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 MiDDLKTOWN I'.Al'TIST ClUnCir, 
 
 At tiiTie of its I3i-Centennitil. 
 
 ]')K TuiiiD JIi:ktin(i IImuse. 
 
1688 ^, 1888 
 
 CELEBRATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 1 Wo jiundreclth '^AnniN^ersary 
 
 OF THF 
 
 First Baptist Church, 
 
 MiDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY, 
 
 October joth, i888. 
 
/// 
 
 MacCrellish & Quigley, 
 
 Practical Book and Job Printers, 
 
 Trenton, N. J. 
 
 ^^ 
 
Names of the Constituent Members of the First 
 Baptist Church, Middletown, New Jersey. 
 
 ORGANIZED IN THE WINTER OF 1688. 
 
 Richard Stout, 
 Jonathan Bowne, 
 John Buchman, 
 Walter Hall, 
 Jonathan Holmes, 
 William Cheeseman, 
 William Compton, 
 John Bowne, 
 James Grover, 
 
 John Stout. 
 OB.A.DIAH Holmes, 
 John Wilson, 
 John Cox, 
 George Mount, 
 William Layton, 
 John Ashton, 
 James Grover, Jr., 
 Thomas Whitlock. 
 
 NumberTif Members October 30th, 1888, 223 
 
 /- ^. PASTOR, 
 
 Rev. E. Everett Jones, A.M. 
 
 DEACONS, 
 
 James Frost, Charles Allen, James G. Taylor, 
 
 James R Hopping, Church Clerk. 
 
At a Sabbath Morning Service held in the month of May, 1888, 
 it was 
 
 Voted — B3' this Church, that a Bi-Centennial Celebration beheld. 
 
 ]'oted — ]Most cordiall}' and unanimously, that the New Jersey Baptist 
 State Convention and New Jersey Baptist Education Society be invited to 
 hold their Annual Meetings with us, on October 30th and 31st, 18SS, to 
 join with us in celebrating our Bi-Centennial. 
 
 Voted — That our Pastor, Rev. E. Everett Jones, and Brethren Charles 
 Allen, James G. Taylor, Warren Conklin, James G. Hopping, Harvey 
 Jenkins, Daniel Irwin and William Mount, be appointed a Committee of 
 Arrangements for the Bi-Centennial Celebration, in connection with the 
 Bi-Centennial Committee appointed by the New Jersey Baptist State Con- 
 vention, consi-sting of Brethren I. C. W3'nn, O. P. Eaches, H. C. Apple- 
 garth, T. E. Vassar, A. H. Sembower, and Addison Parker. 
 
 At a subsequent meeting of the Bi-Centenuial Committee, the fol- 
 lowing programme was adopted, presented and carried out, as out- 
 lined in this Memorial \'olume. 
 
Order of Exercises. 
 
 On Tuesday morning, October 3otli, 1888, the " New Jersey Bap- 
 tist Education Society" held its Fifty-first Annual Meeting. Ad- 
 dresses were made by Rev. E. F. Y. Pierce, Rev. Addison Parker, 
 Dr. John Greene, and Dr. H. K. Trask. 
 
 Tuesda)^ afternoon, at two o'clock, under the general auspices of 
 the " New Jersey Baptist State Convention," in its Fifty-ninth Anni- 
 versary, the Bi-Centennial and Memorial Exercises of the First 
 Baptist Church, at Middletown, N. J., commenced with a Service of 
 Song. 
 
 e)onc|, . . . . ' . . 'M He G/luirch's Wei 
 
 By Mrs. Caroline M. Wtirdemann, of Washington, D. C, 
 One of our Church Members. 
 
 We praise our God for this glad day, 
 That we may greet you face to face ; 
 
 While heart and voice unite and say 
 Welcome, thrice welcome, to this place. 
 
 This Church, our home ! alike we love 
 Its present good, its memories sweet ; 
 
 So praise our God, while Saints above 
 The welcome and the praise repeat. 
 
 come. 
 
•Address of Welcome, . . . . IDy Qi-. Qi-Veretl ^ones, 
 
 Pasto7- of the Aliddletoivn Chtirch. 
 
 Brethren in Christ, and members of the two hundred Baptist Churches 
 of New Jersey, as Pastor of this grand old patriarchal Church, and for 
 my people, I extend to you Christian greeting, and bid you most cordial 
 welcome to the old, historic spot, to our hospitalit}- , to our hearts and to 
 our homes. We stand on sacred ground, thickly clustered with noble 
 names and grand achievements. They tell us we are the old Mother 
 Church, from whom eight daughter Churches have gone out, and are 
 now as strong, as able, as ourselves ; but others tell us she is the mother 
 of 17,000 or more Baptist Churches. Be that as it may, we are vividly 
 reminded to-day of the gathering home of children and grandchildren on 
 some festive Christmas-tide around the old homestead. Children and 
 grandchildren are delighted, and the dear old faces of grandparents just 
 simply beam with pleasure and delight over their happ}^ descendants. 
 
 We are reminded of the gathering of the tribes to Jerusalem of old, at 
 the great and joyous feasts of the Lord, when even the desert paths 
 through the valley of Baca were as wells of refreshment for the J03' set 
 before them. 
 
 The old Church is joyous to-day in beholding what God hath wrought. 
 The few have become the many, and the glory of God is in it. It is said 
 that at the close of the war between France and Prussia, in 1866, the tri- 
 umphant arm}' of Prussia came to Berlin for its reception and welcome. 
 As each regiment approached the city gate from the Thiergarten, it was 
 halted by a choir demanding by what right it would enter the oxty. The 
 regiment replied in song, reciting the battles it had fought, the victories 
 it had won ; then came a welcome from the choir, " Enter into the city." 
 So came on regiment after regiment, reciting its deeds and victories, each 
 challenged and welcomed in loud chorus. And then thej' marched on in 
 triumph up the Linden, between rows of captured cannon, with the ban- 
 
ners they liad borne and the banners the}^ had taken, and all of them 
 saluted the statue of grand old Frederick, the Creator of Prussia. So it 
 seems to me to-day, the hosts of God's elect have gathered here to salute 
 the grand old Mother Church, and with songs and tokens of victory are 
 marching together, singing hallelujahs and laying their trophies at His 
 feet who hath brought us off more than conquerors. Trusting these 
 anniversary services may make strong and lasting impressions on the 
 Church here, and on all the Churches represented, and may be far-reach- 
 ing in their influences, far out beyond all our calculations, we bid you all 
 again, most cordial welcome. 
 
 ©pening 'Address, B}' P- W- Aye 
 
 President of the Neiu Jersey Baptist State Convention. 
 
Historical Sketch 1^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FIRST BfiPTIST CHURCH OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY. 
 
 BY WHEELOCK H. PARMLY, D.D. 
 
 Lord Macaulay has somewhere written, " A people which takes no pride in 
 the noble achievements of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything 
 worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants." 
 
 This sentiment of Macaulay I fully adopt, and it will apply with equal force 
 to individual Christians, and to Christian Churches. I adopt, also, another sen- 
 timent, of the late David B. Stout, the once honored Pastor of the Middletown 
 Church. He says : " He who studies history, lives twice — he lives in imagina- 
 tion in the ages that preceded him, as well as in that in which his own frail 
 life is fast ebbing away." We are making history, and this thought should 
 inspire us so to live and act, that to others, who may read our history in future 
 generations, it may appear that we served our own generation, both according 
 to the will of God as well as to the best of our ability. 
 
 In preparing, at your request, a brief historical sketch of the First Baptist 
 Church at Middletown, I remark at the beginning, that I perceive that you 
 have assigned me a difficult task, inasmuch as I am not a Bi-Centenarian, con- 
 sequently can make no statements as to her ancient history, as an eye-witness ; 
 neither was I ever anything in her history but, for a brief period, an humble 
 and loyal member in her fold. But the task becomes more difficult inasmuch 
 as there are in existence histories of this body, written by excellent and hon- 
 ored brethren, which differ widely in many of their statements from each 
 other. 
 
 In considering these differences of statements, however, let us not judge too 
 harshly, for when this Church was formed in theX'olony of New Jersey, the 
 
 (9) 
 
lO 
 
 element of religious toleration was not practiced as it is to-day. In England, 
 whence most of the inhabitants emigrated, the people had been in a turmoil 
 between Romanism and Protestantism for several scores of years. Charles I. 
 had lost his head in 1649, by reason of his attempts at persecution, and the 
 very year, 1688, when this Church takes its date, was that in which England 
 passed the bill of the Protestant succession to the throne ; while on the Conti- 
 nent, Louis XIV committed, in 1685, one of the greatest mistakes ever recorded 
 in the history of France. By the edict of Nantes, published by Henry IV in 
 1598, the terrible persecution of the Huguenots ceased, and for eighty-seven 
 years their increase and prosperity were amazing in every respect. But by the 
 revocation of that edict in 1685, oppression and persecution overreached them- 
 selves, and 400,000 of the most industrious, the most intelligent, and the most 
 religious citizens of the nation of France, with all their skill and influence of 
 every kind, fled from their native homes like frightened sheep, to find safety 
 in this and other Colonies, rather than submit to the tyranny of Romanism. 
 
 During such a period, and amid such various influences, arose this Mother 
 Church. That difi'erences of opinion should exist under such circumstances, is 
 not to be wondered at. The wonder really is that so much that we can rely 
 upon has been preserved. And it is a matter of devout gratitude that, notwith- 
 standing all the conflicting statements that from time to time have been made, 
 there exist certain general facts, so well authenticated that all persons can and 
 ought fully to agree in sustaining them. Among them are the following : 
 
 1. The Baptist historian, David Benedict, in his history, pp. 581-2, states on 
 the authority of Morgan Edwards that about the year 1660 some few Baptists 
 were found among the first settlers, and by difi'erent arrivals they continued 
 to increase very slowly for about thirty years, and that about that time, that is 
 in 1688, the First Baptist Church in Middletown was formed. 
 
 While all, so far as my examination has gone, readily acknowledge the exist- 
 ence of the Church at this time, there are some like the historian, Morgan 
 Edwards, who, in his "Materials towards a History of the Baptists in New 
 Jersey," published in 1792, while recognizing the complete formation of 1688, 
 claim that there was an incomplete formation in 1068. He uses the following 
 language : " For the origin of this Church — of 1688 — we must look back to 
 the year 1667, for that was the year when Middletown was purchased from the 
 Indians by twelve men and twenty-four associates. Their names were in the 
 town book. Of these the following were Baptists, viz.: 
 
 " 1. Richard Stout. 
 
 " 2. Jonathan Bowne. 
 
 " 3. John Buchman. 
 
 " 4. Walter Hall. 
 
II 
 
 "5. Jonathan Holmes. 
 "6. William Cheeseman. 
 "7. William Compton. 
 " 8. John Bowne. 
 " 9. James Grover. 
 
 " 10. John Stout. 
 
 " 11. Obadiah Holmes. 
 
 " 12. John Wilson. 
 
 " 13. John Cox. 
 
 " 14. George Mount. 
 
 " 15. William Layton. 
 
 " 16. John Ashton. 
 
 " 17. James Grover, Jr. 
 
 " 18. Thomas Whitlock. 
 
 " It is probable," lie continues, " that some of the above had wives of their 
 way of thinking. However, the aforesaid eighteen men were the constituents 
 of the Church of Middletown, and the winter of 1668 the time." 
 
 " Much of the early history of this ancient Church is wrapt in obscurity on 
 account of the absence of faithful records of their organization. Benedict, 
 for instance, dates their origin to 1667, and from the identity of names found 
 upon the town book, and from the list of Church members, he concludes that 
 the Baptists were among the first settlers of the town. Hence, it is highly 
 probable that from the above date, 1667, until 1688 they were occasionally per- 
 mitted to enjoy the Gospel from itinerant ministers, as well as frequent meet- 
 ings for prayer and exhortation by brethren from their midst." 
 
 From the most careful examination of Benedict and Backus and Armitage 
 and all the other authorities living or dead which I liave been able to consult, 
 I have seen nothing to conflict with these statements, both as to the dates and 
 the origin and the constituents of this venerable Church. 
 
 There are, indeed, minor differences as to the spelling of names and the per- 
 sonality of individuals, but no difi^erences of suflicient importance to prevent 
 us from receiving these statements as we ordinarily receive the history of 
 ancient events or of poetry or science. 
 
 In the excellent history of the Holmdel Church, prepared by Rev. Thomas 
 S. Griffiths, I find the following language, wliich is but a confirmation of the 
 statement made : " Tlie Middletown Church had, in its beginning, two centres 
 in the township of Middletown, at each of which the Baptist settlers predomi- 
 nated, where they erected meeting-houses, worshiping and transacting the 
 Church business in them alternately. One of these was the village of Middle- 
 town, the other was Baptisttown, or the Academy. Baptisttown fitly desig- 
 
12 
 
 nated its religious type. It was a Baptist settlement. Each place and assembly 
 is designated in the Church records. That at Baptisttown as the ' Upper 
 Meeting House,' and the congregation as the ' Upper Congregation,' and that 
 at Middletown village as the ' Lower Meeting House,' and the congregation as 
 the ' Lower Congregation.' These congregations were absolutely one, sharing 
 equally in the responsibility and privileges of the Church." 
 
 All these facts, which are either admitted or implied by the writers I have 
 named, are conclusive evidence that there was a bod}' of Baptists in Middle- 
 town who were united in sentiment ; whose organization was more or less 
 complete after 1668 ; whose membership covered a territory that now comprises 
 Monmouth, Ocean, Mercer and a part of Middlesex counties ; that it embraced 
 men of wealth and talent and influence ; that John Bowne, James Ashton, 
 Richard Stout, Jonathan Holmes and others conducted worship among them. 
 In what places in this vast territory they preached, and whether these brethren 
 were ordained or unordained, are questions of small importance. They settled 
 themselves, as all agree, in 1688, into a complete Church state, holding their 
 worship unitedly in two separate sanctuaries. Near the close of the century 
 they fell into a quarrel and divided into two factions, so that in 1712 we find 
 them in great difficulty. Schism and discord, bitterness and wrangling, seemed 
 likely to rend the body. Under these painful circumstances they agreed to 
 call in and abide by the advice of a council. The names of the members of it 
 were Timothy Brooks, Abel Morgan, Joseph Wood, Elisha Thomas, Nicholas 
 Johnson, James James, Griffith Miles, Edward Church, William Betridge and 
 John Manners. Their report is recorded at length on the Church book, and is 
 a document of singular importance and interest. It commences thus : " With 
 respect to the present state and condition of the Church of baptized believers, 
 yearly meeting at Middletown and Crosswicks and adjacent places in East 
 Jersey, we, the associated Ministers and messengers sent from the Churches 
 of the same faith and order in divers other places, being met at the above- 
 named Middletown, May 24th, 25th and 26th, 1712. ' They advised them to 
 bury all former disputes and contentions, to erase all the records in reference to 
 them, and to subscribe to Elias Keach's Pastor's Confession of Faith and 
 Church Covenant thereto annexed.' " 
 
 In accordance with this advice four leaves were cut out of the Church 
 records. Happy results followed the advice of this council, and peace and 
 harmony were restored. James Bolen, the former Clerk of Monmouth county, 
 was unanimously elected Clerk of the Church. The membership at that time 
 was 66. And it is a remarkable fact, creditable alike both to Pastors and peo- 
 ple, that during all their history of two hundred years this is the only advisory 
 council of which there is any record. 
 
13 
 
 And now having settled, so far as I believe we can confidently settle, from 
 any documents now in our possession, the origin and constitution, as well as 
 the history, of this venerable Church up to the year 1712, let us pursue its 
 remarkable subsequent history; and it is but justice here to notice that the 
 ancient Church record-book, the only one they ever had, is in itself an interest- 
 ing relic. It is a well-preserved ledger, bound in vellum, The first record is 
 headed thus: "At ye yearly meeting May ye 24th Anno Dom 1712." But, 
 carefully as this book has been preserved, with the four leaves cut out at that 
 time by the advice of the council, we have no other authentic history preserved 
 by the Church of an earlier date. Consequently, the historian must depend 
 either on subsequent records or tradition or on the memory of individuals for 
 any subsequent statements he may make ; and, without intending any reflection, 
 either upon the living or the dead, and perhaps at the risk of severe criticism, 
 after a careful examination I am compelled to pronounce the minutes exceed- 
 ingly meagre, as furnishing a full and reliable history. 
 
 And here I desire to acknowledge my indebtedness to Rev. David B. Stout, 
 Eev. T. S. Griffiths, Rev. E. J. Foote and Hon. Edwin Salter, whose sketches 
 have all been quoted by me. To others, also, who have furnished information, 
 I return thanks once for all. I shall not farther quote them by name, but give 
 my deliberate conclusions from whatever sources they may be drawn. 
 
 1. The first Pastor after the council was Rev. John Burrowes, who was elected 
 in 1713. He subscribed with his own hand to Elias Reach's confession of faith 
 and covenant. He is reported to have come from Somersetshire, in England, 
 to have been a successful Minister, and to have remained with them the rest 
 of his life. 
 
 2. The next Pastor was Rev. George Eaglesfield, who was elected in 1731, 
 and continued to preach among them till his death, in 1733. We have no other 
 record of him than this. 
 
 3. The next Pastor was Rev. Abel Morgan, A. M., who was chosen Pastor in 
 1738, and who continued his ministry among them till his death, in 1785, the 
 longest Pastorate and, probably, the most gifted Minister the Church ever had. 
 So much has already been justly written, and so much more will be said on 
 this occasion, about this faithful servant of God, that I shall make but a few 
 quotations from others about him in this paper. In the the old Church book 
 already referred to, we find the following record at the time of his death : 
 "The Rev. Mr. Abel Morgan was born in the State of Delaware, April the 18th, 
 1713. He departed this life Nov. the 2-ith, 1785, near 6 o'clock in the afternoon, 
 in the township of Middletown, county of Monmouth, State of New Jersey." 
 He was one of the strong men of his da}^ pre-eminently prepared for the arduous 
 pioneer work, which in that early history of the country he was called to per- 
 
14 
 
 form. He laid broad and deep the foundations of truth, and to the labors of 
 such men are to be attributed, under God, the prosperity and success which, as 
 a denomination, we are permitted to enjoy. His Ministry was faithful and 
 pungent. In labors he was abundant, as a friend he was affectionate and con- 
 fiding, and his memory will ever be fragrant among all the lovers of our Holy 
 Religion. I have not been able, for the want of records, to ascertain the num- 
 ber he baptized, but I have no doubt that it was quite large. He gave by will 
 to the Church, for the use of the Pastor, his library, which consisted of many 
 rare and valuable works — valuable because of their antiquity, some of the 
 volumes being three hundred years old. As our Brother, Rev. E. J. Foote, in his 
 sketch of Abel Morgan, written in 1883, furnished a correct list of this valuable 
 library I shall spend no time in describing it. He preached more than 5,000 
 sermons during his Pastorate at Middletown, and left manuscript preparations 
 for the pulpit, all dated and numbered, amounting to 10,000. He was a won- 
 derful man in every respect. The excellent Samuel Jones, D.D., of lower 
 Dublin, in his century sermon before the Philadelphia Association, preached 
 October 6th, 1807, speaking of the Middletown Pastors, describes him as " the 
 incomparable Abel Morgan," while Edwards says of him, " He was not a custom 
 divine nor a leading string divine, but a Bible divine." 
 
 4. The next Pastor was Rev. Samuel Morgan, a nephew of Abel Morgan, who 
 held the office a little more than six years, and baptized during that time sixty- 
 five members into the Church. The only farther record I find of him says that 
 Samuel Morgan was born at Welsh Tract, August 23d, 1750 ; that he was 
 ordained at Middletown, November 29th, 1785, at which time he took on him 
 the care of the Church. The ordination sermon was preached by Rev. Peter 
 Wilson, of Hightstown, November 29th, 1785, two days after he preached the 
 funeral sermon of Rev. Abel Morgan. He died in 1794, and was buried at or 
 near Holmdel. 
 
 5. The next Pastor was Rev. Benjamin Bennet. He took the oversight of 
 the Church in 1792. " He was a man of energy and enterprise. His preaching 
 was said to be above mediocrity." He continued his labors with the Church 
 until 1815, when he was elected a member of the House of Representatives of 
 the United States, in which office he served until 1819. Consequently, his 
 connection with the Church as Pastor was dissolved. During his ministry of 
 twenty-three years he baptized fifty persons. He died on October 8th, 1840, 
 and was buried near Holmdel. 
 
 6. The next Pastor was Rev. Augustine Eliot, who for about two years 
 ministered to the Church, and during that time was permitted to baptize nine- 
 teen persons. 
 
15 
 
 Then it appears succeeded a period when they were pastorless, and they so 
 reported themselves to their Association (the New York Baptist Association), 
 in 1820. But meantime, I judge, they were served by acceptable supplies, and 
 among them a beloved Brother Hand, who had not yet been ordained, but 
 whose labors among them were blessed. 
 
 7. Afterwards there succeeded to the pastorate, in 1822, Rev. William King, 
 whose term of service continued for three years, during which time he bap- 
 tized thirty persons. But this man proved himself a bad Shepherd, and left 
 the Church very suddenly. The same man was reported to the New York 
 Association, in 1829, from the Cayuga (N. Y.) Association, as an impostor, and 
 I presume was at that time deposed from the ministry. 
 
 8. The next Pastor was the excellent Thomas Roberts, who was elected to 
 this office in 1825. The account which this Brother gives in his autobiography 
 (p. 36) of his settlement with the Church is most interesting. I will here quote 
 a few sentences from an interview held at this time at the " Upper House," 
 now Holmdel, between Judge Jehu Patterson, for many years a pillar in the 
 Middletown Church, and himself on this subject. The Judge had asked him 
 whether he would be willing to settle with them as Pastor. Mr. Roberts' reply 
 was characteristic. He writes: " I told him that such was my love of peace 
 and harmony among brethren that I could neither labor nor live where they 
 were absent. Judge Patterson replied that all their disagreement was concern- 
 ing Mr. King, and went on to say, ' This imposture is evident and is becoming 
 more so every day, so that soon all will be convinced of the deplorable fact.' 
 As he said, so it came to pass, and all were happy to know that their King had 
 fled, and glad to see the good old Baptist republic restored to the ancient 
 Church." 
 
 Can any one wonder that with a Pastor of such a spirit, even though he 
 served a Church worshiping in two large, separate sanctuaries, and covering a 
 territory of at least twenty miles in diameter, they should dwell together as 
 Pastor and people for twelve whole years in the most perfect harmony and 
 unity ? This is, in part at least, explained by his immediate successor, Rev. 
 David B. Stout, who says of him: " Mr. Roberts' labors were not in vain in 
 the Lord ; he baptized during his ministry one hundred and forty-five persons. 
 He lived in the affections of his people, his praise is in all the Churches of the 
 saints, and his memory will long be cherished by all Christians." When he 
 parted with the Church, their next letter to the ^Association, in 1837, after they 
 had settled his successor, contains the following reference to it: *' We parted 
 with one of the best of men and one whom we dearly loved." This state of 
 things is farther explained by himself in his autobiography (pp. 39, 40), where 
 he speaks of the wonderfnl brotherly love and unanimity which has marked 
 
i6 
 
 their history, and then asks the suggestive question, " May not the influence of 
 this Mother Church, in her early days, when that eminent man of God, Abel 
 Morgan, presided over her, under God, be among the influences that has 
 brought about this happy state of things ? " Can there be more than one, and 
 that an affirmative, answer to such a question ? On the same page ot this auto- 
 biography he makes the following remarkable statement : " During the whole 
 time I served this beloved Church, I have no recollection of one unpleasant 
 circumstance to mar our happiness as a Church. The membership maintained 
 a circumspect deportment, letting their light shine endeavoring to keep the 
 unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, and God was glorified in them.'' I 
 speak in part from personal knowledge when I say that I think it no injustice 
 when I place Thomas Eoberts second only to Abel Morgan, as a Pastor of this 
 venerable Church. 
 
 9. The next Pastor was David B. Stout, who was unanimously chosen on 
 April 1st, 1837, and never, perhaps, was a Church more blessed than this Church 
 in making such a selection. He came to them from Lambertville, New Jersey, 
 in the strength of mature manhood, with five years of experience, and for a 
 period of thirty-eight years went in and out before the people as a workman 
 who needed not to be ashamed. The first letter of the Church to the Associa- 
 tion after his settlement in 1837, contained this sentence: " We are all united 
 in our new Pastor, Brother D. B. Stout." That was the keynote of his long 
 and successful pastorate. 
 
 We have now followed the history of this Mother Church and her Pastors 
 to a period when many of the living can speak from personal knowledge and 
 experience, and none can successfully deny that David B. Stout, while natur- 
 ally of a modest and retiring disposition, yet possessed a most genial spirit. 
 He loved men, and was thoroughly devoted to his life-work. Surrounded at 
 the time of his seitlement by a Church of 154 members true and faithful, he 
 knew how so to improve his opportunity that in a few mouths, by the grace of 
 God, he witnessed a most powerful revival. During the year 1838 he baptized 
 76 persons into the Church. That j'ear the work became so great that he called 
 to his aid Rev. Frederick Ketchum, a recent graduate from Hamilton Theolog- 
 ical Seminary, who afterwards became a most useful evangelist, both in New 
 Jersey and in the West. The whole surrounding region, including Red Bank 
 and Shrewsbury, where there was no Baptist Church at that time, was entirely 
 changed by that work of grace. The late Dr. Greenleaf S. Webb, then Pastor 
 in the city of New Brunswick, described that work, iu the writer's presence, 
 as filling the whole region from Middletown to Burlington, N. J., with the 
 power of saving truth. Pastor Stout continued his almost indefatigable labors 
 till, in 1851, he was permitted to baptize 236 converts into the Church, and the 
 
17 
 
 membership increased to 567— the highest number ever reported by the 
 (Church. 
 
 He makes the following report of that great revival in 1851 : " The hearts of 
 professors were broken and melted in love ; brethren went everywhere, talk- 
 ing and praying with the unconverted, and what seemed the more remarkable 
 was, that wherever they went the Spirit of God had been there before them. 
 It has been supposed that upon an area of five miles around the Church, not 
 less than 500 persons were converted during that period." The largest number 
 of baptisms by Mr. Stout at any one time was 82, on the 12th of January, and 
 it was performed with ease, and without haste, in thirty-eight minutes. A large 
 proportion of the converts were adults, and the larger number of them were 
 males. 
 
 From the excellent statistical report of Rev. E. J. Foote, seemingly the best 
 statistical report that has come to hand, I learn that during the thirty-eight 
 years of Mr. Stout's ministry he baptized into the Church 661 members. From 
 the same report I learn that from the year 1809 to 1837 other ministers bap- 
 tized 196, and that Mr. Foote baptized during his ministry from 1875 to 1883 
 63 persons. Added to these, as reported by Rev. D. B. Stout, must be 65 bap- 
 tized by Rev. Samuel Morgan between 1785 and 1792, and 50 that were baptized 
 by Rev. Benjamin Bennet after 1792, making an aggregate of 1,030 baptisms 
 between 1785 and 1883. 
 
 To this number we are glad to report and add baptisms — by Rev. E. J. Foote, 
 63 ; by Rev. F. A. Douglass, 13 ; by Rev. E. Everett Jones, 26 ; total, 102. 
 
 This last number (102), added to the 1030, makes an aggregate of baptisms 
 into this Church as reported between the years 1785 and 1888, 1132. In this 
 reckoning, on account of the imperfect records, we leave out all the baptisms 
 which were administered during the 97 years which preceded the ministry of 
 Rev. Samuel Morgan. 
 
 In the sketch of the Church, by Hon. Edwin Salter, of New Jersey, pub- 
 lished in 1888, he reports that during Mr. Stout's pastorate "he had attended 
 and oflficiated at over 600 funerals, and that, at the time of his decease, of the 
 206 members connected with the Church he had received all but one male and 
 twelve females." The same author closes his sketch of Mr. Stout's ministry 
 with the following truthful and appropriate tribute to the Rev. Mr. Stout : 
 " He was a large-hearted and noble Christian gentleman, and, while an earnest 
 adherent to his own faith, his loving soul called every man his brother who 
 accepted an evangelical belief in the Saviour. His funeral services were held 
 in the Church, which was filled to repletion. The carriages must have 
 numbered one hundred and fifty," and, as reported to the present writer 
 (who could not attend), it was the largest funeral ever witnessed in Middletown. 
 
 2 
 
i8 
 
 10. The immediate successor of Rev. David B. Stout was Rev. E. J. Foote, 
 who was called from Red Bank, and on January 2d, 1876, took up the work 
 which Mr. Stout had so recently laid down. He brought with him the experi- 
 ence of rich, abundant and successful labors in many fields of toil, and for 
 a period of eight years went in and out faithfully before this people, gathering 
 in the sheaves which infinite love should send him. During that period the 
 Lord gave him souls for his hire, and permitted him to baptize 63 persons into 
 the Church, and then by His providence showed him another field, where he 
 is still successfully engaged for his blessed Master. In 18S.T he removed to 
 Trenton, N. J. 
 
 11. To Mr. Foote succeeded Rev. Frederick A. Douglass, who was installed 
 as Pastor on December 20th, 1883. He brought to this field a long experience, 
 both as a Pastor at home and as a Missionary in foreign lands, and used all 
 according to the best of his ability. The Lord gave him as seals to his minis- 
 try thirteen converts, whom he baptized into the Church. After three years 
 of faithful labor, he closed his pastorate on December 31st, 18S6. 
 
 ^•^2. The present Pastor, Rev. ETlEIvefett Jones, commenced his ministry here 
 on April 1st, 1887. He was no novice when he began, for the Lord had blessed 
 his labors in other pastorates. He has continued to own them in this com- 
 munity to a remarkable degree, large congregations attend upon the ministry 
 
 \ of the Word, the Church are united and harmonious, and God has granted 
 / him since his settlement as seals to his ministry 26 souls, whom he has bap- 
 tized into the Church. Besides these, and placing a baptistery within these 
 hallowed walls, and many other things worthy of mention here, the beasts 
 have reason to bless him and this congregation, for during the past year they 
 have done a new thing under the sun, that is, they have purchased a lot of 
 ground adjoining this Sanctuary for one thousand dollars, and upon it have 
 erected 24 new sheds for the horses — a thing which should have been done 
 at any time within the last 200 years. If you would see other evidences of 
 improvement about this Mother Church, look around you. 
 
 This Church has also been active in forming other Churches, either wholly 
 or in part. In 1715, the Baptist Church at Hopewell, Mercer county, was 
 organized from members who had previously emigrated from the First Church 
 in Middletown. This Church became a very powerful and influential body, 
 and so continued until about 1814, when it fell under the withering influence 
 of antinomianism. 
 
 Following this, in 1745, the Hightstown Church took its rise from this body. 
 It was first called the Cranbury Church, but for many years past has been one 
 of the most efficient bodies in this State, and has herself become the mother of 
 several other ('hurches. 
 
19 
 
 The next Church was Holmdel, which was really a division of this Church, 
 and became necessary by reason of the large growth of the body. In 1836, 52 
 members were dismissed and became an independent Church. Their history 
 has been one of progress ever since their recognition. 
 
 Four years later, that is, in 1840, Keyport took its rise out of this Church, 
 11 members having been dismissed from her to constitute that body. 
 
 Before this, in the order of time, that is, in 1766, a flourishing Church was 
 formed in Crosswicks from this body, which is now known as the Upper Free- 
 hold Church. 
 
 In 1844 this Church dismissed 11 members, which, with others, were consti- 
 tuted the First Baptist Church of Shrewsbury, located at Red Bank. 
 
 Nine years later, in 1853, 54 members were dismissed for the purpose of form- 
 ing a Baptist Church at Riceville, now known as the Second Baptist Church of 
 Middletown. And the next year, 1854, 64 members were dismissed to consti- 
 tute the Baptist Church at Port Monmouth. 
 
 In addition to these (8) already named, it is but just to mention the Baptist 
 Churches at Matawan, and Eatontown, and Atlantic Highlands and Long 
 Branch, for all these young Churches owe more or less for their existence and 
 present prosperity to this Mother Church, and yet she stands to-day in the 
 midst of her children and grandchildren, strong in membership, integrity and 
 power, a remarkable evidence of the sustaining grace of God, as well as a proof 
 of the truth of the Scripture, "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth." 
 
 But while so engaged in prosecuting her general work of preaching the 
 Gospel, this venerable Church has not been idle in the particular work to which 
 t believe every Church should be devoted, and that is, in raising up men to 
 preach the Gospel. During her long history we find several names of brethren 
 who have been called, and probably licensed, by the Church to preach, but 
 whether they were all ordained as Pastors is a question, for there is a lack of 
 historic proof. Such names in her early history are those of — 
 
 1. John Brown. 
 
 2. James Ashton, put down by some as the first Pastor. 
 
 3. John Bray. They were probably all Licentiates and Lay Preachers, but 
 not ordained Ministers. 
 
 4. John Occason was called to ordination by the Church in 1667, and preached 
 throughout this extended field for about 45 years. 
 
 5. James Carman, who was baptized in 1692, was an ordained Minister, and 
 preached at Cranbury, now Hightstown, and other Churches, till the time of 
 his death, at about 79 years of age. 
 
 6. Samuel Morgan, the fourth Pastor, was called and ordained by this Church 
 in 1785. 
 
20 
 
 7. John Cook was licensed by the Church in 1789, and then removed to Vir- 
 ginia, and was lost sight of by the Church. 
 
 Then occurred about 50 years when there is no record of license. 
 
 8. Samuel Sproul was licensed in 1839. He devoted himself to the pastorate 
 of several Churches, chiefly in New Jersey, with great faithfulness and success, 
 and died in the midst of his labors, at Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey, July 
 26th, 1880, aged 68 years. 
 
 9. Kelsey Walling was licensed and sent out by the Church in 1851, and is 
 still in the field, an active and useful Preacher of the Gospel. 
 
 Besides these (9) there have been and are many others who, although not 
 actually licensed by, yet owe a vast debt of gratitude to this Church for benefits 
 received from her as members while they were pursuing their studies preparing 
 for the ministry. Among these was Jackson Smith, who was a bright youth, 
 but who, after careful study, abundant preparation, and a few years' labor as 
 Pastor of the Churches at Lyons' Farms, Keyport and Princeton, in this State, 
 was early and mysteriously called to his reward in heaven. Thomas S. Grif- 
 fiths, who became the first Pastor at Red Bank and who is still doing valiant 
 service among the Churches in this State. Wheelock H. Parmly, of Jersey 
 City, who, while preparing for college, was a member of this Church and after- 
 wards was licensed by the Amity Street Baptist Church, in New York city, 
 under the pastorate of Rev. William R. Williams, D.D., LL.D. 
 
 Thus have we briefly and imperfectly sketched a few items in the history of 
 a Church whose life runs back to near the settlement of this country ; a history 
 which embraces all the wars through which this nation has passed ; a history 
 of a Church which, throughout, has preserved its faith and integrity untar- 
 nished, and which, if justice were done, it would require a volume to 
 describe. 
 
 If this brief sketch shall aid in the instruction and elevation of the present 
 generation, as well as in giving a more perfect knowledge than we have hith- 
 erto possessed of this venerable Mother Church, my end shall be answered and 
 to God shall be all the glory. 
 
21 
 
 The Bi-&ntennial (Jhurcli, Tlynin; By Robert UowVy, I).!). 
 
 ( Written expressly for the occasion.) Sung by the whole 
 congregation standing. 
 
 O, Lord, Thou art our living head ; 
 
 What precious grace our life has crowned ! 
 We seek Thy courts with reverent tread, 
 
 And stand as if on holy ground. 
 
 Two hundred years ! O, who can tell 
 The battles fought, the victories won ? 
 
 Though men who bore the standard fell, 
 The}' passed it on from sire to son. 
 
 Our feet are where the fathers trod. 
 Our lips recount their deeds of love ; 
 
 As they were true to Truth and God, 
 So we will follow them above. 
 
 All blessed and triumphant they 
 
 Who dropped the sword for palm and crown ; 
 
 The godly cease ; but we to-day 
 Take up the work which they laid down. 
 
 Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place 
 
 In all the generations gone ; 
 Uphold us, till we see Thy face 
 
 When breaks on earth the heavenl}^ dawn. 
 
 Prayer was then offered by Rev. Dr. Symmes, late Moderator of 
 the Synod of New Jersey (Presbyterian). 
 
 The commemoration anthem, composed by Robert Lowry, D.D., 
 was then sung by the choir. 
 
(Commemoration Antherq, . . . JVlusic by l|)r. LfoWry. 
 
 For Thou, O, God, hast heard ui)' vows : 
 
 Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name. 
 
 Thou wilt prolong the king's life; and his years as many generations. 
 
 He shall abide before God forever : 
 
 O, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 
 
 So will I sing praise unto Thy name forever. Amen. — Psalms, 6i : ^-8. 
 
 "Address, .... loy Jloq. jloratio (i^ates IJones. 
 
 The Hon. Horatio Gates Jones, of Philadelphia, a third cousin of 
 the Rev. Abel Morgan, and who brought with him an oil portrait 
 of that famous former Pastor, was then introduced, and made the 
 following address as to the life and work of his ancestral relative, 
 and his great joy at the privilege of being present at this memorial 
 service : 
 
 Mr. President and Brethren — I feel myself highly honored in hav- 
 ing been invited to participate in your Bi-Centennial Services. But you 
 have given me more honor than I deserve, for I am not, as your President 
 announced, a lineal descendant of Rev. Abel Morgan, as he had no descend- 
 ants, for he was a bachelor. Still I claim to be the only living relative 
 of Mr. Morgan present on this occasion. He was a cousin of m}- grand- 
 father, Rev. David Jones, the Revolutionary chaplain, who spent several 
 years of his youth in this place, and studied divinitj^ with his cousin. 
 He also did something else, and this he did not learn of your eminent 
 Pastor. While here he fell in love, and like the majority of 3^oung divinity 
 students, as soon as he was ordained he was married by Mr. Morgan to 
 Miss Anne Stillwell , one of whose ancestors was descended from the famous 
 Obadiah Holmes. So that to-day I feel flowing in my veins the blood of 
 
W^i/Oy^ 
 
 Vriddleto-'A'n, N. J, 
 IPcistor 4:T years. 
 
23 
 
 the brave hero who suffered for hi.s religious principles upon BovSton 
 Common, in 1651. As your Church and Pennypack, Piscataway, Cohan- 
 sey and Welsh Tract were the five which formed the Philadelphia Associ- 
 ation in 1707, I was accompanied here by the Rev. James W. Willmarth, 
 of the Roxborough Church, who is the Moderator of the Association. 
 We felt that, as officers of our Association, it was our duty as well as 
 privilege to show our regard for j^our venerable Church. 
 
 So much has been said bj^ Dr. Parmley and will be said by Dr. Baches, 
 that I need not give you to-day any historical facts, and I might now, 
 with propriety, take my seat. But I feel that I must say a few words 
 about Mr. Morgan, to whose memory your Church has erected a beautiful 
 monument, soon to be unveiled. He was a devout man, a scholar of very 
 considerable learning, an earnest preacher of the blessed Gospel and a 
 powerful Minister. He was beloved b}^ his people, respected b}' his 
 brethren, and honored during all his life by the Philadelphia Association. 
 He believed and practiced what he preached. Although he was a thor- 
 ough Welshman by descent, yet he never attacked others who differed 
 from him, from the mere love of theological disputation. But if the doc- 
 trines of the Bible w^ere misrepresented, his spirit was roused at once, and 
 he buckled on his armor and contended most earnestl}' for the faith once 
 delivered to the saints. This occurred most conspicuously when he pub- 
 lished his two learned books against the Rev. Samuel Finley, D.D., after- 
 wards the President of Princeton College, the ancestor of the celebrated 
 Samuel F. B. Morse. All who have read those books must admit that 
 Dr. Finley found in Mr. Morgan a foeman worthy of his steel. 
 
 Mr. President, we do not live in the past, nor in the future, but in the 
 ever-living and changing present, surrounded at all times by new duties 
 and extraordinary events. We may, however, learn much from the past, 
 and if we are wise we shall do so. As we do thus look back and trace 
 the onward progress made in science, literature, the arts and the study of 
 the Bible, we can devoutly thank God and take courage, for we feel that, 
 despite all the attacks made against the precious truths of the Gospel, 
 the gates of hell will not prevail. When two centuries shall have rolled 
 away into the vast ocean of eternit}^ may we not believe, judging from 
 the past history of this Church, that amid all the advances in the varied 
 departments of life, our people will still cherish the same love that we do 
 for God and the truths contained in this blessed volume which he has 
 given us. 
 
24 
 
 " Who'll press for gold the crowded street, 
 Two hundred years to come ? 
 Who'll tread these aisles with pious feet, 
 
 Two hundred years to come ? 
 Pale, trembling age and fiery youth, 
 And childhood with its brow of truth. 
 The young and old, on land and sea, 
 Where will the countless people be 
 Two hundred years to come ? 
 
 " We all within our graves shall sleep 
 Two hundred years to come : 
 No living soul for us will weep 
 Two hundred years to come ; 
 But others then our lands will till, 
 And others then these seats will fill, 
 And others here will preach and pray — 
 But, the same Gospel as to-day. 
 Two hundred years to come." 
 
25 
 
 Historical Sketch 
 
 OF THE 
 
 INCREASE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BAPTISTS 
 
 OR, 
 
 Two Hundred Years of New Jersey Baptist 
 History. 
 
 BY O. P. EACHES, D.D. 
 
 A GLANCE AT THE TIMES. 
 
 In 1688, it was not the State of New Jersey, but the Provinces of East and 
 West Jersey. William and Mary were upon the English throne. Not a 
 thought of separation from the mother land had ever come to the minds of 
 the new settlers. The records of the Dividing Creek Church contain in full 
 the King's proclamation of October 31st, 1760. The Association, in 1769, when 
 considering a petition to the King for the relief of the suffering Baptist brother- 
 hood in New England, calls him " Our Gracious Sovereign." The Baptists were 
 loyal to Christ and to the Crown. The population of the two provinces could 
 not have been over 5,000. In 1740 it was only 40.000. The remains of Indian 
 tribes were in the provinces. In 1745, Brainerd was giving his saintly life to 
 them. In the records of the Upper Freehold Church, founded in 1766, are 
 these words, giving a glimpse into the olden times: " The first of that way 
 (meaning the way of Christ) was one James Ashton, the eldest son of James 
 Ashton, Baptist Minister at Middletown, who came here to Crosswicks, which 
 was then a wild and unsettled place, but possessed with the Indians in great 
 abundance." In New England, King Philip's Indian War had closed but a 
 few years before. The news of the glorious revolution in England, whereby 
 despotism and papal supremacy had been driven away in the person of James, 
 
26 
 
 perhaps had not gladdened the hearts of the Baptist fathers when thej^ laid 
 the foundation of the Middletown Church. John Bunyan, about five years 
 before, had published the " Pilgrim's Progress." Milton, about twenty years 
 before, had published his " Paradise Lost." Sir Isaac Newton, at this time, was 
 establishing the theory of gravitation. A few Baptist people on this side of 
 the ocean were giving to the world great moral discoveries in building up a 
 community where the conscience was unbound. The revocation of the Edict 
 of Nantes took place three years before, whereby France put upon herself a 
 curse that has lasted two centuries, and sent to this country those Huguenot 
 families, the Stelles and Runyons and Ganos, by whose presence the Baptist 
 Churches of this State have been enriched. Baxter and Dryden and Pascal 
 and John Locke were living. Some of the constituent members of the New 
 Jersey Baptist Churches were born before the Pilgrims saw Plymouth Rock. 
 Some of them may have seen Cromwell, or Milton, or Gov. Winthrop, or Miles 
 Standish ; may have heard John Bunyan, or Roger Williams, or John Clark, 
 or Cotton Mather, or John Cotton. 
 
 New York and Philadelphia were straggling villages. Trenton was not 
 f junded for fifty years afterward. The era of invention had not yet begun. 
 Thousands of words in our language have been born since that time. Wash- 
 ington and the men who were to lay the foundation of our national life were 
 not born for half a century afterward. When we dig down to the foundation 
 of our Baptist Churches we seem to be living in some far-off age. 
 
 GENESIS OF BAPTIST CHURCHES. 
 
 Plant the Bible and Baptists will spring up. Plant Baptists within a score of 
 miles of each other and Baptist Churches will grow. Some of those who came 
 across the waters were Baptists. Others, breathing the freer air of this land, 
 were made such by the study of the Word. The Churches of our faith sprang 
 up on this continent in this order : 
 
 Providence, R. I 1639 
 
 First Newport 1644 
 
 Second Newport 1656 
 
 First Swansea 1663 
 
 First Boston 1665 
 
 North Kingston, R. I 1665 
 
 South Kingston, R. 1 1680 
 
 Charleston, S. C 1683 
 
 Tiverton, R.I 1685 
 
 Pennepek, Pa 1688 
 
27 
 
 When the foundations of tlie first Baptist Church of New Jersey were laid 
 there were on this continent ten small groups, seemingly unimportant, of bap- 
 tized believers ; all of them having a str^g^le to live themselves and to keep 
 the truths alive which they stood for. They could not have numbered five 
 hundred — perhaps far less than this number. But we cannot measure the mag- 
 nitude of a truth by mere numbers. At Marathon only 192 fell, yet twenty- 
 five hundred years of civilization were bound up in that struggle. In January, 
 1688, twelve Baptist men and women at Pennepek, Pa., formed themselves into 
 a Church. Let us rehearse their names — Elias Keach, John Eaton, George 
 Eaton and Jane his wife, Sarah Eaton, Samuel Jones, John Baker, Samuel 
 Vans, Joseph Ashton and Jane his wife, William Fisher and John Watts. 
 Their action was a stimulus to the Jersey Baptists to form themselves into 
 Churches. The brethren at Middletown settled tiiemselves into a Church order 
 after consultation with the brethren at Pennepek. 
 
 CENTRES OF BAPTIST INFLUENCE. 
 
 Four Baptist Churches in the State may fittingly be called Mother Churches, 
 because from them have come, by direct or indirect descent, almost all the 
 Baptist Churches within our borders. These are — 
 
 Middletown, established in 1688. 
 
 Piscataway, established in 1689. 
 
 Cohansey, established in 1690. 
 
 Cape May, established in 1712. 
 
 MIDDLETOWN, 
 
 in order of time, stands first. For a score of years before 1688, without doubt, 
 there were Baptists here. The faith of these old-time saints was kept alive by 
 meetings held in the house of John Stout, and then in a building erected upon 
 a lot given by Capt. John Bowne. Bowne and James Ashton were the prin- 
 cipal speakers. Of the thirty-six persons who purchased the title from the 
 Indians, eighteen are said to have been Baptists. Rev. Obadiah Holmes, who 
 had witnessed for the truth of the New Testament by being publicly whipped 
 in Boston, one of the proprietors. Pastor of the Newport Church from 1652 to 
 1682, may have visited and preached to these Baptist saints living in Mon- 
 mouth county. Rev. Thomas Dungan, Pastor of the Church in Cold Spring, 
 Penna. (a Church on the Delaware, founded in 1684, which was soon merged 
 into the Pennepek Church), may have comforted their hearts by visiting 
 them. 
 
28 
 
 Let us keep in memory the names of these eighteen men who covenanted 
 with Jesus Christ and with each other to build up the truth and to strengthen 
 each other : 
 
 Eichard Stout, John Stout, 
 
 William or James Bowne, Obadiah Holmes, 
 
 John Euckman, John Wilson, 
 
 Walter Wall, Thomas Cox, 
 
 Jonathan Holmes, George ISIount, 
 
 Wm. Cheeseman, Wm. Layton, 
 
 Wm. Compton, James Ashton, 
 
 John Bowne, Thomas Whitlock, 
 
 James Grover, Jr., James Grover, 
 
 Other men, whose names we shall not know until we meet them above, and 
 saintly women, not a few, may also have belonged to that first New Jersey 
 Baptist Church. The Pastor of this Church was Pastor of all the Baptists in 
 the territory covered by Monmouth, Mercer, Ocean and a part of Middlesex 
 counties. By division of its field and by dismission of members, eight 
 Churches have sprung from it. These, in turn, have given birth to others, so 
 that all the Churches in this section of the State may say of Middletown, She is 
 the Mother of us all. 
 
 PISCATAWAY 
 
 stands second in the list. A large tract on the east side of the Earitan was 
 bought of the Indians, in 1683. Among the first settlers were people from 
 Piscataqua — now Dover, N. H. In this place Hanserd Knollys, the distin- 
 guished English preacher, sowed Baptist sentiments as early as 1638. It is 
 claimed tliat of these early settlers at least six were Baptists. These six were 
 formed into a Gospel Church in 1689. Let us record the names of these six 
 Baptist worthies : Hugh Dunn, John Drake, Nicholas Bonham, John Smalley, 
 Edmund Dunham, John Eandolph. This newly-formed Church was rich in 
 spirited leadership — three of the members, John Drake, Hugh Dunn and 
 Edmund Dunham, being lay-preachers. The first meeting-house, by order of 
 the township, was " built forthwith, as followeth : dimensions, twenty feet 
 wide, thirty feet long, and ten feet between joints." 
 
 COIIANSEY 
 
 was formed in 1690. In 1683 a company of immigrants, members of the Clough- 
 ketin Church, in the county of Tipperary, Ireland, landed at Perth Amboy, and 
 traveled across the country to Cohansey Creek. In 1685, Obadiah Holmes, (a 
 
29 
 
 son of that Obadiah Holmes whose back had been scarred for the truth's 
 sake,) arrived from New England. In 1688, Elias Keach, of Pennepek, bap- 
 tized three persons. At that time Pennepek Church embraced all the Baptists 
 of West Jersey. The Lord's Supper was observed regularly at Cohansey and 
 Burlington. In 1690, Eev. Thomas Killingworth moved into the neighborhood. 
 In that year a Church with nine male members was formed. Let us record the 
 names of these nine foundation-men of the Cohansey Church — Rev. Thomas 
 Killingworth, David Sheppard, Thomas Abbot, William Button, Obadiah 
 Holmes, John Cornelius, Kinner Vanhj'st, John Child, Thomas Lamstone. It 
 is worthy of notice that in these three old Churches there is not a hint, from 
 tradition, that any women were constituent members. And yet we feel justi- 
 fied in thinking that there must have been Godly women in them all. 
 
 We ought to notice, to-day, the great worth of Rev. Thomas Killingworth in 
 laying the foundation of our Church institutions in this State. He was present 
 at Middletown when the Church was organized there. He was present at the 
 formation of the Piscataway Church. He was a member of the Cohansey 
 Church at its organization, and became its first Pastor. It may be that back of 
 all these organizations was the power and controlling influence of this man of 
 God who came to this country from England soon after his ordination to the 
 Ministry. 
 
 CAPE MAY 
 
 had Baptist settlers who came from England in 1675. Among these were 
 George Taylor and Philip Hill. Taylor held Bible readings in his own house. 
 Upon his death, in 1702, Mr. Hill took up the work and continued the meetings. 
 Mr. Keach preached here as early as 1688. The Church was constituted in 1712, 
 with 37 members. These four centers of Baptist influence are strong Churches 
 to-day because they gave so much of their own lives to beget other lives. 
 
 Almost all the Churches in the State have descended from these four Churches, 
 or from the migration of Baptists into this State from other States or foreign 
 countries. One Church originated in this way : A colony came into North 
 Jersey from Connecticut, in 1751. This colony was a Church of Separatists, 
 holding to infant baptism, but insisting upon regeneration in the membership 
 and an inner call for the ministry. Having gone so far in the truth, they were 
 led to go further. They adopted believers' baptism. The question arose 
 whether baptism by an unbaptized person was valid. They answered it in the 
 affirmative. Thereupon Elkanah Fuller baptized William Marsh, then Marsh 
 baptized Fuller. In this manner the First Baptist Church of Wantage origi- 
 nated. In like manner, in 1639, Ezekiel HoUimau baptized Roger Williams, 
 and then Williams baptized Holliman. 
 
It is not a matter of surprise that some extravagances belonged to the early 
 history of this Church. For some years mixed communion prevailed. This,. 
 in time, gave way to a more scriptural order. In 1761, a community of goods 
 prevailed among a large part of the membership. 
 
 WHY THEY CAME TO THE JERSEYS. 
 
 A number of the early settlers in New England held Baptist views. These 
 views were too large for the narrow orthodoxy of Massachusetts and Connec- 
 ticut, No one but a member of the standing order could be a freeman. The 
 doors of the First Baptist Church in Boston were closed by order of the Gen- 
 eral Court. Persecution led Baptists in Wales, England, Ireland, New England, 
 to seek a better country. 
 
 When Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret obtained possession of New 
 Jersey, about 1664, they formed a Bill of Rights, by which " liberty of con- 
 science to all religious sects who behave well " was guaranteed. In this State, 
 for over two hundred years, the Baptists have enjoyed the privilege of an open 
 Bible, and the doors of the meeting-house never closed by the State. Baptists 
 held positions of honor and trust in the Jerseys from the beginning. Captain 
 John Bowne, of Middletown, was a member of the Provincial Assembly in 
 1668-1675, and Speaker in 1683. Jonathan Holmes, of Middletown, was a 
 Deputy to the Legislature in 166S. Rev. Benjamin Stelle, of Piscataway, was 
 one of the Magistrates of the town. Rev. Thomas Killingworth and Obadiah 
 Holmes were the first Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Salem county. 
 John Holme was also a Judge of the Salem County Court. In 1721, Rev. 
 Nathaniel Jenkins, Pastor of the Cape May Church, was a member of the 
 Colonial Legislature. A bill was introduced to punish all who denied the doc- 
 trine of the Trinity, the Divinity of Christ, and the Inspiration of the Scriptures. 
 Thereupon brave Nathaniel Jenkins said : " I believe the doctrines in question 
 as firmly as the promoters of that ill-designed bill, but I will never consent to 
 oppose the opposers with law or any other weapon save that of argument." 
 He believed in the truth, and he believed that the Truth of God could stand 
 without the addition of pains and penalties from the civil power. The jail 
 and the whipping-post add nothing to the truth of a teaching. The bill failed 
 to become a law. Nathaniel Jenkins registered the mind of every Baptist in 
 the land when he voted nay upon that bill. In Rhode Island there was religi- 
 ous freedom ; in this State a large-hearted toleration prevailed. Accordingly, 
 we find Thomas Killingworth, at a court held at Salem, December 24th, 1706, 
 taking out a license under the Toleration Act for a preaching place at Penns 
 Neck. The Baptists in this Colony were breathing a free air and growing 
 
31 
 
 The brethren in some of the other Colonies were sorely afflicted. In 1770 the 
 Baptists at Ashfleld, near Boston, refused to pay the taxes levied upon them to 
 build the new Puritan meeting-house. Thereupon their orchards, meadows, 
 cornfields and grave-yard were sold. In the records of the Cape May Church, 
 December 31st, 1774, a contribution was considered for " our persecuted breth- 
 ren at Ashfleld, in Boston government." At the meeting of the Philadelphia 
 Association, October 11th, 1775, the Cohansey Church reported two pounds " For 
 our suffering brethren in New England." The whole world to-day stands 
 debtor to these men who counted their principles of more worth than their 
 property. We give praise to the Churches in our State that stood by them and 
 helped them. 
 
 WHAT THE CHURCHES STOOD FOR. 
 
 Those thirty-three men of Middletown, Piscataway and Cohansey Churches, 
 what truths did they represent? They stood for this — the supremacy of Jesus 
 Christ in the Church, or, as the fathers expressed it, the Kingship of Jesus ; and 
 therefore these men of two centuries ago went to the New Testament and asked 
 it for the word of Jesus Christ. Tradition and custom and creed and centuries 
 had but little weight with them. The Word of Jesus Christ had great weight 
 with them. This truth is not worn-out to-day. Jesus Christ, and He only, is 
 law giver in Zion. Customs and conveniences and majorities can never change 
 falsehoods into truths or convert half truths into whole truths. They stood /or 
 the conscience untouched by the civil power. These thirty-three men had almost 
 all New England against them, some of the Southern Colonies, the customs of 
 centuries, the deliverances of councils and confessions of faith. Reformers 
 like Martin Luther and John Knox, saintly men like Baxter, thought it a per- 
 tinent doctrine. Our Baptist fathers stood there so quietly, planted their con- 
 victions, and the whole world has come around to them. And to-day the truth 
 has so won its way into the world's thinking that we are apt to underestimate 
 the sublimity of their position. 
 
 They stood for the Church, its purity, its regenerate character. They were the 
 custodians, the trustees of this teaching — the Church must be a regenerate 
 body. They were dark times spiritually in our land when these three Churches 
 were formed. In 1657, in New England, the half-way covenant was adopted. 
 Under this all persons who had been baptized were regarded as Church mem- 
 bers, but the Lord's Supper was withheld from them. But they could not stop 
 here. If infant baptism admitted to the Lord's Church, why not also to the 
 Lord's Supper? The distinction between the regenerate and unregenerate was 
 ignored. Infant baptism took the place of personal faith in the Lord Jesus. 
 Isaac Backus says : " New England was involved in darkness at this time that 
 
32 
 
 might be felt." Gilbert Tennant wrote that " the body of the Clergy of that 
 generation were as great strangers to the feeling experience of the new birth 
 as was their predecessor Nicodemus." Fifty years after these Churches were 
 founded, Jonathan Edwards was driven from his Northampton pastorate for 
 insisting that none but the regenerate may come to the Lord's Supper. Min- 
 istry and members were against him. These thirteen Baptist Churches, in 
 1690, were the only organized bodies in this continent that, with a clear voice, 
 said, The Church of Christ is alone for Christ's saved people. What large truths 
 were in their keeping ; and how w^ell they guarded them ! Not alone we, but 
 every organized evangelical body in our land is indebted to these men for their 
 steady and steadfast adherence to the truth of Christ. Let us then honor the 
 men who, two hundred years ago, laid the foundations of our Churches. For 
 the name of Baptist they cared not much ; for the principles that lay back of 
 the name they cared everything. They were not fanatics or visionary men. 
 They were men into whose minds certain large truths had come. 
 
 THE FIRST ASSOCIATION. 
 
 There was a longing for Church-fellowship — there was a longing for the en- 
 largement of the Saviour's Kingdom. There was a demand and then there 
 was a discovery. The Philadelphia Association was formed in 1707. This was 
 the first organization of the kind in America. It was composed of five Churches 
 — Pennepek, Piscataway, Middletown, Cohansey, Welsh Tract, Del. Dr. Samuel 
 Jones, says : 
 
 "This Association originated in what they called general, and sometimes 
 yearly, meetings. These meetings were instituted so early as IGSS, and met 
 alternatively in May and September, at Lower Dublin, Philadelphia, Salem, 
 Cohansey, Chester and Burlington, at which places there were members, 
 though no Church or Churches constituted, except Lower Dublin and Cohan- 
 sey. At these meetings their labor was chiefly confined to the Ministry of the 
 Word and the administration of Gospel ordinances. But in the year 1707 they 
 seem to have taken more properly the form of an Association ; for then they 
 had delegates from several Churches, and attended to their general concerns. 
 We therefore date our beginning as an Association from that time, though we 
 might with little impropriety extend it back some years." 
 
 The formation of the Association gave a wonderful impetus to the spread of 
 Baptist principles. The Churches had enlarging ideas, the strong helped the 
 weak, a missionary spirit was developed. In our State, Churches sprung up in 
 the following order, in the first century of our Church life: 
 
33 
 
 Hopewell 1715 Pemberton 1764 
 
 Kingwood 1742 Upper Freehold .1766 
 
 Hightstown 1745 Mount Bethel 1767 
 
 Scotch Plains 1747 Lyons' Farms 1769 
 
 Morristown 1752 Manahawkin 1770 
 
 Eoxbury 1753 Pittsgrove 1771 
 
 Salem, (first) 1755 Tuekahoe 1771 
 
 Wantage, (first) 1756 Jacobstown 1785 
 
 Dividing Creek 1761 Northfield 1786 
 
 Knowlton 1763 Mansfield 1786 
 
 At the end of one century we have twenty-four Baptist Churches. In 1761, 
 the first year in which the statistics of the Churches are printed in the Min- 
 utes, the membership did not exceed 741, an average of fifty-seven in each 
 Church. Of these first-century Churches, two, Hopewell first, and Kingwood, 
 have lapsed into a smaller and less complete faith. Four have since dis- 
 banded — Roxbury, Knowlton, Tuekahoe, Mansfield. Eighteen Churches are 
 shining to-day whose lights were kindled from 1688 to 1788. 
 
 THE FIRST CENTENNIAL. 
 
 We insert here a table containing the names of the Pastors and members 
 who, as Delegates, attended the Association, October 7th, 1788, with the mem- 
 bership of the Church at that time : 
 
 Name of Church. Delegates. Memhership. 
 
 Middletown Samuel Morgan, Pastor 131 
 
 William Blair. 
 Piscataway Reune Runyon, Pastor 145 
 
 Jeremiah Manning. 
 Cohansey Robert Kelsay, Pastor 93 
 
 Providence Ludam, 
 
 Jonathan Bowen. 
 Cape May No Pastor 63 
 
 Amos Cresse. 
 Hopewell Oliver Hart, Pastor* 164 
 
 David Stout, Jr., 
 
 Jediah Stout. 
 Kingwood Nicholas Cox, Pastor 160 
 
 Joshua Opdyck, 
 Jonathan Wolverton. 
 
 ♦Absent. 
 
34 
 
 Name of Church. Delegates. Membership. 
 
 Hightstown Peter Wilson, Pastor 221 
 
 William Covenboven, 
 
 Alexander M'Gowan. 
 
 Scotch Plains William Van Horn, Pastor 146 
 
 Robert Fitz Kandolph. 
 
 Morristown David Loofborrow, Pastor* 87 
 
 John Brookfield. 
 
 Knowlton David Finn, Pastor* 42 
 
 Salem Peter P. Van Home, Pastor 32 
 
 John Briggs, 
 
 John Walker. 
 
 Wantage Silas Southworth, Pastor* 74 
 
 Dividing Creek John Garrison, Pastor 43 
 
 New Mills (Pemberton) Samuel Jones 95 
 
 Upper Freehold Edward Taylor 45 
 
 Mount Bethel Abner Sutton, Pastor* Ill 
 
 Lyons' Farms Joseph Stevens, Pastor 15 
 
 Manahawkin No letter 31 
 
 Pittsgrove William Worth, Pastor 82 
 
 Hosea Snethen. 
 
 Tuckahoe.. Isaac Bunnel, Pastor* 03 
 
 Jacobstown Burgess Alison, Pastor 47 
 
 Ashur Cox. 
 
 Canoe Brook (Northfield) No letter 35 
 
 *Absent. 
 
 The Roxbury Church, with 47 members, was not represented tliat year. 
 The Mansfield Church does not appear in the list of Churches belonging to 
 the Philadelphia Association. The number of members in 1788 was about 
 1,900. 
 
 A SUMMARY. 
 
 Morgan Edwards gives the following summary of the Baptist cause in 1790: 
 
 Baptist Churches in Jersey who keep the first day 24 
 
 Members 2,994 
 
 Familiep, about 1,897 
 
 Souls (allowing five to a family), about 9,485 
 
 Ministers ordained 16 
 
 Ministers, licentiate 3 
 
 Ministers, probationary 3 
 
 Meeting-houses 31 
 
35 
 
 THE MEN OF THE FIRST CENTURY. 
 
 Who were the men that led the Churches in the first hundred years? 
 Among them were Rev. Thomas Killingworth, the first Pastor of the Cohansey 
 Church, serving nineteen years until his death, in 1709 ; Rev. Nathaniel Jen- 
 kins, Pastor at Cape May from 1712 to 17:>0; Rev. John Drake, the first Pastor 
 at Piscataway, Pastor for fifty years until his death, in 1739; Rev. Benjamin 
 Stelle, Rev. Isaac Stelle, Rev. Reune Runyon, Pastors at Piscataway, whose 
 pastorates cover eighty years; Rev. Benjamin Miller, Pastor at Scotch Plains 
 for thirty-four years until his death, in 1781 ; Rev. Peter Wilson, for thirty-five 
 years Pastor at Hightstown ; Rev. Isaac Eatoti, for twenty-six years Pastor at 
 Hopewell until his death, in 1774; Rev. Oliver Hart, Pastor at Hopewell for 
 fifteen years until his death, in 1795; Rev. Abel Morgan, called the incompar- 
 able, Pastor at Middletown for forty-eight years. Pastor until his death, in 1785. 
 They were worthy men who were anchored in their positions, and yet they 
 were men whose labors covered a large territory because they had large hearts. 
 The diary of Abel Morgan mentions more than forty places where he preached 
 and administered the Lord's Supper. Peter Wilson's field extended from 
 Manasquan to Trenton. Rev. David Jones, when Pastor at Upper Freehold, 
 went twice, by consent of his Church, to visit the Indian tribes in Ohio. Rev. 
 Benjamin Miller, of Scotch Plains, went to North Carolinia to visit the Armin- 
 ian Baptist Churches, " for the special purpose of instructing and reforming 
 them.'' The leading Ministers constituted in themselves State Conventions 
 and Home Mission Societies. The Association, year by year, provided supplies 
 for vacant fields. All the Churches contributed their Pastors to this work. 
 We owe a vast deal (under God) to the character of these early founders of 
 Baptist institutions. None of the early men were college-trained men, but 
 they were trained men. They knew God ; they knew the Bible ; they knew 
 the old theology of Owen and Charnock and kindred men. They were men 
 of clear mind and strong convictions. Abel Morgan could read Greek and 
 Hebrew. Rev. David Jones studied theology under Abel Morgan. This was 
 the Theological Seminary of those days. Of their writings we have two vol- 
 umes of Abel Morgan — the Controversy with Rev. Mr. Finley on Baptism. 
 Rev. David Jones was the author of five works. Discourses of Rev. Isaac 
 Eaton and others have come down to us. They were mighty in the Scriptures, 
 they were leaders of men. Benedict says : " In going over their histories I 
 have been deeply impressed with the fact of their steady and uniform course 
 in the midst of their privations, and of the convincing proof which it aflbrds 
 of the intelligent and valuable materials of which they were composed. 
 Probably the best solution of this singular but pleasing fact may be found in 
 the extraction of most of the first settlers ; they were generally from Wales' 
 
36 
 
 and brought with them all those excellent traits of character which are 
 peculiar to the Cambrian people." We may thank God, on this Bi-Centennial 
 day, for the good blood that the founders gave to Church life in the State. A. 
 true Creed in Church building is worth a vast deal, but a true Creed embodied 
 in a true personal character is worth a vast deal more. Such men were our 
 spiritual ancestors. 
 
 WHAT THEY DID IN EDUCATION. 
 
 The first Baptist School in this country was established at Hopewell, N. J., 
 in 175f). Isaac Eaton, the Pastor, was the principal. In the Minutes of the 
 Philadelphia Association, October 5th, 1756, is the following: "Concluded to 
 raise a sum of money toward the encouragement of a Latin Grammar School 
 for the promotion of learning among us, under the care of Brother Isaac Eaton 
 and the inspection of our Brethren Abel Morgan, Isaac Stelle, Abel Griffith and 
 Peter P. Van Horn." In the building at Hopewell, part of which yet remains, 
 was the beginning of all our educational enterprises. The influence of that 
 school was quiet, but immense. Here was trained James Manning, first Presi- 
 dent of Rhode Island College; here was trained Dr. Samuel Jones, for fifty-one 
 years Pastor at Pennepek, the most influential Baptist in the Middle Colonies 
 — himself a Theological Seminary for training Ministers; here was trained Dr. 
 Hezekiah Smith, a graduate of Princeton, for forty years Pastor at Haverhill, 
 Mass., the founder of thirteen Churches. Others were, David Jones, Dr. Isaac 
 Skillman, Charles Thompson, John Sutton, David Sutton. That academy had 
 a wonderful efi'ect upon the Churches in giving to them a common centre, in 
 supplying Ministers, in awakening intellectual activity. It was a misfortune 
 to our State, a calamity, that an academy was not maintained in the State. Its 
 effects, through nearly one hundred and fifty years, would have been simply 
 incalculable. We have many schools to-day, and larger; let us not forget to 
 think of the modest academy in the frame building at Hopewell, and its unas- 
 suming but noble principal, Isaac Eaton. 
 
 " How far that little candle throws its light." From 1778 to 1796 Dr. Burgess 
 Allison had a school in Bordentown, of large influence. Here Rev. Peter 
 Wilson, Dr. Horatio Gates Jones and many others were trained. To us the 
 educational work of that day seems small. The Association, in 1769, has these 
 words : " Received pleasing accounts from Rhode Island College — seven entered 
 this fall." That was the contribution of the Baptist people in one year of 
 young men to be trained. The great things of this day have come from the 
 small things of that day. 
 
37 
 
 DOCTRINAL POSITION. 
 
 The Churches were orthodox, Calvinistic. The doctrinal position of the early 
 Churches might be represented by John Gill ; our doctrinal position by Andrew 
 Fuller. They adopted Confessions of Faith. The Council called to heal the 
 division in the Middletown Church in 1712, advised the Church to subscribe 
 to Elias Reach's Pastor's Confession of Faith and Church Covenant thereto 
 annexed. The deed of the Bordentown Church conveys the property to those 
 " who are members of Christian congregations, baptized by immersion, upon 
 profession of faith, and holding those wholesome principles contained in a 
 Confession of Faith, set forth by the Ministers and Elders of above one hundred 
 congregations in England and Wales, 1689." The Churches rested upon the 
 same doctrinal basis with ourselves. The Philadelphia Confession of Faith> 
 September 15th, 1742, is simply this old Confession with articles added on the 
 singing of Psalms and the laying on of hands. The Churches had no limp 
 theology, no new theology. Every word of their confessions, sermons, circular 
 letters we might to-day make our own. Two hundred years have given us no 
 new doctrines. 
 
 In 1781, upon the report of a Committee, of which Oliver Hart, Abel Morgan 
 and James Manning were members, it was 
 
 " Resolved, Unanimously, not to admit any one who advocates universal salva- 
 tion to the office of public teacher, or suffer any who avow the same to continue 
 in the Communion." 
 
 They held to a Congregational Church polity. The Association refused to 
 ordain to the Ministry. It said that belongs to the Church. They had Councils 
 to settle disputes and give advice. One feature of the old Church polity has 
 disappeared. The Ruling Eldership, a Spiritual office, distinct from the Dea- 
 conship, held by all the Churches at first, dropped out about 1800. One Church 
 in the middle of the second century introduced a plurality in the eldership. 
 But the presence, in large quantities, of unsanctified human nature, compelled 
 the Church to restore the single pastorate. A high standard of Church fidelity 
 was expected. The Hightstown records, October 2d, 178-1, have this — 
 
 "And these male members that omit attendance upon the appointed days 
 shall render an account for their not attending, at the next meeting." 
 
 The Flemington Church, October 3d, 1801, resolved that any members absent- 
 ing themselves three successive times from Church meeting should be called 
 upon to give a reason for thus doing. A high standard of Christian living was 
 called for. In the Scotch Plains Church, 1748, it was 
 
 Resolved, " That any brother belonging to this Church and not praying in his 
 family, shall be admonished ; and if he will reclaim, well ; and if otherwise, 
 he shall be suspended." 
 
38 
 
 Pastors and members sometimes departed from Scripture teaching. In 1788, 
 the Cape May Church sent to the Association this query—" Whether a member 
 who professes that Christ died for all mankind, and that every individual of 
 the human race will finally be saved, ought to be excommunicated." The 
 answer was— "Agreed that every such person, upon conviction, and after proper 
 steps have been taken, ought to be excluded." Thereupon the Cape May Church 
 excluded its Pastor. The early Churches watched carefully the beliefs of Pas- 
 tors and members. The records show with what solemnity the act of excom- 
 munication was regarded. Prayer preceded it, and prayer followed it. They 
 held rigid views concerning baptism. In 1788, the Association— of which all 
 the New Jersey Churches were members — in answer to the query respecting 
 the validity of baptism administered by a person who had never been baptized 
 himself, not yet ordained, made reply, "That we deem such baptism null and 
 void." Cooperation among Churches of differing faiths did not prevail in these 
 olden days to any great extent. Benedict says: "At that time the exchange of 
 pulpits between the advocates and the opponents of infant baptism was a thing 
 of very rare occurrence except in a few of the more distinguished Churches in 
 the Northern States. Indeed, the doctrine of non-intercourse, so far as minis- 
 terial services were concerned, almost universally prevailed between Baptists 
 and Pedo-baptists." In 1734, the Middletown Church sent to the Association 
 three queries — 
 
 " 1. Whether we may accept and take in a Minister of a different persuasion 
 at our appointed meetings ? Answered in the negative ; unless the Church see 
 cause, upon some particular occasions." 
 
 " 2. Whether it may not be more convenient for us to keep up our meetings, 
 as usual, by reading the Scriptures, singing of Psalms, and prayer, than to 
 admit men of different persuasions? Answered in the affirmative." 
 
 " 3. Whether it be justifiable for our members to neglect our own appointed 
 meetings, and at their pleasure go to hear those differing in judgment from us? 
 Answered in the negative. Heb. x, 25." 
 
 Simple in their Church polity, clear and scriptural in their doctrinal views, 
 forcible in their utterance, earnest in piety, abundant in labors, they were 
 spiritual ancestors of whom we need not be ashamed. Our spiritual fathers 
 were men of deep piety. In 1795 the Cohansey Church sent to the Association 
 this query : " Is it not pro er, from the consideration of abounding error, 
 infidelity, lukewarmness, and decay of vital piety in the world and in the pro- 
 fessors of religion, that a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer should be 
 observed in our Churches? " Thereupon such a day was appointed. 
 
39 
 
 BURIED QUESTIONS. 
 
 Some questions vexed them which do not trouble us. The question of lay- 
 ing on of hands was a disturbing and dividing question. The Philadelphia 
 Confession of Faith has these strong words : " We believe that laying on of 
 hands, with prayer, upon baptized believers, as such is an ordinance of Christ, 
 and ought to be submitted unto by all such persons that are admitted to par- 
 take of the Lord's Supper." In 1790 a member joined the Middletown Church 
 from the Upper Freehold Church because it did not practice laying on of hands. 
 In 1809 the Cape May Church laid aside the practice. It continued at Piscata- 
 way to some extent, until 1825. No Churches now observe it. 
 
 The question of marriage with a deceased wife's sister was a source of dis- 
 turbance (in the second century) to one Church and an Association. The 
 question has been laid away to rest. 
 
 The question of singing in worship was a subject of discord. It was only at 
 the end of the seventeenth century that singing was introduced among English 
 Baptists. In 1691 Rev. Benjamin Keach wrote a book called " The Breach 
 Kepaired ; or, Singing of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs Proved to be 
 a Holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ." When the Second Church, in Newport, R. 
 I., was formed, in 1656, among the reasons given by the twenty-one persons 
 who founded it, for leaving the First Church, was that they disapproved of 
 Psalmody which the parent community used. In 1710 a Church that had 
 maintained a separate existence for twenty-three years, by reason of differences 
 of opinion concerning Psalm-singing, laying on of hands, and the like, was 
 merged into the Cohansey Church. 
 
 Morgan Edwards, writing of Kingwood Church, says: "During the minis- 
 tration of Rev. David Sutton, from 1764 to 1783, there was a considerable stir 
 in the Church relative to the rite of washing feet, but it could not be estab-' 
 lished in a general way ; neither will it prevail until Christians be converted 
 and become as little children, who do as the father bids them without remon- 
 strating." It is probable that the Kingwood Church was leavened somewhat 
 by contact with a Tunker Baptist Church established at Amwell, Hunterdon 
 county, in 1738. This Tunker Church has now grown to three Churches, with 
 a membership of 250. 
 
 In 1777 Abel Morgan was appointed by the Association to write an answer 
 to the queries of this Church concerning the washing of feet. He says : " The 
 Association are not so happy as to be universally agreed themselves." Abel 
 Morgan, of the Middletown Church, practiced anointing the sick with oil. 
 Morgan Edwards says: "I wish all Baptist Ministers were of Mr. Morgan's 
 mind." 
 
40 
 
 In the latter part of the century the Churches used Rippon's collection of 
 hymns. In the second century, when the baptistery and organ were intro- 
 duced, a few of the older members protested. Some would remain outside 
 until the "wooden music " had ceased, and leave straightway after the sermon, 
 as a testimony against instrumental music. For the most part, changes in 
 mere circumstantials that do not affect principle have been acquiesced in. We 
 have to-day no disturbing questions. 
 
 THE GREAT STRUGGLE. 
 
 During the first century of our Church life came the struggle for the Na- 
 tional life. What the Baptists, as a whole, were and did we know from the 
 words of Washington : " I recollect, with satisfaction, that the religious society 
 of which you are members has been throughout America, uniformly and 
 almost unanimously, the firm friends of civil liberty and the persevering pro- 
 moters of our glorious revolution." We know the names of a few men, at 
 least, who were leaders in forming the spirit of resistance and shaping the in- 
 fluences that gave birth to the nation. Rev. David Jones was Pastor at Upper 
 Freehold until 1775, when his outspoken views in favor of the rights of the 
 colonists made him unpopular. He was chaplain in the army, at Valley Forge, 
 under Wayne, until the surrender at Yorktown. He had the confidence of 
 Washington. Hezekiah Smith, a graduate of Hopewell and Princeton, was 
 chaplain in the Continental Army, serving with Washington and having his 
 friendship. Rev. John Gano, a student of Hopewell, Pastor at Morristown, 
 the most eloquent man of that day, in our ministry, is finely portrayed in 
 Headley's "Chaplains and Clergy of the Revolution." Washington said: 
 " The Baptist chaplains were the most prominent and useful in the army." 
 Rev. William Van Home, who settled in Scotch Plains in 1785, had previously 
 been in the army. A New Jersey Baptist Church gave to the Declaration of 
 Independence its only Baptist signer. John Hart, of Hopewell, was our rep- 
 resentative on that undying parchment. Of him Governor Parker said : " He 
 was a consistent member of the old Hopewell Baptist Church. I am of opinion 
 that John Hart had greater experience in the Colonial and State legislation of 
 that day than any of his co temporaries, and that no man exercised greater in- 
 fluence in giving direction to the public opinion which culminated in inde- 
 pendence." The doors of the Flemington meeting-house were closed against 
 a Minister because he was supposed to be in sympathy with the British. The 
 diary and sermons of Abel Morgan show how the heart of himself and people 
 were in unison with the drum-beat of the army. October 18th, 177(5, the dele- 
 gates from the New Jersey Baptist Churches, meeting at Scotch Plains with 
 the Philadelphia Association, passed the followieg resolution : 
 
41 
 
 "The Association, taking; into consideration the awful impending calamities 
 of these times, and deeply impressed with a sense of our duty to humble our- 
 selves before God, by acknowledging our manifold sins and imploring His par- 
 don and interposition in favor of our distressed country, and also to beseech 
 Him to grant that such blessings may accompany the means of His grace that a 
 revival of pure and undefiled religion may universally prevail ; 
 
 " Resolved, That it be and is hereby recommended to our Churches to observe 
 four days of humiliation in the year ensuing." 
 
 Col. Asher Moore, of the Middletown Church, John Holme, Esq., and Col. 
 John Holme, of the Salem Church, were men of note in the war of the Revolu- 
 tion. In Sabine's "History of American Loyalists," containing 3,200 biogra- 
 phies of men w'ho turned their backs upon our cause, only one was a Baptist. 
 
 On a Sunday at Hopewell in April, 1775, Col. Joab Houghton said to the 
 men as they came out of the meeting-house, " Men of New Jersey, the red- 
 coats are murdering our brethren in New England. Who will follow me to 
 Boston?" It is said, " There was not a traitor or a coward in the Hopewell 
 meeting-house that day, as every man stepped into line." Houghton fought 
 until the end of the war. 
 
 When the Massachusetts Convention met to ratify the Federal Constitution 
 it was violently opposed by the standing order, because it imposed no religious 
 tests upon the officers of the government. The Baptist members of the 
 Assembly succeeded in saving it by a majority of only 19 in a body of nearly 
 400 members. We may not forget that it was a man Jersey born and Jersey 
 trained who largely contributed to that result. The man was James Manning. 
 Our Baptist ancestors were true to Christ and to the country. 
 
 " Whatever record leaps to life 
 They never will be shamed." 
 
 THE SECOND CENTURY. 
 
 The Churches were much weakened in members and spiritual power during 
 the Revolution. Some of the Churches during this period became very much 
 weakened. But even in dark times God did not desert them, for in 1776 
 Hopewell received 101 by baptism. With the dawn of the new century, with 
 the coming of peace and order and a government, new life came into the 
 Churches. 
 
 We insert here a table showing the relative increase of the Baptist denomi- 
 nation in New Jersey, with that of the population, between 1790 and 1888 : 
 
42 
 
 GROWTH OF THE DENOMINATION. 
 
 
 EACH PERIOD 
 A DECADE. 
 
 
 u 
 
 3 
 
 o 
 
 B 
 
 a. 
 
 P3 
 
 1 
 
 o . 
 
 •SS 
 
 •3 u 
 
 ■" 
 
 PL, 
 
 c 
 
 c 
 
 
 > rt 
 
 Wo 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 1790 
 1800 
 1810 
 1820 
 1830 
 1840 
 1850 
 1860 
 1870 
 1880 
 1888 
 
 21 
 
 26 
 
 37 
 
 47 
 
 55 
 
 73 
 
 97 
 
 120 
 
 152 
 
 175 
 
 195 
 
 1,367 
 903 
 1,931 
 1,725 
 1,463 
 6,412 
 8,195 
 9,141 
 
 2,002 
 2,068 
 2,221 
 3,710 
 3,967 
 9,113 
 12,531 
 17.121 
 
 184,139 
 211,949 
 245,555 
 277,378 
 320,823 
 373,306 
 481,555 
 672,135 
 730,000 
 1,000,000 
 
 
 
 
 " 2d 
 
 27,810 
 
 33,806 
 
 32,020 
 
 43,249 
 
 52,489 
 
 116,249 
 
 182,480 
 
 107,905 
 
 270,000 
 
 66 
 1,153 
 439 
 257 
 5,156 
 3,408 
 4,590 
 7,379 
 7,756 
 4,200 
 
 5 
 
 " 3d 
 
 11 
 
 " 4th 
 
 10 
 
 « 5th 
 
 8 
 
 " 6th 
 
 18 
 
 « 7th 
 
 24 
 
 " 8th 
 
 23 
 
 " 9th 
 
 12,190 '24,500 
 15,596 ,32,256 
 13 122 .<^fi4.'ifi 
 
 32 
 
 " 10th 
 
 23 
 
 " llth(8y'rs). 
 
 20 
 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 
 In the first century were formed twenty-four Churches. Four of these dis- 
 banded, two abandoned the New Testament faith, leaving eighteen Churches 
 as the result of the first century's work. In the second century two hundred 
 and twenty -six Churches were formed ; of these forty-five have disbanded, 
 three have gone from us, leaving one hundred and seventy-seven Churches as 
 the result of the second century's work. We hope that all of these may live 
 on until in the third century of Baptist work in the State. In 1701, the first 
 year in which the statistics were reported, we have thirteen Churches, with a 
 membership of 741. In the Minutes of 1879 is given a list of all the Churches 
 formed in the State from the beginning up to that time. In the following 
 table is a list of the Churches formed since 1879 up to the present time, with 
 the date of the organization— twenty-five in number: 
 
 Elizabeth— Shiloh 1879 
 
 Camden — Tabernacle 1880 
 
 Rio Grande 1880 
 
 Atlantic City 1880 
 
 Florence 1880 
 
 Elizabeth— East 1880 
 
 Trenton— Berean 1880 
 
 Port Norris 1881 
 
 Bayonne 1882 
 
 Washington 1883 
 
 Key East 1883 
 
 Orange — Washington Street 1884 
 
 Shiloh 1884 
 
 Cramer Hill 1884 
 
 Greenwood 1885 
 
 Canisteer 1885 
 
 Bright Hope, Princeton 1885 
 
 Salem— Mt. Zion 1885 
 
43 
 
 Riverton and Palmyra 1886 Montclair— Union 1886 
 
 Camden— Linden 1886 Atlantic City— Second 1886 
 
 Long Branch 1886 Bridgeton— Third 1887 
 
 Montclair 1886 
 
 In the early part of this century the Churches began to have larger thoughts. 
 As their thoughts and desires grew larger they began to devise new methods 
 of working. The Foreign Mission idea, the Home Mission idea, the Bible 
 Society idea, the Tract Society idea, the Sunday-school idea, the Education 
 Society idea, all these began to get hold of the Churches more and more, and 
 began also to shape for themselves methods of working. These thoughts 
 began to spring up everywhere. Before Judson finished his course at Andover, 
 the Trenton Church, October 13th, 1810, passed this resolution: "Resolved, 
 That a quarterly meeting be held for the spread of the Gospel, beginning the 
 first Monday in January, 1811." The Salem Church mentions a Church Sun- 
 day-school in 1819, though there had been a Union School before this. They 
 began everywhere to be organized about this time. But let us not think that 
 Robert Raikes first discovered the plan of caring for and training the young. 
 The record-book of the Hightstown Church, December, 1751, has these words : 
 " Concluded, that all Church members and others that find freedom to comply 
 herewith, do endeavor to instruct their children in their Catechism in order to 
 be catechized in the Church every second Sabbath in the month." The Home 
 Mission Society took root among us, for our Churches from the very begin- 
 ning had been caring for the neglected fields and for the Indians. 
 
 In 1778, while the Colonies were struggling for a national life, the Associa- 
 tion took steps to form a fund " for the particular and express purpose of 
 preaching the Gospel in destitute places, among the back settlements." The 
 Churches were intent upon building up, also, a spiritual Commonwealth. 
 
 Women's societies find homes in our Churches, for home work and for mis- 
 sion work. They are the daughters of those women who, over one hundred 
 years ago, organized Mite Societies, and over fifty years ago organized Women's 
 Prayer Meetings in our Churches. To-day every Church has a Sunday-school. 
 Almost all have organizations for Home and Foreign Mission work. Mission 
 Bands, societies for developing the younger members. We must grow upward 
 toward Christ in holiness, outward toward men in numbers, inward among 
 ourselves in efliciency, in quality. 
 
 DOCTRINAL DEFECTION. 
 
 The growth of the Mission spirit awakened in some Churches a decided 
 opposition. In 1835 the Delaware River Association was formed as the repre- 
 
44 
 
 sentative of the Anti-Mission or Old School Baptist Churches. Five Churches 
 that had worked with us for years now left us — Hopewell First, King wood, 
 Hopewell Second, Washington S. R., Hardiston. Two of these, Hopewell First 
 and Kingwood, had been for a century active in Missionary Work. Hardiston 
 has since died. The statistics of these Churches are as follows : 
 
 First Hopewell 206 
 
 Second Hopewell 20 
 
 Washington, S. R 10 
 
 Kingwood Gl 
 
 It is only a question of time how soon Churches of this kind must die. If 
 they will not work with Christ, Christ will work without them. It is predes- 
 tined of God that a Church that will not work must wither. If a Church will 
 not give and grow, it will shrivel and become a corpse. The departure of 
 these Churches has been the only time in the history of two centuries when 
 the plow-share of separation has come between our Churches. The Churches 
 have been a unit in affection and in doctrine. 
 
 We cannot realize, to-day, how widespread and how pervasive the anti-mis- 
 sion influence was fifty years ago. Some of our strongest Churches narrowly 
 escaped from its controlling influence. But men of God like Z. Crenelle, D. 
 Dodge, Roberts, Webb, Smalley, Allison, fought it and, by God's grace, killed it. 
 Four closed Baptist meeting-houses, at Jacksonville, Kingwood, Canton and 
 Hopewell, show what a graveyard of Churches our State would have been if 
 this narrow spirit had prevailed. 
 
 OTHER FORMS OF BAPTIST FAITH, 
 
 A feeling in favor of keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath was quite wide- 
 spread at the beginning of the eighteenth century. In 1705 seventeen "mem- 
 bers went out from the Piscataway Church, and founded the Sabbatarian 
 Church at Piscataway. There are now four Churches of this faith in the State, 
 with a membership of 690. A sect of Baptists, called by Morgan Edwards the 
 Rogerene Baptists, came into the northern part of this State from Connecticut. 
 Having maintained an existence for over one hundred years, they passed out 
 of sight in the middle of the eighteenth century. They were Sabbatarian in 
 belief. They were filled with a narrow protestantism that led them to protest 
 against what they thought to be unscriptural by disturbing the public worship 
 of religious bodies. They lived troublously; they died quietly. 
 
45 
 
 THE STATE CONVENTION. 
 
 A large factor in keeping the Churches of the State in fraternal fellowship, 
 in maintaining orthodoxy in teaching, in founding Churches, in changing 
 weakness into strength, has been the State Convention. An organization 
 existed in this State as early as 1811, known as the New Jersey Baptist Mission 
 Society. But something more efficient was needed, Tuesday, July 27th, 
 1830, at Hamilton Square, the representatives of ten Churches founded the 
 State Convention. These Churches and delegates were as follows : 
 
 Hightstown John Segur and Thomas Allen. 
 
 Upper Freehold J. M. Challiss and Lacoste. 
 
 Flemington C. Bartolette and T. Barrass. 
 
 New Brunswick G. S. Webb and P. P. Runyon. 
 
 Sandy Ridge J. Lake and S. Hunt. 
 
 Trenton M. J. Rhees, G. Mott, D. Brister. 
 
 Nottingham Square W. Appleton and West. 
 
 Salem C.J. Hopkins. 
 
 Kingwood David Bateman. 
 
 Lambertville David B. Stout. 
 
 Let us not forget their names. They were men who had understanding of 
 the times. They were men whose thoughts had a large horizon. At that time 
 there were only fifty Baptist Churches in the State, with a membership of 
 three thousand six hundred and thirty. Of these fifty there were but two 
 Churches whose membership exceeded two hundred each, and ten whose 
 membership was a fraction over one hundred each, while the remaining thirty- 
 eight ranged from thirteen to ninety-eight members. Twenty-four of these 
 were found to have a mere nominal existence, and must soon have inevitably 
 lost their visibility had not this society taken them under its fostering care. 
 Indeed, several of them were already so near extinction that every effort to 
 save them proved abortive. 
 
 These founders of the State Convention were building wiser than they knew. 
 At the present time we have — 
 
 58 Churches having over 100 members each. 
 
 28 
 
 ' " 
 
 200 
 
 15 
 
 ' " 
 
 300 
 
 8 
 
 " 
 
 400 
 
 8 
 4 
 
 < « 
 
 500 
 700 
 
46 
 
 If, by some chemistry, it were possible to take from our State the work and 
 influence of the State Convention in creating and helping Churches, what a 
 fearful calamity would come upon us. It would unwrite the history and 
 unmake the progress of the last fifty years. Of the one hundred and ninety- 
 five Churches now in the State, about one hundred have been helped by the 
 Convention. The money paid into the treasury to 1888 has been ?153,013.94, 
 an average of $2,638.19 per year. At the beginning of this, the third century 
 of Baptist work in this State, with the pillar of cloud leading to promised 
 lands untrodden as yet by ourselves, it becomes us to dedicate ourselves anew 
 to this work of State evangelization. We cannot hallow our Baptist fathers— 
 the work they did, the truths they stood for— but we can dedicate ourselves 
 afresh to this consecrated work, and we may thus hallow the future. The best 
 monument we can build, on this day, is to build up the State Convention. Of 
 the Churches in the State, 48 were formed before 1830 ; 147 have been formed 
 since 1830, when the Convention was organized. This marked increase is 
 largely due to the work of the Convention. 
 
 THE EDUCATION SOCIETY. 
 
 In connection with the building up of Churches, attention has also been 
 given to the building up of men for the ministry. As early as 1769 the Asso- 
 ciation expressed the following: "Our number of Ministers decreasing, and 
 calls for them increasing, it is earnestly requested that our Churches will look 
 among themselves for men of public gifts, and send them forth to preach the 
 Gospel." Our fathers did not worship learning, neither did they despise it. 
 February 12th, 1838, the New Jersey Baptist Education Society was formed. 
 It has assisted over two hundred men in their studies for the ministry. It 
 has received into its treasury nearly $75,000. The North Orange Church has 
 expended for the same purpose about the same amount of money. The Edu- 
 cation Society is an organized agency for transmuting money into manhood. 
 
 OUR SCHOOLS. 
 
 Along with the building up of Churches and Ministers has been the building 
 up of Schools. Allusion has been made to the Academy at Hopewell. Acade- 
 mies were founded at Plainfleld, 1834-1844, and planned at Salem in 1826 and 
 1852. They ended in failure. In 1830 the " Rittenhouse Manual Labor School " 
 was founded at Sandy Ridge. It did good work while it lived. The School at 
 Burlington, conducted by Samuel Aaron and H. K. Green, trained a number 
 of men for the ministry. We have, to-day, two noble Schools, that would have 
 
47 
 
 gladdened the heart of Isaac Eaton — Peddie Institute, at Hightstown, opened 
 1869; South Jersey Institute, at Bridgetoa, opened in 1870. They need, each 
 of them, two hundred thousand dollars endowment. Give them this, and 
 they will water and make green the next century — the next centuries. 
 
 THE MEN WHO DID THE WORK. 
 
 In the Minutes of 1879 is a table containing a list of all the men who labored 
 in the State, in the ministry, from the earliest times to that year. At that 
 time the number was slightly over one thousand. Many of these were large 
 and efficient men, who wrought long and well; some were good men, but, 
 apparently, not efficient ; a few were bad men, proving themselves such ; a few 
 left us or were excluded for doctrinal unsoundness. The great mass of them 
 were men of God. In the early years of our history the Minutes of the Asso- 
 ciation warned the Churches, year by year, of men immoral in life or defective 
 in doctrine. 
 
 Among the leaders have been men like S. J. Drake, C. W. Mulford, Thomas 
 Swaim, D. B. Stout, James M. Challis, Zelotes Grenelle, G. S. Webb, H. C. Fish. 
 In the earlier part of the century were Rev. Henry Smalley, a graduate of 
 Princeton, Pastor at Cohansey from 1790 to 1839; Dr. Samuel Stillman, after- 
 ward the distinguished Pastor of the First Church of Boston, and Ebenezer 
 Kinnersley, an associate of Franklin in his scientific discoveries, and Professor 
 in the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
 Alongside of them have stood, pillar-like, men in the membership. P. P 
 Runyon, D. M. Wilson, H. J. Mulford, S. Van Wickle, were men that enrich 
 any State or Church that owns them. Whatever God may withhold from us 
 in the next century, may He give us an abundant supply of wise-hearted men. 
 Tennyson sings, "On God and God-like men we build." We need the same 
 kind of foundations. 
 
 ASSOCIATIONS. 
 
 In the early years all of our Churches were members of the Philadelphia 
 Association. In 1791, a number of Churches in Southern New York and North- 
 eastern New Jersey were dismissed to form the New York and Warwick Asso- 
 ciations. In 1811, fourteen Churches were dismissed to form the New Jersey 
 Association. 
 
 In the following table is a list of the Associations, the date of their organiza- 
 tion, the number of Churches at the time of their formation, with their present 
 standing : 
 
48 
 
 When Churches at Churches Member- 
 
 Name of Association. Organized. Organization. Now. ship. 
 
 New Jersey, (now West Jersey) 1811 14 29 5,251 
 
 Central...'. 1828 7 25 4,013 
 
 Sussex, (now North) 1833 4 51 7,515 
 
 East 1842 14 33 8,159 
 
 Trenton 1864 10 35 6,708 
 
 Camden 1887 29 30 5,747 
 
 At the present time all the Churches in the State are connected with each 
 other in associational ties. The Associations are incorporated bodies, and 
 carry on a Missionary work within their own boundaries. 
 
 A LOOK BACKWARD. 
 
 Two hundred years ago all the baptized believers on this continent could 
 have found large accommodations in this meeting-house. Then they met in 
 plain houses. One century ago not more than half of them were warmed with 
 stoves. The meeting-houses were not large. One was only 24 by 21 feet. 
 They oftentimes met in private houses. For forty-one years the Baptist saints 
 at Hopewell met in private houses. They sometimes, Edwards says, met in 
 barns. Masson, in his life of Milton, says : " This obscure Baptist congregation 
 seems to have been the depository for all England of the absolute principle of 
 liberty of conscience. It was, in short, from this little dingy meeting-house, 
 somewhere in old London, that there flashed out first in England the absolute 
 doctrine of religious liberty." We may say the same of these simple, unadorned 
 old Baptist meeting-houses. They were not spacious or splendid, but they 
 stood for magnificent truths. 
 
 At that time they had no school, no paper, no organization outside of the 
 Church. Their principles were looked upon as visionary and seditious; but 
 the world has moved on after them. They planted a principle that has grown 
 so that a continent sits quietly under its shade. More than a century after our 
 Churches were organized a Committee from the Philadelphia Association waited 
 upon a Committee of Congress in October, 1777. John Adams said, "They 
 might as well turn the heavenly bodies out of their annual and diurnal courses 
 as the people of Massachusetts, at the present day, from their meeting house 
 and Sunday laws." Time went on, and the world caught up to the thoughts of 
 our Baptist fathers and followed their leadership. In 18U7 there was an esti- 
 mated Baptist membership in this country of 122,500. To-day we report over 
 three million baptized believers in our Churches, over four million in our land. 
 
 The reported valuation of Church and school property in the State is three 
 million dollars; the yearly expenditure for Christ's work, over four hundred 
 
49 
 
 thousand dollars. "We have schools and position and power and numbers. 
 Above all these, we have obligation and opportunity. Our principles have 
 taken root. Other evangelical bodies have been leavened by the teachings 
 which we hold. As we look back, we can only thank God for the steadfastness 
 of the men who went before us, and thank Him who made them and kept 
 them. 
 
 A LOOK ONWARD. 
 
 In October, 1988, the Baptists of New Jersey will hold their three hundredth 
 anniversary of the founding of this Church. Then we shall all be dead. The 
 men of 1688, who laid the foundations, are dead. The men of 1788, present at 
 the first centennial, are dead. The men of 1888— ourselves — will be dead in 
 1988. One urn would hold all that will be left of us. We owe a great deal to 
 our ancestors. We owe a great deal to posterity. We must try to mold this 
 third century by making our Churches more efficient now. We must mold the 
 century by cultivating better Pastors and a better membership. May that 
 third century witness a membership better trained in the Bible — every mem- 
 ber studying it systematically ; every Church having trained lay Ministers ; 
 every city organized for efi'ective city mission work ; every Association employ- 
 ing Missionaries within its bounds ; every home enlightened by religious and 
 denominational literature; every Church member converted into a partnership 
 with all good agencies; every Church a source of light and healing and lead- 
 ership for the community in which it lives. And to this end we must keep 
 very close to the life and teachings of Jesus, the Christ. We must be unselfish, 
 helping all good agencies, having large hearts and helping hands. We must 
 aim at larger numbers. But we must not be content with numbers. Mere 
 bigness is not greatness, it is simply opportunity. We must put so much of 
 Christ into our lives and so much force into all our agencies for good that the 
 millennium shall come with a quicker step. 
 
 We grew in days of persecution. Can we now grow in efficiency and main- 
 tain purity in the days of prosperity ? Our numbers and position put us under 
 bonds to enlarged fidelity and consecration. We need to enlarge the idea of 
 Baptist orthodoxy so that it shall mean standing by the scripturalness and in- 
 tegrity of baptism and the Lord's supper; the holding every revealed teaching 
 of the New Testament ; the making each Church, in its own community, a 
 power that makes for righteousness ; the filling up of every blank in the table 
 for benevolence. Piety and practice must go hand in hand. 
 
 TWO HUNDRED YEARS' WORK. 
 
 We present here a table compiled by Rev. J. M. Carpenter, showing the 
 statistics of the Churches of the State for the two hundred years past : 
 4 
 
50 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 a 
 
 V 
 
 ASSOCIATION. 
 
 i 
 
 0. 
 
 oa 
 
 >< 
 
 .a 
 
 ■6 
 o 
 
 (5 
 
 >> 
 
 Q 
 
 j3 
 P 
 
 c 
 
 1707 
 
 Philafielphia 
 
 5,14S| 468 
 3,526 1,044 
 1,029 143 
 26,113: 10,798 
 8,279 3.295 
 
 57 
 
 74 
 
 9 
 
 1,282 
 
 289 
 
 348 
 
 *541 
 
 207 
 
 20 
 
 1,441 
 
 1,349 
 
 444 
 
 12,120 
 
 4,005 
 
 4,840 
 
 11,089 
 
 2,944 
 
 160 
 
 831 
 
 724 
 
 127 
 
 5,029 
 
 1,882 
 
 1,?>00 
 
 3,292 
 
 1,492 
 
 78 
 
 341 
 
 1791 
 
 New York 
 
 404 
 
 1791 
 
 Warwick, N. Y 
 
 78 
 
 1811 
 
 Wes-^ 
 
 3,045 
 
 1828 
 
 Central 
 
 1,923 
 
 1833 
 1841 
 1864 
 
 North 
 
 East 
 
 Trenton 
 
 8.677 
 18,752 
 
 6,455 
 394 
 689 
 
 4,181 
 
 11,117 
 
 2,500 
 
 163 
 
 2,882 
 5,002 
 2,267 
 
 1887 
 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 79,062 
 
 33,709 
 
 2,827 
 
 38,392 
 
 14,955 
 
 16,042 
 
 According to these figures, as given in the Minutes, our menabership ought 
 to be nearly ten thousand more than it is. 
 
 Nearly eighty thousand have been baptized. We have laid away about fif- 
 teen thousand of our membership. 
 
 " Their bones are dust. 
 Their souls are with the saints, we trust." 
 
 Would that we might truly say to-day that we present to the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, at the beginning of the third century, for effective service, nearly forty 
 thousand believers gathered into about two hundred organizations. 
 
 THE THIRD CENTURY. 
 
 Will the completed third century stop to think of us and our work ? Let us 
 be content to work honestly and faithfully, knowing that He will not forget 
 us. Nor will He allow others to forget us. When 1988 comes there will be 
 over 150,000,000 people in our land. May the New Jersey Baptists of to-day, 
 in their numbers, in their piety, in their effectiveness, be utterly insignificant 
 when measured by their successors who shall gather at the next centennial. 
 And may we, all of us who gather here in October, 1888, be found worthy in 
 October, 1988, to join with Abel Morgan and John Drake and Thomas Killing- 
 worth in singing "unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb 
 be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the dominion forever and 
 forever." 
 
TUK -MOXUMKNT TO llKX. Al5EL MoKCi-VX. 
 
 Unveiled Oct. 30th, 18S8. 
 
51 
 
 Unveiling of the Monument. 
 
 The large audience then retired from the Church to the graveyard 
 adjoining the Church, on the east side, facing the street, where one 
 thousand or more of people were gathered to hear the services and 
 witness the solemn ceremony. 
 
 This handsome monument is of Ouincy granite, and is erected to 
 the memory of the Rev. Abel Morgan, A. M., the Revolutionary 
 patriot, and for nearly half a centur}- (47 years) Pastor of the Mid- 
 dletown Baptist Church, and the most prominent figure in the early 
 annals of the New Jersey Baptists. It w^as erected by the free-will 
 offerings from two hundred Baptist Churches throughout New Jersey, 
 at the cost of five hundred dollars. 
 
 Beneath this monument lie the remains of Abel Morgan, taken up 
 and removed from the old Presbyterian burial site, about a quarter 
 of a mile east of the Church, from whence they were disinterred on 
 Wednesday, October 24th, 1888, in the presence of William Mount, 
 undertaker, George C. Marks, Charles Morford and some others, and 
 thence taken to the Baptist Church, where they remained over night, 
 and on Thursdaj^, October 25tli, 1888, were sacredly deposited in 
 their last resting place, in the base of the monument. A really re- 
 markable fact about them is that, though he had been dead 103 
 3'ears when the grave was opened, there lay the perfect skeleton of 
 the deceased Pastor, though the coffin, clothing and everything else 
 was gone. Every bone of the body was found. 
 
52 
 
 The skeleton was that of a man about six feet in height ; the 
 greatest length of skull was one foot ten and one-quarter inches ; 
 the shortest length of skull was one foot seven and one-half inches, 
 and the thigh bone measured nineteen inches. Thus the proof is 
 given us that he was the large man who so discomfited the smaller 
 man, President Finney, of Princeton, in their great debate on bap- 
 tism, at Cape Ma}', the many long years ago, as recorded in histor3\ 
 
 The inscription upon the monument reads : 
 
 In Memory of Abel Morgan, 
 
 Pastor of the Baptist Church of Middletown, 
 
 Who departed this life 
 Nov. 24, 1785, 
 
 IN THE 73D YEAR OF HIS AGE. 
 
 His Life was Blameless — 
 
 His Ministry Powerful — 
 
 He was a Burning and Shining Light- 
 
 His Memory Dear to the Saints. 
 
 Erected by the Baptists of New Jersey, Oct. 30th, 1888. 
 
 The services of unveiling the monument consisted of — 
 SI'NGl'NG—Amerzca " My Countrv 'Tis of Tiieu." 
 
 PRAYER, .^ By Rev. James W. Wilmarth, 
 
 Pastor of the Roxboroiigh Baptist Church, of Philadelphia, and 
 Aloderator of the Old Philadelphia Baptist Association. 
 
 ADDRESS, By Rev. Wiluam V. Wilson, 
 
 Chairman of the Committee on the Monument. 
 
53 
 
 •Address at i:ln\'eilinc|, . . By ReV. William V- Wilson, 
 
 ChairiJian of Committee oti Monument. 
 
 In honoring others who deserve honors, we honor ourselves. In this case it 
 comes late ; but better late, it may be, than never. Happy for me, in the part 
 assigned me in these Bi-Centennial services, that I need not go back into the 
 doubtful, uncertain, conflicting and traditional. Happy, probably, if none of 
 us had to go back in history beyond that chiseled on this unveiled monument. 
 Happy, shall I not say, if the whole of the record on which we rely, prior to 
 this period, had shared the fate of a past cremation, and thus left us to begin 
 with the history of the good and great man of whom I am now to speak. 
 True, our exercises would not be a bi-centennial in the full sense of that term, 
 but they would go back far enough to reach the more certain and more mate- 
 rial facts of the history of this ancient Church. 
 
 The evidence is full, clear and reliable that there was such a man as Abel 
 Morgan, and that he was Pastor of this Church for very many years. One 
 record says from 1739 to 1785 ; another, from 1748 to 1785. Both records agree 
 that he died in 1785, and at the age of 72 years. Either gives a long pastorate. 
 But the true measure of a preacher is not the length of his pastorate, whether 
 longer or shorter, but what he really was and what he really did. Fortunately, 
 we have the testimony from two sources, the pen anfl the chisel — what was 
 written on paper, and what was engraven on stone— in attestation of the char- 
 acter and work of Abel Morgan. And what is so desirable is, that these wit- 
 nesses agree. If it be said that the engraved record, as we now find it, may 
 not be as the original, because the kind of stone then in common use differed 
 from what we now use, we have only to reply that the transcriber, whoever 
 he was and whenever the work was done (for there is no knowledge of either), 
 must have been wonderfully accurate, for it perfectly agrees with the written 
 record. Hence, we have felt entirely safe in transferring it to our nen^ monu- 
 ment. This inscription reads : 
 
 In Memory of Abel Morgan, 
 
 Pastor of the Baptist Church of Middletown, 
 
 Who departed ihis life 
 
 Nov. 24, 1785, 
 
 IN THE 73D YEAR OF HIS AGE. 
 
 His Life was Blameless — 
 
 His Ministry Powerful — 
 
 He was a Burning and Shining Light — 
 
 His Memory Dear to the Saints. 
 
54 
 
 In these four sentences we have a noble testimony. It is grand! It is 
 sublime ! Where the Minister of Jesus who could ask for more? Where is he 
 who ought to desire less ! 
 
 " His Life was Blameless." This is beautiful ! Nearer the Divine pattern 
 than anything of which we can think. A prime element in every Gospel 
 preacher. It is the perfectioij of Christian character. Somehow, we are apt to 
 think it will not be attained until the coming of our Lord ! But here was one 
 of whom it is affirmed that he had already attained to this superior excellence. 
 Showing that it is within the reach of others — within the reach of all. 
 
 " His Ministry was Powerful^ He had power with God and with men. His 
 preaching had a telling effect. He secured the attention of his hearers, en- 
 lightened their minds, informed their judgment, convinced their consciences, 
 and captivated their wills. 
 
 The Holy Spirit made him a chosen vessel to bring sinners into the Kingdom. 
 Converts were multiplied by hundreds. We rightly judge he was a man of 
 Prayer, of Faith and Hope ; and, like Barnabas, full of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 "He was a Burning and Shining Light." Another characteristic of the 
 Bible's greatest Preachers, and one given by our Lord himself. He was a light 
 — a gospel light — a reflection of the Sun of Righteousness. A burning light. 
 All aglow with the fire of truth, love and zeal. "A shining light." A light seen- 
 A light for others. Nothing in his character, walk, conversation, preaching, 
 labors, to obscure it. It ever shone brightly, and shone constantly. 
 
 "His Memory Dear to the Saints." (Not Baptist saints alone, but saints in 
 general, all the saints.) With such a character, such eloquence, such fervid 
 zeal, such untiring devotion, so Christ-like, so benevolent and pure, so full of 
 the Gospel — its love, sympathy and power — how could it be otherwise ? All 
 the saints loved him. He was lovely and lovable. Grace — the grace of Christ 
 — had made him so. 
 
 Faithful as he was to his own convictions of truth, and a firm defender of 
 Baptistic views of doctrine and practice, his other qualities of mind and heart 
 overshadowed everything else, so that saints of other communions loved him, 
 equally with those of his own. As proof of this he found his burial place in 
 a Presbyterian graveyard, where his remains have slumbered until now. 
 
 Do we not well to call to mind such a man, and such a Preacher? To rescue 
 his record from oblivion and make it as really prominent and imperishable as 
 we can ! If it ever be right and commendable to erect monuments in memory 
 of the Ministers of Jesus, I think we are doing a good work to-day. 
 
 Where, upon all the monuments of the ages, or upon the unearthed and 
 deciphered stones of the dead, will you find inscriptions equal in their simplicity, 
 significance, feeling and grandeur to those of Abel Morgan ? Inscriptions made 
 
55 
 
 not by his fancy or kindness, but by the Church, the community, Christians 
 of every name — expressive of tlieir estimate of his character and work, their 
 united testimony of him as a servant of the Lord Jesus. Surely we do not err 
 in judgment when we say he takes rank in history with the greatest Preachers 
 of our faith — Alfred Bennet, Adoniram Judson, Spencer H. Cone, William 
 Staughton, Roger Williams. What w' ould not be the Ministry of our day if all 
 who claim to be the servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, Preachers of the Ever- 
 lasting Gospel, were like Abel Morgan ? 
 
 With such qualifications of mind and heart, were it possible, I would like to 
 take out a new commission for a half century more ! But this cannot be, nor 
 with many others treading close after me. But there are others here, younger 
 Brethren, who, I hope, will catch the inspiration of this occasion and so conse- 
 crate themselves anew to their chosen work that, in the after ages, when their 
 tomb-stones are searched for, there may be found similar inscriptions to what 
 we shall now see upon this monument. 
 
 A monument erected by the Baptists of New Jersey, without the sound of 
 the saw or the hammer ; simply by the free-will offerings of the people. A 
 monument under which, in a wonderful state of preservation, lie the remains 
 of " the incomparable Abel Morgan." 
 
56 
 
 Tuesday evening, at 7 o'clock, the Bi-Centennial Exercises were 
 continued by a Service of Song. 
 
 The Commemoration Anthem, by Rev. Dr. Lowry, was repeated 
 by request. 
 
 A General Conference on ' ' Historical Incidents ' ' and ' ' Happy 
 Reminiscences," was opened by Rev. D. J. Yerkes, D.D., of Plain- 
 field. 
 
 The following addresses are from the verbatim notes of Prof. J. N. 
 Kimball, stenographer, New York. 
 
57 
 
 9\ddress, .... By ReN?. 1). |. ferkes, ®.||). 
 
 Mr. Chairman, Brethren and Friends — Two hundred years ago 
 this Church of Middletown was organized. There ought to be in our 
 thoughts to-night an appreciation of the greatness of an event like this, 
 which I think we do not always, nor, indeed, often feel. The facts by 
 which a Church comes into existence are to us, in a certain way, common- 
 place things, and so lose their significance. Two hundred years ago 
 there were hereabouts a few men and women who believed in the Ivord 
 Jesus Christ, and had been baptized into His name. They came together 
 like the disciples at Jerusalem, with one consent, to worship God ; with 
 one purpose, to serve Him and extend His kingdom. They took His 
 Word as their rule of doctrine and practice. They called a man to 
 minister to them by the Word, and in the administration of the holy ordi- 
 nances of the divine appointment. These are the great and essential 
 facts connected on the human side with the coming into existence of a 
 Church of Jesus Christ. But back of these facts were the will and power 
 of God. A Church does not come down bodily from heaven, and yet, 
 as the rain and sunshine fall upon the earth, and life springs out ot the 
 ground, spiritual power coming down into the hearts of men calls into 
 existence a Church, builded upon the foundation of the apostles and 
 prophets, of which Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner-stone. 
 
 A Church of Christ, in all that characterizes it as such, has nothing in 
 common with this world. It is divine in its origin, for every person who 
 is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ is born of God, and from on 
 high. The supplies by which a Church is sustained come down from 
 above. The aim of the true Church is the extension of the Kingdom of 
 Heaven among men. The constitution of the Christian Church is written 
 by the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost himself is the expounder and 
 interpreter of the Word. The Minister that preaches is called of God, 
 and endowed by the spirit of God for his work. You can make a Church 
 in no other way than that which I have indicated. We have societies, and 
 fraternities, and associations among men, with earthly aims ; you cannot 
 make Churches out of them. We have religious organizations, mission- 
 ary societies, Bible societies, tract societies and a variety of associations 
 for moral and religious work, but let us never forget that these are not 
 5 
 
■ 58 
 
 Churches of Jesus Christ. He has not committed to them the keeping of 
 the ordinances of His house. 
 
 A true Church was organized here two hundred years ago, and since 
 then other Churches have been organized, and are now holding forth the 
 Word of Life. The history of these Churches, Brethren, has been the 
 histor}' of our denomination in this State of New Jersey. What a won- 
 derful history. A history that gathers its material from no field of conflict 
 where nations have contended for mastery, from the records of no parlia- 
 ment with its high debates, from the minutes of no congress of science ; 
 its materials were wrought in the lives of men and women who lived the 
 life of Christ on earth, and though unrecognized by the world and 
 unwritten In' the world's historians, this history is written in the hearts 
 of the saints of God, is known of Him, and kept in that Book of Remem- 
 brance which He keeps for His people. 
 
 It is worth while for us to-night to think of the obligations we are 
 xinder to the great and good men who made the history of these two hun- 
 dred years. Man is the important factor in this world, and in the Church 
 of Jesus Christ on its earthward side ; back of all human events and of 
 all history is the man. His feelings, and thoughts, and plans, and cour- 
 age and faith are the forces which shape and control its movements. In 
 this nineteenth century we sometimes boast of its progress, as if we our- 
 selves were the authors of its greatness, but our day and labor are linked 
 with the past, and we have only entered into the labors of other men. 
 We are glad to-night because of this history that has been recounted in 
 our hearing, and we are thankful to God for what has been achieved, but 
 how much and vastly more has been done by the men who have rested 
 from their labors than by ourselves. If we build higher, it is only 
 because we are building upon the foundations which they laid. These 
 great trees that are about us did not grow so strong because the life of a 
 single summer-time came into them. Thej^ have received growth and 
 girth and strength from the life of many summers, and our denomination 
 has not grown to its present proportions because of the little which we 
 have done, but because there has come into it the power of the lives of 
 the men whose names have been recalled by the papers read to-day. As 
 we think of our prosperity, we think of these, our Brethren. Our pro- 
 gress has not been evolved from nothing. It has been evolved largely 
 from the toils and trials, the patience and fidelity, the hope, courage and 
 faith of our fathers. 
 
59 
 
 Someone has said, that ' ' Whenever God has a great thing to accomplish 
 in this world there is a great man not far away ; " when He would bring 
 His people up out of Egypt, there was a Moses ; when He would send 
 the gospel to the Gentiles, there was the Apostle Paul ; when He would 
 arouse Europe to a sense of papal corruption, there was a Luther ; when 
 He would plant in Scotland the seed of evangelical faith, there was a 
 John Knox, and when He would deepen the spirituality and break up the 
 formalism of the Churches of England, there were the Wesleys and 
 Whitfield ; and when God would stir the heart of the Christian Church 
 with a spirit of missions, there was a Carey. And so the men who have 
 gone before us and called of God, have wrought, and they live in the 
 history we are repeating to-day. Emerson said, "The best history of the 
 world is written in the biographies of its great and good men." The best 
 history of these two hundred years is found in the lives of our fathers. 
 
 If we should mention the names of all these men, what a glorious 
 galaxy they would make. While looking recently over the history of 
 some of our old Churches, I was surprised at the number of notable men 
 who have ministered to tbem. Of this Church were the " incomparable 
 Abel Morgan," Samuel Morgan, Thomas Roberts (dear, loving old man, 
 whom I knew in my childhood,) and David Stout. Of Piscataway Church, 
 John Drake, Benjamin Stelle, Isaac Stelle, Reune Runj'an, James 
 McLaughlin, Daniel Dodge, all men of blessed memory. Of Cohansey 
 Church, Thomas Killingsworth, Robert Kelsay, Henry Smalley. Of 
 Hopewell, Isaac Eaton, Oliver Hart, and John Hart, a layman and a 
 signer of the Declaration of Independence. Of Hightstown, John Car- 
 men, Peter Wilson and Lewis Smith. Of Scotch Plains, Benjamin 
 Miller, William Van Horn, Thomas Brown and John Rogers. Of Morris- 
 town, John Gano, an eminent servant of Christ. Of Freehold, David 
 Jones, a name of renown. Of Salem, Abel Griffiths, Peter Van Horn 
 and Isaac Skillman. Of New Brunswick, Father Webb, Henry F. Smith ; 
 and among the laymen of this Church, men like P. P. Runyan and S. V. 
 Wickle. Of Newark, Daniel Sharp, William Hague, John Dowling, H. C. 
 Fish, H. V. Jones and such laymen as D. M. Wilson, H. M. Baldwin and 
 Morgan L. Smith. Of Paterson, Zelotes Grinnell and Rufus Babcock. 
 Of Flemington, Bartollete and Mulford and Swaim. Of Somptown, 
 Lebbeus Lathrop. Of Plainfield, Jacob Randolph, Daniel T. Hill (father of 
 the President Hill, of Rochester University.) and Simeon J. Drake. Time 
 fails to recall the names of others " who through faith subdued kingdoms, 
 
6o 
 
 wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 
 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of 
 weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the 
 armies of the aliens." 
 
 But, Brethren, some of these stood near to us in point of time. They 
 were, with us, fellow-helpers to the truth ; their hands clasped ours in 
 brotherly greetings ; we looked into their faces when they were alive, 
 and saw them when upon them was the paleness of death ; their presence, 
 and looks, and words, and labors are imaged on our hearts, and are 
 garnered with the most precious things our memories hold. First of all 
 was the great patriarch of our tribe. Father Webb— how grand and good 
 he was ! On one occasion a Brother said to me, after Father Webb had 
 visited Plainfield, " Why, his grand old face is as good as any sermon." 
 How we loved him, because he loved us all with such tenderness ! Zelotes 
 Grinnell, clear, pungent, powerful as a preacher of the gospel, he could 
 soar like an eagle, but was as simple as a child, with a heart as tender as 
 a woman's, and yet bold as a lion ; a dauntless soldier of Jesus Christ, 
 and he proved himself such when he fought the battle of truth against 
 antinomianism, which threatened the Churches in the northern section 
 of our State when he was a Pastor there. Henry C. Fish — how we miss 
 the magic of his word and the inspiration of his spirit in these gather- 
 ings ! Well endowed, he was an able Minister of Christ ; fully equipped, 
 he was a good soldier of the cross, who fought the battle to the end, and 
 fell upon the battle-field with the shout of victory on his lips. You will 
 remember that he said, "When I am gone let there be no mournful 
 strain, but let it be a pean of victory." Henry F. Smith, so abundant in 
 labors — what a true-hearted Brother ! What a strong faith he had ! 
 Becau.se he leaned so full}- upon God, and followed so entirely His Word, 
 and leaned upon Him, and confided in His leadership. Robert F. 
 Young — so gentle, and yet sti'ong in the elements of spiritual power ; a 
 sweet, pure spirit who has found a home more genial than earth. And 
 there were noble lay Brethren whose faces we were wont to see in these 
 meetings of our convention. P. P. Runyan, a pillar in our spiritual 
 commonwealth. D. M. Wilson, that stalwart Christian who presided for 
 .so many years over this body. Morgan L. Smith, a Christian philanthro- 
 pist. H. M. Baldwin, on whose face we seemed to see the brightness of 
 the coming glory into which he has entered. S. V. Van Wickle and 
 Hiram Deitz — beautiful in their lives and beautiful in their death, they 
 
6i 
 
 were laborers together, with strong and willing hearts and hands. "The 
 strong staff is broken, and the beautiful rod." There are some who are 
 with us still, near the border of the land beyond us, upon whose heads 
 the frosts of the coming winter are falling, and here to-night we would 
 crown them with grateful recognition of their services to the cause of 
 God [applause], and rejoice with them in their anticipation of the wel- 
 come that awaits them. " Well done, thou good and faithful servant." 
 
 Brethren and friends, we have entered into the labors of these men, 
 and our duty to God and men is to carry on the work they have left. If 
 any of you have stood near the Cathedral at Milan, you remember the 
 great heights from foundation to pinnacle. It is too vast to take in at a 
 single view. The sight climbs upward from foundation to window, from 
 window to clustering spires, from those to the great spire, and still 
 upward till the eye rests on the cross that stands out against the clear 
 blue sky of Italy. They tell us that this Cathedral was five hundred 
 years in building. How many generations of men wrought upon it? 
 Generations after generations toiled to uplift that cross which for centu- 
 ries has been pointing toward the heavens. Our fathers laid foundation 
 and built thereon. We are building on the work they did, and as they 
 built— to lift the true Cross of Christ that men may see it, look and live. 
 [Applause]. This hour is rich with sacred memories of the men and 
 women who have gone before us. What a royal lineage we have in them ! 
 By it there comes to us the true apostolic succession. [Applause.] Let 
 us gather inspiration to-night from their example, and with added power 
 take up and carry on this great work which God has committed to our 
 hands. 
 
 Soon we shall have passed away. A little while the night will come, 
 the harvest sickle will drop from our tired hands. Oh, that when we 
 shall have finished our work, and others shall stand in these places to 
 say a few words over us, grant that they may have this to say, that we 
 did something for the honor of our blessed Master. Let us seek no 
 crown but the crown we can lay at the feet of Jesus. Beloved, this is a 
 memorial occasion, and let it be a day lik;e that in which Israel reared 
 the memorial stones that all the people of the earth may know the hand 
 of the Lord, that it is mighty, and that we may fear the Lord our God 
 forever. [Applause.] 
 
62 
 
 Address, By JV|r. I homus Koberts, 
 
 Son of Rev. Thomas Roberts, who was Pastor of Middletown Baptist 
 Church for Twelve Years. 
 
 I sometimes speak in public, but I have never stood as high above the 
 congregation as I do now. Sixty-three years ago, before the memory of 
 Brother Parmly, Middletown Church was tinctured with antinomianism 
 — that is, they did not wish to do God's work — and some (not all) were 
 opposed to Missions and Sunday-schools. Father did not oppose them 
 directly, but he preached the Truth, and gradually wore away this spirit 
 out of the Church, and in a little over a year's time he established a 
 Sunday-school in the house that stood where this now stands. 'Squire 
 Osborne was the Superintendent of that Sunday-school, and there are 
 very few now living who were engaged in that work. Sixty-two years 
 ago throughout this region, and possibly throughout the whole of New 
 Jersey, but, at any rate, throughout this county, go into any person's 
 house and you would be invited to take a drink of whiskey. At funerals 
 it was provided, at weddings it was provided, and in this village there 
 were two stores where rum was sold by the quart, two taverns where it 
 was sold by the drink, and one still-house where it was sold b}' the barrel. 
 At Westport there was a distillery, and in Chanceville there was a store 
 where rum was sold by the quart, a tavern and a still-house. At Chapel 
 Hill there was a tavern and a still-house ; on the place lately occupied by 
 Col. Conover there w-as a still-house ; at Headen's Corner there was a 
 store where rum was sold by the quart, and drank on the premises ; this 
 side of it there was a still-house. Rum pervaded the whole community. 
 About sixty-one years ago father, having consulted and examined the 
 leading members of the Church and the community, preached a sermon 
 from First Corinthians, loth chapter and 15th verse, "I speak as to wise 
 men ; judge ye what I say," and at the close of the sermon a temperance 
 pledge was signed by sixty-nine persons. [Applause.] Judge Paterson, 
 the grandfather of the Assistant Clerk of this Church, was elected the 
 President of that Temperance Society, and father's boys went from house 
 to house in the evenings after they had done their daj^'s work, and got 
 many young men and maidens to sign that pledge, and the consequence 
 was that those who went by our house carrjung their little quart jug 
 
Rev. Thomas Roberts. 
 Pastor 12 years. 
 
63 
 
 (which they used to call " Black Betty") in their hands were fain, in a 
 short time, to conceal it in a little red handkerchief. [Applause pro- 
 longed.] 
 
 From that time the cause of temperance prospered for fifty years, and 
 then the Devil devised another plan, in his cunning, by which to destroy 
 the souls and bodies of men. A brewery was established in Newark, and 
 they sent out their emissaries through the country, and prevailed upon 
 some person in almost every neighborhood to sell beer on commission, 
 and wagons were provided to carry it in, so that they might stop at every 
 house and sell to the women. This plan was designed to produce more 
 evil, more danger, more destruction to the bodies and souls of men than 
 ever the distilleries and rum-sellers of old times. Now, you are aware 
 that last winter our legislators, in their wisdom, passed a law which was 
 calculated in some places to prohibit, and in some places to restrain it 
 where it could not be prohibited, and now these brewers are pledged to 
 have that law repealed next winter. It seems to me it is the duty of 
 every Christian philanthropist to go to the polls and vote so that it shall 
 not be done. [Applause.] 
 
64 
 
 -AdJress, By ReV. 4\elsey Wal 
 
 ^ Former Licentiate of the Church at Aliddletown , no7o in Philadelphia. 
 
 '"9' 
 
 Mr. Chairman, Brethren and Friends— I am glad of the opportu- 
 nity of being present this evening, and of the privilege given me of say- 
 ing a few words of congratulation to this Church on having arrived at its 
 two hundredth birth-day. I believe I am the onlj' one now living that 
 this Church has sent forth into the ministry. I was baptized into the 
 fellowship of this Church April 3d, 1847, by the Rev. David B. Stout, 
 who, as you heard to-day, was Pastor thirty-eight years, and my Pastor 
 for about ten years. I was licensed by this Church to preach in the sum- 
 mer of 1852, and in the fall of that year, in October, I went to Madison 
 University. There are but few here to-night, few who are living, who 
 were members of this Church at that time. Many of the members have 
 passed away, and among them that sainted man of God, of whom you 
 heard to-da3% Father Roberts. Many an encouraging word did he give 
 me at that time. After five years of study, I was ordained to the Gospel 
 Ministry in the city of Brooklyn, on the 28th of October, 1857, and 
 became Pastor of the Grand Point Baptist Church in the seventeenth 
 ward of that city. For more than thirty years, therefore, I have been 
 trying to preach Christ in my htimble way, and the Lord has given me 
 encouragement in my work in five pastorates which I have held during 
 those years, three in this, my native State. I trust I have been mindful 
 of the providence of God that has guided and protected me to this hour, 
 and that permits me to be in this house of God to-night, where so many 
 hallowed associations crowd upon my mind. It was here that I was a 
 Sunday-school scholar, a teacher and, for a short time, superintendent. I 
 remember to-night the familiar faces of many who were accustomed to 
 gather with God's people to worship Him in this house of prayer. Many 
 of them have passed away. Among those names come Roberts, WyckofFs, 
 Stouts, Taylors, and others whom I might mention. Many of these have 
 gone from their labor to their reward. I remember, also, the great 
 awakening to which Dr. Parnily referred to-day. In the winter of 1850 
 and 185 1 there were two hundred and twenty-five baptized during that 
 great revival. I remember that wonderful work of Christ among us in a 
 prayer-meeting at one of the out stations of this Church, in Monmouth, 
 
65 
 
 where Brother Wilson is now, a prayer-meeting for two weeks, followed 
 by two weeks of preaching by Bro. Stout. Those meetings for the two 
 weeks preceding the preaching increased in interest from evening to 
 evening until finally God opened the windows of heaven and poured out 
 His abundant blessing in answer to prayers. As the small cloud rises 
 out of the sea and spreads over the whole earth, sending its refreshing 
 showers upon the long-parched earth, so, in answer to the prayers of 
 those men and women of God, the cloud of mercy rose over us, and 
 showers of blessings descended, refreshing the drooping faces of God's 
 people and bringing many souls to Christ. Those meetings were 
 intensely interesting. You have to-day heard the result of them, and I 
 need not refer to them farther, any more than to say that there is a little 
 discrepancy between my figures and those of Brother Parmlj' in regard 
 to the baptisms on the occasion. There were eighty-three baptized iu 
 thirty-three minutes, instead of thirty-eight minutes. I was present at 
 that baptism, and I believe there were five deacons of the Church that 
 led those candidates into the water to the Pastor and out again, while he 
 remained at his post. Of these five deacons there are now but two living, 
 Thomas Roberts, who has just spoken to you, and Deacon James Frost ; 
 the others have crossed the flood. 
 
 There was an incident that occurred at those meetings that I want to 
 refer to, to illustrate the importance of thoroughly preparing for the 
 manifestation of God's power in the conversion of souls. One evening a 
 Brother arose and said something like this: "I feel that if we want 
 God's blessings we must take every stumbling-block out of the way. 
 There is present in this congregation a person between whom and mj'self 
 unpleasant feelings have arisen ; now (calling the person by name), will 
 you meet me half way and settle this matter right here? " The answer 
 came quickly back, " I will," and the person that spoke arose at the rear 
 end of the house and walked up the aisle, while the other walked down 
 the aisle until they took each other by the hand. Tears fell from their 
 eyes and their bosoms swelled as they forgave each other, and all 
 unpleasant feelings passed away. That act sent a thrill of gladness 
 through the whole congregation, and that act was the means under God 
 of leading the man who was asked the question to Christ and into the 
 Church ; and not only that, but many others beheld in that act the 
 royalty of the religion of Jesus Christ, and said, " We will go with you, 
 for we believe that God is with you," and many came out upon the Lord's 
 
66 
 
 side That was a precious season of revival, and I remember it with joy 
 and gladness to-night. I will not multiply words, but simply say that I 
 wish to pay my humble tribute to the memory of this, my mother 
 Church. I should be an unworthy son of such a mother if I were not 
 willing to be here to-night and to give a few reminiscences, and my 
 earnest desire is that heaven's richest blessing may rest upon this Church 
 in Middletown in the years that are to come, as it has in the years that 
 have passed. 
 
67 
 Address, .... By Re\7. William H). Jlires, 
 
 Assistant to Pastor Thomas Roberts, and First Pastor of the Hohndel 
 Baptist Church. 
 
 Mr. Preside;nt — It really vSeeraed to me when our excellent and 
 eloquent Brother Yerkes was speaking that for me to follow him 
 would be very much like talking of war in the presence of Han- 
 nibal, or lighting a taper with which to see the sun. I felt if I said 
 anything at all it must be just a few blunt, simple words with refer- 
 ence to my own experience as an assistant Pastor of this Church, and 
 the first Pastor of the Church at Holmdel. Fifty-three years ago, in 
 attending a board meeting of the New Jersey Baptist State Convention at 
 this place, it was my privilege to form some acquaintance with the Baptist 
 congregation of Middletown. At that time they owned two church prop- 
 erties, a meeting-house in this place, of which this is an enlargement and 
 improvement -decidedly so — and a meeting-house and parsonage at 
 Baptisttown, now Holmdel. Elder Thomas Roberts was their worthy 
 Pastor, and they were worthy of his faithful pastoral care, which they 
 had enjoyed for almost a dozen years. He was accustomed to preach in 
 the upper and lower houses alternately, and also at other points in the 
 township of Middletown, which was then about twice as large as it is 
 now, including, as it did, the township of Holmdel, and he preached at 
 still other points in the county of Monmouth, which was then much 
 larger than now, embracing what is now Ocean county. Thus his field 
 was a very large one, the harvest was great, and the laborers were few, 
 and it was not surprising that both Church and Pastor felt that there was 
 need of at least one additional laborer ; but to one it was a genuine sur- 
 prise that they selected the man they did to fill that place. That was in 
 the winter of 1835-6, most memorable for the great fire in New York, and 
 for the greatest snow-fall, in quantity and depth, that we ever saw, con- 
 tinuing away on in the month of May. I say that during that winter a 
 meeting of the Church, held in the upper house, arranged to invite a 
 certain j^oung man to assist Pastor Roberts for the time being, until 
 arrangements already commenced could be perfected to organize a Church 
 at the upper house. That call is still extant, and is in the hands of 
 Brother Case, who will, perhaps, read it to you as quickly as possible. 
 
 [Letter read by Mr. Case, as follows] : 
 
68 
 
 Holm DEL, March 9th, 1836. 
 Dear Brother Hyers — Agreeable to arrangement, the Baptist Church at Middletown 
 convened in Church meeting in the upper house this day, and discussed the subject of 
 calling a Minister to take the pastoral care of the flock in this branch of Zion. The 
 result of our deliberation was a unanimous vote to call and invite you to become our 
 Pastor, and Mr. John W. Holmes and myself appointed a committee to write to you. 
 We therefore, by the request and in behalf of the Church and congregation, do most 
 affectionately invite you to become our Pastor, and have the oversight of our spiritual 
 and eternal interests. Our numbers are not great here, but the means are ample if the 
 Lord open the hearts of the people, and we feel a confidence that we shall, with the 
 aid and blessing of our Heavenly Father, be able to feed our Shepherd, and many have 
 already determined to put the shoulder to the pecuniary chariot and move it forward to 
 the amount of three hundred dollars and the use of the glebe or parsonage, and think 
 that a support can be provided for you. You will please to come or write soon, and we 
 pray the Lord of Israel may bless both you and us, and increase our faith and our 
 members, and to His name shall be all the glory. 
 
 Most affectionately yours, 
 
 THOH. FARDON, 
 JOHN W. HOLMES. 
 To Bro. William D. Hyers. 
 
 Direct to Bro. John Taylor, Holmdel, Monmouth Co., N. J. 
 
 In due time this call was presented, accepted, and your humble servant 
 entered the Middletown field the first of April, 1836, taking possession of 
 the parsonage and preaching in the upper house and at different neigh- 
 borhoods from three to seven miles distant. After a lapse of five years, a 
 Church was constituted, of which it was my privilege to be Pastor for a 
 period of ten years. Before the Church was organized, however, it was 
 my privilege to baptize some into fellowship of the Middletown Church 
 as the CO- Pastor of Minister Roberts ; one, I am happy to say, is here 
 to-night. 
 
 The stipend of that call, j^ou will notice, was three hundred dollars and 
 the use of the parsonage. After the second year it was increased to four 
 hundred dollars. Still, you say, that was a very meagre salary, and so it 
 seems to me, in view of the salaries of the present day, and especialU' in 
 view of what the same Church is doing for Brother Case (but the\' are 
 probably doing no more than he needs, no more than they are able to do) ; 
 nevertheless, if you consider that the cost of living then was all of one- 
 third less than it is now, and the, to me, memorable fact that the people 
 were ever mindful of the welfare of their Pastor— they did not stop at 
 
69 
 
 what they were pledged to do, but were ever th nking of their Pastor, and 
 ever mindful of his wants, and tried to make him comfortable and happy, 
 if possible. I bear them witness in this presence to-night, never, in any 
 pastorate that I have occupied, never, from that day to this, have I been 
 more comfortably and more happily situated than I was there. [Applause.] 
 Moreover, we used to preach to them the Pauline doctrine, " Now we live, 
 if ye stand fast in the Lord," and by the grace of God they were enabled 
 to maintain a good degree of steadfastness in the Lord, and by that same 
 grace we tried to live in pastoral work, and so we continued to live, 
 unitedly, harmoniously, lovingly and prosperously and happily, until the 
 failure of health on the part of the one required a separation. During 
 the first year of the pastorate of the Holmdel Church, Elder Roberts 
 voluntarily resigned his charge of the First Church of Middletown and 
 retired to the State of New York. Brother D. B. Stout, of Lambertville, 
 was called to succeed him, and he, like his predecessor, was a man full of 
 faith, and full of the Holy Ghost. I recall with great pleasure his genial 
 and Christ-like spirit. I remember well his plaintive voice in song and 
 in prayer, in pleading with men to be reconciled to God. I remember 
 how we labored, each with his respective Church, pleasantly, delight- 
 fully, and how we labored evangelically in all the country round about, 
 for there was then no Church at Marlboro, there was no Church at 
 Middletown Point, now Matawan, there was no Church at Ke3^port, 
 there was no Church at Port Monmouth, there was no Church at High 
 Point, there was no Church at Red Bank, Eatontown and Long Branch, 
 and at many other points in the county of Monmouth where now there 
 are strong, live and growing Churches. So we had a wide field of labor, 
 and so we labored together, and God blessed our efforts. I think of that 
 dear Brother now with the sainted Roberts and INIorgan, whose monument 
 we unveiled to-day, and many of the Pastors of this Church and of other 
 Churches in this county and elsewhere. I think I see that dear Brother 
 with them and with the prophets and apostles and the saints and the 
 martyrs, with all the parents and children, all the husbands and wives, 
 all the brothers and sisters, and with all who have died in Jesus and are 
 blessed. I think of him with that blood-washed throng, celebrating the 
 bi-centennial of our denomination in this State, at the marriage supper 
 of the Lamb in heaven. "And what a narrow sea divides that heavenly- 
 land from ours ! " It will not be long. Brethren, before we shall pass 
 over, one by one, and we shall shine in that heavenly company. 
 
70 
 
 Beloved, it was a great privilege to live in those far-back days, and to 
 labor when there was so much simplicity and Godly sincerity; but it is a 
 greater privilege to labor in this last half of the nineteenth century, and 
 to me it is a great privilege that I have been permitted to live more than 
 three-quarters of this century, and to recall the rise and progress of most 
 of the great improvements that have come during the centur}^ such, for 
 instance, as the use of steam for travel and transportation and for manu- 
 facturing purposes, electricity for the transmission of news and for 
 illumination, and the great improvements in implements to lighten and 
 save labor in all the industrial pursuits of life, in the great improvement, 
 the multiplication and eflSciency of schools and colleges, and books and 
 papers and periodicals and lectures, and all the facilities for enlighten- 
 ment and education. I think especially of the great improvement in the 
 Sunday-school work, and in the number and efficiency of the Churches 
 and the Ministry, and the number and appointments of the Church build- 
 ings. I remember distinctly when all the Churches in New Jersey were 
 like angel visits, few and far between. I remember, not more than fifty- 
 five years ago, at the date of my licentiate, a liberally educated Minister 
 in the State of New Jersey was certainly an exception to the rule, in fact, 
 I do not recall in the State, fifty-five years ago, more than three or four 
 college graduates. My time is up, I think, and I shall speak no longer. 
 Say not why were the former days better than these, for in this thou dost 
 not inquire wisely, for the simple reason that the former days were not 
 better than these. There is a march of mind and progression of the age, 
 and the cause of our Emmanuel is progressing, it is advancing, and I 
 rejoice to-day in what our eyes see and what our ears hear. I feel proud 
 to-day in looking over this assemblage and seeing so many of the 
 Brethren well educated for the work they have to do, and I thank God 
 that I was permitted once more to meet with them, and may His benedic- 
 tion rest upon all. 
 
71 
 
 Address, By Res?. T- S- grifpths, 
 
 Pasto)- at Hohndel. 
 
 I want first to express my feelings of gladness and thankfulness to 
 Brother Parmly and Brother Eaches for the papers they have presented 
 to-day. For about twenty years I have been delving among the Baptists 
 of New Jersey, and a little outside, and I want to say that you may be 
 grateful, and thankful, and congratulate yourselves, too, upon the cor- 
 rectness, so far as I am able to know, of these historic papers. It has 
 taken away from me the necessity of my making any allusions to items 
 of history of which I had thought. I am a Baptist, and this history 
 pleases me because it is Baptist history. I am the eighth generation of 
 my family that have been ofiicers in a Baptist Church. I don't know 
 how many more of 3'ou can say that; and my son, who is bearing office 
 in the Church of which he is a member, is the ninth. I do not think 
 anything would hurt me more than that either of our children should be 
 anything else than Baptists, just what I believe the Lord has made them. 
 The tradition of our family says they have been Baptists since the Gospel 
 was first introduced into Wales, and I should not be surprised if it was 
 true. I would not exchange such a record for the best patrimony the 
 world can furnish— take the whole of it. [Applause.] 
 
 Years ago they used to have the yearly meetings, of which you have 
 heard. The yearly meeting at Middletown was held at the upper house, 
 and some have asked why these meetings were held there. In the early 
 days there was a kind of jealousy between Baptisttown and the village 
 here. In those early days they had the militia trainings, and these men 
 made arrangements that these yearly meetings should be held up there 
 and the militia trainings in Middletown; that explains how it happened. 
 These old-time folks were wonderfully interesting people, and we know a 
 great many happy things about them. It is over forty years since my 
 first settlement in Monmouth county, and so I have been brought in con- 
 tact with a great many people. I remember one day in Holmdel I was 
 out on the street, and an old gentleman came along, he was very old, and 
 he asked me, "Are you the Pastor of the Church here?" "Yes," I 
 replied, and I inquired his age, and he said he was past eighty years of 
 age, and then began to talk about his conversion and the Church and 
 
72 
 
 about Middletovvn, this village, and then spoke of his mother. He said, 
 " My mother lived down between Middletown and Nut Swamp, some four 
 or five miles from the village, and one Saturday morning we started at 
 very near daj'light to go to Middletown (" upper house ") and attend the 
 great yearly meeting. We were going to walk. My mother was a widow. ' ' 
 Think of it, this widow walking some twenty-four miles to go to the Church 
 of God with her child! And he went on to describe that walk which led 
 him to God. And on Sunda}- morning he heard the sermon, and after 
 the sermon came the baptism, and the tears began to come down the old 
 man's face, and said he, " Right there, when I saw that beautiful baptism 
 and those people going down into that water, the spirit of God came 
 down upon me, and from that day to this I have known Christ." And 
 then he said he and his mother walked back. Now, it gives you an idea 
 how intent these people were, how loving they were, and wh}^ the present 
 stock is so good. [Applause.] 
 
 And here is another illustration of the care God has taken of this 
 Church. Brother Stout succeeded Brother Roberts, and right behind his 
 name was the name of Mr. Gobel. He was a taking man, a popular 
 man, and you have little idea how he permeated the whole commu- 
 nity, save where here and there a Brother would stand up and rebel. 
 Well, he was right behind Mr. Stout, and some of the Brethren were 
 taken very much with Mr. Gobel. When the Church extended Brother 
 Stout that unanimous call, he had another call — a unanimous call — 
 from Salem, and the question came up. What was he to do, go to Salem 
 or to Middletown ? Had he gone to Salem, Mr. Gobel would have 
 come here. How many are there here to-night who do not feel sure 
 of what the outcome would have been ? How many of you know about 
 Jacksonville ? He became Pastor there, but it is as silent as the grave, a 
 house as large as this, and a congregation that on Sabbath morning 
 usually filled it as this congregation fills this house. Brother Stout went 
 in there one day as we were driving by, and looked about the spacious 
 house and said, " Brother Roberts preached the opening sermon, and the 
 house was packed, but, oh, how long it is since the voice of the living 
 Preacher has been heard here!" I don't know, but it is dead. And, 
 Brethren, we had not been here to-night if that man had come here. I 
 have no manner of doubt that this house would have been as silent as 
 the grave had he come here, but God came to Brother Stout, turned him 
 here, and here he has been the instrument of that great work. And I 
 
Rev. Davio B. Stout, 
 
 3b years I'astor of the Middletowu Baptist Church. 
 
73 
 
 want to relate a pleasant incident of Brother Stotit. You would not think 
 him a very humorous man, but he had a great deal of humor in him. 
 One day at a Board meeting in Camden a certain Brother, advanced in 
 years, but whose locks were as black as the raven, and presented all the 
 appearance of youth that were possible, w^as making a speech, a very 
 earnest speech, and said, among other things, "Why, Brethren, I am a 
 Baptist dyed in the wool." Brother Stout leaned over to me and 
 whispered to me, " Brother GriflQth, don't he mean a wool-d3'ed Baptist ? " 
 These were good men, and I have a great deal to say about them, but the 
 time has elapsed. 
 
74 
 
 ■Address, By ReV. W- W- S-ose, 
 
 The Present Pastor ot HoliUitel. 
 
 ]\Ir. Chairman, Brethren and Sisters — I do not intend to occupy 
 five of the ten minutes allotted to me, in order that an opportunity may 
 be given others to speak. 
 
 Reference has been made here to-night to the letter I was permitted to 
 read. A few weeks ago a Brother died in the membership of the Holm- 
 del Church Henry GifFord — who told me that he was present at the 
 meeting when Brother Hires was called. Father Roberts presided, and 
 urged the Brethren of the Church to invite some one to assist him 
 because of the great amount of work to be done. He urged the people 
 to separate into two bands, and offered to give thirty dollars out of his 
 own pocket to support the man who should be called. 
 
 A number of the jNIiddletown Pastors have lived at Holmdel. Samuel 
 Morgan, the successor of Abel Morgan, lived in the first parsonage. 
 Elliott, King and Roberts lived in the second parsonage, which was torn 
 down in 1882 to make room for the present commodious edifice.* So we 
 feel that the statement that has been made this afternoon, that the history 
 of the upper (Holmdel) congregation runs parallel with that of the lower 
 (Middletown) congregation, is true. 
 
 It was in the bounds of the upper congregation that the first Baptist 
 Sabbath-school in this State was established, at the home of Mrs. Ann B. 
 Taylor, about two miles from Holmdel, in the 3'ear 1816. In the year 
 18 1 8 it was transferred to the Church edifice, where it has since remained. 
 The Holmdel Church has always taken a strong position on the subject 
 of Temperance. It has also taken a strong position with regard to Mis- 
 sions, and the contributions of that Church will compare favorably with 
 those of any other rural Church of the same size in the State of New 
 Jersey. It has also always taken a strong position on the question of 
 Christian education, and many families have liberally patronized our own 
 institutions of learning, and contributed largely to these institutions, 
 especially Peddie Institute. Only a few weeks ago two of the members 
 
 ♦Benjamin Bennett, who was Pastor twenty-three years, and at one time a member of Congress, is 
 buried back of the Holmdel Church edifice. 
 
75 
 
 of that congregation paid $10,000 into the hands of William V. Wilson, 
 Treasurer of Peddie Institute, to establish a library building at Peddie 
 Institute. They are very modest people, but others will call this building 
 the Longstreet Library Hall. [Applause.]* 
 
 The Holmdel Church has never been afflicted with any views of new 
 theology, or with false views of the nature of the Church and its ordi- 
 nances. The good old doctrine that was preached there more than two 
 hundred years ago is still vigorously maintained. [Applause.] We join 
 with you in this Bi-Centennial with great delight, and we hope that those 
 who meet two hundred years hence to celebrate may see at that time a 
 mighty advance of the principles we so truly love. [Applause.] 
 
 * The road between Holmdel and Middletown has been trodden by the feet of Baptist evangelists 
 earlier than any other road in the State. 
 
76 
 
 Address, By ReV. 3. JM. &rpenler, 
 
 ( The Oldest Baptist Aiinister in A^ezu yersey.) 
 
 [The Rev. O. P. Eaches yielded his time and place to Brother Carpenter, in view of Brother 
 Eaches' address in the afternoon.] 
 
 When Zelotes Grinnell was a child he was one of a large family of 
 brothers, living in Delaware county, New York State, and one evening 
 in the winter-time his father sent several of them out to bring in wood 
 for the open fire-place. He was a little fellow, but he went out with the 
 rest. They all shouldered their wood—strong boys they were — and went 
 in, and Zelotes, my Pastor, said to me : " I went in without anything, and 
 when I came into the house my father said, ' My son, how is it you have 
 come in without any wood ? ' ' Well, father, I could not find an}- thing I 
 could carry.' ' Well,' said the old man, ' were there not any chips in the 
 yard?'" He related that incident to me as an inducement to inculcate 
 in the minds of young men the habit of trying to do something, no mat- 
 ter how small, in the cause of the Master. I have been gathering up 
 chips while I have been listening to the Brethren. I feel. Brethren, that 
 we are on historic ground to-night. We have assembled here on this 
 occasion for a three-fold purpose ; first, to celebrate the Bi-Centennial of 
 the Church of Middletown, its two hundredth anniversary ; secondlj', the 
 unveiling of the monument to Abel Morgan, and, third, to attend to the 
 business of the fifty-ninth anniversary of the New Jersey Baptist Aid 
 Convention. These are three objects for which we have gathered here 
 on this occasion. 
 
 In regard to the first of these, I will touch upon Abel Morgan. When 
 he was born, in April, 1713, there were but four Baptist Churches in the 
 State of New Jersey. Cape May Court House had been organized a 3-ear 
 prior to his birth. When he was two years old the fifth Church of the 
 State of New Jersey was organized. That was the old Hopewell Church, 
 in 1 715. Those were the only Churches in existence in the State of New 
 Jersey of the Baptist denomination. The old Kingwood Church was 
 organized about four years after he came into the State, in 1742. The 
 Middletown Church followed in 1745, and its constituenc3' went from this 
 Church, the first. I believe, that this Church sent out. Time rolled on, 
 and in 1785, on the 24th of November, I believe, Abel Morgan went to 
 
77 
 
 his reward. When he died there were twenty-two Baptist Churches in 
 this State. The last of the twenty-two was organized just five days 
 before his death— Jacobstown, organized the 19th of November, 1785. 
 Abel Morgan was a wonderful man. You have heard a great deal about 
 him, and it is unnecessary for me to repeat anything in reference to his 
 general history. He left his impress upon the Baptist element of New 
 Jersey, which is what every Baptist ought to do. We should leave our 
 impress upon those who are coming after. We have made progress. I 
 came into this State fifty-two years ago this fall, upon the anniversary of 
 this convention in 1836, in Plainfield. I received a welcome, although an 
 entire stranger. But four Ministers in the State had ever seen me, and I 
 went to Plainfield without any expectation of entering into the service 
 of the convention. While I was looking around Plainfield, being a 
 stranger in the place, the Pastor of the Church (Brother Hill) came to me 
 and said, " They want you at the Board meeting." I said, " What do 
 they want?" and said he, "Go and see." So I went. Father Dodge 
 was then the Pastor of the only Baptist Church in Newark, was the 
 President of the Board. After my introduction. Father Dodge said to 
 me, ' ' The Board have concluded to give you an appointment for six 
 months at Schooley's Mountain, if you are willing to accept it." It took 
 me by surprise, and I sat a few minutes and reflected upon the magnitude 
 of the calling to which they had appointed me to enter in the service of 
 the Board, and finally I rose and said to them, " Brethren, you are all 
 strangers to me, and I am a stranger to you ; if you have sufiicient confi- 
 dence in me to give me this appointment, I will go." From that time I 
 have been in the service of the Board in some capacity for fifty-two years. 
 First a Missionary, then a member of the Board, then its Secretary for 
 seventeen years, and then a traveling Missionary and general agent to 
 collect funds, until I have reached where I am. I am rejoiced to meet 
 you to-night, but I feel saddened when I think of those that are gone. 
 Harrison, Hopkins, Rogers, Dodge, Grinnell, and a number of others 
 have passed away. Of the ordained Ministers in the State of New Jersey 
 when I came here in 1836, there are but three living. One of those is 
 here to-night, and has spoken to you, another is Brother T. C. Truesdell, 
 and the other is Charles C. Park, now living in Ohio. All three, I 
 believe, are my juniors slightly. Thus we are passing awa3^ The ques- 
 tion often arises, " Our fathers, where are they ? " One generation passes 
 and another comes. But God our Father, Jesus our Redeemer, has been 
 
78 
 
 preaching His ministry from the day of His ascension until the present 
 time, and when one generation of Ministers passes away another genera- 
 tion takes its place. 
 
 One more thought in closing, for I need not detain you further, and 
 that is, Brethren, we live to make our impress, and that is in perfect 
 keeping wuth the order of the Saviour, who lived in part to make an 
 impression of Himself upon the minds of His disciples. If you read the 
 writings of the New Testament through, you will find that one great 
 object of the divine calling was that one generation should leave its 
 impression upon the one that followed it. What impress are we leaving ? 
 We know something about that which our fathers have left upon us, and 
 upon the communities in which they have lived. I am reminded of an 
 incident related in Bridgeton a few years ago, when I was traveling for 
 the convention. I made my headquarters at the house of a man whose 
 primary object in life was to make money. One evening as he came in I 
 said to him, " You have had a day of fatiguing labor to-day ? " " Yes," 
 said he, "I have had." "Well," said I, "don't some of the men that 
 you trust with your money go back on you ? " " No," said he, '" I never 
 had a man go back on me in my life." " How's that ; in your line of 
 business men generally complain more or less of losing money by the 
 men whom they trust ? " "I will tell you," said he, " You know up at 
 Cohansey Henry Small labored for forty-nine years, and ministered to 
 the Baptist Church there?" "Yes; what of that?" "And at Fair- 
 town," said he, " four miles below, on the way to Cedarville, there was a 
 Presbyterian Minister by the name of Ethan Osborne ; he was Pastor there 
 for sixty years. Now, when a man comes to me on business, and I know 
 he has been under the ministry of Henry Small or Ethan Osborne, I know 
 I am safe." [Applause.] Thus you see, my Brethren, the impress 
 which the faithful Minister leaves upon the community in which he lives. 
 Oh, that we, as Ministers, could carry about with us wherever we go 
 these evidences of our divine calling, of the sacredness of that calling, 
 and of the responsibilities of that calling in the communities in which 
 we live, and the influence which we exert on those around us, so as to 
 leave a favorable impress upon the public mind, how much more good 
 would we do than we are doing at present. 
 
79 
 
 ^^Jdress, gy Re\?. S. A ^nowlton, 
 
 Pastor of Upper Freehold. 
 
 Middletown Church is the mother of several Churches, one of which is 
 the Upper Freehold Church. Perhaps, two or three hundred years hence, 
 unsagacious historians may arise and, with wonderful sagacity, having 
 found documents that have lain hid or a key to those still extant, prove 
 that the Middletown Church and all her daughters were due to William 
 Penn — the first leader that came over from Amsterdam. At any rate, one 
 thing is certain : the old Middletown Church has never refused to own 
 her daughters, and the daughters have never refused to own their mother. 
 I understand that in the last half of the seventeenth century and the 
 beginning of the eighteenth, there was preaching in that section where 
 our Church is situated ; but for fifty years it was simply a preaching 
 station. In the year 1766 there were a sufiicient number of Baptists there 
 to form a Church. The first Pastor was the Rev. David Jones, and, as 
 you have heard to-day, he remained with that Church about nine years. 
 From 1775 to 1S22 there were seven different Pastors. The j-ear 1822 was 
 the beginning of a new era for that Church. A timid young man, who 
 had been to Princeton only for a few days, reflecting that during his 
 course of study scores might be lost, came, providentiallj^, as he thought, 
 and preached at Upper Freehold. After candidating, which is a sort of 
 Barnum's museum with a scriptural text and a live lion on exhibition, 
 he was called to the pastorate. The Church stipulated to give him one 
 hundred dollars for his stipend for the first year ; but as all stocks and 
 promises are fluctuating, the hundred dollars became fifty. The Pastor 
 thought it impossible to live on such a meagre salary, and went to Salem 
 and invited a young XoAy to help him do the impossible. [Laughter.] 
 They lived happily and comfortable on fifty dollars a j^ear. 
 
 On a certain occasion, while preaching at a place called Cream Ridge, 
 as was the Pastor's custom, he announced his text in accordance with the 
 times and season. He took for his text, and announced to the people, 
 " Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe." One man away back in 
 the " amen corner " cried out : " Dominie, the harvest is past on this side 
 of the ridge." Every square inch of wind was taken out of the Pastor's 
 sails for a few seconds, but, recovering himself, he said : " Your harvest 
 
8o 
 
 may be passed, but God's harvest is not passed until all His wheat is 
 gathered into His garners, and the chaff is burned with unquenchable 
 fire." 
 
 In those days it was the custom, you understand, for the people to come 
 in wagons, and to use their chairs as seats in the school-house or house 
 where they worshipped. On one occasion a newly-married man came in. 
 He had left his coat at home during the warm weather, but he took his 
 seats out of the wagon, and gave one to an old man and sat down in the 
 other. The preacher arose and announced his text : " Friend, how camest 
 thou here, not having a wedding garment?" The newly-married man 
 looked around and saw that there was not a single person in the congre- 
 gation without a coat except himself, and jumping up he grabbed the old 
 man, and clutching his chair said : " Give me my chair ; he means me !" 
 And the last seen of that man on that day he was riding down the road, 
 his two chairs keeping tune to his wagon. 
 
 That Pastor remained there some sixteen years. He enjoyed a constant 
 revival for nine years, and baptized during his stay over three hundred 
 persons. He remained with that Church and in that section of the 
 country for sixteen 3'ears, coming with all his earthly goods packed in a 
 small chest, and went away with fifteen Pennsylvania wagon loads of 
 goods, four children and one wife. [Laughter.] 
 
 I might mention some of the other Pastors that have been there, but 
 will simply refer to one or two. A newly-fledged theological student 
 came, and he used to take fifteen to thirty minutes in expounding Greek 
 texts and a better rendering of King James, and finally, as one man 
 expressed it, he used to bring out all the Greek roots from Homer down 
 to the Apocalypse. This rooting in the garden of the Lord became terribly 
 monotonous, and he received his walking ticket. [Laughter.] There 
 are three Churches, I think, gone out from Upper Freehold — Jacobstown, 
 Bordentown and Freehold. There have been several revivals, the largest 
 being in the ministration of William D. Hires, from whom you have 
 heard this evening. I have been in New Jersey but little over a year, but 
 I must say to you I have found the Baptist cause progressing. I have 
 found warm hearts and excellent people, and I have begun to think that 
 the Baptist cause in New Jersey can be compared favorably with any 
 section of this country. 
 
 I have begun to think that the Baptist denomination is a great order, 
 especially in this country, separating those rivers which flow northward 
 
8i 
 
 into the frozen region of Unitarianism from those which flow southward 
 into the malarial district of the New Theology. I have begun to think 
 that the Baptist denomination is the Nile of North America ; as the Nile, 
 by its annual inundation, leaves its deposits upon the fertile valley of 
 Egypt, so, now and then, the Baptist denomination has left its sediment- 
 ary deposit in the other and lesser denominations. If there is any good 
 held in solution by the Baptist denomination, the quicker it is deposited 
 the better. 
 
 One thing I can say in behalf of the Upper Freehold Church : during 
 one hundred and twenty years it has never been affected; it has proven 
 true and sound in the faith once delivered to the saints. If I can con- 
 jecture anything for the next one hundred and twenty years, it will 
 remain as sound as it has been during the past one hundred and twenty. 
 [Applause.] 
 
82 
 
 Address, By ReV. $. K @ 
 
 e)Cter, 
 
 Pas/or at Keyport. 
 
 I presume bj' this time we are beginning to feel quite rested. [Laugh- 
 ter.] We certainly have a grand illustration to-night of the patience and 
 perseverance of men. It is said that the mind of man is like a jug, it can 
 hold only so much, but I sometimes think that it is best represented b}- 
 a rubber jug. [Laughter.] Unfortunately forme, I cannot dwell upon any 
 very touching or inspiring reminiscences, because my memory goeth not 
 back to those ancient days ; but, iu anticipation of this service, I have 
 been led to look at the record of our Church, and I therein find that on 
 August the 5th, 1840, a council was convened on the banks of the bay in 
 Keyport for the purpose of forming a certain number of believers into a 
 Baptist Church. The Moderator of that council was David B. Stout, and 
 the clerk W. D. Hires. Samuel Sproul presented the object for which the 
 council was convened, the doctrines held, confession of faith, and then a 
 number of letters were presented, the majority of them by members of 
 the Middletown Church. Of these nearly all have passed away ; but two 
 or three remain. After listening to this statement and these letters, it 
 was voted that they approve of their organization into what was to be 
 known as the Third Church of Middletown. That Church is now known 
 as the Keyport Baptist Church, and I come here to-night to bring the 
 greetings of that Church to the members of this. After listening to the 
 masterly address of our Brother, I feel that it is a high honor that has 
 been conferred upon me, that I am permitted to stand here as the repre- 
 sentative of the Church of Jesus Christ. I congratulate this Church on 
 the gracious providence that has marked her past history — that to-day she 
 is in existence among the Churches of Jesus Christ with an honorable and 
 worthy name. I congratulate this Church for all the good that has been 
 accomplished, and on the number of Churches that have gone out from 
 her. I congratulate ourselves, as members of the Church in Kej'port, 
 that we, as one of the children of this Church, are permitted to be here 
 to-night, and to enjoy with you, not only to-night but throughout the 
 day, this grand occasion. This is peculiarlj^ fitting on our part. You 
 will readily see, from the dates I have given you, that the Kej'port Bap- 
 tist Church is very near its semi-centennial. Would time permit, I might 
 
83 
 
 cite some material facts that would be gratifying to the Mother Church. 
 I might dwell upon the grand influence the Keyport Church has had 
 upon the community in which it is placed, in a material way ; the influ- 
 ence outside, in all the educational movements that are correcting and 
 purifying the intellectual tone and status of the people ; the influence it 
 has had in a moral way, and perfecting the social relations of life, and, 
 most of all, I might dwell upon the spiritual work that that Church has 
 wrought, the number of souls that have been saved, the spirit of gener- 
 osity that has been developed, the grand record that Church has achieved 
 in helping forward the Kingdom of Christ on earth, so that this, our 
 Mother Church, might look with pride and gratulation on what her child, 
 under God, has wrought. 
 
 On August 5th, 1890, we will celebrate our semi-centennial, and then 
 we hope to have realized some of the desires of our hearts, in having a 
 new organ in the house, in having the edifice changed and everything put 
 in proper condition — then we hope, as we start out to complete our two 
 hundred years of history, that we shall be so blessed of God in the coming 
 3^ears of our existence, that we may present to the world even a grander 
 record than 3'ou, our INIotlier, can present to-da}'. Meanwhile, ma}' we 
 not hope that ties that were formed nearly fifty years ago, and were then 
 so close and fraternal, will continue to be so between mother and daugh- 
 ter in the years to come ; that our interest in each other shall be cordial, 
 fervent and helpful, that we shall pra}^ for one another, and unitedly labor 
 for the glory of Him whose name we bear, whose we are and whom we 
 serve. 
 
84 
 
 '^Address, By ReV. 3. 4\. JManning, 
 
 Pastor at Red Bank. 
 
 Mr. President— I am not going to give 3-011 very many reminiscences 
 or make a long speech. I am very glad to be able to stand here to-night 
 and tender my congratulations to this people. I am thankful that I have 
 been permitted to be a Pastor of two of the daughters who have gone 
 out from this Church, and I am very glad that these services have taken 
 the form they have taken. As nobod}-, possibly, will say it for me, I will 
 say that I had a big hand in this thing. 
 
 I want to congratulate this Church upon its prosperity. She has better 
 clothes to-day than some of her children. Just compare this house of 
 worship with some other houses of worship I might refer to, and go 
 down and see where Brother Jones lives, and look at the places where 
 vSome other of the Pastors about here live, and in every direction I want 
 to congratulate this people upon their conveniences of life and activity, 
 and upon their prosperity. And there is another thing I want to refer to. 
 I do not call to mind where there is another Baptist Church which has 
 set about and accomplished so grandly a celebration of this kind, and I 
 am glad, for the sake of the Baptists, that it has been accomplished. If 
 Abel Morgan had been a Methodist, in nearly every Church in this com- 
 munity there would have been a memorial tablet or colored glass window ; 
 or if he had belonged to the Episcopal Church, it would have been the 
 same, but, because he was a Baptist, he had to wait one hundred and 
 three years before we saw the necessity that there should be a monument 
 erected to his memory. I want to say to you that I regard this time as 
 one of the greatest I can call to mind. This afternoon there was a beau- 
 tiful and touching scene presented. Here was this grand man who had 
 gone one hundred and three 5'ears without a monument ; but 3-ou selected 
 for the orator of the occasion a man who has built his own monument, 
 for as long as Peddie Institute shall stand, William V. Wilson will have 
 a pile of bricks erected to his memor3^ 
 
 Now and then I get a little weary and faint of heart, because I feel that 
 the young men in our Churches are not like their fathers— not as strong, 
 perhaps -but while we are here to revere the memory of Abel Morgan, I 
 say it with reverence and with thankfulness that there are just as grand 
 
85 
 
 men here to-night as there were in his day, and I regard it as one of the 
 greatest of privileges to be identified with the men whose names have 
 been mentioned here, living and dead, and being part and parcel of the 
 great Baptist Church, and while I congratulate the Brethren here, I see 
 no reason why this Church should not go on increasing in strength and 
 prosperity and power. 
 
86 
 
 •Address, By Rev'. 3. ^. Boyes, 
 
 Pastor at Navesink and Atlantic Highlands Churches. 
 
 I shall certainly not detain you long, as I have but recently come into 
 the State of New Jerse}-, and during that time have been seriously ill, 
 which has prevented my looking up the matter, as I certainly should 
 have otherwise done. 
 
 I will briefly present a few facts. The Navesink Church was a Mission- 
 ary station of the Rev. Thomas Roberts' twenty-two years ago — that 
 venerable man of whom you have heard so much to-night ; he was form- 
 ing these outposts around this place, and he there began to proclaim the 
 truth, in the school-house and in any other place he could get. High 
 Churchism and Antinomianism strongly prevailed at that time in that 
 place, but, feeling the importance of the commission, and alive for the 
 souls that he saw perishing, he was not at all shaken in the effort, and, 
 hence, prevailed strongly in this place. Intemperance was also rampant. 
 We have heard to-night a temperance society was organized here, but the 
 first temperance society, so far as I know, was formed over there, and 
 called the High Point Temperance Society. After awhile Father Roberts 
 resigned, and the Rev. D. B. Stout became Pastor of this Church. 
 Brother R. A. Leonard, a former member of this Church, and a very 
 active member, one whose name will no doubt bring up to many of you 
 his life and association, joined with the Rev. Mr. Stout in proclaiming 
 the truth in what was then known as Riceville. Thej^ held meetings at 
 that time in the woods or in any place they could get, and the result was 
 they presented the glorious truth of Jesus Christ, and by the power of 
 God many were convicted of sin and of judgment and became converted 
 to this faith. This resulted in a permanent service being held in what 
 was then called Riceville, held in the public school-house afternoons in 
 the summer-time, and evenings in the winter. After awhile the school- 
 house became too small to hold the congregation that gathered there to 
 hear the Gospel as it fell from the lips of Brother Stout, and they con- 
 cluded to erect a Church edifice. So far as I understand it, this was 
 erected as a Missionary outpost, with no organization as yet, but simply 
 a Chapel where they could get more fully and effectually the preaching 
 of the Gospel of Christ. After holding these meetings for some time in 
 
87 
 
 this place, on account of the distance from this Church and the seeming 
 needs of the community, it was decided to organize a Church, and steps 
 were taken in the year 1S53 for this purpose, and they organized what 
 was called the Second Middletown Church. I have heard that name 
 mentioned in connection with the Holmdel Church, but the Church was 
 organized in Riceville and called the Second Middletown Church, having 
 fifty-five members, and if I should read over their names, how many 
 reminiscences would it bring to many here ! It was a strong Church, 
 although it had but fifty-five members. There have been many Pastors! 
 but the first after its organization was the Rev. Mr. Wilson, this man 
 who has been so feelingly referred to, and is so worthy of our grateful 
 appreciation. He was Pastor of this Church for one year, after which 
 Father Roberts, the venerable Father Roberts, staunch Baptist Preacher 
 that he was, whose life and work plays such an important part in the 
 history of this Church. He labored there for four years, and during that 
 time twenty-four were united with the Church. Following him was the 
 Rev. E. D. Fron ; following him the Rev. M. B. Harris, 1862 to 1867 ; 
 following him the Rev. J. J. Baker, then Charles T. Douglass, then the 
 Rev. Mr. Lee, and now lately your humble servant, who feels very much 
 impressed with the work. There are about two hundred members of this 
 Church at this time, and we devoutly worship God, and endeavor to pro- 
 claim the truth so dear to us all. 
 
88 
 
 •Address, .... By ReV. William V- Wilson, 
 
 Pastor of A^ezv Monmouth Church. 
 
 Friends and Brethren — It seems to fall to in}- lot to bring up the rear. 
 I think I must have been born out of due time. [Laughter.] It is per- 
 haps appropriate that I should make a few remarks, although I very much 
 regret that I am called upon to do so at so late an hour. I have had rela- 
 tions with this Church that perhaps no other Brother has. I have mar- 
 ried three of her daughters — I was going to say the first husband of two 
 and the onlj' husband of one. I was ordained in this Church, and there 
 have been times when it looked a little as though I should form a marriage 
 connection with her. [Laughter.] If it had not been for the exceeding 
 great love I had for one of her daughters, I do not know what might have 
 been, and if I should live fifty years longer and she should have another 
 period of widowhood, I don't know but it might be. [Laughter.] Of 
 course, I feel very tenderly connected with this people. I have been 
 working on your borders all the days of my life, forty-seven years, just 
 as long as Abel Morgan worked in Middletown have I been in this town- 
 ship, and on the borders of this Church. It seems unnecessary that I 
 should dwell upon my labors — my good Brother, the senior deacon of my 
 Church, gave you a pretty good idea of what they are. I hope for good 
 results from this gathering, that our hearts shall be cemented more and 
 more. I think there is the best of feeling between us and the mother of 
 the third daughter — shall I call her— and that we heartily rejoice in her 
 prosperity ; I certainly do. 
 
 I think of the number of years I have lived in this county, in this town- 
 ship of Middletown, beginning at Kej^port in 1841, the first Pastor there, 
 laboring there until it was necessary that something should be done — 
 they had outgrown me or I had outgrown them, I don't know which, and 
 I had to leave. I then sought a connection with the second daughter. I 
 was there awhile, and I don't know but it would have been a permanent 
 connection, but another child was born near my own dwelling and I 
 thought it best, perhaps, that I should go there. So 3'ou see what my 
 labors have been. If I had had the spirit, the mind and heart of Abel 
 Morgan, whose memory we celebrate to-day, what might I not have done? 
 I say to you, young men who are going on in the ministr}', working 
 
and toiling — catch this spirit, this inspiration of to-da}-, and from this 
 time on live and labor as he did, and the resnlts of your labors will be 
 seen in the coming days. I have been a many-sided man, and have not 
 given my service as perhaps I should have done. I have been a layman 
 and a preacher, and toiled out from home, far and near, and maybe in the 
 final recounting I have done something in training up this Church to 
 what it now is, that good may come to the denomination, but there are 
 times when I think that if I had only cut loose from everything else and 
 given my whole time and attention to the ministry in every respect — 
 though I never failed to preach, never gave up in any sense — I might 
 have made a mark higher than I have done. A preacher of this town, 
 now gone, on one occasion said to me, " Brother Wilson, if 3'ou give your 
 whole time to the ministry you will make a greater impression in the 
 county of Monmouth than anyone made before," and I think sometimes 
 if I had done this I would have made a different record from what I have 
 made, and yet in the lines of labor in which I have operated some good 
 may have been done. 
 
90 
 
 Mr. Buchanan read the following letter from Rev. T. E. Vas- 
 sar, D.D., formerly Pastor at Flemington and at the South Church, 
 Newark, now of Kansas City, Mo., and member of the Bi-Centen- 
 nial Committee, but who left for the West before our grand cele- 
 bration : 
 
 413 Landis Court, K.\nsas City, INIo., Oct. 22d, 1S88. 
 
 Dear Brother Hopping How I would like to be at old Middletown 
 next week ! In spirit I shall be there, joying and rejoicing with you all, 
 but in\' hands and feet must be at work out on the banks of the Missouri. 
 
 Of course I have not the memories of a lifetime hanging about the old 
 Church as you and man}' others have, bvit m}- acquaintance of sixteen 
 years abounds in pleasant recollections and associations ; and, as if I 
 were still a New Jersey Baptist, I congratulate you on this record of two 
 hundred 3'ears. Oliver Wendell Holmes has humorously said : 
 
 " Little of all we value here 
 Wakes on the morn of its hundredth year 
 Without looking and feeling very queer." 
 
 Your Church, however, is surely an exception to the witty poet's rule. 
 It wakes on its two hundredth anniversar}- without looking at all queer. 
 Its house of worship is a little better than it was in Abel Morgan's day ; 
 its roll of members is a little longer ; its resources are a little larger, but 
 the old gospel that Abel Morgan preached is preached among you still, 
 and the ordinances are kept as Abel Morgan kept them, and as the INIaster 
 gave them centuries before. If the men and women of 168S were to come 
 back, they would quickly recognize their descendants of 1888, and would 
 bless God that the old banner they lifted was floating still. May that 
 banner be kept lifted till your fields have ceased to yield, and your 
 orchards to bloom and fruit. 
 
 Of course you will have a good time at the Bi-Centennial. You cannot 
 help having a good time on such historic ground, and with such services. 
 May the Lord's banner over 3'ou be love, and we all be present at that 
 gladder gathering, when they shall come from the east, and the west, and 
 the north, and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. 
 
 With congratulations to the Church, and greetings to all the dear 
 brethren so often met in the past, I am, 
 
 As ever, yours, ^_ ^_ VASSAR. 
 
91 
 
 Slosing Sonc], - " 0od be With fou till We JMeet Aqain." 
 
 God be with you till we meet again ! 
 By His counsels guide, uphold 3'ou, 
 With His sheep securely fold 3^ou ; 
 
 God be with you till me meet again ! 
 
 Chorus. 
 
 Till we meet ! till we meet ! 
 Till we meet at Jesus' feet ; 
 Till we meet ! till we meet ! 
 God be with you till we meet again. 
 
 God be with you till we meet again ! 
 'Neath His wings securely hide you, 
 Daily manna still provide j^ou ; 
 
 God be with you till we meet again I — Cho. 
 
 God be with 3'ou till we meet again ! 
 When life's perils thick confound 3'ou, 
 Put His loving arms around you : 
 
 God be with 3'ou till we meet again I — Cho. 
 
 ^enediotion and ^Adjournment. 
 
92 
 
 On Wednesday morning, October 31st, the "New Jersey Baptist 
 State Convention ' ' commenced its regular business, and continued 
 throughout the day with its various interesting reports. 
 
 On Wednesday afternoon the Annual Sermon before the State 
 Convention was preached by Rev. H. C. Applegarth, of New Bruns- 
 wick, and the Annual Sermon before the Education Societ}^, by Rev. 
 G. E. Horr. 
 
 Wednesday evening, addresses were delivered b}- Rev. William 
 RoUinson, on " Some Eessons from the Past," and by Rev. James T. 
 Dickenson, of Orange, on "The Duty and the Hope of the Hour." 
 
 OBITUARY REPORT, BY DR. W. H. PARMLY. 
 
 ADJOURNMENT. 
 
Rev. E. EVERETT JONES, A. M. 
 
 Present Pastor of the Midoletov/n Baptist Church. 
 
93 
 
 Comments of the Press. 
 
 The following accounts of the anniversaries of the New Jersey 
 Baptist Education Society, the New Jersey State Convention and 
 the Bi-Centennial of Middletown Church, are taken from The Neiv 
 York Christian hiqiiirer and Mataiuan Journal (N. J.), and are 
 published in this volume as indicative of what the press thought 
 and said of the exercises. 
 
 THE NEW JERSEY ANNIVERSARIES. 
 
 [From The New York Christian Inquirer, November 8th, 1888.] 
 
 October 30. — Your correspondent since returning home has thrown 
 away some portion of his notes written while attending the anniversaries 
 of the New Jersey Baptist Education Society, the New Jersey Baptist State 
 Convention and the Bi-Centennial of the Middletown Church. In view 
 of the enthusiasm roused by the meetings, no suggestions or criticisms 
 would be entertained by your readers. For it must be conceded that 
 New Jersey has witnessed a notable gathering. 
 
 The Education Society was in session when the delegation from New- 
 ark and vicinity arrived. The Church of Middletown was filled to over- 
 flowing ; something more than the meeting of the Education Society' must 
 have called them together. The decorations tell the story. On the pulpit 
 there are two century plants, on one side of the pulpit, wrought in fresh 
 green leaves, is the number 1888, on the other, in the brightest of autumnal 
 foliage, 1688. Rev. O. P. Eaches, D.D., Secretary, read his report, which 
 stated that the Society had aided thirty-one young men who are preparing 
 for the ministry, and had received the sum of ^^2,200 on contribution, 
 beside a legacy of 12,500. The officers of last year, W. H. Parmly, D.D., 
 President, and O. P. Eaches, D.D., Secretary, were re-elected. These 
 ofiicers, as delegate and alternate, were appointed to attend the next session 
 
94 
 
 of the Baptist Education Society in May. A committee of seven, includ- 
 ing the Secretar}', were appointed to consider the wisdom of making such 
 changes in the charter of the Society as will enable it to extend its aid to 
 young women who are preparing for missionar}^ work. A large number 
 of delegates favored immediate action ; probably a majority would have 
 directed the committee to secure the change at once, but they 3'ielded to 
 the conservative part3-. New Jersey seldom changes her methods. 
 
 The Rev. R. F. Y. Pierce then made the first of the four addresses upon 
 the programme. The subject given him was, " How are we to secure the 
 right material for an effective ministry ? " 
 
 Three excellent addresses followed. Rev. Addison Parker told vis 
 " How are we most effectively to help them?" i. e. students for the min- 
 istry. He urged men to come into relations of sympathy with the 
 students. "If you haven't got a student in your Church, then borrow 
 one." Bro. Parker made a happy allusion to Squire and " Robert 
 Elsmere," who admitted that babies were necessar}-, for otherwise the 
 human race would not continue. This allusion furnished Dr. H. K. Trask, 
 of the South Jersey Academy, with his topic. Said he in substance: " Pas- 
 tors are sometimes asked to instruct their people in relation to the interme- 
 diate state. Many students for the ministry are in the intermediate state 
 when they come to us. You care for them before they come and after 
 they leave. Pray make some provision for them while they are with us. 
 Don't expect these babies to exist forever in the intermediate state, but 
 help us to get them out. The race of ministers cannot exist without you 
 do this." Dr. John Green, of Peddie Institute, preceded Dr. Tra.sk. I\Ien 
 demand, he said, that education should be practical. "Education is the 
 full development of a human being in the three capacties of the ph3^sical, 
 intellectual and the spiritual." Only the Christian school aims at 
 development in all these capacities. You cause a young man to run a 
 great risk when you place him in an atmosphere where they seek to 
 develop the intellect and forget Christ. 
 
 Both Dr. Trask and Dr. Green are practical men. If that is the demand, 
 they supply it. They know the value of minutes, they cut short their 
 remarks, though to our loss, so that the session adjourned nearly on time. 
 
 Dinner was served in the temperance hotel near by. Fully seven hun- 
 dred people dined there. Not more than one hundred and twentj^-five 
 could be served at one time. The rest waited, however, with commend- 
 able patience until their turn came. 
 
95 
 
 The Bi-Centennial and Memorial Exercises oe the Middletown 
 
 Church. 
 
 Afternoon Sessioti. 
 
 The State Convention last year voted to meet in 1888 with the Church 
 of Plainfield. This resolution was changed to accept the invitation of the 
 Middletown Church to meet with them at the time of their Bi-Centennial. 
 
 The Pastor, Rev. E. E. Jones, prepared us by his warm words of wel- 
 come for the good things to follow. The President of the Convention, 
 Mr. F. W. Ayer, after making his own appropriate address, introduced 
 " a young man from Jersey City, who, when a boy, went out from this 
 Church to prepare for the ministry." And our venerable friend, Dr. W. 
 H. Parmly, arose. No one better than Dr. Parmly could tell the story of 
 the Middletown Church, especially the scenes of which he had been an 
 eye witness. 
 
 What a mighty work of grace was that which came upon the Church in 
 1 85 1. Dr. Parmly declared that probably 500 persons were converted in 
 the neighborhood. Eighty-two were baptized on one occasion by the Pas- 
 tor, Rev. David B. Stout. Following Dr. Parmly came the singing of the 
 Bi-Centennial Hymn, written for the day by Rev. Robert Lowry, D.D. 
 
 A cousin of the Rev. Abel Morgan is yet living ; he is the well-known 
 Hon. Horatio Gates Jones. He was introduced, and what he said was 
 well worth the hearing. Abel Morgan was for nearly half a century Pas- 
 tor of the Middletown Church. The history of this mighty man, as it was 
 told during the afternoon, proved that his memory merits the title, which 
 all the speakers of the day delighted to quote, —the Incomparable Morgan. 
 
 " Two hundred years of New Jersey Baptist History." This paper, by 
 the Rev. O. P. Eaches, D.D., will be published in the Minutes of the Con- 
 vention. All who read it will agree that New Jersej' has a man equal to 
 an occasion. 
 
 Plant a Bible, said Dr. Eaches, and a Baptist will spring up ; bring 
 Baptists together and they will organize a Church of Jesus Christ. Fifty 
 years before Washington was born the Baptists of New Jersey organized 
 Churches, confident that in time the whole world would heed their claim 
 that the Church of Christ should consist only of Chri.st's people. Our 
 early Baptist preachers were Home ^Mission Societies and State Conven- 
 tions in themselves. One Pastor did mission work in North Carolina, 
 
96 
 
 another labored among the Indians. New Jerse3^ led the Baptists in edu- 
 cation. In our school at Hopewell, Manning and James were trained. 
 For two hundred years we have had no new doctrines. In polity we have 
 taken no departures. Heroic measures of discipline were often enforced. 
 
 Dr. Baches consented to wait till evening before finishing his address. 
 The programme of the day provided for the unveiling of the monument to 
 the memory of Abel Morgan, for nearly half a century Pastor of the 
 Middletown Church. This monument had been erected by offerings from 
 the Churches of the State. When we left the Church we could not suppress 
 an exclamation of surprise at the size of the crowd outside. It filled the 
 little church-yard and thronged the road. One man had climbed a locust 
 tree, and in the barn-loft opposite was the ubiquitous amateur photo- 
 grapher. Dr Wilmarth led in prayer. The Rev. W. V. Wilson made the 
 address. Bro. Wilson could be heard far beyond the vast throng. But 
 did he not forget to draw the line when stating that Morgan should take 
 rank with Luther, Calvin and Knox, and with Bunyan and Paul ? 
 
 It was quite dark when we sat down to supper. Outside the hotel 
 the throng, waiting patiently in the darkness and cold, began to sing. 
 Probably the horizon of many was bounded by the supper table, but we 
 heard the swelling chorus, " In the sweet by-and-by." 
 
 Eve) ling Session. 
 
 The Church was early filled. After the devotional exercises, Dr. Baches 
 resumed. The history of the anti-mission controversy was given. He 
 outlined the career of the State Convention and of the Bducation Society, 
 which he said is a society for changing mone}- into men. 
 
 " Historical Incidents ' ' and ' ' Happy Reminiscences ' ' was the next order 
 of the evening. Rev. D. J. Yerkes, D.D., was the first speaker. Churches 
 are born from above, hence their obligations are great. Our obligations 
 are increased because of the men who have labored here. ' ' Here 
 preached the Rev. Thomas Roberts, that dear, loving man whom I knew 
 in my childhood." We have had a galaxy of the faithful in this State, 
 Father Webb, Zelotes Grenell, Henr}^ C. Fish, H. F. Smith and others. 
 Through these men conies the true apostolic succession. 
 
 Mr. Thomas Roberts was introduced. He is the son of that Pastor to 
 whom Dr. Yerkes referred, and is now in his eighty-second j-ear. "Six- 
 ty-two years ago Churches were somewhat opposed to Missions and 
 Sunday-schools ; father preached the truth, and in a little over a year's 
 
97 
 
 time established a school. Sixty-two years ago throughout this portion 
 of the State every one invited their visitors to take whiskey ; it was pro- 
 vided at funerals and weddings. Father preached a sermon and at the 
 close the temperance pledge was signed by sixty-nine persons. Before 
 this time people carried their little jugs openly, but now, when they went 
 by our house they were forced to conceal their jugs in a red handker- 
 chief" Several in the audience laughed. The dear old man looked at 
 them with wonder. What did they mean ? The political allusion began 
 to dawn upon him, and the house roared. 
 
 Rev. Kelsey Walling followed. He was licensed by this Church to 
 preach the gospel. Among other things, he remembered that during a 
 revival a brother in this Church publicly sought reconciliation with his 
 neighbor. The neighbor was led to Christ by this example, and the 
 influence was widespread. 
 
 Revs. Wm. D. Hires, T. S. Griffith and W. W. Case had served as Pas- 
 tors the " Twin-Sister" Church of Holmdel, the last mentioned still con- 
 tinuing in that relation. They each made ten-minute speeches. Bro. 
 Griffiths told of a woman and her son who walked twentj'-four miles to 
 hear the gospel ; her son was converted that day while witnessing the 
 ordinance of baptism. 
 
 Bro. Baches was called by the President, but he gave his time to Rev. 
 J. M. Carpenter, another of our venerable men. He knew two preachers 
 of the State of whom a business man said to Bro. Carpenter: "I am 
 ready to give unlimited credit to any man who has been under the train- 
 ing of either." Brethren Knowlton, Dexter, Manning, Boyes and Wil- 
 son are Pastors of the respective Churches which were organized by mem- 
 bers who went out from "Old IMiddletown." Of course the committee 
 had invited these brethren to speak, and inasmuch as the IMiddletown 
 Church had employed a stenographer to report what the}' might sa}- for 
 publication in the memorial volume which the Church will publish, they 
 had to speak, though the audience was silently crying for mercy. It was 
 twenty minutes to eleven o'clock when the benediction was pronounced. 
 
 The State Convention. 
 
 October 31.— The State Convention began its regular session on 
 Wednesday morning, but not on time. Six people in the house when 
 the hour came for opening the services. No one could complain, as many 
 delegates who were cared for by hosts living miles away did not retire 
 
98 
 
 before midnight. How could they return by nine o'clock the next 
 morning ? 
 
 After Psalm 92 was read and prayer offered, the report of the Committee 
 on Foreign Missions was, in the absence of Rev. S. C. Dare, read by the 
 Secretary. Brethren F. A. Slater reported on Home Missions, A. R. Dilts 
 on Bible Work, and M. V. McDuffie on the Publication Society. The 
 Rev. W. W. Case presented the report of the Committee on State Work. 
 He reported a substantial progress in all work, and an increase of at least 
 |i,ooo in contributions. The number of baptisms for the whole State had 
 not been figured up when the report was read. 
 
 The Secretary, Rev. J. C. Buchanan read the report of the Executive 
 Board. This stated that twentN'-nine Churches had received aid from the 
 Convention during the year, and 120 persons had been baptized by the 
 Missionary Pastors. The financial condition had improved. The Board 
 received a legac}^ of $500 in cash, and a mortgage of $2,000 ; the Board 
 deemed it wise to keep the mortgage as an investment, hoping in time to 
 receive other funds, the interest of which would be sufiicient to sustain a 
 State Missionary. The contributions in cash were $5,826.90 ; disburse- 
 ments, $5,412.21 ; cash on hand, $414.69. 
 
 The time appointed for the annual sermon had passed by just one hour. 
 In thirt}' minutes we would have to adjourn. Rev. G. E. Horr sug- 
 gested that he could read the report of the Committee on Temperance at 
 this juncture, and thus provide time for the sermon in the afternoon. 
 This was very courteous of Bro. Horr. He also was appointed to preach 
 in the afternoon and the audience would sureh' be wearied before he began. 
 
 Mr. Samuel Colgate spoke on the importance of taking care of our 
 Church documents. He urged that the history of the past two hun- 
 dred years proved the need of the effort he was now making in this direc- 
 tion. His address made a great impression. Fewer Church minutes will 
 be used for lighting fires. 
 
 The Committee on Temperance presented the report. A little breeze 
 was expected, and we escaped it by a very narrow margin. The adjourn- 
 ment, however, gave the opportunity for prolonged discussions outside. 
 
 Afternoon Session. 
 
 Bro. C. li. Jones led in praj'er. The Committee on Place and Preacher 
 reported that we meet in Salem, and that J. T. Dicken.son preach the 
 sermon. A discussion followed on the relation of our denominational 
 
99 
 
 societies to our Convention. A committee appointed to consider this 
 matter had recommended that each of our three societies have fifteen 
 minutes in which to present their appeal ; a substitute was offered doing 
 away with the reports. In the midst of the discussion the order of the 
 da}' was called. After singing and pra3-er the annual sermon was 
 preached by the Rev. H. C. Applegarth, from Acts i: i— "The former 
 treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do 
 and to teach, until the daj^ in which he was taken up." 
 
 The work of Christ continues ; the worker is the same, the method is 
 changed. He works now through the Church. This fact determines — 
 
 I. The function of the Church . («) To body Christ forth to view. (<&) To 
 witness for Christ, if) To be the medium for the manifestation of His 
 glory. " In a word, the Church is to continue with persistent effort and 
 increasing fervor, simply to preach and teach Jesus the Christ." 
 
 II. The obligations involved, (a) Loyalty to Christ, (d) Debtorship to 
 the world, by reason of what she has received for the world, (r) Spirit- 
 uality, (d) Humility. 
 
 III. The inspiration of the Church, (a) The Lordship of Christ, {b) 
 Relationship to Christ, {c) The memories of the dead. 
 
 Is it necessary to say that the sermon was a masterly one ? What the 
 Convention thought of it was indicated by the fact that when the President 
 put the motion requesting the sermon for publication in the Minutes, 
 there came back from the house the heartiest "aye" that this assembly 
 has heard. 
 
 The Treasurer, Asa Suydam, read his report. It was voted to accept it. 
 Some minor business was transacted, and then Brother George E. Horr 
 preached the annual sermon before the Educational Society. The text 
 was Jer. 12 : 5. "If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have 
 wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses.? And if in the 
 land of peace, wherein thou tru.stedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt 
 thou do in the swelling of Jordan ? " Theme : Lesser difficulties a prepa- 
 ration for greater. Society is not favorable to the gospel. Greater trials 
 will come upon the Church. The ministry must be prepared for these 
 trials. What shall our preparation be .? The highest possible culture is 
 demanded, the best of discipline is needed. Above all, absolute depend- 
 ence on the Holy Spirit. Brother Horr spoke as a prophet. There was a 
 deep experience and a ring of conviction in all he said. It was a pity all 
 the people did not wait to hear this excellent discourse. 
 
lOO 
 
 The State Convention resumed its session. Brother Griffiths led in 
 prayer on behalf of Rev. Isaac C. Wj-nn, D.D., who for months past has 
 been dangerousl}- ill. 
 
 The resolution to give fifteen minutes only to our denominational 
 societies was finally passed. 
 
 It was voted that hereafter a space of time not exceeding two hours 
 should be given to our Missionary Pastors in which to present the tidings 
 from their fields. 
 
 Wednesday Evening Sessioyi. 
 
 Some of the best wine has been saved for the last of the feast. The 
 very bones of Brother J. T. Dickenson's skeletons are almost as good as 
 the life which he knows so well how to put on them. Is there not genius 
 displayed in this plan of his ? 
 
 "A four- fold vision for a many-fold success." 
 
 1. A vision of New Jersey as related to other States. 
 
 2. A vision of Baptists as related to other denominations. 
 
 3. A vision of strong Churches as related to the weak. 
 
 4. A vision of Christ as related to all Christian work. 
 
 Rev. Wm. Rollinson, D.D., speaks on "Some Teachings of the Past." 
 The past is the great teacher, its problems are solved, i. The might of 
 moral courage. 2. The invincible pause of truth. 3. The strength of 
 the Church lies in its acceptance of truth, in its developments both social 
 and spiritual. 
 
 The obituary report of Dr. W. H. Parmly closes the Convention. 
 
 \V. F. T. 
 
lOI 
 
 THE BAPTIST ANNIVERSARIES. 
 
 Two Hundredth Birthday of the Baptist Church oe Middle- 
 town, N. J. 
 
 [From the Matawan Journal, Matawan, N. J., November 3d, 1888.] 
 
 Tuesday and Wednesday, October 30th and 31st, were wonderful days in 
 the annals of the old Revolutionary village of Middletown. Long years 
 before the Colonies thought of asserting and fighting for their independ- 
 ence from the yoke of Britain, a little hamlet sprung into existence in 
 the rich heart of our county, and* our ancestors called it Middletown. 
 And in this little village, not grown much larger even now, though 
 recently inspired with a new life, there was built two hundred years ago a 
 Baptist Church. Before the organization of this society, however, there 
 was Baptist preaching in a dwelling at or near Holmdel, and he field of 
 original work of the Pastor at Middletown embraced the area from north 
 and east of Middletown to Holradel, of about twenty miles diameter. 
 
 It was therefore fitting that the Baptists of New Jersey should hold their 
 anniversaries this year with this old ante-Revolutionary Church, the 
 original building which stood on the site of the present one having been 
 a witness to the line of advance or retreat of the armies that made us a 
 nation by defeat of the one and triumph of the other. 
 
 IMPROVEMENTS. 
 
 As preparatory to the Bi-Centennial, under the inspiration of the new 
 Pastor, Rev. E. E. Jones, marked improvements have been made to the 
 edifice and its surroundings. An additional piece of land has been pur- 
 chased at the west side of the Church, and on the rear of this new lot 
 have been erected sheds for the accommodation of twenty-four teams, so 
 that the farmers who drive in for service will no longer have to expose 
 their animals to inclemency and cold. A baptistery has been added to the 
 rear of the Church, the walls and inside wood-work have been painted, 
 and other changes made. And yet the exterior enclosure remains of 
 shingles, and the modern and antique commingle in attractive harmony. 
 
 EXPRESSIVE EMBLEMS. 
 
 The handiwork of art had united with the products of nature to give 
 added attraction to the interior of the Church for this Bi-Centennial occa- 
 
T02 
 
 sion. Down the wide coltimns that fronted each side of the recess where 
 the pulpit stands were the typical figures that mark the two centuries of 
 the Church's existence. The figures "1688" were made with the har- 
 mony of vari-tinted sere leaves of autumn down the left-hand column, 
 while down the right-hand column the figures "1888" were worked in 
 evergreen. On each side of the pulpit stood two large and handsome 
 century plants, telling of the two centuries of Church life, while yellow 
 chrysanthemums were formed in bouquets, and the ivy vine trailed from 
 each of the two pots that held the century- plants. 
 
 Tjiesday Morning. 
 
 The first session was the anniversary of the Education Society, and 
 was opened at 9:30 with devotional services, conducted b}- Rev. W. H. 
 Parmly, of Jersey City, President of the Society. 
 
 At ten o'clock the session opened for general business, reports from 
 officers, etc., after which Rev. R. F. Y. Pierce, of Mount Holly, made an 
 address on "How are we to secure the right material for an effective min- 
 istrj^?" Rev. Addison Parker, of Morristown, followed with a ver}' forci- 
 ble address on "How are we most effectively to help them?" 
 
 After brief but excellent addresses by Dr. John Greene and Dr. H. K. 
 Trask, the morning session closed. 
 
 During the rece.ss, the delegates and friends were entertained with a 
 bountiful and excellent collation, provided by the ladies of JNIiddletown 
 and vicinity, and spread in the temperance hotel near the Church. 
 
 Memorial Services. 
 Afternoon. 
 The session was opened at 2:30 with a service of song, conducted by 
 Mr. II. Gulick, of Brooklyn, who had charge of all the singing of the day. 
 vSelections of Scripture were then read bj- Rev. J. K. Manning, of Red 
 Bank, and prayer was offered for the prosperity of the Church and of 
 Christianity in general. 
 The choir and congregation then sang the hymn — 
 
 Lord, we come before Thee now, 
 
 At Thy feet we humbly bow ; 
 O, do not our suit disdain ; 
 
 Shall we seek Thee, Lord, in vain ? 
 
I03 
 
 Rev. E. E. Jones, of the local Church, Chairman of the Committee of 
 Arrangements, reported the programme for the da}-, and followed it by a 
 most genial and happy address of welcome, referring to the occasion that 
 brought them together on that soil made sacred b\' the religious memories 
 of two hundred years. 
 
 Mr. F. W. Ayer, of Camden, President of the Convention, then delivered 
 his annual address. He took a retrospect of the fifty-nine years since the 
 Convention was organized, and the great work that had been done, and 
 charged upon those present that upon them rested part of the responsi- 
 bility for what the Church shall be a hundred 5'ears to come. He urged 
 faithful work in all departments of the Church, whether the societj'^ have 
 a Pastor or have none ; the individual obligation is the same. 
 
 The following Bi-Centennial Hymn was then sung, written for the occa- 
 sion by Rev. Dr. Robert Lowry, to the tune Uxbridge : 
 
 O Lord, Tliou art our living head ; 
 
 What precious grace our life has crowned ! 
 We seek Thy courts with reverent tread, 
 
 And stand as if on holy ground. 
 
 Two hundred years! O, who can tell 
 
 The battles fought, the victories won ? 
 Though men who bore the standard fell, 
 
 They passed it on from sire to son. 
 
 Our feet are where tlie fathers trod, 
 
 Our lips recount their deeds of love ; 
 As ihey were true to Truth and Gotl, 
 
 So we will follow them above. 
 
 All blessed and triumphant they 
 
 Who dropped the sword for palm and crown ; 
 
 The godly cease : but we to-day 
 
 Take up the work which they laid down. 
 
 Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place 
 
 In all the generations gone; 
 Ujihold us, till we see Thy face 
 
 When breaks on earth the heavenly dawn. 
 
I04 
 
 A historical sketch of the Middletown Baptist Church was then read by 
 Rev. W. H. Parmly, of Jersey City. It was ver}- interesting, and the facts 
 that had come under the personal knowledge of the venerable Doctor, who 
 in early life was a member of the Church, made it increasinglj' so. He 
 took up the several pastorates from about 1712, and spoke of the records 
 of pastoral work as found in the old Church-book, dwelling at some 
 length upon the great work of Rev. Abel Morgan, who was the Pastor 
 from 1738 to 1785. 
 
 After his paper, Rev. Dr. Sj^mmes, late Moderator of the Synod of New 
 Jersey (Presbyterian), was called upon to offer prayer, after which the 
 following Commemoration Anthem, also composed b}^ Rev. Dr. Lowry, 
 was sung by the choir : 
 
 For thou, O God, has heard my vows: 
 
 Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear Thy name. 
 
 Thou wilt prolong the king's life ; and his years as many generations. 
 
 He shall abide before God forever: 
 
 O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 
 
 So will I sing praise unto Thy name forever. 
 
 Mr. Horatio Gates Jones, of Philadelphia, a relative of the late Abel 
 Morgan, and who had brought with him an oil portrait of the former Pas- 
 tor, was then introduced and spoke of the work of his ancestral rela- 
 tive, and his great joy at the privilege of being present at this memorial 
 service. 
 
 After singing the hymn commencing — 
 
 " Kindred in Christ, for His dear sake, 
 A hearty welcome here receive ; 
 May we together now partake 
 
 The joys which only He can give," — 
 
 Rev. O. P. Baches, of Hightstown, began the reading of a very interest- 
 ing paper on "Two Hundred Years of New Jersey Baptist History," but 
 the lateness of the hour encroaching on the time for the unveiling of the 
 monument to Rev. Abel Morgan, compelled him to leave most of his 
 paper for the evening session. 
 
 The audience then retired from the Church to the yard, where Rev. Wm. 
 V. Wilson, of New Monmouth, read a biographical sketch of Rev. Abel 
 Morgan, whose remains had been taken from an adjacent graveyard and 
 
I05 
 
 buried on the east side of the Baptist Church, and a handsome granite 
 monument erected to his memory bj' contributions from 200 Baptist 
 Churches in New Jersey. It was a really remarkable fact that, though 
 he has been dead one hundred and three years, when the grave was opened 
 a few weeks ago there lay the perfect skeleton of the deceased Pastor, 
 though the coffin, clothing and flesh were gone. The inscription on the 
 monument reads : 
 
 In Memory of Abel Morgan, 
 
 Pastor of the Baptist Church of Middletown, 
 
 Who departed this life 
 Nov. 24, 1785, 
 
 IN THE 73D YEAR OF HIS AGE. 
 
 His Life was Blameless — 
 
 His Ministry Powerful — 
 
 He was a Burning and Shining Light — 
 
 His Memory Dear to the Saints. 
 
 At the conclusion of the biography the song "America " was sung, the 
 monument unveiled, and the afternoon's service clo.sed with the doxology 
 and benediction. 
 
 Evening. 
 
 After a collation many of the delegates from a distance returned to 
 their homes, but those who remained and tho.se from the village and 
 country crowded the Church in the evening. After a service of song 
 Rev. Mr. Eaches finished reading his ver^^ interesting and historically 
 valuable paper. 
 
 The rest of the evening was chiefly occupied in addresses by former 
 Pastors, or Pastors of Churches that have grown out of the Middletown 
 Baptist Church. Among others, the venerable Thomas Roberts, of New 
 Monmouth, whose father was many years Pastor at Middletown, spoke 
 in brief and feeble, yet excellent words, of his early recollections, espec- 
 ially of the temperance work in the days when a man's whiskey jug was 
 called " Black Betty," and when men drove all the way from a distillery 
 in Newark j^eddling liquors. 
 8 
 
io6 
 
 The service closed with the h3'mn, "God be with 3^011 till we meet 
 again." 
 
 Wed7tesday. 
 
 The morning session was chief!}' occupied with reports from the several 
 Committees, on Missions, etc. 
 
 Rev. F. A. Slater, of Matawan, Chairman of the Committee on Home 
 Missions, made the following report : 
 
 "The work of Home ^lissions, wisely and efifectuallN- performed, means 
 North America for Christ ; and North America for Christ means the open- 
 ing of a great living fountain, to which not onl^- the nations of the earth 
 may come and be healed, but also from whence shall issue streams of the 
 water of life to every people on the face of the earth. 
 
 " God has placed us just where the great migrating streams of humanitj' 
 converge. Looking toward the east, we see the Papal lands pouring 
 across the Atlantic into our great valle3^s ; and looking toward the west. 
 Pagan people are coming to us from the Pacific. 
 
 " No other country, sa3's a recent writer, which represents republican 
 liberty and religious Protestantism, is accessible from all sides or offers 
 space to accommodate immigrants. We have a continent capable of hold- 
 ing more than twice the present population of the globe. We lie between 
 Europe and Africa on the one hand, and Asia on the other. This area, 
 that is also an arena of civilization and Christianization, is ours, and the 
 nations are looking down on us as from the corridors of some vast, world- 
 wide Colosseum. 
 
 "God meant that emigration should drift to our shores from both sicjes, 
 and the streams of humanit3^ from every nation under heaven, are pour- 
 ing into our land like floods, aggregating half a million annually. They 
 are filling our valle3'S and covering our hill-sides. 
 
 "To evangelize these vast numbers and prepare them for Christian citi- 
 zenship, is the work of Home Missions, to a ver3^ great extent. Let us 
 look at what the society is doing. And for information we look chiefly 
 to the admirable and comprehensive report presented at the Washington 
 meeting in May last. 
 
 "' Matters of special note,' sa3's Secretar}- Morehouse, 'are the com- 
 pletion and occupancy of the INIission headquarters in the city of Mexico, 
 the enlargement of our work in that Republic ; the completion, at an 
 expense of more than $20,000, and occupancj' of the Chinese Mission 
 
loy 
 
 headquarters in San Francisco ; the securing of a larger amount than 
 usual for Church Edifice work ; the appointment of an additional Super- 
 intendent of Missions for a new Western district ; the appointment of a 
 District Secretary for the Southern States ; the beginning of Mission 
 Work among the Poles and the Bohemians of this country', and the adop- 
 tion of a new School for the Indian Territory. A number of Churches 
 have become self-supporting, thereby enabling the Society to take up new 
 fields in the West. In general, the year has been characterized b}- efiicient 
 service and prosperity. 
 
 " ' The Society's operations have been conducted during the past year in 
 45 States and Territories ; also, in Ontario, INIanitoba, British Columbia, 
 Alaska, and three States of the Mexican Republic. The whole number 
 of laborers, supported wholly or in part, has been 743 ; being 65 more 
 than last 5-ear. 
 
 " ' Among the foreign population there have been 161 laborers ; among 
 the colored people, the Indians and Mexicans, including teachers, 217, and 
 among the Americans, 355. Sixty new stations have been taken up the 
 past year. Two of these are among the Indians, one among the Chinese, 
 two among the colored people, nine among the foreign population, two 
 among the Mexicans, and the rest among our own people.' " 
 
 " The report further cries aloud : ' The great stress on Home Missions 
 is undiminished. Indeed, it may be said to be greater now than during 
 the two or three preceding 5'ears.* 
 
 " In view of all these things, and a great deal more that might be said, 
 we are to-daj' confronted with such Home ^Mission problems as are pre- 
 sented to the Christian Church in no other land. 
 
 " And now, what are we Bapti.sts of New Jersej' going to do about it ? 
 Are we willing, as true men and women of God, to stand in our lot and 
 place, and undertake faithfully to perform our part of the great work 
 which the Master makes ready to our hand, or ignobly refuse, and allow 
 others to do it, and rejoice in the Divine approval, of 'Well done, good 
 and faithful servant, inasmuch as ye have done it unto these, ye have 
 done it unto me ; enter ye into the J03' of your Lord. ' " 
 
 The chief subject in the afternoon of general interest was the annual 
 sermon before the Education Societj', by Rev. G. E. Horr. 
 
 In the evening, addresses were made b}' Rev. Wm. Rollinson and Rev. 
 James T. Dickinson. 
 
io8 
 
 Baptist Convention Notes. 
 
 There were about 1,500 persons present at the memorial services on 
 Tuesda}' afternoon. 
 
 The present Church edifice was built on the site of the old Revolution- 
 ary Church in 1832. 
 
 Among the relics exhibited of the late Rev. Abel Morgan were his 
 quaint old spectacles, and the sun-glass through which he would con- 
 verge the sun's rays to kindle his lint for starting the fire, before the 
 good days of friction matches. 
 
 Rev. Abel Morgan lived between Middletown and Red Bank. He was 
 never married, but supported his widowed mother, who kept house for 
 him, and the old chair in which he sat in his study was exhibited at the 
 Church. 
 
 One of the Baptist preachers, over 100 years ago, of this Baptist Society, 
 was Rev. John Bray, a far-off relative of the editor of the Maiaiva7i 
 Journal. 
 
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