A few years ago the New Jersey Courier published a communication which, after reference to Presbyterianism previous to the Revolution, says: " Subsequent to the Revolution, we have found no written or traditional mention of Presbyterians along shore, until about the year 1828, when Mr. Amos Salter, who had been a member of the noted old First Presbyterian Church, at Newark, N.J., located at Forked River. Soon after his arrival here, he wrote to an old friend, the Rev. Solomon Carpenter, requesting him to visit and preach at Forked River and vicinity. Mr. Carpenter was, in his day. a noted Presbyterian clergyman and evangelist, who had labored with remarkable success in Essex and Morris counties and vicinity. In compliance with this request, Mr. Carpenter and his wife, who, by the way, was a most faithful and zealous helper in Christian labor, proceeded to Forked River. Mr. Carpenter Labored at Forked River and vicinity for a brief time, and was assisted at times by his wife who (an aged minister says) made the best prayers he ever heard. He died a year or two after this visit, and his wife subsequently married Rev. John R. McDowell, of New York, who was the founder of the American Moral Reform Society."

Mr. Carpenter had a brother Ephraim who occasionally preached along shore about the same time.

Rev. Mr. Newell, a young Presbyterian clergyman, came to Forked River about December, 1844, and taught school until June, 1845, and while here he held religious services as opportunity offered.

About this time Mr. and Mrs. William Gulick, of the celebrated Gulick Sandwich Island missionary family, lived at Forked River, having returned to the United States on account of the health of Mrs. G., who was a most estimable Christian, of fine educational attainments. She taught a small select school, but though of Presbyterian proclivities, neither of them were able to do much in the way of holding religious services.

About the first of June, 1850, Rev. Thomas S. Dewing, who has been mentioned in speaking of Presbyterianism at Toms River, located along shore. In a private letter written in 1877, Mr. Dewing states that he had seven preaching places from Toms River to Manahawkin.

At Forked River he preached in the old schoolhouse. He took especial interest in the Sabbath School, of which he was superintendent and which was the first regular Presbyterian Sunday school established at Forked River. Among the teachers who assisted him were Miss Angeline Holmes, since deceased, Miss Laura E. Holmes (now Mrs. Captain E. M. Lonan), Miss Sarah A. Rogers (now Mrs. W. A. Low), Misses Eleanor and Catharine Jones, Edwin Salter and probably occasionally B. Franklin Holmes and Enoch Jones.

In the summer of 1860 a Sunday School was again established through the instrumentality of a Presbyterian, Miss Robbins, an estimable Christian lady who had charge of the district school. At her solicitation, Edwin Salter acted as superintendent and Misses Emelia Holmes, Mary J. Lonan, Adelaide Stout, Jane E. Jones, Elizabeth Sutphen and Lodisa Rogers, and Mrs. Edgar Thompson and Henry Howell acted as teachers; Miss Robbins herself took charge of a class of young ladies, and Mr. Salter of the older boys. At another time, Miss Emelia Smith, a Presbyterian lady, who had charge of the district school and who made her home with Capt. Joseph Holmes, exerted a favorable influence in favor of the society to which she belonged.