The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-19
EVENTS And MEN,
Earliest Official Records of
the Presbyterian Church
In America.
PIONEERS OF CALVINISM
Monument to Sc Erected in the
Old Scots Burial Ground
Among the Churches.

The earliest official records, extant. Of
the Presbyterian Church in this country
begin abruptly in the midst of the ordi-
nation of John Boyd. on December -,
110G. in the Old Scots Meeting House of
Freehold. in Monmouth county, New Jer-
sey. The first two pages Of the manu-
script having been lost, no mar knows
what an~tecedent events may have been
therein recorded. Therefore, it is not
claimed that Freehold is the Oldest Pres
byterian Church in this country; but only
that it is the first one referred to in the
existing records.
Francis Mackenzie as Moderator, Jedidi-
all Andrews Of Philadelphia. and John
Hampton, then recently arrived from Ire
land, composed that Presbytery, which
ordained John Boyd.
Walter Ker was the Elder of the old
church. The Rev. William Tennent, Jr.,
wrote in 1744.-'It was the first in he
East Jersey on the west side of the Kari
tan River. which was settled with a
gospel ministry. This vas owing under
God to the agency of some Scotch people
that came to it, among whom there was
none so painful in the blessed undertake
ing as one Walter Ker, who in the year
1855. for his faithful and conscientious adj
herenee to God and his truth as profess
sed by the Church of Scotland was there
a~pprehended and sent to this country UNI
der a sentence of perpetual punishment
Here met the First Presbytery, of
which any minutes exist Here was the
first regular ordination OF a Presbyterian
-.---.-- L. %L.t E-rt rig n apx IL Hprra
began the Great Revival in our portion
of the church, under the ministry OF
John Tennent.
The pilgrimage to this site Of the Old
Scots Meeting House, under the auspices
of the Synod of New Jersey, on June
4, 1896, and the eloquent addresses, de-
livered on that occasion, cannot be for
gotten. The pilgrimage received the en-
dorsement of both the Southern and the
Northern General Assemblies by the ap-
pointment of delegates to it, and resulted
in a loud cali for the erection of a mon
umeat TO Commemorate the events and
the men thus intimately connected with
the beginnings of the organic Presbyte-
rian Church Of America.
The grave of Francis Mackenzie, the
Father Of the Presbyterian Church in
his country, is not known exactly; but
the old family burial ground, in Aceo-
mack county, on the Eastern Shore OF
Chesapeake Bay where his body is sup
posed to rest, is now a cattle pen! Is he
not worthy Of a monument?
Since the men who constituted that
Presbytery in the Old Scots Meeting
House were from Scotland and Ireland
and New England, this historic monu-
ment to their memory will be construct
ed of granite from those three countries,
surmounted by the Scotch Thistle, and
having on the gables four bronze his
toric seals, viz
l. The Seal of the Presbyterian Church
of Monmouth County.
2. The Seal of the Presbyterian Church
in the United States of America.
8. The Seal of the Presbyterian Church
of Scotland.
4. The Seal of the Scotcl-Irish Society.
Also on one side a bronze tablet, with
the Latin Inscription, which is on the
tombstone Of John Boyd, who died in
170S. 1t is also proposed to transfer that
old tombstone to the care Of the Presby-
terrain Historical Society in the New
Whitherspoon Building in Philadelphia.
A suitable plot of ground has been con-
veyed by deed to 1.-THE Trustees of the
Synod of New Jersey The accompany
ing design from j. & r. Lamb of New
York has been adopted. 1t remains only
to obtain fifteen hundred dollars from the
friends of the Presbyterian Church scat
tered abroad everywhere to ensure the
erection of the Scotch Presbyterian Mon
ument on historic ground.
The Synod of New Jersey, at its recent
meeting in Plainfeld resolved. that the
matter of raising the money required for
the erection of the Memorial Monument
in the Old Scots Burial Ground be COM
mitted to the care of the Rev. Allen H.
Brown, who is hereby commended for
this purpose to our churches and mem
bers. (Min-. page 10
November IS. 1887.
Rev. ALLEN H. BROWN,
Camden. N. j.;
Rev. EBEN B. COBB, D. D.,
Elizabeth, N. j.;
Rev. H. B.. MaeCAULEY,
Freehold, N. j.;
Rev. F. r. SYMMES,
Tennent, N. j.;
Elder r. P. CRAIG.
Elder E. P. TENNEY.
Roselle, N. j.:
Executive Committee