. 

Previous  to  the  coming  of  Mr.  Van  Horn,  in- 
deed, as  early  as  1761,  what  was  called  a  vestry 
was  organized,  consisting  of  seven  men,  who  seem 
to  have  had  especial  control  of  the  temporal  affairs 
of  the  church.  Mr.  Van  Horn  formulated  a  plan 
for  connecting  the  church  and  congregation,  for 
the  support  of  the  Gospel  and  the  care  of  the  tem- 
poral interests  of  the  Society.  Whatever  the 
plan  was  (for  the  minutes  do  not  record  it)  it  was 
adopted  and  continued  in  operation  until  Feb- 
ruary, 1788,  when,  in  accordance  with  a  law 
passed  by  the  Legislature  in  1786,  for  incor- 
porating religious  societies,  seven  Trustees  were 
chosen  and  a  certificate  of  incorporation  was  filed 
in  the  Clerk's  office  in  Newark.  In  1869,  this  in- 
corporation was  confirmed  as  an  especial  charter 
by  Act  of  the  Legislature;  the  trustees  being 
clothed  with  power  to  sell  lands. 

During  Mr.  Van  Horn's  administration  two 
churches  were  constituted  directly  from  the  mem- 
bership of  this. 

In  the  spring  of  1788,  three  brothers,  Abraham 
Drake,  Cornelius  Drake  and  Isaac  Drake,  and  two 
brothers-in-law  John  Shotwell  and  David  Morris, 
were  induced  by  the  glowing  descriptions  of  Rev. 
William  Wood,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at 
Washington,  Kentucky,  to  leave  their  homes  here 
and  seek  their  fortunes  in  the  wilds  of  the  West. 
These  brethren  with  their  wives,  children  and  ef- 
fects were  accompanied  by  Rev.  John  Gano,  who 
was  then  moving  his  all  from  the  City  of  New 
York.  They  sailed  down  the  Ohio  River  to  Lime- 
stone, where  they  landed  and  proceeded  at  once  to 

16 


Washington,  four  miles  distant.  Here  they  made 
a  temporary  stay  until  they  could  select  a  site 
upon  which  to  settle.  In  the  early  fall,  they 
bought  from  a  Mr.  May  a  tract  of  land  containing 
fourteen  hundred  acres,  eight  miles  west  of  Wash- 
ington. They  made  an  equitable  division  of  their 
land  according  to  the  amount  of  money  each  had 
put  into  the  common  stock,  and  in  such  a  manner, 
that  the  lot  of  each  had  a  corner  in  a  Salt  spring. 
Around  this  spring  they  built  their  log  houses, 
and  established  their  colony,  calling  the  incip- 
ient village  May^s  Lick. 

Before  leaving  their  home  the  aforesaid  brethren 
with  their  wives  had  been  granted  letters  of  dis- 
mission from  this  church,  on  the  12th  of  April, 
1788.  Hence,  as  soon  as  convenient  they  organ- 
ized themselves  into  a  Particular  Baptist  Church 
at  May's  Lick,  Ky.,  on  November  28,  1789.  Rev. 
William  Wood  of  Washington,  Ky.,  and  James 
Garrard,  who  afterward  for  two  terms  was  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State,  were  the  officiating  ministers  on 
the  occasion.  Thus  the  Scotch  Plains  church  be- 
came the  mother  of  a  child  in  what  was  then  re- 
garded as  the  far  west. 

The  May's  Lick  church  grew  in  numbers,  and 
religious  power  and  influence,  until  in  1889  at 
their  centennial  anniversary,  they  are  reported  as 
one  of  the  strongest  churches,  and  centers  of 
evangelizing  progress  in  that  part  of  the  west. 

The  other  church  organized  during  the  pastorate 
of  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Horn,  was  the  one  at  Samptown 
in  our  immediate  vicinity. 

On  the  21st  of  August,  1792,  letters  of  dismis- 
sion were  given  to  Christianns  Lupordus,  Samuel 
Drake  and  wife,  Peter  Till,  Joseph  Randolph, 
17 


Benjamin  Blackford,  Dugal  Ayers,  Epliraim  F. 
Randolph  and  wife,  Joseph  Manning,  Robert 
Randolph,  Mary  Blackford,  Joseph  Drake,  John 
Luke,  Margaret  Luke,  George  Laying,  Zervia 
Manning,  Unis  Cole  and  Moms  Frazee.  Accord- 
ingly on  the  1st  of  December,  1792,  the  Samptown 
Baptist  Church  was  constituted — being  ^about 
midway  between  this  place  and  Piscataway,  the 
pastors  of  both  churches  had  preached  there  with 
some  regularity.  But  as  it  was  manifestly  better 
that  they  should  have  an  organization  of  their 
own,  they  were  set  apart  as  a  gospel  church — 
David  Jones  of  Southampton,  Pa.,  and  Jacob  F. 
Randolph  taking  part  in  the  Services.  This  church, 
too,  recently  held  their  centennial  exercises  show- 
ing commendable  progress  and  efficiency. 

After  Mr.  Van  Horn  had  accepted  the  pastor- 
ate, but  probably  before  he  had  removed  his 
family  to  this  place,  the  Parsonage,  a  frame  build- 
ing which  stood  nearer  the  street  than  the  present 
one,  was  consumed  by  fire  early  in  1786.  It  was 
immediately  determined  to  rebuild;  and  as  there 
was  some  difference  of  opinion  about  where  the 
new  building  should  stand,  after  determining  that 
it  should  be  constructed  of  stone,  it  was  voted  "to 
indulge  Mr.  Van  Horn  with  his  choice."  He 
wisely  chose  the  present  location,  and  during  that 
year  all  the  stone  part  of  the  present  building  was 
erected  under  the  pastor's  immediate  supervision: 
and  every  pastor  who  has  occupied  it  since  has 
had  occasion  to  commend  the  wisdom  and  foresight 
of  his  plans. 

Mr.  Van  Horn  served  the  church  well  and  faith- 
fully for  nearly  twenty- two  years.     He  gained  and 
held  the  respect  and  confidence,  not  only  of  this 
18 


church,  but  of  the  denomination  at  large.  His 
family  were  amiable  and  intelligent,  a  con- 
solation to  himself  and  an  ornament  to 
the  community.  But  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  ministry,  his  health  failed,  and  he,  having 
quite  a  large  tract  of  land  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  Ohio,  determined  to  resign  his  pastorate 
and  to  remove  thither.  Hence,  on  the  28th  day  of 
September,  1807,  he  and  his  [family  entered  the 
wagons  which  were  to  convey  him  from  the  scenes 
of  twenty  years  of  happy  associations  with  a 
loving  people.  The  long  tedious  journey  increased 
his  maladies,  and  he  was  only  able  to  reach  Pitts- 
burg, Pa.,  where,  on  the  31st  of  October,  he 
passed  away  to  his  eternal  home.  The  people  of 
Pittsburg  sympathized  with  the  aiflicted '  family 
and  showed  them  many  kind  attentions.  After 
the  funeral  the  widow  and  children  pursued  their 
journey  to  their  destination. 

The  church  were  without  a  pastor  about  nine 
months,  during  which  time  they  were  supplied  by 
Jacob  F.  Randolph  and  Henry  Ball,  both  members 
of  the  church  and  baptised  by  Rev.  Mr.  Van  Horn 
and  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel. 

PASTORATE  OF  THOMAS  BROWN. 

In  March,  1808,  at  the  invitation  of  a  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  church.  Rev.  Thomas 
Brown,  Pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Salem, 
N.  J.,  visited  this  church.  The  labors  of  Mr. 
Brown  and  his  visit  were  highly  enjoyed,  and  the 
following  April,  a  unanimous  call  was  extended  to 
him  to  become  Pastor.  This  call  he  accepted,  and 
removed  to  this  place  July  1,  1808.  Mr.  Brown, 
was  a  native  of  Newark,  N.  J.  At  the  age  of  seven- 

19 


teen  years  lie  was  converted,  and  united  with  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  of  that  city.  His  evident 
preaching  talent  and  inclination,  led  his  friends 
to  advise  him  to  prepare  for  the  ministry.  He  had 
not  proceeded  far  in  his  preparations,  when  a  com- 
plete change  of  views  compelled  him  to  be  bap- 
tised and  become  a  member  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Newark.  Afterward,  he  spent  some 
years  in  study,  chiefly  under  the  super- 
vision of  Dr.  Samuel  Jones,  and  in  1805, 
assumed  his  first  charge  at  Salem,  where  he 
was  ordained  as  Pastor.  Dr.  Staughton  and  Dr. 
Jones,  officiated  at  his  ordination.  He  remained 
at  Salem  about  three  years,  when  he  came 
to  this  place  at  the  call  of  the  church.  His  pas- 
toral relations  were  pleasant  and  harmonious  from 
the  begianing.  His  pulpit  ministrations  as  well 
as  his  judicious  and  efficient  pastoral  labors  were 
highly  appreciated.  Baptisms  were  reported  every 
year,  with  only  one  exception,  the  whole  number 
amounting  to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  even  though 
the  most  careful  scrutiny  was  observed  in  the  ex- 
amination of  candidates.  Mr.  Brown  was  amiable 
and  cheerful  in  private  life,  and  held  in  high  esteem 
for  his  social  qualities ;  but  his  especial  power  was 
in  his  pulpit  ministrations.  These  were  always 
instructive  and  interesting,  and  often  especially 
eloquent  and  thrilling.  His  management  of  cases 
of  discipline  was  tenderly  wise  and  judiciously 
strict,  and  thus  he  endeared  himself  to  the  church 
membership  and  to  the  community. 

In  the  winter  of  1816-'17,  the  meeting  house,  which 
had  no  doubt  been  built  before  the  organization 
of  the  church,  and  stood  on  ground  a  short  dis- 
tance Northwest  of  the  present  edifice,  was  acci- 

20 


dently  burned  and  totally  destroyed — of  course 
all  the  inhabitants  turned  out  to  witness  the  unwel- 
come conflagration.  Among  others  who  were  pres- 
ent was  Recompense  Stanbery,  the  son  of  the 
first  deacon  of  the  church  and  the  father  of  our 
esteemed  townsman  William  C.  Stanbery.  While 
the  flames  were  consuming  the  timbers  of  the 
revered  old  structure,  Mr.  Stanbery  said :  '  'Bre- 
thren there  is  no  better  time  to  resolve  to  rebuild 
than  now,  as  we  stand  around  these  smouldering 
embers."  He  then  announced  his  own  subscrip- 
tion for  the  purpose.  His  example  was  conta- 
gious, one  and  another  followed,  and  a  consider- 
able portion  of  the  amount  needed  for  the  new 
house  was  raised  then  and  there.  Before  the 
beginning  of  the  new  year,  work  was  commenced 
and  a  new  edifice,  larger  than  the  former  one  was 
erected.  Recompense  Stanbery,  Joseph  Bradford, 
John  B.  Osborn,  Samuel  B.  Miller  a  ad  David  Osborn 
were  the  building  committee  who  superintended 
the  work  to  its  completion.  The  new  building 
cost  about  three  thousand  dollars  and  was  paid 
for  by  contributions  received  almost  exclusively 
from  this  vicinity,  though  the  First  Church  of  New 
York  City  sent  some  assistance  to  her  mother  in 
her  time  of  need.  There  is  little  doubt  that  the 
spot  upon  which  the  new  house  was  built  was  the 
same  as  that  upon  which  the  old  one  had  stood, 
and  that  that  ground  had  been  donated  to  the 
church  by  William  Darby,  its  first  Ruling  Elder ; 
and  consisted  of  five  square  chains,  comprising  the 
entire  old  burying  ground.  The  other  lands  pos- 
sessed by  the  church  at  this  time  was  what  was 
known  as  "the  parsonage  farm,"  and  consisted  of 
fifteen  acres  on  the  Plains,  and  twelve  acres  on  the 

21 


mountain.  This  had  been  purchased  of  the  exec- 
utors of  William  Darby  in  1775,  and  had  been 
occupied  by  each  of  the  succeeding  pastors  since 
that  time.  During  the  pastorage  of  Mr.  Brown, 
Deacon  James  Brown  left  a  legacy  to  the  church, 
of  Twelve  hundred  dollars,  for  the  support  of  the 
poor,  which  was  sacredly  used  for  that  purpose  for 
many  years. 

Thus  as  time  went  on,  the  church  was  being 
enriched  both  spiritually  and  materially.  Rev. 
Mr.  Brown  was  giving  the  strength  of  his  manhood 
to  the  preaching  of  Christ  crucified.  Sinners  were 
being  converted,  and  uniting  themselves  with  this 
church,  while  the  brotherhood  were  being  cemented 
in  closer  fraternal  relations  by  their  trials  and  sor- 
rows as  well  as  their  successes. 

In  November,  1828,  much  to  the  regret  of  his 
attached  people,  Mr.  Brown  resigned  the  pastorate 
and  removed  to  Great  Valley,  Pa.  More  than 
twenty  years  of  constant  service  bore  testimony 
to  the  faithfulness  of  the  Pastor,  but  the  records  of 
eternity  only  can  reveal  the  full  measure  of  his 
success. 

PASTORATE  OF  REV.  MR.  ROGERS. 

After  a  period  of  less  than  a  year,  the  church 
extended  a  call  to  Rev.  John  Rogers  on  the  30th 
of  May,  1829.  Mr.  Rogers  w^as  born  in  the 
north  of  Ireland  in  1783.  He  was  converted 
at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  and  united  with 
the  Presbyterian  Church  of  which  his  parents 
were  members.  Convinced  of  a  personal  call  to 
the  ministry,  he  entered  upon  a  course  of  study, 
which  was  completed  at  the  University  of  Edin- 
burg.     After  this  he  labored  among  the  Independ- 

32 


ents  in  Scotland  and  in  Ireland.  In  the  year  1811, 
after  a  careful  study  of  the  subject,  he  became  con- 
vinced that  christian  baptism  is  the  immersion  of 
a  believer  in  water  on  profession  of  faith;  and  he 
was  thereupon  baptised  by  Rev.  Daniel  Cook,  a 
Baptist  Minister  of  Scotland.  In  the  year  1816  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  after  a  short  residence 
at  Hopewell,  N.  J.,  he  was  called  to  Pemberton, 
where  he  was  ordained  in  1817.  His  labors  at 
Pemberton  were  highly  appreciated  by  the  mem- 
bers of  that  church,  and  the  writer,  who  afterward 
labored  in  the  same  church,  often  heard  him  affec- 
tionately spoken  of.  He  continued  to  labor  with 
the  Pemberton  church  until  he  removed  to  this 
place  about  the  middle  of  August,  1829. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  a  close  student,  and  a  good  and 
instructive  preacher.  He  had  an  extensive  knowl- 
edge of  the  teachings  of  the  bible,  and  his  views 
of  the  plan  of  Salvation  were  clear,  scriptural  and 
definite.  His  ministry  here  was  blessed  with  two 
special  revivals,  during  which  many  were  brought 
into  the  fold  of  Christ.  Among  these  were  three 
of  his  own  daughters  who  proved  the  genuineness 
of  their  profession  by  a  humble  and  pious  deport- 
ment. Mr.  Rogers  baptized  about  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  happy,  rejoicing  converts  while  he 
labored  in  this  pastorate.  The  ingathering  of 
1837  was  especially  thorough  and  widespread. 
Perhaps  the  gloom  and  depression  of  that  memor- 
able time  of  financial  distress  had  something  to  do 
with  turning  men's  minds  into  religious  channels 
and  leading  to  so  many  similar  displays  of  the 
power  of  Divine  Grace. 

Mr.  Rogers  took  a  lively  interest  in  both  Home 
and  Foreign  Missionary  enterprises,  and  he  estab- 

23 


lished  in  the  church  a  schedule  of  systematic  con- 
tributions to  these  objects. 

The  New  Jersey  Baptist  State  Convention  was 
organized  in  1830,  and  Mr.  Rogers  was  one  of  its 
constituent  members  and  gave  it  his  influence  dur- 
ing his  life. 

Mr.  Rogers  resigned  in  June,  1841,  and  removed 
to  Perth  Amboy,  where  he  remained  only  about 
three  years.  Thence  he  went  to  Paterson,  where 
he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  days  without  a  di- 
rect pastoral  charge,  but  preaching  frequently  and 
always  acceptably  for  neighboring  churches.  He 
died  August  30th,  1849,  aged  sixty-six  years.  His 
son,  A.  C.  Rogers,  M.  D.,  survives  him,  and  is  a 
prominent  and  useful  worker  in  the  denomina- 
tion. 

These  four  pastors,  who  occupied  the  pulpit  of 
this  church  nearly  the  whole  of  the  first  century  of 
its  existence,  were  eminent  men  of  God,  and  their 
record  evinces  how  certainly  the  Great  Head 
of  the  church  will  raise  up  suitable  and 
qualified  leaders  to  conduct  his  people  along 
the  line  of  His  own  purposes. 

All  of  these  men  seem  to  have  been  wholly  con- 
secrated to  the  work  to  which  God  had  called 
them.  They  knew  the  truth  in  their  own  experi- 
ence, and  they  never  hesitated  to  proclaim  the 
doctrines  of  grace.  They  loved  the  distinguish- 
ing principles  of  our  denomination,  and  they 
taught  them  fearlessly.  Such  teachings  with  the 
Divine  blessing  would  be  apt  to  make  staunch, 
stalwart,  Baptist  christians;  and  it  did — all 
honor  to  the  human  agencies — all  praise  to  the 
Divine  leader. 

24 


REV.   THOMAS   F.    BROWN,   D.D. 


REV.  MR.  WIVELL'S  PASTORATE. 

John  Wivell  was  born  in  England.  He  became 
a  sailor  in  early  life,  professed  conversion  and 
joined  the  Methodists — afterward  he  became  a 
Presbyterian,  and  among  them  commenced  preach- 
ing. He  labored  sometime  in  Nova  Scotia,  and 
then  came  to  New  York  and  was  baptised  by  Rev. 
Duncan  Dunbar.  He  was  almost  immediately 
licensed  and  ordained,  and  spent  some  time  laboring 
among  the  seamen.  He  removed  to  Scotch  Plains  in 
March,  1842,  and  such  was  his  tact,  and  insin- 
uating address,  that  he  soon  attracted  to  him  the 
public  favor,  and  the  congregation  rapidly  in- 
creased in  numbers,  and  there  were  many  pro- 
fessed converts. 

The  deportment  of  Mr.  Wivell  was  regarded  by 
some  from  the  beginning,  as  somewhat  offensive  to 
good  taste,  but  was  readily  excused  on  account  of 
his  sea-faring  life.  After  a  while,  reports  unfav- 
orable to  his  moral  purity  were  whispered  about. 
At  length  the  truth  burst  upon  the  church  like  a 
thunder  clap.  The  humiliation  and  mortification 
which  ensued  was  great,  and  Mr.  Wivell  was  speed- 
ily excluded  from  the  fellowship  of  the  church. 
His  subsequent  life  and  the  fictitious  names  he 
assumed  fully  proved  the  wisdom  of  the  church 
in  its  prompt  action.  Nothing  so  disastrous  had 
ever  occurred  in  the  history  of  the  church ;  but 
while  it  humbled  the  membership,  it  did  not  divide 
them. 

The  unfortunate  incident  proves  that  God's  real 
people  will  be  true  and  united  even  under  disas- 
trous circumstances;  and  that  the  acts  of  even 
bad  men  will  be  overruled  to  accomplish  His 
glory. 


REV.  MR.  LOCKE'S  PASTORATE. 

William  E.  Locke  was  a  native  of  New  York 
City.  He  was  baptised  by  Rev.  Dr.  Cone  in  1831. 
He  was  licensed  by  the  Sandy  Ridge  Baptist 
church,  N.  J.,  in  1833.  He  was  ordained  at  Mos- 
cow, New  York,  in  1836.  He  had  also  been  set- 
tled at  Gouveneur,  Trumansburg  and  Sing  Sing, 
N.  Y.  He  accepted  a  call  to  this  church  and  re- 
moved to  Scotch  Plains,  May  2d,  1844. 

Mr.  Locke  found  the  church  in  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances resulting  from  the  defection  of  the 
former  pastor.  The  labor  to  be  performed  was  of 
that  kind  which  needed  much  adroitness  and  cool 
judgment.  If  Mr.  Locke  had  possessed  and  ex- 
hibited these  qualifications  it  would  have  been 
far  better  for  the  church.  But  the  course  he  pur- 
sued and  the  measures  he  adopted  only  alienated 
the  membership  and  increased  the  friction  which 
already  existed.  The  ingatherings  which  had 
marked  former  pastorates,  did  not  occur.  But 
four  persons  were  added  by  baptism  during  Mr. 
Locke's  administration. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1847,  the  church  held 
a  centennial  service,  commemorating  with  grati- 
tude the  way  in  which  the  Head  of  the  church  had 
led  them  during  the  first  one  hundred  years  of 
their  history.  Mr.  Locke,  preached  a  centennial 
discourse  on  the  occasion,  which  was  printed  and 
is  in  possession  of  many  members  of  the  church, 
and  is  held  by  them  in  high  esteem. 

At  its  organization  the  church  had  united  with 
the  Philadelphia  Association,  and  in  1792,  it  had 
withdrawn  and  united  with  the  then  organized 
New  York  Association,  and  now  in  1844,  it  united 

26 


with  the  East  New  Jersey  Association  where  it  has 
since  remained. 

Mr.  Locke,  continued  in  charge  of  the  church 
until  September  1st,  1849,  when  he  resigned  and 
accepted  a  call  to  Amenia,  N.  Y.  He  afterward 
joined  the  Presbyterian  denomination. 

EEV.  MR.  RUE'S  PASTORATE. 

Joshua  E.  Rue  was  born  at  Hightstown,  N.  J. 
He  was  licensed  by  that  church  in  1844.  He  was 
ordained  at  Jacobstown  as  Pastor  in  1845,  having 
been  educated  at  Lafayette  College  and  Madison 
University.  Subsequently  he  served  as  Pastor  at 
Sandy  Ridge,  N.  J.  In  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1850,  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  this 
Church  and  entered  upon  his  duties.  He  preached 
the  simple  doctrines  of  grace,  and  as  a  result,  a 
pleasant  condition  of  spiritual  awakening  followed, 
and  twenty-seven  rejoicing  converts  were  buried  in 
baptism. 

But  in  the  midst  of  his  work  he  was  smitten  by 
disease,  and  for  many  weeks  his  life  seemed  to 
hang  in  the  balance.  He  was  partially  restored 
however,  but  was  almost  immediately  called  to 
follow  to  the  grave  the  remains  of  his  beloved 
companion,  who  had  also  endeared  herself 
to  this  people.  Thus  sorely  afflicted  and 
with  ruined  health,  he  resigned  the  charge 
of  the  church,  having  served  it  acceptably 
just  four  years.  Afterward  he  held  agencies  for 
the  Home  Mission  Society,  American  Bible  Union 
and  for  Peddie  Institute.  He  retired  to  North 
Carolina,  and  died  in  1887,  and  his  remains  were 
brought  to  this  place  and  buried  beside  his  wife 
and   near   the  grave   of    the  first  pastor   of  the 

27 


clmrch,  Benjamin  Miller.  The  Ladies'  Circle  of 
this  church  erected  a  monument  to  mark  the  spot ; 
and  the  trustees  have  recently  reserved  and  set 
apart  some  adjacent  lots  for  the  burial  of  any  who 
may  have  served  the  church  as  pastor  with  their 
immediate  families  in  all  time. 

During  the  period  of  Mr.  Rue's  pastorate  some 
improvements  were  made  upon  the  church  prop- 
erty. 

The  number  of  members  in  1854  was  one  hundred 
and  forty-six. 

DR.  BROWN'S  PASTORATE. 

James  F.  Brown  was  born  in  Scotch  Plains,  July 
4th,  1819.  He  was  the  son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Brown, 
who  was  at  that  time  pastor  of  this  church. 
James  F.  graduated  from  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1841,  and  studied  theology  with  Rev. 
Dr.  Dagg.  He  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  Ganis- 
ville  Baptist  Church,  Alabama,  and  in  1846  took 
charge  of  the  Great  Valley  church.  Pa. ,  where  he 
remained  eight  years,  and  was  then  called  to  this 
his  native  town  and  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church 
his  father  had  so  acceptably  served.  He  removed 
to  this  place  in  1854  and  remained  six  years.  He 
is  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments,  gentle  spirit, 
sound  theological  views,  large  sympathies  and  has 
been  blessed  in  his  ministry.  The  church  during 
his  pastoral  connection  was  harmonious  and  grew 
both  in  numbers  and  in  influence.  That  memor- 
able year  of  financial  adversity,  1857,  was  one  of 
spiritual  prosperity  in  this  church.  Many  who 
were  then  added  became  prominent  members, 
and  those  who  yet  remain  remember  gratefully 
and    affectionately   tlie    judicious    measures    and 


REV.    WILLIAA\    LUKE. 


devout  earnestness  of  the  Pastor.  Mr.  Brown 
resigned  in  1860  and  became  Pastor  at  Bridgton, 
N.  J.  While  at  Bridgton  the  University  at  Lew- 
isburg  honored  him  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity,  and  also  elected  him  to  the  chancellor- 
ship of  that  Institution.  Dr.  Brown  is  still  liv- 
ing, and  although  not  a  Pastor,  in  consequence  of 
ill  health,  is  held  in  high  esteem  in  the  Denomin- 
ation. 

REV.  MR.  LUKE'S  PASTORATE. 

Rev.  William  Luke  was  born  in  Esopus,  New 
York,  in  1821.  He  was  both  baptized  and  licensed 
to  preach  the  gospel  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y.  He 
entered  Madison  University  in  1848,  but  remained 
only  two  years  when  he  went  to  Rochester,  where 
he  graduated  in  1854.  He  went  to  the  Province  of 
New  Brunswick,  but  remained  only  a  short  time 
and  returned  to  his  native  and  more  congenial 
climate.  He  was  ordained  at  Hornellsville,  and 
soon  after  removed  to  Forestville,  N.  Y,,  where 
he  preached  until  1857.  Afterward  he  became 
Pastor  of  the  Eighty-third  Street  Baptist 
Church  of  New  York  City,  where  during 
four  years  of  service  he  was  successful  in  building 
up  the  church  which  was  weak  when  he  assumed 
charge.  In  1860  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
this  church,  and  having  accepted  he  removed  to 
this  place  about  the  first  of  December  of  the  same 
year.  The  circumstances  which  led;;  to  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion  were  culminating.  Heated  political 
discussion,  was  rife  on  every  hand.  Pastors  were 
censured,  some  for  being  too  pronounced  in  their 
devotion  to  the  Union  cause,  and  others  for  being 
too  little  so.     Mr.  Luke   took  a  lively  interest  in 

29 


the  events  transpiring  and  a  number  felt  aggrieved. 
The  congregation,  the  membership  and  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Pastor,  all  declined.  A  number 
left  the  church  by  letter,  and  only  two  baptisms 
occurred  during  the  six  years  of  Mr.  Luke's  ad- 
ministration. It  was  at  this  period  too  that  the 
church  at  Westfield  was  organized,  and  nearly 
twenty  members  asked  for  and  received  letters  to 
unite  with  that  organization — all  these  concurrent 
circumstances  reduced  the  membership  to  one  hun- 
dred and  five. 

Mr.  Luke  resigned  January  1st,  1867,  having 
been  called  to  Greenport,  L.  I.  Here  he  labored 
with  much  success,  but  ill-health  compelled  him 
to  resign  the  pastorate;  and  he  died  at  Wap- 
pinger  Falls,  N.  Y.,  in  the  triumphs  of  faith,  and 
the  hope  of  the  Gospel  he  had  so  faithfully 
preached,  on  May  16,  1869. 

PASTORATE  OF  DR.  BUCHANAN. 

Joseph  C.  Buchanan  was  born  in  Ringoes,  N. 
J.,  in  1841.  He  entered  the  sophomore  class  of 
Madison  University  in  October,  1863,  taking  the 
degree  of  A.  M.,  in  course,  three  years  later.  He 
accepted  a  call  to  this  church  in  1867,  and  was 
ordained  here,  Oct.  1st  of  that  year.  Rev.  D.  J. 
Yerkes,  D.  D.,  of  Plainfield,  preached  on  the 
occasion,  and  Rev.  J.  D.  Morell  delivered  the 
charge  to  the  candidate,  and  Rev.  L.  O.  Grenell 
to  the  church.  He  remained  here  until  September 
1st,  1878,  when  he  resigned  this  his  first  pastorate, 
to  accept  the  call  of  the  PembertoQ  Baptist  Church, 
where  he  still  remains.  During  his  pastorate  at 
Pemberton,  Bucknell  University  at  Lewisburg, 
Pa.,  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity. 


REV.   J.   C    BUCHANAN.    D.D. 


Br.  Buchanan  is  a  good  theologian,  a  thought- 
ful preacher,  a  judicious,  affectionate  pastor,  and 
has  been  prospered  in  winning  souls.  When  he 
assumed  charge  of  this  church  a  pleasant  state  of 
religious  feeling  met  the  pastor  at  the  outset;  and 
by  a  faithful  preaching  of  the  gospel,  attended  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  a  most  important  work  of 
grace  was  experienced  in  the  year  1868.  Nearly 
fifty  were  baptised,  and  many  who  are  now  tried 
and  true  members  of  'the  church  were  converted 
and  put  on  Christ  in  baptism  as  the  fruit  of  his 
ministry  here. 

An  important  material  work  accomplished  during 
the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Buchanan  was  the  erection  of 
our  present  house  of  worship.  The  old  church  ed- 
ifice was  sold.  A  considerable  part  of  the  parson- 
age farm  was  sold  for  building  lots,  and  a  substan- 
tial structure  was  erected  on  a  fine  corner,  near 
where  the  old  building  stood.  The  present  house 
is  fifty  feet  by  one  hundred  and  ten  feet  including 
the  lecture  room  in  the  rear.  The  main  audience 
room  is  fifty  by  seventy  feet  with  recess  puli^it. 
The  building  is  gothic  in  style,  with  corner 
tower  and  spire.  The  material  is  pressed  brick, 
with  Ohio  stone  and  white  brick  trimmings,  and 
slate  roof.  The  cost  including  furniture  and  organ, 
was  Thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  removal  of  the 
railroad  further  from  the  village,  thus  preventing 
the  increase  of  population,  which  was  confidently 
expected,  together  with  the  financial  dejoression 
of  the  times  left  the  church  heavily  involved  in 
debt,  which  rested  wearily  upon  them  for  many 
years. 

Dr.  Buchanan,  labored  self-sacrificingly  and 
well,  and  very  many  members  of  the  church  as 
31 


well  as  of  the  community  hold  him  in  highest 
regard.  He  is  actively  engaged  in  furthering  the 
religious  interests  of  our  State,  as  well  as  our  own 
denominational  interests  in  addition  to  those  of  his 
pastorate.  While  Dr.  Buchanan,  is  a  New  Jersey- 
man,  yet  his  constant  effort  is  for  the  widest 
dissemination  of  gospel  truth.  May  he  long  live 
to  witness  the  results  of  his  labors. 

PASTORATE  OF  REY.  MR.  GUISCARD. 

Uriah  B.  G-uiscard,  was  bom  and  educated  in 
England.  In  this  country  he  was  Pastor  at  Banks- 
ville,  N.  Y.,  at  New  London,  Conn..  atBrewsters, 
N.  Y.,  and  at  Greenport,  L.  I.  In  each  of  these 
places  he  made  a  good  record.  He  was  called  to 
the  pastorate  of  this  church  April  29,  1879,  and 
accepted  the  position  early  in  August  of  the  same 
year. 

During  his  pastorate  the  church  lost  by  death 
three  tried  and  honored  deacons,  viz. :  Jared  S. 
Stout,  Henry  Hetfield  and  L.  H.  K.  Smalley.  Only 
two  persons  were  baptised  here  by  Bro.  Guis- 
card.  He  resigned  his  charge  March  26,  1882. 
During  his  administration  a  fine  toned  bell  was 
placed  in  the  tower  of  the  church  mainly  by  his 
efforts.  The  cemetery  also  was  surrounded  with  a 
neat  iron  fence.  Mr.  Guiscard,  was  a  good 
preacher,  and  had  many  amiable  qualities.  After 
his  resignation  he  settled  at  Newton,  N.  J. ,  where 
he  remained  a  few  years.  He  died,  and  was  buried 
from  the  home  of  his  son  in  Summit,  N.  J.,  at  the 
age  of  seventy-one  years. 


REV.    U.    B.   GUISCARD. 


PASTORATE  OF  REV.  DR.  PARKS. 
Prepared  by  Judge  J.  D.  Cleaver. 

James  H.  Parks  was  horn  in  tlie  City  of  New- 
York,  July  13,  1829.  He  was  converted  in  the 
year  1847,  and  united  with  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church.  Soon  after  he  commenced  a  course  of 
preparation  for  Rutgers'  College,  having  the  Min- 
istry in  view,  but  health  failing,  and  a  series  of 
circumstances  arising  which  brought  the  subject  of 
Christian  Baptism  to  his  attention,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  make  a  thorough  examination  of  Scrip- 
tural teachings  upon  the  subject,  which  resulted  in 
his  being  immersed,  on  profession  of  faith,  on  the 
second  day  of  July,  1854. 

He  afterward  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  at 
Columbian  College,  Washington,  D.  C,  and  re- 
ceived the  Degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  upon  Ex- 
amination, from  that  Institution. 

He  was  also  honored  with  the  Degree  of  A.M. 
from  Princeton  College,  New  Jersej^. 

He  was  ordained  to  the  Ministry,  May  28,  1856. 

He  has  been  Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Churches  at 
Stamford,  Connecticut;  Bedford,  New  York ;  Pem- 
berton.  New  Jersey ;  Mannayunk,Pa. ,  and  Norwich, 
Conn. ;  Calvary,  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania ;  Lin- 
den Avenue,  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  Scotch  Plains, 
New  Jersey. 

While  Pastor  at  Scotch  Plains,  in  the  year  1889, 
he  received  the  Degree  of  D.D.  from  Shurtliff 
College,  Illinois. 

He  settled  with  the  Scotch  Plains  Church  the 
second  week  in  January  in  the  year  1883,  and 
resigned  the  pastorate  December  31,  in  the  year 
1893. 


During  his  pastorate  seventy-nine  members  by 
baptism  or  letter  were  added  to  tlie  Churcli. 

The  years  1882-83  formed  a  critical  period  in 
the  history  of  this  Church. 

It  was  the  culminating  period  in  a  distressing 
series  of  financial  disasters  and  spiritual  barren- 
ness. 

It  was  the  "Harvest  Home,"  when  were  garnered 
the  Dead  Sea  fruits  of  unwise  and,  as  the  result 
proved,  almost  ruinous  business  mismanagement. 

Many  who  had  been  active  and  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  the  Church  were  gone. 

Some  were  alienated,  some  driven  out  by  a  spirit 
of  intolerance,  some  were  dead,  some  removed  to 
other  places. 

A  decade  of  business  blunders  and  mistakes  of 
management  had  given  birth  to  unchristian  feel- 
ings and  harsh  recrimination,  so  that  the  year  of 
our  Lord  1882  found  but  a  few  left  who  were  will- 
ing to  stand  by  the  fortunes  of  this  venerable 
church,  when  the  storm-waves  were  beating  high 
upon  her  walls  and  undermining  her  foundations. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  time  of  peril  which  made  all 
those  who  loved  the  church,  for  herself,  her  his- 
tory and  her  mission,  realize  that  there  was  need 
of  all  being  done  that  could  be  done  by  all  who 
still  clung  to  the  cause,  and  were  willing  to  go  on, 
hoping  and  trusting  that  in  His  own  time  and  way 
God  would  raise  up  instrumentalities  for  the  care 
and  perpetuation  of  this,  His  Zion. 

So  serious  was  the  condition  in  the  years  1881 
and  1882,  that  it  was  with  great  difficulty  the 
Treasurer  could  raise  the  paltry,  weekly  stipend  of 
ten  dollars,  then  the  pay  received  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Guiscard,  the  then  Pastor,  while  at  the  same  time 
34 


the  meeting  house,  the  Parsonage  and  the  grounds 
around  them  were  steadily  falling  into  dilapida- 
tion and  decay;  and,  still  worse,  the  time  when 
the  interest  upon  the  Mortgage  debt  of  the  Church, 
if  not  the  debt  itself,  would  have  to  be  met,  and 
with  absolutely  no  provision  being  made  or 
thought  possible  to  be  made  to  meet  either. 

It  is  not  a  matter  of  wonder  that  in  such  circum- 
stances, a  proposition  was  seriously  made  by  a 
trustee,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board,  that  the 
Meeting  House  and  other  property  of  the  Church 
covered  by  the  Mortgages  (which  were  held  by 
Warren  Ackerman,  Esquire,  who  had  generously 
forborne  the  interest  thereon  for  five  years),  should 
be  abandoned,  and  the  property  surrendered. 

As  the  Mortgages  covered  everything  belonging 
to  the  Church  which  could  be  Mortgaged,  real  and 
personal,  even  down  to  the  Communion  Service, 
such  abandonment  could  not  be  permitted. 

This  brief  sketch  outlines  the  perilous  conditions 
which  existed  in  the  years  1881-2;  the  inheritance 
from  former  years  of  mistakes  and  mismanage- 
ment. 

Every  one,  or  nearly  every  one,  felt  that  it  was 
quite  time  to  call  upon  a  leader  who  could  devote 
zeal  with  knowledge,  experience  and  business 
ability  to  the  work  of  rescue  and  relief — a  man  who 
would  be  a  brave  and  skilful  Captain,  to  lead  the 
"forlorn  hope,"  and  save  the  dear  old  church  from 
utter  annihilation. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  November,  1882, 
by  a  unanimous  vote,  the  church  extended  a  call 
to  become  its  Pastor,  to  the  Rev.  James  H.  Parks, 
and  on  the  Eighth  day  of  December,  next  there- 
after, at  a  special  Parish  Meeting  called  to  con- 

35 


sider  the  subject,  the  call  so  made  by  the  church, 
was  cordially  and  with  practical  unanimity  en- 
dorsed by  the  Parish,  there  being  only  three  dis- 
senting votes. 

After  consultation  with  the  trustees,  and  after 
receiving  from  each  member  of  the  Board  his  per- 
sonal assurance  that  he  would  stand  by,  help,  aid 
and  assist,  with  Prayers  and  work,  and  with  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  direful  condition,  spiritual  and 
financial,  which  surrounded  the  task  before  him, 
the  Reverend  James  H.  Parks  accepted  the  call 
which  he  had  received,  and  entered  upon  the  ardu- 
ous work  before  him,  on  the  second  week  of  Jan- 
uary, 1883. 

Of  a  truth,  the  labor  was  great,  but  seemed  to 
be  to  the  new  pastor  a  labor  of  love  as  well,  and 
success  seemed  to  crown  his  efforts  at  the  very 
beginning. 

Hitj  organizing  talent  and  executive  ability,  re- 
inforced by  remarkable  energy,  inspired  all  around 
him  with  kindred  vitality  and  strength  of  purpose. 
Where  fear  and  despair  had  so  lately  held  their 
paralyzing  sway,  faith  re-asserted  herself.  Hope 
arose  to  newness  of  life,  courage  once  more  filled 
and  fired  all  hearts;  and  very  soon  under  their 
wise  and  careful  leader,  every  one  was  a  willing, 
cheerful  co-worker  for  the  redemption  of  the  old 
church  from  her  bondage  of  debt. 

Methods  Avere  adopted  to  meet  the  accruing  in- 
terest on  the  mortgage  debt,  provision  was  made 
for  the  current  expenses  of  the  Church,  and  a 
brave  and  successful  attack  was  planned  and 
carried  into  effect  too  for  the  reduction  of  the  prin- 
cipal of  the  mortgage  debt. 


REV.   J.    H.    PARKS.    D.D. 


Although  those  were  days  of  serious  thought 
and  severe  and  incessant  toil,  they  were  also  times 
of  great  enjoyment.  Peace  reigned  in  our  coun- 
cils, and  harmony  of  purpose  and  action  wrought 
their  natural  work.  Pastor  and  people  were 
united. 

They  could  see  that,  with  God's  blessing,  they 
were  gaining  ground  and  could  even  anticipate 
the  time  when  the  last  fetter  of  debt  should  be 
knocked  off  and  the  Scotch  Plains  Baptist  Church 
should  be  again,  what  for  more  than  a  Century 
she  had  been,  dedicated  to  the  Lord's  service,  free 
and  clear  of  all  debt. 

Among  the  means  to  this  glorious  end  introduced 
by  the  new  Pastor,  one  ought  not  to  pass  unmen- 
tioned  in  the  annals  of  those  days  of  trial  and 
triumph,  viz. :  The  Ladies'  Circle. 

The  New  Pastor  had  brought  with  him  an  help- 
meet, invaluable  to  himself  and  to  the  Church, 
and  when  upon  the  Organization  of  "The  Ladies' 
Circle,"  Mrs.  Parks  became  its  President,  with 
Mrs.  Huldah  D.  Cleaver  as  Vice  President,  Miss 
Mary  Dunn,  Treasurer,  Miss  Hannah  Hayes,  Sec- 
retary, and  a  Board  of  Managers,  there  came  into 
life  one  of  the  most,  if  not  the  most  potent  factors 
for  the  success  of  the  work  in  hand. 

Under  the  wise  and  skilful  guidance  of  their 
beloved  President, who  worked  with  her  head,  her 
heart,  and  her  hands,  the  ladies  of  the  Church, 
without  regard  to  age,  rallied  with  an  ardor  that 
shed  new  lustre  upon  the  sex,  and  worked  with 
the  utmost  zeal  and  untiring  energy.  Indeed 
more  money  was  raised  through  this  splendid  band 
of  women,  than  through  any  other  one  agency 
then  in  operation. 

37 


Thus,  under  the  judicious  Management  of  Doc- 
tor Parks,  the  work  of  getting  the  Church  upon 
solid  ground  went  bravely  and  successfully  on. 

Doctor  Parks  had  some  heroic  co-workers  in 
those  days,  foremost  among  whom  was  Doctor 
F.  W.  Westcott. 

It  may  be  permitted  to  mention  here  some  inci- 
dents of  how  they  then  worked.  The  Furnace 
underneath  the  Church  was  so  out  of  Order  (and 
to  get  a  new  one  was  impossible)  that  the  Audi- 
torium could  only  be  warmed  for  Sunday  Service 
by  having  someone  sit  up  all  the  night  before  with 
the  furnace  and  coax  it  along. 

Doctors  Parks  and  Westcott  were  the  men  for  the 
Emergency.  They  did  it  alternately,  and  thus  the 
old  furnace  was  forced  to  do  duty  until  a  new  one 
could  be  bought. 

When  the  Ladies'  Circle  gave  Entertainments  at 
which  oysters  were  served,  it  was  a  sight  well 
worth  the  seeing,  and  not  easily  to  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  understood  all  that  it  meant,  to  see  these 
two  Doctors,  Parks  and  Westcott,  standing  with 
coats  off,  and  sleeves  rolled  up,  opening  the  rough- 
coated  bivalves,  for  the  guests  at  the  festivals. 

It  was  a  homely  but  needed  work.  They  did  it 
well.  They  honored  the  work.  The  work  honored 
them.  They  were  working  for  the  Master's  Cause, 
and  their  work  met  His  approval,  and  was  crowned 
with  success. 

Space  does  not  permit  the  narration  of  other  in- 
cidents to  illustrate  the  character  and  toilsomeness 
of  the  services  and  sacrifices  made  by  the  Men  and 
Women,  and  Children  also,  of  the  Parish  in  that 
period  of  Supreme  Struggle.  Suffice  it  to  say:  All 
38 


were  animated  by  the  high  and  holy  resolve  to 
save  the  old  Church,  and  their  resolve  was  chrystal- 
ized  into  action. 

The  Lord  blessed  their  efforts,  and  from  the 
nettle  of  seeming  Ruin,  they  plucked  the  fragrant 
flower  of  Victory. 

Pastor  and  People  were  of  one  mind,  enthusi- 
astic and  happy. 

They  saw  the  dark  and  ominous  cloud,  which 
had  hovered  so  low  and  so  long,  over  them  passing 
away,  and  the  dawn  of  a  better  and  brighter  day 
was  beginning  to  purple  the  east. 

Church  and  Parish  were  laboring  as  a  unit. 
Faith  and  Good  works  blended  in  one  harmonious 
impulse,  and  under  the  sway  of  such  motors,  all 
were  content  to  work  on  assured  of  the  blessing  of 
the  Most  High.  During  this  time  the  interest  was 
paid  and  S2,«)00  on  mortgage  debt.  Thus  it  was 
and  thus  continued  the  surroundings  of  the  Church, 
when  in  the  year  1888,  Matthias  Frazee  Lee,  an 
old  member  of  the  church  died,  and  by  his  will, 
made  her  the  residuary  legatee  of  an  estate 
estimated  to  be  worth  One  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand Dollars  ($150,000)  or  more. 

This  will  was  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Lee's  legal  ad- 
viser, and  was  made  and  executed  absolutely  with- 
out the  knowledge  of  the  church  or  any  of  its 
members,  except  only  the  testator  himself. 

As  is  usual  in  such  cases,  the  dead  man's  will 
and  wishes  in  regard  to  the  disposition  of  his  prop- 
erty were  not  respected. 

He  was  a  bachelor.  He  had  no  one  dependent 
upon  him.  He  was  under  no  obligation  to  any  of 
his  relatives. 


His  next  of  kin  were  two  uncles,  both  older 
than  himself ,  both  comfortably  well  off  as  to  "this 
world's  gear."  One  of  them  was  a  member  of 
this  church,  the  other  belonged  to  the  Presbyter- 
ian Charch  of  Westfield,  New  Jersey. 

These  two  men  set  on  foot  legal  proceedings  to 
nullify  the  last  will  and  testament  of  their  nephew, 
who  had  lived  all  his  life  near  neighbor  to  them, 
and  whom  they  knew  to  be  a  man  of  far  more  than 
ordinary  mind  and  capacity  for  business. 

It  was  evident,  as  the  case  developed,  that  the 
uncles  were  mere  "figureheads"  in  the  contest. 

That  they  had  permitted  themselves  to  be  used 
by  others  who  were  not  next  of  kin  to  the 
Testator. 

These  people,  most  of  whom  were  cousins  to  Mr. 
Lee,  many  of  whom  had  shared  his  bounty  during 
his  lifetime — these  instigators  of  the  attack  upon  the 
will  of  Mr.  Lee  made  their  appearance  at  the  Court. 
(The  old  men  whose  names  were  used  as  nominal 
contestants  did  not  appear),  and  did  their  utmost 
to  cover  with  shame  and  obloquy  the  life,  career 
and  memory  of  the  man  whose  money  they  sought 
to  grasp  against  his  wish  and  will,  solemnly  ex- 
pressed. 

As  the  real  parties  to  this  shameful  scheme,  they 
dragged  the  vicinity  for  willing  and  unwilling 
witnesses — many  of  whom  were  debtors  to  Mr. 
Lee — they  themselves ;  some  of  them  became  wit- 
nesses, and  in  their  own  interest  swore  down  the 
dead  man's  character,  his  wishes  and  his  will. 

The  outcome  was  that  the  church  became  weary 
of  the  long  and  expensive  contest  against  avarice; 
a  compromise  was  made,  and  they  who  had  fought 
so   viciously  for   their  kinsman's  money,    which 

40 


SOME  mp:mbers  of  the  ladies  circle. 


they  knew  he  intended  they  should  not  have,  car- 
ried off  the  major  part  of  the  estate.  Let  us  not 
envy  them  all  the  pleasure  they  can  derive  from 
wealth  thus  obtained. 

The  small  portion  of  the  original  estate  which 
finally  came  to  the  church,  enabled  the  Trustees  to 
obey  the  first  condition  of  the  legacy,  by  paying 
the  debt  of  the  church.  The  balance  of  the  fund 
is  held  by  the  terms  of  the  Will  "to  be  used  by 
said  Church  in  spreading  the  Gospel." 

Another  event  which  marked  the  Pastorate  of 
Doctor  Parks,  and  seemed  to  characterize  it  as  the 
Era  of  Legacies,  was  that  of  the  death  of  James  C. 
Lyon,  (which  took  place  July  7,  1890),  another 
former  member  of  the  church  having  departed  this 
life,  made  the  church  the  residuary  legatee  under 
his  last  Will.  Happily  this  gift  came  unattended 
by  the  disagreeable  and  exasperating  displays  of 
greed  which  marked  the  Lee  bequest ;  and  so  in 
due  season,  and  in  conformity  with  the  will  of  the 
testator,  his  executor,  William  C.  Stanbery, 
Esquire,  turned  over  to  the  church  the  residue  of 
the  Estate  valued  at  about  Ten  thousand  Dollars 
($10,000).  This  legacy  came  as  a  free  gift  untram- 
melled by  any  restrictions  or  limitations. 

Let  the  memory  of  Lee  and  Lyon  ever  be  kept 
freshly  and  lovingly  in  the  minds  of  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  our  old  Zion.  A  beautiful  memorial 
tablet  has  been  erected  conspicuously  upon  the 
church  building  to  each  of  those  benefactors  of  the 
church. 

The  first  decade  of  Doctor  Parks'  Pastorate 
was,  simply,  a  struggle  for  life. 

The  Old  Ship  which  for  more  than  a  century  had 
sailed  upon  her  course  safely  and  steadily  bear- 
41 


ing  tlie  "glad  tidings"  the  Gospel  of  Love  and 
Salvation,  was  now  tempest  tossed — storm  beaten 
— well  nigh  wrecked.  Self  preservation,  the  first 
law  of  nature,  demanded  that  every  energy  of 
Captain,  Officers  and  Crew,  should  be  directed  to 
saving  the  ship,  well  knowing,  as  they  did,  that 
unless  the  ship  were  saved  from  wreck,  her  long 
and  noble  voyage,  already  sailed,  would  end 
disastrously  and  forever. 

If  therefore  it  should  appear  to  the  reader  of 
this  review  of  Doctor  Park's  Pastorate,  that  too 
much  time  and  labor  were  devoted  to  the  worldly 
or  financial  interests  of  the  Church,  and  too  little 
to  her  spiritual  growth ;  it  is  felt  that  the  criticism 
must  be  toned  down  and  softened  by  the  recollec- 
tion of  the  stern  and  unrelenting  necessities  which 
threatened  the  very  existence  of  the  Church. 

But  the  spiritual  things — the  preaching  and 
prayer  services  were  never  at  anytime  neglected  or 
intermitted. 

The  Christian  Graces  were  reared  and  fortified 
in  the  school  of  severe  practical  training  and  alert 
watchfulness.  It  was  a  discipline  of  realities  in 
which  Faith  and  Good  AYorks  so  constantly  met 
and  mingled,  that  old-time  Christians  were 
strengthened  and  renewed,  while  the  Novitiates 
felt  their  hearts  warmed,  and  under  the  inspiration 
of  the  constant  struggle  for  the  cause,  were  built 
up  and  made  to  "quit  themselves  like  men." 

The  latter  years  of  Doctor  Parks'  Pastorate  were 
marked  by  a  quiet  and  gradual  growth  in  the 
Church,  and  when  he  decided  to  resign  the  charge 
he  so  faithfully  had  kej)t  for  eleven  years,  his 
resignation  was  accepted  by  Church  and  Parish 
with  unaffected  and  universal  regret. 

43 


REV.   JAMES   S.   BRAKER. 


He  carried  with  him  into  his  retirement,  the 
esteem  and  respect  of  the  community,  and  the 
sincere  love  of  his  Parishioners  and  Church  Mem- 
bers. 

He  is  now  living  in  his  own  home,  opposite  the 
scene  of  his  recent  labors ;  and  may  the  Lord  bless 
and  keep  him  and  his  estimable  wife  for  years  yet 
to  come. 

The  present  Pastor  of  the  church  is  Rev.  J.  S. 
Braker.  He  was  born  in  Camden,  N.  J.,  in  1863, 
and  was  educated  at  Bucknell  University  and 
Crozer  Theological  Seminary.  He  has  held  pastor- 
ates at  Passayunk  Baptist  Church  and  at  Temple 
Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  He  accepted 
the  call  of  this  church  in  April,  1894.  His  pastor- 
ate is  yet  too  young  to  record  results — But  he  has 
the  hearty  co-operation  of  the  church.  He  has 
baptised  a  number  into  its  fellowship,  and  all  hope 
he  may  be  successful  in  accomplishing  the  will  of 
the  God  of  the  church. 

Thus  Jehovah  has  always  provided  leaders  for 
His  people,  who  have  broken  to  them  the  bread  of 
life,  and  conducted  them  amid  the  intricacies  of 
the  way  heavenward. 

LICENTIATES. 

Lay  preaching  was  at  least  tacitly  authorized  as 
long  ago  as  1791  when  it  was  "voted  that  the 
deacons  exercise  their  gifts  in  case  of  disappoint- 
ment by  the  minister."  The  minutes,  also  record 
instances  in  which  persons  asked  for  license  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  after  the  church  "had  in- 
vestigated and  inquired  into  their  fitness,"  they 
were  advised  that  "they  would  be  more  useful  in 
some  other  department  of  the  Lord's   vineyard." 

43 


The  following  persons,  however,  were  licensed  by 
vote  of  the  church. 

Henry  Crosley,  one  of  the  original  members, 
was  licensed  about  the  year  1750,  and  was  ordained 
at  Schooley's  Mountain  in  1753. 

David  Sutton  was  baptised  by  Rev.  Mr.  Miller, 
soon  after  the  church  was  constituted,  and  was 
licensed  in  1758  and  ordained  in  1761. 

John  Sutton,  who  was  a  brother  of  David,  was 
baptised,  licensed  and  ordained  at  the  same  time 
his  brother  was,  and  became  an  eminently  useful 
Minister  of  the  Gospel. 

James  Manning,  D.  D.,  was  baptised  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Miller,  licensed  and  ordained  at  Scotch  Plains. 
Elsewhere  his  great  usefulness  and  the  eminence 
he  attained  in  the  Denomination,  have  been  re- 
corded. 

Daniel  Dane  was  baptised  in  August,  1771,  and 
licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  in  1773. 

Jacob  F.  Randolph  was  baptised  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Van  Horn  in  1786  and  licensed  in  1791.  He  had 
previously  exercised  his  talents  in  the  occasional 
absence  of  the  Pastor.  He  was  ordained  at  Mount 
Bethel  in  the  same  year,  and  afterward  served  as 
Pastor  at  Samptown;  and  when  the  Plainfield 
First  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1818  he  be- 
came their  Pastor.  He  was  devotedly  pious,  ar- 
dently zealous,  and  possessed  a  peculiar  sweetness 
of  disposition.  He  was  Pastor  at  Plainfield  about 
ten  years,  and  died  in  the  triumphs  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith. 

Marmaduke  Earl  who  was  a  member  of  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  and  graduate  of  Columbia 
College,  became  a  baptist  in  1789.     He  united  with 

44 


this  Churcli  in  1790  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in 
1791.  He  was  Pastor  for  several  years  at  Oyster 
Bay,  L.  I. 

Henry  Ball,  son  of  Deacon  Aaron  Ball,  was 
licensed  to  preach  in  1805.  He  labored  twenty- 
seven  years  at  Brookfield,  N.  Y.,  and  afterward 
was  useful  at  Greenville,  Factoryville  and  Middle- 
town,  N.  Y.  At  the  latter  place  he  was  instru- 
mental in  organizing  a  Baptist  Church,  which  has 
since  become  a  strong  people. 

Obediah  B.  Brown  of  Newark,  came  to  Scotch 
Plains,  to  study  under  direction  of  Rev.  Mr.  Van 
Horn.  He  was  licensed  January  1,  1806.  Soon 
after,  he  accompanied  Deacon  Ezra  Darby,  M.  C, 
to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  became  Pastor  of  a 
church  in  that  City. 

Hervey  Ball,  nephew  of  Henry  Ball,  was  grad- 
uated at  Columbian  College,  Washington,  D.C.,  and 
was  soon  after  licensed  to  preach.  His  life  was 
spent  chiefly  in  teaching. 

Elias  Frost  was  licensed  in  1830  and  removed 
to  Hamburg,  Sussex  Co.,  N.  J. 

These  are  all  whom  the  minutes  record  as  hav- 
ing received  license  directly  from  this  church ; 
though  others  who  have  been  members  with  us,  and 
removed  to  sister  churches,  have  received  license 
from  the  respective  churches  to  which  they  went. 

DEACONS. 

It  should  be  said  here,  that  when  the  church 
was  organized,  officers  were  elected  who  are  not 
usually  recognized  by  Baptist  churches.  They 
were  called  Ruling  Elders,  and  seem  to  have  con- 
stituted an  Advisory  Board  with  the  Pastor.  The 
office  continued  for  about  forty  years,  and  was 
45 


then  quietly  allowed  to  drop  out  of  sight.  Those 
who  occupied  this  position  were  William  Darby, 
Recompense  Stanbery,  Peter  Wilcox,  John  Stites, 
Samuel  Drake,  Samuel  Doty,  John  Blackford  and 
Joseph  Manning, 

Recompense  Stanbery  and  William  Darby  were 
the  first  deacons.  They  were  elected  at  the  first 
business  meeting  of  the  church,  October  14,  1747. 
They  were  chosen  to  the  double  office  of  Deacon 
and  Ruling  Elder.  They  served  faithfully  and 
well  until  their  death.  Joseph  Allen  was  elected 
April  6,  1748,  and  retained  the  office  until  his 
death  in  1797. 

Gabriel  Ogden  and  Samuel  Brooks  were  elected 
in  July,  1765.  Deacon  Ogden  was  dismissed  upon 
his  removal  to  Sussex  Co.,  and  Deacon  Brooks 
died  March  24,  1788. 

Joseph  F.  Randolph  was  elected  July  30,  1777, 
and  died  in  1782. 

David  Morris  was  elected  in  October,  1777,  and 
served  until  he  removed  to  Kentucky  in  1788. 

Daniel  Drake  was  a  deacon  and  died  October  1, 
1777. 

Nathaniel  Drake  was  a  younger  brother  of 
Daniel,  and  became  a  deacon  and  discharged  his 
duties  until  his  death  in  1801. 

Noah  Clark  was  chosen  a  deacon  and  served  un- 
til his  death  in  1801,  a  period  of  about  ten  years. 

Benjamin  Blackford  was  elected  in  1791,  and 
served  until  his  removal  to  Samptown  at  the  or- 
ganization of  that  church. 

Melvin  Parse  was  appointed  to  succeed  Deacon 
Blackford,  and  served  thirty-four  years  until  the 
time  of  his  death  in  1827. 
46 


Aaron  Ball  was  chosen  in  1793,  and  continued 
in  office  more  than  forty-eight  years. 

John  B.  Osborn  and  Ezra  Darby  were  elected 
February  13,  1802.  Deacon  Osborn  served  until 
his  death.  Deacon  Darby  was  chosen  to  represent 
the  State  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  in 
1804.  While  performing  his  duties  at  the  Capitol, 
he  was  suddenly  removed  by  death,  Jamiary  28, 
1808.  He  was  buried  in  the  Congressional  Cemetery 
which  is  a  beautiful  spot  situated  about  two  miles 
from  the  Capitol,  on  the  banks  of  the  "East 
Branch"  of  the  Potomac  Kiver.  His  name  is 
number  two  in  the  list  of  interments.  His 
tomb  is  situated  in  the  North  East  corner  of  the 
cemetery  on  a  gentle  mound,  overlooking  the 
peaceful  valley  of  the  "Eastern  Branch,"  and  the 
picturesque  hills  of  Maryland  beyond.  The  in- 
scription on  the  tomb  is  simply  "In  memory  of 
Ezra  Darby,  born  at  Scotch  Plains,  New  Jersey. 
Member  of  Congress  from  that  State.  Died  in  this 
City,  January  28,  1808.  In  the  39th  year  of  his 
age.   A  Patriot.  A  Philanthropist.  A  Christian." 

James  Brown  was  elected  to  fill  Deacon  Darby's 
place  in  1809.     He  died  June  5,  1811. 

Henry  Hetfield  was  appointed  in  1828,  and 
served  about  sixteen  years,  when  he  removed  his 
church  relationship  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  after- 
wards to  Somerville,  N.  J.  He  was  re-elected 
when  he  returned,  and  served  until  the  Master 
called  him  home. 

Jonathan  Osborn  was  chosen  on  27th  of  July, 
1830,  and  served  until  1842,  when  he  removed  to 
the  State  of  New  York. 

Dr.  Corra  Osborn,  Alexander  Wilson,  William 
Hand,  Maxwell  Frazee,  Corra  O.  Meeker  and  James 

47 


Pugsley  were  all  elected  between  1841  and  1844, 
and  filled  the  office  well  and  faithfully.  Randolph 
G.  Silvers  was  also  an  efficient  deacon.  Jared  S. 
Stout  and  L.  H.  K.  Smalley  have  also  served  the 
church  honorably  and  satisfactorily  until  they 
were  called  up  higher. 

During  the  last  fifteen  years  or  more,  "William 
Archbold,  David  Hand,  Dr.  J.  A.  Coles  and  Thomas 
Mead  have  consecratedly  and  devoutly  occupied 
the  office.  Deacon  Mead  removed  to  Spring  Val- 
ley, N.  Y.,  last  year,  and  resigned  his  position. 

CLERKS. 

As  appears  by  the  minutes,  those  who  have  per- 
formed the  duties  of  clerk,  have  been  Recom- 
pense Stanbery,  Ichabod  Valentine,  Jr.,  David 
Morris,  Robert  F.  Randolph,  Aaron  Ball,  Ezra 
Darby,  Jonathan  Hand  Osborn,  Jonathan  Osborn, 
Jr.,  Alexander  Wilson,  C.  0.  Meeker,  Thomas 
Ward,  O.  M.  Putnam,  L.  H.  K.  Smalley,  Thomas 
Cleaver,  R.  C.  Treadwell  and  George  Dunn. 

Bro.  Dunn  is  now  acting  in  that  capacity.  Thus 
the  church  has  been  fully  officered  during  all  the 
years  of  its  existence.  Even  during  the  dark 
times  of  the  Revolutionary  Struggle,  while  the 
minutes  of  that  period  are  scant  and  unsatisfactory, 
and  the  business  meetings  irregular,  yet  the  church 
maintained  its  existence,  and  kept  the  banner  of 
the  cross  in  sight. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  church  has  always  defended  Baptist  prin- 
ciples :  among  these,  soul  liberty,  or  rights  of  con- 
science, by  which  our  fathers  understood  that 
every  one  has  a  right  to  think  and  believe  without 

48 


dictation  from  any  earthly  power,  being  respon- 
sible to  God  only.  To  worship  God  according  to 
the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience.  A  century 
and  a  half  ago  this  principle  was  not  so  generally 
endorsed  by  other  denominations  as  it  is  now,  but 
it  has  always  been  the  teaching  of  Baptists. 

When  the  province  of  New  Jersey  was  ceded  to 
Lord  Berkley  and  Sir  George  Cartaret,by  the  Duke 
of  York,  in  1664,  religious  freedom  was  guaranteed 
in  the  charter  thus :  "No  person  at  any  time  shall 
be  anyways  molested,  punished,  disquieted,  or 
called  in  question  for  any  difference  of  opinion  or 
practice  in  matters  of  religious  concernment." 
This  was  the  broad  teaching  which  our  fathers 
loved,  but  it  was  not  always  conformed  to  by 
paedobaptists  of   this  and  neighboring  provinces. 

In  1775  Baptists  as  well  as  others,  were  required 
to  pay  a  rate  ministerial  tax  for  the  support  of 
Presbyterian  and  Congregational  clergymen,  in 
some  of  the  provinces.  Our  fathers  felt  themselves 
wronged,  aggrieved  and  persecuted  by  this  require- 
ment. When  knowledge  of  the  fact  came  to  the 
ears  of  this  church,  on  the  first  of  February,  1775, 
they  appointed  one  Mr.  Smith,  to  go  to  England 
to  represent  and  defend  these  persecuted  breth- 
ren. The  church  paid  the  expenses  of  Mr.  Smith 
upon  this  mission. 

Dr.  Manning,  and  Dr.  Stennett,  who  was  known 
personally  to  George  III,  succeeded  in  getting  the 
ear  of  the  King.  The  consequence  was  that  His 
Majesty  "disallowed  and  rejected"  all  acts  of 
oppression  of  Baptists:  and  thus  one  of  the  first 
victories  of  soul  liberty  secured  on  this  continent 
was  gained  by  the  co-operation  of  this  church,  and 


the  payment  of  the  expenses  of  one  of  its  mem- 
bers, as  one  of  a  committee  upon  this  business. 

The  church  has  always  been  a  Strict  Communion 
church.  It  has  always  believed  and  taught  that 
they  only  were  entitled  to  the  privilege  of  the 
Lord's  table,  who  had  been  immersed  on  profession 
of  faith,  and  were  living  upright  and  consistent 
lives.  Our  fathers  were  uncompromising  in  their 
tenacious  adherence  to  this  principle.  Not  only 
would  they  refuse  to  commune  with  an  unbaptised 
person,  but  the  minutes  record  instances  in  which 
their  own  members  were  "Set  by,"  and  refused  the 
Lord's  Supper  until  they  had  acknowledged  some 
fault,  or  repented  of  some  sin,  or  indiscretion  of 
which  they  had  been  guilty.  No  officer  of  this 
church  would  ever  have  been  elected,  or  held  his 
position  long,  if  he  had  been  at  all  wavering  or 
uncertain  upon  the  communion  question.  So,  too, 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  church.  They  have  always 
been  unequivocally  stated  and  implicitly  believed. 
The  Bible  has  ever  been  our  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  While  the  church  adopted  the  Philadel- 
phia Confession  of  Faith,  yet  it  has  never  con- 
formed to  any  creed  as  such,  but  always  tried 
every  summary  of  doctrine,  by  the  word  of  God 
and  endorsed  that  which  would  bear  the  test  of  its 
teachings.  We  have  reason  to  rejoice  that  our 
fathers  laid  the  foundations  of  our  Zion  deep  and 
strong,  and  that  hitherto  the  superstructure  has 
been  erected  upon  that  foundation. 

The  church  has  been  pecuniarily  self-sustaining 
from  its  organization.  It  has  never  received  any 
help  or  assistance  from  Home  Mission  Society, 
State  Convention,  nor  any  other  benevolent  organ- 
ization of  our  denomination ;  while  it  has  always 

60 


counted  it  a  privilege  to  contribute  to  the  needs  of 
others;  not  to  the  extent  of  our  ability,  perhaps, 
but  always  in  some  degree. 

The  church  has  been  at  peace  with  itself  from 
the  beginning,  No  serious  inharmony  nor  dissen- 
sion has  ever  prevailed,  and  we  have  never  had 
occasion  to  call  a  council  of  the  denomination  to 
settle  disputes.  To  the  Great  Head  in  Zion  be  the 
praise  and  not  to  us.  We  are  doubtless  as  heady 
and  strong  willed  as  any  in  the  Lord's  great  fam- 
ily, but  His  moulding  and  modifying  hand  has 
been  upon  us  from  the  beginning  even  until  now. 

The  church  has  never  been  numerically  large. 
Though  about  one  thousand  persons  have  been 
baptised  since  the  organization,  yet  the  member- 
ship at  any  one  time  has  never  been  large.  The 
reason  for  this  is  apparent.  We  are  geographically 
located  away  from  the  railroad  and  are  sur- 
rounded with  Baptist  churches.  Besides  this 
there  are  few  manufacturing  interests  in  our  imme- 
diate vicinity.  For  this  reason  young  persons 
who  have  been  converted  and  united  with  the 
church  have  only  remained  until  they  could  find 
employment  elsewhere.  Hence  the  church  has 
always  been  a  feeder  to  other  churches.  Young 
men  and  women  have  been  trained  in  church  work 
here,  and  then  have  gone  to  enrich  the  working 
force  of  other  churches,  while  few  have  located 
permanently  with  us.  We  count  it  a  privilege  to 
have  thus  contributed  to  the  greater  efiiciency  of 
neighboring  organizations  through  all  these  past 
years,  and  regard  it  a  success  if  we  have  main- 
tained a  creditable  average  membership. 

The  female  membership  has  been  an  important 
factor  in  the  success  of  every  church  enterprise.  The 

51 


records  show  that  while  women  have  never  been 
entrusted  with  any  official  church  position,  yet  the 
affectionately  devoted  lives,  and  hearty  co-opera- 
tion with  every  good  word  and  work,  of  many  of 
them,  has  endeared  them  to  the  church  and  made 
their  memory  hallowed  when  they  have  passed 
away.  Indeed,  many  a  wisely  planned  scheme  for 
church  enlargement  and  progress  would  have 
failed  but  for  the  prayers,  self-sacrificing  identifi- 
cation, deft  fingers  and  determined  application  of 
sisters  of  the  church,  who  regarded  no  effort  too 
great  to  make,  for  the  cause  so  dear  to  their  hearts. 
The  Ladies'  Circle  in  the  time  of  the  church's 
greatest  financial  need  helped  to  carry  the  burden 
for  years,  and  assisted  in  raising  both  the  prin- 
cipal and  interest  of  the  mortgage  debt.  All  honor 
to  the  consecrated  women  who  were  surely  related 
to  the  Marys  of  old,  who  were  last  at  the  cross 
and  first  at  the  sepulchre  of  our  risen  Lord. 

The  Sabbath  School  was  organized  during  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  John  Rogers,  in  the  year  1829, 
just  sixty-eight  years  ago.  Catechetical  and  Bible 
class  instruction,  however,  was  given  by  the  Pas- 
tors of  the  church  before  that  time.  The  East 
New  Jersey  Baptist  Sunday  School  Convention 
was  not  organized  until  1852,  and  our  Sunday 
School  immediately  united  with  it.  Its  second 
session  was  held  with  this  church  and  school  in 
1853.  It  is  impossible  to  collate  the  names  of  all 
who  have  served  as  Superintendents,  but  the  fol- 
lowing named  are  distinctly  remembered  by  some 
of  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  church: 
Deacon  Henry  Hetfield,  for  twenty-five  years, 
Thomas  Ward,  Thomas  Cleaver,  James  E.  Pugs- 
ley,  Randolph  Silvers,  Anson  Grant,  H.  E.  Need- 


ham,  Charles  A.  Smith,  L.  H.  K.  Smalley,  David 
Hand,  R.  C.  Tread  well,  George  Colgate  and  George 
E.  Hall.  Bro,  Hall  is  in  charge  of  the  school  at 
this  time,  and  is  efficiently  promoting  its  interests. 
He  is  also  President  of  the  East  N.  J.  Baptist  S. 
S.  Convention.  All  of  these  officers  have  been 
among  the  most  public  spirited,  self  sacrificing 
and  consecrated  members  of  the  church.  There 
has  always  been  a  corps  of  teachers  too,  of  both 
sexes,  who  have  labored  in  this  nursery  of  Zion, 
and  God  has  not  left  them  destitute  of  evidence  of 
His  approval. 

It  is  undoubtedly  a  historical  fact,  that  among 
the  great  army  of  Sunday  School  workers  in  our 
State,  it  may  be  declared  that  this  or  that  man 
was  born  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  by  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Scotch  Plains  Baptist  Sunday  School. 

The  church  has  had  thirteen  regular  Pastors,  of 
whom  four  are  yet  living,  viz. :  Rev.  J.  F.  Brown, 
D.D.,  Rev.  J.  C.  Buchanan,  D.D.,  Rev.  J.  H. 
Parks,  D.D.  and  Rev.  J.  S.  Braker,  the  present 
Pastor.  Two  of  these  Pastors  were  ordained  here, 
viz. :  Benjamin  Miller  and  Joseph  C.  Buchanan, 
and  two  are  buried  here,  viz.:  Rev.  Benj.  Miller 
and  Rev.  Joshua  E.  Rue.  The  longest  term  of 
office  continued  thirty-four  years,  and  the  shortest 
twenty  months.  The  average  is  more  than  twelve 
years. 

DESCENDANTS  OF  ORIGINAL  FAMILIES. 

Of  course  the  constituent  members  of  the  church 
have  long  since  gone  to  their  final  home  and  their 
reward,  but  some  of  their  descendants  are  still 
residents  of  our  town. 


Recompense  Stanbery,  one  of  the  constituent 
members  and  deacons,  liad  cliildren,  among  whom 
were  Recompense  Stanbery,  born  September  23, 
1758.  He  also  was  identified  with  the  church. 
Nine  children  were  the  result  of  his  marriage,  of 
whom  but  one  remains,  William  C.  Stanbery,  who 
is  an  honored  and  respected  member  of  our  com- 
munity. 

Rev,  Benjamin  Miller  left  one  son,  who  lived  in 
the  homestead,  the  farm  now  occupied  by  our 
honored  townsman,  A.  D.  Shepard.  He  had  sev- 
eral children.  Aaron  Drake  married  one  of  the 
granddaughters.  Two  of  his  children,  Miss  Sarah 
Drake  and  Miss  Louise  Barr,  are  now  identified 
with  us  and  are  the  only  members  of  the  church 
who  are  direct  descendants  of  the  first  pastor. 

John  Darby,  one  of  the  early  members,  married 
Nancy  Stanbery.  He  had  several  children.  Levi, 
Aaron,  John,  Joseph,  Recompense,  William,  Katie 
and  Margaret.  William  H.  Cleaver  married  Mar- 
garet, and  Judge  James  D.  Cleaver,  one  of  the  sons 
of  this  union,  is  a  member  of  our  Board  of  Trustees. 
He  was  President  of  the  Board  in  1847,  and  is 
again  President  this  present  year,  1897.  Levi 
Darby,  who  is  yet  with  us,  is  a  son  of  Aaron  Dar- 
by. Albert  B.  Darby,  now  of  Plainfield,  is  a  son  of 
Joseph,  who  was  a  member  and  trustee  of  this 
church  fifty  years  ago,  and  his  widow  is  still  a 
member  of  this  church. 

Benjamin  Stites,  whose  name  often  appears  in 
the  old  records,  had  three  sons — Henry,  Foster 
and  Benjamin.  Mrs.  James  D.  Cleaver  who  died 
only  two  years  ago,  the  wife  of  Judge  Cleaver, 
was  the  daughter  of  Benjamin.  Henry  Stites, 
who  passed  away  in  1894,  was  the  son  of  Foster, 

54 


Mrs.  Gershom  Little,  who  now  resides  in  our  com- 
munity is  the  daughter  of  Henry. 

James  Coles  came  into  this  community  in  the 
last  century.  One  of  his  sons  was  Dennis  Coles, 
who  was  the  father  of  our  lamented  fellow  mem- 
ber. Dr.  Abraham  Coles,  L.L.D.,  and  of  Mrs. 
Susan  Stout.  He  was  the  grandfather  of  Dr.  J. 
Ackerman  Coles  and  his  sister  Emily  who  are  still 
in  church  relationship  with  us.  Dennis  Crane, 
another  grandson,  is  also  a  member  of  the  church. 

Dr.  Corra  Osborn  was  a  deacon  of  the  church 
and  a  prominent  and  influential  member.  He  left 
several  children,  one  of  whom  married  Samuel 
Hayes.  She  was  an  active  and  useful  member 
until  1892  when  she  died,  leaving  three  daughters, 
Mary,  Hannah  and  Lydia,  who  are  still  efficient 
workers  with  us. 

There  are  other  representatives  of  the  old  mem- 
bers living,  some  still  in  our  community,  and 
others  in  other  parts  of  the  Lord's  heritage. 

These  all  cherish  a  commendable  and  fervent 
love  for  the  old  church  home.  They  rejoice  in 
every  success  which  attends  the  labors  of  those 
who  are  working  in  the  old  vineyard ;  and  believe 
that  God  has  blessed  every  scriptural]  y  inspired 
effort  which  has  been  made  by  His  people  in  all 
the  eventful  years  of  its  history. 

The  Present  Officers  of  the  Church  are 

Rev.  J.  S.  Braker,  Pastor. 
William  Archbold,  Deacon. 
Dr.  J.  A.  Coles, 
David  Hand,  " 

George  L.  Dunn,  Church  Clerk. 
George  E.  Hall,  Treasurer. 

55 


TRUSTEES. 

James  D.  Cleaver,  Pres. ;  F.  W.  Westcott,  M. 
D.,  Norman  Dunn,  Alfred  D.  Beeken,  Wm.  T. 
Banks,  John  P.  Bornman  and  Frederick  W. 
Happle. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  history  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  is 
completed.  While  the  workers  of  other  years 
have  passed  away,  God  has  raised  up  others  in 
their  place,  for  "while  the  laborers  cease  the  work 
goes  on." 

The  fidelity  and  constancy  of  our  forefathers 
amid  difficulties  and  discouragements  is  an  example 
to  us  which  we  may  well  emulate.  Their  work  is 
ended.  Their  remains  repose  in  this  silent  ceme- 
tery until  the  summons  of  the  Great  King  in  the 
last  great  day. — Here  they  saw  the  cross  and  en- 
dured the  toil,  and  here  they  will  see  the  King  in 
His  beauty.  Their  work  is  transferred  to  us.  It 
is  a  glorious  inheritance.  It  ought  to  arouse  oar 
zeal  and  our  grandest  efforts  for  the  honor  of  the 
Master.  May  the  church  continue  until  Christ's 
second  appearing,  and  may  we  contribute  our 
share  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  purposes  of  the 
great  Head  in  Zion. 


66 


THE    TRUSTEES- 1897. 


THE  OLD  MEETING  HOUSE 

AT 

SCOTCH  PLAINS, 

A    Mid-Summers   Sabbath  in,  and  about  it, 

FIFTY    YEARS    AND    MORE    AGO. 


BY  JAMES  D.  CLEAVER. 

Not  many  will  come  up  to  our  Sesqui  Centen- 
nial Anniversary,  who  were  here  at  the  date  of 
this  sketch  which  is  Ante-Centennial. 

Most  of  them  have  gone  on  to  the  "undiscovered 
country  from  whose  bourne  no  traveller  returns." 
Many  of  them  are  quietly  resting  in  the  Old  Bury- 
ing Ground,  their  mortal  remains  lying  around 
those  of  the  Reverend  Benjamin  Miller,  the  first 
and  beloved  pastor  of  the  church  in  the  bivouac 
of  death,  awaiting  the  reveille,  which  on  the 
morning  of  the  Resurrection,  shall  call  them  from 
their  slumber  to  the  realities  of  that  day. 

Of  the  remaining  few,  the  writer  is  one.  He 
writes  from  Memory,  and  hopes  to  be  substan- 
tially correct  in  what  he  states. 

57 


The  day  was  a  Sabbath ;  indeed.  The  sun  rose 
brightly,  and  ushered  in  a  day  of  rest  for  the 
quiet  old  village  and  the  neighboring  farms.  Over 
all  reigned  an  air  of  peaceful  contentment  which 
gave  promise  of  a  day  full  of  worshipful  experi- 
ence, which  should  hallow  the  hours  with  heavenly 
joy  and  blessing,  while  it's  duties  and  services 
should  comfort  and  strengthen  all  who  should 
share  in  it's  Mission  of  Love  to  God  and  Man. 

Under  the  sway  of  such  influences  it  was  easy  to 
say  with  Coleridge : 

"He  prayeth  well,  who  loveth  well 
"Both  Man,  and  Beast  and  Bird; 
"He  prayeth  best,  who  loveth  best 
"All  things,  both  great  and  small; 
"For  the  dear  God,  who  loveth  us, 
"He  made  and  loveth  all." 

The  Old  Meeting  House,  which  was  of  frame  and 
covered  roof  and  sides  with  shingles,  painted 
white,  without  porch  or  spire,  or  any  architectural 
ornament,  stood  at  quite  a  distance  from  the  road 
(now  Park  Avenue). 

It  was  flanked  on  the  northwest  and  on  the 
rear  by  the  Burying  Ground.  On  the  southeast 
was  "The  Green,"  reaching  eastwardly,  to  the 
School  House  which  then  stood  on  the  line  of  the 
side  walk,  nearly  where  the  present  church  build- 
ing stands. 

"The  Green"  or  Lawn  had  upon  it  a  grove  of 
fine  trees,  oaks  and  hickories. 

It  was  the  play  ground  for  the  school  children ; 
it  was  the  place  where  the  soldiers  of  the  early 
days,  met,  "horse  and  foot,"  on  "training  days," 
and  were  drilled  in  their  manual. 

58 


"The  Green,"  was,  also,  where  the  annual 
"Town  Meetings"  were  held,  and  where  the  early 
politicians  displayed  their  eloquence  and  their 
skill  in  guiding  the  Ship  of  State. 

"The  Green,"  was  not  fenced  on  the  front  or 
road  side,  but  was  open  to  all: — It  has  disap- 
peared now,  with  the  Old  Meeting  House,  and  the 
Old  School  House  which  then  stood  on  its  south- 
easterly and  northwesterly  corners  as  sentinels 
of  religion  and  education.  The  Lawn  now  ex- 
tending along  Park  Avenue  northwesterly  from 
the  present  church  building  marks  the  location  of 
the  old  "Green." 

On  such  a  Sabbath  as  I  am  speaking  of  "The 
Green"  was  the  drawing  room  of  the  parish, 
where  ante-sermon  receptions  were  held. 

Without,  as  within,  the  Old  Meeting  House  was 
devoid  of  ornament  or  architectural  pretension. 
It's  two  doors  of  entrance,  each  opening  into  one 
of  the  two  aisles  within,  were  approached  by  stone 
stoops,  three  steps  high,  no  porches  or  railings 
protected  them. 

There  were  two  rows  of  square  windows,  one 
above  the  other,  on  the  sides,  and  a  long  narrow 
window,  on  either  side  of  the  Pulpit,  in  the  rear 
wall. 

No  shutters,  or  shades  or  blinds  were  there  to 
shut  out  the  sun. 

The  "dim  religious  light"  now  so  great  a  de- 
sideratum in  modern  sanctuaries,  was  an  unknown 
quantity  there. 

Galleries  extended  around  the  sides  and  front  of 
the  auditorium. 

These  were  terraced,  and  constituted  the  Sunday 
School  room  of  those  days. 

59 


They  also,  usually,  accommodated  the  flotsam 
and  jetsam  of  the  parish  with  sittings,  free  of 
charge. 

The  Sunday  School  was  primitive  and  unpre- 
tending. 

The  teachers  did  not  "know  it  all,"  and  pru- 
dently confined  themselves  to  the  printed  questions 
and  answers  contained  in  the  lesson  books. 

The  library  was  not  extensive  or  various. 

The  books  were  as  dry  as  they  were  few ;  the 
Librarian  went  from  class  to  class  with  his  stock 
of  books  displayed  on  a  board  shelf  which  he  car- 
ried in  front  of  him,  and  the  scholars  accepted 
with  meek  resignation  the  book  given  them ;  they 
had  no  choice  in  those  days ;  nor  did  it  take  a 
faithful  reader  long  to  "  go  through  "  the  entire 
list,  so  that  being  deprived  of  "a  choice"  mat- 
tered but  little. 

No  stage  then  brought  the  children  to  Sunday 
School. 

If  their  parents  thought  the  children  were  well, 
the  children  came — having  nothing  to  do  with 
the  business,  except  to  obey,  and  attend. 

Sunday  School  Excursions  had  not  invaded  this 
secluded  spot  — as  to  Picnics — well,  there  were 
times  when  on  the  glorious  fourth  of  July,  the 
Sunday  School  was  assembled  on  "the  Green," 
and  the  youthful  hearts  fired  with  patriotism  by 
weak  rhetoric  and  weaker  lemonade. — Excuse  the 
digression. 

Let  us  return  to  the  Meeting  House.  Within, 
the  floor  space  was  divided  by  the  two  aisles  lead- 
ing from  the  doors  of  entrance,  into  three  parcels 
of  pews,  two  wall  slips  and  the  central  body,  the 
pews  of  which  reached  half  way  from  aisle  to  aisle. 

60 


The  pews  were  straight  up  and  down,  made  of 
very  hard  boards  and  so  high  of  backs  and  seats 
that  a  boy  of  fourteen  could,  with  difficulty,  "see 
out  "  while  he  was  standing,  or  "  touch  bottom  " 
when  sitting  down. 

The  floors  were  uncarpeted,  save  on  some  extra- 
ordinary occasion,  when  they  were  ornamented 
with  a  top-dressing  of  "Rocka way  sand."  The 
house  was  warmed  in  the  winter,  at  least  two  cor- 
ners of  it  were,  by  two  immense  stoves  known  as 
the  "ten-plate"  variety.  These  were  fired  with 
great  hickory  and  oak  billets,  and,  when  in  full 
blast,  made  their  immediate  vicinity  unbearably 
hot,  while  at  the  other  end  of  the  room,  the  mer- 
cury was  down  to  zero.  Still  it  is  likely  that  the 
temperature,  had  it  been  fairly  averaged,  would 
have  marked  about  "  temperate."  The  house  was 
lighted !  by  a  system  of  tallow  candles,  held  in 
tin  holders,  at  the  end  of  crooked  wires,  attached 
to  the  square  wooden  pillars  which  supported  the 
galleries. 

The  naps  of  the  bad  boys  and  girls  who  slept  in 
"meetin'  time,"  were  disturbed  at  stated  intervals, 
by  the  Sexton,  who  went  around  the  aisles,  with 
heavy  tread  and  creaking  shoes.  Snuffers  in  hand, 
to  snuff  the  candles,  and  make  darkness  visible. 

The  prominent  feature  of  the  "Interior"  was, 
however,  the  Pulpit.  From  it  came  the  "bread  of 
life,"  as  it  was  broken  by  the  Pastor.  From  it 
issued  "  in  tones  of  love  or  warning  fear,"  instruc- 
tion, appeal,  admonition,  reproof,  rebuke,  threat- 
ening. It  was  the  central  point  and  fountain  for 
the  people,  and  its  influence  for  good  in  the  com- 
munity was  recognized  and  gratefully  ac- 
knowledged. 

61 


The  Pulpit  was  located  between  the  long  win- 
dows in  the  rear  wall,  and  was  suspended  about 
mid-way  between  the  floor  and  the  ceiling,  so  as  to 
be  plainly  visible  from  the  remotest  ]part  of  the 
room.  It  was  reached  by  a  long  winding  stairway, 
and  a  cushioned  seat  afforded  room  for  two  or 
three  people. 

The  preachers  of  those  days  seemed  to  prefer  an 
elevated  place  from  which  to  reach  their  hearers. 

There  was  no  "sounding  board"  overhead. 
Underneath  the  Pulpit  was  a  recess  which  con- 
tained the  book-case  (about  the  size  of  an  ordinary 
wardrobe),  holding  the  Library  of  the  Sunday 
School.  In  front  of  the  recess  were  four  large 
rush  bottomed  arm  chairs,  which  at  Communion 
and  other  important  occasions  contained  the  four 
Deacons;  who  to  us  boj^s,  were  awful  in  their 
solemn  dignity. 

Thus  was  the  Old  Meeting  House  the  one  that 
had  arisen  from  the  ashes  of  its  predecessor. 

No  spire  or  belfry  rose  above  its  roof,  and  no 
"  church- going  bell  "  rang  out  over  the  Plains  to 
ummon  the  worshippers  to  the  Sanctuary. 

Nevertheless,  they  came.  Let  me  recall  some  of 
them  as  they  came  up  from  their'homes  that  day, 
to  join  in  their  Sabbath  day's  worship. 

There  came  the  brothers,  Silas  and  Mulford  Cole, 
from  their  brook  farm — they  came  out  to  the 
Plainfield  road,  now  Front  street. 

They  then  joined  the  sisters  Jemima  and  Emme- 
line  Shotwell,  who  came  from  their  father's  house 
on  the  hill  just  beyond. 

From  the  "Short  Hills,"  near  Netherwood  and 
the  "Terrill  Road,"  there  are  coming  Corra  O. 
Meeker  and   Deacon   William   Hand,  Grandfather 

63 


of  o^^r  present  Deacon  David  Hand,  and  with  them 
come  the  Lees,  the  Garthwaites,  the  Hetfields,  the 
Dolbiers,  the  Lines,  the  Crisps  and  "Aunt  Betsy 
Terrill,"  the  last  representative  of  the  family  which 
gave  its  name  to  that  road. 

As  these  come  out  on  the  Plainfield  Road,  they 
are  joined,  or  followed  by  "Aunt  Katie  Cole,"  and 
the  families  of  Melvin  Parse,  Amos  Osborn,  Jona- 
than Hand  Osborn,  Joseph  Bradford,  Deacon  Henry 
Hetfield,  Vincent  L.  Frazee,  William  H.  Cleaver, 
Noah  and  Cooper  Parse,  Jotham  D.  Frazee,  "Aunt 
Phebe  Darby,"  widow  of  Ezra  Darby,  formerly 
Member  of  Congress ;  the  families  of  Samuel  Ver- 
meule,  Gideon  Allen,  the  Moffetts,  Simeon  V.  and 
Amos,  Joseph  M.  Osborn,  afterward  Sheriff  of  Union 
County,  Jonathan  Osborn,  Jr.,  formerly  Sheriff  of 
Essex  County  and  Thomas  J.  Barr,  then  the  Keeper 
of  the  Old  Tavern.  N.  B.  It  was  not  thought  dis- 
reputable in  those  good  old  days  for  a  hotel  keeper 
to  attend  church. 

Going  over  a  point  further  east  to  "The  Darby 
Road,"  now  Park  ave.,  there  came  up  by  that  way 
to  our  church,  the  Lamberts,  the  Sisters  Hetfield, 
Deacon  James  E.  Pugsley  and  family,  also  the 
families  of  Aaron  and  Levi  Darby,  thePlatts,  John 
Darby  and  Benjamin  S.  Hetfield. 

Another  point  eastward  brings  us  over  to  the 
Westfield  road,  and  up  from  that  old  village,  and 
beyond,  we  have  coming  as  worshippers  at  our 
altar  the  widow  of  Thomas  Clark  with  her  sons, 
the  families  of  Jacob  Cole,  brother  to  Silas  above 
named.  Doctor  Corra  Osborn,  M,D.,  father  of  the 
late  Mrs.  Samuel  Hays;  she  was  one  of  the  true 
and  tried  friends  of  the  church  in  the  years  of 
peril  and  poverty.     With  them  came  Major  Aaron 


Ball,  who  for  years  acted  as  Precentor,  and  led  the 
congregational  singing.  After  these  came  John 
B.  Osborn,  surnamed  "the  little,"  the  Adair 
brothers,  Shuttleworth  and  George  W. ;  then  the 
families  of  William  Osborn,  and  of  Deacons  John 
and  Jonathan  Osborne,  and  with  them  the  Wil- 
cox and  Marsh,  and  Ryno  families ;  coming  'round 
the  corner,  known  as  "Pfaff's,"  these  were  joined 
by  the  households  of  Andrew  Schuyler,  Oliver 
Hand,  surnamed  "the  Lawyer,"  Abraham  Nelson, 
"Aunt  Rachel  Darby,"  Aaron  Drake,  Alexander 
Wilson,  a  scholarly  man,  who  often  expounded 
the  Scriptures,  at  the  evening  meetings  in  the 
upper  room  of  the  Old  School  House,  John  W. 
Osborn  and  Judge  Corey. 

Looking,  now,  further  toward  the  north,  we  may 
see  another  contingent  of  our  friends,  coming  in  by 
the  Springfield  road — now  Mountain  Avenue.  From 
the  Branch  Mills  neighborhood  come  the  families 
of  William  Darby,  William  Richards,  Carlisle  and 
Erastus  Miller,  James  Roll  and  William  H.  Darby. 

Coming  hitherward,  these  are  re-inforced  by  the 
families  of  James  Coles  and  his  father.  Esquire 
Dennis  Coles,  who  was  the  father  of  the  late  Doc- 
tor Abraham  Coles,  M.  D.,  and  Grandfather  of  our 
present  Deacon,  Doctor  Jonathan  Ackerman  Coles, 
M.  D.,  and  these  were  joined  by  Captain  William 
Abel  and  Robert  Walpole  with  their  folk. 

From  Feltville,  or  as  the  locality  was  known  in 
the  early  days,  "the  Old  Powder  Mill,"  where  in 
Revolutionary  days,  the  Continental  Army,  more 
especially  "the  Jersey  Blues,"  drew  largely  their 
supply  of  powder,  then  manufactured  up  in  that 
secluded  nook — from  their  mountain  farm  up 
64 


there,  came  Thomas  and  William  Ward,  two  stal- 
wart brothers. 

Still  further  around  toward  the  north  west, 
down  by  the  New  Providence  Road,  sometimes 
called  "The  Turkey  Road,"  we  may  see  coming 
down  to  join  the  Congregation,  the  Townleys  and 
Deacon  Maxwell  Frazee,  with  his  large  family, 
while  from  the  Washington  Valley  and  the  Mount 
Bethel  way,  the  procession  is  supplemented  by  the 
families  of  James  C.  Lyon,  the  Archibalds,  of 
whom  I  believe  our  worthy  Deacon,  William 
Archibald  and  his  brother  John,  are  now  the  only 
representatives  left,  Lyman  Spencer  and  Nathaniel 
Drake,  Jr. ;  and  coming  down  the  eastern  slope 
of  the  mountain  these  were  joined  by  the  families 
of  Amos  Cole,  Nathaniel  Drake,  Isaac  Drake, 
Joseph  S.  Darby  and  Gauin  McCoy,  David  Frazee 
and  John  Mooney,  while  on  the  Plains,  east  of 
Green  Brook,  the  line  was  increased  by  the  house- 
holds of  Col.  Stanbery,  Matthew  S.  Dunn,  "Aunt 
Sally  Stites"  and  Aaron  B.  Allen.  Thus  they 
came,  from  every  point  of  the  compass,  on  foot,  on 
horseback,  in  comfortable  wagons  and  in  covered 
carriages. 

As  they  reached  "the  Green,"  and  cared  for 
their  teams,  they  began  at  once  the  first  duty  and 
pleasure  of  the  hour,  that  of  the  social  nature. 

In  that  place  and  hour  there  were  no  class  dis- 
tinction ;  all  met  on  a  common  plane.  No  rich, 
no  poor,  no  high,  no  low.  All  were  friends  and 
neighbors,  and  most  of  them  were  of  kin  to  each 
other. 

As  group  after  group  arrived,  and  joined  those 
already  there,  the  welcomes  went  around  with 
sincerest  feeling.     The  glances  of  recognition,  the 

65 


smile  of  pleasure  at  meeting,  gave  wealth  of 
honest  reality  to  the  voices  which  spake,  and  to 
the  hearty  hand  shaking  which  emphasized  the 
greetings  given  by  all  to  all. 

Those  present  exchanged  their  genuine  and  un- 
affected salutations,  and  the  absent  ones  were  all 
enquired  after. 

All  were  not  Church  members,  all  were  not  pro- 
fessing Christians ;  but  all  who  came  there  were 
such  as  revered  the  Most  High,  honored  His 
Religion,  and  His  Sabbath,  and  respected  the 
services  of  the  hour. 

The  day  was  a  perfect  one,  an  ideal  Sabbath. 
The  sun  had  now  risen  high  overhead,  and  was 
giving  warmth,  and  life,  and  light  and  color  to  all 
created  things  animate  and  inanimate.  On  the 
northwest,  the  sky-line  was  shown  by  the  waves 
of  the  range  of  hills  which  marked  the  boundary 
of  the  plain  in  that  direction,  and  were  clad  in  all 
the  pomp  of  their  green  and  misty  purple  foliage. 

The  Old  Mill  which  stood  hard  by,  had  ceased 
its  work-a-day  clatter,  the  ponderous  mill-stones 
hung  quietly  upon  their  spindles,  the  whir  of  the 
iron  cogs  in  the  big  wheel-pit  was  hushed,  and  the 
great  master  wheel,  suspended  on  its  mighty 
shaft,  was  motionless  and  silent. 

The  brook — Green  Brook — released  from  its 
bondage  and  servitude  went  freely  and  joyfully  on 
its  way,  sparkling  and  dancing  in  the  sunlight, 
singing  its  Sabbath  song  of  praise  and  glad- 
ness, as  it  rippled  on  over  its  stony  bed,  or 
turned  aside  in  circling  eddies  into  some  deep  pool 
among  the  lily  pads,  or  under  the  overhanging 
alders,  to  gossip  with  the  fishes,  as  it  went  on 
its  way  to  the  sea  rejoicing. 

66 


To  the  east,  the  south,  and  the  west,  the  Plain 
spread  out  to  the  horizon's  verge,  a  panorama  of 
pastoral  beauty. 

In  places  the  wooded  groves,  and  the  great 
apple  orchards,  then  abundant  hereabouts,  marked 
the  landscape  with  the  dark  green  of  their  foliage. 

Interspersed  with  these  were  fields  of  sturdy 
corn  and  yellow  grain,  waving  in  the  sunshine  and 
the  gentle  breezes,  and  prophesying  to  the  waiting 
farmer  of  the  coming  harvest. 

The  meadows,  too,  which  carpeted  with  their 
verdure  most  of  the  Plain,  were  bright  and  wor- 
shipful with  their  bloom  and  with  their  fragrance, 
which  under  the  wooing  of  the  warm  sunbeams 
and  the  inborn  impulses  of  their  own  nature,  were 
exhaled  as  the  incense  of  gratitude  and  love  for 
the  Great  Creator  of  the  mountains  mighty  and 
lilies  of  the  valley  fair  and  frail. 

The  hush  and  calm  was  broken,  not  disturbed 
by  the  neighing  of  horses  and  the  lowing  of  the 
kine  in  the  distance.  Overhead  in  the  branches  of 
the  trees,  the  song-birds  were  filling  the  air  with 
the  melody  of  their  songs  of  praise  and  happiness, 
while  all  around  there  came  to  the  ear  the  monot- 
onous hum  and  drone  of  the  bee  and  insect,  which 
served  to  soothe  the  mind  and  give  added  repose  to 
the  Baptism  of  tranquility,  which  typified  the 
angels'  song  at  the  Saviour's  birth,  "Peace  on 
earth,  good  will  to  men." 

Over  all  this  scene  of  peaceful  beauty  from  the 
"delectable  hills"  to  the  "sweet  fields"  then 
"dressed  in  living  green,"  the  overhanging  canopy 
of  blue  and  gold,  seemed  to  come  down  nearer  to 
earth  and  enfold  within  its  radiant  curtains,  for 
the  time  at  least,  this  quiet  spot ;  and  it  needed 

67 


but  a  slight  effort  of  the  imagination  to  give  to  the 
listening  ear  of  the  devout  soul  "the  still,  small 
voice"  of  the  Christ  whispering  through  the  Heav- 
enly corridors  :  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labor 
and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

And  with  one  accord  the  people  all  went  into 
the  Temple  for  Worship. 

When  all  were  seated,  the  Minister  arose,  while 
every  head  was  bowed,  returned  thanks  to  God  for 
all  the  mercies  which  we  enjoyed,  and  invoked  the 
Divine  blessing  upon  the  services  of  the  day  and 
for  guidance  to  words  and  thoughts  and  feelings 
of  preacher  and  people. 

The  hymn  was  then  given  out: 

"Majestic  Sweetness  sits  Enthroned 
"Upon  the  Savior's  brow; 
"His  head  with  radiant  glory  crowned, 
"His  lips  with  grace  o'erflow." 

This  hymn  was  the  keynote  to  the  service  of  the 
day.  We  knew  that  the  message  would  come 
from  Calvary,  and  not  from  Sinai,  and  w^hen  the 
words  of  the  hymn  went  out  upon  the  voices  of  the 
Congregation  on  the  tune  of  Ortonville,  the  hearts 
of  the  people  were  as  one  with  themselves  and 
their  preacher — receptive,  loving,  worshipful. 

We  had  in  those  days  no  "Service  of  Song,"  by 
that  name,  we  had  no  responsive  readings  of  the 
Scriptures,  no  Antiphonal  Service  of  any  kind. 

The  Minister  read  the  Scriptures  and  the  hymns, 
the  Precentor  "led  the  singing,"  and  his  leading 
w^as  followed  by  the  Congregation  with  willing 
tongue,  and  with  tuneful  voice,  and  lofty  praise. 

No  trained  Choir  awed  or  amazed  the  people,  or 
drove  the  very  idea  of  worship  out  of  mind,  by  its 
skill  and  perfection  in  vocal  calisthenics  or  some- 
times gymnastics. 

68 


But  tlie  singers  of  those  days,  while  not  always 
precisely  in  tune  or  "on  time,"  sang  with  the 
hallowed  inspiration  of  praise,  gratitude,  and 
reverence  for  Him  whom  they  were  taught  to  re- 
gard as  Creator,  Benefactor,  Saviour. 

When  the  hymn  had  been  sung  and  the  hearts 
of  the  people  were  attuned  to  the  sweetness  of 
harmony  and  of  love  for  the  subject  of  the  hymn, 
who  had  so  loved  them,  the  Minister  then  began 
reading  the  Scripture  lesson. 

This  consisted  of  selections  from  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  including  the  golden  rule,  and  the 
Beatitudes. 

From  this  treasure-house  of  the  Wisdom  and 
love  of  the  Master,  so  much  was  given  as  was  need- 
ful to  prepare  the  minds  of  the  listeners  for  fur- 
ther consideration  of  the  subject-matter  of  the 
coming  sermon. 

Following  the  reading,  the  Hymn  announced 
was, 

"All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name 
"Let  Angels  prostrate  fall; 
"Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 
"And  Crown  Him  Lord  of  all." 

This  crowning  of  Christ,  borne  aloft  upon  the 
exultant  strains  of  "Coronation,"  gave  grand  out- 
let and  utterance  to  the  rising  warmth  of  the  de- 
votional spirit  which  was  overcoming  the  as- 
sembly. 

When  this  glad  song  of  acclaim  had  ended,  it's 
triumphant  ascriptions  of  Kingship  and  Lordship 
to  the  Christ,  and  it's  expressions  of  loyalty  to 
Him  as  Prince  and  King  and  Saviour,  had  been 
wafted  into  upper  air,  and  upward  toward  the 
heavenly  throne,  and   the  listening  Ear  Divine; 


then  were  the  worshippers,  the  ready,  rapt,  eager 
listeners  to  the  words  of  the  Preacher,  as  he  gave 
out  the  text : 

"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  World." 

And  now  we  knew,  of  a  truth,  that  this  day's 
message  was  the  voice  from  Calvary,  not  from 
Sinai. 

The  Preacher  was  in  his  kindliest  mood.  His 
heart,  as  well  as  his  head  was  in,  and  behind  what 
he  said.  He  sought  to  unravel  no  theological  en- 
tanglements. He  simply  preached  "Christ  and  Him 
crucified." 

Beginning  at  the  Manger  cradle,  in  the  cavern  of 
the  Khan  at  Bethlehem,  whither  the  Star  had 
guided  the  Magi,  and  found  them  kneeling  awe- 
stricken  and  worshipful,  worshipping  before  the 
Child,  whom  they  had  been  told  in  a  vision,  was 
"born  King  of  the  Jews;"  and  unto  whom  they 
were  gladly  giving  gifts  of  gold,  frankincense,  and 
myrrh,  and  homage-worship  as  well;  the  preacher 
went  skilfully  over  many  of  the  prominent  events 
in  the  life  of  the  Nazarene,  selecting  such  as 
pointed  most  directly  to  His  Divine  Humanity, 
showing  Him  as  a  "Man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted 
with  grief"  and,  as  at  the  baptismal  waters  of  the 
Jordan,  when  the  hovering  Dove  brooded  over  the 
example  set  by  Jesus  for  his  followers,  and  the 
voice  of  Deity  spake  from  above  to  a  listening 
world:  "This  is  my  beloved  Son  in  whom  lam 
well  pleased;  hear  ye  him." 

The  Preacher  then  illustrated  some  traits  in  the 
dual  character  borne  by  this  "Son  of  Joseph,  the 
carpenter." 

70 


His  poverty  and  humility,  as  when  he  said:  "The 
foxes  have  holes  and  the  birds  of  the  air  have 
nests,  but  the  Son  of  Man,  hath  not  where  to  lay 
his  head." 

His  power  and  sublimity ;  as  when  he  spake  to 
the  winds,  and  the  tempest  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee, 
and  the  turbulent  waves  obeyed  the  Master's 
voice,  and  sank  to  calm  again. 

But  of  all  the  characteristics  displayed  in  the 
life  of  Him  '  'who  spake  as  never  man  spake, ' ' 
the  Preacher  dwelt  longest  and  most  emphatically 
upon  the  Love  displayed  in  all  the  Saviour's 
works  and  ways. 

How  He  fed  the  hungry,  healed  the  sick,  opened 
deaf  ears,  gave  sight  to  the  blind,  cleansed  the 
lepers,  raised  the  dead. 

How  he  strove  to  teach  by  word  and  Example 
the  heaven-born  lesson  of  the  Golden  Rule,  and 
the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan, 

Tracing  the  earthly  career  of  the  Christ,  from 
Bethlehem  to  Calvary,  he  pointed  out  how  in  all 
that  life  of  majesty,  omnipotence  and  God  like- 
ness, all  those  attributes  and  potencies  which 
marked  Him  as  the  Son  of  God,  were  in  turn  sub- 
ordinated to  unwearied  self-abnegation,  and  to  the 
most  untiring  ministration  of  goodness,  mercy  and 
love ;  the  preacher  strove  to  win  his  hearers  to 
imitate  in  their  lives,  and  towards  each  other,  as 
men  and  brethren,  in  their  daily  intercourse  the 
sublime  example  of  their  "elder  brother,  their  in- 
tercessor," "the  Lamb  of  God  which  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  World." 

The  peroration  covered  with  graphic  fidelity  and 
eloquence  the  last  crowning  act  of  self-sacrificing 
love  for  man — the  tragic  scene,  when  the   sun  was 

71 


darkened,  and  night  at  mid  day  brooded  over  the 
rent,  and  reeling  earth,  and  suspended  on  the 
Cross,  the  Saviour,  with  compassion  more  than 
mortal,  prayed  for  His  persecutors:  "Father  for- 
"give  them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do;" 
and  the  curtain  fell  upon  that  awful  scene,  as  the 
same  voice  exclaimed  :     "It  is  finished." 

Pity,  gratitude  and  love  for  and  to  the  Christ 
filled  all  hearts. 

But  high  above  all  these  emotions  arose  the 
sense  of  triumph  in  His  triumph,  the  glow  of  joy 
inexpressible  in  His  conquest — the  feeling  of  vic- 
tory born  of  His  last  triumphant  words:  "It  is 
finished." 

And  these  high-born  and  holy  sentiments  wel- 
ling up  and  overflowing  in  their  hearts,  were 
relieved  but  not  fully  exj^ressed  in  the  closing 
hymn  set  to  the  tune  of  "Merdin." 

"Burst  ye  Emerald  gates  and  bring 
"To  my  raptured  vision, 
"All  the  Exstatic  joys  that  spring 
"'Round  the  bright  Elysian: 
"Lo!  we  lift  our  longing  eyes, 
"Break,  ye  intervening  skies. 
"Sun  of  Righteousness,  arise, 
"Ope  the  gates  of  Paradise. 
"Sweetest  sound  in  Seraphs'  song. 
"Sweetest  sound  on  Mortal's  tongue; 
"Sweetest  carol  ever  sung — 
"Let  it's  Echoes  flow  along." 

When  the  voice  of  song  in  these  exultant 
strains,  were  gradually  led  by  the  Precentor  to  the 
words  of  long  metre  doxology — 

"Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow, 
Praise  Him  all  Creatures  here  below; 
Praise  Him  above,  ye  heavenly  host. 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost"^ 

72 


which  was  rendered  upon  the  majestic  measures 
of  "Old  Hundred,"  the  worshippers  were  well  pre- 
pared to  receive  from  the  good  Minister's  lips  the 
Benediction,  and  retire  from  the  house,  with  re- 
freshed souls,  and  devout  hearts,  hoping  to  be 
thereby  helped  to  do  good  and  get  good,  in  the 
coming  week,  convinced,  as  they  were,  that  Love 
is  the  grand  remedy  for  all  social  evils,  as  it  is, 
indeed,  the  only  foundation  for  good,  toward  God 
or  Man. 

And  so  they  went  out,  and  only  stopping  to  bid 
each  other  aJffectionate  adieus,  they  separated  and 
went  to  their  several  homes. 

In  the  evening  the  villagers,  and  a  few  from  the 
suburbs,  met  in  the  upper  room  of  the  Old  School 
House  and  had  a  simple  service. 

The  Pastor  or  Deacon  Hetlield,  or  Alexander 
Wilson,  would  read  a  selection  from  the  scriptures, 
and  make  a  brief  exposition  of  it.  Prayers  were 
offered  and  hymns  sung,  and  with  exhortations  to 
believers  and  unbelievers,  the  meeting  would  close 
and  the  people  return  to  their  homes.  A  most  de- 
lightful feature  of  those  "evening  meetings"  and 
one  over  which  memory  lingers  with  fondness,  was 
the  singing  led  by  Mr.  William  Drake,  son  of 
Nathaniel,  assisted  by  Miss  Margaretta  Osborn, 
sister  of  the  late  Sheriff,  Joseph  Manning  Osborn; 
and  when  the  songs  of  praise  led  by  their  young, 
clear  and  melodious  voices,  it  was  no  mere  "lii^ 
service"  but  bore  aloft  the  very  sign  of  true  Praise. 
They  are  now  for  a  half  century  or  more,  hus- 
band and  wife,  living  happily  at  Irvington,  and 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Lyons   Farms. 

And  thus  ended  a  Mid-Summer  Sabbath  at 
Scotch  Plains,  fifty  years,  and  more  ago. 

73 


,    This  Sketch  must  close,  as  it  began : 

"Not  many  will  come  up  to  our  Sesqui  Cen- 
tennial Anniversary  who  were  here  at  the  date  of 
this  sketch,  which  is  Ante-Centennial." 


^\(((pv  <^..<^^yhiLc.y^^.