The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-06-15

f--T~N@NNA (O0boNAs
My Rev. Brother, and friend Of more
than forty years, 1t is a great privilege for
me to be able to stand here to-day ta con-
graduate you on this contamination OF
your labor and your prayers. 1t seems
but yesterday when we went to old Christ
Church in New Brunswick, In 1851, to be
admitted to the sacred Order Of Deacons
by the late great-hearted Bishop of New
Jersey. Diverse az have been our fields
OF labor, we have, by Gods blessing, both
been permitted to work almost dninter.
ruptedly In the Masters service and
now, as our work must naturally be
drawing to a close, you are permitted to
see this beautiful church rising, Phoenix
like, from the ashes Of the old one, In
this ancient parish.
And in congraiulating you, my breth-
rem, who have been committed to bis
pastoral care, and who have so faithfully
worked for the rebuilding of this church,
on this result of your labors, let me recall
briefly the history of this ancient parish.
st. Andrews, Amwell, the cradle OF
this parish, was founded at the beginning
OF the last century. The Rev. John Tai.
bot, rector Of St. Mary's, Burlington, Wis
tied 1t In 1928, and found quite flourish.
ing congregation. AS early as January,
1926, Mr.. William Lummox convened
to John Knowles and David Olyphant,
Tin trust to the sole benefit, and towards
the settling Of the Church of England
ministry, a tract of land containing eleven
acres. /" On this land the first church
building was erected. It was probably
OF logs. and seems to have lasted until tn,
year l76l. Then 1t was replaced by /
stone church, although we cannot learr
that there was any settled missionary
until 1760, when the Rev. Andrew Nor.
ton was sent out by the Bishop OF Lon.
don. "Mr. Morton" q quote from the
republication of the Journals of the early
conventions OF the diocese) Seems to
have had very unhappy time here from
various causes; and he remained until
1867
In May, 1T6s, the Rev. William Frazer,
who was sent out by the English Society
for the Propagation of the Gospel in For
eign Parts, reported TO the Society his
arrival, and writes SAT Amwell there is
the shell of small stone church, built, as
| am informed, about seventeen years ago,
but never finished (This was the sec.
ond building) ssThere / OBLIGATED every
third Sunday to full congregation, chiefly
of Dissenters. The late unhappy differ
ences betwixt this congregation and my
unhappy predecessor, together with the
long vacancy that has ensued, has rem
dered the situation of this church truly
lamentable; there being at present no
more than three families that profess
themselves members of our church, and
they are In very Indifferent circumstances. y
In May, 1859, he writes that .the
church continues in the same shattered
condition, but | am In hopes of having II
rebuilt this Summer
In September he says I'm few weeks
] am In hopes of seeing this long neglected
building completely and decently fur.
nished." And in November, ITO, he
adds, "Our congregation at Amwell rather
increases.
Mr.. Frazer married, In 1868, daughte,
Of the Rev. Colin Campbell, then rector Of
st. Mary's, Burlington. He seems &c
have occupied a prominent position ii
the diocese, being member OF the
Standing Committee, and representing
the diocese In several of the earliest gen.
eral conventions of the church 10 this
country. He continued to offlciate ii
Amwell until his death In 1895, although
for the last three or four years he wa.
rector of st. Michael's Church, Trenton
which had become more importan
charge. After Mr.. Frazer's death Thu
church seems to have been supplied onl,
by occasional seryices, although 1t wa
represented In the convention OF the do
ccse Ia 1907, 1911 and 1915. In 1914
Rev. Daniel Higbee, the missionary ap
pointed by the convention, reported tina
''be had ofliciated five times in the congre
cation OF st. Andrews, Amwell, to
considerable assemblage OF people. Thu
third church which belonged to that con
gregation has gone to decay, and Is now q
heap of ruins
In 1915 two letters were read in the
convention relating TO the church property
at Amwcl, and a committee was appointed
to confer with Mr.. Robert Sharp, Ia whose
possession II was, and, II necessary, pro-
cure authority from the Legislature oil
New Jersey to dispose of IL; the inter-
est OF the money obtained for 1t to be
for the use Of the clergy OF the diocese.
In 1926, the Rev. John Croes, the sole
surviving member Of the committee, re.
ported its sale, and deposited the pro.
ceeds, three hundred and seventeen dol
lars and half, with the convention. The
only portion OF the property at Amwell
which was not sold, and which still re.
mains, Is the old church-yard, with Its
Wondering and fast crAmbling and disap.
pearlng gravestones.
The sale of the church property, how.
ever, did not dispense the remnant of the
congregation. 1t was ministered unto In
the house OF Mr.. Jacob Sharp, from 1897
to 1894, by the Rev. William Douglass,
and from 1887 10 1888 by the Rev. vii.
liam q. Crane, and from 1889 TO 1849 by
the Rev. james Adams. The Rev. Mr..
Adams, who was one OF the most pure
minded and faithful clergymen | have
ever known, lived during these ten years
in Lambertvile, whittier most OF the pop
nlation OF Amwell had removed, teaching
school for his support, and doing diigen
missionary work 10 all the country rount
about. In January, l84b, under his min
istry, with the earnest cooperation o
Colonel Sharp, DR.. John Lilly and SOUR,
Coryell, surviving members of old ST
Andrews, the church was duly incorpo
rated, and the following year admitte,
into union with the convention under th
name OF 81. Andrews Church, Amwell
at Lambertgille. On the Goth day OF DC
tober, 1916, the cornerstone of the build
Ing, which was lately destroyed, was lai,
by Bishop Doane; and on the goth da,
OF November, 1916, IL was duly conse
Grated by the same Bishop, who, in re
porting the services, after The many ylcis
STUDIES which the parish had gone through
stated to the convention that sit encour
ages the confidence that the church's If
is never gone"
In 1S49, heavy domestic sorrow havin
desolated Mr.. Adams home, greatly re
gretted by the congregation by whom b
was much beloved, he left Lambertville
and in 1851 the Rev. David Brown wa
elected rector Of the parish. He was, a
the time Of his election, quite advance,
In life, having been ordained by Bisho
Hobart 10 1877. He devoted himself dill
gently and faithfully to the interests o
the parish and was enabled to renort IN