FROM THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON. D. D. 
 
 BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO 
 
 THE LIBRARY OF 
 
 PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/jubileesermonconOOpa 
 
-S: 
 
 MAY 5 1932 ^ 
 JUBILEE SERMO 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, 
 
 ITS PROGRESS DURING THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS SINCE ITS 
 CONSTITUTION. 
 
 Delivered in the Meeting-house of said Church, Jan. 1, 1813. 
 
 By WM. PARKINSON, A. M., Pastor. 
 
 Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee, 
 
 Devt. 8 : 2. 
 
 The Lord is good : a strong' hold in the day of trouble ; and he knowetb 
 them that trust in him. Nahvm 1 : 7, 
 
 NEW-YORK 
 
 RE- PUBLISHED BY A FRIEND. 
 John Gray, Printer. 
 
 1846. 
 
JUBILEE SERMON 
 
 V^ea Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called 
 the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.— 
 
 1 Samuel vii. 12. 
 
 What is hare rfir.ordRd is accounted for in the 
 history with which it is connected. From this his- 
 tory it appears that the Israelites had then been long 
 under the dominion of the Philistines ; who had not 
 only greatly annoyed them by advantages taken in 
 war, but also interrupted and suspended their pub- 
 lic worship, by carrying away the ark of the Lord. (a) 
 The ark, indeed, they did not long detain ;(b) for, 
 having set it in the temple of Dagon, probably, as 
 a trophy of his supposed victory over the God of the 
 Hebrews, Dagon was broken to pieces before it; 
 and wherever they placed it, a plague of emerods 
 was upon the persons, and another of mice upon the 
 fields of the inhabitants, (c) The Philistmes, aftright- 
 
 (a) Chap. 5:1. (&) Only seven months, chap. 6:1. 
 (c) Chap. 5 : 3, 4, 9, and chap. 6 : 5. 
 
ed at these judgments, assembled their lords, their 
 priests, and their diviners, at whose united advice the 
 ark was sent back and accompanied with valuable 
 presents, (r/) It was set down in the field of Joshua, 
 the Beth-shemite.(e) Here again the indignation of 
 God against the profanation of this sacred article, 
 was awfully disj^layed : "fifty thousand threescore 
 and ten" of the Beth-shemites, for curiously looking 
 into it, were smitten with some fearful disease, and 
 many, if not all of them, with death. (/) Alarmed 
 at this, the Beth-shemites sent messengers to the 
 inhabitants of Kirjath-jearim, saying, " The Phihs- 
 tines have brought again the ark of the Lord ; come 
 ye down and fetch il up lu you."(o') The men of 
 Kirjath-jearim (as related verse 1 of this chap.) 
 brought it up, and apparently, without any appre- 
 hensions, set it in the house of Abinadab. Here it 
 abode a long time,* during which, under the labors 
 
 (d) Golden images of the emerods and mice. Chap. 
 5 : 3 and chap. G ; 2, 3, 4, 5, 15. 
 
 (c) Chap. 6 : 18. (/) Chap. 6 : 19. (g) Chap. 6 : 21. 
 
 * Even until the times of David, — yea until he had reign- 
 ed seven years over Judah, and was made king over all 
 Israel: 1 Chron. 13 : 6, 7; a lapse of time including the 
 government hoth of Samuel and Saul, and could not have 
 been less than between forty and fifty years. Consequently 
 the twenty years mentioned, 1 Sam. 7 : 2, must design not 
 all the time the ark was at Kirjath-jearim ; but either the 
 time it was there before much noticed by the Israelites, or 
 the time it remained there after they were brought again to 
 8eek the Lord in the use of it. 
 
of Samuel, the Israelites were awakened to a sense 
 of their sad condition, and caused to seek their for- 
 saken God by means of it : " all the house of Israel, 
 verse 2, lamented after the Lord." There may be 
 much lamentation without any amendment ; there- 
 fore, as an evidence of sincerity, Samuel required 
 that they put away their idols ; and which, as ap- 
 pears from the 3d and 4th verses of the chapter, they 
 readily did. Now, being assembled for 'public hu- 
 miliation and prayer, they solemnly confessed their 
 sins, saying, *' We have sinned against the Lord," 
 ver. 6. The Lord forgave them, as is evident by 
 his interpositions in their favor; nevertheless, the 
 Philistines, having the disposition, not of the Lord, 
 but of Satan, retained their ill-will against them ; 
 yea, seem to have been the more exasperated at their 
 penitence ; for " when they heard that the children 
 of Israel were gathered together at Mizpeh," for the 
 devotional purposes already mentioned, " the lords 
 of the Philistines," with their forces, " went up 
 against Israel." The Israelites were in great fear ; 
 and, sensible that none but God could deliver and 
 protect them, they besought Samuel to intercede with 
 him in theii- behalf: " Cease not," said they to him, 
 ver. 8, " to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that 
 he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines." 
 "And, ver. 9, Samuel took a sucking lamb, and 
 offered it for a burnt-oiFering wholly unto the Lord ; 
 and Samuel cried unto the Lord ; and the Lord heard 
 1* 
 
him." Did not Samuel, in these acts, typify Christ, 
 who took liis human nature, as a lamb without spot, 
 and offered it to God to make an atonement for the 
 sins of his people, (A) and who not only upon the 
 cross cried " Father, forgive them," but also, having 
 ascended to heaven, *' ever liveth to make interces- 
 sion for them?" Heb. 7 : 25. Let, then, spiritual 
 Israelites, amid all their enemies, and under all their 
 fears and discouragements, have recourse to their 
 divine intercessor ; for if Samuel was heard, how 
 much more Christ ? That Samuel was heard is man- 
 ifest from the providence which followed : "As Sam- 
 uel, ver. 10, was offering up the burnt-offering," 
 accompanied, as appears from the connexion, with 
 cries to God, "the Philistines drew near to battle 
 against Israel ;" they drew near, but to their own 
 ruin; — they dreio near, "but the Lord thundered 
 with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, 
 and discomfited them." This thunder storm was 
 the accomplishment of Hannah's prophecy ; see 
 chap. 2. ver. 10, and, therefore, notwithstanding it 
 may have proceeded, as in common, from natural 
 causes, it, nevertheless, unquestionably occurred at 
 that particular time and place, and to accomplish that 
 particular purpose, by the special appointment of 
 God. According to Joscphus,* the thunder was at- 
 
 {h) Heb. 9 : 14. 1 Pet. 1 : 19. 
 *L, 6. c. 2. § 2. 
 
tended with an earthquake ; so that heaven and earth 
 were combined to effect the ruin of Israel's enemies ; 
 for the terrible lightning which accompanied the thun- 
 der, while it struck many dead, so blinded the others 
 that they could not see their way ; and the earth, at 
 the same time, opening in divers places, numbers fell 
 into the yawning cavities and perished. It is added, 
 " they were smitten before Israel ;" not by Israel, 
 observe, but before Israel ; for they were discomfited 
 by the lightning and the earthquake ; and which was 
 before Israel, both as to place and time ; as to place, 
 being before their eyes, and as to time, being before 
 they went out against them. " The men of Israel," 
 however, encouraged by this signal interposition of 
 God, "went out of Mizpeh, ver. 11, and pursued 
 the Philistines (those of them who survived the 
 lightning and the earthquake) and smote them, until 
 they came unto Beth-car," which is a city of the 
 Danites, and probably twenty or thirty miles distant 
 from Mizpeh.* 
 
 Now, to perpetuate the memory of this remark- 
 able display of divine power and goodness in favor 
 of Israel, Samuel, according to the custom of Old 
 Testament times, (i) erected the monument mention- 
 
 * This victory was another and a very considerable ad- 
 vance of that deliverance from the power of the Philistines 
 which God had promised to Israel, and which he began to 
 effect by the instrumentality of Sampson, Judges 13 : 5. 
 
 (i) Gen. 28 : 18, 31, 45, and 35 : 14. Josh. 4 : 3—9, and 
 24 : 26, 27. 
 
8 
 
 ed in the text. " Then Samuel took a stone, and 
 set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name 
 of it Eben-ezer," that is, a stone ofhely, " saying,'^ 
 as explanatory of what he had done, '* Hitherto hath 
 the Lord helped us." 
 
 With a similar view, and in conformity to the 
 times of the New Testament, I have composed and 
 now deliver this sermon ; the object of which is to 
 preserve the recollection of the great goodness of 
 God to this church, as it hath appeared in the prov- 
 idences which have attended the same, from its origin 
 to about the middle of the last year,* — a year which, 
 by way of allusion to an Old Testament Institution, 
 may be termed its Jubilee Year, being the fiftieth 
 since its constitution. 
 
 The method thought to be the best calculated to 
 answer the end proposed, is to review 
 
 I. The circumstances which led to the constitution 
 of this church, and 
 
 II. The circumstances which have marked its pro- 
 gress. 
 
 I. The circumstances which led to the constitution 
 of this church. 
 
 In noticing these it must not be concealed, that 
 
 • At which lime it had been intended to preach the ser- 
 mon, but the want of some necessary information prevented. 
 That period having past, it was from various causes, post- 
 poned from time to time, until finally it was thought expe- 
 dient to reserve the subject for this day — a day on which, 
 annually, we make a collection for our poor. 
 
although the church whose history is under consider- 
 ation, is called The First Baptist Church in the City 
 of New- Yo7-k, and although, compared with all other 
 churches of the same denomination now in the place, 
 it is in fact so, yet that a small society called a Bap- 
 tist church had once existed here, but was dissolved, 
 before the formation of this church. That society, 
 however, consisted of p'ofessed Arminians, and was 
 denominated a Baptist church merely from the char- 
 acteristic ordinance of baptism. The founders of it 
 were a Mr. Wickenden, of Providence ; a Mr. Whit- 
 man, of Groton ; and a Mr. Ayres, probably, a native 
 of this place ; all of whom were Arminian Baptist 
 preachers. Mr. Wickenden first preached here 
 about the year 1709, and here suffered three months' 
 imprisonment ; occasioned, according to the best in- 
 formation we can obtain, by his having preached with- 
 out a license from an officer of the crown. Mr. Whit- 
 man came hither in the year 1712, by invitation of 
 Mr. Ayres, who had providentially heard him, and 
 continued his visits for about two years. His place 
 of preaching was Mr. Ayres' dwelling house. Under 
 his ministry many became serious, and some pro- 
 fessed a hope in Christ, among whom was Mr. Ayres, 
 his host. Of these, seven males and five females,* 
 
 * Viz : Nicholas Ayres, (mentioned above,) Nathaniel 
 Morey, Anthony Webb, John Howes, Edward Hoyter, 
 Cornelius Stephens, James Daneman, Elizabeth Morey, 
 Hannah Wright, Esther Cowley, Martha Stephens, Mrs. 
 Miller. 
 
10 
 
 were baptized by Mr. Whitman, in 1714, and who 
 are the first known to have been baptized in this city. 
 Having apprehensions from the mob, they, with the 
 administrator, assembled at the water in the night, 
 when the five females were baptized ; but during the 
 administration of the ordinance to them, these words 
 of Christ, *' No man doeth any thing in secret when 
 he himself seeketh to be known openly,"(^) were so 
 impressed upon the mind of Mr. Ayres, as to con- 
 vince him that it was not his duty to be baptized in 
 that secret manner : he mentioned his impression to 
 the six brethren standing with him, and they all 
 agreed to put off their design till morning : in the 
 morning Mr. Ayres waited on the governor ; (Wil- 
 liam Burnet ;) related the case to him and soHcited 
 protection : the governor promised that the request 
 should be granted, and was as good as his word ; for, 
 at the time appointed, he, accompanied by many of 
 the most respectable inhabitants of the city, attended 
 at the water, and the ordinance was performed in 
 peace ; the governor, as he stood by, was heard to 
 say, "This was the ancient manner of baptizing; 
 and is, in my opinion, much preferable to the prac- 
 tice of modern times." These baptized persons 
 called Mr. Ayres to preach to them ; and in Sep- 
 tember, 1724, they were constituted a church, and 
 he was ordained their pastor, by Elders Valentine 
 Whitman, of Groton, and Daniel Whitman, of New- 
 
 (k) John 7 ; 4. 
 
11 
 
 Port. Under his ministry, the audience so increas- 
 ed, that a private house could not hold them : where- 
 fore they purchased a lot on Golden Hill, (not far 
 from that on which this house stands) and thereon 
 built a place for worship,* in the year 1728. To the 
 twelve persons already mentioned, there were six 
 added under the ministry of Mr. Ayres.t Mr. Ayres 
 remained their pastor seven years ; when, Oct. 31, 
 1731, he resigned the care of them, and removed to 
 Newport, R. I., where he died. After him a Mr. 
 John Stephens preached to them and baptized six 
 persons.! But Mr. Stephens quitting them to go to 
 S. Carolina, and their meeting house being claimed 
 and. sold as private property, by one of the trustees, 
 the Arminian Church, consisting then of twenty -four 
 members, dissolved ; having existed about eight years. 
 The present church in this place, originated in the 
 manner following : About the year 1745, Mr. Jere- 
 miah Dodge, a member of the Baptist church at Fish- 
 Kill, settled in this city, and opened a prayer meet- 
 ing in his own house : at this meeting some of those 
 who had been members of the former church, attend- 
 
 * According to the maps of that day fronting in Cliff-street. 
 
 f Viz : William Ball, Ahasuerus Windal, (of Albany,) 
 Abigail and Dinah North, (of Newtown,) Martha Walton, 
 (of Staten Island,) and Richard Stilwell, junr. 
 
 X Viz : Robert North, Mary Murphy, Hannah French, 
 Mary Stilwell, and two others whose names we cannot now 
 ascertain. 
 
12 
 
 ed, and occasionally officiated ; but as they were 
 Arminians, and Mr. Dodge a strict adherent to the 
 doctrines of grace, they enjoyed but little satisfaction 
 together. Some time in the same year, 1745, El- 
 der Benjamin Miller, of the Scotch Plains, visited 
 the city (probably at the invitation of Mr. Dodge) 
 and baptized Mr. Joseph Meeks.* Thenceforward 
 the prayer meeting was held at the house of Mr. 
 Meeks and that of Mr. Dodge alternately ; and these 
 two brethren and Mr. Robert North (formerly of the 
 Arminian church) united in giving an invitation to 
 Mr. John Pine (a licentiate in the church at Fishkill) 
 to come and preach to them. His labors were ren- 
 dered useful ; partly in reconciling some of the for- 
 mer church to the doctrines of grace, and partly, in 
 the conversion of others. t His place of preaching 
 appears to have been, chiefly, the dwelling house of 
 Mr. Meeks. In 1750 Mr. Pine died : after which 
 they were visited by Elder James Carman (of Cran- 
 berry) who baptized at different times, until their 
 number was increased to thirteen ; when they were 
 advised to join themselves to the church at the Scotch 
 Plains, so as to be considered a branch of that church, 
 
 * Mr. Meeks became one of the constituents of this 
 church, and remained an esteemed and useful member un- 
 til his death; he died Oct. 6, 1782 ; aged 73 years. 
 
 f Among whom were John Carman and Nehemiah Oak- 
 ly ; who were baptized by Elder Halstead, pastor of the 
 church at Fishkill. 
 
13 
 
 and to have their pastor (Elder Benjamin Miller) to 
 preach and administer the Lord's supper to them 
 once a quarter. This was effected in 1753. Mr. 
 Miller had visited them but a few times, when the 
 congregation became too large to be accommodated 
 in any j^rivate house, that was at their service, and 
 therefore they hired, as the best and most commo- 
 dious place their circumstances enabled them to pro- 
 cure, a rigging loft in Cart and Ho7'se-street* which 
 they fitted up for public worship. Here they statedly 
 assembled for three or four years ; when, this place 
 being otherwise disposed of by the owner, they (such 
 of them as could be accommodated) returned to the 
 dwelling house of Mr. Joseph Meeks ; where they 
 continued to hold their meetings for about one year.t 
 Then they purchased a part of the ground on w^hich 
 the house we now occupy stands, and erected upon 
 
 * So called from a very noted and conspicuous sign of a 
 cart and horse hanging in it : it is now called William-street. 
 
 f Thus far this history, particularly in what relates to the 
 Arminian church, is taken from a manuscript left by Elder 
 Morgan Edwards, deceased, once pastor of the First Baptist 
 Church in Philadelphia. Henceforward the facts related 
 are collected, principally, from the records of the church, 
 letters to Associations and Association minutes : in some in- 
 stances from tradition : in the latter part many things are 
 said from personal knowledge ; and when, in any part of 
 the history, other publications have been relied on, they are 
 referred to. 
 
 2 
 
14 
 
 it a small meeting house, which was opened on the 
 14th of March, 1760.* 
 
 Having then a place for public worship, and their 
 number being increased to twenty-seven, they soli- 
 cited and obtained from the church at the Scotch 
 Plains, a letter of dismission, bearing date the 12th 
 of June, 1762 ; and on the 19th of the same month 
 they were constituted a church, by the assistance of 
 Elders Benjamin Miller and John Gano.t 
 
 The doctrines in the belief and profession of which 
 this church was constituted, and which she still main- 
 tains and professes, are contained in the Baptist Con- 
 fession of Faith, printed in London, in the year 1688. 
 
 * The land now belonging to this church, on Golden Hill, 
 consists of five lots purchased at three several limes, viz : 
 in 1759, 1772, and 177?; containing about 125 feet by 100. 
 The lots, as purchased, were conveyed to certain individu- 
 als to hold in trust. In 1784 the church was incorporated, 
 and in 1785 the said lots were conveyed to the corporation. 
 
 f Names of the constituents: John Carman, Jeremiah 
 Dodge, Andrew Thompson, Samuel Edmunds, John De- 
 gray, Elias Bailey, Joseph Meeks, William Colegrove, 
 Samuel Dodge, Catharine Degray, Mary Stilwell, Hannah 
 Hoyter, Hannah French, Mary Morphy, Margaret Dodge, 
 Sarah Meeks, Sarah Thompson, Jane Caswell, Mary Ed- 
 munds, Susanna Myers, Susanna Caligan, Ruth Prince, 
 Mary Smith, Elizabeth Van Dyke, Margaret Simmons, 
 Rachel Wilson, Catharine Lennon : of whom Samuel Ed- 
 munds is the only one now living; he resides at Hudson, 
 and is a member of the church at Pleasant Valley, under 
 the pastoral care of Elder Levi Hall. 
 
15 
 
 However, as some may read this discourse, who 
 have not seen that Confession of Faith, it is thought 
 expedient to give the following summary of the views 
 of this church, on such subjects as are chiefly dis- 
 puted.* 
 
 The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
 ments, we receive as given by inspiration of God, (a) 
 and as our only rule of faith and practice. (6) Ac- 
 cording to these holy oracles. We believe, that there 
 is one God ;(c) that there is not another ;(d) and yet 
 that this one God subsisteth in three equal persons, 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, (e) and 
 that HE is perfectly comprehended by none but him- 
 self :(/) That HE alone, created the heavens and 
 the earth with all the creatures they contain ;(g) 
 that man was made upright, and so able to keep the 
 law under which he was placed ;(A) but, being left 
 to the freedom of his own will, he transgressed that 
 law, and thereby fell into a state of depravity and 
 
 * In preaching the sermon, this summary of doctrine was 
 omitted. 
 
 (a) 2 Tim. 3 : 15—17. 2 Pet. 1 : 21. 
 
 (6) Johns : 39. Acts 17: 11. lPet.4;ll. 2 Pet. 1 : 19,20. 
 
 <c) Deut. 6:4. 1 Tim. 2 : 5. 
 
 (d) Exod. 20 : 3—5. 1 Cor. 8 : 6. 
 
 (e) Isai. 48 : 16. 1 John 5 : 7. Matt. 28 : 19. 
 (/) Job 11 : 7. Isai. 40 : 28. 
 
 Ig) Gen. 1 : 1 and 2 : 1. Acts 17 : 24—26. 
 (h) Gen. 1 : 17. Ecc. 7 : 29. 
 
16 
 
 condemnation :(^) That the first man (Adam) was 
 constituted a pubUc head and representative of all 
 his posterity ',{k) and consequently that when he fell 
 they all fell with him into the same condition ;(Z) 
 That mankind, in their fallen state, are totally and 
 universally depraved ;(»i) and, as such, have neither 
 abihty nor inclination to return to God :{n) That 
 man, although he hath sinned away his power to 
 keep the law of God, is, notwithstanding, under ob- 
 ligation to keep it ;(o) and that upon pain of endur- 
 ing its curse :(p) That God, in justifying and par- 
 doning any of the fallen race of mankind, has no 
 respect to any good works to be done by them, either 
 before or after regeneration \{q) but alone to the mer- 
 its of the life and death of Christ, which he (God the 
 Father) imputes to them, as the only meritorious 
 cause of their justification and pardon :(r) That good 
 works, though they have no influence in our justifi- 
 cation and pardon, are, nevertheless, to be enjoin- 
 ed(s) and observed as useful, both before and after 
 
 (i) Gen. 3 : 6. Ps. 14 : 3. John 3 : 18. 
 {Ic) Rom. 5 : 17. [1) Rom. 5 ; 12, 18, 19. 
 (m) Ps. 53 : 3. Rom. 3 : 10, 19. 
 
 \n) Jer. 13 ; 23. John 6 : 44. Job 21 : 14. John 5 : 40. 
 (o) Deut. 5 : 7. Luke 10 : 25—27. {p) Gal. 3 : 10. 
 {q) Ezek. 36 : 31, 32. Luke 17 : 10. 
 (r) Isai. 43 : 25. Jer. 23 : 6, Rom. 3 : 21—28, and 4 : 
 3—6, 25, and 5 : 19, 21. Acts 13 : 39. 
 
 (5) Ezek. 2 : 3—5. Isai. 1 : 16, 17. 2 Cor. 5 : 11. 
 
17 
 
 conversion ;(t) before conversion they are useful as 
 to ourselves and families, so to civil society in com- 
 mon ;(?/) and after conversion they are useful, not 
 only for the same reasons, but also as they are essen- 
 tial to manifest both to ourselves and others, that our 
 faith is genuine, (lij) and especially to show forth the 
 praises of him who hath called us out of darkness 
 into his marvellous light :(:r) That the gospel, which 
 reveals the divine purpose and method to save sin- 
 ners,(2/) through the incarnation, obedience and sac- 
 rifice of Christ,(z) the second person in the eternal 
 Godhead, is to be published to mankind in com- 
 mon ;(a) but that regeneration, faith in Christ, and 
 repentance for sin, which are essential to the enjoy- 
 ment of God, (6) and the performance of his accepta- 
 h\e{c) service ; as also perseverance in grace to glory, 
 which is certain of all the regenerate, (c?) are given 
 
 {t) 1 Tim. 4 : 8, and 6 : 31 . Prov. 23 : 20—22. 
 
 (w) Prov. 27 : 2, and 28 : 4. Ecc. 9 : 17, 18. 
 
 {w) Matt. 7:16. 2 Cor. 5 ; 17. 1 John 3 : 8,. 10, 14. 
 James 2 : 10. 
 
 (x) Matt. 5 : 13—16. 1 Cor. 6 : 20. Eph. 2 : 10. Titus 
 2 : 14, and 3:8. 1 Pet. 1 : 2, 9. 
 
 {y) 2 TuTi. 1 : 10. 
 
 (2) Gen. 3 : 15. Isai. 7 : 14. Matt. 1 : 21, and 5 : 17. 
 iPet. 3:18. 
 
 (a) Ma«. 28 : 19. Mark 16 : 15. Luke 24 : 47. 
 
 (&) John3:3. 1 Pet. 1 : 8. Luke 13 : 3. 
 
 (c) Rom. 8:8. Heb. 11:6. 
 
 (d) Rom. 8 : 17, 30. John 10 : 28, 29. 
 
 2* 
 
18 
 
 only through the irresistible (e) operations of the Holy 
 Ghost, the third person in the adorable Trinity, and 
 that they are given by God the Father, according to 
 his personal and eternal election of his people in 
 Christ :(/) That baptism and the Lord's supper are 
 ordinances peculiar to the gospel dispensation,(o') 
 and are to be observed till the second coming of 
 Christ :(h) — That those only who give scriptural evi- 
 dence of faith in Christ, are to be baptized, (t) receiv- 
 ed into the visible church,(Z:) and admitted to the 
 Lord's table :{l) — That nothing is a scriptural admin- 
 istration of the gospel ordinance of baptism but the 
 total immersion(??i) of the subject in water, in the 
 name of the Holy Trinity, and by a man duly au- 
 
 (e) John 3:8. 2 Cor. 4 : 6. Acts 11 : 18. Eph. 2 : 8. 
 Acts 5 : 31. 
 
 (/) Ps. 110 : 3. John 6 : 37, 39. Rom. 8 : 29. Acts 
 13 : 48. Eph. 1 : 3—14. 1 Thess. 5:9. 2 Tim. 1 : 9. 
 Titus 3 : 5. 
 
 (g) Luke 16 : 16. Matt. 3 : 1—17, and 28 : 19, and 26 : 
 26—28. 
 
 {h) Matt, 28 J 20. 1 Cor. 11 : 26. 
 
 (i) Matt. 28 : 19. Mark 16 : 16. Acts 8 : 12, 37. 
 
 {k) 2 Cor. 6 : 14—18. 
 
 (Z) Acts 2 : 41, 42. 1 Cor. 11 : 28, 29. 
 
 (m) This only answers to the primary meaning of the 
 word baptize, the word by which, in our language, the act 
 in question is signified ; and to a burial, the figure by whicli 
 this act is set forth : Rom. 6 : 4. See the example of Christ, 
 Mark 1 : 9, and the baptism of the eunuch. Acts 38 : 39. 
 
19 
 
 thorized to administer ordinances '.{n) — That the only 
 officers belonging to a gospel church are bishops and 
 deacons ;{o) and that every gospel church, regularly 
 constituted, has the power of self government, being 
 bound only by the word of God :(p) — iVnd, finally, 
 that there wull be a resurrection both of the just and 
 unjust,(5) a general judgment,(r) and an eternal sep- 
 aration between the righteous and the wicked ; the 
 latter being banished to everlasting misery and the 
 former being received into everlasting happiness.(5) 
 
 Having noticed the circumstances which led to the 
 constitution of this church, and given a summary of 
 its articles of faith, I proceed to notice 
 
 (n) Matt. 28 : 19. 
 
 (o) Philip. 1 : 1. Bishops, or overseers, are pastors and 
 elders, Acts 20 : 17, 28. 
 
 (p) If the power of ecclesiastical government be not in 
 the church, where is it ? Certainly not in the world, John 
 18 : 36 ; nor in pastors, 1 Pet. 5:3; nor in associations ; 
 for much soever as may be said in favor of their expediency, 
 no such bodies are recognised in scripture. The churches, 
 indeed, for the solution of a difficulty, sent up to Jerusalem, 
 to the apostles, Acts 15 : 1, 2; and churches now may, ie. 
 eflfect, do the same ; the authority of the apostles, in their 
 written decisions, being still in full force : see Matt. 28 : 20 
 compared with Matt. 19 : 28, and Luke 22 : 30. More 
 over an apostle exhorts churches to govern : see Rom. 14: 
 l,and 1 Cor. 5 : 12, 13. 
 
 {q) John 5 : 28, 29. Acts 26 : 8. 1 Cor. 15 : 22, 23. 
 
 (r) Acts 17 : 31. 2 Cor. 5 : 10. 
 
 (s) Luke 16 : 26. Matt. 25 : 32—46 
 
so 
 
 11. The circumstances which have marked its pro- 
 gress. These have been numerous and various, 
 prosperous and adverse. 
 
 After the solemnities of the constitution, on the 
 same day, two deacons* were elected, and a clerkt 
 to minute and record the proceedings of the church. 
 
 * John Carman, deceased, and Samuel Edmunds, dis- 
 missed. 
 
 Those elected deacons of this church at several times 
 since : elected at dates not ascertained ; Samuel Dodge, 
 deceased, Andrew Thompson, deceased, and William 
 Lawson, resigned ; still a worthy member of the church. 
 Elected at the dates following: Feb. 27, 1787, Thomas 
 Sloo and Thomas Longly, — both dismissed ; they removed 
 to Kentucky. April 29, 1788, Jonathan Conrey, declined 
 accepting the office, — deceased ; and Abraham Cannon, 
 deceased. May the 6th, 1788, William Thompson, dis- 
 missed, and William Norris, excluded. Nov. 2, 1790, John 
 Bedient. Jan. 17, 1801, Eliakim Ford, dismissed to the 
 church at Stamford. Sept. 12, 1806, James Duffie, Sam- 
 uel F. Randolph, William Willess, and Thomas Hanes ; 
 (the last named resigned, and has since been excluded.) Oct. 
 4, 1808, Peter Conrey and John Tiebout; Leonard Bleeck- 
 er, and William Mcintosh ; (resigned.) Feb. 6, 1808, Rose- 
 well Graves, and Nicholas B. Lyon. 
 
 Present deacons : John Bedient, James Duffie, Samuel 
 F. Randolph, William Willess, Peter Conrey, John Tie- 
 bout, Rosewell Graves, and Nicholas B. Lyon. 
 
 f Samuel Dodge. He remained clerk, notwithstanding 
 his after election as a deacon, till May 28, 1804, when he 
 resigned, on account of being about to remove to Poughkeep- 
 Bie, where he died Oct 4, 1807, aged seventy-seven years, 
 
21 
 
 On the same day, likewise, Elder John Gano, (be- 
 fore mentioned as one of the officiating ministers at 
 the constitution,) having presented a letter certifying 
 his regular dismission from a Baptist church at the 
 Yadkin, N. Carolina, and being thereupon received 
 as a member, was, unanimously, called to take upon 
 him the pastoral charge of this church. The gift of 
 a pastor, especially of such a pastor, at the very time 
 of the constitution, w^as a favor which laid the church 
 under more than common obligations, to the great 
 '' Shepherd and Bishop of souls." As a man, Mr. 
 Gano was then in the prime of life, and as a preacher, 
 his " praise was in all the churches.'"* His labors 
 
 five months, and twenty-five days. He was an unblemish- 
 ed member of the church from the constitution till his death ; 
 and both a deacon and the clerk of the church for upwards 
 of forty years. When he resigned as clerk, deacon John 
 Bedient was chosen in his slead, who remained in the office 
 till July 4, 1809, when he resigned, and deacon Rosewell 
 Graves was chosen, who is now clerk of this church. 
 
 * Mr. Gano — of French descent — was born at Hopewell, 
 New- Jersey, July 22d, 1727. He was called to the minis- 
 try in Hopewell church, and there ordained May 29th, 
 1754 : his ordination sermon, preached by Mr. Isaac Eaton, 
 A. M., was printed. From Hopewell he removed toMor- 
 ristown, where he tarried about two years. From thence 
 he removed to the Yadkin, N. Carolina, where be was in- 
 strumental in raising a pretty large church, which was bro- 
 ken up in the war of 1756, and he and his family were 
 obliged to fly for their lives from the ravages of the Indians. 
 —MS. left by Elder Morgan Edwards. 
 
22 
 
 soon attracted public notice, and occasioned such an 
 increase of hearers, as rendered it necessary for the 
 church to enlarge their meeting house ; and which 
 they did in 1763. The exact dimensions of the 
 house when first built, I have not learned ; but as 
 enlarged it measured d2 feet by 42 ; and which was 
 generally well filled, and often too small. Nor were 
 the people hearers of the word only ; for it was the 
 pleasure of God so to attend his own truth, as deliver- 
 ed by his servant, that many were turned to the Lord, 
 and added to the church. 
 
 On the 11th of Oct. 1763, this church, consisting 
 then of forty-one members, and being in a peaceable 
 and flourishing condition, was received into the Phi- 
 ladelphia Association.* It would afford me great 
 
 * Of which she remained a member till Oct. 1790 ; when 
 she look a dismission from that venerahle body, with a view 
 of uniting with other churches in an association in this city. 
 This church, accordingly, sent a circular letter to neighbor- 
 ing churches, soliciting them to meet in New- York, by 
 representation, on Tuesday the 12th of April following, to 
 deliberate on forming an association. The ministers and 
 other messengers of seven churches, viz : the church at the 
 Scotch Plains, the church at Oyster Bay, L. I., the church 
 at Morristown, N. J., the church at Connoe-Brook, (now 
 Northfield) the church on Staten Island, and the Jirst and 
 second churches in New- York ; the latter of which is now 
 called Bethel, met on the day appointed ; when a plan for 
 an association, previously drawn up, was laid before them ; 
 which they adopted, and ordered to be printed with the 
 
23 
 
 pleasure could I proceed in the history of this branch 
 of Zion, especially at so early a period of its exist- 
 ence, without having to relate some disagreeable, as 
 well as agreeable occurrences ; but I cannot ; nor 
 should it be expected : for Satan, as he is a stranger 
 to peace himself, so, as far as permitted, he is ever 
 exerting his influence to banish that blessing from the 
 bosoms and societies of God's people. Alas ! that 
 he should so often succeed ! especially that he should 
 succeed by means of professors themselves ! and 
 even by men professing to be ministers of the gospel 
 of peace ! ! By means of such men, however, he 
 succeeded to the great disturbance of this church ; 
 as appears by certain circumstances recorded by El- 
 der Gano. " During my residence in this place," 
 saith he, (speaking of New- York,) " the church were 
 in love and harmony, except a few difficulties that 
 took place, by the arrival of two or three preachers 
 
 minutes of their proceedings, and circulated for the consid- 
 eration of other churches. They adjourned to Oct. 19th, 
 1791, when the said seven churches again met by their del- 
 egates, and formally united under the name of the New- 
 York Baptist Association. The first meeting of this 
 association was held Oct. 31st, 1792, when five other 
 churches, viz : Piscataway, Lyon's Farms, Mount Bethel, 
 Potohog, and Sag Harbor were added. [The first churcJi 
 in New- York then consisted of two hundred members.] The 
 association then adjourned to meet on the last Wednesday 
 but one in May, 1793, which has been the time of its an- 
 nual meeting ever since. 
 
24 
 
 from England."* These men, as appears from his 
 account of them, each in turn, aimed to divide this 
 church ; and ahhough they failed of accomplishing 
 their object, they nevertheless, occasioned much 
 trouble in the attempt. 
 
 Soon after, the church was considerably agitated 
 by a difference of opinion about the management of 
 psalmody. It had been the usage of the church to 
 have the lines parcelled out ; but a large majority 
 becoming in favor of singing from books, as we now 
 do, a resolution was past to adopt this mode ; where- 
 upon the minority, consisting of fourteen,! took dis- 
 missions, and having obtained the approbation of the 
 church they had left, on June 5th, 1790, they were 
 constituted under the name of the Second Baptist 
 Church in Neiv-YorJc, by Elders Miller and Gano.| 
 
 * The men of whom Mr. Gano speaks, were John Mur- 
 ray, Dawson, and John Allen. Life of Gano, writ- 
 ten by himself. Page 88. 
 
 f Viz: Jeremiah Dodge, and Margaret, his wife ; Fran- 
 cis Van Dyke, and Elizabeth, his wife ; Joseph Fox ; Ad- 
 am Todd ; Nicholas Andresea ; Nathaniel Tylee, and Han- 
 nah, his wife; Phebe Moss; Elizabeth White; Hannah 
 Burdge ; Ann Millen ; Ann Angevine. 
 
 t The first pastor of this church was Elder John Dodge, 
 a native of Long Island. He was born Feb. 22d, 1738, and 
 was bred to physic. He became a Baptist in Baltimore, 
 under the ministry of Elder John Davis. From thence he 
 came to New- York, and joined the second church, where he 
 was licensed to preach Jan. 14, 1771. As there is now no 
 Baptist church in New-York distinguished as the second^ 
 
25 
 
 Notwithstanding these and some other unpleasant 
 circumstances, this church continued to be comfort- 
 ed and increased under the administration of the 
 word, until the revolutionary war ; during which El- 
 der Gano was a chaplain in the army, the church in 
 a dispersed condition, and its records suspended. 
 The last time Mr. Gano administered baptism before 
 he went into the army, was on April 28, 1776,* and 
 the first time after his return, was on Sept. Jtth, 
 1784.t 
 
 Were I disposed to attempt a description of this 
 city and its inhabitants, at the time the army was 
 disbanded, I would invite your attention to the subr 
 ject in these words of the Psalmist : " Come, behold 
 the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath 
 made in the earth ;" but I forbear ; and confine ray- 
 self to the church. Of this Mr. Gano expresses him- 
 self thus : " We collected of our church about thir- 
 ty-seven members out of upwards of two hundred ; 
 some being dead, and others scattered into almost 
 every part of the Union. "| 
 
 The meeting house also of this church, in com- 
 
 the reader will naturally inquire, what has become of it t 
 For an answer he is referred to the note on pages 32, 33. 
 
 * The subject was Hannah Stilwell. 
 
 f The subjects were John Bedient, now a deacon of the 
 church, and Samuel Jones. 
 
 X Life of Gano, written by himself: p. 116, 117. 
 
 3 
 
26 
 
 mon with other houses of worship in the city, had 
 sustained great injury.* The church, however, soon 
 had it repaired ; at least so as to be occupied ; when 
 Mr. Gano, who is said to have been remarkable for 
 selecting subjects suited to special occasions, preach- 
 ed a very appropriate sermon from these words: 
 -** Who is left among you that saw this house in her 
 first iglory ? and how do you see it now ? is it not in 
 yotir eyes in comparison of it as nothing?" Hag. 
 2:3. 
 
 The church, thus happily restored to her public 
 privileges, was, in a short time, raised to a more 
 flourishing condition than she had ever enjoyed be- 
 fore : most of the members who had been scattered 
 abroad, were, in the course of Providence, brought 
 back to the city and to the church ; and the circum- 
 stance of so long a separation, and a review of the 
 toils, the dangers and the privations sustained during 
 tjie war, made the blessings of peace and of christian 
 society, peculiarly valuable and pleasant ; every heart 
 glowed with gratitude, — every countenance express- 
 ed satisfaction and pleasure, — and every meeting was 
 a solemn, thankful, and joyful assembly. The congre- 
 gation also was greatly increased ; and, to crown all, 
 the word preached was accompanied with " the pow- 
 er of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven ;" so 
 that frequent and pretty numerous additions were 
 
 ♦ Having been used as a horse stable. 
 
27 
 
 made to the church of such whose after conduct gavi 
 reason to beheve that they " knew the grace of God 
 in truth."* 
 
 Now, however, in the midst of prosperity, an event 
 occurred, which greatly afflicted this church and so- 
 ciety ; viz : the removal of their beloved pastor. At 
 a meeting of business, on the evening of Sept. 30, 
 1787, Elder Gano informed the church that he had 
 had it in contemplation for some months past to re- 
 move to Kentucky, and that he had finally conclu- 
 ded upon leaving them the ensuing spring. The 
 church, exceedingly unwilling to be deprived of his 
 faithful services, strove hard to retain him ; but with- 
 out success. On the evening of April 22d, 1788, he 
 and eight others, who were going with him, took dis- 
 missions from the church. The last time Elder Ga- 
 no administered baptism, as the pastor of this church, 
 was on Saturday, April 5th, 1788. On the after- 
 noon of Lord's day, the 4th of May following, he ad- 
 ministered the Lord's supper, and in the evening of 
 the same day, took his final leave of the church and 
 congregation, by preaching an affectionate and very 
 
 * The letter from this church to the Association at Phil- 
 adelphia, in 1785, states, that during the preceding year, 
 fifty-two persons had been received ; one by letter from 
 Hopewell, one baptized in Connecticut, and fifty baptized 
 in this city. The letters to the same body in 1786 and '87, 
 state, the former an addition of forty-one, and the latter an 
 addition of twenty-nine baptized. 
 
28 
 
 affecting sermon from these words : — Fare ye well ! 
 Acts 15 : 29. On the next day he took his depar- 
 ture with his family from the city, bound for Ken- 
 tucky ; and landed safely at Limestone, on the 17th 
 of June following.* 
 
 The church was then dependent on supplies ; such 
 as a committee appointed for that purpose, could pro- 
 cure. One of the supplies procured, was Mr. (af- 
 terward Dr.) Benjamin Foster,t who was then pas- 
 
 • Mr. Ganowas the pastor of this church about twenty- 
 six years. During his ministry the church had 297 bap- 
 tized, and 23 received by letter. 
 
 f Mr. Foster was born at Danvers, Essex county, Mass. 
 June 12th, 1750; and agreeably to the custom of that state, 
 received the rudiments of learning at the town school. He 
 professed to have had serious impressions about eternal 
 things very early in life, but not to have been brought into 
 the liberty of God's children until about twenty years of age. 
 At the age of eighteen he entered Yale College, in the state 
 of Connecticut, then under the direction of the learned and 
 pious Dr. Dagget. His parents were respectable members 
 of the congregational church, and he had been brought up 
 with strong and conscientious prejudices in favor of the sen- 
 timents of that denomination. From these prejudices he 
 was delivered in the following manner. While he was at 
 college several polemic tracts on the subjects and mode of 
 baptism made their appearance. The matter of them oc- 
 casioned so much agitation and |>rivate debates among the 
 students, that at length the question on the proper subjects 
 and mode of that ordinance was fixed on as a subject of pub- 
 lic discussion. Mr. Foster was appointed to defend infant 
 
29 
 
 tor of a Baptist church at Newport, R. I. With 
 him the church and society, generally, were pleased ; 
 and it appeared likely that, under his ministry, they 
 
 •sprinkling. To prepare himself for the dispute he used the 
 utmost exertion. He endeavored to view the question in 
 every light in which he could possibly place it ; he careful- 
 ly searched the Holy Scriptures, and examiued the history 
 of the church from the apostles' times. The result, howev- 
 er, was very different from what had been expected ; for 
 when the day appointed for discussion arrived, he was so 
 far trom being prepared to defend infant sprinkling, that, to 
 the great astonishment of the officers of the college, he 
 avowed himself a decided convert to the doctrine that only 
 those who profess faith in Christ are the subjects, and that 
 immersion only is the mode of christian baptism ; and of 
 which he continued, ever after, a stead}^ zealous and pow- 
 erful advocate^ He graduated about the year 1772. Soon 
 after, he was baptized and received a member of the first 
 Baptist church in Boston, then under the pastoral care of 
 Dr. Samuel Stillman, under whom also he studied divinity. 
 He was ordained to the pastoral charge of the Baptist 
 church at Leicester, Massachusetts, v/here he continued 
 several years, and then removed to Newport, R. I., whence 
 he was called by this church. In the year 1792, the de- 
 gree of D. D. w-as conferred on him by the college of Rhode 
 Island, in consequence of a learned publication of his, enti- 
 tled, "A Dissertation on the seventy weeks of Daniel," 
 6cc. Dr. Foster was considered as, in general, a learned 
 man, but as excelling, chiefly, in the oriental languages. 
 
 The fol!»owing inscription upon a handsome marble is 
 placed over his grave, in the burying ground of this church. 
 " As a scholar and divine he excelled ; as a preacher he 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 would be happily united. Under this impression, on 
 the evening of the 26th of July, 1788, the church, 
 being assembled to deliberate on the subject, appoint- 
 ed a committee* to have a special conference with 
 him on the doctrines of the gospel, and the circum- 
 stances of his relation to the church at Newport ; and, 
 if no obstacle appeared, to present him a call, in the 
 name of the church, to become their pastor. Mr. 
 Foster being then in the city, the committee saw 
 him the next day ; and, being satisfied, by a conver- 
 sation with him, that nothing existed to render the 
 measure improper, they presented to him the call of 
 the church. He told them that the main question he 
 could not immediately answer; but that he would 
 answer it in writing, as soon as he could feel decided 
 in his own mind. On the 15th of September follow- 
 ing, the committee received a letter from him, in- 
 forming them that he had accepted the call of the 
 
 was eminent; as a christian he shone conspicuously. In 
 his piety he was fervent. The church was comforted by 
 his life, and now laments his death." 
 
 This biographical sketch of Dr. Foster is, as to substance, 
 extracted from Hardie's Biographical Dictionary, publish- 
 ed New- York, 1801. 
 
 * Of thirteen, viz : Samuel Dodge, Benjamin Mon- 
 tooye, Ezekiel Bobbins, William Norris, William Thomp- 
 son, John Bedient, Jonathan Conrey, John Duffie, Abra- 
 ham Cannon, Zebulon Barton, William Durell, Hugh 
 Montgomery, Thomas Garniss. 
 
31 
 
 church ; and on the 26th of the same month, he ar- 
 rived with his family in the city.* 
 
 Dr. Foster's ministry here, though not long, and 
 though generally acceptable, was, nevertheless at- 
 tended with some considerable trials, both to himself 
 and the church. He had preached here but a few 
 months, when certain members of the church pro- 
 fessed to discover in his sermons, some traits of 
 what was then called New Divinity. What the sen- 
 timents objected to in the Dr.'s sermons were, and 
 whether orthodox or heterodox, I shall not attempt to 
 decide ; having never heard him preach, nor read 
 any thing written by him on doctrinal subjects. The 
 difficulty, however, continued and increased until it 
 became, necessarily, a subject of consideration and 
 discipline in the church ; and, after much forbear- 
 ance and labor, on the evening of January 27, 1789, 
 thirteen persons were excluded. t 
 
 * On the day of their arrival here, Mr. Foster and his 
 wife were both inoculated with the small pox, which delay- 
 ed his entering on the duties of his office until the 2d of De- 
 cember following, when he and his wife, upon satisfactory 
 letters of dismission, were received as members of this 
 church, and he took upon him the pastoral charge of the 
 same. 
 
 f It is with extreme reluctance that any notice is taken 
 of this antiquated affair ; but as the nature of the discourse 
 rendered such notice inevitable, it is thought a duty to all 
 concerned to make the following observations. The said 
 thirteen persons were not considered as censurable for op- 
 
B2 
 
 Others remained restless, and occasioned much 
 disturbance in the church, until, after many meet- 
 ings and endeavors, without success, to effect a re- 
 conciliation, on the 21st of January, 1790, it was re- 
 solved that all dissatisfied under the ministry of Dr. 
 Foster should have liberty (notwithstanding the im- 
 proper temper which many of them had manifested 
 during the discussion) to take letters of dismission, 
 either to join the other Baptist church in the city, or 
 to become a new church, as they might prefer ; 
 whereupon twenty persons took dismissions.* 
 
 posing what they thought to be error, nor, having failed of 
 effecting a change, for seeking to be separated, in some 
 proper manner from the church ; but for the temper discov- 
 ered and the means employed ; also for not taking meas- 
 ures to be reconciled to their brethren, after being put away. 
 To this latter fault it is supposed they were tempted, by a 
 readiness discovered in the second church to receive them ; 
 for that church, instead of saying, " go be reconciled to your 
 brethren," received them as in good standing. This occa- 
 sioned a difficulty between the two churches; which, how- 
 ever, was settled in May, 1790. The mischief arising from 
 churches receiving persons excluded from other churches of 
 the same denomination, is incalculable. Extraordinary 
 cases, nevertheless, may occur, in which it may be expedi- 
 ent for churches to receive such persons ; particularly, when 
 the church which had excluded a person shall have dissolv- 
 ed ; in which case the person, however penitent, can have 
 no opportunity of being reconciled and restored to the 
 church that had excluded him. 
 
 * Of these two returned, and eighteen joined the second 
 
33 
 
 This difficulty being terminated, the church ap- 
 pears to have enjoyed much harmony, and to have 
 had no special cause of tribulation, throughout the 
 remaining part of Dr. Foster's life ; which ended on 
 Lord's day morning, August 26th, 1798. He died 
 of the yellow fever, in the forty-eighth year of his 
 age ; having been about twenty-two years an ordain- 
 ed minister, and nine years and about nine months 
 the pastor of this church.* 
 
 church. Soon after receiving these, and the thirteen men- 
 tioned before, [p. 31,] that church fell into a state of con- 
 tention, and sometime in the year 1790 divided ; each 
 branch claiming the distinction of the Second Baptist Church 
 in New- York. After contending this claim for a consider- 
 able time, they were both prevailed on to relinquish it ; the 
 branch that remained assuming the distinction of the Bethel 
 Baptist Church, represented on the minutes of the New- 
 York Baptist Association, as constituted in the year 1770, 
 and which is now under the pastoral care of Elder Daniel 
 Hall ; and the other, represented on the minutes of the 
 same association as constituted in the year 1791, assumed 
 the distinction oi the Baptist Church in Fayette- street, which 
 is now under the pastoral care of Elder John Williams. See 
 page 24. 
 
 * Dr. Foster, notwithstanding the difference of opinion 
 which existed respecting his sentiments, and the difficulties 
 hence arising, was highly respected by his literary and re- 
 ligious acquaintance, both as a scliolar and a preacher ; and 
 although no remarkable revival took place under his minis- 
 try in this city, yet there was a gradual addition to the 
 church almost every year he was pastor. He baptized in 
 
34 
 
 Now, again, the church was dependent on sup- 
 plies ; and on the evening of September 27, 1793, it 
 was agreed that Mr. WiUiarn Collier, then a member 
 and licentiate in the second Baptist church in Bos- 
 ton, be inv^ited to serve as a supply until the first of 
 May following, which invitation he accepted. At the 
 expiration of that time, Mr. Collier was invited to 
 continue six months longer, but declined, on ac- 
 count of ill health. Now for about one year, the 
 church was supplied only in a desultory manner, by 
 neighboring and travelling ministers, when Mr. Col- 
 lier, who in the mean time had been ordained, was 
 invited to officiate as pastor for at least one year. He 
 accepted the invitation, and arrived here on the 14th 
 of October, 1800. 
 
 Some time in the following winter, the corpora- 
 tion of the church, by and with the consent of the 
 church, came to a resolution to build a new meeting 
 house, the old one having become so much decayed 
 that it was judged to be unsafe any longer to occupy 
 it. The old house was taken down in March, 1801, 
 
 1789 nineteen ; in 1790, twenty-two ; in 1791, nine ; in 
 1792, nine; in 1793, seven; in 1794, seven; in 1795, 
 twelve; in 1796, six ; in 1797, one; in 1798, eighteen. 
 The aggregate increase of the church in his time was, to be 
 sure, small ; but this was owing to dismissions, exclusions, 
 and deaths. The church, when he became pastor, consist- 
 ed of one hundred and ninety-four members, and when he 
 died, of two hundred and twenty-five. 
 
35 
 
 and the new one opened on Lord's day, the 2d of 
 May, 1802 ; on which occasion, after prayer by the 
 pastor, Mr. ColKer, an appropriate discourse, from 
 Ex. 20 : 24, was deUvered by Dr. Stephen Gano, of 
 Providence.* 
 
 Mr. ColUer, by repeated agreements between him 
 and the church, continued to officiate as pastor for 
 more than three years. During this time, however, 
 the church observing the duties of his situation to ex- 
 ceed his strength, resolved, that it was expedient to 
 procure some young man as a co-pastor, and accord- 
 ingly procured Mr. Jeremiah Chaplin. t He arrived 
 here Jan. 10, 1804; but previous to his arrival, Mr. 
 Collier had received and accepted a call from the 
 church at Charlestown, Mass., intending to remove 
 thither the following spring. Accordingly, on Lord's 
 day, April S, 1804, he preached his farewell sermon 
 in this place, from Acts 20 : 32, and on the 12th of 
 
 * While the new house was building, the church and 
 congregation were favored with the use of what is called the 
 French Church, in Pine-street, to meet in for worship. 
 
 The foundation of this house, without any ceremony, was 
 begun about the first of April, 1801, and the whole build- 
 ing was completed within a little more than one year. It 
 measures 80 feet by 65. It cost, including its furniture, 
 about $25,000. Of the ground on which it stands, see p. 14. 
 
 f Of Danvers, Mass. A young man of unblemished 
 reputation, of a strong mind, of liberal acquirements, and 
 of more than ordinary application. 
 
36 
 
 the same month sailed with his family for Providence, 
 on the way to his new charge.* 
 
 The church, being then without any ordained min- 
 ister, solicited Mr. Chaplin to receive ordination and 
 to take upon him the pastoral charge. After due 
 deliberation he agreed to be ordained, but not im- 
 mediately, as the pastor of this church. Arrange- 
 ments were then made for his ordination, which took 
 place in this meeting house, May 23, 1804.t 
 
 The church still indulged a hope that Mr. Chaplin 
 would accept their call, and become their pastor; 
 but God, who '* hath determined the times before 
 appointed, and the bounds of our habitation," had 
 otherwise ordered : but a few months had elapsed 
 when Mr. Chaplin, becoming strangely dissatisfied 
 in his mind, and being solicited to return to Dan- 
 vers, laid before the church a letter, in which he de- 
 clined the acceptance of their call. The church, 
 still willing to pursue their object, appointed a commit- 
 tee to confer with and endeavor to prevail on him to 
 continue ; but he, feeling it to be his duty to go, and 
 
 * Mr. Collier was esteemed by the church and congrega- 
 tion, as possessing a decent education, and as being a young 
 man of good morals and motives. 
 
 f Dr. Thomas Baldwin, of Boston, preached the ordina- 
 tion sermon, from Daniel 12 : 3. Dr. Samuel Jones, of 
 Pennypack, prayed at the laying on of hands, Dr. Stephen 
 Gano, of Providence, gave the charge, and Elder John Wil- 
 liams, of this city, gave the right hand of fellowship. 
 
37 
 
 willing to avoid all temptations to the contrary, left 
 the city, without giving any opportunity for further 
 solicitation. 
 
 The remaining part of this history, a? it is insep- 
 ai'ably connected with ray own ministry, I enter upon 
 with considerable diffidence ; it being, as every one 
 knows, impossible for a man to speak of himself, 
 either favorably or otherwise, without being subject to 
 misconstruction and misrepresentation. The task, 
 however, at all hazards, must be performed. 
 
 On the 6th of November, 1S04, the church, ac- 
 cording to their records of that date, assembled in 
 their destitute condition, to deliberate on the impor- 
 tant subject of procuring a pastor. As I, at their in- 
 vitation, had visited them in the spring of 1802, and 
 spent two Lord's days with them,* they of course had 
 some knowledge of me ; and, from considerations 
 best known to themselves, they agreed to send for 
 me to spend three, four, five, or six months with 
 
 * On leaving the city, I gave a promise to a committee, 
 appointed by the church to confer with me on the subject, 
 that if I could reconcile it with duty, I would return and 
 epend a few months with the church, the object of which on 
 their part, I understood to be a trial of my qualifications as 
 pastor; but finding on my arrival at home, an increasing 
 demand for itinerant preaching, and my wife not only un- 
 willing, but apparently determined never to go to New- 
 York, I at once relinquished the idea of going, and commu- 
 nicated my decision to the committee. 
 
 4 
 
38 
 
 them, as I might find most convenient ; that so, by 
 mutual observation and experience, we might have 
 an opportunity to judge whether it was agreeable to 
 the will of God that we should enter into the relation 
 of pastor and people. Their letter of invitation I re- 
 ceived at Fredericktown, Md., on the 17th of the 
 same month, by the hands of their worthy messenger, 
 Mr. Jonathan Weeden. My circumstances at that 
 particular period were so ordered in Holy Provi- 
 dence, that all obstacles* which had existed in the 
 
 * Two of these I think it a duty to mention, as serving to 
 show the special concern of Providence in my coming to 
 this place. First, my sphere of labor : Though the pastor 
 of the church at Fredericktown, Md., yet, by agreement, I 
 was not expected to spend wiih them more than one Lord's 
 day in every monih ; and therefore, commonly, had almost 
 daily appointments published for at least a month, and often 
 two months ahead ; v/hlch, at any other time than that at 
 which the invitation came, would have prevented compli- 
 ance. Secondly, the uniform determination of my wife not 
 to remove from among her relations, especially not to settle 
 in a city. Now, however, both these obstacles were re- 
 moved ; so far, at least as they had operated in the way 
 of a visit, for a few months to this place ; for I, being just 
 in a state of recovery from a severe illness of near three 
 months, had made no appointments ; and the Lord having, 
 in the time of my illness, removed by death our only child, 
 a daughter of about twenty months old, my wife, overwhelm- 
 ed with distress at the loss, seemed for a time to forget her 
 attachments to the place of her nativity, and to consider a 
 journey as rather desirable than otherwise. 
 
way of my accepting the invitation were removed ; I 
 accepted it accordingly, and arrived here on the 20th 
 of December following, I came, not only, as the 
 nature of the invitation implied, without knowing 
 whether it would be the wish of the church that I 
 should settle wuth them, but also without any inten- 
 tion to do so. My intention was only to spend the 
 winter season here, and then to return to my former 
 and favorite course of itinerary labors. Soon, how- 
 ever, I began to have doubts as to the correctness of 
 my purpose ; for although no instances of awaken- 
 ing appeared for some months, yet I thought I per- 
 ceived, not only an increase of hearers and atten- 
 tion, but also a growth of mutual attachment, between 
 the people and myself. I felt them much upon my 
 heart in prayer and preaching, and their conversation 
 and conduct sufficiently manifested that they felt an 
 interest in my labors. 
 
 When I had been here but about six weeks, the 
 church, by a committee,* presented me a call to be- 
 come their pastor, bearing date February 8, 1S05. 
 This act, although it appeared rather premature, was, 
 notwithstanding, on their part, such an expression of 
 satisfaction and confidence, as could not fail to in- 
 crease both my attachment to them, and my doubts 
 as to the propriety of leaving them. I then wrote to 
 several ministers and other christian friends, solicit- 
 
 * John Duffie, John Bedient, and Jonathan Weeden. 
 
40 
 
 ing their prayers and advice ; and found, from their 
 answers, that they were all of opinion, that " the thing 
 proceeded from the Lord." I was also considerably 
 influenced by the conversation of such as I supposed 
 to be God's children, not only of this church, but al- 
 so of other churches, both in the city and in the 
 country ; and especially, by the manner in which they 
 were led to pray that I might see it to be my duty to 
 remain here.* My suspense continued ; " And," to 
 adopt the language of Paul to the Corinthians, " I 
 was with you," brethren, '* in weakness, and in fear, 
 and in much trembling :" in weakness ^ being just in a 
 state of recovery from a long and severe illness ; — in 
 fear, lest I should make a wTong decision ; — and in 
 much trembling, under a sense of my insufficiency for 
 so great a work. " My speech and my preaching," 
 as you well recollect, " was not with enticing words 
 of man's wisdom," for which I neither had nor have 
 either ability or inclination, "but," to the praise of 
 divine grace, "in demonstration of the Spirit and of 
 
 * I remember to have been peculiarly impressed, in one 
 of our society meetings, under a prayer by Elder William 
 Vanhorn, then pastor of the church at the Scotch Plains ; in 
 which, after several other petitions on the same subject, he 
 likened my mission to this city to that of Jonah to Nineveh, 
 and prayed, seemingly, with more than common fervor» 
 that I might not, like Jonah, run away from the work of the 
 Lord. 
 
41 
 
 power.^'(a) Of this, some in the present assembly 
 are livins^ witnesses. 
 
 This testimony of the Spirit, began to appear in 
 the latter part of February, and gradually increased 
 until the vast change upon the face of nature, at the 
 breaking up of a severe winter, and the ushering in 
 of a beautiful spring and a fruitful summer, was but 
 a just emblem of what was seen and felt in this church 
 and congregation. What is said of the gospel dis- 
 pensation in common might then, with a propriety 
 seldom exceeded, have been accommodated to this 
 place,* and to this people in particular : " Lo the 
 winter is past, the rain is over and gone ; the flowers 
 appear on the earth ; the time of the singing of bii'ds 
 is come, and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our 
 land." (6) What beamings of the Sun of Righteous- 
 ness ! what meltings of icy hearts ! and what flow- 
 ings of penitential tears ! what blossoms and buds of 
 quickening grace ! what fruits and effects of living 
 faith ! and what rejoicing and singing of new-born 
 souls, were then witnessed here ? And why ? Be- 
 cause the voice of the Turtle, the voice of the Holy 
 Spirit, attending the gospel, was heard in our land — 
 heard by many poor sinners, not only convincing 
 them of " sin, of righteousness, and of a judgment to 
 
 (a) 1 Cor. 3 : 4. (h) Cant. 2:11, 12. 
 
 * The revival was not confined to this church : most of 
 the churches in the city shared in it ; particularly that in 
 Fayette-street. 
 
 4* 
 
42 
 
 come," but also testifying pardon to their guilty con- 
 sciences and communicating peace to their broken 
 hearts, through the precious blood of the precious 
 Redeemer. Scenes were then opened and impres- 
 sions made which can never be forgotten ; which 
 now, indeed, we recollect with a mournful pleasure, 
 each saying with Job, " O that I were as in months 
 past ;" but which we shall recollect in heaven, with 
 overflowings of immortal gratitude and everlasting 
 praise. 
 
 The first time I administered baptism In this city, 
 was on Lord's day, March 3, 1805. We then had 
 two subjects. On Lord's day, April 4th, I baptized 
 eight.* Appearances in the church and congrega- 
 tion, now began to be such as carried in them irre- 
 sistible evidence that It was my duty, for a time at 
 least, to continue here. Accordingly, on Lord's 
 day, April 14th, I made known to the church, (they 
 having tarried for the purpose after public worship,) 
 that I accepted their call, dated the 8th of February 
 preceding.! In May I baptized five ; who, added to 
 those of March and April, and one baptized by Elder 
 Chaplin, before he left the city, made sixteen, return- 
 ed to the association that term, (May, 1805.) In 
 
 * That day I was received as a member of this church, 
 on evidence of good standing in the Baptist church at Fred- 
 cricktown, Maryland. 
 
 f This call provides that either party may be released 
 from the obligation on a notice of six months. 
 
43 
 
 June I baptized six ; in July, twenty ; and in Au- 
 gust, twenty-four.* 
 
 Now, in the course of Providence, I was called to 
 go on a tour to the South : I calculated to return in 
 September, but the yellow fever breaking out in the 
 city, I did not return until the 22d of October. Dur- 
 ing the rage of the cj^idemic, our meeting house was 
 closed ; no church meetings w^ere held, and, of 
 course, no records were kept. 
 
 The first time we met, as a church, after the fever, 
 was on the evening of November 1st, when four per- 
 sons, on a relation of their experience, were received 
 as candidates for baptism, and w-ho, on the Lord's 
 day following, were baptized and acknowledged as 
 members of the church. In December I baptized 
 sixteen. 
 
 Now again (circumstances in Providence render- 
 ing it necessary) I made a tour to the South, expect- 
 ing to return in January, but was detained so as not 
 to arrive here until the 2d of April, 1806. During 
 my absence the church was supplied, chiefly, by 
 Elders Caleb Blood and John Ellis, by the latter of 
 whom, on the 2d of March, six persons were bap- 
 tized and received into the church. In April I bap- 
 tized nine, and in May six ; making in all ninety-one 
 
 * The two numbers last mentioned were the largest re- 
 ceived during the revival. The most usual numbers were 
 from six to twelve. 
 
44 
 
 received on a profession of faith and baptism, from 
 the association in May, 1S05, to that in May, 1806. 
 
 The ingathering of which I now speak, was chiefly 
 remarkable for its gradual progress and long continu- 
 ance, both of which are evident, on viewing, in con- 
 nexion v/ith the numbers already mentioned, those 
 reported to the association at a few of its succeeding 
 meetings. At the meeting in 1807, we reported 81 ; 
 at that in 1808, 94 ; at that in 1809, 53 ; at that in 
 1810, 42 ; at that in 1811, 43; and at that in 1812, 
 20 ; baptized and received, on profession of " re- 
 pentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Je- 
 sus Christ." 
 
 In this view of the church, since my connexion 
 with it, we have witnessed much that has been both 
 pleasing and comforting ; and of which it is hoped 
 we shall ever have a grateful recollection. 
 
 Adversity, however, as well as prosperity, is an 
 attendant on human life ; and it is no doubt, in great 
 mercy to mankind, that, according to Ecc. 7 : 14, 
 " God hath set the one over against the other," that 
 so, either by a happy mixture or by a seasonable ex- 
 change, the one may suppress presumption and the 
 other despair. As this is true of human life in com- 
 mon, so especially of christian life ; for every church 
 of Christ, though at some times, like Jerusalem^ a 
 vision of peace, is, nevertheless, at other times, like 
 the Sliulamite^ a company of two armies. Both 
 these conditions have been largely experienced by 
 
45 
 
 this church. And as the number of hypocrites in a 
 revival, generally, bears about the same proportion 
 to that of real converts, which, in a harvest, the chaff 
 does to the wheat, and as the last ingathering to this 
 church appears, from her records, to have been much 
 greater than any preceding one, so, consequently, it 
 can be no matter of wonder, if among them there 
 should have been a greater number of false profes- 
 sors, " crept in unawares," nor yet, that the separa- 
 tion of the dead from the living, should have occa- 
 sioned more labor and sorrow than had ever been 
 endured in the family before. 
 
 The principal cases of difficulty and labor which 
 have occurred in this church, within a few years 
 past, are the following : 
 
 In 1808 some dissention arose about doctrine, 
 which, in the course of three years, occasioned the 
 exclusion of eight or ten members ; some of whom, 
 however, were persons of old standing in the church. 
 
 In the same year another difficulty arose concern- 
 ing slave holding. On this many meetings were held, 
 and much discussion had ; when the church gener- 
 ally, willing to discountenance the practice, resolved 
 that in future no person holding a slave forhfe, should 
 be admitted a member ; and appointed also a com- 
 mittee to wait on such of her members as held slaves, 
 to obtain, if possible, their consent to manumit them, 
 at such periods as their several ages and times of past 
 service might justify, and to take their certificates of 
 
46 
 
 the same accordingly. As this committee was gen- 
 erally successful, and as the church deemed it unjust 
 to use any compulsive measures with those who had 
 been received, and till then retained, though known 
 to hold slaves, it was hoped that all would have been 
 satisfied. Some persons, however, will be satisfied 
 with nothing as a standard of propriety, but that 
 which they themselves have set up : such remained 
 restless ; and the spirit which they manifested, not 
 only then, but also through the whole of the preced- 
 ing discussion, left on the minds of many, very un- 
 favorable impressions concerning their motives. Nor 
 did that spirit depart with the termination of this bu- 
 siness ; but ever after, distinguished a certain class 
 of members, to the great disturbance of the church, 
 so long as they remained in Its connexion. 
 
 At about the same time, also, the church was great- 
 ly harassed with the solicitations of several young 
 men for license to preach. Some of them were per- 
 mitted to exercise their gifts before the church ; and 
 although most of them discovered no qualifications 
 for the work, it was, nevertheless, not without great 
 difficulty that such were prevailed on to desist.* 
 
 A dispute now arose between two members, in 
 which those dissatisfied with the decisions of the 
 church, whether on the question relating to slavery, 
 or that relating to the applicants for license, united on 
 
 ♦ At about this time Mr. James Bruce was licensed. 
 
47 
 
 one side, and pursued their object with all that vio- 
 lence which, we are sorry to say, had long been 
 characteristic of their proceedings. The difficulty, 
 as to form, was settled ; but the resentment of one 
 of the parties, and of those combined with him, re- 
 mained ; wherefore, finding that they could not con- 
 trol the church, they determined to leave it;* ac- 
 cordingly, having increased their number to twenty- 
 six, on the evening of the 26th of March, 1811, 
 they laid before us a letter, requesting a dismission, 
 to be constituted a church. In this letter (and which 
 they had individually signed) they expressed the 
 greatest christian ajfFection, both for this church and 
 its pastor : and assigned as their only reasons for ask- 
 ing a dismission, that they entertained views of dis- 
 cipline a little different from those of the church they 
 addressed, and that they believed it would be for the 
 glory of God that they should become a separate so- 
 ciety.! The church, influenced by their apparent 
 
 * To secure their dismission, they professed to be recon- 
 ciled, and to have the good of the church much at heart. 
 
 f Extract from their letter, dated •' New- York, March 
 26, 1811." 
 
 *'Dear Brethren : 
 
 " We whose names are hereunto affixed, consider it a 
 privilege in being permitted to address you in the endearing 
 relation of brethren in our dear Lord Jesus Christ; and cannot 
 but rejoice when we contemplae the gracious act of hira 
 who has called us, we trust, with the same holy calling, 
 
48 
 
 reconciliation, granted their request ; and, on the 
 10th of April following, they were constituted* under 
 the name of Zoar.t 
 
 The difficulties of this church, how^ever, which 
 have occasioned so much noise in the world, are 
 those which arose from the accusations brought 
 against their pastor. What these accusations were, 
 is well known ; no means having been spared to make 
 them public, and to give them effect. 
 
 How much trouble, both internal and external, 
 they have occasioned us, is known only to God. 
 To him, therefore, we commit our cause, and with 
 him we leave our enemies, praying, that if consistent 
 
 and hath made us experiraentplly one with him, notwith- 
 standing our great unwonhiness. 
 
 " We also trust we feel thankful for the fresh and green 
 pastures which our good Shepherd has prepared for all who 
 are called to be saints, and especially that we have been 
 made to participate with you in the enjoyment of them. 
 We also feel a glow of gratitude and praise for feeling and 
 witnessing the goodness of tlie great head of the church, in 
 sending us our beloved pastor, Elder Wm. Parkinson, 
 under whoso ministry God has visited and refreshed our 
 souls, with the word of his power and consolation." 
 
 * For reasons best known to themselves, they chose the 
 pastor of the church they left, and, as they reported to him, 
 unanimously, to preach, and he preached accordingly^ both 
 at the opening of the house they hired, in Rose-street, as a 
 place of worship, and on the occasion of their constitution. 
 
 f This church dissolved in less than one year. 
 
49 
 
 with his purpose, they may yet become the subjects 
 of that repentance which is unto life ; or, if he have 
 otherwise determined, still we leave them with him, 
 " seeing that it is a righteous thing with God to recom- 
 pense tribulation to them that trouble his people." 
 See 2 Thess. 1 : 6. 
 
 For a considerable time past, however, this church 
 has enjoyed the greatest peace and harmony that 
 can be calculated on in this imperfect state. And al- 
 though it is not with us, a time of special animation, 
 nor of abundant increase, yet we have much for which 
 to be thankful ; our church meetings are solemn and 
 pleasant ; we have a small addition almost every 
 month : we witness, in a numerous congregation, a 
 respectful attention to the word of life, and behold 
 some who " ask the way to Zion with their faces," 
 and, we trust, their hearts "thitherward." 
 
 In giving the history of this church, it will be ex- 
 pected that notice be taken of the churches and min- 
 isters that have proceeded from her. 
 
 The churches : of these, two have been mention- 
 ed already : the others, in the order in which they 
 originated, are, the church at Peekskill,(<z) the 
 church at Stamford, (6) the Abyssinian church, (c) 
 
 (a) State of New- York : time of constitution unknown. 
 (6) Connecticut : constituted 1773. 
 
 (c) Meeting in Anthony-street, New-York : constilutsd 
 July 5lh. 
 
 5 
 
60 
 
 the church at Newtown,(J) and the North Baptist 
 church, (e) 
 
 The ministers : these, in the order in which they 
 were ordained, are Thomas Ustick,(/) Ebenezer 
 Ferris, (o-) Isaac Skillman,(^) Stephen Gano,(*) 
 
 (d) Long- Island: constituted Sept. 12th. 
 
 [e) Meeting in Bud-street, New- York : constituted Nov. 
 13th, all in 1809. 
 
 The church on Staten Island also was in a great de- 
 gree formed of persons who had belonged to this church. 
 The other constituents of that church were chiefly called 
 under the ministry of Elder Elkanah Holmes, who was one 
 of the first and most useful ministers that have ever labored 
 on Staten Island. He now resides in Upper Canada. 
 
 (/) Mr. Usfick was baptized in the 13th year of his age. 
 The dates of his license and ordination we have not learned. 
 He was educated at Rhode Island college, under president 
 Manning. Life of Gano, p. 91. He was many years the 
 pastor of the First Baptist church in Philadelphia, where 
 he died, April 18th, 1803, aged about 50 years. 
 
 (g) Mr. Ferris was dismissed, with others, to constitute 
 the church at Stamford, Nov. 1st, 1773. He was licensed 
 by that church, and has been, for many years, their pastor. 
 
 {h) Mr. [afterward Dr.] Skillman was a native of New- 
 Jersey, and a graduate of Princeton college. He was bap- 
 tized and received a member of this church June 16, 1771. 
 He was 14 years the pastor of the Second Baptist church in 
 Boston. He then returned to his native state, and became 
 pastor of the church at Salem, where he died but a few 
 years since. See Dr. Baldwin's sermon at the opening of 
 the new meeting house of the 2d church, Boston, preached 
 Jan. 1, 1811, p. 27. 
 
 (i) Dr. Gano is a son of the venerable proto-pastor of thia 
 
51 
 
 Thomas Montanye,(A;) Cornelius P. Wyckoff,(Z) 
 James Bruce, (»i) John Seger.(«) 
 
 church. He was bred a physician. He was baptized April 
 2, 1785; soon after licensed to preach, and on August 2, 
 1786, ordained. He has been for many years, the pastor of 
 the First Baptist church in Providence, R. I. 
 
 (k) Mr, Montanye is a son of Elder Benjamin Montanye, 
 pastor of the Baptist church at the Deer Park, state of New- 
 York. He was licensed Dec. 5, 1787. He was several 
 years pastor of the church at Warwick, state of N. York, 
 and is now pastor of the church at Southampton, Penn. 
 
 (l) Mr. Wyckoffwas baptized Dec. 6, 18G7 ; licensed June 
 21, 1808, and ordained the 9th of Nov. following. He is 
 pastor of the North Baptist church in this city, 
 
 (m) Deceased. The life of Mr. Bruce, though very short, 
 embraced so many changes, and thes€ in such swift succes- 
 sion, as to render it remarkable : He was born Oct. 20, 1791. 
 At the usual age he was bound an apprentice to a watch- 
 maker. In the 15th year of his age, Dec. 7, 1806, he was 
 baptized, on profession of faith in Christ: Oct. 17, 1809, he 
 was licensed to preach, though under some restrictions, being 
 an apprentice. The expectations, however, of his useful- 
 ness in the ministry, were so great, that his friends interested 
 themselves in his behalf, and raised, by subscription, $500, 
 the sum which his master agreed to take for the remainder 
 tf his time. His freedom being obtained, he received a full 
 license, and on the 21st of June, 1810, he was ordained, be- 
 ing then but in the 18th year of his age. He took the pas- 
 toral charge of the Baptist church on Staten Island, at whose 
 request he had been ordained ; there he had several seals to 
 his ministry, whom he baptized ; but faking into a consump- 
 tion he served the church but about one year, when, on the 
 15th of April, 1811, in the 19th year of his age, he fell asleep, 
 
52 
 
 The largest number of which this church has, at 
 any time, consisted, was 564 : this was in the spring 
 of 1809 : and after dismissing 86 to form new 
 churches, and several who have removed to the 
 country, besides those taken away by death, and 
 those separated from us by dismission and exclusion, 
 we remain, in number, about 480. 
 
 Now, having, in some manner, noticed both the 
 circumstances which led to the constitution of this 
 church, and those which have marked its progress, 
 I come to make some improvement, from the text 
 and the occasion. 
 
 Did Samuel erect a monument to perpetuate the 
 memory of Jehovah's goodness to ancient Israel ? 
 He did ; is it not then the duty of christians, and 
 particularly of christian ministers, to use the best 
 means in their power, to preserve the recollection of 
 divine mercies to the gospel church ; especially, to 
 those branches thereof with which they are severally 
 connected ? We think it is ; and, under a sense of 
 this duty, I, with some care and labor, have col- 
 it is hoped, in Jesus. Mr. Bruce was married to Susan, the 
 only daughter of Mr. Christopher Halstead, of this city, and 
 left one child, a son, who bears his own name. His widow has 
 lately been married to Capt. JohnG. Clark, of NewRochelle. 
 
 (n) Mr. Seger was licensed March 7, 1809; and ordained 
 Jan, 7, ISl?. He remains a member of this church. As 
 his ordination has taken place since the delivery of this ser- 
 mon, his name, of course, was not then mentioned. 
 
53 
 
 lected the several parts of information concerning 
 this church, which have now been communicated. 
 Many things, probably, of which some expected to 
 hear, have been omitted, either as being deemed un- 
 important, or to avoid an accumulation of matter be- 
 yond the limits of a sermon. Other events, for the 
 same reasons, have been mentioned, without noticing 
 all the circumstances which led to them. And if, in 
 any instances, facts have been represented, not alto- 
 gether correctly, I have the satisfaction to know that 
 it hath not been done designedly ; having always had 
 recourse to the best means of information, and hav- 
 ing invariably aimed at truth. 
 
 Was it the design of Samuel, that the Ebenezer 
 which he reared should excite in the Israelites, when- 
 ever they viewed it, gratitude and praise to their great 
 Deliverer? It evidently was. O that these my 
 feeble labors may, under the divine blessing, have 
 that effect upon the members of this church ! If so, 
 my beloved brethren and sisters, you will, not onh- 
 at the present hearing, but also at every review of the 
 mercies now enumerated, adopt the language of the 
 text, and in glowing gratitude say, HUhcrto huth the 
 Lord helped us. 
 
 In the use of these words 
 
 1. We imply that, like the Israelites, we have ex- 
 perienced a state of warfare ; and which we have, 
 both as individuals and as a society. As individuals 
 we have had, in common with other christians, to 
 ^ 5* 
 
54 
 
 combat indwelling sin, a tempting devil, and an en- 
 snaring world. And as a society, this church, as 
 appears from the preceding history, has experienced 
 many internal commotions and external attacks ; and 
 some of them of a very singular nature, and produc- 
 tive of more than ordinary tribulation. 
 
 2. We acknowledge, with Israel, that our support 
 hath been, not of ourselves, but of the Lord ; ihe 
 Lord hath helped lis. This acknowledgment we 
 have individually, had frequent occasions to make. 
 How often has each, on reviewing conflicts with the 
 propensities of an evil heart, and the stratagems of 
 Satan and the world, had reason to say, these ene- 
 mies of my soul had gained the victory, but the Lord 
 helped me ! The ordinary means through which the 
 Lord helps, that is, strengthens and encourages his 
 people, are his word and ordinances : nevertheless, 
 most of them have to acknowledge his help also, by 
 remarkable dispensations of his providence and spe- 
 cial operations of his Spirit : hy remarkable dis])en- 
 sations of his providence : some by dispensations 
 which either removed them from temptation, or pre- 
 vented them from sinning ; others by dispensations 
 which either kept them from taking measures which 
 would have involved them in trouble, or being in- 
 volved, marvellously delivered them ; and others by 
 dispensations which either preserved or furnished to 
 them the necessaries of life, when all their efforts 
 failed and all their hopes had fled : by special opera- 
 
55 
 
 tions of his Sjpirit; operations by which his perfec- 
 tions and promises were seasonably impressed upon 
 their minds. How often, believer, when on the verge 
 of giving way, either to despondency or immorality, 
 has the thought, " Thou, God, seest me," prevented ! 
 How frequently, also, when sinking under present 
 trials, or under the prospect of trials approaching, 
 has the address, '* My grace is sufficient for thee ; 
 my strength is made perfect in weakness," checked 
 your unbelief and made you feel " strong in the Lord 
 and in the power of his might?" As a church, also, 
 we have abundant reason to make the same acknow- 
 ledgment ; for, to use the language of the psalmist, 
 " If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, 
 when men rose up against us ; then they had swal- 
 lowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled 
 against us." Psalm 124 : 2, 3. 
 
 3. We acknowledge, not only that the Lord hath 
 helped us, but moreover, that his help hath been in- 
 cessant : hitherto, all the w^ay, every step, and every 
 moment, hath the Lord helped us. Have we endured 
 tribulation "? The Lord hath strengthened us : have 
 we experienced deliverance ? The L ord hath wrought 
 it: have we had occasions of rejoicing? The Lord 
 hath furnished them : and, if we have had hearts pre- 
 pared for thanksgiving, the Lord hath prepared them; 
 for " the preparation of the heart," as well as every 
 other blessing, *' is from the Lord." 
 
 But if the Lord hath thus helped us hitherto, then 
 
56 
 
 1. Let us not look to any other helper for the time 
 to come. This was often the God-provoking sin of 
 Israel. How frequently and how marvellously did 
 God deliver them ! yet how prone were they to " look 
 to Egypt for help," and to '* trust in an arm of 
 flesh," yea, in dumb idols ! O that we may never 
 be left to act in like manner ! 
 
 2. Let us be careful never to distrust his favor. 
 Why should we ? Hath he ever been unto us as a 
 barren wilderness or a la7id of darkness ?(a) Or hath 
 he ever been unmindful of his word on which he had 
 caused us to hope ?(6) On the contrary, hath he not 
 often exceeded our largest expectations, and even 
 astonished us with displays of his favor, both in tem- 
 poral and spiritual things ? We have also the strong- 
 est assurances of his presence and support for time 
 to come ; he is saying to every believer, " I will nev- 
 er leave thee, nor forsake thee,"(c) and, " as thy 
 days, so shall thy strength be :"(^) to indulge dis- 
 trust is, therefore, a base requital of his mercy, and 
 even an impudent challenge of his veracity ; yea, it is 
 to repose less confidence in him, than we do in a fel- 
 low creature ; for even a man whose friendship and 
 faithfulness we have long experienced, we think wor- 
 thy of our confidence, that is, in a sense and to a de- 
 gree consistent with frail nature ; and if he have giv- 
 
 {a) See Jer. 2 : 31. (6) See Psal. 119 ; 49. 
 (c) Heb. 13:5. {d) Deut. 33 : 25. 
 
57 
 
 en U3 a promise, and possess the means of accom- 
 plishing it, we expect the favor promised. How 
 much more should we believe God, with whom it is 
 imjjossible to lie, and, in the proper use of means, 
 look for all we need from him, who, with heaven 
 and earth at his command, is saying, " They that 
 seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." (e) 
 Difficulties may be great ; but, " is any thing too 
 hard for the Lord ?"(/) Times may be trying ; but 
 they are all in the hand of the Lord, and in him, 
 therefore, we are exhorted to " trust at all times. "(o-) 
 Circumstances may be perplexing, but all things work 
 together for good, to them that love God, to them 
 who are the called according to his purpose. (^) Let 
 each believer, then, recollect the injunction, " com- 
 mit thy way unto the Lord,"(?') and, in humble, holy 
 confidence, say, " The Lord will perfect that which 
 concernelh me."(^) As a church, let us adopt the 
 language of triumphant Israel: "God is our refuge 
 and strength, a very present help in trouble ; there- 
 fore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, 
 and though the mountains be carried into the midst 
 of the sea ; though the waters thereof roar and be 
 troubled, though the mountains shake with the swell- 
 ing thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams 
 
 (e) Psal. 34 : 10. (/) Gen. 18 : 14. 
 
 \g) Psal. 31 : 15, and 62 : 8. {h) Rom. 8 : 28. 
 
 ii) Psal. 37 : 6. {k) Ibid. 138 : 8. 
 
58 
 
 whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy 
 place of the tabernacles of the Most Hii^li. God is 
 in the midst of her ; [the church ;] she shall not be 
 moved ; God shall help her, and that right early." 
 Psal. 46 : 1—5. 
 
 Brethren, do you need additional excitements to 
 perseverance ? recollect the cause you have espous- 
 ed is the cause of God, and therefore must inevitably 
 succeed ; the warfare in which you are engaged is 
 that in which Jesus bled, and yet, bleeding, over- 
 came ; the enemies you oppose are the enemies of 
 Jehovah, and will, therefore, most certainly be sub- 
 dued. Do you contend with sin? "It shall not 
 have dominion over you ;"(/) — with Satan ? " The 
 God of peace shall bruise him under your feet short- 
 ly ;"(?/i) — with the allurements of the world ? " The 
 fashion of this world passeth away,"(;i) and " the 
 works that are therein shall be burnt up."(o) Victo- 
 ry ! Victory ! on the part of Zion, remember, is cer- 
 tain ; for God hath said unto her, " No weapon that 
 is formed against thee shall prosper ; and every 
 tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou 
 shalt condemn. "(p) Nor can the conflict be long. 
 Here I am reminded of an address to ancient Israel, 
 which I think not inapplicable, my brethren, to 
 you : " Your fathers, where are they V\q) But 
 
 (1) Rom. 6 : 14. (m.) Rom. 16 : 20. 
 
 (n) I Cor. 7 : 31. (o) 2 Pet. 3 . 10. 
 
 (p) Isai. 54 : 17. {q) Zech. 1 : 5. 
 
59 
 
 about half a century hath elapsed since the constitu- 
 tion of this church ; yet not even one person who 
 was a member then^ remains a member now. Where 
 are they ? With the exception only of one,* they 
 are gone to eternity ; and, we trust, through grace to 
 glory. Many also of those added since the constitu- 
 tion, have already been called from the church mili- 
 tant to the church triumphant. And you who re- 
 main are hastening to give place to another genera- 
 tion, both in the church and in the world. Some of 
 you already exhibit strong marks of decaying nature ; 
 and, in a few years at most (afflicting thought to those 
 who shall remain !) your sage advice will no longer 
 direct the councils, nor your silver locks grace the 
 assemblies of this church and society. May your 
 last days be your best days ! may you " come to the 
 grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in 
 in his season !"(r) and while the afflicted church shall 
 be lamenting their loss, may you be adoring before 
 the throne of God ! 
 
 Others of you are, it is true, yet in the vigor of 
 your days : nevertheless, be not dismayed under the 
 anticipation of remaining trials : many trials that you 
 anticipate may never occur ; and what though all you 
 anticipate, and thousands more should be realized ; 
 a covenant God can and will sustain you under them, 
 
 * Samuel Edmunds; see p. 10. 
 (r) Job. 5 : 26. 
 
60 
 
 and make you triumphant over them. Some of you, 
 probably, Hke many who have gone before, will be 
 called at noon ; called from the field of labor and 
 conflict, to the mansion of repose ; and from the 
 scorching sun of persecution and tribulation, to the 
 inexhaustible fountain of living waters. For Zion's 
 sake, however, it is desirable that many, and, if agree- 
 able to the Divine purpose, all of you might be con- 
 tinued " to a good old age" in the church below. Nor 
 should the prospect thereof discourage you ; for hu- 
 man life, at its greatest length, is likened but to a 
 span, and its rapidity to that of a weaver's shuttle. 
 How soon will it have past away ! Remember, then, 
 my dear young brethren and sisters, that soon you 
 will be viewed as the fathers and mothers in this our 
 Israel ; and consequently, that soon the care and gov- 
 ernment of this church will devolve upon you. Un- 
 der this impression, permit me to exhort you to be 
 much engaged in searching the scriptures, and in 
 praying to God for an understanding of them, that 
 you may possess the requisite knowledge of doctrine 
 and discipline ; also that you study to keep your 
 conversation garments unspotted, to be grave, sober- 
 minded, hindly affectiotied, and yet faithful one to 
 another ; that you endeavor to learn by the sufferings 
 and deliverances of this church, which you have wit- 
 nessed ; and by the steady, uniform, and scriptural 
 course of discipline which she has pursued : that so, 
 in knowledge, i?i imrify, and in faithfulness, you may 
 
61 
 
 be examples lo those who shall, hereafter, be as your 
 children in church relation. For your encourage- 
 ment, recollect that at every stage of your pilgrimage, 
 and finally, at the close of life, it will be your priv- 
 ilege as well as your duty to say, Hitherto hath the 
 Lord helped us. 
 
 In the address to ancient Israel, already noticed, it 
 is not only asked, ^^Youv fathers ^ where are they?" 
 but also " l^he pi'ophets, do they live for ever?" that 
 is, in this w^orld. No ; so neither do your pastors ; 
 your venerable Gano and your learned Foster^ have 
 long since laid by their trumpets and received their 
 crowns ; and the period is advancing on the rapid 
 current of time, when your poor servant w^ho now 
 addresses you, shall also finish his labors, and bid 
 adieu to the sanctuary of God on earth. He, how- 
 ever, who hath " obtained gifts for men," and who 
 hath hitherto supplied you, can supply you still ; may 
 he ever furnish you " a pastor after his own heart, 
 who shall feed you with knowledge and understand- 
 ing!" 
 
 A few words to the congregation. — Beloved hear- 
 ers, think, O think, how many of your acquaintance 
 who once attended with you here, have gone to their 
 eternal home : alas, how many without having given 
 any evidence of regeneration ! You are yet spared ; 
 for what purpose God only knows. O that it may 
 yet appear to have been, that your precious souls 
 might so hear as to live ! Many of you have been 
 G 
 
62 
 
 attendants here from early life; some of you have 
 attended until you have seen your children, and in a 
 few instances, your children's children, attend with 
 you ; yea, some of them become members of the 
 church ; but still (sad consideration) you are without, 
 and many of you, it is to be feared, are still dead in 
 sin. May God, that quickeneth the dead, make you 
 alive to himself, and fit you for a place in the spirit- 
 ual building ! Many of you, both old and young, 
 have been abundantly liberal in the temporalities of 
 this church, and friendly and useful under our vai'i- 
 ous sufferings ; for these favors please to accept our 
 unfeigned thanks, and permit us to say, we love you, 
 nnd long for your salvation. O that you may not 
 be like those who aided in the labor of building the 
 ark, and yet perished in the flood ! 
 
 To conclude ; may this church continue parallel 
 with time itself — may she ever see her foes disappoint- 
 ed, and her friends prospered, — may she enjoy many 
 and great effusions of the Holy Spirit, — receive into 
 her bosom frequent and numerous accessions of the 
 Lord's elect, — and, on her w ay to heaven, participate 
 the glory of the millennial kingdom. At every return 
 of her Jubilee, may her pastor continue her history ; 
 and may every succeeding record contain less of the 
 painful and more of the pleasing ; especially, may 
 there ever be found in her members a heart to say, 
 Hitherto hath the Lord helped vs ; until " the Lord 
 himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with 
 
63 
 
 the voice of the archangel, and with the trump ot" 
 God ;" and then, her members that shall have re- 
 mained on earth being changed, and those that shall 
 have fallen asleep being raised, may she, in all her 
 successive generations and mingling in the general 
 assembly of the Lord's redeemed, enter the gates, in- 
 herit the joys, and assist the songs of the heavenly 
 Jerusalem ! Even so, Lord Jesus. Amen and 
 Amen. 
 
SERMON, 
 
 DELiVERRD Iff 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE CITY OF NEW-YORK, 
 
 AUGUST 20th, 1812. 
 
 BKING A DAY RECOMMENDED BY THE AUTHORITIES OF THE 
 NATION AS A DAY OF 
 
 SPECIAL HUMILIATION AND PRAYER, 
 
 ON ACCOUNT OF 
 
 THE PRESENT WAR, 
 
 By AVM. PARKINSON, A.M., Pastor, 
 
 " He maketh wars to ceass," &c. Psalm xlvi. 9. 
 
 NEW-YORK: 
 
 RE- PUBLISH ED BY A FRIEND. 
 Jo'uQ Gray, Printer. 
 
 1846. 
 
SERMON ON WAR. 
 
 1 Chronicles 5 : IS — 22. 
 
 18. Tlie sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of 
 valiant men, able to bear buckler and sword, aud to shoot with bow, and skilful 
 in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred aud three-score, that 
 went out to the war. 
 
 19. Aud they made war with the Hagarite?, with Jetur and Nephisb, and No- 
 dab. 
 
 20. And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were delivered 
 into their hand, and all that were with them ; for they cried to God in the bat- 
 tle, and he was entreated of them, because they put their trust in him. 
 
 21. And they took away their cattle ; of their camels fifty thousand, a&d of 
 their eheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two thousand, and 
 of men an hundred thousand. 
 
 22. For there fell down many slain, because the war tca« of God. And they 
 dwelt in their steads until the captivity. 
 
 This piece of sacred history records the parties 
 and circumstances of an ancient war. 
 
 The "parties on the one side, the Israelites^ who 
 were the descendants oi Jacob, and on the other side, 
 the Hagarites, who were the posterity of Ishmael, 
 but called Hagarites, after Hagar, IshmaePs mother. 
 The branches of each family that were engaged in 
 the war are particularly named. Of the family of 
 Jacob, " the sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and 
 half the tribe of Manasseh;" who all lived together 
 
68 
 
 on the east of Jordan, and who are said to have been 
 *' valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, 
 and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war." v. 18. 
 And of the family of Ishmael, or the Hagarites, " Je- 
 tur, and Nephish, and Nodab,^^* that is the posteri- 
 ty of these men, and who were the sons of Ishmael. 
 Gen. 25 : 15. 
 
 The Circumstances : 
 
 1. '' The war was of God." v. 22. 
 
 2. It was waged on the part of God's Israel ; " they 
 made war." &c. v. 19. 
 
 3. The forces engaged were very unequal ; of the 
 Israelites, 44,760, v. 18, and of the Hagarites, pro- 
 bably three times that number; for, besides 100,000 
 of them taken prisoners, "there fell down many 
 slain." V. 21, 22. Yet 
 
 4. The conquest was on the side of Israel, v. 20. 
 
 5. The conquest was given them by divine inter- 
 position ; " they were helped against them, and the 
 Hagarites were delivered into their hands, and all 
 that were with them ;" that is all their possessions. 
 Ibid. 
 
 * Nodab is supposed to be the same with Kedemah, men- 
 tioned with Jetur and Nephish in the place referred to in 
 Genesis. — Dr. Gill in loc. Or perhaps he was the same with 
 Nebaioth, Ishmael's eldest son. Gen. 25 : 13. For as it 
 is not certain that any people, in scripture, are named after 
 him, it is probable that they who in heathen writers are 
 called Nabathaei were his descendants. So Dr^. Jackson 
 and Bs. Patrick. 
 
69 
 
 6. The success of Israel was in answer to prayer : 
 ** for they cried to God in the battle, and he was en- 
 treated of them, because they put theu- trust in him." 
 Ibid, 
 
 7. What the providence of God delivered to Is- 
 rael, they took ; and which furnishes an example of 
 what may be lawfully done in a lawful war. They 
 took men^ — of these 100,000, which alone was near 
 jSOOO more than twice the whole number of the ai*my 
 of Israel. They took property, — of camels 50,000, 
 of sheep 250,000, and of asses 2000, v. 21. They 
 took possession also of the enemy's territory, "and 
 dwelt in their steads until the captivity." v. 22. 
 
 As the text is entirely historical, the remarks al- 
 ready made must serve both for exposition and intro- 
 duction. 
 
 The subject, of which the text is a history, observe, 
 is WAR, and therefore, confessedly, a very extraor- 
 dinary one to be discussed in the palace of the 
 Prince of Peace. But, if the subject be extraordina- 
 ry, so also the time and the occasion. We are as- 
 sembled in a time of war, and agreeably to the recom- 
 mendation of the constituted authorities of our coun- 
 try, for special humiliation and prayer. Humilia- 
 tion for our sins which have contributed to the com- 
 mon mass of national guilt, for which our country is 
 visited ; and prayer, that God, the only proper object 
 of our hope, would interpose his mercy and power in 
 behalf of these United States. Nor is it the design 
 
70 
 
 of the speaker, by any means to increase, but by all 
 means to moderate that flame of contention \\Lich, 
 :iiiiong our citizens, already burns — nor to provoke 
 to greater outrage, but if possible, in some measure to 
 roiiciliate those parties which, to the great injury of 
 our countiy, and the triumph of its enemies, already 
 exist. 
 
 Ill the prosecution of this design, it is proposed to 
 
 i. That such evils accompany war, as make it al- 
 ways to be deprecated. 
 
 II. That, notwithstanding these evils, a nation may 
 be so treated by another, as to justify, on her part, a 
 declaration of war, and that the same cannot be avoid- 
 ed consistently with her dignity, her safety, or even 
 her independence. 
 
 III. What concern God has in war: " The war 
 was of God," and 
 
 IV. What measures, especially in a moral point 
 of view, are proper for a nation to take in relation to 
 wai- — when exempted from it — when threatened with 
 it — and when involved in it. 
 
 J. That such evils accompany war, as make it al- 
 ways to be deprecated. 
 
 JFar necessarily occasions an increase of taxa- 
 tion. This, in a free country is, to be sure, the less 
 oppressive by being only ijiternal, — and under an 
 elective and representative government like ours, 
 
71 
 
 si ill less so, by being voluntary, both^the ratio of the 
 tax and the articles subject to it, being determined 
 by men chosen by the people. Nevertheless, the 
 revenue must be collected, and, of course, the burden 
 felt. 
 
 TFar occasions, inevitably, an interruption of com- 
 merce ; and thus while it increases expense, both 
 public and private, it also lessens the means of de- 
 fraying it. In times of war, the produce of the coun- 
 try has chiefly, if not wholly, but an internal con- 
 sumption, and consequently the harvests of the hus- 
 bandman either remain in his granaries, or are vend- 
 ed at a price not equivalent, either to his toils or his 
 expenses. The ships of the merchant, if not appro- 
 priated to the purposes of war, are in a state either of 
 perpetual hazard abroad, or of decay at heme. A nd 
 tlie honest mechanic, with perhaps a numerous as 
 well as dependent family, is without employ, or em- 
 ployed at wages, not adequate to the support of him- 
 self, and those dependent on him. 
 
 These evils, though considerable, are neveitheless 
 small when compared Y^dth others arising from ilie 
 same source. 
 
 A separation of the nearest relatives, and loss of 
 the choicest comforts of natural, civil, and social 
 life, are among the invariable concomitants of uv/r. 
 Think for a moment of such a number of our valua- 
 ble citizens, of different ranks and ages, and from all 
 parts of the union, as would be requisite to constitute 
 
72 
 
 an army and a navy sufficient to contend with a potent 
 enemy — think of these taking leave of their homes 
 and connexions for the place of danger. How af- 
 fecting the objects that are presented to view ! — Whole 
 families bathed in tears, and overwhelmed in grief! — 
 Nor dare we disapprove ; — the occasion demands it — 
 at least the sensibility and sympathy of parents, 
 wives, and sisters, sufficiendy account for it — and 
 even the brave soldier, or the valiant officer must be 
 excused should he drop a tear. 
 
 This still is but as the " beginning of sorrows." 
 For leaving their families to the inconveniences, 
 griefs, and anxieties naturally resulting from their be- 
 reavement, we must now spend a thought on the 
 toils, the dangers, and the apprehensions of our be- 
 loved fellow citizens, gone, as with their lives in their 
 hands, to fight our battles, and maintain our rights. 
 See them encountering either the hazards of the con- 
 flicting elements upon the mighty ocean, or the ri- 
 gors of the various seasons, in long and fatiguing 
 marches by land. Or view them actually engaged in 
 battle, and facing ten thousand shafts of death ! How 
 eventful the hour ! Ah ! ye fond connexions left 
 behind, could ye witness the bloody conffict, how 
 would your hearts beat with painful expectation ! 
 The sanguinary scene is past ; — and perhaps thou- 
 sands of immortal souls are hurried to the bar of 
 God, to give an account for " the deeds done in the 
 body." This, were it but once to occur, would be im- 
 
portant ; — but probably It must be often, very often 
 repeated, before the balance of national power be 
 decided, the murderous process terminated, and the 
 instruments of death ao-ain immured. 
 
 o 
 
 War, especially when, like that of the American 
 revolution and most of the modern wars in Europe, 
 it inundates the country, always becomes an inter- 
 ruption of public worship, and an obstacle to learning 
 and science, and the cultivation and improvement of 
 all the useful arts. Houses of worship and semina- 
 ries of learning, are, under such circumstances, com- 
 monly closed and abandoned ; and if taken by the 
 enemy, usually converted into barracks for soldiers, 
 or perhaps stables for horses. That such was the 
 fate of public buildings in this and other cities on our 
 continent, during the revolutionary war, is well recol- 
 lected by many in this assembly. 
 
 War, moreover, is a fruitful source of almost all 
 manner of wickedness. Not to speak of that flood 
 of immoraUty which commonly attends an army, and 
 which more or less disseminates its baneful influence 
 among all classes of society, war has its very origin 
 in wickedness : " Whence come wars and fightings 
 among you ? Oome they not hence even of your 
 lusts?" Jas. 5:1. As between individuals or 
 families, so between nations, whenever war occurs, 
 there must be, on one side at least, an egregious de- 
 parture from equity and justice, and which can only 
 proceed from the lusts of the human heart ; such as 
 7 
 
74 
 
 resentment, envy, and jealousy; restless ambition, 
 false glory, wantonness of power, or perhaps a mere 
 thirst for dominion. When these lusts predominate, 
 right is forgotten, national charters are disregarded, 
 and the most solemn treaties wantonly violated. Yes, 
 to gratify these detestable passions, armies, consisting 
 of thousands, have been deliberately sacrificed, and 
 multitudes, which no man can number, have been 
 precipitately launched into the world of spirits. Alas, 
 how many into the world of misery ! 
 
 When these, and many other evils that might be 
 mentioned, as accompanying war, are duly consider- 
 ed, surely no one can doubt that war is always to be 
 deprecated. Nevertheless, I proceed to show, 
 
 II. That a nation may be so treated by another, 
 as to justify, on her part, a declaration of war, and 
 that the same cannot be avoided, consistently with 
 her dignity, her safety, and even her independence. 
 
 In this dilemma a nation is involved when another, 
 in reference to her, violates, — perseveringly violates, 
 the law of nations. This law I define thus : — It is 
 the common consent of civil authorities, from time im- 
 memorial^ that all free and indeyendent nations pos-^ 
 sess equal rights and are entitled to equal privileges. 
 By this consent nations are constituted a society, 
 differing only as to magnitude, from that which ob- 
 tains among individual free men. Hence, as among 
 individuals, so among nations equally fi-ee and sove- 
 reign, no one can claim the right of dictating another ; 
 
75 
 
 nor do it, without violating, as in the one case the 
 law of civil society, so in the other that of national 
 usage. 
 
 Suppose, for the sake of illustration,* that one 
 man, though free, should presume to enjoin his will 
 upon another equally free, — suppose he should say 
 to him. You shall neither buy nor sell at such or such 
 a market ; — or, finding him on the highway, going 
 to or returning from market, he should forcibly take 
 away his property and injure his person : — Or sup- 
 pose that, seeing him in the pursuit of some profita- 
 ble business, he should tell him, You shall pursue 
 that business no longer; perhaps because he is in 
 it himself and wishes to monopolize the profits ; or 
 possibly, because he is so circumstanced as not to 
 be able to engage in it, and therefore grudges his 
 neighbor the advantage. Again, suppose he should 
 fancy it to be the duty of this man whom he has un- 
 dertaken to control, to be the enemy of every man to 
 whom he is an enemy, and should treat the man him- 
 self as an enemy when he thinks and acts otherwise : 
 — or, supposing that, envying the peace and pros- 
 perity of this certain man, he should employ his in- 
 fluence, by secret missions, bribery, &c., to move 
 his neighbors to commit depredations upon his prop- 
 erty, or to excite his own family to mutiny ; — in fine. 
 
 * This mode of illustration, it is hoped, will be excused by 
 those who do not need it. 
 
76 
 
 suppose him to demand of this man, as a matter of 
 superior right, any act whatever, as a token of infe^ 
 riority or submission : — suppose, I say, any one of 
 the things mentioned, and you suppose what is a vi- 
 olation of the common rights of free men. Can you 
 then for a moment hesitate as to the duty of the citi- 
 zen thus insuhed ! — thus injured ! — ^If, indeed, he 
 possess no means of self-defence — no means of teach- 
 ing his insolent neighbor his duty, and of showing 
 to others that he is a free man, then, to be sure, he 
 must peaceably submit. And if so, where his dig- 
 nity, his safety, and his freedom ? They no longer 
 exist. But, if the requisite means be at his com- 
 mand, then say you, and I believe with united voice, 
 let him avail himself of them — let him, without a mo- 
 ment's delay, repel the attacks of the lawless usurper, 
 and assert and maintain his own rights* 
 
 The application to nations is perfectly convenient. 
 If among the society of nations equally free and 
 sovereign, any one presume to make her will the rule 
 of another's conduct ; if, for instance, she prohibit, 
 or attempt to prohibit, a free and neutral sister, the 
 right of trade, at any port not legally blockaded and 
 in articles not contraband ; — if she authorize, or (un- 
 remunerated) permit her armed vessels to molest the 
 merchant ships of her peaceable sister, — especially 
 to plunder her property, and either to kill or to im- 
 press her seamen ; — if she attempt any monopoly, or 
 even any superior right upon the high seas, whichi 
 
77 
 
 not only by the law of nations, but also of nature and 
 of nature's God, are equally free to all ; — if she use 
 her influence by any means to excite the neighbors 
 of a sister nation to acts of aggression against her, or 
 to promote among her own people, disaffection to her 
 government, and disunion of her members ; — if, I 
 say, a nation do these things, then is she guilty of 
 conduct similar to that supposed of a wicked, haugh- 
 ty, and domineering individual, and is worthy of the 
 same treatment to which, in your minds, that indi- 
 vidual hath been already adjudged. 
 
 Now, how far the conduct of Great Britain toward 
 this country, for at least five years past, hath assimi- 
 lated her to such an individual, I leave you, my fel- 
 low-citizens, to think for yourselves, claiming to my- 
 self, as a free man, the right of doing the same. But 
 supposing the similitude to be appropriate, and that 
 the acts supposed, have been really committed: — can 
 there, under such a supposition, a single doubt re- 
 main as to the course which this country, in return, 
 ought to have pursued? If, indeed, these insults 
 and depredations had not been repeated — had they 
 not been often repeated, — and had not a disposition 
 been manifested, still to repeat them, it might have 
 been well, on the part of this country, tc have for- 
 borne. But having given no provocation to such 
 treatment, having used, in vain, all honorable means 
 to prevent it, and having already sustained considera- 
 ble loss, not only of property and reputation, but 
 7* 
 
78 
 
 even of blood ; and this, all this, having been wan- 
 tonly continued, until hope had become folly, and 
 delay subjection ; there remained, of course, for our 
 insulted, injured country, but two objects of choice : 
 — Either she must tamely and dastardly submit to 
 the dictates and oppressions of imperious Britain, and 
 so make, at once, a surrender of her rights, and an 
 acknowledgment that she is no longer free ; or, in 
 the noble spirit of '76, call together her patriotic 
 sons — vest them with authority — furnish them with 
 arms, and say to them. Go, — go by sea and land, — 
 go vindicate my rights, avenge my wrongs, and main- 
 tain my LIBERTY, the bounteous gift of heaven, and 
 the invaluable price of your fathers' blood. The 
 former she has nobly disdained, — the latter, by her 
 constituted authorities, she has honorably, solemnly, 
 and seasonably done. Nor was ever a mother's man- 
 date more promptly obeyed. No sooner had it 
 reached the ears of her free-born sons, than her flag 
 was seen waving from every principal port on her 
 meandering coast, and her standard planted, with her 
 banner unfurled, at many of the principal avenues to 
 the enemy, on her extensive frontier. And for what 
 purpose ? Not to invade the rights of others, but to 
 protect her own : and to do which, we are taught, not 
 only by the impulse of nature and the dictate of rea- 
 son, but by the voice of Revelation itself:* — yea, not 
 
 * 2 Chron. 20 : 15. 
 
79 
 
 to do it, were to sanction the vices of a rapacious foe, 
 and to pour contempt on the favors of God. This, 
 however, will become more evident, while I attempt 
 to show 
 
 III. What concern God has in war. " The war 
 was of God." Text. 
 
 His concern in this, as in all human ailairs, though 
 not always manifest, at least not in the same degree, 
 yet always exists. And that not merely " as in him 
 we live, and move, and have our being ;"* but also, 
 as by him all our changes are meted : — '* God is the 
 judge ; he putteth down one, and setteth up another." t 
 *• I," saith he, " form the light and create darkness ; 
 I make peace and create evil ; I, the Lord, do all 
 these things."! However strange, it is nevertheless 
 evident, that God, for reasons cei-Uiinhj known, only 
 to himself, did, at an early period of the w^orld, dis- 
 cover that his secret arrangements, in relation to the 
 human family, provided for war : hence the remarka- 
 ble government which he gave to the ancient He- 
 brews, — a government in which all the males of Is- 
 rael, able to bear arms, were, by divine command, 
 divided, under several captains, into companies of 
 thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens ; ready for the 
 field, whenever the circumstances of the nation ren- 
 dered it necessary. Shall this be urged as furnishing 
 an example of a standing army? Certainly not> 
 
 ♦ Acts 17 : 28. f Psalm 75 : 7, % Isaiah 45 : 7, 
 
80 
 
 without either much ignorance or much sophistry. 
 For the Israelites were not, Uke a standing army^ a 
 standing expense, and a standing nuisance to the na- 
 tion ; nor, like that, an engine at the command of a 
 lawless tyrant, to impose his will upon the people. 
 No ; but rather like an enrolled and well regulated 
 militia, — in peace, pursuing their civil employments 
 and defraying their own expenses, and yet bestowing 
 so much attention on the cultivation of military skill, 
 as to be ready, on any emergency, to repair to the 
 theatre of action. I am aware that it may be said, 
 that God, in the arrangements made for war among 
 the ancient Hebrews, had a mystical design ; — that 
 the warlike state of the Hebrews was to prefigure that 
 of the gospel church ; and that the wars they were 
 commanded to wage, and the conquests they were 
 enabled to gain, were typical of the wars which we 
 are commanded to wage with our spiritual enemies, 
 and the conquests which, through grace, we are en- 
 couraged to expect. All this is readily granted. 
 But were the Hebrews influenced by these consid- 
 erations ? Or did they not rather act from the com- 
 mon motives which influence soldiers ? or, at most, 
 from a sense of present duty ; — while the mystical 
 design remained to be understood by the gospel 
 church, under the superior light of the gospel dis- 
 pensation.* So, no doubt, God has had a design 
 
 ♦ Eph, 6 : 1 1—17. 
 
81 
 
 no less important and no less worthy of himself, in 
 all the wars, both ancient and modern, since the 
 commencement of this dispensation ; nevertheless, 
 that design remains to be understood by the church 
 in the greater light of her millennial glory, or per- 
 haps not fully until she arrives in heaven.* 
 
 That God has a concern in war, appears in its 
 commencement, its progress, and its termination. 
 
 In its commencement. That he had such a con- 
 cern in that war of which our text is a record, is plain- 
 ly asserted : " The war z^'as of God." In this, how- 
 ever, as in all other events which give occasion for the 
 exercise of human corruptions, w^e must always dis- 
 tinguish between these corruptions and God's control 
 of them. War, as already noticed, proceeds, on the 
 part of men, from their lusts ; nevertheless, even 
 these, in then* propensity to w^ar, as to every other 
 outrage, are subject to the overruling power of God, 
 as much as the elements of nature ; and his address 
 to the raging ocean, is no less applicable to depraved 
 man : " Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further ; — 
 here shall thy proud waves be stayed."t " The king's 
 heart," and so the heart of every human ruler and 
 of every human being, " is in the hand of the Lord, as 
 the rivers of water ; he turneth it whithersoever he 
 will."t Hence, 
 
 ♦ Matt. 24 : 6, 7. Rev. 19 : 17, 18. Isai. 30 : 26. John 
 13 : 7. 
 
 t Job 38 : U. tProv. 21 ; 1. 
 
83 
 
 Sometimes when men determine war, God pre- 
 vents it ; either by checking their lusts, or frustrating 
 their designs.* 
 
 At other times, he not only permits in his holy 
 providence, circumstances to occur, which call those 
 corruptions into exercise, but also leaves men to pur- 
 sue their dictates, either to conquest or to ruin, as 
 he, in his righteous sovereignty may have deter- 
 mined.t 
 
 And there are also instances in which, either by a 
 strange concurrence of providences, or by some mys- 
 terious, ineffable and inconceivable impulse upon 
 the minds of men, God manifests his concern in war, 
 by actually stimulating to it : '' The God of Israel 
 stirred up the spirit of Pul and the spirit of Tilgath- 
 pilneser, kings of Assyria," to make war against Is- 
 rael. — 1 Chron. 5 : 26. Do we find our hearts ri- 
 sing in opposition to such sovereignty? Let it re- 
 mind us that we are depraved, and are not yet in due 
 submission to Him, who is saying, " Be still, and 
 know that I am God." Psalm 46 : 10. 
 
 As God has a concern in the commencement, so 
 also in the pi'ogress of war — which is long or short, 
 severe or moderate, according to his sovereign con- 
 trol. 
 
 * 1 Sam. 23 : 7—17. and 25 : 26, 34, and 1 Kings 12 ; 
 22—24. 
 
 f 1 Sam. 4 : 9, 10 ; 2 Chron. 35 : 20—24 ; Deut. 1 : 
 42—44 . 
 
S3 
 
 As the hearts of all are in his hand, he iniboldens 
 or intimidates them at pleasm-e.* 
 
 As " unto" him " belong the issues from death.*' 
 Psalm 68 : 20. It cannot be reasonably doubted 
 that the shafts of battle, as well as of disease, are all 
 directed by his sovereign hand. Witness the stone 
 from David's sling, which prostrated the vaunting 
 Philistine, and the arrow from the "bow, which a 
 certain man drew at a venture," but which, divinely 
 directed, penetrated, — fatally penetrated "the king 
 of Israel betw^een the joints of the harness."t Yea, if 
 not a sparrow, much less a man, can fall to the ground 
 without his will. Matt. 10 : 29. 
 
 Besides ; as at all times and places in common, 
 the destinies of all men and of all nations are in his 
 power,t 30 undoubtedly, in times of war, and at the 
 place of battle. If not, why the exhortation, " Trust 
 ye in him at all times ?" Psalm 62 : 8, — or why did 
 God himself say to Israel, " The battle is not yours, 
 but God's." 2 Chron. 20 : 15. 
 
 Nor is the concern which God has in the war, any 
 less manifest in its termination. " He maketh wars to 
 cease." Psalm 46 : 9. And, as of him is the deci- 
 sion of the contest so also the disposal of the conquest. 
 " The battle is the Lord's." 1 Sam. 17 : 47. Men, 
 
 * 2 Chron. 20 : 29, and 2 Kings 7 : 6. 
 t 1 Sam. 17 : 49 ; 1 Kings 22 : 34. 
 X 2 Chron. 20 : 6; Psalm 31 : 15. 
 
S4 
 
 indeed, commonly view these events as depending 
 wholly on the comparative numbers and military skill 
 of the forces engaged ; or, if any thing extraordinary 
 occm-, they attribute it usually to mere chance ; but 
 in reality, they are like the lot, " The whole dispos- 
 ing^ thereof is of the Lord." Prov. 16 : 33. That 
 " the battle," as remarked by the wise man, " is not 
 to the strong," i. e. not always, or not merely because 
 strong, is evident from our text ; for the Israelites, 
 compared with the Hagarites, were but few ; yet be- 
 ing " helped," divinely helped " against them, the 
 Hagarites were delivered into their hand, and all that 
 were with them," i. e. all their possessions. That 
 these events, however, depend on divine interposi- 
 tion, no one surely can doubt, who for a moment re- 
 views them in relation to the revolutionary war in this 
 country ; for then, to use the language of scripture, 
 *' One chased a thousand, and two put ten thousand 
 to flight ;" and why ? Because the war, like that 
 recorded in the text, was of God. He moved our 
 fathers to engage in it — he conducted them through 
 the whole process, and he crowned them with victo- 
 ry and triumph. 
 
 From the consideration of the concern which God 
 has in war, I proceed to show, 
 
 IV. What measures, especially in a moral point of 
 view, are proper for a nation to take in relation to 
 war, — when exempted from it — when threatened with 
 it, and when involved in it. 
 
First. When exempted from it. 
 
 Dming such times, the greatest care should be 
 taken to preserve neutrahty. To this the situation 
 of the United States is pecuUarly favorable ; being 
 so widely separated by water from every other na- 
 tion, from which a war of any consequence could be 
 apprehended. The principles of neutrality are often 
 violated by presumptuous individuals : but this evil 
 it is in the power of government easily to remedy, 
 by chastisement and remuneration. O that proud 
 England had dooe this ! Then had not our govern- 
 ment, at this time, been driven to the last, the lamen- 
 table resort of injured nations. 
 
 While exempt from war, it is of primary impor- 
 tance in preserving the blessings of peace, that the peo- 
 ple preserve unity of sentiment on the principal mea- 
 sures of government : strict adherence to the consti- 
 tution, the great charter of national rights, and a 
 proper submission to " the powers that be."* It may 
 indeed, often occur, that men in office act unworthy 
 the trust reposed in them ; but, in such cases, the rem- 
 edy lies not in faction, riot and defamation, but in 
 elections. When these return, it is the privilege of 
 the sovereign people to withhold their suffrages from 
 those who have abused their confidence, and to give 
 them to other and better men. 
 
 But, above all, a nation, while exempt from the 
 
 * Romans 13 : 1. 
 
 8 
 
86 
 
 evils of war, should habitually acknowledge God as 
 the author and preserver of the blessings of peace. 
 When he is forgotten, and the blessings enjoyed are 
 ascribed to the merit of the people — the management 
 of rulers — military power — or, indeed to any cause 
 whatever, short of divine goodness, there is reason 
 to expect public trouble at least, and, without national 
 reformation, the scourge of war. '• If," said God to 
 the joeople of Israel, and which is not inapplicable 
 to the 2>eople of these United States, — -"If ye be 
 willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the 
 land ; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devour^ 
 ed with the sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath 
 spoken it."* To this means of advancing either the 
 prosperity, or the ruin of the nation, every individual 
 may contribute, as he may contribute either to that 
 morality, that " righteousness which exalte th a na- 
 tion," or to that immorality, that " sin which is the 
 disgrace of any people. "t However, when the mor- 
 al character of a nation is taken into view, there are 
 two classes in the community which require a more 
 than ordinary attention. '] 
 
 The one class intended, unites those who, in the 
 providence of God, are called by the voice of the 
 people, to transact the civil affairs of the nation ; 
 whether by enacting laws or administering govern- 
 ment. And as the moral qualifications requisite hi 
 
 * Isai. 1 : 19, 20. f Piov. 14 : 34. 
 
87 
 
 these men are so much the topic of popular clamor, 
 it may be proper, on this occasion, in some measure, 
 to investigate that subject. 
 
 It is contended by many, that they ought to be 
 religious men. If by religious be meant regenerate, 
 then is it indeed essential that they be religious men. 
 Not, however, to qualify them to be statesmen ; for as 
 their work, in that capacity, is wholly of a natural 
 and civil kind, so also the qualifications, requisite to 
 perform it ; but, in order to their own eternal salva- 
 tion, — for God respects no man's person ; — and 
 " Except a man," whether great or small, " be born 
 again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 
 3 : 3. 
 
 But is it not awfully to be feare:!, that the greater 
 part of those who make such an oatciy against states- 
 men, wdiom they deem irreligious, are themselves 
 strangers to experimental religion ; and that their 
 ideas of religious men extend no furtJier than to men 
 who, by education or otherwise, are cinnected with 
 some religious sect, attend public worship, and ap- 
 proach the Lord's table. But who does not discov- 
 er that all this may be true of men, strangers to a 
 work of grace upon the heart, and even of deists ? 
 That it is the duty of those who possess religion, to 
 profess it, and the privilege of those who have been 
 enabled to rely on the merits of Christ for salvation, 
 to commemorate his sufferings in the ordinance of the 
 supper, is heartily admitted ; but to make a profes- 
 
88 
 
 ^>ion of religion, especially a partaking at the Lord'.s 
 table, a test of qualification for civil office, is to hold 
 out a strong, if not the strongest inducement to hypoc- 
 risy and imjjiety. Should it be said, they ought to 
 believe ; as well might it be said, they ought to keep 
 the whole moral law, and so to hepcifect.* But du- 
 ty and ability are two things. And whoever makes 
 such an observation proves, to me, that he is an utter 
 stranger to living faith, or he would know it to be, 
 not at the command of the creature, but the gift of 
 God, and a fruit of the Holy Ghost.t If it be said, 
 that it is the duty of men in public life, to observe, 
 and treat with respect, the externals of religion, | it 
 is on 'y saying what I admit and contend is the duty 
 of men in common. For the command of Christ, 
 
 * Matt. 22 : 37—40. f Eph. 2 : 8, and Gal. 5 : 22. 
 
 t Neglect of this duty hath been attributed to our Chief 
 Magistrate, and to his worthy predecessor, and on which 
 account they have been stigmatized as Deists. The charge 
 is not true;* and if it were, it could no more prove them to 
 be deists, than neglect of the same duty proves many others 
 to be so, who nevertheless stand high with their calumnia- 
 tors. Whether those great men thus abused, are subjects 
 of grace or not, is known only to God ; but of their being 
 deists, I am bound to believe that there is no more evidence 
 than of moral men in common being so, who make no pro- 
 fession of experimental religion. 
 
 '^ Thomas JcfTcrson constantly attended my ministry during the three years 
 1 was Chaplain to Congress, 
 
89 
 
 " Search the scriptures,"* is binding on all, and the 
 injunction on his ministers, " Preach the gospel to 
 every creature, "t plainly im^Dlies the duty of every 
 creature to attend where it is preached. But to con- 
 tend, as many seem to do, that it is the duty of 
 statesmen! to profess experimental religion, and to 
 partake at the Lord's table, to set an example to oth- 
 ers, is to contend that it is their duty to be hypocrites, 
 in order to influence others to be so, and to " eat and 
 drink damncUion^'*'' that h condemnation, ox judgment, 
 or guilt,^ to themselves, that, by their example, they 
 may teach others to do the same. From such hy- 
 pocrisy and wickedness " good Lord deliver us !" 
 That it is not the object of those who reason in that 
 way, to induce the men now in office in the United 
 States to become guilty of such crimes, that so they 
 might peaceably retain their several stations, is read- 
 ily admitted ; for their object, on the contrary, is to 
 have them removed : and why ? Not, surely, be- 
 cause they refuse to be guilty of hypocjisy and imjfi- 
 ety ! No ; but that they might fill the offices they 
 
 * Johns : 39. f Mark 16 : 15. 
 
 X That is, because statesmen ; though they shoukl be uu- 
 regenerate. 
 
 § 1 Cor. 11 : 27 — 29. From which scripture it is evident 
 that faith is essential to an evangelical participation in that 
 sacred ordinance, as without it none can discern the Lord's 
 body. 
 
90 
 
 hold with men of different politics. Should they 
 succeed, I pray God that they may not be per- 
 mitted to substitute men already guilty, or who are 
 capable of becoming guilty of such deception and 
 iniquity, in order to secure their favor ! For of all 
 men that might be put into power, such are the most 
 dangerous.* Nor does that, in my humble opinion, 
 necessarily follow, in the event of such a change ; for 
 although our citizens have been, unhappily, long di- 
 vided and distinguished by the appellations of Fed- 
 eralist and Reyuhlican, I have always thought, and 
 now think, that there are men of equal integrity, abili- 
 ties, and patriotism on both sides. And, indeed, the 
 distinction itself is as unfounded as it is impolitic : 
 for, under our government, no man can be a Feder- 
 alist without being a Republican, nor a Republican, 
 without being a Federalist ; the one having respect 
 to the confederacy of the states, the other to the sov- 
 ereignty of the people ; and both being comprehend- 
 ed in our excellent constitution. 
 
 * Even Gallio, who *' cared for none of these things," bet- 
 ter understood civil authority, and civil rights, and was more 
 favorable to the Apostles than the Jews, especially the 
 priests, who were great religionists. Acts 18 : 12 — 17. And 
 if some in our country, who are called christian ministers, 
 or others who adhere to them, were in power, how soon, 
 alas, would the people be shackled with a religious, orraih- 
 «i« au irreligious establishment ! 
 
91 
 
 After begging forgiveness for so lengthy a digres- 
 sion, I come to offer rny own opinion as to the 
 moral qualifications that are desirable in statesmen, 
 and the manner in which, as such, they ought to ac- 
 knowledge God. 
 
 Their moral qualifications : They ouglit to be 
 
 1. Men of good morals, and 
 
 2. Men of liberal sentiments ; — men rightly un- 
 derstanding and duly appreciating the natural and 
 unalienable rights of conscience ; — men who, though 
 entitled, in common with other men, to the right of 
 religious opinion, and the choice of religious society, 
 yet claim no right to control the consciences of oth- 
 ers, nor to dictate, in matters of religion, to their 
 fellowwTien. 
 
 The mctnncT in ivhich they, in their official capaci- 
 ty^ ought to aclcnowledge God. This they should do 
 
 1. By submitting to him alone, the rights of con- 
 science, and, consequently, leaving all sects and all 
 individuals to worship him, in that way and manner 
 which, to them, shall appear to be most acceptable 
 unto him ; provided, however, that nothing in their 
 customs and manners shall interfere with the rights 
 of others, nor with the peace and good order of civil 
 society. 
 
 2. By discharging their official duties with an in- 
 tegrity becoming the solemnities under which they 
 entered into office, and in which they called upon 
 him to witness their obligations. 
 
 3. By acknowledging, at times of special emer- 
 
92 
 
 gency, their need of his special direction, and re- 
 questing their constituents to unite with them in im- 
 ploring it. 
 
 The other class of the community deserving spe- 
 cial consideration, are professors of the christian reli- 
 gion. And our duties, my brethren, in relation to 
 the subject before us, are concisely and specifically 
 stated in these words of our blessed Master : " Ren- 
 der unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and 
 unto God, the things that are God's." Matt. 22 : 21. 
 That is, unto civil authority, render obedience in 
 civil things, and unto God, and to him only, render 
 obedience in spiritual things ; that so while they at- 
 tend to the duties of the one, they may not neglect 
 those of the other. Christians should recollect that, 
 as they " are the salt of the earth," in common, so 
 in particular of the nations in which they respectively 
 dwell ; and therefore that, as it is their duty to use all 
 means to preserve peace and good order in the 
 churches, with which they are connected, so also in 
 the nations to which they belong. Especially they 
 should be in the habit of returning thanks to God, as 
 for all other blessings, so for the peace and prosperity 
 of their nation, and of praying for *' all that are in au- 
 thority ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life 
 in all godliness and honesty." 1 Tim. 2 : 2. 
 
 As there are certain measures in relation to war, 
 proper to be taken by a nation when exempted from 
 it, so 
 
 Secondly. When threatened with it. Here much 
 
93 
 
 might be said as to erecting fortifications, preparing 
 military stores, raising and arranging forces, &c., &c., 
 but these I leave to statesmen, confining myself to 
 what is of a moral nature, and which, therefore, 
 comes more immediately within my province. 
 
 As vjar, like every other judgment, is procured by 
 sin, the first act of a nation when threatened with it, 
 should be public humiliation. And this, as all are 
 equally concerned, ought to be as general as possi- 
 ble ; and therefore it is proper that a day or days for 
 that purpose be recommended by the national gov- 
 ernment. Not indeed to make it the duty of the 
 people to fast and pray ; for that is already done by 
 the authority of God himself, and by the example of 
 his ancient servants ;* and if it were not, no human 
 authority could make it so ;t but to secure the object 
 just mentioned, unanimity : that so, from all the wor- 
 shipping assemblies in the nation, the cries of the 
 saints may ascend in one common and united prayer 
 to the throne of mercy, for pardon of accumulated 
 guilt, and preservation from threatened evil. Such 
 
 * Zech. 8 : 19. Luke 5 : 35. Ezra 8 : 21—23. Jer. 
 36 : 9. Joel 2 : 15—18. This, indeed, like all other ex- 
 ternal acts of religion, may be enjoined and observed both 
 by public and private persons, as a mere specious show of 
 piety, and then it is an abomination to God. See 1 Kings 
 21 : 7—13. Isai. 58 : 2—7. Matt. 6 : 16. But the abuse 
 of a duty can never nullify it. 
 
 f Matt. 15 : 9. 
 
94 
 
 was the counsel of king Jehosaphat, and such the 
 conduct of all Judea. 2 Chron. 20 : 3, 4. 
 
 But suppose the cloud should still thicken, and 
 either submission or war become inevitable ; it is 
 then the duty of the constituted authorities of the na- 
 tion to act as recommended in the case supposed by 
 Christ; Luke 14 : 31, 32, that is, to consult whether 
 they possess a sufficient power to afford a reasonable 
 probability of success, should they engage in war ; 
 if not, let them propose peace, which is to be pre- 
 ferred on almost any terms, rather than a wanton and 
 unsuccessful effusion of blood ; but if a sufficient 
 force be at command to defend the rights, and pre- 
 serve the property of themselves and their constitu- 
 ents, let them recommend an immediate appeal to 
 arms, and let all the people heartily acquiesce.* 
 Hence 
 
 Thirdly. The measures which, in relation to w^ar, 
 are proper for a nation to take, when involved in it. 
 This, at least, as to form, is the present condition of 
 these United States. And although I make no pre- 
 tensions to special discernment, and much less to a 
 spirit of prophecy, yet as I have uniformly said for 
 seven years past, I still say, that, of war in this coun- 
 try, there will be little more than the form. This 
 opinion is founded in the firm persuasion that all the 
 
 * This is plainly implied in the supposed case already al- 
 luded to. 
 
95 
 
 modern wars that have occurred among the nations 
 of the earth, are procured by that anti-christian abom- 
 ination, a U7iio?i of church and state; and as this 
 abomination does not exist in our country, and is not 
 provided for in our national constitution, so neither 
 shall we share in the " overflowing; scour2:e" which 
 is designed to remove it. At Canada indeed it ex- 
 ists, and British squadrons under the sanction of it, 
 are cruising on our coasts ; and therefore it is with- 
 in the limits of my opinion already expressed, that it 
 may in those situations, occasion distress and blood- 
 shed. And as it hath been attempted in some of our 
 eastern states, what degree of trouble they may ex- 
 perience on account of it, I will not pretend to de- 
 termine. Of this, however, I have no doubt, that all 
 governments under heaven, in which that abomina- 
 tion has a being, must be shaken to their centre, and 
 so changed in their forms, as to be no longer, as they 
 now are, obstacles to the " free course" of the gos- 
 pel, and the equal enjoyment of civil and religious 
 liberty. The government of the Jevrs, which was 
 originally a theocracy, became, indeed, by divine per- 
 mission,* a monarchy ; and the Jewish nation, with 
 their two-fold officers of kings and priests, was, it is 
 admitted, a figure of the gospel church ; but then, as 
 the antitype of their offerings was found in the saci'l- 
 jice^^ so that of their kings and priests in the 'j)ersoii 
 
 * 1 Sam 8:7. f Fleb. 9 : 11 — 14. 
 
96 
 
 of the MESSIAH,* who is not only the substance 
 of preceding shadows, but also at once " King in 
 Zion," and the great High Priest of our profession. 
 Hence, as at his death, the Aaronic order and cere- 
 monial service of right for ever ceased, t so at his 
 resurrection^ the power and authority of all human 
 kings. Nevertheless, as the ceremonies of the law 
 were presumptuously persisted in by the Jews, until 
 the destruction of Jerusalem, w4ien it was no longer 
 possible, the temple and its furniture being destroyed ; 
 so have the nations of the earth presumptuously per- 
 sisted, and will continue so to persist, in the support 
 of kings and kingly governments, until the effectual 
 destruction of anti-christian power, both civil and 
 ecclesiastical ; and then shall be taken up that doleful 
 lamentation, " Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 
 &c. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of 
 the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the 
 earth have committed fornication with her," &c., &c. 
 Rev. 18 : 2, S.^ 
 
 But to return : However confident I feel that the 
 present war will not prove an overjloiving scourge to 
 our country, I do not, on this account, wish any re- 
 
 * Heb.4 : 14. Rev. 17 : 14. 
 
 f Dan. 9 : 24— 29. Col. 2 : 14— IT. 
 
 X This is probably the true sense of Rom. 1 : 4, power, 
 meaning authority. See also Acts 2 ; 22 — 36. Here he is 
 at once made Lord and Christ, the ruler and (he priest. 
 
 § See also Ezck. 21 : 27. Daniel 7 : 9. Psa. 72 : 10. 
 
97 
 
 laxation in the use of means ; for it is by these, I be- 
 lieve, that God will preserve us. And therefore, as 
 Paul, although he had a vision from Heaven assuring 
 him that there should be no loss of the crew, never- 
 theless said to the mariners, concerning means, " ex- 
 cept these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved ;"* 
 so much more may I, having but a general view of 
 the scriptures in support of my opinion, and being 
 like men in common, liable to err, say to the rulers 
 and people of our nation, without the mea?is of de- 
 fence, ye cannot be secured from the evils threatened : 
 yea, to expect it, would be presumption. As to the 
 means proper to be used, there can be no reasonable 
 doubt. 
 
 A primary object with every citizen, public and 
 private, in church and state, should be to promote 
 union, and firmness in the support of government. 
 *^ A house," a family — a nation " divided against it- 
 self, cannot stand."t On a disunion of the states 
 and disafiection to the general government, the ene- 
 my chiefly relies. Whoever, therefore, contributes 
 to these, contributes to the interest and encourage- 
 ment of the common foe of our beloved country ; and 
 is therefore no longer worthy the honorable distinc- 
 tion of an American citizen. 
 
 Means, though to be used, are not to be trusted 
 in. God alone should be the object of our trust ; so 
 
 •Acts 27: 31. t Mark S : 23. 
 
 9 
 
98 
 
 of Israel It is said in the text, " they trusted in him." 
 Let us do likewise. He only can give that wisdom 
 to our rulers, and that success to our forces, which 
 are necessary to conquest. 
 
 And as he is to be trusted in, so also to be called 
 upon ; and that not only in common, nor only in 
 common during icar, but even in the time of battle : 
 " they cried to God in the battle," — nor did they 
 cry in vain ; "he was entreated of them ; because 
 they trusted in him." Prayer then for success of 
 arms, is evidently lawful, and availing. It hath been 
 offered by God's Israel, and answered by Israel's 
 God. May we, and may all God's people in these 
 United States abound in it ! Then may we hope for 
 a short war, and an advantageous peace. 
 
 To the declaration of war lately made, on the part 
 of our government, we all know there are many ob- 
 jections. But when we consider whence they come ; 
 — that from the same quarter, eleven years ago, the 
 chambers of the capitol rang with argimients in favor 
 of an appeal to arms for taking Louisiana ; which, 
 in the wisdom of our then chief magistrate was, to 
 much greater advantage, honorably purchased ; and 
 that the same men who accuse the present adminis- 
 tration of madness^ for going to war, when, in fact, 
 there w^as no other resort, no less accused the former 
 administration of jiusillanimilijy for pursuing milder 
 measures, notwithstanding there certainly did then 
 remain grounds of hope that a reconciliation might 
 
99 
 
 be effected ; — when, I say, these things are consid- 
 ered, we are tempted, strongly tempted, to doubt, in 
 this particular, their sincerity, and to conclude that 
 all the outcry is intended only to answer electioneer- 
 ing purposes, and to put the administration into other 
 hands. 
 
 It is urged that, had it been proper for our govern- 
 ment to declare w ir, it should have been declared 
 against France, as well as England. That the con- 
 duct of France, tow^ard this country, has been very 
 unwarrantable, is not denied ; nor yet that a national 
 adjustment with her may hereafter be necessary. It 
 must be obvious, however, that the principal provo- 
 cations to war have been only on the part of England : 
 France has indeed robbed us on the highway of na- 
 tions, and even burnt our vessels ; nevertheless she 
 has not, like England, impressed our citizens, block- 
 aded our harbors, and crimsoned our w^aters with 
 American blood. 
 
 It is contended that the declaration of war at all 
 was impolitic. I cannot think so ; but believe that 
 this declaration and correspondent arrangements, 
 were, of all means, the most likely to procm-e peace — 
 lasting and honorable peace. 
 
 The present, however, is not the time to contest 
 that point. When the flames are raging, it is too 
 late for firemen to stand disputing whether, by certain 
 means, they might not have been prevented from 
 kindling ; their duty then is to unite in quenching 
 
100 
 
 them. The flames of war are already kindled — ^they 
 are gathermg along our coast and threatening upon 
 our frontiers ; the duty — the common duty, there- 
 fore, of i\.merican citizens is, to use all means in 
 their power, to bring the contest to the most speedy 
 and most favorable issue. 
 
 Yes, my friends, the time for idle and speculative 
 debate is, with us, at an end. We, in holy provi- 
 dence, are placed in a situation which demands the 
 greatest national unity and exertion ; and which, in 
 its result, must necessarily furnish occasion for the 
 greatest national triumph or lamentation. From the 
 latter may we be mercifully preserved ! In the for- 
 mer may we soon participate ! And all the glorjr 
 shall redound to God. Amen. 
 
HYMN, 
 
 Sung at the close of Puhlic Worship, when tiie 'preceding 
 Sermon was delivered. 
 
 1 Great God of all! thy matchless power 
 Should every nation still adore ; 
 Thee, our sovereign, we would own, 
 And bow before thy gracious throne. 
 
 2 May peace her balmy wing extend, 
 Froin age to age upon this land ! 
 
 Grant Freedom and the Gospel's sound I 
 Make every blessing here abound ! 
 
 3 Our President with wisdom crown, 
 His soul with thy rich grace adorn ; 
 Resolve his heart, 'midst all his foes, 
 
 *' To launch the stream which duty shows." 
 
 4 Over our Capitol diffuse, 
 
 From hills divine, thy welcome dews ; 
 While Congress, in one patriot band, 
 Prove the firm fortress of our land. 
 
 5 Our Magistrates, O Lord, sustain. 
 Nor let them bear the sword in vain ; 
 Long as they fill their awful seat. 
 Be Vice seen dying at their feet. 
 
 6 For ever from the western sky, 
 Bid the destro^dn? angel fly ; 
 
 With grateful songs our hearts inspire, 
 And round us blaze "a tvall ofjire.^^ 
 
 Parkinson's Select. H. 402. 
 9* 
 
NO TE. 
 
 The foregoing sermons have been long out of print, and 
 are republished by the desire of many of the personal friends 
 of the Rev. William Parkinson. Any imperfection that 
 may be discovered in the reprint, will not, it is hoped, be 
 laid to his charge, as bodily illness has, for a long time, kept 
 him from active labor, and has prevented his usual accurate 
 revision. It is now, (in the year 1846,) just half a century 
 since he arrived at manhood, was baptized, and immedi- 
 ately afterward entered upon the duties of a minister of the 
 gospel ; and while some of his maturer labors are here again 
 laid before the public, it may be profitable to look back to 
 those of his early years, to see how his time was employed, 
 and what example he set before the world. A letter to his 
 venerated parents, written forty-eight years ago, and sub- 
 sequently found among their papers, is therefore appended. 
 Its publication at this time, has also been requested by some 
 of his friends. It is apparent, from the tenor of this letter, 
 that to the most devoted filial regard and respect to his beloved 
 parents, he united ardent zeal in the sacred work he had 
 undertaken, and his early, pious example, will not be with- 
 out a salutary influence upon his youthful readers, while 
 the more aged portion, especially those who sat under his 
 long and faithful ministry, will be equally gratified with its 
 perusal. 
 
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103 
 
 CarroVs Manor, Md., Sept. 17, 1798, 
 
 Dearly Beloved Parents : 
 
 When I review the length of time which has past 
 since I left you, sorrow fills my heart, and shame 
 covers my face, to think I have never since written 
 unto you — to you, who, under God, have guarded my 
 infant state, and provided for my rising years. But 
 when I recollect the cause of my not writing, I am 
 less concerned for the omission. I am sure it has 
 not been because I have forgotten you, nor yet for 
 want of a sufficient regard for you. You are seldom, 
 for any considerable length of time together, out of 
 my mind, and daily does your present and eternal 
 happiness make a part of my addresses at the Divine 
 Throne. 
 
 I doubt not that you wish to hear of my return 
 home ; this, through Sovereign mercy, was with safe- 
 ty, health and happiness. I was permitted to fulfil 
 all my appointments on my return, and, to the praise 
 of the Glory of Grace, enjoyed much of the Divine 
 presence and assistance in preaching. The extreme 
 heat of the weather the first two days after I left you, 
 much exhausted my feeble body, but Jesus greatly 
 comforted my poor soul. I arrived at Tramelsburg 
 on the Saturday evening after I left you, about half 
 an hour before sunset. That is within six miles of 
 Carrol's Manor. I preached there on Lord's day, to 
 a pretty large and attentive congregation, and after 
 
 m 
 
104 
 
 preaching, came on home. The week after I re- 
 turned home, I enjoyed an uncommon degree of 
 heahh, and an equal degree of consolation, — every 
 member of my body was strung with vigor, and every 
 power of my soul rejoiced in Jesus. The next 
 week, however, both the health of my body and 
 the happiness of my mind were greatly depreciated. 
 I was taken first with a pain in my head and breast, 
 which was succeeded by a severe bilious attack, and 
 which, for one night especially, seemed likely to open 
 my way to eternity. The counsels of Heaven, how- 
 ever, were otherwise planned ; I was again restored. 
 I lost but two days from school, and, though in much 
 weakness of body, I was privileged to fulfil all my ap- 
 pointments to preach. Since my recovery from the 
 illness now mentioned, which lasted but about a 
 week, I have been very healthy till to-day. This 
 day I am much afflicted with a pain in my head, and 
 a general debility of body. Where it will end God 
 only knows. It reminds me, however, of the ancient 
 declaration, " Dust ihou art, and unto dust must thou 
 return." But, thanks be to God, "None of these 
 things trouble me, for though my outward man per- 
 ish, yet my inward man is renewed day by day," and 
 although my " earthly house of this tabernacle were 
 dissolved," I humbly trust " I have a building of God, 
 an house not made with hands, eternal in the heav- 
 ens." 2 Cor. 5 : 1. 
 
 Agreeably to expectation when I left you, I was 
 
105 
 
 permitted to attend an Association at Tuscarora Val- 
 ley. On my journey out I had the company of my 
 beloved brother, Jeremiah Moore, and three others of 
 the friends of Jesus. At our Association there were 
 eight ministers, and a considerable concourse of peo- 
 ple. There was great attention given, while nine 
 sermons were delivered, and we were blest with 
 peace and unanimity in the execution of our business. 
 On my return home I had the good company of the 
 brethren who went out with me, with the addition of 
 my precious brother and father in the gospel, Lewis 
 Richards. Since my return from the Association, I 
 have received two letters from brother Richards, and 
 have written two to him. He is to be up to preach 
 at Carrol's Manor the last Lord's ^day in this 
 month ; but, greatly to my regret, by reason of ap- 
 pointments which I sent out before I received his let- 
 ters, I shall on that day be about sixty miles from 
 home. 
 
 I often, yea, daily think on the situation of the 
 people in George's Hills, and long to preach the gos- 
 pel to them, but alas ! I think and wish in vain. My 
 confinement to my school, together with the demand 
 for my preaching here, forbids even the most distant 
 probability of seeing you before some time next sum- 
 mer. The thought to me is painful, but the words 
 occur, " Peace, be still, and know that I am God." 
 Has Divine Providence thus separated us from each 
 other ? — let us learn in reverence to say, *' It is the 
 
106 
 
 Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." One 
 privilege we have got, and O ! may we use it. While 
 absent in body, it is our privilege to be present with 
 the Lord — to address the Divine Throne for the hap- 
 piness of each other. 
 
 I would fondly have written letters to several of the 
 different members of your Church ; especially to those 
 whom I had the happiness to baptize. But as the 
 multitude of my concerns do not afford me time, I beg 
 you will kindly remember me to all, while I remain, 
 Your unworthy, but 
 
 very affectionate son, 
 
 Wm. Parkinson, 
 
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