Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-12-27
The FIRST Churches

lHt hESL VI NlAt EtAAAtAS htAllE VI
the Quaker faith. il Is natural to find
that they were the first to have a
place of worship in that territory.
Their meeting house was located at
Toponemus. about two and a halt
miles south OF the present village
OF Wickatunck, 1t later becoming the
meeting house of the Episcopalians.
and. as was the custom. their bury
ing-place was on the same plot sur
rounding the church. This church
was later removed to Freehold,
where it still serves the purpose, and
bears the name of st. Peters Epis-
copal Church.
The old Toponemus burying-
ground was used as a place of inter-
ment as late as 1861: its gravestones
are buried in the deep shadows of a
dense wood and overgrown with
weeds and brushwood, where with
some difficulty WI al pick IA the
late resting places OF some OF those
early Scottish pioneers. such as John
Reid, overseer OF the first band Of
settlers who came out on the ship
Exchange, along with those OF his
wife, daughter and s~on-in-law. John
Anderson, who became President of
the Governors Council. and was at
his death Acting Governor of the
State.
The large influx of Covenanters
brought about the early establish
ment OF a Presbyterian Church.
which was located about a mile and
a half due north of the Toponemus
Church, and about a mile to the
south of W~ickatunck. where they
also had d burying-ground which Is
now known as the "Old Scots" grave
yard, and was used as a burial place
until about forty years ago. 1t was
in this church that the first recorded
ordination of a Presbyterian minis
ter in America took place, that OF
the young Scotsman. Rev. John
Boyd. over whose grave the Synod
Of New Jersey erected a handsome
monument about twenty years ago
the only object in this historical
Gods Acre which does not suffer
from neglect. Like those of Topo-
menus. the gravestones are overrun
with weeds. etc, and are not even
sheltered from the elements. as the
trees which once cast their mourn
full shadows over the remains of the
departed are now mostly dead, their
! gaunt, bare trunks and limbs accen-
tuating the character of the place.
This church was the forerunner
OF the "Old Tenant Church."
around which cling lasting memo
ries of the church's early struggles
as 1t sought to inculcate the doctrine
of peace on earth, good will to
men, 1t has also figured in the
tragedies of war. as the decisive Bat
tie of Monmouth was fought in the
| fields close by. and its sheltering roof
gave comfort and solace to MANY a
wounded and dying soldier on that
momentous day.
T. is not within the scope of this
article to enlarge upon the influence
exercised by these men and their
descendants in the development of
this State and Nation: some of them
have held the highest offices in the
State, while many of their descend
ants took an active part in h War
of the Revolution. showing them
selves ever ready TO defend the lib
erty for which their forefathers had
fought and suffered: while among
their descendants of the present day
are to be found men holding posi-
tons of responsibility and influence
in the various phases OF the Nations
life and activities.
This year we celebrate the ter
centenary of the landing of the Eng
| llSi tllkIlf1S On II sui
shores of Massachusetts,. All honor
to the of those stern men
and women whose deeds have been
commemorated in song and story
and visualiZed on canvas n eternal
granite; yet while we fully recognize
and acknowledge the great influence
they and their descendants have cS-
! ercised in the development of the
Nation, is it not fitting and proper
| that some tangible recognition
should be given u fellow country
men who have likewise contributed
to the development and prosperity
Of the Nation, and established an
even wider range of freedom, both
| civil and religious. than did he Pun
itans of New England.
AS Theodore Roosevelt has SAID:
while full credit has been awarded
them (the Puritans). it is doubtful
il we have wholly realized the I'M
portance of the part played by that
stern and virile people whose
preachers taught the creeds of Knox
and Calvin" and as Whitelaw Red
has said. while no mar may pre-
sumo to depreciate the Puritan o.
the Cavalier, it is full time Tor
the Scots in America to receive due
recognition"
Let us, therefore. seek to revive
and perpetuate the memory of those
early Scottish Pilgrims who fought
and suffered for conscience sake in
their native land, and brought Win
them those high ideals of liberty,
which they planted and perpetuated
in the land of their adoption.
1t is fortunate indeed that the city
of Perth Amboy has been able to res
cue from the ruthless hand OF prog
ress the site of the first homes OF
those early Scottish pioneers. when
! has been dedicated for all time to