New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-05
A CHURCH PILGRIMAGE.
PREsBYTERIANs GATHER AT THE SITE OF
"OLD SCOTS" NEAR FREEHOLD. n. j.
A SPOT REvERED As THE BIRTHPLACE OF PRES
BYTERIANlsM IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXERCISES HELD IN HONOR OF THE

EXERCISES HELD IN HONOR OF THE
EX1IEs OF THE FAITH
Freehold. " j.. June 4 Disqualification lying neg
1ected and unnoticed for perhaps century, forgot
ten bv all except "A few historians fond OF tracing
from its source the course OF Presoyteranism In
America public attention has been called TO the
SPOT upon which the "Old Scots" Church OF Free
hold was erected by the exiles OF loSo The oid
graveyard which Is still fairly we'll preserved Is
historic ground 1t is the birthplace OF Presbyter-
ian history OF this country. In the old building that
stood upon this site held the first known Pres
bytery meeting and here also took place the hrst
PRESBYTERIAN ordination. on December e, l70S Fran
els Mckenzie. Mackenzie 1t is sometimes
spelled examined and two days later ordained
John Boyd. the first OF the long list OF Presby-
tiers on the ordination roll OF the American Presby-
terlan Church. OF the building itself no memory
tradition even trace remains except siBht
depression the soil. which would indicate the
humble dimensions OF structure not more tnah
twenty feet square. But there are still to be seen
many rugged and weather beaten graves;ones'
marking the resting places OF many notable p'o-
neers OF American Presbyteriansm. Close under
the caves OF the old church laid the body OF Its
first minister the Rev John Boyd, while only
few yards away under fiat memorial sab Hes al
that mortal of the Rev John Tennent Around
this central site lie the rude stones OF the ola
Scotch pilgrims and their children. many OF them
bearing the names that occupy prominent place
In the early history Of the Church
The generally accepted date for the erection OF
the "Od Scots Church is the year 1892 This as
sumption is practically based upon letter written
BY the Rev. d.. John Woodruff. of Freehold dated
April %, 1872. which stated that 1.-THE Church was
formed about hundred years ago. chiefly by per-
from Scotland" But while this ancient struc-
ture has disappeared. the site is still one to be hal
lowed and cherished by old Presbyerans. and II
is TO be hoped that the resolutions which
adopted today for the preservation of the ground
and its memorials will be carried into speedy eff
feet The site OF the Old church is about six miles
to the north of Freehold. upon plcturesquey Sit
uated wooded onnence about midway between
Wlckatunk and Brodvelt
AT the October meeting of the New-Jersey Synod
mainly owing TO the efforts of the Rev. Dr. Allen
y. Brown. IL decided to awaken interest in the
historic associations of Freehold. To-day this prop
os.tion took practical shape. when under the pc
cui!ar happJ designation of Presbyterian Pilgrim
age. notable gatherings took place upon the "O.d
Scots ground and at the old Tennent Church In
cluded in the large number of pilgrims who took
part in the days proceedings were delegates from
the Presbyeries of New-Jersey. Baltimore. Phila-
delphia and New-York; from the New-Jersey Synod
OF the Reformed Church. the Pennsylvania and
New-Jersey Historical Societies the Society Of the
Cincinnati and the Daughters and Sons of the Rev
outon. Prior 10 the beginning Of the forma. pro-
ceedings the greatest interest manifested over
the graves OF John Boyd and John Tennent, which
were decorated with wi.dfowers. temporary
S ede at S hser end ID Of the old
ground IL was also decorated with church banners
snd 1Ss Cnes aPns NE tHp 9" The
Rev. DR.. Robert Russell Booth Moderator Of the
eide, but ne was unavoldaby absent through n
Samuel sna n Of enen " ss o. the
New-Jersey synod The singing OF the hymn .0h.
ture reading by the Rev. Dr. John clyde OF Blooms
burg, ~ j.. opened the morning exercises Then fo.,
Allentown. " j.. upon The Beginnings of Mon
mouth" in the course Of which he described the
and French exi.es Such he said. were the elements
OF hs sSpa a he
nanters who came over in iss3 and 1855 were the
THE The Rev. Frank Melville Kerr. Of Hampstead
Long Island: direct descendant Of Walter Kerr
Tennent Church. next spoke upon the theme Wal
ter Kerr and His POstery" He said he had dis
and expected soon TO complete the family tree with
' SseH eiersy y Not one them said Mr. Kerr
The ' Rev Mr.. KeTT's recital Of his ancestors
by the r. Rev DR. j. MacIn,osh upon "MaKeme:
qr grs F and aPq In the Of an
eloquent description Of ihe ne Of the Father q
10 relate at some length the benencent results OF
bis abors in the surrounding States The Rev
iiinft life Of John ' boyd ''''''''
4 special train conveyed the pilgrims from wicka-
Tennent station a procession was formed and head
ed by band, marched 10 the old Tennent Church.
Very quaint and old fashoned is the ancient frame
church at Tennent. The first service was held with
in It's walls April 49, 1881 On its walls are many
scars OF bullets fired IN the Revolutionary War. and
1t within It's pulpit Enclosure that the Indian
converts OF Tennent and Brainerd received the
communion rites.
The Rev Or. Frederic Il. Brace. OF Blackwood
~ j. and the Rey. Alien H. Brown were the pre-
siding officers at the afternoon services. Addresses
were delivered by the Rev. Dr. Howard Dufeld.
OF New-York upon THE Pioneer Guard of New
sharpe. Philadelphia. on The Presbyterian Hlstorl
cal Society," and by James Steen, OF Eatontown,
and Colonel James S. Yard on other historical sub
jects. An exhibition of relics OF historic Presby
teriansm shown and described by the pastor
OF the church. the Rev. Frank r. Symmes Before
the dispersal OF the pilgrims resolutions were unani-
mousy adopted providing for the appointment Of
a committee and the raising OF funds to carry out
n scheme for the preservation Of memorials OF the
"Oid Scots graveyard, and to raise permanent
memorial commemorate the site OF the old church
and the resting place OF John Boyd.