The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-08-02
REV. HEZEKIAH
SMITH b. D.
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAeE.l

whereof John Nixon, Esq, is Colonel
in the Army Of the United States,
etc. Later he appears as Brigade
Chaplain.
In a list Of twenty-one Brigade
Chaplains in the army, Aug. nth,
ITS. there are two Episcopalians,
three Presbyterians, FIVE Congrega
tionalists, five whose church relations
are not given, and six Baptists, nearly
a third Of the whole, viz, Gano, for
merly Of Morristown; Smith, formerly
Of Morris county; Jones, Rogers,
Thompson and Vanhorn. There were
other Baptist chaplains in the army
and when it is remembered that the
Baptists OF that day were but hand
full Of people it will be seen that their
record is an exceedingly honorable
one.
Having rejoined the army at Peeks-
kill, Chaplain Smith set out with
Gen. Nixon on July 9Th, TIT. for Al
bany and the Burgoyne campaign. His
journal gives some vivid descriptions
Of the battles Of Saltwater and Sara
toga. For the next three years, with
some long furloughs, he was on service,
with the army on the lower Hudson.
1t is evident that he commanded
the respect Of men of all ranks. From
his papers we learn that on Sept.
18th, 1777, in preaching to his brigade,
he had among his hearers Gen. Gates,
Gen. Glover, Gen. Poor and other
prominent officers We read also,
Sabbath, Aug. 3D.. / preached a SER
mon to our brigade from Malachi 2s5.
His Excellency General Washington
attended. dined with him the same
day" Monday, Nov 1st. I went
to West Point. Dined with Washing
TOM Washington corresponded with
Chaplain Smith after the war. His
granddaughter speaks Of remembering
among the family papers package Of
twenty or thirty letters from Wash
|ington, which were given away to
friends in days when such documents
were not SO highly regarded as at
present. When Washington visited
Haverhill in 1889, he called on Chap
lain Smith at his house.
At a meeting of his church In Hay-
erhill, Apl. "a, 1850, it was voted,
That We Rev. Mr.. Smith be requested
to return from We army to his charge
as soon as he can with honor. This
delicately worded call was strong
one but it could not be complied with
Immediately The next autumn how
ever he. saw his way clear to resign
and he arrived home late in October,
to labor for twenty-five years longer in
the fields Of civil life.
Like so many ministers in his day,
Mr.. Smith was deeply interested in
education. He kept a school prepar-
ing young men for college. When
Rhode Island College, now Brown
University, was organized in 1865 he
was made a member of its governing
body, and all his life was one of its most
efficient supporters. In 1897 the Uni
versity honored itself in honoring him
with the degree of D. d.
One Of the great conflicts Of his day
was that concerning the relations of
church and state The Baptists and
Others were outrageously oppressed
under the laws of Massachusetts, and
Connecticut in support Of the Stand
ing Order" Mr.. Smith was one of the
leaders in this battle for equal rights.
1t may be worth noting that the COM
munication of the Warren Baptist
Association sent in 1774 to the Con-
tinental Congress in Philadelphia pray
ing for protection against unjust taxa
tion for the support of state church
was signed by John Gano as Moder-
ator, and Hezekiah Smith as Clerk,
the first having been the first pastor
of the Morristown, IN - Baptist
Church and the second the first con-
vert baptized by him In membership
of the church, and both to become
famous as Chaplains Of the Continents
al Army.
DR.. Smiths diary contains notes of
many visits to Morris County, N. r.
1894. Feb. u. Preached in Morris
town and after hearing Mr.. James Man
ming preach administered the Sacfa-
ment. Monday, March 5. Preached
at jeremiah Sutton's at Long Hill.
In the evening gave an exhortation
after Mr. Manning had preached.
" 1884. Nov. 6. went by water
(from New York; to the Point and
from thence in a chair to jeremiah
Smiths. Wednesday, Fl. l preached
in the Morristown meeting house.
Thursday, %. Preached in Mr.
Green's meeting house. (Hanover).
Friday, 30 Went to Morristown' and