The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-03-02
HILL TOP
CHURCHES
Mendham'S Historic Places Of
Worship.
How They were Built Sturdy Wor-
shippers Who Were Ever Jealous
in Good Works.

Approach Mendham by whichever
road you will, the first object to at
tract. your attention and welcome you
to the lovely village will be the First
Presbyterian Church standing majes-
tically on the crowning hill of the
township. while at the rear, stretching
down gentle slope lies " the silent
city,
On every side rise low hills covered
with the green of summer, while fer
tile valleys and noble forests complete
the beautiful scene. A more pictures
que or fitting spot for house of wor
ship cannot be imagined.
AS the location of this church is
the most striking feature in the land
scape, so is it's history the most inter-
esting part of the records of the town
ship.
About the year 1870, the settlers of
Mendham, then called Roxiticus, built
their first meeting house, and laid out
a plot twenty-five yards square for a
burial ground.
Records tell little regarding the site
of this building, except that it stood
near Indian Brook which ran to the
north of the village. This stream
runs through the farming lands of the
Nesbitt's. Owing to the fact that in
one Of the Nesbitt fields, near this
brook, there is fenced off little group
of old, rough -hewn, unlettered stones,
it is not unreasonable to suppose that
the first meeting house was here To-
Gated. No description of the building
can be found, and the oldest inhabi.
tants of Mendham fail to recall any
stories handed down from past gener-
ations. Ha
In 1745 the name and site of the
village was changed and the people
decided to erect new house of wor
ship on the site of the present struc
ture. The plans were most liberia
and extensive for those days and the
circumstances of the congregation
Ebenezer Byram, one of the in,
fuential men of the village, went t.
Bridgewater, Mass, to secure th,
services of a carpenter, and engaged
John Gary, boss mechanic, to do tn,
entire work at two shillings sixpenct
per day.
The timbers were cut and hewn il
the forests near by. The shingles
which covered both top and sides ot
the meeting house, were riven ant
shaved by the very men who were t(
sit under their shelter The iron ore,
of which the nails were made, was
brought on horseback from the Dover
mines. In fact, there was little ex,
cept the glass for the windows that
was not made by some of the congre
CATION
The meeting house, when completed,
was most simple, severe and practical.
There was no spire or steeple, for bells
were rare things in those days. The
principal entrance was on the south
side, through two large double batten
folding doors. There were also en-
frances on the east and west sides. A
broad aisle extended from the south
door to the pulpit on the north side
of the church. The pulpit was a small
box-like structure, raised ON single
pillar to dizzy height. Over it an
immense octagonal sounding board ex-
tended itself like huge candle
snuffer, threatening to extinguish
the preacher, if he failed to let his
light shine brightly.
Underneath the pulpit was large
square pew, known as the deacons'
pew. In this, facing the people, sat
the officers of the church and those no
less autocratical beings, the choris-
ters, one, to line the hymn, the other
to pitch the tune.
Around three sides of the church, in
proximity to the ceiling,
gallery containing few
pews. There was no porch or lobby,
and the gallery stairs rose from the
assembly room.
The pews were unusually elaborate
in their finish. The backs were per-
pendicular and very high, giving
kindly protection to those who in
dulged in stolen maps during the long
and tedious discourses of the preacher.
The introduction, in 1776, of Watts
psalms and hymns so greatly offended
some of the older members of the con-
that they would leave the
house during the singing 8A3
In 1871 it was voted by the congre-
cation " to git a bell for the meeting
house of four hundred wait, y and
Mr.. John Gary, who had built the
church forty-six years before, was
to construct belfry. 1t
was placed ON the centre of the
church, with the bell-rope hanging
down in the middle of the aisle. Here
the bellringer stood ON Sabbath morn
ings while the people gathered, and,
the extreme Importance Of
his position. expended all his energy
on that bell-rope. Leaping high in
the air, he would grasp the rope and
make most grand and glorious de-
scent, displaying to his audience the
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