Memoir of Rev. Gilbert Tennent, Concluded
interesting particulars of the state of religion in New Brunswick, and vicinity; and also in Philadelphia, and various other places.
The preceding memoir of Gilbert Teiinent was drawn up before the writer met with the following letter from his own pen, addressed to the Rev. Mr. Prince of Boston, and published in his” Christian History/ dated August 24, 1744, soon after Mr. Tennent had removed to Philadelphia. This letter sheds a satisfactory light on several parts of Mr* Tennent’s life, which all other accounts leave in obscurity, as for example, the success of his ministry in New Brunswick, while the pastor of that church; and also in Staten Island, where he had a congregation, to which his labours appear to have been blessed. It is a sad evidence of the retrograde march of Presbyterianism in some parts of our country, that after the lapse of a complete century, there is not a vestige of a Presbyterian congregation in that Island; nor has there been, within the memory of any person living.
Such parts of Mr. Tennent’s letter as have no bearing on his own life, have been omitted, but we have retained much the larger part, and in his own language.
Extracts from the Letter of the Rev. Gilbert Tennentj to the Rev. Mr. Prince of Boston, pubUshed in the Christian History, of the latter.
I am glad it pleased the sovereign God to make my poor labours of any service among you. I desire ever to bless his name for that undeserved mercy. I am thankful for the Christian History, and well pleased with the design and management of the work. I hope it will be a means in God’s hand of conveying with honour to posterity, a memorial of the late blessed revival of religion, which has been so virulently opposed by many.’’ Here he introduces a long extract from a public attestation to the reality of the work of grace, in the late revival, which was prefixed to Mr. Dickinson’s “Display OF Special Grace.” This public testimony was subscribed by Gilbert Tennent, William Tennent, Samuel Blair, Richard Treat, Samuel Finley, and John Blair. Some parts of this paper, will not be out of place here, as, no doubt, it was drawn up by Gilbert Tennent.
^’ If any should inquire, what we mean by the work of God, we think the judicious author of the following dialogue (Mr. Dickinson) has given a plain and pertinent answer, to which we give our approbation. A work of conviction and conversion spread not long since in many places of these provinces, with such power and progress, as even silenced for a time the most malignant opposers. They were either
THE R£V. GILBERT TENNENT. 91
afraid or ashamed openly to contradict such astonishing displays of the divine Almightiness, in alarming multitudes of secure sinners out of their fatal stupor, and exciting in them the utmost solicitude about the everlasting cencerns of their souls; many of whom gave us a rational and scriptural account of their distress, and afterwards of their deliverance from it, agreeable to the method of the gospel of Christ. Their comforts as well as their sorrows appeared, by all the evidence we can have of such things, to
be agreeable to scripture and reason
“It is shocking to think that any should dare to oppose a work attended with such commanding evidence as has been among us. We would beseech all such solemnly to answer the following paragraph of the Rev. Mr. Robe, minister of the gospel in Kilsyth, Scotland, in his preface to his “Narrative,” which is as follows: ‘I seriously beg of any who are prejudiced against this dispensation of Gods extraordinary grace, and look upon it as a delusion, that they will show themselves so charitable, as to direct me and other ministers, what we shall answer distressed persons of all ages, who come to us crying bitterly that they are undone, because of unbelief and other sins — What shall we do to be saved V And as a young girl about twelve, who had been in distress for some time called upon me in the house where I was, and asked me with great sedateness, ‘What shall I do to get Christ V shall we tell them that they are not Christless, and are not unconverted, when we evidently see many of them to be such? Shall we tell them that their fears of the wrath of God is all but delusion and that it is no such a dreadful thing that they need to be much afraid of it? Shall we tell persons lamenting their cursing and swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and other immoralities, that it is the devil that now makes them see these evils to be offensive to God, and destructive to their souls? Shall we tell them, who, under the greatest uneasiness, inquire of us what they shall do to get an interest and faith in Jesus Christ, that Satan is deluding them, when they have, or show any concern this way? In fine, shall we pray, and recommend it to them to pray to God, to deliver them from such delusions? It would be worse than devilish to treat the Lord’s sighing and groaning prisoners at this rate; and yet such treatment is a natural consequence of reckoning this the work of the devil, and a delusion.’
‘’ I may add, that both our presbyteries of New Brunswick and Newcastle, have, in their declaration of May 26 y 1743, printed at Philadelphia, manifested their cordial concurrence with the protestation of the presbytery of New York, in which are these words, viz.: ‘We protest against all those passages which have been published in these parts which seem to reflect on the work of divine power and grace, which has been carrying on in so wonder ful a manner in many of our congregations; and declare to all the world, that we look upon it to be the indispensable duty of all our ministers, to encourage that glorious work, with their most faithful and diligent endeavours.^
This public protestation was signed by Jonathan Dickinson, Ebenezer Pemberton, Daniel Elmore, Silas Leonard, John Pierson, Simon Horton, and Azariah Horton, ministers; and by Nathaniel Hazard, Timothy Whitehead, and David Whitehead, elders. Now, the concurrence of the presbyteries of New Brunswick, and Newcastle, with the aforesaid Protest, is expressed in the following words, in the 5th page of their Declaration: “With this Protestation of our reverend and other brethren, we heartily agree.’^ And in the 13th page, they declare, “that they could not come into a state of settled constant communion with such as had protested against them, until they received competent satisfaction; especially concerning their opposition to, and reflections upon the work of God’s grace, and success of the gospel in the land.
“I trust I may say to the glory of God’s grace, that it pleased the most high God to let me see considerable success, in the places where I laboured statedly, many years before I came hither.
“The labours of the Rev. Mr. Frelinghuysen, a
Dutch Calvinist minister, were much blessed to the
people of New Brunswick and places adjacent; es-G pecially, about the time of his coming among them which was about twenty-four years ago-.
“When I came there which was about seven years after, I had the pleasure of seeing much of the fruits of his ministry: divers of his hearers with whom I had the opportunity of conversing, appeared to be converted persons, by their soundness in principle, Christian experience, and pious practice; and these persons declared, that the ministrations of the aforesaid gentleman were the means thereof. This together with a khid letter which he sent me, re» specting the dividing the word aright, and giving to every man his portion in due season, through the divine blessing, excited me to greatex earnestness in ministerial labours. I began to be very much distressed about my want of success 5 for I know not for half a year or more after I came to New Brunswick, that any one was converted by my labours; although several persons were at times affected transiently.” It pleased God, about that time, to afflict me with sickness, by which I had affecting views of eternity. I was then exceedingly grieved I had done so little for God, and was very desirous to live one half year more, if it was his will, that I might stand upon the stage of the world, as it were, and plead more faithfully for his cause, and take more earnest pains for the salvation of souls. The secure state of the world appeared to me in a very affecting light; and one thing among others, pressed me
THE REV. GILBERT ‘^lE^NENT. 101
sore, that I had spent so much time in conversing about trifles, which might have been spent in examining people’s states, and persuading them to turn unto God. I therefore prayed to God that he would be pleased to give me one half year more, and I was determined to promote his kingdom with ail my might, and at all adventures. This petition God was pleased to grant manifold, and to enable me to keep my resolution in some measure.
“After I was raised up to health, I examined many about the grounds of their hope of salvation, which I found in most to be nothing but as the sand. With such I was enabled to deal faithfully and earnestly in warning them of their danger, and urging them to seek converting grace. By this method many were awakened out of their security, and of these, divers were to all appearance eff’ectually converted; but some that I spoke plainly to were prejudiced. And here I would have it observed, that as soon as an effectual door was opened, I found many adversaries, and my character was covered with unjust reproaches, whih through divine goodness did not discourage me in my work. I did then preach much <5n original sin, repentance, the nature and necessity of conversion, in a close, examinatory, and distinguishing way: labouring, in the mean time, to sound the trumpet of God’s judgments, and alarm the secure by the terrors of the Lord, as well as to
^jffect them with other topics of persuasion: which
G2 method was sealed by the Holy Spirit, in the conviction and conversion of a considerable number of persons, at various times, and in different places, in that part of the country, as appeared by their acquaintance with experimental religion, and good conversation.
“I may further observe, that frequently at sacramental seasons, in New Brunswick, there have been signal displays of the divine power and presence-Divers have been convinced of sin, by the sermons there preached, some converted, and many much affected with the love of God in Jesus Christ. 0 the sweet meltings that I have seen on such occasions, among mxany! New Brunswick did then look like a field the Lord had blessed. It was like a little Jerusalem, to which the scattered tribes with eager haste repaired at sacramental solemnities; and there they fed on the fatness of God’s house, and drank of the rivers of his pleasures. But alas! the scene is now altered!
“While I lived in the place aforesaid, I do not remember, that there was any great ingathering of souls at any one time; but, through mercy, there were frequently gleanings of a few here and there, which in the whole were a considerable number. But having never taken a written account of them I cannot offer any precise conjecture at their number, and shall therefore, leave it to be determined at the judgment-day. But at Staten Island, one of the places where I statedly laboured, there was about fifteen or sixteen years agonea more general concern about the affahs of salvation, which hopefully issued in the conversion of a pretty many. Once in the time of a sermon from Amos vi. 7, before which the people were generally secure, the Spirit of God was suddenly poured out on the assembly; the people were generally affected about the state of their souls; and some to that degree, that they fell upon their knees in the time of the sermon, in order to pray to God for pardoning mercy. Many went weeping home from the sermon; and then the general inquiry was, what must I do to be saved ?^ I may further observe, that some few of those that I hope were converted in the places aforesaid, were compelled to cry out in the public assembly, both under the impressions of terror and love. During the late revival of religion. New Brunswick felt some drops of the spreading rain, but no general shower.
‘^ As to Philadelphia, where by the Providence of God, I now labour statedly, many have been hopefully converted here during the display of God’s grace in this land. The Rev. Mr. Whitefield was the instrument God was pleased to improve principally in the awakening and conversion of sinners here; yet the labours of others have been attended with some success. This town, by all that I can learn was in deep security, generally, before Mr.
Whitefield came amon them, but his preaching was ~G3
104 TJIE REV. aiLBERT TENNENT.
SO blessed, that a great number were brought under a religious concern about the salvation of their souls; multitudes were “inquiring the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, weeping as they went.^^ Some years since, there were so many under soul-sickness in this place, that my feet were pained in walking from place to place to see them. And there was then such an eagerness to hear religious discourse, that when they saw me going to a house they would flock to it; and under what was spoken, they were sometimes generally, and to all appearance, deeply affected. And thus it was in more public assemblies; there were sometimes, general meltings. And though several persons have lost their religious impressions, and” returned with the dog to his vomit;’’ and some others have fallen into erroneous sentiments, yet God has preserved many from those evils, who give a rational and scriptural account of their conversion, and crown the same by their practice. Neither is it strange that some should be carried away here, by the fair speeches and cunning craftiness of those that lie in wait to deceive; seeing that the greater part in this place, have never had the advantage of a strict religious education, and, therefore, were never well fixed in the thorough knowledge of a consistent system of principles. None that I know of in this town, that were well acquainted with the doctrines of religion in their connexion, and established in them, have been turned aside by the tempests and tricks of errorists.
“The last Sabbath in May last, I gave the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, the first time that it was dispensed to the society to which I belong — considered as a society. The number of communicants was above one hundred and forty. Those persons I examined about their gracious state, as well as doctrinal knowledge; and upon trial, almost all of them gave scriptural and satisfactory account of the ground of their hope. Now the chief of these, according to their own account, have been brought to Christ during the late revival of religion. And there are divers other persons, who in a judgment of charity, have got saving benefit during the late marvellous manifestation of God’s grace, who do not join in communion with us.
“Though there is in many, a considerable decay as to their liveliness and afi’ectionateness in religion, yet through divine goodness, they grow more humble and merciful; and it is evident by their conversation, that the general bent of their heart is for God. Since I have come here, my labours seem to be chiefly serviceable to instruct, and establish the great truths of religion, and to comfort pious people. There have been but a few instances of conviction and conversion in this town that I know of
‘’ In some places of this province, some years agop particularly in Nottingham, Fag’s Manor, Whiteclay Creek, Neshaminy, and elsewhere, there have been such general lamentations in the time of preaching, that the speaker’s voice has been almost drowned with the cries of the distressed, even after they have been entreated again and again to restrain themselves; yea, and sometimes when the speaker discoursed in a gospel strain, divers persons in this province have fallen down to the ground in the time of sermon, as though they were stabbed with a sword. And what though some have lost their impressions, and relapsed into their sordid impieties, this is no more than what the scriptures inform us did happen in the apostolic times; yet it is well known that many of them — so far as we are capable of judging by men’s speech and practice — have been brought to a sound conversion.
“I think it needless here to offer a reply to the cavils of opposers, which are as numerous as insidious and impertinent. But though I must say, that mine eyes and ears have seen and heard so much of the appearance and fruits of the late revival of religion, that I must reject religion altogether, and turn infidel, if I should dispute and oppose the same. May it please the gracious God to pardon those unhappy men who have set themselves in opposition to the work of the most high God, and painted it in black and odious colours, and let them see their sin and danger before it be too late.
“Dear Sir, I did not think when I began to write, to oflfer any more than our Prefatory Attesta-TioN; but being urged to mention something of what I have seen and heard, and finding a pleasure in the subject, I have added, with the strictest regard to truth and soberness, these few hasty hints, concerning some matters of fact, which I know to be true; and shall leave to your discretion to do with them, as you shall see meet.
“I am Sir, Yours, &c.,
“Gilbert Tennent.
“August 24, 1744/