immortal souls, the subjects of it, will adore the riches of divine mercy through eternity."" It was during the first weeks, the opening scenes, of this powerful revival, that the Synod of Pittsburg met at Pittsburg and organized themselves (October, 1802) into the Western Missionary Society. The field which they felt called to occupy was suddenly expanded, and emphatically-beyond all that they could have anticipated-was white for the harvest. The laborers already employed were tasked almost beyond measure; and yet they flagged not in their efforts. Others were needed to aid them; and not a few-as the result of this revival and the efforts of the Synod-were brought forward to their aid. The excesses of the revival-if indeed they can be so termed-passed away, and ere long were wellnigh forgotten, overshadowed, at least, by the more remarkable phenomena of the Kentucky revival; but the results that followed have their lasting monuments in the churches scattered over the broad region swept by the revival. 1 As to the leading features of the work, the testimony of Rev. Mr. Badger (Conn. Ev. Mag., Sept. 1803) is coincident with that of Mr. Robbins. In speaking of the impression made upon his own mind while participating in one of the large gatherings during the revival, Mr. Badger says, "The sweet and lovely frame Christians appeared to be in, the meekness and humbleness of mind, exceeded any thing I ever saw before. It helped me to get some faint ideas of what the saints will enjoy when they come to see the King in his beauty and be present at his table, without sin or flesh to intercept their sight." CHAPTER XXIII. NEW JERSEY, 1800-1820. IN 1800, there were in connection with the Presbyterian Church in New Jersey, and under the care of the two Presbyteries of New York and New Brunswick, which covered the field,-thirty-two ministers, twenty-seven of whom had pastoral charges, while there were also thirteen vacancies. The number of all the Presbyterian churches in the State was, thus, but about forty. During the first twenty years of the present century, there was a steady and healthful growth. In 1809, the Presbytery of New York was divided; and from the portion of it lying within the bounds of New Jersey the Jersey Presbytery was erected. In 1817, the Presbytery of New Brunswick was likewise divided, in order to form the Presbytery of Newton. In 1820, there were thus within the bounds of the State the three Presbyteries of Jersey, New Brunswick, and Newton. The thirty-two ministers of 1800 had increased to fifty-four, the twenty-seven pastors to fortythree; while the churches had advanced from about forty to sixty-seven, or at the rate of about seventy per cent. The Presbytery of Jersey embraced the churches in the northern part of the State. The First Church of Newark, through the influence of the great revival of 1807-08, and under the labors of Dr. Griffin, received 1 Other churches were connected with Presbyteries of other States. large accessions,-ninety-seven on a single occasion, and one hundred and seventy-four in a period of six months. A membership of two hundred and two was in the course of eight years increased to five hundred and twenty-two, and the result was that, shortly after Dr. Griffin's removal to the Park Street Church in Boston, a Second Church was formed.' In 1815, this church, then vacant, extended a call to Dr. Griffin, which he felt it his duty to accept,-the First Church, meanwhile, having enjoyed the pastoral labors of Dr. James Richards. Among the distinguished ministers of the age, Dr. Edward Dorr Griffin occupied the foremost rank. Nature had been munificent in the gifts which she had lavished upon him. His large and well-proportioned frame and commanding presence impressed the beholder at a glance; and his intellectual endowments were in keeping with his person. A native of Connecticut, and a graduate of Yale College in 1790, he pursued his theological studies under the younger Edwards, and for several years after his licensure preached in different places in his native State, until his call to New Hartford in 1795. A revival of considerable power followed almost immediately upon his settlement; and three years later, one still more remarkable attested and crowned his fidelity to his work. In 1801, he was called to Newark, as the colleague of Dr. McWhorter. Here he remained for eight years, and for the last two or three his church enjoyed an almost continuous revival. Such was his reputation 1 The churches of Newark date as follows:-Second, 1810; Third, 1824; Fourth (of short duration), 1831; African Presbyterian, 1831; Free Church (since Congregational), 1837; Central Presbyterian, 1837; Park Presbyterian, Sixth Presbyterian, and High Street Presbyterian, 1848; German Presbyterian, 1852; South Park Presbyterian, 1853. that he was called first to a professorship in Andover Seminary, and subsequently to the pastoral charge of the Park Street Church in Boston. He had already entered upon the duties of his professorship when the claims of the Park Street Church were pressed upon his attention. But the post of a defender of the faith in a city which had become the stronghold of Unitarianism was one which, with all its responsibilities and difficulties, did not long allow him to hesitate. In the capital of New England, where evangelical truth had become unpopular and odious, and where intellectual culture and social respectability had attempted to frown it down, he stood forth as its undaunted, uncompromising, eloquent, and powerful champion. In the spring of 1815, he was recalled to Newark, to the pastorate of the Second Church. Here, among faithful friends and among old revival-associations, he devoted himself with exemplary fidelity and characteristic energy to his pastoral duties. The benevolent institutions of the day found in him a warm and trustworthy friend. He was one of the original founders. of the Bible Society. The United Foreign Mission Society was not a little indebted to his agency; while he zealously promoted the interests of the school established by the Synod of New York and New Jersey for the education of Africans. In 1817, he published his work on the Extent of the Atonement. In 1821, he was invited to the Presidency of Danville College, but ultimately declined the overture,-accepting, however, a similar invitation soon after extended him from Williams College. His course in this matter undoubtedly saved the institution from extinction. Its continued existence was doubted even by its friends. By his exertions it was eventually placed upon a solid basis and its prosperity was assured. To the close of his active life he continued at its head; and, when increasing debility debarred him from the privilege of further service, he returned to Newark (1836), to die among his friends. The majestic presence of the man, his solemn mien, his manifest sincerity, his deliberate and emphatic utterance, the simplicity of his thoughts, and the force and beauty of his language, marked him as the orator. The pulpit was his throne. There he maintained an indisputable pre-eminence. The tones of his powerful voice now rang forth in thrilling appeal and now subsided to a melting pathos. His hearers were convinced, overawed, electrified. His reading of the Scriptures seemed to evolve a meaning and richness unthought of before. He threw his soul into his utterance. His manner was simple, natural, and yet dignified; while his gesture was governed by the impulse of thought and feeling. The tide of his own emotions swept along with it the hearts and sympathies of his hearers; and those who had once been permitted to listen to his bursts of luminous, impassioned utterance would be sure never to forget them. But the themes and doctrines of the gospel system were those upon which he most delighted to dwell. Tolerant of non-essential differences, he was tenacious of all that was vital and cardinal to the glory of redemption. His sympathies were broad enough to embrace all who loved Christ, but not blind enough to strike hands with those who betrayed him with a kiss. No one was more anxious to witness the success of the gospel, or to promote the interests of religion by all proper methods. His zeal for the conversion and salvation of souls would, in one less magnificently and symmetrically endowed, have amounted to a passion; but with him it was prompted by intelligent conviction, and guided, rather than restrained, by judgment. His sermons were-many of them-written in VOL. I.-47 |