Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-22
Universalists at
Jersey Birthplace
Of Their Church
Murray Grove, Near Toms
River, Is Scene of Annual
Conference.

Near Toms River, in this State, is
the birthplace of the Universaisu
Church OF this country. Murray
Grove, an extensive farm of many
acres, stretching from the New York
Atlantic City road to Barnegat Bay
is the hamlet where the church was
first Launched. Here each year the
month of August is given over to con-
ferences, institutes and recreation by
the people from a number OF States
who meet to enjoy a season OF re-
ligious companlonSnip.
There are four or five buildings,
besides the memorial church. on the
place. one Of these buildings is d
three-story hotel for the accommoda-
ton OF guests, and other buildings
for roomlng purposes. The confer
ences last through the entire month.
The story OF the rounding of the
Universallst Church is a very inter-
esting one. Thomas Potter, who
owned the farm, built a church in
177O on the part OF the farm near
the Atlantic City road. 1t was his
desire that it should be a church
building that could be used by any
body Oh people.
Having built the church he waited
for a preacher to come. 1t happened
that in England a preacher kev. John
Murray, trained in the Wesleyan
movement, began to preach the IDEAS
of unIVersalism. He was prosecuted.
Leaving England he set sail for
America and became stranded at
Cranberry Inlet, Barnegat Bay. He
found in the farmhouse of Thomas
Potter refuge and the men became
fast friends.
Although Rev. John Murray had in
49, ma sala ~
account of his prosecutions, Thomas
Potter insisted that he was the
preacher he had been waiting for and
that he had already a church built for
him. Thus it came about that the
Unlversalist Church mad its begin
ming, although 1t has taken root in
New England rather tnan in New
Jersey, the place of it's birth.
The old Potter farmhouse. which
has been restored and furnished in
the style prevailing $50 years ago,
was dedicated last Sunday by an adj
dress by the superintendent of the
general convention of the Universal
Ist Church, Rev. DIR. w. H. McGlau-
film, and by an original poem written
for the occasion by DR.. Nehemiah
Dodge, of Morristown.
The Potter church, as it Is called,
is a quaint little building, with gal
lery on three sides and old-sryie
pews. 1t is used still as place of
worship, although near by is brick
memorial church, much larger and
containing historical relics of the ear
ly days. This memorial church was
dedicated in October, 1885,
Tomorrow will be Memorial Sun
day at Murray Grove, when the an
nual memorial sermon will be
nhad il Sxnonfad hu
e. G. Mason, formerly pastor at
Hightstown. =. Preaching services are
held almost every day. Other fea-
lures are the birthday party. the fair
and the institutes in missions, Sun
day school work and evangelism.
This week plans are being made for
extensive improvements. A road is
to be built fifty feet wide straight
through the farm from the Atlantic
City road to Barneget Bay, dis
tance of about a mile and a half,
opening up a beach on the water
front. 1t is to be road suitable for
automobiles. About $1,000 was raised
for this purpose last Sunday.
The Universalist Church is one of
the smallest in membership. but it is
preserving it's historic place and
! landmarks. The number of those
who attend the Murray Grove as
sembly is increasing each year. One
of the new problems is the provision
of another building for rooms. The
front of the property is to be de-
veloped in lawns and a layout of
flowers and shrubbery, for which
provision is being made. A resident
farmer is developing this big tract OF
land, which is devoted to the reli-
gious work of the church.