In giving the history of this church, it is proper first to quote the account found in the journal of the celebrated Rev. John Murray, the founder of the Universalist Society in America, as this account has made the Potter Church noted in the religious history of our country.

The Rev. John Murray, the first preacher of Universalism in America, sailed from England for New York, July 21, 1770. When he left England, though a warm advocate of the principles of that society, he was not a regular preacher, and had but little idea then of becoming one in America. During a thick fog in the early part of the month of September, the brig "Hand in Hand," on which he was acting as supercargo, struck on the outer bar of old Cranberry Inlet (now closed,) nearly opposite Toms River. She soon passed over, and was held by her anchors from going ashore. Here she remained several days before she could be got off. While lying here the provisions of the brig were exhausted, and after locking up the vessel, all hands proceeded in a boat across the bay in search of sustenance. Being unacquainted with the main, they spent the greater part of the day before they could effect their purpose, after which, it being late, they proceeded to a tavern to stay all night. Mr. Murray's mind appears to have been much exercised by eventful scenes in his previous life, and he longed to get somewhere where the busy cares of the world would not disturb his meditations; and hence as soon as the boatmen arrived at the tavern, he left them for a solitary walk through the dark pine grove. "Here," said he, "I was as much alone as I could wish, and my heart exclaimed, 'Oh, that I had in this wilderness the lodging of a poor warfaring man; some cave, some grot, some place where I might finish my days in calm repose.'" As he thus passed along musing, he unexpectedly reached a small log house where he saw a girl cleaning fish; he requested her to sell him some. She had none to spare, but told him he could get all he wanted at the next house. "What, this?" said Mr. Murray, pointing to one he could just discern through the woods. The girl told him no, that was a meetinghouse. He was much surprised to find a meetinghouse there in the woods. He was directed to pass on by the meetinghouse, and at the next house he would find fish. He went on as directed, and came to the door, near which was a large pile of fish of various sorts, and standing by was a tall man, rough in appearance and evidently advanced in years. "Pray, sir," said Mr. Murray, "will you have the goodness to sell me one of those fish?" "No, sir," was the abrupt reply of the old gentleman. "That is strange," replied Mr. Murray, "when you have so many fish, to refuse me a single one!" "I did not refuse you a fish, sir; you are welcome to as many as you please, but I do not sell the article; I do not sell the fish, sir, I have them for taking up, and you may obtain them the same way." Mr. Murray thanked him; the old man then inquired what he wanted of them, and was told he wished them for supper for the mariners at the tavern. The old man offered to send the fish over for him and urged Mr. Murray to tarry with him that night. Mr. Murray consented to return after visiting the crew at the public house. The old gentleman was Thomas Potter. Mr. Murray says he was astonished to see so much genuine politeness and hospitality under so rough an exterior, but his astonishment was greatly increased on his return. The old man's room was prepared, his fire bright and his heart opened. "Come," said he, "my friend, I am gLad you have returned, I have longed to see you, I have been expecting you a long time." Expecting him! Mr. Murray was amazed and asked what he meant. Mr. Potter replied: "I must answer in my own way. I am a poor ignorant man, and know neither how to read or write; I was born in these woods, and worked on these grounds until I became a man, when I went on coasting voyages from here to New York; I was then about getting married, but in going to New York once I was pressed on board of a man-of-war and taken in Admiral Warren's ship to Cape Breton. I never drank any rum, so they saved my allowance; but I would not bear an affront, so if any of the officers struck me I struck them again, but the admiral took my part and called me his new-light man. When I reached Louisburg, I ran away, and traveled barefooted through the country and almost naked to New York, where I was known and supplied with clothes and money, and soon returned home, where I found my girl married. This rendered me unhappy, but I recovered my tranquillity and married her sister. I settled down to work, and got forward quite fast, constructed a saw-mill and possessed myself of this farm and five hundred acres of adjoining land. I entered into navigation, own a sloop, and have now got together a fair estate. I am, as I said, unable to read or write, but I am capable of reflection; the sacred Scriptures have been often read to me, from which I gathered that there is a great and good Being who has preserved and protected me through innumerable dangers, and to whom we are all indebted for all we enjoy; and as he has given me a house of my own I conceived I could do no less than to open it to the stranger, let him be who he would; and especially if a traveling minister passed this way he always received an invitation to put up at my house and hold his meetings here.

"I continued in this practice for more than seven years, and illiterate as I was, I used to converse with them, and was fond of asking them questions. They pronounced me an odd mortal, declaring themselves at a loss what to make of me; while I continued to affirm that I had but one hope; I believed that Jesus suffered death for my transgressions, and this alone was sufficient for me. At length my wife grew weary of having meetings held in her house, and I determined to build a house for the worship of God. I had no children, and I knew that I was beholden to Almighty God for everything which I possessed, and it seemed right I should appropriate a part of what He bestowed for His service. My neighbors offered their assistance, but 'No,' said I, 'God has given me enough to do this work without your aid, and as He has put it into my heart to do so, so I will do.' 'And who,' it was asked, 'will be your preacher?' I answered, 'God will send me a preacher, and of a very different stamp from those who have heretofore preached in my house. The preachers we have heard are perpetually contradicting themselves; but that God who has put it into my heart to build this house, will send one who shall deliver unto me His own truth - who shall speak of Jesus Christ and his salvation.' When the house was finished, I received an application from the Baptists, and I told them if they could make it appear that God Almighty was a Baptist I should give them the building at once. The Quakers and Presbyterians received similar answers. 'No,' said I, 'as I firmly believe that all mankind are equally dear to Almighty God, they shall all be equally welcome to preach in this house which I have built. My neighbors assured me that I should never see a preacher whose sentiments corresponded with my own, but I uniformly replied I assuredly would. I engaged for the first year with a man whom I greatly disliked; we parted, and for some years we have had no stated minister. My friends often asked me, 'Where is the preacher of whom you spoke?' and my constant reply was, 'He will by and by make his appearance.' The moment, sir, I saw your vessel on shore it seemed as if a voice had audibly sounded in my ears, 'There, Potter, in that vessel, cast away on that shore, is the preacher you have so long been expecting.' I heard the voice and believed the report, and when you came up to my door and asked for the fish, the same voice seemed to repeat, 'Potter, this is the man --- this is the person whom I have sent to preach in your house!"

As may be supposed, Murray was immeasurably astonished at Mr. Potter's narrative, but yet had not the least idea that his wish could ever be realized. He asked him what he could discern in his appearance to lead him to mistake him for a preacher. "What," said Potter, "could I discern when you were on the vessel that could induce this conclusion? Sir, it is not what I saw or see, but what I feel, which produces in my mind full conviction. Murray replied that he must be deceived, as he should never preach in that place or anywhere else.

"Have you never preached? Can you say you never preached?"

"I cannot, but I never intend to preach again."

"Has not God lifted up the light of His countenance upon you? Has He not shown you the truth?"

"I trust he has."

"Then how dare you hide this truth? Do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? If God has shown you His salvation, why should you not show it to your fellow-men? But I know that you will -- I am sure that God Almighty has sent you to us for this purpose. I am not deceived, sir, I am sure I am not deceived."

Murray was much agitated when this man thus spoke on, and began to wonder whether or no, God, who ordains all things, had not ordained that this should come to pass; but his heart trembled, he tells us, at the idea. He says he endeavored to quiet his own fears and to silence the warm-hearted old man by informing him he was supercargo of the vessel, that property to a large amount was entrusted to his care, and that the moment the wind changed he was under solemn obligations to depart.

"The wind will never change," said Potter, "until you have delivered to us, in that meetinghouse, a message from God."

Murray still resolutely determined never to enter any pulpit as a preacher; but being much agitated in mind, asked to be shown to bed after he had prayed with the family. When they parted for the night his kind host solemnly requested him to think of what he said.

"Alas," says Murray, "he need not have made this request; it was impossible to banish it from my mind; when I entered my chamber and shut the door, I burst into tears; I felt as if the hand of God was in the events which had brought me to this place, and I prayed most ardently that God would assist and direct me by His counsel.

So much exercised was he in mind that he spent the greater part of the night in praying and weeping, "dreading more than death," he says, "supposing death to be an object of dread, the idea of engaging as a public character."

In his writings he gives the substance of his meditations on that memorable night. In the morning his good friend renewed his solicitations: "Will you speak to me and my neighbors of the good things which belong to our peace?"

Murray, seeing only thick woods, the tavern across the field excepted, requested to know what he meant by neighbors.

"O, sir, we assemble a large congregation whenever the meetinghouse is opened; indeed, when my father first settled here, he was obliged to go twenty miles to grind a bushel of corn, but now there are more than seven hundred inhabitants within that distance."

Murray still could not be prevailed upon to yield, but Potter insisted and seemed positive the wind would not change until he had spoken to the people. Thus urged, Murray began to waver, and at length he tells us he "implored God, who sometimes condescends to indulge individuals with tokens of His approbation, graciously to indulge me upon this important occasion, and that if it was His will that I should obtain my soul's desire by passing through life as a private individual; if such was not His will, that I should engage as a preacher in the ministry, He would vouchsafe to grant me such a wind as might bear me from this shore before another Sabbath. I determined to take the changing of the wind for an answer."

But the wind changed not, and towards the close of the Saturday afternoon he reluctantly gave his consent to preaching the next day, and Mr. Potter immediately despatched his men on horseback to notify the neighbors, which they were to continue to do until ten o'clock in the evening. Mr. Murray appears to have had but little rest that night, thinking over the responsibilities of the avocation he was so unexpectedly about to be engaged in, and of what he should say and how he should address the people; but the passage: "Take no thought what ye shall say," etc, appears to have greatly relieved his mind. Sunday morning they proceeded to the church, Potter very joyful and Murray uneasy, distrusting his own abilities to realize the singularly high-formed expectations of his kind host. The church at that day is described as being "neat and convenient, with a pulpit rather after the Quaker mode, with but one new pew and that a large square one just below the pulpit in which sat the venerable Potter and his family and visiting strangers; the rest of the seats were constructed with backs, roomy and even elegant." As Murray was preaching, Potter looked up into the pulpit, his eyes sparkling with pleasure, seemingly completely happy at the fulfillment of what he believed a promise long deferred. We have no record of the substance of this, the first Universalist sermon in America, nor of its impression upon any of the hearers save one -- that one, Thomas Potter himself, appears to have had all his expectations realized, and upon their return home overwhelmed Murray with his frank warm-hearted congratulations; and soon visitors poured in. Said Potter to them: "This is the happiest day of my life; there, neighbors, there is the minister God has sent me." Murray was so overcome by the old man's enthusiastic demonstrations that he retired to his room, and tells us he "prostrated himself at the throne of grace, and besought God to take him and do with him what he pleased."

After a while he returned to the company and found the boatmen with them, who wished him to go on board immediately, as the wind was fair. So he was compelled to leave. His host was loth to part with him, and exacted a promise from him to return, which he soon did, and preached often in the Potter church, and other villages. The first place he visited during this stay was Toms River. He relates two or three interesting scenes occurring here, in explaining to individuals his peculiar religious views. The next village he visited was Manahawkin.

For many years, and though travelling in various parts of the United States, yet as long as Thomas Potter lived, his house at Goodluck was considered by Murray as his home. At length, after being away some time on a religious mission, he returned and found that his good old friend was dead; his letter describing this visit, recounting some of the scenes of Potter's life, his traits of character, his own feelings, etc., is full of tender feeling and sincere grief, admirably expressed, and the substance of the discourse which he preached on that occasion, in that memorable old chapel, is a touching specimen of Murray's eloquence. A brief extract will serve to give an idea of Murray's style and of his feelings towards his departed friend. His text was: "For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." Towards the close of his discourse, pointing towards Potter's grave, which could be seen from where he stood he says:

"Through yonder open casement I behold the grave of a man, the recollection of whom swells my heart with gratitude, and fills my eyes with tears. There sleeps the sacred dust of him who well understood the advantages resulting from the public worship of God. There rests the ashes of him who glorified God in his body and in his spirit, which he well knew were the Lord's. He believed he was bought with a price, and therefore he declared that all that he had and all that he was were righteously due to God, who created and purchased him with a price all price beyond. There rests the precious dust of the friend of strangers, whose hospitable doors were ever open to the destitute, and him who had none to relieve his sufferings; his dust reposes close to this edifice, itself a monument of his piety. Dear, faithful man! when last I stood in this place, he was present among the assembly of the people. I marked his glistening eye; it always glistened at the emphatic name of Jesus. Even now, I behold in imagination, his venerable countenance; benignity is seated on his brow; his mind apparently open and confiding; tranquillity reposeth upon his features; every varying emotion evincing faith in that enduring peace which passeth understanding. Let us, my friends, imitate his philanthropy, his charity, his piety. I may never meet you again until we unite to swell the loud hallelujahs before the throne of God. But to hear of your faith, of your perseverance, of your works of charity, of your brotherly love, will heighten my enjoyments and soothe my sorrows, even to the verge of mortal pilgrimage."

Potter, in his will, left the church to Murray. It was Mr. Murray's desire as well as Mr. Potter's, that the church should be kept free to all denominations for the worship of God.

The will of THOMAS POTTER was dated May 11, 1777, proved May 2, 1782, and is recorded in the Secretary of State's office at Trenton. In regard to the church he says:

"The house I built for those that God shall cause to meet there, to serve or worship him to the same use still, and I will that my dear friend JOHN MURRAY, preacher of the gospel, shall have the sole direction and management of said house and one acre of land, where the house now stands, for the use above mentioned."

The house and lot was sold to Methodists by deed, dated November 7, 1809; the deed is from Nathaniel Cook, of Monmouth County, of the first part, and Paul Potter, Samuel Woodmansee, John Cranmer, Caleb Falkinburg, Isaac Rogers, John Tilton and David Bennett, Trustees. Consideration, one hundred and twenty-five dollars. The church was rebuilt in 1841, while Rev. Noah Edwards was pastor on the circuit. The Trustees then were Joseph Holmes, Amos Falkinburg, James Day, Reuben Tilton, Paul Potter and Joseph Preston. For rebuilding $703.70 was subscribed, of which amount $667.20 was paid in to Trustees; the balance was not collected.

The last services held by the Universalists in this church was in the Fall of 1874.

This church property is now under the control of the Methodists; the Universalists, although manifesting little or no disposition to dispute their claims, yet contend that its sale was through "the mismanagement of the executor to satisfy illegal claims," etc.

In the burying ground of the church a headstone was erected over the grave of Thomas Potter May 15, 1833, and surrounded by an iron fence. The headstone bears the following inscription: