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