{geni:about_me} ISAAC STELLE, Third Pastor.

1759-1781.

Rev. Isaac Slelle, son of Benjamin and Mercy Stelle, was born in

Piscataway in 1719. He married Miss Christiana Clarkson. He was

ordained as assistant to his father in 1751, and became sole pastor of

the Church after his father's death in 1759. What his educational

advantages had been, we know not, but he appears to have been a man

of more than ordinary vigor and sprightliness of mind ; a peer among

his fellows, and from the first able to hold a conspicuous position

among his brethren in the ministry, and a large place in their hearts.

Morgan Edwards speaks of "the goodness of the man and the excel-

lency of his preaching. Dr. Samuel Jones, in his century sermon,

after referring to the earlier and more eminent ministers of the Asso-

ciation, adds that "a junior class came forward in the churches who

were in a pretty high degree eminent in their day ; as John Davies,

of Hartford ; Robert Kelsie, of Cohansey ; Peter Peterson VanHorn,

of T^ower Dublin; Isaac Eaton, of Hopewell ; Mr. Walton, of Morris-

town ; Isaac Stelle, of Piscataway ; Benjamin Miller, of Scotch Plains,

and John Gano, of New York. These were burning and shining lights,

especially the last three. May the God of Elijah grant that a double

portion of their spirit may rest on all that stand as watchmen on Zion's

walls." A pardonable pride may be indulged that two of these "especi-

ally burning and shining lights" were licentiates of this Church, namely :

Benjamin Miller and Isaac Stelle.

In the Association Mr. Stelle was highly esteemed for his wisdom,

sound judgment, and pulpit gifts. He was often placed on important

committees, and appointed to represent the Association in sister bodies.

in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Virginia. He preached

the introductory sermon before the Association in 1752, again in 1759 ;

also in 1766, from John, 1:14 : "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt

among us (and we behold his glory, the glory of the only begotten of

the Father) full of grace and truth"; and for the last time in 1774, from

Jerepiiah, 23: 28 : " The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream ;

and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully ; what is

the chaff to the wheat ? saith the Lord." He was chosen Moderator of

the Association in 1776, and again in 1780. In the year 1763 he wrote

by appointment the Circular Letter; or. Pastoral Address to tlie

churches, and again in 1768. A part of the former we here transcribe,

believing it will be read with interest by the members of the Churcli,

the more, as in all probability he left no manuscript sermons or other

document vvhereby may be indicated the character ot his mind and the

fervor of his zeal :

" Tlie elders and messengers of the several Baptist congregations

in Pennsylvania and provinces adjacent, now met in general Associa-

tion at Philadelphia, the ... 12th and 13th of October, 1763.

Dearly beloved Brethren : — We have the satisfaction to acquaint

you of our meeting together, according to appointment. A good measure

of brotherly love has subsisted among us during the time of our con-

sultation. Thanks be to the Lord who is wisdom and counsel to his

people.

And now, brethren, receive a word of exhortation in love. Strive

to abound in vital piety ; see that you walk worthy of the vocation

wherewitli you are called. Be careful to maintain a steady course of

cheerful obedience to God all the days of your life. Neglect not

prayer, neither family nor closet. Strengthen the hands of your ministers

and encourage their visits to vacant places. Delight yourselves in the

Word, worship and ordinances of God. Make the sacred oracles the

rule of all your actions. Learn by Christ's sermon on the Mount, to

forgive your enemies; strive to live peaceably witli all men.

May you ever be able to walk together in the unity of the Spirit,

provoking one another to love and good works, and that being by

promise united to an inheritance among them that are sanctified, you

may at last hear the voice of the heavenly bridegroom say unto you,

' Come up hither '; whicli may God, of his infinite mercy, grant for Jesus

sake. Amen."

All these exhortations might be as pertinently addressed to the

churches now as to those of a hundred and twenty-five years ago. Notice,

particularly his interest in evangelical work, in the counsel, "Strengthen

the hands of your ministers, and encourage their visits to vacant places^

\w the Association that met at New York in 1772, during which Mr.

Isaac Skillman was set apart to the ministry, Mr. Stelle, with Rev. Abel

Morgan and Rev. John Gano, performed the ordination service after a

sermon by President Manning. At the ordination of Dr. Manning himself

ten years before at Scotch Plains, we are told by Prof. Guild that '' his

beloved friend, the Rev. Isaac Stelle, of Piscataway, made the ordaining

prayer." Between Dr. Manning and Mr. Stelle there subsisted a close

and lovingintimacy until the death of the latter. In President Manning's

diary of a journey from Providence to Philadelphia and return in 1779,^



1. See Prof. Guild's " Mannins' and Brown University," pp. 260-286, a very valuable

and interesting- memoir. The diary or journal alone abounds in historical incidents, and

also in allusion to persons and families so well known then in this section, as are their

descendants now, that it would well repay every Baptist living- between Elizabeth and

Hopewell to read.



he refers repeaiediy to Mr. Stelle, whom he met first during this journey

at Scotch Plains, and where both of them preached on the 6th day of

June ; whom he visited July i8, and for whom he preached twice.

" Called on him on the 23d. He was not at home, met him at Mr.

Hall's in Brunswick. August 22, preached at the Plains with Mr. Stelle

who preached at 6 o'clock at Morristown." This was their final meet-

ing on earth. Another of Mr. Stelle's contemporaries and his bosom

friend was the Rev. Benjamin Miller, the first pastor of the daughter

Church at Scotch Plains. Morgan Edwards, in referring to the inti-

macy of Mr. Miller and Mr. Stelle, speaks of Mr. Miller as Mr. Stelle's

" other self." Both, inspired with zeal for mission work, made long

journeys together to remote parts of the country, once as far South as

Virginia, preaching as they went, visiting feeble Churches, and every-

where testifying the Gospel of the grace of God. Such itinerant labors

were rare even in that age, and bear witness to the self-denial of these

good men and their consecration to the Master's work.^

It would interesting to know much more of the life and labors of

the third pastor, even to form some idea by pen or pencil of his personal

appearance ; but, as no portrait remains of him or of his predecessors,

we are prepared to accept what Prof. Guild says of him: "He possessed a

temperament exceedingly active and a disposition uncommonly amiable."

That he was a preacher far above mediocrity, is apparent from the promi-

nence given him, by his contemporary brethren, in public bodies —

brethren who, like him, adorned their holy profession and made their

mark on the age; Miller, Edwards, Gano, Isaac Eaton, Abel Morgan,

and others of whom the world was not worthy. He and Miller, who

illustrated the friendship of David and Jonathan, both died the same

year, Mr. Stelle, October 9, Mr. Miller, November 14, 1781. "Lovely

and pleasant," says one, "were they in their lives, and in death they

were not long divided, the one having survived the other only thirty-

five days."

"If one was grieved, it did them both annoy,

If one rejoiced, the other felt the joy ;

When one was gone, the other could not stay,

But quickly hastened to eternal day."

Mr. Stelle did not attain to the venerable ages of his predecessors,

being scarcely sixty-three years old when the Lord called him to rest

from his labors. But his works followed with him, to be, with him, held

in everlasting remembrance. His pastorate covered twenty-two years,

1. President Manning-, in his letter to Rev. Benjamin Wallin, of London, under date

of May 33, 1783, informs him of the death of " two eminent Baptist ministers nearly two

years ago— the Rev. Messrs. Miller and Stelle, of the Scotch Plains and Piscataway

Churches."— J/. andB. U.,2). 295.

his entire ministry twenty-nine years, and, excepting his occasional

missionary tours and one or two visits to Rhode Island, were confined

exclusively to this Church. In Piscataway he was born and born again,

licensed and ordained. In Piscataway he lived, labored and died.

His remains were placed by the side of his father's. The inscription

on the stone reads :

In Memory of ye

REV. MR. ISAAC STELLE,

Baptist Minister of ye Gospel of Christ,

at Piscataway,

Who departed this life

Oct. ye 9th, 1781, in ye 63d year of his Age.

A loving Husband, a tender Parent and a

Friend to all that love ye

Lord Jesus.

No more ye Gospel Trumpet sounds

By him who had much given.

One in this Lower World imployed

But now imployed in Heaven.

Mr. Stelle left seven sons and two daughters. His son, Benjamin,

graduated at Princeton in 1766, and soon after established a Latin

School at Providence, which was largely patronized. It was a daughter

of this gentleman who became the second wife of the Hon. Nicholas

Brown, the distinguished benefactor of Brown University. Mr. Stelle

was also Clerk of the Baptist Church in Providence for many years.

The descendants of the Rev. Benjamin and Rev. Isaac Stelle are

spread over all the country. Tliey are in our chief cities and in country

places, occupying the marts of business, or engaged in husbandry and

manufactures, or pursuing various professional callings. Their influence

in this Church from the beginning, and in the Baptist Israel at large, is

not to be estimated in time. May allthat bear the name, as they multiply

through future generations, be in no wise unworthy of their honored

ancestors.

Before we proceed further in our narrative, let us pause and con-

sider where we are in history. It is the month of October, 1781, nearly

a century after the planting of the Church — an eventful and sad month

in its history, and still more eventful and joyous month in the history

of our nation. Isaac Stelle rests from his labors and receives his crown.

Ten days afterwards the month witnesses to the last blow struck for

American independence at Yorktown, and the surrender of Lord

Cornwallis and his army, to an end of the toils, sacrifices and sufferings

of the patriot army and people, and to the rejoicings and thanksgivings

that begin in the victorious army and spread throughout the Union.

No part of our country had suffered more than New Jersey, not only

from the tread of armed hosts to and fro, and battles fought on her

soil, but from the terrorism and robbery of marauding bands of British

soldiers and from the insolence and destructiveness of their allies, the

lories, of whom this part of the State had its full share. Few dwell-

ings, few church edifices, in this region escaped pillage. Few were the

farms that were not robbed of their stock and of whatever could

minister either to the greed or revengeful spirit of these plundering

bands.

Now all is changed. Peace begins to dawn. The nation feels that

it w;/j-/ come, that its blessings are just at hand. Under tlie influence

of these anticipations — soon to be realized — the people begin to be of

good cheer. East Jersey, no longer ground between the upper and

nether millstones of British oppression and tory vandalism, lifts up her

bowed head and gratefully hails a new era of national and religious

life. This Church, the members of which had borne their full propor-

tion of privation and sufferings and had experienced with other churches

the evils of declension in religion and vital piety, we find still holding

on its way and gathering together for worship and mutual counsel and

exhortation, though reduced in numbers.

As already stated the minutes that have survived the Revolution

begin on the 29th day of August, 1781, and are called the "Minutes of

the First-Day Baptist Church at Piscataway," It might be sup]:)osed

that at this meeting, or one held soon afterwards, there would be some

allusion to the great loss the Church had sustained in the destruction

or theft of its minutes for the preceding hundred years, but there is

not the slightest allusion to so deplorable a fact. ^ But in strict harmony

with the aim of the Church doubtless from the beginning, certainly for

the last century, namely, to maintain the purity of the Church, its first

" proceedings " relate to three delinquent members. The next meet-

ing for business is held in October^ of the same year, and opposite the

numeral 9, in the margin, we meet with this brief statement : '' Our

much esteemed pastor. Rev. Isaac Stelle, departed this life." Nothing

more. How much it would gratify us to know more — to know iiow the

death of such a man, minister, i)astor, affected the Church and congre-

gation ; to know which of his brethren officiated at his funeral, and

sought to extol the grace that had made him the devoted servant of

his Lord that he was, and one of the most useful men of the age.

...

GENEALOGY

Rev. Isaac, son of Rev. Benjamin Stelle, born 1718, married Christina Clarkson. Their children were :

Benjamin, married Huldah Crawford.

Ambrose.

Abel married Sarah Dunham.

Joseph married Elizabeth Stelle.

Mary.

Mercy.

Oliver, married Mary Runyon.

Samuel married Hannah Taylor.

[no mention of John here. ? dkh.]

...

"History of the First Baptist Church of Piscataway : with an account of its bi-centennial celebration, June 20th, 1889" BY J .F. BROWN, D.D., 1889

http://www.archive.org/stream/historyoffirstba00dr...rstba00drak_djvu.txt

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Isaac Stelle and Christiana Clarkson had nine children:

Benjamin (1742),

Ambrose (1744),

John (1746),

Abel (1748),

Joseph (1749,

Mercy (1751),

Mary (1754),

Oliver (1756) and

Samuel (1758)