The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-29
THE REV. ALBERT BARNES.
Re mIniscences OF His NTorrIstown Cnree,


"Reminiscences OF His HIorristown Career.
\ correspondent of the Newark Advertiser
writes from Morristown, n. j., as follows
The news of the death of the much beloved
former pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
of this place, the Rev. Albert Barnes, touched
many heart among those to whom he had
ministered. Although it is now almost forty
years since he left Morristown, Mr.. Barnes
never entirely forgot his first charge and was,
up to a few days before his death, in active cor
respondence with many of his former parish
toner's. Owing to the blindness which of late
years overlook him, Mr.. Barnes was obliged
either to resign the pen entirely or else to avail
himself of the mechanical means-termed
a writing machine-which, with some labor and
much patience, would aid him in guiding and
directing his pen. The writer has now before
him letter not yet month old, written by the
reverend gentleman by means of his machine,
and yet bearing but little evidence of having
been written by blind man.
From a church manual of the Presbyterian
church of Moristown, compiled by Mr. Barnes
and printed in 1928, fird that Mr.. Barnes was
the fifth pastor installed as such over the Pres
byterian Church of Morristown, after the set
tlemept of the Rev. DR.. Timothy Johnes in
1743: Mr.. Barnes was ordained and installed
in February, 1925. He was then quite young
man, native of Rome New York, and this was
his first charge. His efforts to increase the fold
of the church, and the way in which his labors
were blessed shortly after his entering upon
his ministry, were almost superhuman. He is
remembered here as man of indomitable energy,
perseverance, and hearty faith in the rightness
of his work His detestation of the sin of iutem-
perance soon brought him into an almost peril
Gus prominence in those days of laxity in this
regard. Most persistently and bitterly did he
fight and oppose the use of liquor in any shape.
1t is related of him that, having occasion to join
number OF his brethren of the ministry for the
discussion of matters relative to church affairs,
| he found them commencing business by taking
| what was termed little tod" This he pro-
tested against so earnestly as to cause an entire
| q no nj
| liquor by the clergy, and before long, owing
largely to his efforts, the little "tod" was BAN
ished, at least from synod meetings. Mr..
Barnes once addressed his MorrstoWn congre-
cation in the following words, II find am the
pastor of nineteen distilleries and some twenty
grogshops, and find in the Bible where the
future habitation of such men shall be-" Before
very long many of the distilleries and grogshops
! changed hands.
About the year 1927 an effort was made at
| Monroe, village near Morristown, and where
many of Mr.. Barnes congregation lived, to
abate, to a certain degree, the use of liquor and
an association known as the Monroe Tempe
rance Company" was formed. The members of
the company were bound under solemn oath to
drink not more than one pint of tohiShy day,
whereas, before, from two to three pints was
considered a fair allowance. Mr.. Barnes, in his
letter to the writer before mentioned, alludes
to this company, and terms 1t the ''germ or seed
of the temperance cause in Morris county" To
tell even a few of the many characteristic ac-
tions done by Mr.. Barnes would occupy too
much space in your columns, but /
Ris nss peTar 5e1er snGe one to show t%
course of a sermon he alluded to party of
apprentices employed in Morristown, who he
said were in the habit of going to their master &
shop on Saturday night, and there playing cards
and drinking, thus consuming the entire night
and part OF the Sunday morning. Should he
feel called upon he added, no doubt he could
give names. The bolt struck home to more
than one batch of apprentices, and the fear OF
their names being given out in church set many
a youths heart quaking. Silently and one by
one did these conscience-stricken boys go to the
clergyman, and after acknowledging their guilt
beg him not to mention lust their name" The
practice received sudden stop, and was not
for many years renewed. Unfortunately, how
ever, 1t leaked out that the shot had been sent
at random, no names being known, or any shop
suspected save in so far as it was known that
such was the general practice.
The great disruption of the Presbyterian
Church Of America, from whence sprung the
have had its origin in the old Presbyterian
Church of Morristown (where, as was mos
meet, the now united synods met last fall fol
the first time for the transaction OF business(
and to trace it still further down the revo
began In sermon entitled the Way OF Saliva
tioD, preached by Mr.. Barnes in that church
on February the Sth, 1899. This sermon wal
followed by another called the Sovereignty o.
God" and not only were the two incendiary
discourses printed in the Morristown Palladium
of Liberty, paper of that day, but they were
also scattered In pamphlet form all over TN
country. These sermons coming before th'
congregation of the First Church of Philadel
phia, committee came to MorristOwn, AM
after hearing him unknown to Mr.. Barnes
rendered him call to their church. This h
accepted, and for nearly year, namely from
1880 to some part of 1881, ministered unto them
The presbytery, however, saw fit to call Mr.
} Barnes before them for these sermons and TO
Others and pamphlets, and suspended him iron
the ministry Mr.. Barnes defended himsel
vigorously by pen and voice against the charge
brought against him, and in 1885 Published
volume containing his defense, together wit
the original sermon which SO troubled the waters
| 'The Way of Salvation"
Mr.. Barnes, though generally styled Docto
| Barnes, was painfully averse to any such title
l ! Although rendered the degree of ID. ID. by seve
raj colleges, he as many times refused it, a.
, leging that titles in the ministry were contrar
e to the teachings of Scripture. In his "Notes o
8 the Bible" in reference to the Sth verse of th
: 23d chapter of st. Matthew he enters a feryi