This church has been blessed with many auspicious revivals. One took place in 1807, and continued for a long time. It was very extensive, and about seventy were added to the church. Subsequently many precious seasons were enjoyed, but perhaps the greatest in-gathering occurred in the commencement of the year 1843, when about ninety were added to the church. This gracious visitation of the Holy Spirit commenced and continued through a meeting of days, in which Elder John Green and Elder Estee were the leaders. It was marked at first by a deep and unusual seriousness in the congregation, that gradually increased, and seemed to pervade every heart in the vast assembly. Meetings for prayer and religious inquiry succeeded, at which old and young attended, whose countenances were indicative of the various emotions of their souls. Some in a fixedness of look that seemed to say, "God and eternity are near;" some with a settled gloom and depression of countenance; some with marks of indescribable anguish; and some with the holiest and happiest serenity, placid and beautiful as the loveliest sky after a storm.
Sabbath after Sabbath scores of candidates of all ranks and ages, from the child of ten summers to the old man of seventy winters, came together requesting the ordinance of baptism, and what was most remarkable, the greatest order and propriety prevailed. There were no exhibitions of enthusiasm, no rapturous outbursts, or passionate exclamations. All was calm, sedate, and tranquil. Every one seemed to be impressed with a sense of the indescribable holiness of God, and the sinfulness of the human heart. Every one seemed to feel himself within the most holy place. There was confession, thanksgiving, and entreaty,—so humble, and yet so confiding,—so confiding, and yet so presumptuous,—so importunate, and yet so submissive. There were songs of praise and sighs of penitence. There were tears of holy joy, of exalted hope, of remorseful sorrow. From this church the sacred excitement extended to others, and many precious revivals occurred in the neighbourhood.
This community is at present engaged in building a new meeting-house, at a cost of five thousand dollars, having donated the old one to a school and society formed for educational and agricultural purposes.
This church was for a long time concerned in a very tedious affair relative to a lot of land in Philadelphia, which had been left by the will of Richard Sparks to the Seventh-day Baptists for a burial-ground. The date of the will I have been unable to obtain, but it appears that Sparks was one of the Keithian Seventh-day Baptists; that he was baptized by William Davis, in 1699; and that he belonged to a church of our persuasion in Newtown, Chester County. He was a man of large property, and being determined to give his brethren some substantial proof of his regard, donated to them the before-mentioned lot, which, at that time was in the suburbs of the city, although at present it is nearly in the centre. It was used, for some time, as the burial-ground of the church, and upon a marble slab, placed in the wall by which it is surrounded, are inscribed the names of those who are interred within. Subsequent to the extinction of that church, and the removal of its members, many of whom emigrated to Shiloh,[38] it became a question whether the disposal of this property might not be effected, and the proceeds of the sale appropriated by the General Conference. Pursuant to this design, Caleb Shepherd, of Shiloh, was appointed as agent for the sale of said lot, with instructions to present a memorial to the Legislature of Pennsylvania, petitioning them to authorize its disposal for pecuniary compensation, or in exchange for other land more conveniently situated. But these tedious negotiations resulted in a manner the most unsatisfactory. The Legislature decided that according to the tenure of the will, their only right to it was founded upon their using it for burial purposes; and that therefore there could be no legal disposal made of it.
About this time the Conference, in its denominational capacity, withdrew all claim to it in favour of the Shiloh and Piscataway churches. Subsequently it was leased to a hose company; and afterwards sold by these churches to Stephen Girard, by whom it was conveyed to the corporation of the city of Philadelphia, in whose possession it still continues.
SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH, MARLBOROUGH, NEW JERSEY.
This church, a branch of the former, was organized in 1811, and Rev. Jacob Ayras became its pastor, in which relation he continued until his death, in 1838, having served the church nearly twenty-five years.
Rev. Samuel Davis, brother of Elder John Davis, of Shiloh, was for some time his colleague in the ministry.
Rev. David Clawson, his successor, was returned as licentiate in connexion with the church at Piscataway, in 1833; was ordained in 1836, and installed as pastor of this church in 1839, in which relation he still continues.