In Memory of Elder Thomas J. Kitts
OBITUARY. -- Departed this transitory life, on Friday the 26th day of January, 1838, after a lingering illness, ELDER THOMAS JEFFERSON KITTS, Pastor of the Second Baptist Church in Philadelphia, in the 49th year of his age.
The decease of Elder Kitts is sincerely deplored by the friends of Truth in this region of country, more especially by the church over which the Lord had made him overseer; the event is an instance of the mysterious and inscrutable dispensation of that Being who doeth all things right, in removing from this world, a distinguished, useful and able minister of the New Testament, nearly in the meridian of life, and in the strength and vigor of his mind when according to human calculation, he might have been highly useful in the service of his Lord and master; but he who seeth not as a man seeth, determined otherwise, and doubtless has removed a beloved labourer in the Christian vineyard, from a state of toil, trouble and sorrow, to a state of peace, enjoyment, and bliss, where the mysteries of Divine Providence respecting him, will be fully and satisfactorily developed to his enraptured mind. Those who intimately knew Elder Kitts, can have no doubt of his happy exchange of a world of sorrow for a world of joy, and that he is now receiving those rewards of grace, which are in reserve for all the faithful followers of the Lamb: may it be the happy lot of all his mourning friends to meet him in that blessed abode where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest.
Mr. Kitts made an open profession of religion in the year 1812, wa baptized on a profession of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in Wilmington, in the state of Delaware, and united himself to the Baptist church in that place; he continued for several years a respectable, useful and highly esteemed member of the church, and though young was chosen a Deacon and Clerk of the Church, which station he filled with ability and satisfaction, in a manner creditable to himself and the church. In the year 1818, having exercised his gifts before the church, he was licensed to preach the word of life, wherever the Lord should be pleased to open a door for him, but his destiny was not to remain at Wilmington, where he was engaged in the tuition of youth. The great Head of the church, who fixes the bounds of our habitation, had other work for him to do; he was to feed his sheep and lambs; he was called to take charge of the Baptist church at Canton, Salem county, State of New Jersey, which he accepted, and took the oversight of that spiritual vineyard about the year 1818; here he was ordained to the work of the gospel ministry, by the laying on of hands of the presbytery, according to the useage of the Particular Baptists, and in accordance with the discipline of our churches. With the Canton church Elder Kitts continued about 10 months, he was useful and prosperous among them, and greatly respected and beloved,; it was with no small reluctance that the church parted with him, but his Master had work for him elsewhere, and under a sense of duty he took charge of the Baptist church in Camden, New Jersey, from whom he received a unanimous call to become their pastor, which he accepted; here his propects of usefulness were considerable, the Lord blessed his labours, and numbers were added to the church, but being under the necessity of undertaking the tuition of youth for the support of his family, which induced him to take charge of the Academy in Camden, he found the confinement, and the intenseness of his different studies, impairing his health and breaking down his constitution and that he must leave that place, however pleasant and eligible it might be on many accounts; he had charge of the church at Camden about 18 months, and receiving an unanimous call from the Baptist church in the Great Valley, Chester county, state of Pennsylvania, he was induced to accept the call, hoping to recruit his health by a country residence. He continued at the Great Valley one year, where there was every appearance of his growing usefulness, but his bodily strength and studious pursuits did not seem to qualify him for agricultural concerns, a less laborious way of life was more congenial to his feelings and circumstances, and receiving a call from the Second Baptist church in Philadelphia, he removed there, having accepted the call, and continued the acceptable Pastor of this church until his decease, a period of about fifteen year. He now rests from his labours, and his works follow him.
Of Elder Kitts' piety there cannot be a doubt, he was eminently a man of prayer, his manner, hi demeanor, his conversation, indicated divine teaching, he seemed to breathe the spirit of the gospel, and nothing seemed to afford him equal delight with seeing and hearing of the triumphs of divine grace, his mind often dwelt with peculiar pleasure on the contemplation of the everlasting love of God.
Elder Kitts' mental acquirements were of the highest order, though from his retired and modest habits, they were not at once discernible; he possessed a strong mind, clear perception by close and judicious study and indefatigable application; frequently has the declining lustre of the midnight taper reminded him that his tottering frame required repose; his mind was richly stored with useful knowledge, nor was he insensible of the charms of ornamental literature; he became a considerable proficient in the dead languages, as well as other literary and scientific pursuits, to the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages he had paid particular attention, and not unfrequently was his private reading of the Holy Scriptures in their original tongue, and his criticisms on the sacred text were often interesting, original and instructive, his favorite English commentator was the great Dr. Gill.
Elder Kitts' pulpit talents were very considerable; clear and unaffected in his annunciation, energetic and forcible in his delivery, solemn and devout in his manner, pathetic and affectionate in his address, he spoke as a dying man to dying men; there seemed at times such a savour of holy unction in his discourses, as would fill the audience with deep attention, and powerfully rouse the tender sympathies of the soul, each hearer seemed to feel as if God was in their midst, and numbers would witness that it was good for them to be there. There is reason to believe that his labours have been blessed to the hundreds if not thousands of the fallen children of Adam, yet, he was a truly humble man. He felt that he was nothing, his glory was the Cross of Christ.
As to Elder Kitts' views of the doctrine of the gospel, they were truly apostolical; he was an excellent Biblical scholar, and had made the divine word his chief study, by comparing scripture with scripture; his views of Divine Truth became clear, satisfactory and stable; he was not carried away by any wind of doctrine, specious names, and authorities, however popular, could not draw him aside from the simplicity of the gospel; the blandishments of flattery, or the tempting lusts of popular distinctions and honours had no charms for him; he knew in whom he had believed; hence his conclusions as to gospel truths were decided, and believing them to be the truth of God, he did not hesitate to venture his eternal prospects upon their correctness, and felt calm and unmoved as to futurity. He maintained the doctrine of grace in its primitive purity, unmixed and untainted with the rudiments of men, the cross, the naked cross of the Saviour he clung to, the vicarious suffering of the Redeemer, and the special substitution of the Son of God in the room and stead of his people were his favorite themes, and upon which he founded all his hopes. He knew of and wanted no other stay; he felt an unshaken confidence that he "could not sink with such a prop." He was decidedly hostile to the newly invented and popular views and practices of the day, especialy the self-righteous and deceptive sentiments of human ability,, general and unlimited atonement, and the innocence of mental errors in matters of religion; these he considered as dihonorable to God, degrading to the Saviour, decidedly in opposition to unerring dictates of inspiration, and the very bane of real religion; and therefore he boldly and unhesitatingly opposed and condemned them. He was warmly and sincerely attached to the confession of Faith adopted by a number of Baptist ministers in London in the year 1689, a a condensed view of Divine Truth in full union with the word of God; hence he expressed decided dissatisfaction with the abridgement of the confession of faith published in the Minutes of the Philadelphia Asociation in 1837; he viewed it as enigmatical, vague, and uncertain, meaning any thing or nothing, and at his last interview with his church, he announced his intention of lecturing on Wednesday evenings on the confession of Faith. He also decidedly condemned the modern practice of coupling the institutions of men with those of Christ, maintining the sufficiency of the word of God, for the guidance, government and prosperity of his church, and that Zion's King neither needs nor tolerates the inventions of men to be amalgamated with the laws and regulations of his church. With regard to the duty of believers in the present dark and trying times, he was fully of the opinion, that they ought to withdraw and separate themselves from all those who either walked disorderly or erroneously as to faith and practice, that God's people ought to dwell alone "that they should neither touch nor handle the unclean thing," and have no fellowship with error in any shape; that if the Lord raised him up again, it was his intention to be more faithful in defence of Divine Truth, and in exposing the prevailing errors of the day, so greatly was his mind exercised on this subject, that he frequently expressed a desire of issuing a periodical publication in vindication of gospel doctrines and practice, as he supposed them enjoined by the oracle of God, and he even made some preparations for the purpose, but the state of his health and his protracted illness, frustrated all hi plans, and rendered him for more than six months in a great degree incapable of action or study. During the last illness his demeanor appeared peculiarly that of a christian, and though under deep and painful bodily suffering, and his earthly tabernacle evidently ready to fall to pieces, he manifested composure and even serenity of mind, and a firm and filial acquiescence in the will of his heavenly Father; he never seemed to doubt his happy prospects, sustained and comforted by the gloriou truths which he ever delighted to dwell upon throughout his ministerial career, and feeling wholly, yet humble confidence, that he was established upon the Rock Christ Jesus; he manifested no fear of death, the awful messenger's approach brought no terror to him, his string was taken away, the message was that of love; his redemption was drawing nigh. The last scripture he uttered, and which he commented upon with peculiar satisfaction, a little before his decease, was II. Cor. v. 1, 6 verses, his mind appeared specially elevated, particularly when speaking of not being found naked and clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. The hymn beginning with "Jerusalem my happy home," &c., yielded him no small pleasure, all indicating that his mind was soaring into those happy regions, where he expected shortly to enjoy the beatific Vision of God and the Lamb without any interruption or alloy.
Elder Kitts' earthly remains were deposited in the cemetery of the Second Baptist church on the 30th of January last, attended by an immense concourse of people, and a large number of the ministers of different denominations, who appeared solemnly to feel, on the affecting occsion, while paying their last tribute of respect and esteem to departed worth, Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord. The funeral services were conducted by Elder Theophilus Harris, Pastor of the North Seventh Street Baptist church, and on Lord's day evening following, a very interesting and able funeral discourse was delivered by Elder Peckworth, at the meeting house of the Second Baptist church, II. Cor. 5:1-6, to a very crowded and weeping audience; they deeply bewailed, that they should hear no more their beloved Pastor from that sacred desk! Oh, how true is the declaration of Holy writ, the memory of the just is blessed. Elder Kitts has left a widow and two children to mourn their bereaved state; may the widow' God and the orphans stay be their portion, and the Lord God of Elijah their protector and friend.
T. (THEOPHILUS HARRIS).
Philadelphia, March 7th, 1838.
TRIBUTE TO ELDER T. J. KITTS, BY ISAAC PURDY HELLINGS.
(Excerpts from a letter dated February 28, 1863.)
"In the spring of 1834 I went to Philadelphia, and on the first Sunday after I went there, I accompanied a friend to hear J. H. Kennard, and on the next Sunday I went to Budd Street (Second Baptist) Church, where Elder Thomas J. Kitts then preached. I went alternately for a few times, but I found no food at Kennard's, but there was something suited my case in the preaching of Elder Kittsm, although at that time I knew nothing about New or Old School Baptists, only as I discovered the difference in the preaching, and its application. I found more of Christ in one sermon of Elder Kitts than in all I ever heard from Mr. Kennard; therefore, I finally went to hear Elder Kitts regularly, and my love for the people of God increased, and I looked on them as the most happy and blessed people on earth."
