The churches in New Jersey are large and efficient bodies, and date back
to an early period in the history of the state. They were distinguished
in early times, and when the denomination was in its infant state, for
wealth and respectability of character, and for pastors of eminent piety
and worth.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, PISCATAWAY, NEW JERSEY.
This fraternity, the third Sabbatarian Church in America, was organized
in 1705, and Rev. Edmund Dunham became their first pastor.
Elder Dunham had been for some time a leader in the First-day Baptist
Church at that place, and was moreover extremely scrupulous in his
observance of the first day. This led him to reprove one Hezekiah
Bonham, for attending, upon that day, to secular concerns. Mr. Bonham
replied by requesting his censor to prove from Scripture that the first
day was holy by divine appointment. Upon examination, Mr. Dunham not
only discovered that his point was untenable, but became in the end a
zealous advocate of the sacred character of the seventh day. In a short
time, the force of his arguments carried conviction to the minds of
seventeen others, who formed a church, chose him for their pastor, and
sent him to Rhode Island to be ordained. He served the church until his
death in 1734, and was succeeded by his son, Rev. Jonathan Dunham. The
talents of Elder Dunham were above mediocrity, and although he had not
been favoured with literary advantages, his preaching was very
effective, and he was greatly beloved by his brethren. In the earlier
part of his ministry their first meeting-house was built, the church
having formerly met for worship in private houses. It was erected upon a
lot of one acre of land, which had been donated to them for that purpose
by Jonathan Fitz Randolph. Elder Dunham, after serving this church
upwards of forty years, rested from his labours in 1777, in the
eighty-sixth year of his age. Rev. Jonathan Jarman, for some time his
colleague, was ordained in 1772, but soon after removed to French Creek,
in Pennsylvania. Subsequent to the decease of Elder Dunham, this church
remained for several years without a pastor, but depended for
ministerial assistance upon the occasional visits of travelling
missionaries, or a precarious supply by first-day brethren. The church
also suffered much from being near the seat of war, and in the vicinity
of the ravages of the British army.
Rev. Nathan Rogers, in 1786, assumed the pastoral charge, and during
that summer and autumn the church was blessed with a remarkable revival
of religion, in which upwards of sixty were added to its numbers. During
the same year, Rev. Elisha Gillette received ordination as evangelist,
in connexion with this community, which relation he sustained for three
years.
Rev. Henry M. Lafferty, for three years the colleague of Elder Rogers,
was subsequently his successor in 1797, and continued to occupy the
pastoral office until 1811, when he was succeeded by
Gideon Wooden, as licentiate, and subsequently as pastor, who served the
church until 1825, when he was succeeded by
Rev. John Watson, whose ministry continued until 1840.
Rev. William B. Maxson, for eight years his colleague, was for one year
his successor, when
Rev. Walter B. Gillette, the present incumbent, was installed. Besides
these pastors, other ministers have, at different times, been connected
with this church, who have removed to other fields of labour.
This church occupies a very pleasant situation, about thirty miles from
the city of New York.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.
This church, a branch of the former, was organized in 1838, and Lucius
Crandall, first as licentiate and subsequently as pastor, assumed the
spiritual charge; in which relation he still continues.
Both these churches are very wealthy and highly intelligent, and occupy
a distinguished position in the denomination.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, SHILOH, NEW JERSEY.
This church dates to a very early period. So long ago as 1695, an
itinerant minister of the Seventh-day Baptist persuasion, named Jonathan
Davis, removed from Long Island to the State of New Jersey, where he
settled near Trenton, and preached until his death, which occurred in
1750.
Elder Davis visited Cohansey, where his nephews resided, one of whom,
also named Jonathan Davis, was a minister, and a principal agent in
gathering this church, which was constituted in 1737, and consisted of
twenty members, some of whom were emigrants from Piscataway. Elder Davis
continued to serve this church until his death, in 1769. During his
ministry their first meeting-house was erected. It stands on a lot of
one acre of ground, which was donated to them by Mr. Caleb Ayars. The
burial-ground, as might be supposed, contains many time-honoured
monuments.
Rev. Jonathan Davis, his successor in the ministry, was of Welsh
extraction, and the son of Rev. David Davis, a distinguished minister of
the Welsh Tract Church. He was born in 1734, received ordination in
1768, and installed as pastor of the church upon the death of his
predecessor, in which relation he continued until his death in 1785.
Elder Davis was eminently distinguished for sound judgment, great
stability, and moral worth. He was universally beloved, and the church,
under his ministry, attained a considerable degree of strength and
permanence.
Rev. Jonathan Jarman, for some time his colleague, removed to Cape May,
where he died, but his remains were subsequently brought back to Shiloh
for interment.
Deacon Philip Ayars was likewise considered a leader in this church, and
an administrator of baptism.
Rev. Nathan Ayars was ordained in this church in 1786, and remained its
pastor until 1810.
Rev. John Davis, youngest son of Elder Jonathan Davis, was for several
years his colleague, and finally his successor. Elder Davis was ordained
in 1807, and continued to serve the church until 1842, when, overcome
with age and infirmity, he resigned the pastoral charge to
Rev. Azor Estee, who was succeeded in 1844 by
Rev. Solomon Carpenter, whose transfer to the China Mission left the
church without a pastor. However, in the latter part of 1845 they
secured the services of
Rev. Samuel Davison, a convert to the Sabbath, and a very able preacher,
who remained for about two years, and was succeeded by
Rev. Giles M. Langworthy, whose illness and premature death left them
again in a destitute condition.
During the past summer the church was served by Rev. Enoch Barnes, a
very worthy man, and a convert to Sabbatarianism from the Methodist
connexion.
Rev. George R. Wheeler is also a member of this church, but he resides
at Salem, about ten miles distant. Mr. Wheeler and family were likewise
converts to Sabbatical sentiments.
This church has been blessed with many auspicious revivals. One took
place in 1807, and continued for a long time. It was very extensive, and
about seventy were added to the church. Subsequently many precious
seasons were enjoyed, but perhaps the greatest in-gathering occurred in
the commencement of the year 1843, when about ninety were added to the
church. This gracious visitation of the Holy Spirit commenced and
continued through a meeting of days, in which Elder John Green and Elder
Estee were the leaders. It was marked at first by a deep and unusual
seriousness in the congregation, that gradually increased, and seemed to
pervade every heart in the vast assembly. Meetings for prayer and
religious inquiry succeeded, at which old and young attended, whose
countenances were indicative of the various emotions of their souls.
Some in a fixedness of look that seemed to say, "God and eternity are
near;" some with a settled gloom and depression of countenance; some
with marks of indescribable anguish; and some with the holiest and
happiest serenity, placid and beautiful as the loveliest sky after a
storm.
Sabbath after Sabbath scores of candidates of all ranks and ages, from
the child of ten summers to the old man of seventy winters, came
together requesting the ordinance of baptism, and what was most
remarkable, the greatest order and propriety prevailed. There were no
exhibitions of enthusiasm, no rapturous outbursts, or passionate
exclamations. All was calm, sedate, and tranquil. Every one seemed to be
impressed with a sense of the indescribable holiness of God, and the
sinfulness of the human heart. Every one seemed to feel himself within
the most holy place. There was confession, thanksgiving, and
entreaty,—so humble, and yet so confiding,—so confiding, and yet so
presumptuous,—so importunate, and yet so submissive. There were songs of
praise and sighs of penitence. There were tears of holy joy, of exalted
hope, of remorseful sorrow. From this church the sacred excitement
extended to others, and many precious revivals occurred in the
neighbourhood.
This community is at present engaged in building a new meeting-house, at
a cost of five thousand dollars, having donated the old one to a school
and society formed for educational and agricultural purposes.
This church was for a long time concerned in a very tedious affair
relative to a lot of land in Philadelphia, which had been left by the
will of Richard Sparks to the Seventh-day Baptists for a burial-ground.
The date of the will I have been unable to obtain, but it appears that
Sparks was one of the Keithian Seventh-day Baptists; that he was
baptized by William Davis, in 1699; and that he belonged to a church of
our persuasion in Newtown, Chester County. He was a man of large
property, and being determined to give his brethren some substantial
proof of his regard, donated to them the before-mentioned lot, which, at
that time was in the suburbs of the city, although at present it is
nearly in the centre. It was used, for some time, as the burial-ground
of the church, and upon a marble slab, placed in the wall by which it is
surrounded, are inscribed the names of those who are interred within.
Subsequent to the extinction of that church, and the removal of its
members, many of whom emigrated to Shiloh,[38] it became a question
whether the disposal of this property might not be effected, and the
proceeds of the sale appropriated by the General Conference. Pursuant to
this design, Caleb Shepherd, of Shiloh, was appointed as agent for the
sale of said lot, with instructions to present a memorial to the
Legislature of Pennsylvania, petitioning them to authorize its disposal
for pecuniary compensation, or in exchange for other land more
conveniently situated. But these tedious negotiations resulted in a
manner the most unsatisfactory. The Legislature decided that according
to the tenure of the will, their only right to it was founded upon their
using it for burial purposes; and that therefore there could be no legal
disposal made of it.
About this time the Conference, in its denominational capacity, withdrew
all claim to it in favour of the Shiloh and Piscataway churches.
Subsequently it was leased to a hose company; and afterwards sold by
these churches to Stephen Girard, by whom it was conveyed to the
corporation of the city of Philadelphia, in whose possession it still
continues.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, MARLBOROUGH, NEW JERSEY.
This church, a branch of the former, was organized in 1811, and Rev.
Jacob Ayras became its pastor, in which relation he continued until his
death, in 1838, having served the church nearly twenty-five years.
Rev. Samuel Davis, brother of Elder John Davis, of Shiloh, was for some
time his colleague in the ministry.
Rev. David Clawson, his successor, was returned as licentiate in
connexion with the church at Piscataway, in 1833; was ordained in 1836,
and installed as pastor of this church in 1839, in which relation he
still continues.
OBSERVATIONS.
It will be perceived that this Association embraces the oldest churches,
and is emphatically the stronghold of Sabbatarianism. Most of them also
have originated from ordinary causes. Those of Piscataway and Shiloh
have each produced a branch. Three of those in Rhode Island originated
from a remarkable revival, which progressed in 1837, under the
ministrations of Elder John Green, in which sinners were converted to
God by hundreds. All the older churches have been the seats of stated
pastors; consequently they escaped, at least in former times, all the
evils to be apprehended from frequent changes. These pastors, also,
however deficient they might appear in the graces of elegant diction,
were distinguished for sound reasoning and plain sense. Their zeal was
tempered with moderation; their piety with rationality. If not very
scrupulous as to method and language, they were correct in their views,
and orthodox in their principles. The themes of their discourses were
the doctrines of the Gospel, and the nature of experimental religion,
which they explained in a manner adapted to the capacities of their
hearers. That much of this old-fashioned system is being done away with,
is evident to the most casual observation. This profitable mode of
preaching has been exchanged for one disposed to harp on opinions and
debatable points. But, although a deep explication of mysterious
subjects may look more wise, and excite, for the moment, more interest
than to travel on in the old track, the tampering with matters beyond
knowledge, to the neglect of plain but edifying subjects, will be
attended by a general dearth of religious feeling.