ntroduction: In order to understand the reason for the establishment of our church today we must review the events of the early 20^th century and the struggle of a Pilgrim people who refused to compromise the truths of the Bible against all worldly odds.

Presbyterians began to settle in New Jersey early in the 18^th Century migrating from Scotland, Ireland and England.  Soon, churches were founded and a presbytery was formed in Philadelphia in 1706.  In 10 years, the church grew and the first synod was established with 3 presbyteries.[1]  As the area became populated, more churches sprang up, including in the community of Hanover New Jersey, where farmers and iron workers lived near the banks of the Whippany River.  Hanover was a large area which included the West Hanover community settled in 1720. Within 13 years, the need for a local church became obvious and it was finally agreed (by casting lots) that the building be erected in Hanover.  However, the families of West Hanover objected and withdrew to form their own church in what is now called Morristown.

Presbyterian Church in Morristown:  In 1756, the Presbyterian Church of Morristown was chartered by King George II of England.  The first pastor, Timothy Johnes, a Yale graduate, was ordained and served the church from 1742 to 1792.  In 1747, Dr. Johnes, along with Jonathan Edwards and other Presbyterian ministers of the area, formed the College of New Jersey, later renamed Princeton University. In 1777, during the battle for Morristown in the American Revolution, Gen. George Washington, a member of the Anglican Church, requested permission from the Session to take communion in the church along with his officers.  The request was granted.  After the death of Dr. Johnes in 1794, another Yale graduate, Rev. Richards, served the church as Pastor.

 In 1801, the Presbyterian Church and the Congregational Church adopted a plan of union which allowed ministers from each denomination to serve in either church without any governmental  or confessional changes.  Prior to this event, a popular heresy stemming from some New England congregations, (called Hopkinsianism, the belief that denies man’s depravity) caused unrest and eventually a split in the denomination.  This is often referred to as “the Old school/New school” split.[2]  In Morristown, the pastor of the church at that time was Dr. Orlando Kirtland. He was uncomfortable with the prevalent New England theology and resigned in 1841 with over 200 members including the entire Board of Trustees. They left the Presbyterian Church of Morristown and formed the South Street Presbyterian Church.[3]  The South Street Presbyterian Church’s pastor and members preferred the more conservative Presbyterian and reformed views as taught in the Westminster Confession and Larger and Shorter Catechisms.

 After the War-Between-the-States, the Old school/New school Presbyterian Churches reunited and formed the PCUSA in the north while the southern states formed the PCUS.  In 1869, Dr. Albert Erdman was called to pastor the South Street Presbyterian Church.  His strong leadership expanded the church’s outreach both locally and abroad by establishing foreign missionaries and reaching out to those in need locally.  In 1893, Dr. Erdman, along with others, established Morristown Memorial Hospital.  A church program to help recovering men from alcoholism became so popular that in 1899 the church founded the Market Street Mission.  In 1891, Dr. Erdman preached a sermon marking the 50^th year of the South Street Presbyterian Church.  In it, he stated “we stand in the midst of turmoil and unrest in the religious and social world.  The days before us are evidently full of possibilities of strife and bitterness – possibilities which, if we cease to watch and pray, will divert attention from the Master and make the church a byword to the worldling.  The true purpose and design of Christ’s church must be kept in mind – the deepening and developing of spiritual life; bearing the message of God’s gospel to the unsaved at home and abroad; being a living, visible witness of God’s truth and His Word.  Remember, God has not only founded the church, but marvelously preserved it through the ages”[4].  Dr. Erdman ministered the gospel in Morristown for over 38 years; when he retired in 1907, he left a thriving church with over 800 members.   

In our records of church history, compiled by Miss Adeline Owens, it is stated “Dr. (A) Erdman’s preaching and teaching were absolutely and wholly loyal to the inspired Word of God, the Bible and also to the standards of the church”[5]   But his earlier warning was most prophetic; it was only 13 years and 2 ministers later that troubling changes began to occur.

On December 23, 1923 a group of 150 ministers of the PCUSA met in Auburn, NY.  These ministers declared themselves free from traditional doctrinal restrictions and that the 5 doctrinal points were mere theories.  These 5 points were the essentials of the church: the infallibility of Scripture, the virgin birth, the miracles of Christ, Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross and His bodily resurrection.[6] Dr. J. Gresham Machen stated that this document “was hostile to the Christian Faith”[7].  Rev. James Howard, then pastor of the South Street Presbyterian Church signed this infamous document even though it violated his vows as a minister of the gospel.  The pastor began to lead his church in presenting modernistic views of the scriptures and allowing Unitarian (denying Christ as Lord) teaching to the youth in the Sunday School.  This modernist or liberal view differs from Christianity in its view of God, of man, of the seat of authority and of the way of salvation.  And, it differs from Christianity not only in theology but in the whole of life.[8]  Rev. Howard then led a movement to merge the two congregations into one church where his liberal views of Christianity would be prevalent.  A congregational meeting was called in both churches and a plan of union was agreed upon.  Membership of both churches at that time was over 1,500, yet fewer than 500 attended the meeting.  Questions arose about the results of that vote as a large number of under-age people were allowed to participate which violated New Jersey state law involving the disposition of property.  Following this merger, only the First Presbyterian Church building (on the Green) would be used for worship, while the other building (South Street Presbyterian Church) would be used for offices etc.  A group of worshipers from the South Street Presbyterian Church strongly opposed the merger as they did not want to leave their church and be subject to this modernist teaching and influence.  They were called “the Minorities”.  This small but valiant for truth group began a struggle in the courts of the mighty Presbyterian Church.  At the same time, on the national level, modernism was taking hold of the denomination while such men as Dr. Machen and others fought to keep this cancer out of church.  In Morristown, the struggle continued in the church courts, synods, presbytery and finally the General Assembly.  Sadly, at each level, the pleas of the Minorities seemed to fall on deaf ears.  These members did not wish to leave the Presbyterian Church but merely to be allowed to worship in their beloved old building and hear the message of the “grand old religion”.  During their struggle, Dr. Machen, a renowned professor at Princeton Seminary, became a close friend and supporter of this embattled congregation now called “The Continuing Minorities”.  Their request to use the virtually empty old building and its unused Manse was denied so the group met first at members’ homes for prayer beginning in October of 1925.  The first worship service was a Christmas celebration on December 28, 1925 attended by 250 people at the Morristown High School.  Regular services began on January 1, 1926 in the Morristown municipal building many faithful ministers came to the aid of this small congregation.  When the final appeal was refused by the General Assembly, they were forced to find a more permanent building so they moved to 10 Community Place in Morristown in July of 1926.

Emmanuel Church is formed: This became our first church building and we became officially Emmanuel Church, Independent Presbyterian on October 17, 1927.  The name Emmanuel was chosen because “only if God is with us will we survive against the mighty PCUSA and the world”.   In the windows of the storefront were two lighted signs.  One on the right read: Emmanuel God With Us.  And on the left it said: Jesus, He shall save.  Church officials were elected by the congregation and the Rev. Paul Woolley from Princeton Seminary, as recommended by Dr. Machen, was called to be Moderator of the Session.  Rev. Woolley would later become a teacher of prominence at The Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia.  On May 31, 1928, Dr. Lawrence Gilmore was installed as our first pastor.  It was remembered that he, without the use of a horse or a car, would walk up and down the hills of Morris County in all types of weather conditions to visit and minister to members.  In 1929, Emmanuel held its first wedding, that of Miss Esther Prentiss to Mr. Bennett Anderson.  In 1930, a more permanent location was desired to hold the expanding congregation and the church bought a house at 33 Maple Avenue in Morristown and converted it to a church and Manse.  The building was dedicated on Sunday   November 10, 1930 with Dr. Machen preaching from 1 Cor 1:22-24.